6082/How to train your Rat: Prison Edition

How to train your Rat: Prison Edition
Date of Scene:	29 April 2021
Location:	Blackgate Penitentiary Ward
Synopsis:	April and Harley go to visit the Rat Catcher at the Blackgate Prison. A bit more of the mystery about the attack on the turtles is unveiled. But more questions rise up. Who was behind it if not this guy? And why is April a criminal mastermind who has Harley Quinn as an assistant?!
Cast of Characters:	Harley Quinn, April O'Neil

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Harley Quinn has posed:
It was finally D-Day! Or was it R-day...? Maybe Rat Day? Lets settle with Rat Day! What's important is that the dynamic Brooklyn duo of Harley and April were heading to Blackgate, and for a change Harley wasn't being arrested and dragging someone down with her! Nope! Instead they were going to interview a criminal. Of course that considering Harley was involved there was always that chance of something happening, totally not Harley's fault, and they were incarcerated.

Specially since Harley is going UNDERCOVER. Or rather, as April's sexy secretary. Because that's how secretaries are, and Harley is no different. She is sporting a skirt that goes down to her knees of a black color, a white chemise with a couple of buttons open on top along with a small jacket. No tie, of course. No need for all that formality but taking one out of Superman's wardrobe she is wearing a pair of glasses to hide those crazy baby blues. And to prove how serious she is about infiltrating her hair is all in one color, blonde. She just can't hide the paleness. But it's Gotham, no sun. So maybe she's just a vampire.

"I am tellin' ya, April. I got a good feeling about this..." This said while they are approaching the ominous gates of Blackgate penitentiary where inside Rat Catcher awaits for their interview to be had.

It was time to get some answers.

April O'Neil has posed:
Anyway, April is wearing a black leather biker jacket fit for her lithe body's form and over a white and black blouse that is buttoned up to her collar bone. She's also wearing a black skirt and some heeld shoes, her hair tied up in to a bun on her head.

April looks over at Harley and exhales. She glances her friend over. "We look like lawyers, or something." She mutters.

"I'll be honest here too, Harley... I'm not really sure what to say or ask. I mean, I'm pretty good at making things up as I go, but I have to be in the situation first... so I can get a feel for it, you know?" She winces as they approach the prison.

"Please let this not be the last time we walk free." April mutters as they reach the event horizon of this Blackgate black hole of freedom!

Harley Quinn has posed:
"Lawyahs?!" Harley lifts her chin up. "Those good foh nothin', they awhe all sharks. I sweah, they all worse than when I was the clown princess.." Clearly Harley has strong opinions about lawyers. Maybe something involving how they never got her out of prison! Details that she was guilty...

"And in Gotham they awhe corrupt as all heck." Which is true. But then she smiles, showing teeth, "But we awhe damn sexy lawyers at least." and that's important too. "As foh what ta say, well, use yoh journalist instincts!" she advises. "We know the Rat King has been around the area, or at least he has *somethin'* goin' on heah. The Rat Catcher isn't friendly with people tryin' ta get into his turf, so that may be a way ta reach ta him."

But now they are nearing the gates. LOOMING gates! But there's a receiving, smaller gate on the side which is where Harley leads them to.

"Ya know, I have this funny story on how I evaded this place once by disguisin' as one o' the guards, these guys awhe blind.."

A voice comes from the smaller gate, it opening and a tall guard stepping out, "Halt. State your names. Are you expected here today?" eyes going from Harley to April, narrowing in suspicion. Clearly not looking as blind as Harley said!

April O'Neil has posed:
<Edit: First Para of previous pose! I'm blind! Leave me alone!>

April wasn't often one for wearing fancy fancy clothing, but since they were going to Blackgate and wanted to look as innocent as possible (aren't they innocent? Isn't she at least innocent? She's not sure anymore...)

April O'Neil has posed:
April follows Harley's lead for this place as she doesn't know anything about it beyond what little research she crammed in before they arrived. Harley seems to know the place like a summer home...

The reporter looks over at her friend repeatedly as she listens to her talk on. She hears the bit about the blind guards and it makes her frown. "I have theories about that. I think guards in these places are often treated nearly as bad as the prisoners are themselves. So it breeds like this repeat cycle of the guards treating the inmates poorly, and vice versa, and really just nobody walks out of this place a winner, ya know? No rehab at all. It's why I felt so bad for you when we first met."

