A/N: CRed1988-Bummer. But nonetheless this is getting good. Keep it going.

Happy to oblidge.


Batman saw nothing but darkness until a light appeared. It soon became a bright flash. When it was gone, he was falling toward a city. He could hear police sirens, speeding cars, gunshots, and explosions. "This is Gotham. Joker's planned Gotham. If I don't save Jack and stop Joker here and now, he'd be making Ra's dream come true."

Batman then landed on the street. When he did, a ripple occurred.

The burning city was no more. It was quiet now. The riot that was occurring before disappeared without a trace.

Batman looked around, not noticing the smiling fish swimming behind him. Then, an entire school of fish swam past him. After seeing them, he looked to see a statue of Joker in front of a full moon. A moon that began to turn.

It was revealed to have Joker's face on it. "Ee-gad! A Batman in my belfry," the Joker Moon went.

"Where's Jack?!"

"Howling at the moon, eh? I thought I was the crazy one."

"Tell me where Jack Napier is, Joker!"

"How about no? Instead, just make yourself at home, Batsy. Just watch out for the loose screws!"

As soon as Joker said that, a giant screw tore out of the statue, falling toward Batman.

"YOU'D BETTER BOLT!"

Batman used his grappling gun to get out of the way.

"Oopsy-daisy. Can't have those toys in here. You're not old enough for that."

When Joker said that, Batman's grappler became a regular rope, and Batman now fell to the ground. He was able to glide to safety, rolling onto the ground.

"Aw, all alone with no one to play with. That's no fun, right boys?"

"No, it isn't."

Batman looked toward the closer voice to see Joker walk out of an ally. He chuckled as another Joker walked out, followed by another. Then, a car rushed down the street and drifted to a halt, an entire clown car's worth of Jokers coming out. It didn't take long for an army of Jokers to surround Batman.

Some of them took out bats, others crowbars. Some put on their joy buzzers while others readied their exploding teeth. Guns, knives, axes, canes, every weapon Joker had ever used was on display, surrounding Batman.

"SEND! IN! THE CLOOOOOWNS," Moon Joker howled before cackling as his fellow Jokers attacked the lone Batman.

Batman dodged a crowbar before landing some of Shiva's favorite paralyzing strikes on the attacking Joker, lifting him and throwing him at four Jokers. He then threw a Batarang and one of the approaching teeth, making it explode and taking out at least five Jokers.

Batman ran toward a gun-wielding Joker, sliding to avoid a gunshot before lunging at him with a knee strike. Batman kicked off of that Joker as if he were a springboard, throwing a Batarang at another gunner Joker.

"You're making this look too easy, Batsy! But I guess that's what happens when you let bats do all your work. Look at them! They just want to go free!"

As soon as Batman took out three more Batarangs, they turned into actual bats, the creatures biting Batman's hand, actually getting through his armor. Batman released the bats out of pain and surprise before the rest of his Batarangs turned into actual bats and flew out of his cape.

"You have quite a lot of power, don't you, Joker?"

"OF COURSE I DO, BRUCEY! IT'S MY MIND AFTER ALL!" All of the Jokers laughed at Batman, some of them falling over from laughter.

"Don't forget... you're not the only mind in here." Batman then began to concentrate.

"What the-"

"What's wrong?"

"Are the bats coming back?"

The Jokers looked up. "Oh, boy," they all went in perfect unison.

The bats screeched as they attacked the Jokers, all of them screaming as they were being bitten and scratched at by the bats.

"THAT'S ENOUGH OF THAT," they all yelled, making the bats turn into black confetti.

"Wait, it's not October."

"Well, damn. At least we don't need to worry about Halloween decorations."

"Yes, we do. These are only for the party. What about decorating the house?"

"He makes a point. Why don't we make Batsy into our decoration?"

"We'd have the spookiest house on the block with a stuffed Batman!"

"What say you, Ba-" Joker was interrupted by a punch from Batman.

Batman then proceeded to fight the still large group of Jokers, all of them laughing as they fought him.

Batman performed various moves. Judo, boxing, karate, Krav Maga, Wing Chun, and every other martial art he knew; both techniques of his past and the new moves he learned from his wife over the years.

Then, the Jokers began to pile onto him. First, one tried to grab him from behind, but Batman easily threw him off. Then, two grabbed his legs before three jumped onto his back at the same time. The last one grabbed Batman by the throat.

"Come on, Bruce! You really shouldn't hold yourself back. What's the point of being married to the World's Loveliest Assassin if you don't use all of the tricks she taught you? I can see it! FEEL it! They're in there. Moves that can kill GROWN ELEPHANTS with ease! Skills that made you what you should be! A KILLER! We've been doing this dance for years! I know you better than anyone! Even better than your wife! It's there. Your inner killer! Come on! Let it out! Your wife will LOVE IT!"

"NEVER! Not even in here."

"What?!" The Jokers laughed. "Come on, Batsy! We all heard it! 'The day everything ends one way or another.' IF YOU WANT TO STOP ME, YOU HAVE TO KILL ME! THIS IS THE DAY, DAMMIT! IT'S FINALLY HERE! THE MOMENT WE BOTH DREAMED ABOUT! YOU'VE BEEN TRAINING ALL YOUR LIFE TO BECOME THE ULTIMATE WEAPON, WHILE I'VE JUST BEEN KILLING AND BUTCHERING SINCE THE DAY WE MET! YOUR WIFE ONLY MADE YOU EVEN BETTER! NOW SHOW ME WHAT SHE MADE! EITHER YOU KILL ME HERE, OR I KILL YOU AND TAKE OVER BOTH JACK AND EVEN YOU! IN THE END, I STILL WIN!" Joker laughed maniacally as all the other Jokers tightened their hold on Batman.

Then, a car was heard.

Everyone looked toward the sound, only to be surprised by the high beams. It was bright and abrupt enough to make the Jokers release Batman before the car drifted and slammed many of the Jokers away, the car door opening.

"GET IN," Jack yelled.

Batman immediately jumped into the car and slammed the door shut as the car peeled away.

The Jokers growled before they all reached into their pockets and pulled out handguns, tommy guns, and even a bazooka. They all tried shooting the car, but all missed.

"JACKYYYY," The Joker at the front roared as the others kept firing.

Jack drove down Gotham, speeding past Jokers who tried to attack his car. Many tried to jump onto it, but he kept swerving out of their way, avoiding them with expert driving until he reached a certain, familiar neighborhood. Batman looked at the rearview mirror in time to see a Joker slam onto an invisible wall as others started pounding at it.

"This is your mind, isn't it, Jack," Batman stated more than asked.

"The only place in this nuthouse that I have any real power," Jack said as he parked in front of... his and Harley's home.

Jack and Batman entered the house. Not even a minute later, Bryce and Jackie ran out, laughing as they jumped at Jack, who hugged them while laughing as Harley walked up and kissed him.

"Jack," Batman went.

"I know. They're just memories. Figments of my imagination."

"No. They're visions of what your future will hold. Once we take out Joker, this can be a reality."

