Chapter 116. Part 1.

Disclaimer: The story takes place on an Alternate Earth with a slightly different timeline of events. Therefore, people may be born earlier, later, or not at all. This gives me more freedom to write about the characters as I want.

Additionally, the characters in my story are not accurate portrayals of their real-life counterparts. Please remember that this story is just a wish fulfillment tale set in Urban Hollywood with some fantasy elements due to the system's shenanigans, so please don't take it too seriously.

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Opening Author's Note: First I would like to say how many I am say that another patron has joined my pat reon page. Thank you ELJ29 for the support. It means a lot.

If you guys would like to support my work then head over to the patr eon page the link will be in the author's thoughts section at the bottom of the chapter or just google my name theramenlord and patr eon together (no spaces).

You will get 3 advanced chapters of this story, 9 chapters of my Naruto Road To Kage fanfic thats due to be released on webnovel soon and 5 chapters of Star Wars Phantom Menace Revised Script.

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~ Quote of the chapter ~

Success is the sum of small efforts one puts into their work day in and day out.

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Date: 23rd, March, 1991.

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Time: 05:53 pm.

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Last time on Chapter 115 —

The whole time he was trying to explain that this was all just a misunderstanding, that the clown was actually a criminal but the mob had been provoked. They didn't listen in their zeal to take him out, and in the chaos the Joker was able to easily make his escape.

Now Continuing —

After stewing for a few seconds in the darkness they heard a man's voice, it was muffled, but they could still make out that he was doing an opening monologue for a TV show. 

It was muffled, as if the person listening to said broadcast was submerged underwater. And their guess was correct, for when the screen finally lit up. 

They saw the Joker laying down in a bathtub with his head underwater, the TV was on a stand that had been wheeled into the bathroom.

They heard the name of the show being played in the background and remembered it as being Arthur's favorite show, it was the Tonight Live With John Murray Show. 

John was talking about how his pianist had gone missing last week, and the TV screen was finally shown. Though because of it being cracked in some places they couldn't make out who the actor who was playing Murray was. 

But they did get a clear shot of the pianist, and after that live announcement. The host, Murray, talked about how sad he was that a member of their team had gone missing and might even be dead, but nonetheless the show had to go on. 

And it was for this very reason he informed them that they would be holding live auditions in the studio soon. Upon hearing, this Joker who was laying underwater finally opened his eyes, he stood up and got out of the bathtub. 

He looked to be in a bit better shape than last time he had seen him. But with him being so gaunt the first time around, there really wasn't much to say.

They see the Joker smile at the news of the audition, and he dries his off with a bath towel and wears a bathrobe before striding into his living room. And what or who they found there might have surprised them before.

But at this point in time, they had been so shocked by the Joker's actions that they had slowly started to go numb. Though the fear he caused in their hearts didn't fade, younger members in the crowd like Gong Li and Rian Johnson were at the edge of their seats as they quaked in their shoes. 

Meanwhile, the older audience members were more in control of their emotions, because they had witnessed crime before in their day-to-day lives. At least once or twice and had been a little desensitized, but the realism of the action scenes still shocked them to the core.

They saw the pianist from John's show handcuffed to a piece of heavy furniture. The man looked beaten up, he just rested his body against the wall and seemed like he had given up resisting. The Joker walked up to him and kicked him lightly with his foot.

"Time for a new lesson." He said with a crooked smile, and then Gordon's narration took over as he told them how the Joker wanted to try again where Arthur had failed. 

He wanted to be seen, he wanted to tell his joke to hundreds of thousands of people. But first he wanted to shock them with his performance, so he kidnapped the pianist, why? Well to learn from him, obviously.

And also so that he would get a chance to get into the show and perform live when he gets shortlisted in the auditions for the job. This time, it's a montage of shots that show the Joker's craziness as he tormented the pianist in his lessons.

Day in, day out, he didn't do anything but practice the piano, he practiced till his fingers bled, he did it till he couldn't raise a single finger and only did he fall asleep. 

In the background, the radio was turned on the entire time and Mark's voice became their source of information about what was happening in the city, because the Joker refused to step outside much.

They came to know that riots and protests were breaking out all over the city in opposition to the police brutality that happened at the train station recently. Even the police refused to back off as one of their own was crippled for life, while the other publicly beaten up.

This news brought a wicked smile to his face as he took pleasure in the chaos he had unknowingly spread. His dogged obsession proved to be working as they saw him improve every day, though before the audition day could come the flashback was broken with a question from Bruce. 

He asked Gordon about what happened to Arthur's kind neighbor, the woman whom he had a crush on. The one who listened to all his woes and was probably the only one who truly understood all the wrong that was going on in his life.

Gordon just gave a sad smile and said, "nothing gets past you, does it." 