That last part has her offering her odd-cuple friend a smile.

Her eyes go forward and she reaches a hand up to adjust her black rimmed glasses over her blue eyes. "Well, we'll see what kind of info we can get in here, I know our fancy cameras haven't picked anything up but hobos peeing in corners." She mutters that last part.

Harley Quinn has posed:
The comment about the guards being in a similar condition as the inmates has Harley consider. Actually consider. Looking at her friend for a few moments as if looking at the issue in that angle, then back forward to the gates, "See, that's why I said ta trust yoh journalist instincts. Ya got a way ta look into people's heart and know what to say and do that others don't, April." a genuine tone to her. "Maybe that's yoh supahpowah!" she beaming at that with a wink.

The gate is opened, the guard stepping out to say those words but that doesn't stop Harley from leaning over to mutter in return to April. "Hobos peein' in corners? Sorta like pics from a certain tindah account I know!" she titters a little before refocusing, adjusting her own glasses.

"Good mornin', Guard...." and she looks at his tag, "... Hawkins!" a beamy smile. "I am Ms. Frances." good job using your second name April! Then she gesturing to April. "And this is Ms. O'Neil. Hotshot reporter! Heah ta run an interview on the Rat Catcher!"

The guard looks between them a moment, frowning, then takes out a small tablet which he peruses. "Mmmm, you are in the system. Fine then. Come in."

They go through a series of security gates, always with Hawkins, all the way to an elevator that will lead to the lower part of the facility where the superpowered inmates are in.

"Are you really sure about this, Ms. O'Neil? The Rat Catcher isn't .., right in the head." Hawkins asks as the elevator doors close.

April O'Neil has posed:
April just grins over at Harley's claim of her possible super power being mind related. "I mean, maybe. But at the same time I can't figure out how to work the surround sound speakers on the tv." She replies with a little grin. "But yeah, I watch out for the guards as much as I do the inmates in places like this." She admits quietly before they approach one of the very guards himself.

April offers the man a smile as well, letting Harley do the talking. She does addin though. "Thank you for your service here too, Guard Hawkings." She tells the man in a chipper tone to shmooze. April's pretty damn good at shmoozing people who might find her to be attractive too, another one of her 'powers' or at least one of her 'tools' she likes to put to use.

Speaking of Tinder though, April pulls her phone out and silences it to stop the near non stop beeping it does to signal messages from guys, girls, and other things that she gets on there.

She slips her phone in to her jacket pocket, that biker jacket giving her a bit of a fun 'edge' to her otherwise lawyer-y look.

They walk through the prison upper levels and to the lift that'll take them down. The question about her being sure gets a small smile on April's red painted lips.

"I've gotten quite used to dealing with people who are not right in the head." She replies before giving a glance and a grin to her secretary in this adventure, a bit of a friendly rib there. "I thank you for your worry though. But, I trust in this prison's ability to protect visitors like myself and my assistant." She offers the Guard another little smile then.

Sweeten him up, make him want to protect you more, never a bad thing to work the putty a bit, as it were.

Harley Quinn has posed:
There's a SCANDALIZED look from Harley when April speaks about being used to dealing with people not fully right on the head! The nerve! But then she is giggling. Almost uncontrollably. At least it isn't the trademark cackling. But there's a moment there she can't control herself before she fans herself with a hand. "Sorry, guard Hawkins.." she says, " .... I just get excited about men in uniform.." look she had to improvise! It wasn't much better though. Specially as Hawkins just gives her a *look* of 'what the heck'.

"I am good now.." Harley promises, adjusting herself again. "But I can give ya my numbah later.." she doubles down on the excuse!

It also makes it so Hawkins stops looking at her, which she wanted, looking a bit embarassed and instead focusing on April, "I see what you mean." crazy secretaries and all that. He smiles at least, "Thank you, Ms. O'Neil.." at least someone that trusts guard work. They don't have a great rep in Gotham honestly...

The doors finally open and it leads to a darker corridor which Hawkins starts bringing them through. "Some rules. No getting too close to the cell, do not accept anything from them nor give them anything. We'll leave you alone with the inmate in there but there's a buzzer that you can ring and we will come in asap." a beat, "These inmates are no joke. So be careful at all times."

