Chapter 5: Diana's Concern.
Bruce and Diana watched as Chiroptera defeated some thugs and were impressed. They soon heard the door opening and saw Chiroptera's hoverboard flying in.
"Good job, Tommy!" Bruce said.
"Yeah, but those robbers went down too easy. I wish I could get another real challenge." Tommy said.
"Don't be too full of yourself, son. If you go into a fight thinking you'll just win, that's the key to ensuring your own defeat." Diana said as she brought him a bowl of potato chips.
"Well, I'm gonna go play video games. Let me know when my next assignment is." Tommy said, eager to fight on his own again.
Later, Diana was thinking about something as Bruce sat in the living room.
"Bruce, are you sure we shouldn't tell him?" Diana asked.
"Diana, the Joker is unpredictable. Even if we did tell him, he wouldn't be able to avoid the Joker. He's not as big a detective as me. He wouldn't have a chance." Bruce said.
"But, if we tell him, he may just have a chance to be more aware of him. If he's on guard more, that lessens his chances." Diana said.
Bruce thought about it before he sighed, folded his newspaper, and headed to Tommy's room.
Tommy was playing a video game when Diana walked over and turned it off.
"Hey, what's up, guys?" Tommy asked.
"Tommy, there's something we need to talk to you about." Diana said.
"Okay." Tommy said.
"Tommy, you know about many of my enemies, but there's one I've never mentioned to you." Bruce said.
"Was he the biggest?" Tommy asked.
"It wasn't a popularity contest. He was a psychopath, a monster. His name was the Joker." Bruce said.
"The Joker? What was he, affiliated with cards? Like, explosive cards or cards with knives in them?" Tommy asked.
"Much more than that. Remember that case I told you about where we had to stop a bunch of bombs planted by the Royal Flush Gang?" Diana asked.
"Yeah." Tommy said.
"The Joker was the one who masterminded it. Not only that, but before the Justice League formed, your father had to fight him many times, even on Christmas Eve." Diana said.
"So, he's that dangerous? Well, where is he now?" Tommy asked.
"The Joker has not been seen or heard from for years, but we just want you to be aware of him in the event that he should return. The Joker is unlike any foe you've ever faced, and for your sake, we hope it never comes to that." Bruce said.
"Well, what's the most dangerous thing he's ever done?" Tommy asked.
"You don't want to know." Bruce said.
"Well, I'll be careful." Tommy said.
However, later, Diana watched a news report that showed what had happened at the lab. The bad guys had ended up getting away and now the police were in the process of cleaning the bodies littered around. The most distinctive thing, however, was the red spray paint around the floor and wall that read, "HA HA HA". Diana was terrified. She knew only one person could have done it.
The next day...
"Tommy!" she called. Tommy came downstairs.
"What is it, Mom?" Tommy asked.
"Didn't you say earlier that you were at this lab?" Diana asked.
"Yeah. Those bodies were there when I arrived, but I figured it was the work of Killer Croc or Poison Ivy. Though, now that I think about it, there was a drill there, too, but I don't think anyone was piloting it." Tommy said.
"Do you see that spray paint?" Diana asked.
"What about it? Some teenage idiot do that?" Tommy asked.
"Tommy." Diana said with a strict and serious tone. Tommy looked at her.
"The Joker did all that, and from the looks of things, I'd say he's not alone." Diana said.
"Woah, you guys weren't kidding. That is dangerous. Now I know why all of them were in the same place." Tommy said.
"What villains were there?" Diana asked.
"Poison Ivy, Two-Face, many others I haven't seen yet, like one of them who was wearing these weird goggles and had a flamethrower. Lucky, I knew how to handle flamethrowers." Tommy said.
Diana confirmed it at that point. She was easy before, but she felt now was the time to take serious action. She had thought long and hard about her idea last night before she reached a conclusion.
'I stand by my decision. I was unwise to allow him to assume the role of Chiroptera at such a young age. It's no life for anyone, and you can quote me.' Diana thought.
"I want you to give back the Chiroptera suit." Diana said, shocking Tommy.
"What?! Why?!" Tommy asked.
"I've thought a lot about this. I think you need much more training before you fight crime again." Diana said.
