Gotham City

A new custom limo made for the Joker. "It's the most ludicrous thing I've ever seen", Joker commented. The green texts and red smiley faces pained around the limo bring a smile on Joker's face.

Joker entered the limo. "Take me to Ace Chemical. Go the long way around", the clown said. "I'd like get a good view of my vision of my perfect city".

The limo drove along the hell-blazes swirling intensely in the city. Buildings slowly turning into ruins. Smiley faces spraying on each building, as well as other things sprayed that satisfy the Joker.

"Ace Chemical, huh?"

Nobody's in limo except Joker. A sign of response Joker shows with a smile as he twists his head, knowing somebody other than him and the driver is sitting, very relaxed. "Where I'll face Bats, Towa", Joker said. He subsequently stared at Towa.

"You believe much in where Batman might show up", said Towa.

"An act of faith, Towa", Joker replied. "He knows I'm dying, and he won't hesitate putting himself into the same spotlight I'm in".

"So it's follow-the-leader?", Towa questioned, continuing to smile at him.

"Towa, you ought to improvise your term. I'd call it 'Bats-follow-the-Clowns'", Joker said. "More or less, I have other people who would dying to chase me down until they kill me".

"Mind politely explaining?", Towa said in a seductive way, leaning closer to Joker's side as she tightly grasps the Joker's sensitive thing.

"Sooner or later", Joker said. He then succumbed to a very pleasant sensation, dragging him over to Towa's side.

Both Towa and Joker fall over each other, pressing their lips, thrusting each other as they begin to make love.

Above the Earth...

Watchtower

Hawkgirl returns to the Watchtower, entering her room. The long mission from dealing with an army of supervillains has wearied her, but not considerably; she walks like a normal person instead of slithering her way to her room.

As she settles in her return, she stumbles upon a cake with a candle sparkling the little flame with a card next to it. Nobody has ever sent cakes to her room but it had given rise to the Thanagarian's curiosity on what the cake was for. Shayera picks the card up, he views what it says in the card. She read all that's written in here. She felt intense shock the moment she understood what this card was telling Shayera about.

Before Shayera decides to move with a fit of rage, an explosion had occurred, which the winged female was swallowed in, as well as her room.

Soon the whole Watchtower started to tremble with Leaguers inside experiencing the tremor.

In the control room, J'onn too felt the tremor, which briefly got him shaken, though he managed to stand on his feet. He turns to the Leaguers. "What was that?", J'onn said. It sounded like there is an attack. Is it an assault from the Joker?, the Martian thought as he's aware of what's happening down on Earth.

The Leaguers investigated where the tremor from before disclosing J'onn about it.

As J'onn understood what they said, he became extremely anxious. "Shayera", J'onn exclaimed, remembering she had went to her room following a mission on Earth.

Planet: Earth

Metropolis

Reign's body was taken away.

Despite the threat neutralised, Superman felt that her death was undeserved, that she shouldn't have to die like that.

"What other way could've worked for her?", Diana said who was consoling with Superman. "Maybe it wasn't your savagery that killed her. She died years ago, didn't she? Can't stay away from thinking about implications there are setbacks to resurrections.".

"Nevertheless, doesn't make it any better, the fact Joker is forcing out of every supervillain to yield to his bidding", Superman said prior to turning his head away from Diana as he views Metropolis's current states; collapsed buildings, people dead. "all because the deranged clown is dying".

Diana looks down, disturbed by so many people dead. She knows the Joker had Lex infected to become a jokerised version of himself. If the jokerised President had started a nuclear war, countless more lives will die. It wasn't Lex Luthor who did it, it was the Joker who could've caused it.

Booms yelped into Superman's eardrums, causing him to look up; the sound of explosion from the sky. But a hint of outburst isn't drawn out from the sky. He rushes the mode of his vision on a close-view mode, looking way past the all-shrouding clouds, looking at the outer side of the planet; an explosion that made Superman hear it via super-hearing. He becomes shocked.

"Superman?", Diana said, noticing the expression, which doesn't look like there's good news.

"Watchtower", Superman proclaimed. He quickly fired himself upwards, heading to the skies.