Jack sighed. "Easier said than done, Bruce. He's had this body for decades. I didn't even get to see my children grow up because of him. If you hadn't kept visiting Joker and showing him their pictures to get me out, I wouldn't even know they looked like this now. And Harley, oh god, Harley. She somehow became even more beautiful since the day I married her. I want to be back with her, Bruce."

"It isn't impossible, Jack."

"It looks impossible to me. You saw what it's like outside of this neighborhood. There is an entire ARMY of that damned clown out there. I can't beat him. Not as I am."

"Maybe you can't. . . But I can."

Jack looked at Batman in confusion. "What?"

"Joker and I have been fighting for decades. At first, I tried to rehabilitate him but failed. Years later, I wanted to kill him. Not a day went by when I didn't think about putting him through the same torture he dealt to others and... end him. The graveyards he's filled, the lives he's destroyed, the friends he crippled, the family he scarred. Every time I saw my son's scars, Jason's white hair, and his PTSD to the mere SIGHT of a crowbar. . . But then you came along. Joker cured himself to get back at me. To show that Gotham would be better under the protection of a White Knight instead of a Dark one. Yes, I went off the deep end. I won't deny what I did during that time was unforgivable, but I also won't deny an obvious fact: Jack Napier CAN be saved. Help me get you back to your family, Jack. Help me let you ACTUALLY hold your kids. To kiss the woman you love. Gotham needs another White Knight."

Jack stared at Batman before looking out the condo window. He looked out at the mental Gotham, the once beautiful city being engulfed in flames again.

"He... RULES here, Bruce. It's no different from when he became that Emperor Joker nightmare."

"If that's the comparison, then we should be fine. I've beaten that Joker before, too."

"But this is his territory! HIS turf! What could even YOU do in someone else's mind?!"

"You'd be surprised. Besides, it won't end in his mind."

"What?"

"Jack, what is the one thing Joker has always wanted besides absolute anarchy?"

". . . To break you. To ruin the Legacy of Batman forever. To do whatever it took to either make you lose your sanity or to take a life, which would make you go down a path that would turn you into... something else."

"That's right. Today is the only day he has a chance of accomplishing that goal. And there's only one place he can do it."

Jack looked confused before his eyes widened in shock when Batman... tapped his head. "ARE YOU INSANE?! BRUCE, I KNOW ABOUT THAT EARTH! HE KNOWS ABOUT IT! ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO RISK CREATING ANOTHER 'HE WHO LAUGHS'?! HE WAS PRACTICALLY UNSTOPPABLE! YOU'RE EVEN STRONGER AND DEADLIER THAN THAT EARTH'S BATMAN THANKS TO LADY SHIVA! IF JOKER GETS A HOLD OF YOUR BODY, NOTHING WILL BE ABLE TO STOP HIM!"

"That isn't true. I've made contingencies. In fact, there's already a contingency outside," Batman said as he looked at... Harley.

Jack looked at his wife, looking sad. "You... You gave her the gun. It wasn't for me." He looked at Batman. "It was for you."

Batman stared at Jack. "Joker must NEVER get a hold of my body. Earth -22 can't be repeated. He Who Laughs may return one day, but not from my or any other Earth. In order to make absolutely sure he never appears, Joker HAS to be defeated once and for all, today. I need your help, Jack. In the end, this is still YOUR mind."

Jack looked down before walking toward the window, looking out. Batman walked up and looked out with him.

Batman looked around before noticing the old ACE Chemicals Building. "So it would end where it all began, huh?"

"No." Batman looked at Jack. "That would be far too cliché. Too predictable. Not at all funny. I compared him to Emperor Joker, right?" Jack looked at Batman. "Where would an Emperor stay in a city like Gotham?"

Batman quickly realized what Jack meant before they both looked up at the city's "castle".

Wu-San-Wayne Tower.


Batman was driving Jack's car, Jack himself shooting at the Joker's chasing after them. Jack made sure not to waste any of his shots, taking out tires and landing some expert headshots. One of his shots caused a Joker Car to spin out of control and take out three other cars. Jack sucked his teeth when he got back in the car to reload, only because he saw other Jokers laughing at the destruction being caused by the cars.

Batman then accelerated when he saw the entrance of Wu-San-Wayne Tower, crashing through the barricade of Joker Statues, and drifting to a halt in the massive lobby.

Batman and Jack got out.

"That was too easy," Jack went with a glare.

"It still is," Batman said, also glaring.

"I don't like it," the two said in unison.

The two then heard an elevator ding, looking to see it open.

A pack of hyenas lunged out of the elevator, charging at the two.

Jack immediately shot at them, taking out a few before one lunged at him. Batman caught it by its throat, slammed it to the ground, then threw it at the pack.

A hyena lunged at Batman, but he caught this one by its paws and slammed it to the ground before kicking it away. Batman was pretty much untouchable, not one hyena fast enough to so much as bite his cape. Batman couldn't help but compare the animals to his wife and daughter. By now, they would have at least slapped him. These beasts were actually disappointing the superhero.

Jack was doing good against the animals, too. His shots were perfect and precise. When they got close to him, he was able to catch and throw them away from him, showing off the same skills that he used to beat Batman in a fair fistfight all those years ago.

It didn't take the pair long at all to defeat the pack of hyenas.

The elevator then dinged again, only this time, it was empty.

"This really is it. Once we get in that elevator, it'll take us straight to the top. Either I die and he takes full control of this body or you drag Joker out of here and end him in your mind," Jack said.

Laughter was then heard. Jack and Batman looked behind them to see what looked like entire streams of Jokers flying toward the tower, flying to the top. As it happened, the Gotham began to vanish, turning into a white void. When the laughter stopped, there was nothing but white as far as the eye could see outside of the tower.

"He's preparing," Batman said.

"Guess he's ready to end this, too. But forgive me for not jumping for joy at his generosity," Jack said as he walked toward the elevator, Batman following him.

Batman stared at Jack before looking at the floor counter, the elevator about to reach the top level.

"Jack... it was good... working with you for once."

"You know what, Batman... it really was."

The door then opened.

"SURPRISE," countless Jokers went before they either shot off party poppers, blew into party horns, or randomly threw around some balloons.

At the very end of the room sat Joker in his Emperor Joker clothes. "Welcome to the party, Jacky, Brucey! It's a very special day! The day we've all been waiting for!"

A banner fell behind Joker, as well as a Batman doll with a rope around his neck.

"BATMAN'S DEATH DAY!"

The Joker's applauded.

"Oh, this is going to be so. Much. Fun! Think about it, Batsy! Your body with my mind in the driver's seat! The things we could do together! Burn Gotham to the ground! Destroy the Justice League! BRING ABOUT WORLD WAR 3! And even as a bonus, we can get rid of that pesky old Ra-Ra-Ra's Al Gooney. I mean, who does he think he is, saying he'll burn Gotham to the ground? Only I'M allowed to have THAT kind of fun! Wouldn't you agree?"

Jack then began to walk toward the throne.

