Flipping Through the Pages
Copyright© 2026 by Dragonpig
Chapter 1: The Start
The warehouse was stark. Dust floated through beams of weak moonlight cutting through the broken windows. Rusted metal creaked above like an old man’s bones. Empty crates lay scattered, a physical manifestation of one man’s philosophy. And in the center, like a composer on stage, stood The Joker.
He was whistling to himself, twirling a shiny crowbar with casual glee, a grin already plastered on his pale face.
“Well, well, well,” he said with theatrical flair, crowbar held high as footsteps echoed in the dark. “You’re early tonight, Bats! What’s the matter? Gotham not entertaining enough?”
The dark knight emerged from the shadows. Not with stealth, but with calm intention. He didn’t leap down or glide in. He simply walked. Quiet. Measured. Purposeful.
The Clown Prince of Crime’s grin faltered just slightly. Something was off.
“No gadgets? No smoke bombs? Not even a dramatic entrance?” he scoffed. “You’re losing your touch.”
Batman stopped a few feet away. His voice was calm and tired. “This has gone on long enough.”
Joker raised a mocking eyebrow. “Oh? What has? Our little dance? Come on, Bats, we both know how this goes. I do something insane, you chase me, we punch, you win, I laugh, Arkham gets a new temporary resident. Then we do it all over again.” He giggled. “It’s so much fun, you and me.”
Batman shook his head slowly. “No. Not tonight.”
He reached up.
Joker’s grin faltered again, now confused. “Wait, what are you?”
With a smooth motion, the vigilante removed his cowl. The shadows peeled away from his face, revealing the man underneath.
Joker stared, stunned into silence. The crowbar dropped from his fingers and clanged loudly on the concrete floor.
Bruce’s voice was steady. “You’ve always said everyone’s just one bad day away from becoming you. That’s your understanding of the world. Your philosophy. Your way of pretending this world is a joke.”