Outer Space

Speed of flight had skyrocketed to his best level as Superman had reached outer space, outside of Earth. He sees the Watchtower slowly starting to break down.

Superman flied over to the Watchtower, making sure stays in same position with his super-strength putting a stop to the satellite's downfall.

Watchtower's maintenance in same position has also helped the Justice Leaguers inside, with its smartest Leaguers heading to the deck where they could guarantee the Watchtower doesn't fall, and Superman doesn't need to hang in outer space, holding a Watchtower above him.

Martian Manhunter arrives at a wall of fire. The Martian couldn't embrace the flames or phase through. Fire is his weakness, every Martian's weakness. He was forced to stumble away since the fire jumped over him. J'onn turned to his left direction; a wall. He quickly phases through that wall, finding his way alternatively to Shayera's room.

Inside Shayera's room, J'onn saw Shayera very injuried, senseless, and lying, which troubled him. He hurriedly goes to her aid. Once J'onn carries Shayera, he returns to the same way he came in, shortly leaving the room.

At Medical Bay, Supergirl like all Leaguers had that shaky feeling, much to her astonishment. She was in the Watchtower, watching over Oliver Queen. She wanted to know what's happening in the Watchtower. Is there a brawl happening? Is the Watchtower being attacked? As she sinks deeper into her wondering of the Watchtower's tremor, she is flabbergasted forward by a fierce force behind her. Kara hit onto something, and grunted.

An attack from behind. Wouldn't be Oliver. He hasn't made a move. As Kara elevates, she comes to sight Black Canary in a stance. "Dinah?!", she exclaimed in shock, finding it shocking she would release a sonic scream. "What the hell are you going?".

"You have me mistaken. Dinah's on stowaway, having the time of her life", Black Canary said, making her voice sound high-pitched.

The voice change, could it be?, Kara thought. She never saw this coming. "Harley?", she exclaimed.

"Nailed it!", Harley said, using Dinah's hands to be set on her body's hips.

"But J'onn sensed you were in Gotham", Kara recalled.

"I'd give it half a mark for trying", Harley said. She sways forward.

Kara knows Harley is about to stand on a point beside Oliver's bed. She doesn't like how close she is with Oliver on there. She could super-speed herself and Oliver out. But would she take the chance to bet on it on Oliver's life?

"Sadly, I haven't mentioned the fact my mind has divided in through multiple bodies I inhabit. Courtesy of Joker's gift as way to bring me back from death", Harley said. She then lays her hand over to Oliver's bed.

Red eyes flow from Kara's eyeballs.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you", Harley said, sneering at her. "Would you really want your boyfriend to suffer as he shall die?".

Kara frowned, seeing Harley threaten her using Oliver as a shield.

Harley walked over to Kara's direction, blasting canary cry all over Kara, causing the Kryptonian to suffer great agony. She shortly ended it. "Sayonara, Supergirl!", Harley said, leaving Kara to recover from her ears bleeding.

"Come on, Harley-2", Harley said to Thea's bed, knowing she isn't the only one in here controlled by Harley.

Thea suddenly moaned. "Oh come on", she said with a quavering voice. She lifts Thea's upper body up before coming out of bed.

"Mr. J wouldn't be proud", Harley inside Dinah said.

"Fuck you", Harley inside Thea's body said.

Both Harleys soon left the Medical Bay, planning on extending their rampage to all over the deck.

Meanwhile, in the room where Leaguers try to ensure the Watchtower continues to orbit Earth with no signs of falling down or out of orbit, the Justice Leaguers are nearly finished fixing the problems; ensuring the moment is fixed as it's expected to be.

As they are on the verge of keeping the satellite finally maintained in orbiting, out of nowhere, a beam came their way. As it bursts, the Leaguers fell away. It was an attack. They turned, looking at where the beam originated. From the corridor away from them, two flyers entered. One of them is a member of the Star Sapphire Corps, wearing a tight, purple leotard with two pink knee high boots, pink gloves, and a pink mask covering her face; the lady is Star Sapphire. The other lady has chalk-white skin, and wears a black leotard, that was Livewire the Leaguers recognised.

