THE DARKEST KNIGHT
Chapter 2/Conclusion
Superman, under the consciousness-twisting influence of the Red Kryptonite currently in the possession of the Clown Prince of Crime, proceeded to toss Batman around the downtown Gotham bank with the ferocity of a mindless beast.
Sent smashing into desks, through standing ornate wooden columns, Batman's only saving grace was the fact his recently protectively-padded gray-blue outfit, capable of repelling most bullets with relative ease, barely managed to prevent the rough handling by the mesmerized Man of Steel from mangling muscle or breaking bones.
Still, the pain of such forceful impacts were enough to remind the Dark Knight that, on this night, he would be lucky to limp away from a fight he never even wanted and knew, of course, that if it weren't for that chunk of glowing red meteorite currently in Joker's purple coat pocket, Superman would never have been so superhumanly harsh.
Once again, heavily bruised and aching like hell, Batman tried desperately to get through to his one-time partner against crime, "Listen to me, Kal-El! You know me! You've even been in my Batcave which, lined with lead as it is, you would've never been able to locate had it not been for the begrudging friendship we've shared for years. This isn't you! The Joker's using Red Kryptonite to...!"
Before Batman could even finish his statement, Superman swiftly covered the distance between his blue-red form and the blue-gray of the Caped Crusader in less time than any human mind, even Batman's, could register. Then the Man of Steel delivered a straight punch so powerful that, even through the bulletproof padding covering the chest of the billionaire beneath, felt as if it snapped a couple of ribs, promptly and painfully.
Batman loudly grunted, "Uhhhhhnnnnn!"
Sent backward with tremendous force, Batman's helpless body sailed straight through the line of wood-and-marble teller's row with enough speed and power to shatter them. And, had it not been for the protectively padded Bat-suit, would've done the same to his spine.
By the time Batman struggled to his booted feet, every muscle crying out for relief as blood trickled from nose and mouth, his well-protected via indigo cowl head throbbing mercilessly as if it'd been repeatedly beaten by a baseball bat, the Joker had shouted an order which, thanks to the Red Kryptonite, Superman would mindlessly carry out.
"Tear this bank down to its foundations, Supes baby! Let it be Batman's tomb! Hahahahahahaha! Heheheheheheheheh!"
No sooner had the Joker exited than Superman used his indescribable strength to, literally, rip down the Gotham City bank building...
Krrrrraaaasssshhhhh!
Batman could do little more than duck-and-cover and pray he could survive what an unprotected person could not.
Which brought Batman's mangled mind back to his current situation...
Standing outside, having miraculously survived the total collapse of the downtown Gotham bank, Batman visually scanned the night skies for a glimpse of Superman who, quite possibly, might return to finish the task set for him by that maniacal comedian...the Joker.
Satisfied no such super-attack was forthcoming, Batman shoved aside the agony racking his muscularly athletic form and made it back to his self-protected Batmobile. Jumping in, the Dark Knight activated his computer system to find further factoids regarding Superman-and-Joker activities. Knowing the Clown Prince of Crime, such wonton destruction and theft were far from over.
Sure enough...
"...repeat, Superman spotted five miles north of Gotham's metro area, demolishing a strip-mall's jewelry store! Repeat..."
Batman knew, even as he fired up his Batmobile's turbo-engine, flames leaping from the cylindrical exhaust as if it was the breath of Satan, speeding away at high velocity, that he would need special help in battling the Man of Steel.
Help to be found within the well-hidden Batcave...
...where, without hesitation, Batman swooped in to retrieve a lead-lined compartment pack which he promptly attached to the back side of his bright yellow Bat-belt.
"Let's hope this does the trick or else I'll be joining my parents sooner than expected," Batman said worriedly as the Batmobile hurtled in the direction wherein the Caped Crusader could intercept the Man of Steel.
Batman's tenacity was such that he'd die before giving up a fight, no matter how impossibly outmatched. Soon the Dark Knight would face down a friend and colleague in what could prove to be the final battle.
And if Batman failed, God help Gotham. God help the world!
"Heheheheheheheh!" Joker's hideous hyena laughter echoed throughout the recently-destroyed strip-mall jewelry store even as he gathered up millions in diamonds, sapphires, and rubies from what was little more than a secondary branch of a major Gotham City jeweler. "They say 'diamonds are a girl's best friend', Supes, but this little hunk of red rock in my pocket's all the 'best friend' I need! Hahahahahahaha! Too bad you can't appreciate what a great joke this is, Man of Squeal! You working for the likes of me, putting innocent people in harms way...not very many, mind you, at this time of night, but enough to put a smile on my...oh, I forgot...that smile's always there! Heheheheheh! Hahahaha!"