"Hold on there, kiddo," a Joker said as he pointed a gun at Jack's head. "Can't you see the big man's talking? You got to show more respect to your elders."

"Who are you calling an elder, Grandpa? You're the one with Granny Joker's lipstick on."

"What? It's a beautiful shade of blood red. Granny looked great in it. . . AFTER WE CUT HER LIPS OFF AND DUNKED THEM IN HER BLOOD!"

That got the Jokers roaring with laughter.

"WHOO," the Joker pointing the gun at him went after Jack just walked through him. "Someone call an exorcist. There's a spirit in this tower," the Joker went.

"FATHER JOKER IS HERE WITH THE PRAYER" a Joker dressed as a priest went as he swung a crowbar with The Prayer written on it. "WHOA-WHOA-WHOA," he went after his swing went right through Jack. "I'M OUT," he went before falling to the ground.

"Huh," Emperor Joker went as Jack got closer to his throne.

A Joker tried to use his acid flower on Jack, but it went right through him and hit a Joker's foot.

"OW, OW, OW! THIS IS KILLER CROC LEATHER, DAMMIT," he yelled as he hopped on one foot.

All of the Jokers tried to hit Jack, none of them hitting him, until he reached the bottom of the steps, glaring up at Emperor as he stared down with a smirk at Jack.

"Fractured personalities don't mean shit to me. I'm only after the biggest, REALEST fish. We felt our most powerful when we had that imp's power. Only makes sense that the dominant one would be you."

Emperor Joker chuckled.

"Can you deal with the lackeys, Batman?"

"Of course, I can," Batman said before throwing a back fist, knocking out a Joker behind him that fell to the ground and vanished.

Jack then cracked his knuckles as he continued to glare at Emperor Joker. "Get. Out. Of. My. Head."

Jack glared up at Emperor Joker as another Joker was about to bash his head in from behind with a crowbar.

However, that Joker was struck in the face by a zipline that yanked him over to Batman, who kicked him in midair.

Batman then redirected a swing from one Joker, making him hit another before grabbing the first Joker's leg and throwing him into a crowd. He then blocked a punch from a Joker, landed a cross to the chin, palm to the heart, hook to the liver, then finished with a jab to the throat that made Joker fall to his knees while coughing. Batman then grabbed his head and threw him toward another crowd before jumping up and striking three Jokers at once. When he landed, he headbutted a Joker behind him with the back of his head before landing a roundhouse that made that Joker spin in midair before Batman grabbed his leg and threw him into another crowd.

Emperor Joker laughed as he clapped his hands. "What a show! WHAT A SHOW! Don't you just LOVE watching Batsy work? Hm? Come on, Jacky. I know I'm irresistible to look at, but the show is right behind you.

Jack pointed his gun at Emperor.

Emperor gasped. "An assassination attempt! Quick, someone get the royal body double! Oh, wait. He died last Tuesday." Emperor and the other Jokers laughed at that.

Emperor then sighed in contentment before resting his cheek on his fist. "Come on, Jacky. Really? After all we've been through?"

"You mean keeping me prisoner in my own mind and body? Nearly destroying Gotham time and time again? Almost starting a nuclear war that would have destroyed the world?! YOU PLANNED ON KILLING SUPERMAN'S PREGNANT WIFE FIVE YEARS AGO!"

"AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GLORIOUS! Oh, if we hadn't taken those silly pills a year before. You stopped the ultimate joke."

"And I'm putting an end to your sick show, once and for all!"

Joker laughed. "You're kidding, right? Come on, Jacky, what were you before me? A nervous wreck who couldn't even tell a knock-knock joke who wanted to be a comedian. You had a really pretty wife, a kid on the way, and your whole life ahead of you. All you needed was a job and everything would have been hunky-dory. But that's where the problems were. Couldn't tell a joke to save your life, so you took a job from the mob. Ooh, a rhyme. Anyway, we all know the story. Put on a nice monkey suit, put a red bucket on your head, get scared of Batsy, and fall into a tank of chemicals that changed YOUR LIFE FOR THE BETTER!"

"BETTER?! THE ONLY GOOD THING YOU BROUGHT INTO MY LIFE WAS HARLEY!"

"Yes, yes, a great replacement for Jeannie and the bouncing baby boy."

BANG.

Emperor's head went back, his forehead smoking. Then, he began to chuckle before cackling. "WOW! HEADRUSH," Emperor went as he showed his head, blood seeping out of the wound as the bullet fell out of his forehead. "Jacky, that was ruthless. No hesitation. Maybe you didn't need to take that dip in order for me to be, well, ME!"

"This is it, Joker. You're gone. I'm getting rid of you, once and for all."

"Are you sure you wanna do that, Jacky? When you took those pills and got rid of me for a while, you were super smart. A GENIUS! You weren't like that before. You never knew how to fight, but you still beat Batsy in a fight! True, it's thanks to the fact your happy candies were steroids as well as a make-up remover, but come on, Jacky! It was MY strength you used! MY brains! Even when you're back to normal, YOU'RE! STILL! ME! YOU CAN NEVER GET RID OF ME, JACKY! YOU WILL ALWAYS BE THE JOKER! YOU WILL ALWAYS BE PART OF THE FAMILY," Emperor roared as he stood up and spread his arms, gesturing to the army of Jokers laughing at him in the room.

Jack just looked around at the army of Jokers laughing at him, Jack looking down as he gripped his gun with anger and hatred, tears falling down his face.

His eyes popped up when he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder, looking to see Batman there. Then... Batman took off his mask, being Bruce.

"What in the- What are you doing, Batsy?! PUT YOUR MASK BACK ON! AREN'T YOU THE BATMAN?! THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE OUR BIG DAY! OUR FINAL ACT! HOW DARE YOU TAKE OFF THE COSTUME BEFORE THE CURTAIN EVEN BEGAN TO FALL?!"

"Jack, it's true that Joker made you do horrible things, but he can't deny you did even greater things. You almost made Gotham crime-free. You became Gotham's Second White Knight and did what the Dark Knight couldn't on his own. Gotham has healed, yes, but you can make it even better. Gotham has suffered Joker long enough. It's time for the clown to take his last stand on stage and let the White Knight take over. At the very least, Jack Napier needs to be back for his family."

Jack chuckled. "At the very least? I think you mean at the very MOST Bruce. Between your family and Batman, which would you choose?"

"My family."

"Heh. Over a decade ago, you would have said Batman. You really have changed for the better."

"Have you seen my wife and kids," Bruce chuckled.

"Have you seen mine?"

"ENOUGH! THIS IS DISGUSTING! THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SHOW! A COMEDY! A COMEDY AND A TRAGEDY! WHY ARE YOU MAKING IT INTO A FEEL-GOOD DRAMA?! NO ONE LIKES THAT GARBAGE," Emperor roared as the Jokers booed and threw trash at the two, but it just phased through them.

"That show is over, Joker," Jack said. "Your comedy routine is done for. It's over."