"Two birds with one stone", Livewire said, exchanging smiles with Star Sapphire.

The Leaguers get into fighting stances.

What's not known to them is Harley Quinn is possessing Star Sapphire and Livewire's bodies. There's a purpose in every action. These bodies are just shells easy to cast off. The necessary thing is power.

The Leaguers and the possessed supervillains battle.

Superman continued holding the Watchtower in position in outer space. He isn't sure what's happening out there. His super-hearing detects fights. When x-raying, it proved his thoughts are right: fights are happening. Whatever goes down to the end, Superman expects this fight doesn't result the Watchtower falling down.

Unknown to him, he was already set to get himself toasted. He just doesn't it until he perceives with visual perception.

Gotham City

All things considered, a final fight is inevitable. Two beings drawn by fate, two opposites bound by fate's chains. Neither of them has expected today is their last day before a certain event completely changes the era; their relationship may change forever.

It's convenient his daughter Wanda had made sure to take the Batmobile along with Bruce prior to the latter's recovery. Now Batman uses it to reach his destination. A place predestined to be visited by two opposites.

Batmobile parks at Ace Chemical plant.

Batman leaves the Batmobile, making his way into the Ace Chemical Planet, where it all began.

Coming inside the facility, Batman strolls through the night-shrouded warehouse. Barely any light gleaming from outside; only the semi-veil of green candlelight illuminating the room. Darkness or light; never bothers Batman; the Joker doesn't seem like he'll will use this as an advantage.

"Here we are, where we've first met in our aliases, a memory of a lifetime, the first battle that started the era of our war"

Joker's voice echoes in this facility. Bruce isn't rushing into anything yet. He continues sauntering. If he wanted to attack, he would start one right now.

"But it wasn't just us"

Batman searches the Joker all over the facility.

"You can't remember because they took it from you..."

Paused, Batman remembered what the Justice League did. It was unforgivable, Bruce admits it.

"...tragedy"

He resumes searching Joker.

"Where there's fear, there's anger. Where there's anger, there's hate"

A minute of spreading across the bits of gloomy, checking dark corners, Batman hasn't found the Joker yet. He then paused immediately; seems he's not gonna have to play the hide-and-seek game; Joker is behind him, and he's smiling.

"Are you ready to embrace your lost memories?", Joker said.

Batman slowly turns around. A good look on him, Batman perceives the appearance in him as drastically changed. He's wearing a batsuit, resembling his own except the suit armor is purple, and his gloves, belt, boots and the cowl are all green. It's not the outfit that's only shocking him, it's the surprising appearance of Alfred held by Joker, all bruised and bloodied.

"Voila, us three in the stage, about to raise some hell", Joker said. He then cackled. "Like the outfit?". Joker quickly realised he hadn't told him about it. "Ah yes, I haven't said the full disclosure I was making quick plans; you were sleeping sheepishly while I was out there creating one big dysfunctional family".

"You're going to release them, Joker, you're going to give up everything you planned, and turn yourself over", Batman said boldly.

"Tempting but I'm on a schedule, Bats... the sake of my legacy depends on it", the giggling clown said.

Batman frowned as Joker pins a gun on Alfred's head. He can hear the clicking sound from the gun, ready to be used at his butler.

"Hate to utterly bring this out, it wasn't supposed to end like this", Joker said, alluding to his condition that forced him to speed the plans up to this day.

Negating a surprised look has formed due to Batman's awareness of the Joker's condition.

"I'm dying", Joker said.

Expressionless he showed toward Joker. "I guess beating you senselessly wasn't funny, was it?", Batman said, unsmiling; in his mind, he's trying to figure out a method to remove Alfred off Joker's grasp.

"Humor has never been lost on me", Joker said. His cackling faded. "I guess dying is easy".

"Yeah for you", Batman replied. "Now why are we here, and what does this have anything to do with my lost memories?".

Joker lightly chuckled in response to his question, amused he would say that. "Why Batman, why are we here?", Joker rhetorically said. "That's a great question".

