Deadpool's comments: Good news, merc fans! I won the chimichanga eating contest! Not that those contests are about winning or losing. They're about how many chimichangas you can eat. I celebrated my victory by whacking a Vicky-shaped piñata. Or maybe it was the real Vicky and I mistook her for a piñata. Anyone can make that mistake. That teacher who hosted a fairy-free fiesta for example. Anyway, it makes up for the lack of candies.
Chapter 27: Gotham Graduation
So much time has passed ever since Danny Phantom and the Dynamic Duo helped the cops to capture the Joker that, even with the Clown Prince of Crime having escaped again…
Gotham City would be better off with that Bolton guy still running Arkham. Or maybe the Wayne Foundation could hire me to unalive Batsy's rogues.
If he had no objections to the idea, he'd do the killing himself, Wade.
Point taken. He'd rather save the money for more Batrangs.
…Commissioner Gordon was no longer so worried about Barbara being harmed by Danny's enemies. And besides, she's about to graduate anyway. Instead, he focused on a new case that suggested the clown's return: Dash Baxter was under the effect of Joker's venom.
"Even a punk like him doesn't deserve this." Detective Bullock commented.
"Either way, it seems the Joker is targeting people connected to Danny Fenton." The Commissioner deduced. "I must warn Barbara!" He exclaimed and saw Bullock staring at him. "Of course, I'll also warn the Fentons."
At Fentonworks, the news was received with mixed results. "Dash's in a coma?" Tucker happily asked. "Hurray!"
"Tucker." Sam scowled. "I know all of us hate Dash but a psychopath poisoned him."
"The Batman will cure him." Tucker dismissively replied. "He already knows how to cure Joker Venom but I hope it takes longer this time."
"Tucker, even I don't hate Dash to this point." Danny said. "Can we speak of something else?"
"OK." Tucker replied. "Have you and Barbara already decided which school graduation ceremony will attend?"
'I'd rather keep speaking of Dash.' Sam thought.
"We'll attend hers, Tucker." Danny answered. "I don't want to endure Paulina trying to take me away from Barbara."
"Danny, while I understand not wanting to be anywhere near Paulina, what'll happen if a ghost attacks while you're away?" Sam asked.
"Amity Park has other defenders and you can call me if they turn out to be not enough." Danny explained. "After all, I still want to become an astronaut."
Meanwhile, in Gotham, five criminals dressed like deck cards were robbing a bank. "Attention, everyone!" Their leader said. "My name's Ace and we're the Royal Flush Gang! Hand over all your money and other valuables and nobody gets hurt!"
Seeing their weapons, the citizens gave in. "Very smart. Now don't try anything funny." Ace said. "That's another card's job."
After the criminals left, the cops collected statements. Based on those statements and the bank's security cameras, the Royal Flush Gang were three men (Ace, King and Jack) and two women (Queen and Ten). "As if the Joker wasn't enough of a problem." Detective Bullock commented. "Why don't we call Supergirl? She did such a great job back when Livewire teamed up with Ivy and Quinn."
Later on, Barbara phoned Danny and told the halfa about the lastest supervillains to debut in Gotham City. "First the Joker and now a Royal Flush?" Danny asked. "When will cards from 2 to 9 show up to form the whole Deck Mob?"
Barbara giggled. "Good one, Danny, but don't say that in Gotham." She warned her boyfriend. "Some criminals might like the idea."
"Okay, Barbara." Danny replied. His first instinctual response was to dismiss Barbara's words as a joke but, given the kinds of criminals usually found in Gotham, he decided it was a valid concern. "So, do I still pick you up as scheduled or does Commish Dad have other plans?"
"Actually, you'll come as expected but he'll drive us instead of us going via Air Phantom." Barbara sadly replied. "Since these will be my last moments as Daddy's little girl, he's milking them for all their worth."
"It's okay." Danny commented. "I can totally see my Dad treating Antonio with the same distrust your Dad treats me."
"No offense to your Dad but I think Antonio should be more afraid of your Mom." Barbara said.
"You're probably right." Danny replied while chuckling.
After the talk ended, Danny told his family about the change of plans. "Don't worry, son." Jack reassured Danny. "I'm sure that, in spite of the similarities, Jimmy doesn't have a Gordon Stockade to put you in."
"Jack Fenton, you will not put Antonio in the Fenton Stockades." Maddie told her husband with a stern tone.
"He's no longer a kid, Mads." Jack replied, believing it to be his wife's only objection to the idea.
"Do you wanna see Mom putting Dad there again, little brother?" Jazz asked Danny.
"Not this time, Jazz." Danny told his sister.
Meanwhile, at the Royal Flush Gang's hideout, Ace was making plans. "Ladies and gentlemen… who am I kidding? Henchwomen and henchmen, tonight we'll invade Barbara Gordon's graduation ceremony and finish her. Her daddy dearest will be so upset Gotham's finest will be in chaos and, if her boyfriend Casper tries to interfere, well, that's why we borrowed those trinkets from the Dorks in White, right?"
"Right, Mistah A!" Ten excitedly answered.
At the night of the ball, Danny flew to Barbara's home. "Good evening, Commissioner Gordon." Danny said. "Is Barbara home?"
"She's checking if her dress fits her so we'll be lucky if she's done by the time the party's over." The Commissioner joked.
"Dad!" She shouted from her bedroom.
"I mean it!" He replied and then talked to Danny. "Feel free to enter and wait. Would you like for some refreshments?"
"I'd like a soda, thanks." Danny said.
"Okay." James Gordon stated. "The longer we wait, the longer I can remind you of how much I can punish you if you harm my Princess."
"I'm ready! I'm ready!" Barbara shouted in desperation.