"OVER?! OVER?! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, NAPIER?! I'M THE JOKER, DAMMIT! I'M THE CLOWN PRINCE OF CRIME! THE HARLEQUIN OF HATE! THE JESTER OF GENOCIDE! YOU'RE JUST SOME PRETTY BOY WHO BECAME A POLITICIAN! GOTHAM DOESN'T NEED ME?! THEN I'LL BURN GOTHAM TO THE GROUND AND MOVE TO BLUDHAVEN! THEN STAR CITY, OH, WHAT THE HELL, I'LL BURN DOWN ALL OF NEW JERSEY! THEN TEXAS, THEN AMERICA! NEXT UP, CANADA! I'LL DESTROY EVERYTHING WITH YOURS AND BRUCEY'S BODY!"

"No, you won't."

Emperor Joker rose from his throne, stomping down the stairs toward Jack. As he did, he began to absorb the other Jokers, all of them screaming as they were being absorbed into Emperor, making him stronger, the fractured ego becoming one as it went down to confront the only good left in the mind.

"WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME WHAT I CAN AND CAN'T DO, NAPIER," Joker roared as he reached toward Jack.

Jack merely stepped back and punched Joker in the face so hard that he skidded back. When Joker looked up, he was shocked to see his nose bleed before snarling at Jack.

Jack held up his fist. "The rightful owner of this mind and body."

Joker began to snarl like a beast before he roared, lunging at Jack.

Jack charged at Joker, ready to finish the fight with the devil in his mind once and for all.

Emperor Joker charged at Jack, a crowbar forming in his hand before he swung it. Jack easily avoided the weapon and landed a punch so strong that Joker dropped the bar.

Jack caught it and smashed it against Joker's face, making him stumble back, spitting out some of his teeth. "WHAT?!"

"I told you." Joker looked up at Jack as he rested the crowbar on his shoulder. "This mind is mine."

Joker snarled. "NO IT'S NOT," he said as he slammed his hand on the ground, trying to morph the world around them, the room looking like a crazed funhouse.

But then, Jack stomped down, the room going back to normal.

"W-What?!"

"What was it you said to Jason?"

"Huh?!" Joker was then smacked by the crowbar, dazed as he sprawled over the ground.

"I think it was: Let's try and clear this up, okay, pumpkin? What hurts more? A?" SMACK! "Or B?" SMACK! "Forehand?" SMACK! "Or Backhand?"

Joker then began to snarl before he caught Jack's next swing. "This. Isn't! FUNNY," he roared as he punched Jack away, yanking the crowbar away and smacking Jack with it. He first struck Jack's left temple, then swung upward to hit his chin, making his head fly upward, then followed with a full swing to the head that made Jack spin and stumble away, his blood spewing everywhere.

Joker then roared as he lifted the crowbar overhead, ready to slam it down with all his might.

BANG

Joker's eyes widened before he looked down to see a bloody hole... right where he shot Commissioner Gordon. He looked up to see Jack pointing a smoking gun at him, the blood still trickling down his face. "That was for Jim."

Joker dropped his crowbar, falling to one knee, holding his gut before snarling up at Jack, who was literally looking down at him. "You know, Joker, you've hurt a lot of people, none more than Batman himself. You've tortured his friends, murdered his family, and left scars on his city that will never heal. Hell, you almost broke him the day you put Jim in a wheelchair, to the point you actually made him laugh with that damned joke. It's a miracle he didn't snap your neck that day. But there's one thing you never, EVER did. You never beat him in a fight. Something I did."

"Shut up."

"You kept trying and trying to shatter him, but you never succeeded."

"Shut up!"

"I even had him put in jail! I beat him in a fight! I! Beat! Batman! YOU NEVER DID!"

"I SAID SHUT UP," Joker roared as he charged at Jack.

Jack punched Joker in the face with enough force to make him stumble back, the clown panting as he wiped the blood off his mouth and glared at Jack taking his boxing stance. "Let me show you how I beat him."

Joker snarled as he ran to throw a wild punch, but Jack weaved out of the way and punched Joker in the cheek. Jack then landed a body blow to Joker's solar plexus, making him gag and leaving his jaw open for an uppercut that made him stumble back. Jack then punched Joker's liver, performed a corkscrew punch on his heart, a cross to his temple, and finished him off with his strongest punch yet to Joker's face, slamming him to the ground and knocking out even more of his teeth.

Jack looked down at Joker again, standing tall, proud, and heroic. "Like I said, Joker, it's over. This is your last act in this body." Jack then looked up and walked away.

"Where *cough* Where are you going," Joker asked as he rolled onto his stomach to look up. His eyes widened. "Wait, what are you doing?!" Jack was climbing the steps, headed toward Emperor Joker's clownish throne. "Stop that! Get away from there!" Jack was already past the halfway point. "SOMEONE SHOOT HIM!" Joker looked around. "WHERE ARE YOU STUPID CLOWNS?!"

"In you, Joker." He looked back at Batman. "You reabsorbed your egos to be at your strongest to fight Jack, and you STILL lost. His will, his mind, his very SPIRIT is stronger than yours."

"No. . ." He looked up to see Jack reaching the throne and sitting on it. "NOOOOO!"

When Jack took his seat, the throne morphed, looking more like a judge's chair, a sort of wave blasting out from it.

Joker then looked outside to see... a beautiful Gotham. Even at the top of Wu-San-Wayne Tower in the dead of night, it was a beautiful sight. No signs of crime, anarchy, or destruction. It was a perfect, beautiful, peaceful city. Truly one of Joker's worst nightmares.

"You've lost, Joker." He looked up at Jack. "This mind and body are mine, as they always have and should have been. You are not welcome here. You never were and you never will be. Now, get the hell out of my mind," Jack said with a glare.

Joker snarled as he stood up. "JACK," he roared as he pointed a gun at Jack.

Joker was shocked when he felt a grappler on his back before being yanked to Batman. "WHAT?! I GOT RID OF THAT TOY!"

"And Jack gave it back," Batman said as he kicked a window, shattering it as he stepped toward it while holding the struggling Joker.

"What are you doing?!"

"Finishing it. You and Jack finished your fight. Now, it's time we ended ours." Batman looked up at Jack. "See you when I wake up."

"You'd damn well better."

Joker's eyes widened before he smirked and began to chuckle before laughing. "YOU SCREWED UP, JACKY! I MIGHT NOT GET YOUR BODY, BUT BATSY'S AN UPGRADE ANYWAY! THE BAT WHO LAUGHS IS COMIN' BACK!"

Batman then jumped out the window as Joker cackled maniacally. As they fell, an entire cloud of bats flew down and surrounded the falling Batman and Joker, Joker's laughter fading away into an echo as the two vanished within the bats, the flying creatures racing toward the full moon.

Jack watched this until the bats vanished into the moon, Jack's mind feeling lighter than even when he first took the pills. He then closed his eyes, feeling exhausted.

Then, he gasped, as if he took his first breath of air in years, coughing violently.

"Jack?"

His eyes widened at the voice before looking up to see the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

"Jack, is that you?"