He grew annoyed at him delaying especially in a situation where he's holding Alfred at gunpoint.

The clown sniggered. "This is where your dear wife Clare Wayne died", Joker disclosed.

Learning the fact where his wife died made Bruce saddened. Where he created the Joker is where he led Claire's death, even though it wasn't by his hands, or his intention. Joker started it but he couldn't have done it if Bruce didn't foresee eventualities.

Joker sniggers again. "I want you to finish what you started", he said.

Batman became a little perplexed what the Joker's desire is.

"I want you Batsy...", Joker said, pointing his finger at Batman. "...to do what you've so desperately wanted to do all your life".

The impression gathered is strong enough to make Batman perceive the Joker's greatest desire.

"I want you to kill me", Joker said. He then pins the gun as a way of gesture to his head. "Not by my condition". He puts the gun out of his head, putting it to same position: holding Alfred in gunpoint. "Our legacy is too grand to end. With fear, with anger... with hate!". He shook his head up and down, giggling. "The death of Claire Wayne, Ashoka Redfield, and Aelita Wayne, along the countless people I lost track of killing, burdening you, using fear, anger, and hate, I want you to finish me".

Batman snorted in frustration.

"If only you had x-ray vision, you would know I had a electrodes attached to my scalp that will connect the pattern of electrical activity in the areas of my brain to nuclear weapons I've set around the whole world", Joker said.

"What the fuck did you just say?!", Batman extremely shocked to learn this.

Alfred too was shocked to hear it.

"You heard every bit right, Bats", Joker said. "Did you really think President Luthor would start a nuclear war?".

So Joker did know a Justice Leaguer would arrive to stop Luthor from starting it.

"I knew Supergirl would stop him. I wasn't dumb to think nobody can break in the White House, and confiscate his briefcase. There are other ways to start the nuclear war", Joker said. "Not to mention that I uploaded a program into Queen Industries' system to trigger the Binary Fusion Generator's beam that will wipe out millions".

"You wouldn't", Batman said, despite having the feeling Joker would insanely do it.

"This is the final confrontation, Bats!", Joker shouted, which made his gun pressed hard on Alfred's head. "Kill me or let the world turn from source joy, hope and happiness into a cry of desperation".

This situation was threatened before, despite with different reasons, in another world, a seed that pushed the Justice Lords to become extremists.

Metropolis

Jokerised Scarecrow watches as the machines set all around the world have reached 0, thus blasting a large cloud of joker toxin all around the world. He cackles very loud, his laugh resonates like waves of echoes pouring Metropolis, just like how the gas pours over people, forcing them to breathe these gases in, guiding them to a forced transformation. If anything does change in this city, the rest of the world should be expected to have similar changes as well. He sees a change here; spreads of laughter flooding Metropolis, presumably from the civilians. Why other reason could they be laughing for?

Around the world...

Machines have blasted out joker toxin gases. Everybody else consumed by the gas they are forced to breathe in slowly transforms into jokerised beings before bursting out enormous sound of laughing. Each civilian in each city, as each laugh mingles, the more bigger the tsunami of laughter. Their personalities fade very quickly, bringing rise to a new persona; they become crazier, and get stripped away of the sense of morality.

Outer Space

Watchtower

Situation has gone from worse to more worser; female supervillains possessed by Harley Quinn attacking every Justice League in the Watchtower.

While the Justice League fends off against these beings, they aren't sure how long they can hold their own against them. They have other priorities, for example: the Watchtower needs to continue orbiting the planet. If it's destroyed, even during this crisis, the Justice League will lose its main base of operations.

Medical Bay has so far barely been damaged since Harley regained control of Thea and Black Canary, and leaving Oliver and Kara alone.

Oliver instantly opens his eyes. His heart and breathing rates increase as he bursts up awake. He is finally awake since the incident in Queen Industries. He doesn't remember much as he's trying to reflect everything before blacking out. He comes to realise he's in Watchtower Medical Bay. How long was he up here?, Oliver wondered. He also wondered what the brief tremors and noises are coming from around Watchtower. It shook him to life his upper body up. He turns to his right, sighting a blonde-haired lady in blue armoured suit.

