It was just another night in Gotham. Batman had just foiled joker's latest plan, and now they were fighting on another rooftop. But tonight would be different. Tonight, the joker would be a villain no more!

In the mind of the Joker...

A man was chained up in a void, powerless to stop the Joker as he controlled his body, using it to fight Batman. "Why hasn't he figured it out yet?" asked the man. "He's the world's greatest detective, why hasn't he found the bombs yet?!"

"Oh, shut up Jack!" exclaimed the Joker as he backhanded his mental prisoner. "Nobody asked you anything! You're stuck here, locked away, the voice in my head who doesn't fit in!" He pulled a key out of his green hair. "And as long as I have this, you're NEVER getting out! Not in a MILLION, ZILLION-"

"LOOK OUT!"

"Huh?"

WHAM!

Batman had just delivered a finishing blow straight to Joker's forehead. The impact caused the void to shake, making the joker loose his grip on the key. "NOOO!" he exclaimed as the key flew through the air, and landed perfectly into the lock.

When the chains suddenly began to glow, Jack smiled for the first time in years. The shackles on his legs and arms came undone. "Hehehehehe." He chuckled. The collar around his neck popped right off "Hahahahahaha!" He laughed. Finally, the chains became weaker than tissue paper. With a single tug, Jack Napier destroyed every single link in his prison. "HAAA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" He guffawed. Jack Napier was now free!

"No. NO! This isn't funny!" Screamed the Joker, backing away from the mental master. "THIS ISN'T FUNNY AT ALL!"

"Really? I think it's hilarious!"

"Get away from me!"

Jack grabbed Joker by the collar and stared deep into his fearful eyes. "Let's give the people of Gotham a hero they can laugh with!"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooo..." The Joker turned into pure energy, and was absorbed by Jack.

A cocoon of energy surrounded Jack's mental avatar, which burst open almost the instant it completely covered his body. Standing in the average-looking man's place was a new Joker. A better Joker. A heroic joker. "Ya know what they say!" Said Joker in a peppy, upbeat voice. "If ya can't beat em', JOIN EM'!"

Joker woke up from his bed in Arkham with a jolt. He turned to the guard in front of his cell and wasted no time. "HEY! YOU! Did Batman find the bombs?!"

The guard was startled and choked on his coffee. "What? Oh. Yeah, he found your bombs right after he brought you here."

Oh thank god! thought Joker. Now that that's taken care of, I need to get out of here. The right way.

18 months later...

"This is Viki Vale reporting live from outside Arkham asylum where, in a few minutes, Jack Napier, AKA: The Joker, is about to be released after being deemed sane by multiple tests, mental examinations, Arkham psychologists, and even Batman himself. The former Clown Prince of Crime has been in Arkham for a whopping 18 months without making any attempt to escape. Even when Lex Luthor staged an Arkham breakout just 6 months ago, multiple eyewitnesses and unedited security footage show the Jester of Genocide staying in his cell, despite the massive hole in his wall allowing him to escape at any time. Oh, here he comes now! Mr. Napier!"

Joker was stepping out of Arkham wearing his iconic purple suit and holding a suitcase. He was being escorted by Batman as protection against anyone who would try to kill him for what he did while he was insane. He saw Viki and made a beeline for her.

"Mr. Napier-"

Joker held a hand up to stop her. "Please Miss Vale. Mr. Napier was my father's name. Call me Joker."

"Alright Joker. Why do you insist on keeping your bleached skin and villain name? Hasn't Wayne Industries made multiple offers to pay for surgery that would restore your skin to normal?"

"Well, Viki, I'm trying to be a better man, and that means I need to admit the horrible things I've done. If I got the surgery, it would be like I'm trying to act like what I did never happened. I would much rather stand out, stand up, and say 'I know what I did, and I know it was wrong'."

"What will you do now since you are no longer the biggest villain in Gotham. No offense."

"None taken. There's an old pawn shop in downtown Gotham that I've always wanted to turn into a practical joke and gag shop, and Wayne Enterprises has generously given me the deed to the property as well as $50,000 to kick-start my business."

"Do you have anything to say about rumors that your gag store may be a front for you to make more of your toxic trick-weapons?"

"Yes I do. Batman and the GCPD will be installing very high security in my workshop as well as keeping a very close eye on my bank account, bills, purchases and location at all times."

"Why are you willing to give up your privacy so easily?"

"I'm an ex villain trying to be good, this is the only way they'd give me a chance. Any more questions?"

"Just one. What is your status with Harley Quinn?"

"I broke up with her. Convinced her that I wasn't good enough for her and told her to find someone who was. Don't worry, she's so much happier with Poison Ivy."

"Anything you'd like to declare?"

"I held a knife in each hand and I fell down the stairs, that's how I got them. I'm afraid that's all the time I have Miss Vale." Joker straightened his tie and walked to the batmobile, sitting in the passenger seat with Batman at the wheel. In less than a second, the caped crusaders' car was a mile away.

"That was Jack Napier, AKA: Joker, live from Arkham asylum. I'm Viki Vale. And now here's Jim with the weather."

In the batmobile...

"Hey Bruce, where's the radio on this thing?" asked Joker as he scanned the dashboard for anything that didn't look dangerous.

"I'm still not comfortable with you calling me that while I'm in the suit." Said Batman. He pressed a button and the radio turned on. "Remind me again how you found out my identity."

"Hehehe! I'm the only one who's gotten close enough to your exposed face enough times to memorize it. But I only figured it out when I went sane after you knocked my screws back in place. Ah, memories." Joker looked out his side of the batmobile. After a few seconds his eyes popped open. "WAITWAITWAITWAITWAIT! TURN AROUND!"

"What?"

"JUST DO IT!"

With no hesitation, batman pulled a 180 and stopped where Joker's eyes went wide. The clown opened the door and jumped out. "This'll only take a second."

10 minutes later...

Joker got back in the batmobile frowning, covered in blood stains, feathers, silly putty, and a knife in his right arm, which was bending the wrong way. Several seconds of silence later, Batman opened his mouth to speak "ASHUSHUSHUSHUSH!" Joker waved his good hand in front of Batman. "This is my blood, they were bane's men, I used to store my joker venom here some- You know what? Just... just drive."

"Would you, uh... like a kids meal?"

"... Yes please."

"Siri, find the nearest Wendy's."