Office hours [all day]

[sith_happened]

After lightsaber practice with Ben, where Anakin had thumped his grandson around the gym because the boy wouldn't stop smirking about the weekend's sparring session with Luke, Anakin hobbled stalked slowly (stupid knee injury) back to his office.

He'd listened to his messages, so he was a little anxious to see if Raven came in today.

The door was open. The Jedi was grumpy. Just an average Tuesday.

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[sith_happened]

"Why did you think that was important?" Anakin asked.

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"If you ever met her, you'd want to, too," Hayley said. "She was so beautiful, so strong, so amazin'..."

[sith_happened]

Up went Anakin's eyebrow. "Roy had a different interpretation," he said evenly.

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"Well, what he said mighta been true, too," Hayley said. "I... I'm not sure."

[sith_happened]

"What makes you so uncertain?"

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"It's hard to think you were wrong about someone," Hayley said. "Especially when they were so nice to you."

[sith_happened]

"How was she nice to you?" Anakin asked.

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"She told me I looked great, when I... when I dressed up for her," Hayley said. "And the ring. She gave me the biggest diamond you ever saw."

[sith_happened]

"So she was bribing you," Anakin said quietly.

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"Oh, no," Hayley said. "It wasn't a bribe. She said it was to cement our relationship."

[sith_happened]

"And what did you give her in return?" Anakin asked, a little apprehensive about the answer.

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"...I hit Batman for her," Hayley said.

That was really all she had done.

[sith_happened]

Anakin blinked. "She couldn't hit Batman herself?"

Anakin had met a Batman once. He was a school trustee. He hadn't seemed all that impressive, really.

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"Well, he was trying to sneak up on her," Hayley said.

[sith_happened]

"She was that unobservant?" Anakin replied.

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"...I don't think so," Hayley said. "He was pretty tricky. But... I guess she wasn't... perfect."

It was hard for her to say that.

[sith_happened]

"Most people aren't," Anakin said with a tiny smile. "It's an important lesson to learn."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"And... she really wasn't," Hayley said. "She was beautiful but she was a killer, too."

[sith_happened]

"No doubt playing off of her beauty to get people to ignore that second part," Anakin replied.

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," Hayley said. "And smiling. Always smiling."

[sith_happened]

"Is that why she called herself the Joker?" Anakin asked, remembering something Roy had mentioned.

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"I guess," Hayley said. "I mean, she had this great make-up, too. Smooth white, green hair, and bright red lipstick."

[sith_happened]

Anakin blinked. Luke had gone crazy one weekend and turned into someone called the Joker. He'd had no idea Luke had been cross-dressing as well as inexplicably into kidnapping.

"...huh."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"I used to have a picture," Hayley said. "But I kinda threw it away."

[sith_happened]

"Why did you throw it away?" Anakin asked.