Red Robin arrived at the warehouse first, taking in the dilapidated surroundings with a dry smirk. "An abandoned warehouse," he muttered caustically. "Shocking." He tapped his comm. "I'm here."

"Robin, Orphan, and I are on our way," Batgirl, Stephanie Brown, replied.

"All right," Red Robin replied, scanning the area one last time. "I'm going to enter the warehouse."

"Red Robin," Batgirl's voice sharpened.

"Don't worry, I already scanned the area. No one's inside."

"Be careful. I'll be there in fifteen."

"Orphan and I are eight minutes out," Robin chimed in.

"Copy that," Red Robin responded, moving cautiously towards the warehouse entrance. He checked his infrared one more time, confirming that the place was indeed empty. Entering the dark building, he activated his night vision and scanned his surroundings. "Batgirl, are you sure the alert came from this location?" Red Robin asked, his voice echoing in the empty space.

"Positive. Why?"

"There's nothing here," Red Robin said, his eyes narrowing as he looked around. "No-thing," he said slowly as something caught his attention in the far corner—a small, weathered Joker box.

"Are you certain?" Batgirl's voice came through the comm as Red Robin slowly approached the box, curiosity piqued. "Red Robin?" Batgirl called again, her tone laced with concern when she didn't get an immediate response. "Red Robin? Are you there?"

"Uh-huh," Red Robin answered absently, kneeling down to study the medium-sized jack-in-the-box. "I'm here."

"You don't sound okay."

"I'm fine," he said, but just as the words left his mouth, the box's lid flew open. A clown with a sadistic grin sprang out, releasing a cloud of dust and dirt that hit Red Robin square in the face. He stumbled back, coughing, sneezing, and choking.

"What? What is it?" Batgirl's concern deepened. "Red Robin?"

"It's nothing," Red Robin replied between coughs. "I found an old Joker box. It was dusty."

"You picked it up!"

"Not my smartest decision, but it was nothing. Nothing attacked me. It was just dust," he said, finally catching his breath.

"You shouldn't have opened it."

"I know," Red Robin muttered as he stood up. Suddenly, his vision blurred, and a sharp ringing filled his ears, but the sensation passed almost as quickly as it came. Something moved in his peripheral vision, and Red Robin instinctively whipped his head around. "Wait, I see someone," he said, switching on his infrared. "Huh. They're not showing up on infrared."

"Meta?" Batgirl suggested.

"Possibly. Hold on." Red Robin cautiously followed the figure, keeping his distance. The figure led him to the back of the warehouse, where an old desk sat under the dim glow of a single lamp. The figure vanished, leaving Red Robin alone as he approached the desk. His eyes widened as he saw the words "Ha, ha, ha" scrawled all over a map, with three locations circled in red.

"Don't you just love explosions?" a voice sneered from behind him.

Red Robin whirled around, his heart pounding. "Joker," he growled, fists clenched.

"Ha, ha, ha! Ha, ha, ha!" The Joker's maniacal laughter filled the space, his eyes gleaming with malicious glee. "Don't you just love explosions? That feeling of euphoria that washes over you when it finally goes BOOM! Ha, ha, ha!" Red Robin took a menacing step forward, but the Joker held up a finger, wagging it tauntingly. "Ah-ah-ah. You don't have time for that. You've got three bombs to stop. Look, I even circled the locations for you. Aren't I a good sport? I'd hurry if I were you."

Red Robin shot a glance back at the map, memorizing the coordinates. When he turned to confront the Joker again, he was gone. "No time for that," Red Robin muttered, sprinting out of the warehouse and into the pouring rain. "We have an emergency," he said into his comm, his voice urgent. "Joker has planted three bombs in the city."

"Joker did what?!" two voices exclaimed simultaneously.

"No time to explain," Red Robin said as he mounted his bike. He typed furiously on the mini-computer on his wrist. "I've sent you the coordinates."

"I'll take Wayne Tower," Batgirl responded.

"I'll handle GCPD," Robin said.

"I'm going after the Joker," Red Robin said, his voice steely. "I'm checking the last place he was seen. My tracker is on. Orphan, on me."

"Okay," Batgirl said. "We'll let you know when it's done." Red Robin revved the engine of his bike, the tires skidding on the wet pavement as he sped off into the night, determined to stop the Joker before it was too late.

Red Robin's heart pounded as he raced through the pouring rain, weaving in and out of traffic. "Red," Batgirl's voice came through his earpiece, steady but with a slight edge. "We're on a private line. What exactly do you mean by 'Joker left bombs around the city'?"

"I don't know," Red Robin replied, his tone clipped. "There was a map with locations circled. The map was filled with his laughter. And he was there."

"He was there? You actually saw him?"

"He was right in front of me. I saw him," Red Robin urged.

There was a brief pause, the line crackling with the sound of rain. "Red, are you absolutely sure?"

"Positive."

