Chapter 08

(Old Gotham City Orphanage)

The four caped figures leapt quietly along the rooftops, coming to a damaged skylight that looked down into the main room of the orphanage.

Bruce sends Robin in to deal with the thugs. As soon as he hits the floor, the clown thugs were on him, much to their own chagrin.

"He's good." Batwoman said as she watched Robin punch, kick and flip the thugs around the room.

"He ought to be." Batman Jr. said.

"Because you trained him." Batman Sr. asked/stated.

"Not at first. His grandfather did most of it." Batman Jr. said.

"I take it you don't mean me." the older Batman said.

"No. His other grandfather. Ras Al Ghul, the leader of the League of Assassins."

"He was trained to be a killer?" Batwoman asked.

"He was trained to be a leader. Trained to be stronger, think faster, move quicker. With skills that most other people didn't possess." Batman Jr. said.

"That's a lot of pressure to put on a child." Batman Sr. said.

"I thought so." the younger Batman said.

"Besides combat, what other talents does he possess?" Batwoman asked curiously.

"Well, he hacked NORAD when he was six. He started climbing the European mountains when he was four. First time he did, he fell and broke his wrist. But he finished the climb any way." he explained.

"Why?" Batman Sr. asked.

"It was... expected of him." Batman Jr. said.

"And where were you when this was happening?" the older Batman asked.

"At that time..." he said, trying to think back to when Damian was four, "... I was punching out a male version of the Joker before he tried to flood the city with so much laughing gas, people would have died from laughing too much."

"Sick." the older Batman said.

"Yup." Batwoman said.

"Sounds like your Joker and mine aren't that different." Batman Sr. said.

"Here's hoping we can change that." the younger Batman said.

Sounds of fighting stopped, the trio looking down to see nearly ten clown-faced thugs face down on the ground.

"The thugs are down. Joker will be here soon." Batwoman said.

"Wait." Batman Jr. said.

Robin turned to see the female Joker appear out of the shadows.

"Who are you?" Joker asked, gun in her right hand, a crowbar in her left.

Damian looked at the woman. Pale skin, long greenish hair, red lips, pale purple suit and a wide sadistic grin on her face.

Remembering what his father had told him prior to their arrival, Robin removed his mask, revealing his youthful face. One that The Joker recognized instantly.

"B-B-Bruce?" the female clown gasped at seeing him. Images of that fateful night back in the alley flooding her mind like a tidal wave hitting the beach.

She dropped the gun and crowbar as she hugged the boy tightly.

"Bruce! My Son!" she cried out.

"I'm not Bruce." Damian said through a muffled voice.

"W-what?" she asked as she pulled back from the boy.

"My name is Damian Al-Ghul Wayne. I am the son of Bruce Wayne." he said.

"Bruce's... son? But... that means..." she stuttered.

The two Batmen land behind Joker and Robin.

"What? Two of you?" Joker gasped. "Sleeping around on me, Bats? Or is this some sick, twisted cloning experiment?" she snapped at the older Batman.

"This is no joke. Martha." Batman Sr. said as he stepped forward to remove his cowl.

Joker just looked at Thomas Wayne, more than a little shocked he had removed his own cowl before her. He hadn't done that in years.

The younger Batman walked towards the woman, also removing his cowl.

"Who are you?" Joker asked.

"My name is Bruce Wayne. Orphaned son of Thomas and Martha Wayne, who died over 20 years ago, in an alley mugging gone wrong." Bruce explained.

Joker stared at the 30-year old man. She raised her hand and cupped his cheek, her lips trembling as she stared into his eyes.

To Bruce it was more than a little unnerving to see his mother looking like The Joker. The garish outfit and horrible make-up, in female form, worried him.

It boggled his mind that his own mother could become his worst enemy.

"You... you're... Bruce?" she said in a voice so weak it felt like a whisper.

"Hi, mom." he said to her.

The pair had tears in their eyes as they hugged each other tightly. A good five minutes at best.

Thomas stepped forward as the woman looked at him.

"T-Thomas?" Joker asked, tears streaming down her face as she looked at her husband.

"Hello, Martha." he said, not even moving to try and hug his wife.

Any image or facsimile that was The Joker seemed to have completely vanish, replaced by the woman that Bruce and Thomas had lost for years and years. Heavy make-up notwithstanding.