April O'Neil has posed:
April can only sorta react to Harley so she just gives her a smirk and a headshake. Her eyes go to the guard and she adjusts her glasses on her small nose. "She's a lively one, my assistant." April says. "Good worker though, and that's what matters in these days, right?" She smiles lightly again.

April's eyes go around the lift and she speaks up again. "Guard Hawkings, you should make sure to tune in to my podcast to listen to this, I'll give you a nice shoutout for your helpful and kindness shown to us."

When they arrive at the darkened level, the rules are laid out and April just steps on forward confidently. She looks to Harley again before she looks to the guard. "Similar to Arkham Asylum then." She tells him. "I'll make sure to follow them to the letter." She adds whilst moving on forward down the hallway, her heeled shoes clicking on the hard surface as she goes, her eyes glancing down to her tablet computer heled up against her left side leaning it on her leather covered forearm there.

Harley Quinn has posed:
"Yes, I suppose so." Hawkins replies to April in a sort of neutral manner. Yea, that assistant isn't that right in the head. But considering where he works .., he sees a lot of crazy. Is he right in the head? That's what he asks himself every night. The man lets out a sigh, banishing those inner thoughts and staying by the door even as he lets both April and assistant walk in.

"The rules are mirrored." She says about this being similar to Arkham. "It's the same kind of patients." hopefully this isn't a revolving door like Arkham though! "Good luck." he then finally says.

As they make their way further in so do their steps appear to get louder, or is it the echo? Lights continue to keep the path lit up at least even if it's not as much as it could be. No sunlight down here though either so .., these prisoners are often enough in the dark.

They make their way through various close cells until a last one where there is only a glass separating inmate from visitors. The sturdier protections were most likely disabled for the visit. Inside there's a lone, willowy man, grey haired, missing it in some spots, it greasy as if he hadn't taken a shower in a while. Fingers are long, disturbingly so and on his face is a mask, a breathing one, hooked to a small tank on the side that appears to be providing him oxygen.

The Rat Catcher.

"You have no idea how glad I was when I was told I was receiving visitors." raspy voice, eyes fully on the window and on both April and Harley.

April O'Neil has posed:
April gave one more look through her black framed glasses at their guard who wasn't walking with them. That felt odd. She then looked over to her friend playing the part of her lovely assistant here this afternoon and she shows a nervous look quickly breaking character before her eyes go forward.

The hallway was ominous, the other occupants of it were being passed by on either sides of them and April... speaks softly, hearing her own shoes clack on the ground at basically the same pace as her heart thumps inside of her chest.

"Does this feel, familiar, to you somehow?" April quietly asks Harley as they proceed onward.

A moment later and the man behind the glass is visible, and... well, unsettling. April swallows as she stares through the clear pane of protective glass separating them and she levels her chin toward him then reaches up to adjust her glasses and nods once to him.

"Hello, I'm April O'Neil, this is my assistant." Did they have a cover name for Harley? April is nervous and can't remember it. "Uh... Megan, Megan Mar... gle." Has April been watching the royal family drama? Seems so.

She puts her eyes back through the glass to the man on the other side of it. "We'd like to ask you some questions."

Harley Quinn has posed:
Harley offers one of her wide smiles back at April as they are making their way down the corridors. One of those trademark ones with the more wild eyes, but also the one she uses when they are quietly together in the sanctity of their apartment! There is power in familiarity after all. The question is then received with a nod.

"It's like goin' back ta Arkham.." She admits, another look over, "Without a fault!" but then they are face to face with the Rat Catcher. And sure, she knew him. As Harley Quinn. Not exactly as April's assistant. So when she fingerwiggles at the man there is no look of recognition from him.

A good thing!

The introduction as Megan Margle has Harley titter again, but she doesn't do so uncontrollably. "That's me. The Margle." she is amused.

The Rat Catcher watches April, those green eyes intent as they take in her nervousness. Is he smiling? Hard to tell with that mask. "A reporter, are you?" does he listen to her podcast? "And what do you have to ask an old man and his rats? It's been ..., a long while since we have had visitors. Me and the rats do get lonely." for a moment it almost seems as if there's a rat chittering nearby.

April O'Neil has posed:
April generally thinks that Harley knows more about all of this stuff than she ever really lets on, and Harley's general demeanor during things like this is a big reason why she feels that way. But its comforting in a way, Harley's confidence helps April feel less afraid. If Harley ever gets scared? April will probably lose her utter shit...