"Harley? My god. . . Years later... and you're somehow even more beautiful than when I married you," he said with a joyful smile as tears went down his cheeks.

Harley smiled, also crying tears of joy before she kissed her husband, the two embracing each other after years apart.

Halrey's eyes widened. "BATMAN!" She and Jack looked at the still-sleeping Dark Knight. "I-Is he-?"

"Yeah. This is it. Like he said, this is the final battle between Batman and Joker." He held Harley's hand, who grabbed it back.

'Bruce, come back to us,' they both thought, not wanting to lose their friend after Jack had just been saved.

All they could do now was wait and see who would come out: the heroic Batman... or the Monster Who Laughs.


In what looked like a darker version of GPD's garage, a dirty Riddler, a bald Penguin, a bloody Waylon, and Harvey with a mask on the left side of his face was looking at a dolly with someone on it.

"We should kill him now," Riddler said.

"We can't Edward," Harvey went. "He fought like hell to save us. There has to be a way we can save him."

"Save him," Penguin yelled. "This sonofabitch killed over a hundred of our men! He murdered your woman, Dent! How the hell can you, of all people, want to save him?!"

"You wouldn't understand, Cobblepot. You never tried to better yourself. Batman saw good in me, Edward, and Waylon. There has to be the man we knew still in there."

"Dent, he killed the Waynes," Waylon went, Dent looking down. "Sandra, little Damian... Cassandra. The man who tried to help us is long gone."

"I understand where you're coming from, Dent," Riddler began. "But it's like what Croc said. We should finish him before he wakes up. He's too dangerous. We went so far as to make a deal with Ra's Al Ghul just to catch him. If he gets away now, NOTHING will stop him."

Harvey sighed. "We've got more than a hundred guns trained on him. Not even he can get away from this."

It was then revealed that Joker was on the dolly, the clown waking up. "Guys! Guys! Guys! It's great to see you! I've had a devil of a time tracking you down!"

"Tracking US down?! We caught YOU," Penguin yelled.

"Oh, Cobblepot. Always cruel but never cunning. Croc, old boy, you might wanna duck!" Not even a second later, Joker's car came crashing through the wall, slamming into Croc and killing him as the other three leaders ran off. Joker jumped into his car and used the modified gadgets and weapons he took from Wu-San-Wayne Conglomerate to murder all of the guards in the room.

He then jumped out, armed with a shotgun. "So much more fun with my hands on the controls!" He then went into the GCPD building, hunting. "Guys! Where did you go?!"

"It's me! Please! What'll it take ya to stop," Cobblepot yelled out. Joker walked up to him and shot his head off. "I never could stand groveling, Cobblepot. You always were the most pathetic of us all," he said as he walked away.

In the next room, Edward tried to strike him with his cane, but Joker easily dodged with a laugh before shooting Edward's leg. Edward fell to the ground, holding his bloody leg before looking up at the barrel of Joker's gun. "Was it all a lie, Bruce? Saying I could be redeemed only so you could kill me yourself?"

"Sure, let's go with that," Joker said before shooting Edward's head off. "Aw, poor, little Eddy. I think Brucey really did care about you. Pathetic, isn't it?!" He laughed before looking for his last victim.

Joker then kicked open a door to see a wounded Harvey, his mask falling off to show a new scar. "I can't let you go. You're not the man I knew! You're his murderer!"

"Hah! That's exactly it, Dent! Who else but I could kill the Bat?! I'm the Clown Prince of Crime! The Conductor of Chaos! The Jester of Genocide! You can't stop me! No one can! Brcuey's gone. Sandy's gone. Even Razzy's dead, for GOOD this time! I've WON!" He then shoots Harvey, killing him.

Joker then begins to leave, only to be stopped, and looks down to see Barbara. "Please... stop. Stop this madness. For HER sake."

"Shhh," Joker said as he placed a finger on the dying Commissioner's lips. "Don't forget, Sandy was one of the first ones I killed," he said before Barbara died.

He then kicks open the door to see a burning Gotham. "Ah. This may be my finest work yet."

"Please, listen to me," Alfred began. "After all the good you've done for this city! For the very world! This isn't the man Lady Sandra fell in love with! This isn't the father Young Lady Cassandra adored! Think about what you're doing! Sir, I'm begging you! Master Bruce... BATMAN, you have to listen! Think about your family, Bruce! Your wife! You daughter! Your son! I beg of you not to let their deaths be in vain! You weren't the one who murdered them! I refuse to believe it! Please, stop this rampage!"

"Oh, Alfred. Sweet, loyal Alfred. Master Bruce is gone. Your new master is coming home."

Joker laughed as he ended the call with Alfred. "Come on, Bats! You gotta admit this is just plain amazing! So just let me take over and we can have a helluva time! . . Bats?" The area then became dark, the fires becoming extinguished as the lights went out. "Bats? Is that you? Oh, Bats?"

When the last light went out, there was only a single beacon, Wu-San-Wayne Tower's glowing logo. The logo seemed to grow bigger and brighter before it shot at Joker.

Then, darkness.

Moments later, Joker turned on a flashlight on his shotgun. What he saw in front of him was a picture... of Jack laughing as he princess carried Harley, the two in their wedding outfits. It's what would have happened if Joker hadn't appeared at the last moment. "Yuck. Jacky should be thanking me, preventing this tacky scene from happening."

Joker then walked through the corridor, seeing another scene that made him sick: Jack and Harley dancing as they laughed. They then kissed before Jackie and Bryce ran up and hugged their parents, the family laughing happily together.

"Aw, how sweet. Makes me wanna vomit! All you're doing is making me realize I moved into better real estate, Bats!"

Joker then walked down and saw a statue. "Wait a minute. That's not me. That's Jacky! What's going on here?! They made a statue of that wimp instead of me?! Where's my-ai-yie! Nice try, Bats! You're trying to say they forgot me and thought about nothin' but Jack? Not gonna happen! You know, some jokes can be in bad taste!"

He then walked down and saw a Batman statue and shot it to pieces. "Hah! See, old boy? You're not the death of me."

Joker then walked down and saw someone stuck in a plexiglass prison. "Marian? What are you doing, kiddo? Why aren't you raising hell out there?"

"He's gone. He's actually gone. He's never coming back. Never coming back. He's gone," Marian sobbed as she hugged herself. "He's gone. My puddin' is gone, replaced by that goodie-two-shoes."

"What are you talking about, M? I don't need Jacky-Boy. I've got a new and better. . . Oh, I get it! It's you, isn't it, Bats! You think this scares me?! I'm about to take over your body! You need to be scared, Bruce," he yelled as he walked down the hall and heard a radio.

"Welcome to Good Evening Gotham with me, Vicki Vale."

"And me, Glen Woodburn."

"So Glen, today marks the one-year anniversary since Councilman Napier has been in office and cured of his affliction of being the Joker. Any thoughts on the occasion?"

"Affliction of what?"

"Of being Joker. Remember?"

"Councilman Napier was a clown? I'm sorry. I respect the man, but that's hilarious. What kind of clown was he? Circus? Kid's party? Opera?"