Out of bed, Oliver rushes to Kara's side only to limp at her side. He's still not fully healed from what happened in the lair. "Kara?", Oliver exclaimed, thinking what caused her to have her ears bleed.

"Oliver?", Kara exclaimed with a quavering voice. She briefly chuckles. "You're alright".

"Not exactly", Oliver said. He then looks at his ears. "Your ears?".

Kara knew what Oliver meant. "Yeah...", Kara said with her cracked voice. "Harley...".

"Harley Quinn is alive?!", Oliver exclaimed.

"Preferably, you should say she's a walking spirit inhabiting different bodies. Harley used Black Canary's Canary Cry on me in such a way I'm like this", Kara explained. "Thea was here too. But I think Harley got her too".

"Thea was here as well?", Oliver exclaimed. "I've gotta find her".

"Wait Oliver", Kara said, reaching out her hand slammed on Oliver's palm.

Oliver paused, feeling Kara's touch.

"Be careful, Ollie", Kara told him. "She's not your sister you're meeting. And there are a whole batch of people attacking the Watchtower".

Oliver nodded before leaving the Medical Bay.

A different deck, the Monitor room, J'onn has been alarmed of more trouble occurring on Earth, seen by the monitors. He was able to comprehend that joker toxins have released in the atmosphere, much to his shock, despite the pressure given from numerous supervillains attacking this deck.

Killer Frost's body is used by Harley Quinn as she locks Martian Manhunter on target. As she was about get J'onn frozen, she is suddenly stormed off by a green beam hitting her.

John Stewart was the Lantern who caused Killer Frost to stay down. He sees J'onn having his own problems, prompting him to check.

J'onn becomes aware of John reaching him.

"Situation?", John enquired.

"The whole planet is swarmed with joker toxin in the atmosphere", J'onn explained.

"Everyone is...?", Stewart exclaimed in shock.

"Yes", J'onn said sadly. "So are our allies. They have been infected with the joker toxin".

"Is there anyway to neutralize the effects?", John Stewart asked.

"Unfortunately", J'onn sadly says. "All of S.T.A.R. Labs branches has made contact with the spreading toxin. Its best scientists won't be able to neutralize the toxin".

"There has to be some way we can neutralize the toxin", Stewart said. "Forget any consequences, any means necessary to prevent this planet from turning into a global circus". Earth's future should never unveil itself in the form of Joker's legacy.

"Poison Ivy", J'onn suggested. "Her ability to control plants makes it top-priority".

Stewart understood why J'onn made that suggestion. Ivy can bring about the rising of trees, and use them to remove the toxin off of Earth's atmosphere. The Justice League had fought her before. He would've thought Ivy was affect like the rest of the billions, but thanks to knowledge and experienced gained from fighting her, he knew Ivy's a likely option to turn to.

"But she's in Gotham", J'onn addressed.

"Appears we're going as far as having faith in Batman. Have you managed to contact him?", J'onn said.

J'onn shook his head horizontally in a sad manner.

It grew greater frustrations for J'onn and John.

Gotham City

A barrage of bullets shot over Batman's way. Batman takes cover.

Joker cackles, enjoying shooting a gun at Batman.

Batman throws his body into Joker's view as he fires a batarang at the gun, thus disarming Joker.

Almost like a little sting thunderbolts his hand, making Joker snigger. "You really hate guns, don't you?", Joker said.

Standing up, Batman steadily stares Joker, while keeping thought Alfred is being used as shield by Joker.

"You fire batarangs?", Joker rhetorically said. He shaped his expression an ugly smile. "Two can play that game!".

Batman unexpectedly sights shaped throwing weapons darted toward him. Luckily, they didn't hit him but the throwing weapons came a big surprise.

"Oh, did I forget to mention I had friends from high places who know how to build explosives", Joker said.

"Shit!", Batman cries. He fires a grappling hook to a railing. Though he manages to move out, the explosion from him created a force pushing Batman forward, resulting in Batman crashing the railing before dropping on catwalk.