She looks away from 'Megan' and back to the man in the human aquarium. She notes his words and their general creepiness and just stammers for a second before she summons up her Reporter confidence...

"First of all, I'd like to say that its been awhile, I've been trying to find you for a long time." She says. "And to be honest..." April spares a look around at his cell from the outside. "I can't say I'm surprised to find you in a place like this. It seems, oddly appropriate."

Bold.

She puts her eyes back on him through the glass and once more adjusts the glasses on her nose as she holds her tablet computer against her chest through the motorcycle jacket she has on over her blouse.

"I want to know why you attacked my friends, or rather sent your minions after them." She tells him. "To my knowledge they had no past interactions with you, so I'd like to know why ... you saw fit to try to murder them in their home."

Will he even remember the attack on the Turtles? Wait, was he even the mastermind behind it all? she doesn't't know, that night was pure madness.

Harley Quinn has posed:
Megan Margle, drama queen, folds her arms together, taking a step to the side as April takes over. She notes that confidence coming up. The reporter. It makes Harley grin and she nods from the side before she casts a look at the man again. Well, he certainly appears to have lost some weight.

A raspy sound that could pass as a chuckle comes out of the man's throat. "You are bold." he tells her, "I will give you that. But are you certain that insulting me is the best way to start an interview?" he is amused at least.

It's what she asks next that has him briefly confused, head canting to the side. "So not exactly an interview..." he gets up slowly, moving closer to the window, "Ms. O'Neil. I have tried to murder a lot of people in my time. You may want to be more specific. Or are you here for revenge?" he shakes his head.

"If so you should had chosen a better time, you can't break into these cells." Was he behind the attack on the turtles though?

April O'Neil has posed:
April just stares at the man as he stands up and starts to walk toward the glass that she and Harley reside on the other end of. She doesn't fidget, as much as she might want to. Harley probably gets to see a different side of April like this, a less squeaky mousey kind of girl when she's in 'work mode'. Like a switch was flipped. It might even impress her roomie.

She just tips her chin up a little as she stares at the man when he gets closer to counter question the Reporter in return.

"I'm not a murderer." April replies to him, cooly. "So no, I'm not here for revenge. Revenge is petty. I'm here for answers." She pauses there a second before she takes a step toward the glass, so that they're nose to nose with the glass between them. "I want to know /why/ the attack happened." April clarifies a bit. "Mutants in the sewers, vigilantes, protecting the city that they love. Did they cross you somehow? Or were you hired to do it?" She then asks him.

Harley Quinn has posed:
Harley certainly seems impressed, a brow quirked up as she looks at April. It wasn't often that she got to see this side of her! A few times, sure. But face to face with hardened, creepy criminals. Not really! (Unless we count Harley! But we don't count her!)

Her eyes glance over to the side of the cell and she whistles, fingers fiddling with something on the side. Some controls. Well, it all seems very casual. Or is it?

But back to the Rat Catcher! The man steps close to be right near the glass, eyes narrowing while he listens to April. He appears to take her at face value though. Not a murderer? Good. But those next words appear to make him think. "This you speak of. It appears recent." he notes the determination on April. "And as I told you I have been here for a time. My children do not simply go about attacking indiscriminately. But ..." and his eyes darken. "It seems you may have been the target of something similar to my children? Tell me more." he gestures as if in invitation.

April O'Neil has posed:
Internally April is fully aware of Harley still with her, which does help keep her confidence up in this creepy place. She feels like there are eyes on her from the other locations of prisoner cells in the hallway, and there probably are.

April's eyes though, are forward on the Rat Catcher's own just past the glass. They'd be all up in each other's business if it weren't for that glass wall.

"My friends are teenagers." She tells him. "They're not even old enough to drink legally." Not that the Turtles would even if they could, they're good boys!

"Someone sent an army of rats in to their home, and tried to murder them, tried to murder me and my friends who were there that night. They can't feel safe until we find out why this happened, who was at the command of it all, and ... well. Yeah, that's lead me to you. A man who seems to have quite an affinity for rats, and commanding them."

Truth be told, April never got a good look at the guy in the sewers that night that was seemingly behind the attack. Vanessa probably saw him best, but she'd moved away, and couldn't be here to help, sadly.

