Batman and the Justice League

The Laughing League

Blood trailed towards the control room. Diana, J'onn, and Hal were the first to receive the distress call before it was abruptly cut off. Stepping from the zeta tubes only the eerie silence of the Watchtower welcomed them. The three entered the control room following the trail. The walls and floors were cracked, bent, and damaged with blood dripping from several points.

"Kal?!" Diana called out. It was Superman's turn for monitor duty with Batman's shift in five minutes. The three became frantic at the display. A great battle had taken place, and someone was gravely injured somewhere. "Kal!" Diana called again.

"Mph..." The moan was followed by a large steel cylinder shifting slightly. The three rushed over removing the rest to reveal Superman in a pool of blood, his blood.

"Great Hera..." Diana twisted around readying for a fight. Whoever did this must be close by. J'onn bent down assessing the damage.

"Superman." He gently shook him. No response. "Superman, who did this to you?" The Kryptonian remained unmoved.

"I think I found your problem." Hal stated pointing to the source of the blood flow. On Superman a Kryptonite ring lay jammed into his ribs.

"But...that is Batman's ring." Diana gasped. J'onn moved towards the wound, removing the crystal.

"Indeed, but where is Batman?"

"Sss...h-heart...fluxus...sss." Superman abruptly gasped out. His eyes became slits fighting to open.

"He needs sunlight." Diana stated to J'onn.

"Who did this to you?" Hal demanded. Superman attempted to sit up but flopped back gasping.

"Do not strain yourself." J'onn placed a hand to keep him down. The Kryptonian's face was a deathly pale coated with sweat. He grit his teeth attempting to get up again.

"Sssaaavveee...s-save...Bruce..." He gagged spluttering blood. "Save Bruce..." His eyes rolled back, and his body fell limp.

It made no sense, no sense at all. I was there when the vial exploded. It should have affected me, not him. How did I not know what it was? It should have been obvious, after that murder last week. All the signs were there, the laughing, the unpredictability, the insanity.
An alert sounded on the security footage. I turned to the screen to find Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Martian Manhunter had entered and were currently by Superman. It wasn't right to just leave Clark there like that, but time was of the essence. They would see his condition and maybe move him to the red sun room, good. I turned back to the lens in front of me. It was strange and quite curious. Nothing was found in my blood, no indication that I had breathed in the gas. How did it affect a Kryptonian and not me? Kryptonite? How would he get any in the first place? Perhaps Luthor, but that wasn't likely either as I have been keeping a thorough eye on him.

I sighed moving back to the analysis. Dick would have called it a 'grunt'. It was better than 'tt'ing, as I have been in habit of doing being with Damian so long. I am 98% certain that Jason made a list of synonyms for each 'grunt', 'sigh', 'growl' or whatever they say I do. If I was being honest with myself it was semi humorous, annoying at times, but intriguing.
A movement on the screen caught my attention. Turning towards the security footage my stomach dropped. J'onn was removing the Kryptonite ring! What was he thinking? Someone that powerful let loose in that state, how did they not notice? Leaving the lab, I raced towards the control room. It was the next level up and the elevators were too far away. Note to self, incorporate carts for non-speedsters. I jumped into the lift pounding on the top button, hoping I wasn't too late.

The control room was still a mess from the fight. The computer was smashed from when Clark had thrown me into it, but his blood still coated the window. I inwardly cringed. It was necessary, but it wasn't right. I turned back to the matter at hand. Stalking to the far end, the three Leaguers were still around Superman. Diana had the ring in hand readying to throw it away.

"Stop!" I flung a batarang knocking the gem towards the Kryptonian again. "Don't touch that!" The three turned towards me confusion and worry very apparent.

"Batman..." Diana breathed. She looked me up and down probably noticing the tears and gashes. "Did you do this?"

"We can't let him up until I figure out a cure." I growled. Were they blind? The three of them eyed the other with concern.

"Perhaps." J'onn began. "You should explain what has occurred here." I turned to Clark still lying in his blood. The twisted face, deathly pale, and a wide smile, a replica of the original. I didn't fully understand what happened myself. I was working on a case. A warehouse full of these vials kept popping up. It was my shift for monitor duty soon, so I decided it would be best to examine the chemicals in the Watchtower's lab. Upon opening the bottle, the chemical erupted fuming the entire room. Clark had come in, he was helping me, but then the laughing started, the twisted smile, and soon he was trying to kill me. He wasn't at full power, the only reason I could take him down. I remained resolute outwardly, but knowing the Joker could affect Clark...what was him game? Was he jealous of our friendship, or was it simply punishment to me? Why suddenly go for a league member?

"Bruce." I turned back. "Batman, what happened?" Diana remained by Clark. Hal scanned his body, but I knew that would be fruitless. Did they not see his face?! "Batman." Diana called again. She was shaking.

"I'll find a cure Diana." I whispered. "I promise."

"Bruce..." Her head sunk down, shaking further. "Oh Bruce...heh..." She snapped up a glint in her eye. It wasn't like her, she was different. I jumped back, expecting the others to as well, but they didn't. "Bruce, oh Brucie, heh...heh, heehee...hahaha!" Diana erupted into laughter, and the others joined in. Their faces began to contort, growing sick, twisted, and soon a large smile spread across all three. A chill ran through me. Taking the anti-Joker venom, I lunged for Diana first. Green rapidly enclosed around me, and I turned to the laughing Hal, growling to myself. The batarangs I left detonated turning his concentration away long enough to break the bubble. I twisted into a roll flinging another batarang towards J'onn creating a wall of fire. That would only hold him for a few moments, but it would have to do. Creating a smoke field, I grabbed Clark's body with the ring and ran towards the lifts.

"Computer!" I screamed into the confusion. "Initiate quarantine lockdown level nine!"
"Voice activation confirmed." The voice boomed back. As the lift's doors closed I could hear the Zeta tubes deactivating simultaneously to the lights flashing red. The quarantine would keep anyone from coming onto the Watchtower...and keep them in. My chest burned in anticipation, almost hurting. This wasn't good, not good at all. I held Clark's bleeding form. Keeping the Kryptonite in so long was killing him. I sighed. This was going to be a long day.