"Master Bruce", Alfred cries, worried Bruce might be hurt.

"Shut it, old-timer", Joker said to Alfred, knocking the butler down unconscious.

Batman quickly recovered. He noticed Alfred was was lying there, and Joker isn't at where his gaze points. "Alfred?!", Bruce exclaimed.

Before he could help Alfred up, Joker appeared from blackness, kicking him away. Batman rolled away, grunting for a second.

"Stupid to not notice your surroundings", Joker commented. "Just as stupid for letting beautiful Claire die".

"SHUT UP!", Batman shouted at Joker, landing an enormous wave of a punch it caused the entire Gotham to experience an earthquake.

The heavy blow caused Joker to burst out blood from the impact before flying away by Batman's fierce punch.

In the outskirts of Gotham City...

Hours must've been. This one way has almost led Chris and Obi-Wan to nearly crack the force-field.

Wonder Woman landed, meeting with Kenobi and Redfield. "Progress?", Diana enquired. She would've helped Superman with the problem on Watchtower, but part of her sunk into worry about Bruce.

"We've just witnessed some cracks distinguished in the force-field. The more we do it, the more the shield will fully-", Obi-Wan was then cut off by a tremendous shockwave that blew himself, along with his allies Diana and Redfield.

This shockwave was huge it screamed for the force-fields to shatter.

Diana, Obi-Wan and Chris returned to standing positions.

"Hera, what a ferocious wave", Diana said astonishingly.

"That would be a shockwave", Obi-Wan said. "And it's a terrible feeling". He glanced Redfield. "Did you feel it?".

Chris nodded before standing next to Kenobi.

"The feeling of what?", Diana asked.

The feeling makes Obi-Wan tingle in a sense of worry. "Rage", Kenobi answered. "We must head in quickly as possible".

All three got teleported by Kenobi's spell, sending them inside Gotham.

Somewhere in Gotham City...

Three presences streaming the city caught Wanda Wayne's attention. She snapped her eyes wide open, knowing who they are. The force-field was broken, but it wasn't because of them. "Dammit", she said, knowing these three individuals will stop her father from doing what has to be done.

Ace Chemicals Plant

This intense force continues to give quite a pain pressed on Joker's face. "Hehe, there's that spirit!", Joker said. He was about to comment further. This was interrupted by a savage hit by Batman.

Batman quickly picks Joker up, preparing to hit him again. Then he noticed the buzzes spreading here, and blood-shine emanating as well. He noticed Joker was wielding a red blade.

Joker attempts slashing Batman.

The Dark Knight back aways, avoiding a cut.

"Fine... no more games", Joker said in a serious way. "We settle this like real men, he he he". He steadies his red blade, laid on Batman's target. He evilly smiled at Batman.

Within the shrouding-blackness of his cape, Bruce sparks the positive energy high up in the air, steadily setting his sights on Joker on a clash. His sizzling blade dances the blue emanation, colliding with Joker's veil of red light.

Two swordsmen in steady stances on the catwalk. Their heartbeats rapidly beating; their eyes fixed on one another. Their final battle, their final final fight, their last moment of ever getting this opportunity to end whichever falls.

The time bangs as both Batman and Joker rushed towards each other, with their blades coming into collision, creating broad waves of sparks. Their strengths are challenged as they each try to overpower one another.

Realising this may take a while, Batman drags both his and Joker's blades down, causing their blades to slice open the catwalk, forcing both swordsmen to fall.

They straight landed. They re-collided their blades. Batman and Joker traded hits with sounds of blares moving across to a vat, with Joker being pushed back by Batman.

Batman's strikes become more heavier than the last; Joker is sliding backwards, slowly nearing the VAT. Although, most hits he throws, Joker blocks. Blades carried on crossing, and the vats shoot out Batman's fury. As he roars, Batman's echoes of his loud cries surged along his blade, making it a heavier hit when landing Joker's.

The intense sparkles, and a shockwave, drifted Joker back. Joker ended up at the vat, which he perceived leaning on. He took note of Batman about to strike him. He leaps out of the way, evading Batman's violent strike.