"Well, it doesn't matter. Let's forget about him and move on."

"Yes. Let's forget about Councilman Napier's past and move on. If anything, I want to talk about Mayor Dent's announcement about not running for next year's election."

"Oh, that is interesting news. Especially with rumors about Mayor Dent sponsoring and endorsing Councilman Napier as his hopeful successor."

"Hopeful, nothing! He'll win in a landslide! Jack Napier is the best thing to happen to Gotham since Bruce Wayne married Sandra Wu-San!"

"Oh, you think this is getting to me, Bats?! When I take over, I'm gonna cut Jacky to pieces and send him all over Gotham! After that, I'll paint the town with his blood, and- NO ONE'S FORGETTING ME!"


"How do I get out of here," Joker wondered as he walked into what looked like an empty lot. "WHERE ARE YOU?!" Joker tried to turn around, only to see he was trapped.

He turned around to see a Batman statue and shot it to pieces. "Come out!"

Another showed up and he shot it. "I'll find you!"

Shot another. "SHOW YOUR FACE!"

Even more appeared, which he shot. "Out of ideas, Bats?!"

He destroyed as many statues as he could.

Then, one of the statues crumbled before he could shoot it, and Batman lunged out of it. Batman kicked Joker in the face before punching him through a wall. When Joker got up, Batman was nowhere to be seen.

He laughed. "So long, Bats! Helluva ride, but I'm getting off!" Joker then saw an exit lever and pulled it. "You know, you almost had me scared there. Me! What do I have to be scared of?!" Joker then saw a Wu-San-Wayne Vault no bigger than a standard Arkham solitary cell being carried toward him. "What?"

"You're afraid of being erased," Batman began. "You're afraid of being forgotten. And you will be forgotten, Joker." The Vault door then fell, with Batman walking out. "Not because of Jack Napier, but because of me."

As Batman walked toward Joker, the clown tried to shoot the bat, only for bats to fly out, Batman not even being so much as nicked by a bullet.

Batman then grabbed Joker's shotgun and threw it away before lifting the clown by his throat toward The Vault. "I am vengeance. I am the night! I am Batman!" He then headbutted Joker, making him stumble closer to The Vault.

Batman then punched Joker in the face, palm stuck him in the sternum, before kicking him in the stomach. The last kick nearly made Joker fall into The Vault, but he grabbed the entrance of the prison.

However, Batman proceeded to beat Joker down, ending his combo with a kick that sent Joker all the way to the back of The Vault.

"No, Bats! Wait," Joker pleaded as he ran to the exit, only for Batman to shut the door. "No! Please! NOOO," he pleaded as The Vault began to lock.

"Goodbye, Joker."

"No, Bruce! Don't leave me! Please!" Batman then pushed The Vault away, the prison being sent back into the deepest parts of Bruce's mind, impossible for Joker to ever escape. He couldn't even reach out in a pleading way for the hero. Joker was completely trapped. "I need you," Joker went in a defeated tone, knowing full well the truth.

The Joker had been defeated, once and for all.


Moments later, Batman opened his eyes, seeing Jack and Harley staring at him with concern.

"It's done."

"As done as a baby in an oven," Harley asked.

"Harleen, that was horrible," Batman said in a no-nonsense tone.

Jack and Harley smiled.

"It's him," Jack said.

"Then... it really is over," Harley said.

"It is. Joker's go-" Batman began.

However, he was interrupted by a loud explosion.

Batman, Jack, and Harley ran toward the security room, which was already full of frantic guards.

"What happened happened," Batman asked sternly.

"A building in Gotham exploded," the warden stated. "But it can't be one of yours! I even called Blackgate to check if Penguin or Black Mask escaped, but they're locked in their cells. We've been using certain monitors to check the news stations for any information, but no one has any-"

All of the screens, even the ones monitoring the High-Security Wing, blanked out for a second. Then, a familiar man sitting on a throne appeared.

"Ra's Al Ghul," Batman went.


Ra's opened his eyes. They were glowing green with the power of the Lazarus. "Citizens of Gotham, you do not know me, but I know you. I am Ra's Al Ghul, but you will know me soon enough as your executioner."

The citizens were looking afraid as Ra's face was literally on every screen, including the citizens' phones.

"For entire decades, your city has been the most corrupt in the world. Some of the greatest evils the world has ever seen were born in the shadows of your cesspool of a city. For years, one man has been trying to save this irredeemable land, collecting other like-minded fools. You all know this man as your dark savior, Batman," Ra's said as an image of Batman's face appeared next to him. "But I know the Detective by another name. A name quite famous in Gotham."

Harley's eyes widened. "He wouldn't."

"No," Jack went.

"We all know the Detective... as Bruce Wayne," Ra's said as the image of Batman had his mask removed, showing everyone Bruce Wayne's face. He even had Batman and Bruce Wayne's faces side-by-side, letting everyone see the subtle similarities between the two, making it obvious to everyone now.


At the Gotham Gazette, Vicki dropped her coffee. "B-Bruce is... Batman?"

"STOP THE PRESSES! GET THE STORY UNDERWAY! BRUCE WAYNE IS BATMAN," the editor-in-chief went.


"No," Barbara went as she fell into her chair. "Ra's, what have you done?"

"Commish!" She looked up to see Bullock at her door. "Ya heard the news, yeah? We need your okay to send some blues up to Wayne Manor! No way the scum we HAVEN'T caught wouldn't wanna go after Wayne's old lady and ankle-bitters."

Barbara's eyes widened. "You? YOU want to protect Batman's family?"

"Hey, the guy and I don't go out for coffee, yeah, but I ain't about to let a man's family be attacked just for association," Bullock said as he walked away.

Barbara chuckled. "You're a damn good cop, Bullock," Barbara said before she reached toward the intercom to give her orders.

"But over the years," Ra's began, stopping Barbara. "Wayne has gathered allies. Children who fell pray to his foolish ideals."

Barbara glared at the image on her screen. "You wouldn't dare."

"The first Robin. Nightwing. But many would know him as Police Captain Richard Grayson of Bludhaven Police Force.


In Bludhaven.

"Cap, you're Nightwing," a gruff-looking cop asked the shocked Dick.

"Indeed."

Dick's eyes widened before he grabbed a nearby pen and threw it at a nearby cop pointing a gun at him, the pen stabbing the man's finger and making him miss his shot.

The cop ripped off the pen and threw away the gun before jumping toward Dick with an ax kick, Dick easily jumped away. When he got up, he blocked a kick from the man and redirected what looked like a punch, but was actually a stab from a wrist blade. Dick then landed an uppercut that made the man stumble back.

"Dammit, Johan. You're a League of Assassins member, aren't you," Dick said as he took his fighting stance.

The Assassin chuckled as he had a bigger knife drop out of his sleeve. "I have to admit, working for you was fun, Grayson, but now that the Great Ra's Al Ghul has revealed your identity to the world, it's time you died. WHAT?!"