He sighed and explained how the woman had been just a figment of Arthur's mind, how he had checked on every family in that apartment building and even the whole block. But the person matching that name and appearance just doesn't exist.

"Wait, then you weren't really in the story?" Tom Cruise couldn't help but blurt out as he turned and asked Nicole, who was sitting beside him.

"Well, it's a bit more complicated than that, but that would be telling now wouldn't it. Just sit back, relax and enjoy the movie." Nicole replied with a teasing smirk.

"And by the way, I already talked to Marc. He agreed to meet you." She said further, much to his relief.

"Thanks, Nicole." He said, genuinely feeling grateful at keeping their friendship despite the break off in their romantic relationship.

"Hey, what are friends for.. right?" Nicole replied with tense as she was risking quite a bit by taking up Tom to Marc. 

But she knew that Marc could make good use of him and she being the mediator between them would reap the benefits as well later down the line. So it was more of a calculated risk that she took by betting on Tom.

"Right." Tom replied with a grateful smile, feeling a bit weird that he was indebted to someone who he had helped grow in the industry. Though strange at first, it wasn't a bad feeling to know that someone had his back. 

'Maybe making a few real friends wouldn't hurt.' He thought to himself as focused on the film.

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Back on the big screen, Gordon had gone back to narrating Arthur's. No. The Joker's tale. The day of the auditions had finally arrived and there were dozens of people in line. They could tell that these were the shortlisted people who made it through, and the Joker was there as well.

Another few quick cuts, and it was the joker's turn, till now the focus had been on the performances so they had yet to see who the host was. But then the camera cut to the host, and it was Johnny Carson, the well-loved and now retired TV show host.

Mark had truly chosen well in his casting, he had met personally with the old man to request him to play the role of John Murray. It was a small yet quite impactful role with around 10 to 13 minutes of screen time, one he could play superbly due to his on the job experience.

On top of that, he just had to do a few voice-overs for his in film TV show broadcasts. It wasn't much of a hassle and knowing the success of Knives Out, he was eager to be in one of Marc Spector's films. Though, he had requested to see the complete script before he agreed to sign up.

After a few back and forth, Mark had finally relented, but only after he had agreed to sign an NDA regarding the script. He was skeptical at first with Marc trying so hard to maintain the secrecy, but after he read the script, he realized why Marc was being so tight-lipped about it.

Marc had gone as far as to have every person in the theater sign a strict NDA about not revealing any spoilers regarding the plot of the story. He just felt happy that, despite his grumbling and doubts, he had signed the NDA.

Because after he read the script, he found a story with the kinds of twists and turns that was mind-boggling and with a beautiful message at the end. And now seeing himself on screen and about to see his most favorite performance of River brought a smile to his face.

River Phoenix, a rising star in Hollywood, the young man had gone dark for a year or two but then made a roaring comeback with a supporting role as Ransom in Marc's Knives Out. A role he had so splendidly portrayed that he had gotten his second Oscar nomination.

But it was this role, his portrayal of Arthur Fleck and the Joker, that would win him his first Oscar. As these thoughts played out in Carson's mind, he saw River start to play a modified version of the Experience on the piano.

He had heard that the young man had practiced playing that one musical piece for over 4 months, for hours, every single day. And that practice, that effort showed in his performance, all that effort had now allowed him to play that song so effortlessly that it was beautiful to watch.

Usually this would be where the director would use clever cuts to hide the actor's face or just focus on their fingers to hide the fact that it wasn't really them playing the instrument on screen. But with River, there was no need for this deceit, as he really was the one playing.

The way Marc had captured the scene was a talk of beauty on its own. The way it focused on the Joker at the beginning, and how the camera slowly swirled around him. Taking its time to show his own reaction as well as the in-house audiences present for the show.

A few of them broke out in tears from seeing the emotional performance during the filming, and it was the same even now in the theater. And now that he was seeing the film from the outside in, he understood what this performance truly stood for.

It was the final goodbye from the Joker to Arthur, whose body he had taken over. He fulfilled his dream of being on live TV in a way, but it was what came after him that saddened him. The Joker had impressed Murray, so much that the man brought him onto the main stage.

Big mistake. As it was exactly what the Joker wanted, he excitedly recounted watching his show that lulled him into a false sense of security. And then when he had asked him about what it was he did, he revealed that he was a comedian, a Joker.

After a few dark jokes that no one in the audience enjoyed or laughed, he stopped the joker and asked him what his problem was.

And the Joker told him, or maybe it was a vestige of Arthur clinging to survive, as he poured out all his grievances. He spoke about how he lost his mother's medical aid because of the greed of a doctor.

He didn't name anyone though, knowing that it won't do any good, and it might even stop the broadcast too soon, as a few of the people were very powerful. Arthur recounted how he and his mother were humiliated by the manager when he went to ask for a loan from the bank.