"But I used everything I learned in those simulations when I fought them!" Tommy said.
"Maybe, but you still have no idea how to handle the Joker." Diana said.
"I told you, Mom, I'll be careful!" Tommy said.
"Being careful may not be good enough. The Joker is an unpredictable adversary. Take this for example. That graffiti is his trademark. He was there at that scene. It's possible he may have even taken the other criminals that you tied up. He's so unpredictable your father couldn't create an accurate simulation of him." Diana said.
"Well, I still don't see why I have to give back my suit." Tommy said.
"It's just until we can create one and you know how to handle him. It should take about a year or two." Diana said, alarming Tommy.
"But, Mom, if I stay that long out of the Justice League, I'll fall behind my friends! Besides, I love crime-fighting!" Tommy said.
"Tommy, you're my son, and the Joker's a maniac. If he gets a hold of you and does something awful to you, me and your father would never forgive ourselves. Aside from that, like I've told you before, crime-fighting is not a game. It's no place for massive tomfoolery and such. Me and your father had no right to force this life on you." Diana said.
"Mom, this life was never forced on me. I chose it. I always look up to you and Dad. How you always save the innocent, never give up the fight, and how you always do what's right. I always looked forward to the day when I would get to join the Justice League, and the day I first fought crime alongside you and Dad was like stepping into a whole new world. I always felt like it was a true bonding experience between us, and I always wondered what the next challenge would be. Even when I messed up, you and Dad never got mad at me. You always told me that failure wasn't the end of the world. I almost caused the world to be doomed because I was too arrogant. That was the kind of person Dad probably wouldn't have wasted a second chance on back in the day." Tommy said.
"Your point?" Diana asked.
"I'm saying that the Justice League is the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. I live not just for the sake of being a hero, but helping people who need it, as well as, I'll admit, a good chance to be a part of true action. I always want to go in and win, not just for myself, but for you and Dad, to make you proud. It's what I want, Mom." Tommy said.
"I believe you, Tommy, and I understand. But, living for the thrill of the fight and always wanting to win is not something that will keep you out of trouble. I get the feeling that when it comes to your battles, aside from our pride in you, you may not truly know what you want." Diana said.
Tommy looked shocked before he got mad and threw the bag containing his suit down at her feet.
Diana looked surprised before Tommy ran upstairs.
Little did they know, on a nearby rooftop, Deadshot, who had been led close by Killer Croc following Chiroptera's scent, had a bionic ear and was listening to their conversation.
"Boss, I think I found him." Deadshot said into a commlink.
"Send me the picture." Joker said. Deadshot sent him the snapshot he had taken of Tommy.
"This was taken at Wayne Manor. I think Bane's hunch was right." Deadshot said, causing the Joker to smirk.
A week later, Tommy left school, heeding his parents' advice to be cautious, but he still wasn't pleased about the suit situation.
"I know Mom was just concerned, but this whole thing just came out of nowhere." Tommy said before he noticed someone in a purple suit and hat holding a sign that said, "Tommy Wayne."
He walked over and said, "Who are you?"
"Why, I'm Jack White! A very good friend of your father!" the man said as the window of his jalopy rolled down and showed Bruce there.
"Hey, Tommy. Jack here suggested I come with him to get you. He's offering to take us out for milkshakes before heading home." Bruce said.
"Cool. Thanks, Mr. White." Tommy said as he hopped in and the car started down a road some distance from the school. However, Tommy soon noticed there wasn't a restaurant in sight.
"Hey, Mr. White, excuse me, but I don't think there are any restaurants around here." Tommy said.
"That's the idea." Jack said.
"What?" Tommy said before he was sprayed from behind by a green gas. He coughed before he felt very sleepy.
"Ugh, what's going on?" Tommy asked before he fell asleep.
Bruce smirked before he formed into Clayface. He brought out a walkie-talkie.
"Phase One is a success." he said as he drove down an abandoned road to an abandoned building and brought Tommy into a room that scanned him and matched his DNA.
"Boss, the kid matches the blood you brought back the other night! Bane's hunch was indeed right!" Clayface said as Joker emerged from the shadows of a balcony.
"Hehehehehehehehe, a bat in the hand!" Joker said.
