This is my view of what happened right after the flash back scene in the
movie Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker.
_______________________________________________________________________
They all waited.
The JLA Watchtower on the moon was normally empty this time of day. But that wasn't how it was turning out today. Batman had called ahead. He told the Green Lantern to simply have the JLA, and Young Justice get to the Watchtower, and that he would be coming up after everyone had arrived.
They all knew this could only be about one thing. Robin has been found. Batman's side kick, and Young Justice Leader had been missing for over three weeks. All that was known was that he was seen in Gotham City by a group of high school kids swinging from rooftop to rooftop. But nothing since. They all hoped he was all right, but in their line of work that usually was not the case.
"Has there been any word?" Wonder Woman asked.
The Flash shook his head, "Not since his first call two hours ago."
Wonder Woman sighed, "The longer this plays out, the worse it will be for the children." She looked out to the long observation window that looked down at the earth. Most of Young Justice was lined up staring out the window.
Cassie Sandsmark aka Wonder Girl didn't even look up from the window. "He's fine guys. Maybe it's like when we got pulled into that portal for two days last year. We got out of it fine, and Robin will get out of this also. He has to."
Secret just floated next to her. "But it's been so long Cassie. It feels wrong for us to be together with out him here with us."
Superboy nodded. "If Batman hasn't found him, then we will go out again."
Cissie Jones looked up, "We already went out! All of us. We tore Gotham apart looking for him. He's not there.
At that moment the teleport pad came to life. The solid form of Batman appeared a second later. The moment they all saw his face, they knew it was bad. Very Bad.
"Your all here." He said as he came to the meeting room. The members of Young Justice sat around the table with the JLA. Superboy stood behind Cassies chair with his hand on her shoulder trying to do anything to comfort her.
Batman looked them all over for a moment. He didn't bother to sit in his chair. "I have come to say this only once." He looked to Young Justice, "Robin was proud to have been a member of your team. At first I didn't like the idea of his joining you, but I am grateful he talked me into it. You gave him something I couldn't. Friends." He paused for a moment.
Before he could continue, Cassie cut in. "What do you mean to have been?" Impulse head dropped into his hands. And for once he talked at normal speed. "He's dead isn't he?"
Batman gathered his strength. "No he is alive."
Everyone's heads shot up at those words. Superman indicated Young Justice, "Can they see him then?"
Batman shook his head. "No. I can't allow that right now. He is no condition for it."
Cissie asked hopeful, "When will he be up for a visit?"
"Not for a very long time. If at all." Batman stated. "Robin was kidnapped by the Joker. After what he went though…" they could see the rage building in him. "He will not be Robin again. The boy under the mask is alive, but as of now… Robin is no more. He will not rejoin Young Justice"
He turned to leave the way he came, ignoring the cries of the others. Superboy took off like a bullet, and landed in front of him. They stood facing each other. "What do you mean he isn't coming back? It's his call not yours."
Batman didn't answer he reached into his cape, and pulled out a cd. Superboy and the rest watched as Batman tossed it on the table. He walked back to the teleporter pad. "It is my call." He said simply before he vanished.
Nobody moved at first, they all just stared at the cd. Nobody seemed to want to touch it. Finally Superman put it in the main screens drive. It started to play what looked like old film from a projector.
It was in black and white. The words OUR FAMILY MEMORIES appeared in a hand drawn scribble. They all watched. No one said anything.
The image changed on the film to show the Joker wearing a novelty "kiss the cook" apron. On a nearby table where weird items. Jars of chemicals, a plunger, a large wrench, and lots of sharp objects. The Jokers image went over to an old outdoor grill, and lifted the lid. Then he pulled out two large metal clamps attached to cables.
The image followed the Joker over to an operating table everyone stood when they saw Robin strapped down to the table trying to get free. "No!!" Superboy yelled, as he guessed what was going to happen. The Joker attached the clamps to the table holding Robin down. And the Joker pulled a lever and electricity flowed through the clamps.
They could hear nothing, but they could see Robin soundlessly screaming as he was being electrocuted. Cissie couldn't take it. She leaned over, and threw up. But they couldn't take their eyes off the screen as the Joker seemed to delight flicking the power on and off. Constantly shocking Robin. Superboy squished the back of Cassies chair so hard that it snapped under the pressure. The image changed to what appeared to be a small camera hidden on what looked like Batman. It was color now.
