249 Smile #249

I couldn't help but frown as I flew my way across Gotham, following behind Batman who was rapidly gliding and grappling his way across the high-rise buildings toward the Joker's hideout.

The caped crusader didn't ask me to leave, but he requested that I refrain from interfering should I follow him. I readily agreed, and I intended to keep my word.

Now that I had more than one way to make sure he'd stay down, thanks to Faustr's knowledge and his artifacts, I was out to put down the Joker once and for all, but I didn't have to do it in front of Batman.

I could always wait for the Joker to be back in Arkham before getting rid of him and making it look like one of the inmates or the guards finally snapped and killed him. After all, plenty of people would have a reason or two to hate the crazy bastard.

Wherever the demented clown went, disaster tended to follow. I couldn't sit on my ass and wait for him to do something even crazier, not after what he did merely a day after he escaped custody.

Still, I couldn't help but have a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach as I followed behind the caped crusader. I couldn't read Batman's body language no matter how hard I tried, and I wouldn't even try to read his mind, but there was something strange about the way he asked me not to interfere.

Ultimately, I could do nothing but fly behind the caped crusader and keep an eye out if anything happened. The way I see it, the clown was Batman's to deal with as he saw fit after killing Robin.

I was only there to ensure everything went smoothly. Well, as smoothly as dealing with an unpredictable homicidal clown who had a knack for ruining everyone's day.

...

Gotham's industrial district

The docks

The Joker's grin couldn't be broader as he watched a dark shadow beating down his goons one after the other through the CCTV. He couldn't help but chuckle as the door to the security room burst open, the unconscious body of a man dressed as a clown flying through it.

The mirthful clown slowly turned his chair to face the entrance. His chuckling turned into full-blown manic laughter full of joy as his eyes met those of the caped crusader.

"Well, you're finally here..." The Joker said as he slowly got off his chair and raised his hands as if to surrender. "I knew I'd get you off your ass once I've dealt with your little sidekick," He added with a chuckle as he watched Batman slowly approach him.

"Go on then, beat the hell out of me, get your anger out and get me back into Arkham," The clown said with a happy smile. "Then we could get back to playing our games just like the good old days," He concluded, pausing as he waited for the beating.

"No. Not this time," Batman calmly replied. "I don't want to hurt you. I don't want either of us to end up killing the other, but we're running out of alternatives...." He added, sounding eerily calm to the Joker's ears.

"Perhaps it all hinges on tonight..." The caped crusader said, his tone growing soft before it hardened again instantly. "I don't know what it was; that bent your life out of shape..." He said as he took another step forward, standing right in front of the clown.

"But maybe... I've been there too..." Batman said. "Maybe we can work together. I could help you," He added, his tone incredibly sincere as he stared into the Joker's eyes.

"You don't have to be alone. We don't have to kill each other..." The caped crusader said. "Let me help you..." He added as he extended his hand towards the Joker.

The Joker silently looked down at Batman's hand, clearly hesitant about how to respond to the caped crusader's gesture. Ultimately, his expression turned bitter as he stepped back.

"I'm sorry, but no," The Joker said with a rare serious expression as he looked away from Batman. "No. It's far too late for that..." He concluded as he completely turned away from the caped crusader.

"Then you leave me no choice," Batman grimly said, causing the Joker to regain the usual demented grin decorating his face as he reached into his inner pocket.

"Now that's the spirits, Batsy! No need to get soft on me!" The clown said as he took out a gun and quickly turned around to face the caped crusader, only for the latter to greet him with a knife aiming straight for his throat.

Though taken by surprise, the Joker quickly reacted, raising the gun to block the slash, causing it to cut his cheek instead and knock the firearm out of his hand. "My god..." The Joker said as he held his bloody cheek with wide eyes.

"You... You just tried to kill me, didn't you...?" He asked in an astonished tone as he removed his bloodied hand from his cheek and raised it in front of his eyes.

Too stunned to react, the Joker could do nothing but alter his gaze between the blood on his hands and the caped crusader for several seconds, only to break into a demented fit of laughter.

"Color me impressed, Batsy. I didn't think you had it in you," The Joker said with a grin, his eyes twitching as he briefly looked at his gun lying on the ground.

"But I've been waiting for this moment for far too long!" The Joker said as he jumped back to avoid another slash from the caped crusader. "Let's make it one worth remembering, shall we?" He added with a mad cackle as he threw himself at the gun, pressing the flower on his jacket.

Suddenly a bright light exploded into the room, robbing Batman of his vision as the Joker quickly gripped the gun and shot the ground instead of the caped crusader, creating a hole before jumping into it.

By the time Batman regained his vision, he could only see the Joker's shrinking back through the hole as the latter ran with, laughing in demented jubilation at the top of his lungs.

The caped crusader could do nothing but grit his teeth as he jumped into the hole and followed behind the mirthful menace.

...

'Damn... I did not see that coming...' I mused, frowning as I deactivated my phantom belt and knelt next to the Joker's blood after watching Batman running behind him.

The caped crusader had finally had it with the Joker and was ready to put him down, and I honestly didn't know how to feel about it.

Batman undoubtedly had many ways to literally and figuratively destroy the Joker once and for all. I wouldn't have to raise a finger or get involved with that crazy lunatic.

On the other had, Batman was one of the greatest superheroes. He never broke his moral code, and whenever he did, it would end in disaster or cluster fuck of catastrophes.

The sentimental part of me didn't want to see him cross the line, and I couldn't help but wonder if my presence influenced his decision to kill the Joker finally.

I suppose comic book logic can only hold someone's mind for so long, and if anyone could free himself from its clutches, it would be Gotham's dark knight.

'This, I did see coming, though...' I shook my head with a sigh as I rubbed the clown's blood on my fingers and detected traces of Joker gas strong that were enough to go through the filters of my riot gear helmet.

...

Sometime later

ACE chemical plant

"Here we are, bats..." The Joker said with a demented grin as he stood on a catwalk above a giant vat of acid. "You probably don't remember this place, but this is where it all began," He added, grandly spreading his arms.

"It's where my bad day began and ended, down there in that lovely toxic sludge..." He concluded, pausing as he looked at the caped crusader with expectant eyes.

"You're Jack Oswald White... you're the Red Hood..." Batman blankly said after a brief pause as he connected the dots. "You really are my greatest failiure..." He added, his tone still neutral though somewhat tired.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that. I sort'a managed to trip on my cape and fall into the acid, all on my own..." The Joker replied, shaking his head. "You know what they say about clowns; we have zero survival instincts..." He added with a demented chuckle.

"Cheer up, Bats. I didn't bring you here to brood..." The Joker said, putting his hands into his pockets. "Today we play our last game, and the last thing I need is your mood swings ruining it..." He said as he took out his hands, retrieving two small pistols.

"Now let's put a smile that face!" The clown concluded with a loud laugh as he aimed his pistols at the caped crusader and opened fire.