Racing along the streets of Gotham, Batboy's black and grey costume contrasted starkly with the red motorcycle. He frowned under the helmet, embarrassed by what he imagined people thought when he passed. A child version of Batman... riding Robin's motorcycle… in the middle of the day… towards downtown Gotham. Right.

He was barely a mile from the Batcave's secret entrance when Flash ran up beside him. "Couldn't get away from us, buddy. We're here to help! I can help- I can keep up with your bike… dude, is that Robin's bike? Couldn't fit on yours, huh? Makes sense to borrow Robin's. I like Robin's bike."

"Where… are… the others?" Batboy ground out from between clenched teeth.

"Above you- they can all fly, so they're following in the sky. Makes more sense that way." Flash grinned, pointing up.

Shayera held her mace below her, flying much lower than the rest of the League. She still kept up, despite her heavy handicap. Lantern, Superboy, and Wonder Girl flew together, while J'onn was much higher in the air, surveying the lay of the land.

Batboy could hear J'onn's voice in his head. "I've got the building in sight. There's a way in, if you come from the top."

"Where's Joker?" he replied mentally. Batboy leaned with the bike, swerving around the rush hour traffic. His cape flapped behind him noisily, distracting him and creating quite a bit of drag.

"I can't sense him yet. I'm sure he'll be nearby, though." J'onn laughed. "Does he always hang out with the clown girl? What does he see in her?"

"It's her. She can't get enough of him. Girls," he grimaced, as if that was the final word on the subject.

***

A few minutes later, the flying five stood on the rooftop of the building across the street from the Gotham Gem Depository. Flash and Batboy soon joined them; Flash by running up the wall, Batboy by grapple.

"So what's the plan?" Lantern asked. He held out his fist, lighting his ring. "I could make a huge jar of peanut butter! We could spread it over the bubble gum, and it'd get rid of the stickiness!"

Superboy nodded. "Yeah, then I could go after Joker. I'll send him through a wall, and Diana could lasso him!"

Batboy sent him a glare. "The Joker's my problem. Let me take care of him. If you guys have to be here, you can take care of Harley and the goons."

Lantern's face fell. "Aw…"

"So…" Wonder Girl said, "What's your plan, then?"

"I go in there, I take care of Joker. You're my backup… if I need you, I'll call."

Flash zipped to the edge of the rooftop. "Uh…"

"Now wait just a second," Shayera interrupted. "You're gonna act all high and mighty, and take out Joker on your own? I don't think so, Bruce. I need something to bash."

"Um… guys?"

Batboy sighed. "You'll get it. See the getaway van? Have at it. Wreck. Smash. Bash. I don't care. Just destroy it."

"Uh… hello?"

"So, how're we going to find you, once you're deep in Pink-Bubble-Gum-Land? I mean, if we get Harley and the goons out of the way, you're still stuck deep inside. How do we know he's not got a giant bubble waiting to be blown or something?"

"Will someone listen to me?"

"That's where it's good that you five can fly. Take him out if he gets to that point." Batboy looked around. "Anything else?"

"Uh… yeah." Flash raised his hand.

"What is it, Flash?" Batboy sighed.

"Oh, nothing much. Only that Joker's got away… he was escaping while you were all talking. I saw him."

Batboy ran for the edge of the wall, preparing a grapple. "What?! And you didn't tell us?!" He shot the grapple at a far wall and swung down to Robin's motorcycle. Flash ran up next to him.

"I tried. Really I did. But you weren't listening."

"Whatever. Let's just catch him."

***

J'onn kept Batboy and Flash updated as to the Joker's destination. Flash continually ran ahead, then back to Batboy on his motorcycle.

"Dude, you're so slow! It's like you're trying to make it boring for me. Seriously, can't this thing go any faster?" He ran in a fast circle.

"Why don't you push me there, if you're so worried about my speed?" Batboy's comment was sarcastic, but Flash took him literally. Within a millisecond, all Batboy could do was hang on for dear life as the motorcycle was propelled along Gotham's main streets during rush hour.