The Joker along with a woman dressed in a red and black clown outfit where in front of some curtains. The sound kicked in at that moment.
The Jokers voice was high pitched. "Then we remembered you all ways had a couple of spare kids hanging around. So we borrowed one." They pulled back the curtain to reveal a dark room with an upright operating table. All that could be seeing was blue shoes for a second. Then the full horror became visible. Robin has been transformed. His skin was pure white. His clothes where the same purple suite as the Jokers. And his grin was even larger then Jokers.
They entire meeting room echoed with the sound of Robins terrible laughter from the cd. The camera angle moved fast as Batman broke out of what ever was holding him, and he threw a knife at the Jokers head. It missed. The Joker laughed as he ran from Batman.
There was an abrupt cut in the video as they now saw Batman's arm holding the Joker by the neck. The Joker was speaking. "Oh, Bats if you had the guts for that, this would have ended a long time ago. You don't have it in you. But me on the other hand!" The Joker pulled a knife, and slashed at Batman hitting his arm. Before Batman could recover the Joker plunged the knife into Batmans leg.
Batman fell down a pile of boxes, and landed hard on the floor. "You've lost Batman. Robin is mine now. And to prove it…" Batman looked up, and saw the transformed Robin standing close by with the hideous grin. Joker tossed Robin a toy gun. "Go ahead junior. Make daddy proud. Deliver the punch line."
No one moved as Robin raised the gun at Batman. He kept laughing hysterically. "Do it!" the Joker yelled. Robin pulled the trigger, and a metal flag with the word 'Bang' on it came out. He aimed the gun again. "Do it sonny, make me proud."
They could see Robin trying not to. His laughter getting uneven. After what seemed like an eternity, Robin fired. The medal flag launched out, and hit the Joker in the chest. "That's not funny." The Joker said. "That's not funny at all…" He fell to the ground not moving.
Batman struggled to his feet. Batgirl ran up to Robin. She grabbed him as he collapsed to his knees. Robin started to cry hard as he leaned against Batgirl. The imaged ended with Batman's shadow falling on them both. The screen went dark.
No one could say anything. Impulse who normally was more affected by video games then real life just sat there not saying a word. After a few seconds the kids all went together, and did the one thing that a 'cool' teen hero would never be seeing doing. They cried. And they held each other.
_______________________________________________________________________
They all waited.
The JLA Watchtower on the moon was normally empty this time of day. But that wasn't how it was turning out today. Batman had called ahead. He told the Green Lantern to simply have the JLA, and Young Justice get to the Watchtower, and that he would be coming up after everyone had arrived.
They all knew this could only be about one thing. Robin has been found. Batman's side kick, and Young Justice Leader had been missing for over three weeks. All that was known was that he was seen in Gotham City by a group of high school kids swinging from rooftop to rooftop. But nothing since. They all hoped he was all right, but in their line of work that usually was not the case.
"Has there been any word?" Wonder Woman asked.
The Flash shook his head, "Not since his first call two hours ago."
Wonder Woman sighed, "The longer this plays out, the worse it will be for the children." She looked out to the long observation window that looked down at the earth. Most of Young Justice was lined up staring out the window.
Cassie Sandsmark aka Wonder Girl didn't even look up from the window. "He's fine guys. Maybe it's like when we got pulled into that portal for two days last year. We got out of it fine, and Robin will get out of this also. He has to."
Secret just floated next to her. "But it's been so long Cassie. It feels wrong for us to be together with out him here with us."
Superboy nodded. "If Batman hasn't found him, then we will go out again."
Cissie Jones looked up, "We already went out! All of us. We tore Gotham apart looking for him. He's not there.
At that moment the teleport pad came to life. The solid form of Batman appeared a second later. The moment they all saw his face, they knew it was bad. Very Bad.
"Your all here." He said as he came to the meeting room. The members of Young Justice sat around the table with the JLA. Superboy stood behind Cassies chair with his hand on her shoulder trying to do anything to comfort her.
Batman looked them all over for a moment. He didn't bother to sit in his chair. "I have come to say this only once." He looked to Young Justice, "Robin was proud to have been a member of your team. At first I didn't like the idea of his joining you, but I am grateful he talked me into it. You gave him something I couldn't. Friends." He paused for a moment.
Before he could continue, Cassie cut in. "What do you mean to have been?" Impulse head dropped into his hands. And for once he talked at normal speed. "He's dead isn't he?"
Batman gathered his strength. "No he is alive."