The gruff cop from before held Johan in a bear hug before lifting him and slamming him to the ground, wrestler-style.

"Samson," Dick went in surprise.

"Dammit, Johan! You were one of us! Ya don't go pointin' guns at your team, idiot!"

Other officers ran in and pointed their guns at Johan. "DROP THE WEAPONS, JOHAN!"

"You okay, Cap?"

"Wait, but didn't you hear?"

"Yeah. Your Nightwing. Big deal. You're still our captain."

"Plus, you deal with the big guys and help us little guys. You're one of us, sir!"

Dick smiled. proud to be part of the Bludhaven Police Force.

However, he looked at Johan to see him smirking. Dick followed his gaze to see another cop smirking. "NO!"

The smirking cop then shot the officers around him in the head, killing all of them in the blink of an eye.

"DAMN YOU, FLORA!"

"Lo siento capitán," a beautiful Latina officer said as she pointed the gun at Dick. "But the Great Ra's Al Ghul has officially ordered your death."


"The second is the Batgirl, but you Gotham filth know her better as Commissioner Barbara Gordon."

"What?" Barbara looked up to see a shocked Detective Yin. "Commissioner, is that true? You're Batgirl?"

Barbara sighed. "Detective Yin, if I'm forced to resign, I want you to-" Barb's eyes widened. "GET DOWN!"

Yin ducked just in time for Barbara to throw her mug, the cup full of hot coffee hitting a gun-toting officer. Despite hot coffee spilling on him, he only groaned before pointing the gun back at Barbara, only to be knocked out by a single punch from Bullock.

"WE GOT RATS IN THE BUILDING, BOYS! GET YER GEAR AND GET READY FOR THE RAT RACE," Bullock yelled.

"YES, SIR," most of the cops went.

"What about the Bat," Officer Flass asked.

"What about her?"

"We just gonna let a vigilante give us orders?!"

"Damn right, we are! That woman is one of the best Police Commissioners this city has seen since her old man! You'd better watch yourself, Flass! We still have enough evidence to throw you away into Blackgate for the rest of your worthless life! The only reason we keep you around is because you're decent in a fight, meaning you can actually be useful today! Now quit your bitching and get your ass in gear! You might actually get to legally shoot someone for once."

"Tch." He glared at Barbara, who was standing at the door of her office. "This ain't over, Gordon," he said before walking away.

"Jackass," Bullock said.

"You know, you were a pretty great Commissioner yourself, Bullock," Barbara said with a smile.

"Heh. Like hell I was. Hated that job. I'll stick to being a detective. So, boss," he began as he and Yin, two of Barbara's best and most trusted commanders, stood before her. "What's our next move?"


"As you know, the Detective had others. One who was murdered by The Joker at the young age of fifteen, only to be resurrected by me as penance for working with that disgusting clown. He returned years later as the vicious Red Hood, butchering and slaughtering the criminals of Gotham, only to go back to his pacifistic ways when reuniting with the detective. He was so close to perfect, but ruined by Bruce Wayne. This ruined warrior's true name is Jason Todd."

Jason stopped working on the motorcycle he was repairing, sighing. "And I really liked this job." He then heard the sound of metal scrapping on the floor, his hair standing on end, his PTSD mildly flaring up before he used the breathing techniques Sandra taught him, standing up tall. "So, we're really going to do this, Miguel?"

"Mm, so you did know. . . Believe it or not, I'm not going to enjoy this, Jason."

Jason turned toward his co-worker and friend, his eyes immediately going down to the crowbars in the Assassin's hands, his heartbeat racing.

Miguel looked at his crowbars. "PTSD is a terrifying thing, Jason. It's almost like drug addiction. One little reminder can sometimes be all it takes to cause a relapse." Miguel then smashed the crowbar against a nearby car, seeing Jason shiver before he began to pant, his hands shaking. "Strong as you are, Jason, even you have weaknesses. O-Sensei personally trained me to wield crowbars as tonfa-like weapons just for you. However, I think this style would be more effective," Miguel said as he held the crowbar by its base, letting the hook clang onto the ground before holding it in both hands.

Jason then began to have flashes. At that moment, Miguel became Joker, the clown's evil laugh echoing as he walked closer to him. Jason desperately held up the wrench he was using, hoping he'd have the willpower to use it, but as "Joker" got closer, he became more frozen. "Let's try this again, okay, Pumpkin," Joker said, making Jason freeze completely as he raised the crowbar. "What. Hurts. More?"

The crowbar then came down.

CLANG.

Jason was brought back to reality when he saw a pipe wrench block the crowbar. He followed the tool to see it being used by a beautiful Spanish woman. "A-Audrey?"

"Hola, jefa," Miguel said.

Audrey then kicked Miguel away, the Assassin skidding away. "Miguel. . . You're fired."

"Mm."

"Todd, get to your other job."

Jason stood up. "You sure?"

"¿Hice tartamudeo? (Did I stutter?) Move."

Jason looked at his boss before he nodded and ran off.

Miguel and Audrey stared at each other before pacing around the garage.

"I'll be honest with you, jefa, working for you wasn't that bad, even if you're part of a damned splinter cell."

"The League of Shadows isn't a splinter cell. We're just better than you Assassins."

"Bullshit. You know as well as I do that as soon as Lady Shiva dies at His Grace's hands, and she WILL be killed by him, you and your little club will come running back."

"We have more than one leader, Miguel. Once Ra's dies, it's over for the Assassins. We, on the other hand, have Tigress, Onyx, Cheshire-"

"Another traitor."

"She left your club in order to try and redeem herself in her daughter's eyes. Takes a lot of guts to do that. Respeto a esa mujer. (I respect that woman.)"

"Lo harías. (You would)"

"But as I said, now we have the entire Bat Family as our leaders. The Assassins will NEVER have the Shadows."

"Oh, we'll see about that... hermana."

Audrey and Miguel then stood in place, staring the other down. Then, a single tiny screw fell onto the ground, the two charging at each other to begin their battle.


"Another one of the Detectives wards is... rather unremarkable. One who forced her way into his inner circle. The Batwoman, known as the socialite Katherine Kane."

Montoya groaned. "This will make dating you harder," she said as she loaded her Freeze Pistol, Montoya already in her riot gear as she and Kate were putting on their gear in Renee's apartment.

"Could be worse," Kate said as she put on her mask. "You could still have been The Question."

"Almost glad Vic took the title back. Come on. We've got assholes to... oh, fuck."

Batwoman looked out Renee's window and sighed. "Nosferata."

"Hello, Batwoman," she smirked. She then tossed grenades into the apartment, Batwoman immediately covering Renee with her cloak.

BOOM.


"And next, the Batman's final ward as of now, the Detective known as Red Robin, known to some as Tim Drake."

Meanwhile, at Tim's college library.

"Huh. You think you knew a guy," said a beautiful girl with long blonde hair. She then looked at the boy sitting next to her. "So, you planned on telling me on the honeymoon, big guy," she asked with a snarky smile.

"You're taking this really well, Steph," Tim said in surprise.

