I don't own Batman TAS characters.
A scowl formed on the Sewer King's face after a boy appeared with a newspaper. He continued to stand near his throne. ''I expected pretties! Not newspapers! Zero pretties?'' The Sewer King watched as the boy's shoulders slumped. His scowl remained. His body trembled.
''BRING PRETTIES FOR YOUR KING!'' He viewed the boy dropping the newspaper and running. The Sewer King glanced at the newspaper. He gasped.
His body ceased trembling. He stepped back.
There was a photo of the boy holding the newspaper and entering the sewer.
*If the cops find me... I won't remain in a cell due to children stealing pretties for me!* the Sewer King thought. His scowl returned at a snail's pace. *If my parents find out about me...* The Sewer King began to smile. He shrugged.
*Dad never gave me anything nice when I was a boy. Never pretties for me at all. He never liked it when I talked near him. I was seen and never heard* the Sewer King thought. He continued to smile. *I remember shouting for my children to never talk during lessons. Children should be seen. Never heard.*
The Sewer King remembered his true name. Wendell Lewis. There were other things he remembered. How he always mentioned wishing to live in the sewer. Any other place but home. He remembered entering the sewer as a teen. Mostly to run from his father's loud voice. ''CHILDREN SHOULD BE SEEN AND NEVER HEARD!''
The Sewer King also remembered his mother. How she always frowned and never prevented Mr. Lewis from shouting. Perhaps he mistreated her as well? The Sewer King's eyes widened for a moment. He began to scowl another time. He tensed.
*Mom obtained one pretty for me years ago. A toy alligator* the Sewer King thought. A rare sad smile formed on his face. He no longer tensed.
*Mom never had much money at all. I remember her smile as I mentioned liking alligators. How I liked viewing their multiple teeth. How they were territorial. I always wished for my own alligator. A real alligator or a toy one* the Sewer King thought.
The sad smile remained. *Mom returned from her job and held something behind her back. I will always recall her smile. I remember her revealing a toy alligator. I remember taking the alligator and holding it. How I recall her smile remaining. Parents usually enjoy viewing their happy children* he thought. That was when the Sewer King scowled again.
*Dad frowned as he approached me. He glanced from me to the alligator in my arms. Mom's eyes were filled with worry. I watched as her body tensed. Dad's frown always frightened her. She always remembered how enraged he was for a variety of reasons.* The Sewer King continued to scowl. His body tensed again.
The memory continued.
''You know we don't have enough money to spend on toys!'' Mr. Lewis said to Mrs. Lewis. He saw a sudden sheepish expression on his wife's face. Mr. Lewis scowled and trembled at the same time. His eyes settled on the alligator another time. He seized the alligator before Wendell gasped. ''Zero pretties for me? Zero pretties for you, Wendell!'' he said.
Mr. Lewis continued to scowl as he gripped the alligator's sides and tore it in half. He glanced at tears in Wendell's eyes. There were also tears in his wife's eyes. Mr. Lewis tore all of the alligator's limbs off. Not even what was left of the tail was spared. He dropped all parts. ''I'm going for a walk,'' Mr. Lewis said. He turned and approached the front door. After opening the door and closing it, he abandoned his family.
*Dad probably assumed I was going to be too loud as I sobbed near what was left of my toy* the Sewer King thought. He remembered sobbing uncontrollably near every part. Mrs. Lewis wasn't able to comfort her six-year-old son.
*I guess my toy alligator being ripped apart is why I'm always distressed if my actual pretties are harmed* the Sewer King thought. He smiled another time.
Footsteps caused the Sewer King to tilt his head to one side. *Are my children returning with pretties not sewer alligators? Perhaps my alligators are approaching me for pets* he thought.