How after seeing no other way he even turned to a life of crime, but even there all he was.. is.. would be was a failure. He finally recounted being betrayed, his near death and miraculous survival.

How it helped him finally realize the futility of his life, how rather than seeing it as a tragedy, he started to treat it as a comedy. He admitted to being the one behind the crippled police officer, and he laughed as he recounted the event.

He laughed as he told them how it was all just a misunderstanding because the police couldn't stop treating him like a criminal when he hadn't done anything wrong.

"You think this is funny?! Your actions caused the deaths of 2 people, and 2 police officers are in critical condition."

"I do. My life is nothing but a comedy."

The crowd booed at him.

"Oh, why is everybody so upset about these guys?"

"If it was me dying on the sidewalk. You'd walk right over me!" Joker said indignantly, expressing the frustration that Arthur hsd bottled up inside of him.

"I pass you every day, and you don't notice me, but these guys? What, just because some celebrity cried about them on TV now you care?!"

"Do you have a problem with the rich?"

"Yes, I do, have you seen what it's like out there, Murray? Do you ever actually leave the studio?"

"Everybody just yells, and screams at each, wanting to hurt and take advantage of those weaker than themselves in any way."

"No one is civil anymore!" The Joker exclaimed in frustration.

"Nobody thinks what it's like to be the other guy!" The Joker said in a somber, and sad tone.

Mr. Carson watched on as him and the Joker then had some more back and forth as the Joker revealed his twisted ideology, on how he saw the world. Most of the people in the audience watching the film just found him pitiful because he was a lonely mentally ill man who had been hurt and betrayed.

He had become someone who had nothing to lose and nowhere to go, so he just wanted to see the world burn.

Both of them were trying to talk over each other as Joker finally said his last joke, his killing joke.

"How about one last joke, Murray?" The Joker asked with a chuckle.

"I think we've had enough of your jokes. You've had your 15 minutes." Murray replied, he was done humoring the clown.

"What do you get—that's it—when you cross a mentally ill loner—Call the police, Jane—with a society that abandons him—We're calling the police—and treats him like trash?!" The Joker said with anger, it was the opening of his killing joke and Murray was trying to speak over him.

"Let me tell you what you get!" The Joker shouted, angered by Murray's dismissal, it made him almost feel cathartic about what he was about to do next.

"You get what you fucking deserve!" He shouted and pulled the gun on Murray, and before anyone could even blink or react. The bullet was shot and John Murray was killed Live on TV, on his own show.

Gordon and his fellow officers were the first to arrive at the scene, they were already on the way when the joker first properly showed his face on screen. But unfortunately they were still too late to save Murray, but to their surprise the Joker didn't try to escape this time.

It seemed as if he wanted to take a break in the jail, as he had already done all that Arthur always wanted to do but couldn't because of his morals. But it was hard to tell with the Joker, as to what it was that he really wanted.

There had been quite a few violent scenes in the movie, but it seemed like his death wasn't something they had seen coming. After all, Murray was one of Arthur's idols, why would the Joker kill him? Was it just a senseless killing done by a mad man?

It would only be later that they would come to know about the real reason behind the Joker's "senseless" kills.

After they arrested him, and put him in the back of the police car, they were getting ready to take him back to the police station. In a way, this scene mirrored the scene where the Joker escaped from the police station in a police car.

As Mr. Coppola watched the film, he couldn't help but sighed as he thought to himself with a smile on his face, 'The next generation will always surpass the previous one.'

He was glad that Hollywood had a creative like Marc Spector. Now all he could do was support him, in any way possible, so he wouldn't be brought down by the Big Five before his time to take the spotlight came.

'If he keeps making films like these, it wouldn't even take him a decade before the name of his studio will become synonymous with the Big Five. Maybe then they'll be called the Big Six.'

He then watched the scene that his beloved daughter Sofia had told him was the most expensive scene in the film in confidence. However, that is assuming that they do not include the unfortunate scene that could only be shot due to the accidental burning down of a building.

— To be continued…

In the next episode of Naruto: Road To Kage.

*Cough* *Cough*

I meant in the next chapter of Hollywood: Head-Hunting System.

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Word Count: 2926 words (after excluding the disclaimer, opening Author's Note and the closing Author's Note.)

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{Closing Author's Note: Sorry for not being able to upload this chapter all at once, I hope liked the chapter. Again the chapter doesn't have a name, so please do give some suggestions. It will be much appreciated.

Also if you like Marvel and Show business or Hollywood, then I got a book to recommend. It's being written my a friend his name is rilik

Anyways his book is called Monarch of Entertainment and each chapter is atleast 2k words. It's for those that like a wish fulfilment, Marvel + Entertainment Empire building style of story with an interesting system.

PS. If you would like to support me and read ahead then head to my patr.eon link is in the Author's Thoughts section right below 👇}