They caught up to Joker's van quickly. Superboy and the other fliers surrounded it. Harley's eyes widened as she took in the children versions of the Justice League. Joker glanced over at them, and then did a double take. After another good, long look, he began laughing hysterically. The van swerved from left to right, veering in and out of traffic. The goons in the backseat hung on for dear life.

"Give it up, Joker!" Batboy pulled his motorcycle alongside the van's passenger window.

Joker continued laughing, holding his sides. Tears streamed out of his eyes. The goons' nervous laughter could be heard as they chuckled along with their employer. Harley concentrated on driving, attempting to lose them by weaving, but her face was also contorted in a grin.

"Hawkgirl! Smash away!" Batboy called.

"Thought you'd never ask," she replied. With a feral yell, she drove her mace into the front left wheel of the getaway van. It gave off a loud bang and a metal crunch. By the time the tire had flown off, Shayera had already smashed the second left wheel, and was starting on the right rear.

Harley struggled to keep control of the van, but lost it. The purple-painted vehicle tipped precariously on its side, still rolling. Finally, after a long, agonizing moment, during which Harley screamed loud enough to be heard by everyone within the general downtown Gotham area, the van fell onto its left side. It screeched along the road a short ways, then came to a stop. Before any of the seven could approach it, the right front door opened, and Joker stepped out.

He was still laughing.

Not that it was anything new, but…

"Hahahaha! Ha! Ha HAAAAAAAAA!!! Hehehehee… hoho… hoohoohohoheeheehee…. Ha HAHAHAAAA!!! It's… heeheehee… it's the Justice… haHAA! The Justice… Little League! HaHAAheehehehehahahaha!!!" He clutched his side and fell against the van, laughing.

"I don't see the joke," Batboy said, stepping off the motorcycle. "It's not funny." He threw a Bat-bolas at Joker, tying him up neatly.

"Oh, Batsy, don't you see? Heeheehee… I've always said that the name" -he made quote marks with his fingers- "'Justice League' made you sound like a baseball team… and now… hahahaaa! …you've got a junior division!" Joker grinned. "It is you, isn't it? Who did this to you? I must meet them and throw them a congratulations party!" He thought about it for a second. "Or at least a thank-you card. Yes, I think a card would be acceptable, don't you?"

Batboy pulled Joker's arms behind his back, using zip-cord handcuffs to tie them. "Send it from Arkham," he muttered. Struggling to pull him, Batboy managed to drag the Joker to the side of the road.

Superboy flew Harley over to place her next to Joker. "Anyone else we should know about?"

Wonder Girl pulled a lasso-full of goons and set them nearby. "I think that's the last of them."

Sirens could be heard in the distance. Batboy mounted the motorcycle once again, pulling down the helmet. "See you back at the Batcave."

"What about the gems? What about the bubble gum? What about Joker and the others? Huh? What are we supposed to do with them? Do you want me to stay and guard them? I could do that, ya know." Flash grinned. "I'm good at stuff like that."

"You want your face plastered all over the news, fine by me. I, for one, am not letting the world know that I'm a kid again."

"Ah, but Batsy, you forgot one thing." Joker smiled maliciously. "I know. I've seen you."

Batboy snapped down the visor of his helmet and sped off without an answer.

Lantern turned to the others. "Batman's got a point."

Superboy took charge. "Top of that building." He pointed up and left. "Regroup there."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Please let it be noted that the term 'Justice Little League' was coined by my real-life best friend, known on as MuffinQueen10.
Wish I could claim the originality of it, but I can't. Drat.
She is somewhat pacified that I allowed Joker to be the first one to say it in the story, rather than some lower-down baddie.
So PM her and tell her of her utter brilliance in making up that term while we were watching 'Kid Stuff' and thus bringing this whole Fanfic about.
It's her fault.
New chapter up soon.