"Bruce? Did you hear me?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes......It's just........."

"I know, you thought this would never happen."

"Actually, I was going to say that it's a little too big for you."

"Oh. Well, it is a loose fit, but I think I'll be fine."

"I'll make sure that your mother is ok. Right now, you've got a job to finish."

"Bruce?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks.........for everything."

"You're welcome."

Terry, in the original Batman suit, got back into the Batmobile. As he was leaving, he turned his head to look back and gasped.


Bruce was actually smiling.



:: across town ::



Tom had sat up in bed. He slowly got up out of bed and headed towards the window. His head was bandaged from the injury the Joker had caused him. He peered out into the night sky wondering if he had made the right decision to become the Phantasm. Just then, Katherine walked up beside him.

"Tom, what are you thinking about?"

"Oh, nothing....."

"You're not having second thoughts about this now, are you?"

"Actually, yes. Yes, I am. Was this the ONLY way that we could have solved this problem Katherine?"

"In my opinion, yes."

"I guess I'll always wonder why it had to come to this."

"One day, you'll understand."

Just then, a noise was heard outside. Tom and Katherine both saw the Batmobile fly past their apartment window. It was headed east, towards the bay.

"Hmmm....that's interesting."

"What, Tom?"

"The Batman is back out in the city after last night. I had thought his injuries were worse. Or at least he would be trying to fix his suit."

"I wonder where he's headed."

"I'll just bet that he knows where the Joker is."

"Tom, you can't go back out! What about your head!"

"If I don't, Batman will get to the Joker before I do. I need to finish what I've started. I have to go after him."

"Alright Tom, just come back to me in one piece."

"You can count on it."

Tom then put back on the headpiece of the costume.

"As of tonight...............Batman's legacy will end."

Phantasm then leapt out of the window going the same direction that the Batmobile had.



:: Funnibone Shipping CO. ::


A large amount of the Jokerz gangs were awaiting their next instructions from their new "boss". He was pacing around inside the building. Everyone knew better than to disturb, after what happened to Punchline. J-man was pacing as well.

One of the Jokerz came up to him.

"Hey, J-man......Just wanted you to know that Punchline is gonna be okay. They got him in fair condition at the hospital."

"That's good to hear. I just hope that......"

All of them looked up. That noise....... He was here.

J-man and some others ran inside.

"Hey, boss?" J-man said.

"Yes?"

"He's here."

"Oh joy! Now the fun can REALLY begin! J-man, go and help the others outside. Woof, Deedee, you're with me."

J-man and the others went back out the door, but something was wrong. They saw no one. There were no Jokerz in sight.

"Quick! Everyone back inside!" J-man yelled.

"Joker!"

"What is it now, J-man?????"

"They're gone! They're all gone!"

"What do you mean?"

"All of the Jokerz that were outside just bailed!"

"Well, that's just great!!!"

Immediately, there was a crash. Someone had just come in through the roof. This someone was extremely frightening to all of them. All except the Joker himself. The Joker cracked the biggest grin that he could.

"Well! If it isn't Batfake! I see you managed to find the old man's hand-me-downs!"

Batman said nothing. He didn't have to. He just glared at the Joker for what seemed like an eternity.

"I'd offer you something to drink, but I don't consider you a welcome guest. Get him!!!!!"

The Jokerz all pulled out their weapons each willing to have a turn with Batman. The first to attack was a lady Jokerz holding a spiked rubber chicken. She swung at Batman, but he easily dodged her. She kept swinging at him, never succeeding. Finally, he punched her in the stomach. She fell to the ground, the wind knocked out of her.

A few of the other Jokerz had guns. They began shooting at this point. Batman continuously dodged shot after shot, hurling batarangs at the gun-toters. J-man's shot, however, connected.

Batman fell backwards from the blast, his left arm grazed and bleeding slightly. He held a defensive position in front of them all.

"Oh yeah, one thing about the old threads. When you get hit, you get introduced to PAIN! HA HA HA HA HA!" cackled the Joker.

Batman gritted his teeth and pulled something out of his utility belt. He hurled the objects at the Jokerz. A couple of little balls bounced around and exploded, releasing the gas inside.

"Damn! I forgot he had those....." said the Joker. He ran deeper into the warehouse.

Once the gas had cleared, Batman was the only one left standing. He cautiously walked through the fallen Jokerz, making sure that none of them would catch him off guard. J-man, Chucko, Ghoul, and most of the others had been totally knocked out.

Or so Batman thought. Chucko, the only one wearing a mask, waited until Batman had passed him. He then got up and aimed his gun at Batman. Batman turned his body around swiftly, facing Chucko. Chucko tried to fire his weapon, but a batarang was stuck inside the barrel of the gun.

As he looked up, he saw Batman swing something at him. The triple weighted bola flew through the air and connected to Chucko. The weight caused him to stumble backwards into a pole. The bola circled around him and the pole, causing Chucko to knock his head onto the pole. Batman turned and headed deeper into the warehouse.