As Batman struck the vat instead, an eruption of mystical liquid pours over him. Batman quickly activates a force-field around him, protecting himself from undergoing the same fate Joker underwent.

Standing up, Joker sees Batman hadn't been affected by the liquid due to his shield. Growling, the clown turned his eyes to vents, other vats, and platforms. "Let's see you get a taste of Dark Mana!", Joker said. He elevates his hand, directing to his left. He uses the Dark Mana to grasp its aura around all things in Ace Chemicals. Making them lift in the air, forcefully parted from what it's attached, Joker throws all things toward Batman.

Batman heard it. He turned, seeing a railing about to hit him. He casts his force-field into a bouncy ball as he leaps away, avoiding contact with the railing. He shortly became aware it wasn't just the railing. All things from Ace Chemicals is flinging over him. Bruce fired several explosive batarangs at the things. As the batarangs reached, they instantly exploded, destroying most of the things Joker threw at him. But the batarang didn't wipe out all of it. When the batarang ruptured the tank, it caused the liquid inside to release. Bruce shot a grappling hook to a safer platform, taking himself to safely away from touching the liquid.

Alighting on catwalk, Batman gazes Joker, who stood on the same catwalk he's on. The clown was clapping, probably enjoying.

"Very impressive, Batsy", Joker complimented.

Batman did not like the look on Joker's face. He never does. Bruce acknowledges it. There seems to be something he isn't aware of. As soon as Joker rolled two eyeballs over to below the catwalk, Batman swiftly turned his head over to what Joker was briefly looking at. It's Alfred. Batman sees Alfred is soon to submerge by green liquid. Before he would jump over railing, Joker bulldozed him, preventing him from reaching Alfred.

"Oh no, no, no, Bats", Joker said. He quickly picks Batman up, tightly holding Bruce's as he forces Batman to steadily observe his own butler. "You'll be the first person to have the first scoop on how I was born to be what I am now!". He cackles.

Joker's laugh is getting to him. Bruce can't pull away. His hearing submerges to every laugh resonated form the clown. He's struggling to pull himself away from Joker. He's forcing him to watch, to take view of his closest ally Alfred make contact with the liquid.

"Have you taken notice of the area, Brucie?", Joker asked. "Surely, this could steer back to your lost memories".

Lost memories?, Batman thought in shock. Is this how his wife died? Yes, everything in that area is very familiar. His sight over Alfred fades as Bruce's vision scorches, proceeding to experience a different scenery here, scenery which Bruce perceives a pink-skinned lady about to fall in a vat of green liquid. Except, Bruce didn't see her sink into it, everything in the facility exploded. Was that Claire, his wife?, Bruce wondered. Is this how she died? Pedaling in the sequences of this day causes Batman to feel bitter. Is it to the Joker or is it that? Growling, Batman elbows Joker in the hard way.

Alfred nearly making contact with the liquid. Batman quickly uses Mana to raise Alfred's body, putting him over to a platform safely.

Joker stumbled away, leaning on the railing. Before he could take on Batman, he realised Batman was already reaching him. He received many of Batman's tremendous blows. Blood splashing out of his nose, mouth, and eyes as Batman continued punching his face. He was far more violent, more savage, finally out of control. Joker endures it, along the time of Batman's savagery, laughing loudly as he knows he is bound to win. The clown attempts blasting a red beam at Batman.

Batman moves to one side, slightly avoiding the beam. He enhances his tightly balled fist, making him emanated in blue. He struck Joker hard down, causing him to lay lying. He then picks Joker up, not stopping until he feels better. With his hands powered by Mana, he pounds Joker dozens more times, the scream of his rage reflecting on numerous blows. They grow more intense, skyrocketing to the point Joker could barely walk. More eruptions of blood coming out of Joker's face.

It looks like his cranium is about crack soon. This is the end for Joker, he knows it. But in the end, he will win. His death will mark the great scar on Bruce's life, reminding him he is no better than anyone; somebody who can't control his own actions and provide inspiration for young generations to follow his legacy. His legacy shall be scarred. He doesn't need to use Dark Mana to fight Batman. He's finally made the Dark Knight lose control.