Just then, Superman's super-hearing and X-ray/telescopic vision were trained on the rapidly approaching Batmobile, his Red Kryptonite-induced rage/hate rising to a fevered pitch as he prepared to meet the Caped Crusader for one last battle. Fists balled tightly, superhuman muscles bulging and flexing, concrete-tough veins standing out, within the skin-tight blue cloth covering his massive form.
"Time to kill the Bat, Supes," the Joker said, his eternal smile twisting ever so slightly into an expression of sheer insanity fueled by a lifetime of hate. Hate for Batman. Hate for Gotham City. Hate for humanity, itself.
Even as Superman's ordinarily friendly features became a grotesque mask of barely contained violence, the Batmobile screeched to a halt and Batman sprang out to stand his ground against the Last Son of Krypton.
"Alright, Superman," the still-aching Batman snarled with surprising determination, "if this is how it's got to be...then let it!"
With a violent howl, Superman launched his attack as Batman reached behind, beneath his bat-like cape, and pulled out...
"Arrrrggggg!" Superman screamed in sudden swift agony, even as Batman slipped two special Bat-knuckles made of a glowing green material detrimental only to the Man of Steel.
"Green Kryptonite?" Joker roared in rage-filled recognition.
Even as a severely-weakened Superman dropped to one knee, Batman took the fight to him. The green glowing Bat-knuckles connecting with devastating results against Superman's lantern-jaw. Not only causing incredible pain, but bringing forth blood from the normally invulnerable Kryptonian.
The Clown Prince of Crime, glowing hunk of Red Kryptonite still clutched in his purple-gloved hand, shouted, "Don't just stand there like a superhuman punching bag, Big Blue, fight back! Smash his cowled head like a indigo melon!"
Struggling to fulfill his master's bidding, a scowling Superman, bruised and bleeding, focused his true-blue eyes and unleashed twin beams of blistering heat comparable to broad beams of intense laser energy aimed right at Batman's head.
But Batman was too well-versed in his friend-turned-enemy's super-powers to let such a hasty act succeed, so he swiftly ducked at the last possible second, then proceeded to land several more solid, painful Green Kryptonite Bat-knuckled punches to the swollen face of the Man of Steel.
"Give it up, Kal-El!" Batman said through tightly clenched teeth stained with his own blood, while easily avoiding weakly thrown punches from Superman in order to, once again land bone-crunching, blood-splattering, agony-inducing blows against face and body of the ever-weakening Kryptonian. "If I have to beat you to death to save Gotham...I will!"
So enthralled was the Joker, desperate for Superman to once again dominate his decades-old enemy, that, Red Kryptonite clutched in one extended gloved hand, he made a mistake that would once again cost him both ultimate triumph and final freedom.
"Damn you!" he was shouting at the battered and bleeding Man of Steel, even as Batman continued to rain down blow after Green Kryptonite-assisted blow upon his super-powered partner. "Fight back! I command you! Kill the Bat! Kill the...!"
Reacting with practiced skills that had served the Caped Crusader well over the long lonely years, Batman promptly pulled his Batarang and hurled it so that it would knock the Red Kryptonite from the Joker's greedy grasp, sending it bouncing along behind the three and roll to a lazy stop far away from Superman.
"My rock!" yelped the Joker even as the Man of Steel swiftly reclaimed his own will and memories.
Realizing that the special Bat-knuckles were no longer necessary, Batman was quick to remove them and return them to the safety of the lead-lined pack behind his still-aching back which, in turn, allowed the Last Son of Krypton to quickly recover and almost instantly heal with the drying blood all that remained of a battle with a friend and fellow superhero.
Then, even as worrisome realization settled over the Joker...
"Uh, Bats…please take me back to Arkham."
By the time Batman had handcuffed the suddenly compliant Clown Prince of Crime, Superman was most definitely himself again as he used X-ray vision to scan the Dark Knight's battered body, discovering the two broken ribs, and said, "After we return the Joker to Arkham Asylum, Batman, let me get you to the best hospital in..."
"That's okay, my friend," Batman said with a shaky smile, "the Batcave's got a complete medical facility and Alfred's a fair battlefield medic. But you could rebuild what you destroyed so that, uh, certain billionaires won't have to foot the bill."
Grinning knowingly, Superman said, "You've got it...old friend."
With that, as the Batmobile roared away via a tongue of turbo-engine produced flame lapping at the chilled night air, Superman, using strength and speed beyond human understanding, returned not only the destroyed strip-mall jewelry store, but the downtown Gotham bank, to their previous pristine condition.
After which, Superman became a mere red, blue, and yellow streak in Gotham's night sky as he left the home of Bruce Wayne for the home of Clark Kent.
Back to Metropolis...and Lois.
END