"What? You kept bailing on our dates, always vanished when Red Robin appeared, and you once showed up with a black eye and a big gash on your arm. Wasn't that hard to piece together, babe. Just wish you had told me before some creepy guy on my phone."

"He is pretty creepy, huh? Anyway, Gonna gave to cut our study date short."

"Obviously. Just one question. What are you going to do to these guys?"

Tim and Stephanie looked around at the Assassins surrounding them.

"Kick their butts?"

"Sounds like fun. Mind if I join?"

"Well, did Lady Shiva say your training was done?"

Stephanie sighed. "So you knew, huh?"

"Ra's himself just called me a detective. You really thought I wouldn't be able to find out my girlfriend was a League of Shadows member by our third real date?"

"Point taken," Stephanie said as she got up and took a fighting stance back to back with Tim. "Winner pays for dinner?"

"Actually, there was a movie I wanted to take you to."

"Then winner picks the next date."

"Deal."

The two then lunged at their foes with an excited smile, both looking forward to winning their contest.


"These are the names of the fools who have been protecting this cesspool of a city. Who has continued the blasphemy of allowing this corrupt and evil city to survive when it should have died years ago. However, the greatest sinner is the wife of Bruce Wayne himself. You all know her merely as Sandra Wu-San-Wayne, founder of Wu-San Pharmaceuticals and co-owner of Wu-San-Wayne Conglomerate. I knew her as something else. She was once one of my greatest warriors. One of my best assassins, if not my very best. She was known as Lady Shiva, the Deadliest Woman in the World."

"Of course, he would reveal that," Sandra said as she comforted her daughter as she nuzzled up to her mother while Damien slept in Sandra's embrace. Surrounding them was an entire squad of unconscious assassins, none of them standing a chance against the Wu-San-Wayne matriarch... or her daughter.

"She is also known in the Asian underworld as the Empress of Diyu, the greatest crimelord in all of Asia. Your beloved heroine is nothing more than a criminal, just like the most powerful and influential parasites in your city."


"Oh, and speaking of your influential powers in your city, there is one last member I neglected to reveal. One of the most recent of the Detective's warriors is ironically a soldier. The most recent protector of this horrid city, Batwing, known by some of you as Sergeant Luke Fox, son of Lucius Fox. And though the old man isn't a warrior, he is just as dangerous due to his technological brilliance, being the mind behind many of Batman's weapons."

"Mr. Fox is this true," a fat female board executive yelled as she stood from her seat, slamming her hands on the table.

The CEO sighed. "Yes, Ms. Bannister. No point in hiding the truth with a terrorist revealing it live for all to see."

"I don't think I appreciate your tone," Ms. Bannister said.

"Nor I yours. If you have something you wish to say, say it."

"I believe the Board of Trustees needs to discuss the company's future going ahead. Mr. Wayne being Batman is one thing, but Mrs. Wayne being a crime lord? Think of public relations!"

"Oh, yes. Let's talk about evicting the woman who cured some of Gotham's worst criminals, helped root out corruption in the city, and made the quality of life in the city skyrocket. Tell me, doesn't publicly shaming the woman who is practically seen as the Saintess of Gotham sound like a brilliant idea to anyone else on the Board?"

Everyone looked away, some pretending to read while others nervously adjusted their ties.

"And you have some gall, Ms. Bannister. Lady Wayne is literally the only reason you're still co-chair of Wu-San-Wayne Conglomerates. She saw potential in you, a potential that Mr. Wayne and I seem to be blind to."

"W-Well," Bannister cleared her throat. "Be that as it may, the conglomerate shouldn't be affiliated with vigilantes."

"The same vigilantes that have saved this city countless times? The same vigilantes that saved the very PLANET countless times? The same vigilantes that have pushed back criminals, literal monsters, and actual evil gods?" Bannister looked away. "This city NEEDS the House of Bat. Now that the city knows that Wu-San-Wayne Conglomerate funds their heroism-"

"The Conglomerate may be seen as heroes since we technically help them," an executive went.

"This would make public relations SKYROCKET! Look at Lex Corp! They're seen as one of the most evil companies in the world, thanks in no small part to their founder and CEO."

"The man is a literal supervillain," another executive went.

"While our owner is one of the greatest heroes of all time!"

"Imagine how horrible our image would be if we FIRED THE FREAKIN' BATMAN!"

"Our stocks would take a nosedive, no doubt."

Ms. Bannister sat down when she heard that.

"Now that that is out of the way, we need to move on to the more important matter at hand. The city is under attack by one of Mr. Wayne's most dangerous enemies. Citizens will need to be protected, and Wu-San-Wayne Tower is the safest building in all of Gotham."

"Indeed, it is, Mr. Fox."

Lucius's eyes widened before he looked behind him, seeing Talia Al Ghul.

SHINK.

Lucius stared at Talia before he coughed up blood, looking down to see a sword in his gut. One of the executives screamed when they saw the blade sticking out of Lucius's back before it was yanked out, and Lucius fell to his knees.

"MR. FOX," Ms. Bannister yelled as she and another executive ran to the CEO, Ms. Bannister immediately took out what looked like an EpiPen and jabbed it where Lucius was stabbed. When she pushed the syringe, Lucius's wound froze over, and his breathing back to normal.

"It seems Dr. Fries is more skilled than we surmised," Talia said. "How fortunate for you, Mr. Fox. You will live. Take them all to one of the tower vaults. They'll make for good hostages," Talia said as she walked away, the Board realizing they were surrounded by Assassins.

"You won't... win," Lucius groaned, making Talia stop. "Mr. Wayne... has stopped you before. So has Lady Wayne. You'll regret... attacking Gotham," he strained.

". . . Make him suffer."

An Assassin stepped on Lucius's wound, making him yell out in pain.

"STOP! PLEASE," Ms. Bannister yelled before she was slapped away.

"You don't seem to understand the position you're in, Lucius. Be a good prisoner of war and you may survive this. Unlike your son."

Lucius looked at Talia in horror. "What have you done?" Talia walked away. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" The door closed behind Talia. "DAMN YOU!"


Meanwhile.

Batwing... was flying past falling yellow arrows before he flew toward his attacker and tried to punch his foe, only for a yellow jizo statue to take his punch instead, Batwing flying away. "Shouldn't you be in Coast City, Kiiro?"

"The Great Ra's Al Ghul has ordered the destruction of Gotham." Kiiro then created a giant three-eyed owl, the yokai-construct screeching at Luke. "The Jordon Family will die, but the House of Bat will fall first."

"Good luck with that," Luke said as he activated his armor's weapon system, getting ready to fight a Yellow Lantern.

'Wait, I'm getting ready to fight a freakin' Lantern. . . This won't be easy. . . Glad I trained with Sandra and Hal,' Luke thought before his fight began.


"That is why I declare war upon Gotham on this day. Be in fear, citizens of Gotham. Doom has come to you," Ra's said as his eyes began to glow green before the screens he was on blacked out.

Then, various explosions occurred throughout the city, marking the beginning of the Lazarus War.