Two hands from Batman firmly grasp Joker, laying his sudden difficulty in breathing; Batman's strangling Joker. He hears his laugh, but he suffocates. He will crush his neck. He should've done this ages ago. He should've killed him, then Ashoka would still be alive. The moment when Ashoka was killed by Joker, it should've snapped him into killing Joker. Aelita's death should've actually pushed Dark Knight to cross a line, and kill him. Even two people's deaths wasn't enough to draw Bruce's inner darkness out, to kill his greatest nemesis. No. It took his wife's death to snap, and attempt killing him, only the Justice League and other friends prevented him from doing it. He growls loudly, not having knowledge of these previous deaths could've costed Bruce the life of Alfred Pennyworth, his father-figure, his closest friend.

"So much anger in you... Brucie...", Joker said. Despite lack of air carrying in his lungs, he still laughs except it's weak. "You carry all that anger... because you lost... three people most important to you...". His head shook, trying to look at Batman. His voice starts to sound hoarse. "...You could've killed... me... a long time ago... Batsy".

"You're right. I could've. Everybody I worked with restrained me, made me lose my memories so I would falsely remember Claire and I divorced, when in reality, she died, and it was in your hands", Batman said with a growly voice. "I should've put greater trust in those I considered close".

'Close'?, Joker starting to get amused as he thought what Bruce said. He burst in laughter. "Oh... Batsy, Batsy... you ought to... recheck your roster one more time. The Justice League was part of the catalyst to drive your memory extinction... Alfred Pennyworth played a major part of the catalyst, agreeing with the League any memory of your memories of me killing your wife, and replacing it with a simple divorce should be done...", Joker revealed.

Extreme shocking but hard to comprehend from words, especially from a dangerous psychopath. "You speak lies!", Batman shouted. His anger echoes into his hands as they are on the verge of crushing Joker's neck.

"Search your feelings... Bruce...", Joker said. He discerns Batman looking away from him, thinking about it.

Mana discloses the truth to Bruce. It doesn't speak words. It transfers the truth to make him understand. He connects to Mana, examining Joker. He has nothing to shield himself from letting Batman inside his head. He collectively gathers everything from Joker's mind, his memories, his connection to Dark Mana, everything considered classified. One particular thing Bruce narrows on, while processing as much to get from him, Bruce began to perceive Joker speaks truth. He finds it shocking. He doesn't want to believe in the Joker. He's a monster, and he's forced to believe in him, rather than Alfred. And Alfred has never decided to share this with him.

"Now do you believe... me?", Joker said. "He sold his soul to Dumbledore, weaken your aura enough so the great Zatanna can erase your memories, hence ensure you behave like good old Bats, he he he".

He trusted Alfred, he willingly welcomed open arms with Alfred to his circle of trust. The fact he learned Alfred would make him not remember his wife Claire Wayne died demonstrated he should never have widened his circle to anyone, not even to someone who raised him for his whole life since his parents' deaths.

Joker scoffs. "It wouldn't matter anymore what comes... out of my head. Everyone... he he he... is going to die... I can feel it in Dark Mana... I can feel it... I'm about to die... then the whole world will fall with me", Joker said.

"No", Batman said gutturally.

"Then you're going to kill me", Joker said. Batman's expression convinces Joker he will kill him. The posture doesn't lie. Once he does end him, the future of all the children will crack. It will show the city won't have a shining paragon. City won't want have him. He will fail his legacy. The Wayne family altogether is a broken system. Nobody will have faith in anything anymore. What does Bruce want to the world to be, a world he can get away?

"I won't kill you either", Batman said. As much as he's tempted to end the Joker, a personal desire, it's something Claire wouldn't want. "I won't let anyone die". Batman steadily aims his eyes at Joker's forehead. "but nothing stops me from doing this".

Joker descries red light smouldering on his eyes. Is it that?, Joker pondered. Could it be what Joker is thinking now? His last ever sight gave a clear perspective of the closure of redness shafting on Joker. His vision slowly fades afterwards as Joker slowly loses touch of reality.