Everyone's heads shot up at those words. Superman indicated Young Justice, "Can they see him then?"
Batman shook his head. "No. I can't allow that right now. He is no condition for it."
Cissie asked hopeful, "When will he be up for a visit?"
"Not for a very long time. If at all." Batman stated. "Robin was kidnapped by the Joker. After what he went though…" they could see the rage building in him. "He will not be Robin again. The boy under the mask is alive, but as of now… Robin is no more. He will not rejoin Young Justice"
He turned to leave the way he came, ignoring the cries of the others. Superboy took off like a bullet, and landed in front of him. They stood facing each other. "What do you mean he isn't coming back? It's his call not yours."
Batman didn't answer he reached into his cape, and pulled out a cd. Superboy and the rest watched as Batman tossed it on the table. He walked back to the teleporter pad. "It is my call." He said simply before he vanished.
Nobody moved at first, they all just stared at the cd. Nobody seemed to want to touch it. Finally Superman put it in the main screens drive. It started to play what looked like old film from a projector.
It was in black and white. The words OUR FAMILY MEMORIES appeared in a hand drawn scribble. They all watched. No one said anything.
The image changed on the film to show the Joker wearing a novelty "kiss the cook" apron. On a nearby table where weird items. Jars of chemicals, a plunger, a large wrench, and lots of sharp objects. The Jokers image went over to an old outdoor grill, and lifted the lid. Then he pulled out two large metal clamps attached to cables.
The image followed the Joker over to an operating table everyone stood when they saw Robin strapped down to the table trying to get free. "No!!" Superboy yelled, as he guessed what was going to happen. The Joker attached the clamps to the table holding Robin down. And the Joker pulled a lever and electricity flowed through the clamps.
They could hear nothing, but they could see Robin soundlessly screaming as he was being electrocuted. Cissie couldn't take it. She leaned over, and threw up. But they couldn't take their eyes off the screen as the Joker seemed to delight flicking the power on and off. Constantly shocking Robin. Superboy squished the back of Cassies chair so hard that it snapped under the pressure. The image changed to what appeared to be a small camera hidden on what looked like Batman. It was color now.
The Joker along with a woman dressed in a red and black clown outfit where in front of some curtains. The sound kicked in at that moment.
The Jokers voice was high pitched. "Then we remembered you all ways had a couple of spare kids hanging around. So we borrowed one." They pulled back the curtain to reveal a dark room with an upright operating table. All that could be seeing was blue shoes for a second. Then the full horror became visible. Robin has been transformed. His skin was pure white. His clothes where the same purple suite as the Jokers. And his grin was even larger then Jokers.
They entire meeting room echoed with the sound of Robins terrible laughter from the cd. The camera angle moved fast as Batman broke out of what ever was holding him, and he threw a knife at the Jokers head. It missed. The Joker laughed as he ran from Batman.
There was an abrupt cut in the video as they now saw Batman's arm holding the Joker by the neck. The Joker was speaking. "Oh, Bats if you had the guts for that, this would have ended a long time ago. You don't have it in you. But me on the other hand!" The Joker pulled a knife, and slashed at Batman hitting his arm. Before Batman could recover the Joker plunged the knife into Batmans leg.
Batman fell down a pile of boxes, and landed hard on the floor. "You've lost Batman. Robin is mine now. And to prove it…" Batman looked up, and saw the transformed Robin standing close by with the hideous grin. Joker tossed Robin a toy gun. "Go ahead junior. Make daddy proud. Deliver the punch line."
No one moved as Robin raised the gun at Batman. He kept laughing hysterically. "Do it!" the Joker yelled. Robin pulled the trigger, and a metal flag with the word 'Bang' on it came out. He aimed the gun again. "Do it sonny, make me proud."
They could see Robin trying not to. His laughter getting uneven. After what seemed like an eternity, Robin fired. The medal flag launched out, and hit the Joker in the chest. "That's not funny." The Joker said. "That's not funny at all…" He fell to the ground not moving.
Batman struggled to his feet. Batgirl ran up to Robin. She grabbed him as he collapsed to his knees. Robin started to cry hard as he leaned against Batgirl. The imaged ended with Batman's shadow falling on them both. The screen went dark.
No one could say anything. Impulse who normally was more affected by video games then real life just sat there not saying a word. After a few seconds the kids all went together, and did the one thing that a 'cool' teen hero would never be seeing doing. They cried. And they held each other.