"Okay, SpongeBarbara." Her Dad replied and Danny chuckled at his reference to the Nickelodeon character who lives in a pineapple under the sea.
After driving them to Gotham High, Commissioner Gordon let Danny and Barbara out of the car. "Have fun but not too much." He said.
"Dads." She muttered as she and Danny entered the building.
"Hi, Barbara." A woman inspecting the entrance said. "Is this your date?"
"Yes. This is Danny Fenton." Barbara answered and the woman wrote "Danny" on an id tag and gave it to Barbara's boyfriend.
"Has everyone arrived?" Barbara asked.
"Everyone but Donna." The woman answered. "Honestly, I hope she doesn't come. Her antics would ruin the party."
"Donna's the class clown, Danny." Barbara whispered to her boyfriend.
"Is that really Danny Phantom?" One of Barbara's classmates asked. "He seemed a little scrawnier when he was exposed."
"I had a growth spurt." Danny commented.
A few minutes later, the Royal Flush Gang broke into the place. The graduates tried to run but the fences meant to keep intruders out activated at the worst moment. "Is that Danny Phantom?" Ace asked. He and the rest of his gang drew their machine guns. "Surrender or I'll shoot everyone! Think you can stop us on time?"
"No." Danny sadly answered. "I surrender."
Ace then showed what seemed to be a Fenton Weasel. "Then turn yourself into Danny Phantom so I can suck you in." He demanded.
"Yes." Danny complied and, once again, he found himself inside a Fenton Weasel. Upon looking around, Ace recognized one of Barbara's classmates. "Look! It's Chip Shreck! We can ransom him! Those card suits weren't cheap, after all. I'm sure good ol' Max will chip in for Chip."
"Are you an Ace or a joker?" Danny asked out of annoyance.
"Not a joker." Queen answered. "He's the Joker!"
"Great." Ace sarcastically replied as he removed his mask, showing that he's indeed the Clown Prince of Crime. "I had this brilliant way to reveal myself and you ruined it! Well, let the punishment fit the crime." The Joker said as he removed Queen's mask.
"Donna?" Barbara was shocked.
"He liked my sense of humor." Donna explained.
"Actually, I wanted to add Dash Baxter to my deck but he dared to turn me down." The Joker explained. "He hated 'Fenturd' but Danny Phantom is a superhero. Go figure. Dash would be my Ten and Harley would be my Queen but I needed to improvise."
"My father is outside and must have called the cops and Batman to stop you." Barbara threatened.
"Yeah, he probably would have had I not brought any of my Joker Venom." The Joker replied and laughed. "And that reminds me of why I came here. Let's kill her so the Commish will be so mad Bats will either stop him, destroying their friendship; or will help him and turn Gotham into a whole war zone."
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Danny screamed in horror.
"Chief, are you sure it's a good idea to provoke the cops like that?" King asked.
"Yeah." Jack agreed. "I know you're insane but…"
"Punch! Judy!" The Joker said with a frown whole removing King's and Jack's masks. "First! You never talk to me like that! Second! You don't talk! Third!"
The Joker's speech was interrupted by the lights being turned off. Sounds like SOCK! POW! and OOF! were heard through the room. Unfortunately, a BANG and a scream were heard as well. Once the lights were turned on again, every non-criminal (and that included Danny, who managed the escape the Fenton Weasel through a crack that came as a result of the unseen fight) were horrified at seeing a bleeding Barbara Gordon.
"Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!" The Joker laughed while Batman and Robin told the students to call an ambulance. "Commissioner Gordon will be pushed over the edge after all!"
Danny Phantom was the last thing the Clown Prince of Crime saw before being knocked down. Later, that night, the anti-toxin restored Commissioner Gordon's sanity and he found himself back at his home with Batman, Robin and Danny. "What happened?" He asked.
"The Royal Flush Gang crashed the party." Batman answered. The Caped Crusader's hesitation clued the Commissioner to some kind of bad news.
"They?" James Gordon asked in confusion. "But the Joker…"
"Ace was Joker's new alter ego, Commissioner." Danny replied.
"Harley was Ten; Punch and Judy were King and Jack; and Donna was Queen." Robin added.
"That class clown?" Gordon asked. "Why am I not surprised?"
"All of them were captured, Sir." Danny said, still afraid of how his girlfriend's father will react upon learning the bad news.
"Wait a minute." Gordon said as he looked around. "Where's Barbara?"
"Well…" Danny tried to find the courage to say.
"Where… is… my… daughter?" Gordon asked with an expression that clearly said 'tell me or else'.
"She's in the hospital, Sir." Danny fearfully answered.
"The gang shot her." Batman added.
"Take me there!" Gordon ordered. "Now!"
Danny flew Gordon to the hospital, where the Commissioner rushed inside Barbara's room. "Princess?"
"She can't hear you, Commish." Detective Bullock said with an unusually soft tone. "They had to sedate her for the bullet extraction."
"Will she survive?" Commissioner Gordon asked and then exposed his forearm. "Does she need blood?"
"It's already been taken care of, Sir." A doctor said. "It's a good thing she's a universal recipient."
The Commissioner was starting to feel relieved. "So, will she be okay?" He asked.
"May I answer it in front of the other cops?" The doctor asked and Commissioner Gordon nodded. "I'm afraid she'll never walk again."
End chapter.
Author's Note: I could have saved the last line for the next chapter but I'm sure everyone already saw it coming, even the readers who didn't read the bonus chapter where Barbara is "crippled in battle". Before anyone protests that she wasn't in battle, who could see it in that darkness?
Answer to Khy Dragon (Guest): It's his healing factor. Like Wolverine's, it stops aging.
Answer to Guest: I'm afraid someone else called dibs on Danny and Sabrina.