Martha Wayne just broke down and cried, so much so that she passed out on the floor.

"She passed out." Bruce said.

"Yes. I was counting on this, actually." Thomas said.

"What do you think she's going to do once she wakes up?" Damian asked.

"Hopefully, she'll be normal." Thomas said.

"I hope not." Bruce said.

"Why?" Damian asked.

"Because we're not." Bruce said.

"Right." Thomas said.

On the rooftop Batwoman awaited their return.

"Weird family." she muttered under her breath.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

(Meanwhile, across the Atlantic Ocean and over the Mediterranean)

Superman and Supergirl were flying over the coastal European countries, following Green Lantern John Stewart who was leading them across the Ocean.

"Are you sure it's this way?" Superman asked.

"I'm sure. My ring can track any energy signature. And atomic energy is easy to track." Green Lantern said.

"Gotta get me one of those." Supergirl said with a smirk.

"We need to be careful. We're officially over Atlantean sovereign waters." Green Lantern said.

"Seriously?" Supergirl asked.

"As far as the Atlanteans are concerned, it's their territory."

Suddenly, an explosion to the South caught their attention.

"What was that?" Supergirl asked.

"It's him! It's Atom!" Green Lantern said as he raced towards the energy explosion as the two Kryptonians flew after him.

They arrived to see an injured Captain Atom flying away from a large submarine that was firing at him. He was returning fire, shooting energy bolts out of his hands as the pursuing Atlanteans were slowly getting closer to him.

"Captain!" Green Lantern shouted as the silver-suited and red gloves and boots wearing hero turned to see three figures heading towards him.

"Wha... who are... where did you..." Captain Atom stuttered weakly.

"We'll explain later." Green Lantern said as he threw up a force bubble around the injured Captain Atom, who was slowly leaking atomic energy. "We need to get you to safety."

"How... do I know... I can trust you?" the Captain asked as he allowed himself to settle onto the floor of the bubble.

"Does this help?" John Stewart said as he made the arm-sleeve on his left bicep retract, showing Captain Atom his tattoo, which said 'USMC'.

Captain Atom smiled. "Never thought I'd be happy to see the Marines."

Superman and Supergirl flew up in front of them, blocking the energy attacks of the Atlanteans.

"Get going, John! We'll cover you!" Superman shouted.

"Right." Green Lantern said as he towed the weary looking Captain Atom behind him.

Superman and Supergirl clapped their hands together, causing a massive double-shockwave that stunned the Atlanteans and their crafts, disorienting them enough to allow the alien heroes to retreat after Green Lantern.

"Well, we got him." Kara said to Kal.

"Yes, and now we can... wait! There!" Superman said as he suddenly looked down.

Kara followed his gaze and saw two destroyed ships still under attack by the Atlanteans and their amazon allies.

Quickly diving towards the ships, Superman and Supergirl quickly scanned the battlefield, seeing only three people having survived thus far. Two were on the deck of a sinking ship, and the third was barely hanging on to a piece of metal that was rapidly sinking into the ocean.

"I'll get the two on the ship, you get the one in the water." Superman said.

"On it!" Supergirl said

Superman flew onto the deck of the ship, slamming into the floor and scattering the Atlanteans and the Amazons, and seeing the two men who were injured and barely standing. One was a bald man in business suit. The other man was dressed in a black bodysuit made of kevlar, his face covered by a mask that was half black and half orange. Superman quickly picked the two men up and lifted off into the sky.

The men were barely conscious as Superman looked over and saw his cousin holding an attractive woman in a black catsuit with medium-length dark hair, several bruises and injuries on her face and body.

Within less than an hour the group had returned to the Wayne Mansion and were making sure their guests were alright. Despite what had happened in their previous lives, the heroes still had to try and save their lives.

Of course, once they had returned to the Batcave with their passengers/guests, they found the League in hot debate over two things.

1 - that Batman and his team had brought The Joker with them, and that she was Bruce's mother. And 2 - that Cyborg was actually considering bringing in Yo-Yo, the Joker's energetic and bubbly henchwoman, to the Cave to join the League.

This was causing quite a stir amongst the League since they were bringing in criminals to their ranks.

(End Flashback)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Note:-

Please give your comments, stones and ratings.