1978The former Horseman known as Caspian was noted for his insane rages. Not his enraptured rages, like Kronos. Not the choreographed rages of Methos, either. Silas was more of a bulldozer than a rage artist.
Caspian, though, whatever name he went by, was noted for the sheer edge he brought to events. Privately, even Kronos told himself to keep an eye on his Brother. Even a master killer must have some small fear of one so unpredictable.
In the nightmares of the woman called Cassandra, she would be re-captured. When Methos did it, she would be forced to listen to his infuriatingly confused apologies/abuse. When Kronos did it, he didn't take her head til he had corrupted her, making her as evil as he. Silas would play with her like a toy, eventually breaking her. But when her dreams were of Caspian, she woke up screaming upon simply seeing him. The greatest terror, as always, lies in the unknown.
"Alright, Mr. Caspian Bosporus, welcome to your latest home. This Asylum For The Criminally Insane is escape proof, and lies in the middle of a city even you don't want to get lost in. Now, since I'm your counselor, why don't you tell me why you're here."
Caspian was damned scary in his insane rages. But when he was coherent, lucid, and calm---he was absolutely terrifying. As he was then.
"You have a disfigurement, Counselor. Your face is twisted, and your pigment is gone on your face, warped elsewhere. How did this happen?"
"I resisted arrest. Now can we get on with this? As a trustee, I'm expected to help others like you, so I can get out and resume my life."
"What sort of life is that, Disfigured Counselor?"
"Mine. Like my business. Now, why do you kill?"
"Head-kill or real-kill?"
"There's a difference?"
"Yes. But you meant Real-Kill. Because I can."
"That's---not going to help you much, here, Caspian. Don't you realize that you've done wrong?"
"Of course. Only a dolt would fail to realize that. I've done all the flesh-rending, butchering, and that way, same as the others in here. But I did it very, very well."
"Can't you just say those simple words, 'I Did Wrong'? Saying it to the board will help both of us. It'll shorten your stay, and just about cancel mine. A deal?"
"Sigh. Yes, Counselor. We Have A Deal. Let me tell you of my life, and how it arrived at this juncture."
To the willing and anxious trustee, Caspian told a tale of poverty and woe, of abusive parents and siblings, and of lovers who betrayed. Hearing this made the Counselor feel not so bad about his disfigurement or his own wreck of a life, prior to his career in crime.
"All right, then. Great. Just tell that exact same story to The Board, and we just might both see the sun in the sky next month."
Caspian smiled, eager to please.
At the board, ignoring the looks his scarring brought, the trustee-Counselor argued his case.
"Mr. Bosporus was set up for the crime of murdering the Jawolski Family since he was born. He had no choice but to become the "Beast Of The City", brought down by the same...individual... who effected my own capture. Said capture has cleared my mind of it all. I'm not the psychotic petty thug that was brought in. The reason is the chance I was given. Now, hear his words, and offer Caspian Bosporus the same chance."
Caspian smiled again, still strait-jacketed.
"Thank You, Counselor. I only killed the Jawolski children because they said I was mean to kill their parents. Children say such naughty things. Have you found all of their pieces, yet? I hid them quite well."
Laughing, Caspian literally burst out of his strait-jacket, and killed all the Board Members within 30 seconds. His Counselor, realizing how well he had been duped, shouted at him.
"You Moron! Now we'll probably never see the light of day! Just what kind of fool do I look like to you?"
As Caspian bolted the review-room door, he smiled again. Then, he opened the window, that overlooked the ocean 2000 feet below. He stood on the ledge.
"Disfigured Counselor, The Light Of Day is over-rated. As to what kind of fool you look like, why--You Look Like A Clown!"
Caspian jumped, and was seen no more in that city. The guards found the Counselor laughing out loud, driven completely insane by his encounter with Caspian. Ironically, Caspian would continue to be a thing of the shadows, while his unwilling student would become utterly notorious.
"I'm a clown. I'm A Clown! I'M A CLOWN! I'M A CLOOOWWWWWWNNNNNNNN!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH!"
Some Years Later.........
The hero saw his protégé' Richard enter, with the same question he always had about Caspian's Clown. The hero hoped to make this short, as his sometime-girlfriend, a noted thief, was once again in over her head, all in pursuit of yet one more unneeded scam.
"What in the hell do you suppose makes him that way? I mean, I heard his 1st stay at the Asylum was quiet, but then he went nuts, killed a Board of Review and the fellow patient he as counseling. Threw the guy out a window. What changed him? Something he saw? Something that didn't go his way? What?"
The hero shook his head, as the protégé knew he would.
"Dick, I've long since given up trying to figure out what dark force forged The Joker."