Another pause, longer this time. "Alright. I'll reach out once it's handled."

"So, these 'metas' in this group called 'The Light' have been targeting you?" Arella asked, reclining in a lounger beside her daughter as they watched the sunset on Azarath.

"That's correct," Raven replied.

"Why do they call themselves 'The Light'?"

"I don't know. I never asked."

"Well, they sound pretentious," Arella commented with a soft chuckle. "Catch me up on everything else. How's that fancy school of yours treating you?"

"It's...great," Raven answered, her eyes dropping to the warm mug in her hands.

"Really?" Arella raised a knowing eyebrow.

"It's fine," Raven said with a small sigh. "I just…have a math tutor."

"A math tutor, hmm? You know, I struggled with math too. Which math?"

"Calculus."

"Ha! I never even got to take calculus. What's it like?"

"Torture. Pure torture."

Arella laughed softly. "I'm just happy to see you building a life for yourself. Any…significant others?"

"Mom!" Raven looked at her face turned a bright shade of red, and she couldn't help the small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"Oh, come on," Arella teased, her smile warm. "Your voice says 'no,' but the pink in your cheeks says 'yes.' So…who's the lucky one?"

"It's nothing, Mom. There's nothing. We're…barely even friends."

"But you think he's cute, don't you?"

"No!" Raven's blush deepened, and she quickly added, "I mean, he's not ugly…but we're not—he's just nice to me. And he tutors me, so we end up spending time together."

Arella's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Oh, you've got a crush on your tutor. How sweet! How young is he?"

"I don't know—20? But really, it's nothing. We're nothing."

"Mm-hmm, sure," Arella said, a playful smile on her lips. She paused for a moment. "Do you want to have sex with him?"

"Mom!" Raven looked at her mom scandalized. Arella only laughed.

Red Robin pulled into the abandoned fair that was once Joker's hideout. He stepped into puddles as he entered the main tent—Joker's headquarters. "Uh…Red?" Robin's voice sounded in his ear. "I'm at GCPD, and there's no bomb."

"What do you mean?" Red Robin asked.

"I've scanned the building from top to bottom, front to back, side to side—nothing."

"Then clear the building and go floor by floor, room by room."

"Are you serious? You really think the Joker got his hands on stealth technology?"

"Yes," Red Robin answered firmly.

"Fine," Robin sighed. "One kitchen fire coming up."

"No, Robin," Batgirl said, "I made it to Wayne Tower. There's no bomb here either."

"Check again!" Red Robin said.

"Red!" Batgirl barked.

"Fine," Robin relented, "better safe than sorry." Red Robin grunted a reply, approaching the tent.

Red Robin entered the old tent, grateful to be out of the relentless rain. The darkness inside swallowed him, the narrow path ahead lit by flickering lights. His head throbbed, and he stumbled, gripping his temples as memories flashed through his mind. Red Robin's feet dragged as the two goons carried him. "Hey, boss! We got ya' something!" one thug shouted. Shaking off the memory, Red Robin pushed forward, parting a set of curtains to reveal an eerily familiar sight: a raised, circular stage on a rotating platform, bathed in dim, colorful lighting. A sharp pain shot through his head, forcing him to his knees. He gasped, his vision blurring.

"Welcome to my funhouse!" a sadistic voice echoed through the tent. Red Robin's eyes widened as he looked up. The lights blazed to life, and cheery carnival music blasted from the speakers. Bright, chaotic colors flashed around him, disorienting him further. There, on the rotating circular stage, sat Joker, sprawled on a throne, grinning like a maniac. "Miss me, kiddo?" Joker sneered, his smile stretching impossibly wide.

"Joker," Red Robin hissed, forcing himself to stand. "I knew it. I knew you weren't dead."

"Dead? Me? Ha! Ha! Ha!" Joker cackled, the sound piercing Red Robin's skull.

"You psycho—ah!" Red Robin's hand flew to his head as another sharp pain lanced through him.

"You look like you're in pain," Joker mocked, his voice dripping with faux concern. "But don't worry—it's all in your head."

"Shut up!" Red Robin shouted, his voice raw with anger and confusion.

"Little birdie, you wound me!" Joker's laughter echoed, growing louder and more manic. "Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

"I don't care what Batman says," Red Robin growled, his vision swimming as he staggered toward the stage. "I'm going to kill you."

"Go for it!" Joker taunted, his eyes gleaming with madness. "Let's see if we can make that pain a little more real."

Red Robin blinked, and in that instant, Joker was suddenly in front of him. A fist slammed into Red Robin's face, snapping his head back. Before he could react, Joker spun, swinging a crowbar that narrowly missed Red Robin's head as he ducked.

Red Robin quickly recovered, launching a series of precise punches and kicks, but to his horror, Joker dodged each one with an agility that seemed impossible. The clown moved like a specter, his movements unnaturally fluid. Red Robin's breath hitched as Joker struck with a backhand swing of the crowbar, catching him in the ribs. "Ah!" Red Robin grunted, the sound of cracking bones echoing in his ears. He rolled out of the way as Joker brought the crowbar down in a vicious arc, barely missing him.