Harley Quinn has posed:
"Teenagers, eh?" A snort coming out of the man. "Are you their mommy or something?" he is amused certainly. But Harley interjects. "Keep talkin' like that bozo and you'll be eatin' rat stew in a couple o' minutes.." that brings the Catcher pause. A look to Megan Margle again. Was that voice familiar? He is a bit off-balance perhaps with that blatant threat from a damn ASSISTANT, but he tries to focus looking back to April and ignoring Harley.

"I .., didn't do anything of the sort." He admits, "Unless they came to my turf I would have little interest in getting back at them." but then he frowns. "There have been others who have invaded my turf... Others who may be behind this. For while I am in here it doesn't mean my children aren't still out there... Feeding me info."

He cranes his neck to approach it further to the glass, the mask touching glass. "I could get you info, but what would you get me in return, mmm?"

April O'Neil has posed:
April's eyeing the man as he tries to get under her skin with the dig there. Her eyes do glance in Harley's direction but soon dart back to the man as he seemed to sort've get a curious look about Harley-Megan for a moment.

Thankfully he lets that go and looks back to April. She listens.

His inevitable question has her at a loss for a moment. She draws in a breath though, not terribly surprised by this kind of ultimatum in this kind of situation.

"What are you looking for?" April asks him. "I imagine it's rather boring in this cell of yours, maybe a television would help with that? HBO Max is rather entertaining." She smirks at him. "If you like movies that is. Netflix has a rather interesting documentary up about the rats under New York." She says all of this calmly with that underlying corny sense of humor of hers that Harley would know well.

"I can probably arrange something like that, if you can find any information out for me about a person who may be playing the same kind of game as you with these rodents. He was... very powerful, he might've be beating you at this rat empathy that you have..."

Harley Quinn has posed:
"Noone can beat me where it comes to my empathy with my children!" The Rat Catcher nearly barks out those words, his head hitting the glass with force as if he wanted to attack the two of them. The rat chittering is heard more loudly, clearly real. And most likely meaning the Catcher has a few of his children around the place. A scary thought.

"Don't say that again." he warns her. Clearly he is a very proud man (and not really that stable), "The only way that this could had happened was if my children had been deceived away from me." a shake of his head. "But .., I might know who you speak of. Those he controls are barely my children anymore. They were changed, mutated. And with me here..." he gestures around. "... it means I can't take what was stolen from me." his turf most likely.

"But if you are wanting to find out more, and perhaps even taking them down... Well..." a malicious smile. "... we can join forces. I can give you an address. A place where my children can't go in. Here in Gotham. You might find your answers there. Root him out, that's all I ask.." a laugh. "Or die in the process. I wouldn't care too much."

Harley-Megan taps on the window, "The address, Ratboy.", the rat catcher then giving it out, apparently somewhere in Gotham.

April O'Neil has posed:
April's eyelashes do flicker some when the man snaps at her words. She doesn't recoil but she does react a bit to it, its hard not to after all. She doesn't react to his warning though, merely acknwoledges it by being silent and saying nothing.

He comes to his own deal though, and is soon giving the address over to her dutiful assistant. April glances to Harley and nods once. "Thank you, Miss Margle." She says to the Clownette of Gotham.

April's blue eyes go back to the man's mask faced beyond the glass. She nods once to him, and reaches up to adjust her glasses again. "Thank you for the information." She tells him. "I'm sure you'll hear of what comes of it, one way or another..."

The many clearly has his outside sources while being locked away in here. Seems to be the case generally with these 'master mind' kind of criminals.

With that, April nods once to him then turns to Harley-Megan and indicates they can head out now, so it seems.

She'll give one more look to the man behind the glass though, an even stare toward him before they'll depart.

Harley Quinn has posed:
"Good job. Saved me from goin' in theah and beatin' it outta you, Ratboy." Megan-Harley winks in that typical way of hers back at Rat Catcher. And that seems to click. The man looks taken aback a moment, blinking. "Wait ..." he nears the glass again as they are leaving. "What. .., what is *she* doing with you? Who the hell are you, O'Neil?" the man looks intimidated and perhaps a touch scared as they make their way out of there.

Harley pays him no further mind though, grinning at her friend. "Should I start callin' ya Iron April?" she teases, "Nerves of steel in theah!" they approaching the elevator where Guard Hawkins awaits to lead them back to the surface!

It seems they had survived their encounter with Rat Catcher! But would they survive what came next? Or what they would find?