There he stood. The Batman. His cape flapping in the wind, overlooking the city. Gotham City. Fear…Terror…Crime…Corruption flourished within this city. Gotham has been a dark and foreboding place rife with chaos and anarchy. But yet there was hope. Hope in the guise of this dark figure. A man who lost his own family to a petty crook when he was very young. Vowing to avenge his parents' death and rid Gotham of its infestation, he trained for years, pushing himself to the peak of human condition, both physically and mentally. Now several years later, Bruce Wayne, under the guise of Batman, struck fear into the hearts of criminals, psychopaths, and crime lords hoping to bring Gotham back the peace it once had.

Back to present day, it was summer, early July, but to Batman every day felt like winter to him. With city revenue and morale low, Mayor Hamilton Hill has decided the best way to improve the city's funding would be to increase tourism and no better way than with the holidays. Gotham has been selected to host this year's Independence Festival, a 4th of July celebration event, organized by that travels from state to state bringing a sense of patriotism and fidelity to cities. Batman scoffed at the poster hanging on the building next to him.

"Humph…Just what Gotham needs – more people" Batman thought bitterly.

For several years, the Dark Knight has waged war against the forces of evil that plagued his hometown…but for our hero…the war almost seemed endless. It became an obsession of his, dragging his mind and heart further into depression….

"It seems so hopeless," Batman contemplated to himself, "I thought I could make a difference…Thought I could save Gotham from what it has become. But the forces of evil seem to grow stronger and more resilient within every year. Sure. I stop a few fights now and then, put out a few battles. Still, the war goes on…On and on…Maybe I'm just fooling myself….

At that moment, laughter seemed to echo throughout the city. It seemed the source was coming from 23rd street inside Gotham's First National Bank. Smylex Gas filled the interior. Inside, men, women, and bank tellers were on the floor, holding their sides. Laughing. Laughing till tears streamed down their eyes. The doors kicked opened as figures dressed as mimes made their way to the vault. Following behind was a tall, slender individual dressed in a trench coat. Removing his gas mask, he revealed himself to be none other than Batman's greatest enemy – The Joker. With his trademark white skin, green hair, and twisted smile, his laughter seemed to overshadow everyone else's.

"Ah! Another thrilling entrance leaves the audience bowled over once again! Thank you Ladies and Gentlemen!" Joker exclaimed, taking a bow. "Now if you'll be so kind to stay there lying helplessly on the floor, my boys will make their rounds and we'll be on our happy, merry little way! HAHAHAHAHAHA! Exit Stage Right!

Busting out the bank, Joker and his goons quickly dump the loot into the back of their van and slam the doors shut just as a shadow zoomed down and landed on the vehicle with a thud. Joker looked up with a smile.

"Well, well, well. I was wondering when you'd show up. If this wouldn't get you, I was thinking of blowing up the place, then torching what's left. Good time too. I mean look at it, the place definitely needs renovating" Joker stated openly.

"You couldn't resist, could you?" Batman inquired, hinting towards the madness in the bank.

"HEHE. Oh, well, you know me, Bats. A creature of habit. Just like you" Joker sneered back.

"I'm nothing like you" Batman replied callously, "A cold, heartless murderer who'll do anything to get a good laugh."

"Aw, I'm hurt, Bats," Joker said, feeling hurt, "You mean after all these times. All these encounters, all these…get-togethers, you still have no respect for me? Well…Fine. We'll do this the way we always do. Alright boys, you know the routine: KILL THE BAT!"

Two of his mime henchmen open fire at Batman with machine guns, who dodges their fire with a leap and sends a batarang at one mime. The delivery forces the gun out of his hand followed by a punch to the jaw. Batman then delivers a kick and a punch simultaneously the mime in front of him and other behind him. He then turns to face The Joker, whom has suddenly vanished into thin air.

"Over here Pointy Ears! HAHAHAAA!" Joker mocked, making a face at him.

Batman twisted around and saw The Joker had re-appeared behind him near the bank's entrance.

"What's the matter, Batman? Either you're getting slower or I'm getting faster. C'mon! Tackle Me!"

"You think this is a game?! But that's the way it always, isn't it?! In your sick mind! Batman shouted. Then hearing approaching sirens: "Here that. That's your one-way ticket back to Arkham, Joker. You can't get away this time, now give up!"

"Well, gee. I guess you got me. Nothing left for me to do except raise my hands and give up – "

With that he began to raise his hands towards his head, when a Jack of Spades card slid out from his coat sleeve and into his hand.

"– Or maybe not! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!"

He flings the card at Batman, who easily evades it, and quickly grabs a batarang from his belt. It was a newly developed batarang with an electric charge capable of stunning enemies.

"Fun ends here Joker!"

He fires back, but Joker manages to duck as it hits a streetlamp right next to him, causing a power outage and explosion that sent the lamp tilting back until it crashed through the bank's window. Batman looked upon with horror and shock at what just occurred.

"Ooh! Nice shootin' Tex!" Joker laughed, "And you say we're nothing much alike."

"Oh…Lord. What have I done?..." Batman gasped, almost collapsing from shock.

Batman dove into the broken window, trying to see if anyone was hurt. Luckily, the damage was minor, but the lamppost was covering something. A body. Batman lifted up the post and dug through some of the debris. The body was of a little girl. The sight was excruciating to him. Just then he heard tires screeching in the distance as Joker's van was making a fast getaway with the fiend laughing as they drove away. Completely ignoring him, Batman was too busy preoccupied with his victim. She seemed badly hurt, but still breathing luckily. At that moment police cars rushed toward the scene and burst into the bank, Commissioner Gordon leading the squad.

"Batman?!" Gordon exclaimed as he and his men entered the bank. "What happened? Where's The Joker - Oh Lord…."

Gordon trail off when he saw holding the unconscious girl. Batman didn't say anything. He didn't know what to do. He simply stood up and walked out, leaving Gordon to comfort the girl. Without hesitating, Batman walked down the street and into the night.