"Ooh, fancy," Joker grinned, his voice oozing with glee. "Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!" Joker attacked with relentless speed, swinging the crowbar with chaotic energy. Red Robin found himself on the defensive, barely keeping up. "It's like we're dancing!" Joker cried out with manic delight. "Dance, little bird, dance!"

Red Robin's world blurred as he tried to keep up with the Joker's unpredictable movements. The way Joker was moving wasn't making any sense. One moment, Red Robin was dodging a crowbar aimed at his face; the next, Joker grabbed him by the cape, spun him around before flinging him aside with a strength Red Robin knew the Joker didn't have. Am I even fighting the Joker? "Ugh!" Red Robin gasped as he hit the ground, the air knocked out of him. His mind raced, trying to make sense of what was happening. How is he so fast? How is he so strong? Slowly, Red Robin pushed himself up, his muscles screaming in protest. He watched in a daze as Joker danced and laughed maniacally in the center of the stage, the crowbar swinging wildly in his hand.

"Enough of this," Red Robin growled, forcing himself to his feet. "This ends now!" Ignoring the pain and the dizziness, Red Robin charged at Joker, launching a barrage of calculated kicks and strikes. Joker easily dodged while laughing, his cackles growing louder.

Red Robin's frustration boiled over into rage as each failed attack fueled his desperation. Finally, one of his kicks connected, sending Joker flying off the stage. "Woah!" Joker yelped as he hit the dirt and rolled, momentarily stunned. "Ow," Joker frowned as he stood up, brushing off invisible dirt. "That hurt." Red Robin could only watch in shock as Joker stood with ease, unaffected by the blow. "You've grown, birdie boy," Joker said, his grin returning. The crowbar appeared in his hand again, as if by magic. "Too bad you still fight like a little boy!" Joker charged, his eyes wild with madness, and Red Robin braced himself, his mind a chaotic storm of pain and fear.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay for the festival?" Arella asked, her eyes twinkling with a mix of hope and concern.

"I'm positive," Raven replied, carefully balancing the boxes of tea in her arms. "My tutor hasn't shown up to any of our sessions this past month, so I'm really behind on my homework. Plus, I have a test right after break."

Arella's expression softened, a hint of disappointment flickering across her face. "Well, if you're certain…"

"Mom," Raven said, sensing her mother's hurt feelings, "it's not just an excuse to hide away. I really do have a lot of work to catch up on. I'm not going to any holiday parties or gatherings. I plan to spend the next five days locked in my room, reading a book called Calculus for Dummies. I promise I'll make it up to you."

Arella's sadness lifted at Raven's reassurance. "Next time, then," she said, her smile returning.

"Mid-January. I'll return for sure," Raven said. Arella stepped closer, standing on her tiptoes to give Raven a gentle kiss on the forehead. She stroked Raven's hair tenderly. The gesture was filled with warmth. "Mid-January it is," Arella said, her smile widening as Raven created a portal. "Happy studying, and good luck on your test. I love you."

Raven paused before stepping into the portal, her eyes shining. "I love you too, Mom. See you soon!" With a final wave, Raven stepped into the portal, leaving her mother with a smile and a hopeful heart.

Red Robin staggered to his feet, clutching his chest as pain shot through him. His vision was hazy, and his breathing was labored. "As much as I would love to continue our dance," the Joker cackled maniacally, "I simply must go. I have people to see, things to blow up! Ta-ta!" With a final, mocking laugh, he darted toward the exit.

Red Robin's heart sank as he realized, I'm not going to catch him. His muscles ached with exhaustion as he struggled to move. Then, as if by a miracle, Orphan appeared in the entryway. "Orphan!" Red Robin shouted, his voice desperate. "Stop him!"

Orphan stood unmoving, allowing the Joker to sprint past her. "Orphan!" Red Robin's voice cracked with frustration and hurt. Lightning flashed, and the scene around Red Robin shifted. Suddenly, he was no longer in the vibrant, chaotic funhouse; he was standing in muddy, rain-soaked ground beneath a tattered tent. The only sounds were the relentless pounding of rain and the distant rumble of thunder. "What's wrong with you!" Red Robin demanded, his voice hoarse and strained as he marched to Orphan. Her mask concealed any hint of emotion, and Red Robin's frustration boiled over. "How could you let him go by you like that? Are you blind?"

Orphan tilted her head inquisitively. Red Robin's anger blazed. "Just… give me space. I can't deal with you right now," he snapped, pushing past her.

Orphan watched as he stormed out of the tent. She took out her communicator and quickly typed a message to Batgirl: "Red Robin not well." With a final, determined look at Red Robin's retreating figure, she closed her communicator and followed him out into the storm.