Oculus | J. Todd ✔

[09]

Joker was tied up and thrown into an abandoned flat, but even then his maniacal laughter hadn't died down. Red Hood's demeanor hadn't changed from the threateningly calm outlook earlier but still the Joker seemed to be in no way intimidated.

"Okay... So what's the plan?" He sat up, hands tied tightly behind his back but eyes burning menacingly, "slumber party? Charades? A little truth or dare? Yes... I'll start with dare." 

Jason paid no heed to him as he threw the duffel bag he was holding on the floor then bent down to unzip it, taking out a crowbar.

"Or maybe I'll just go with truth," Joker's voice had lowered and the grin was no longer playing upon his lips as he saw the Red Hood advance towards him, crowbar resting threateningly in his hands.

That night in the warehouse of Bosnia five years ago was flashing in front of Jay's eyes as his grip on the crowbar tightened and he whacked it with all his strength at the tied up maniac lying at his feet.

Joker gasped out in pain for the metal struck hard against his old bones but Jason took another swing then another and another, almost as if he couldn't hear his winces and gasps. Just like the Joker had mercilessly taken apart hi bones one swing after another, he did the same to him.

At last he stopped and asked, "tell me, how does that feel?"

"Uh you know, it only hurts when I laugh... But hey, I gotta know, who are you?" Joker turned over to face him, blood red lips widening into the ominous smirk that Jason so hated, "you said we had met before and you do seem awfully familiar. Did we blow up a school bus together?"

"No," Jay's eyes narrowed though concealed by the scarlet helmet, "I'm just something you helped to make."

"That's pretty cryptic but interesting. Tell me more."

"Sure," he bent down grabbing him by the collar, "listen up."

And with that the clashes of the crowbar broke the silence as he took one hit after another, venting out the years of smoke and rage locked up inside him.

***

The Batcopter landed at Crime Alley and Batman stepped out, his cape majestically sweeping the ground after him. Crime Alley was the place where he had met Jason Todd for the first time, the place where it had all started. And apparently the very place Jason had chosen for it all to end as well.

Memories of a young Jason stealing off the tyres from the Batmobile surfaced and Bruce had an almost negligible smile on his face that vanished shortly afterwards, as he sensed a presence behind him.

"So glad you could make it."

He turned to face Red Hood standing at the other end of the alley. "This ends tonight. All of it."

"Nobody knows that better than me." He released around five sharp shuriken commonly known as the ninja star made of metal with sharp blades all around. Batman dodged and sent a dumpster his way by fixing tiny jets to it. Red Hood jumped over the dumpster but his feet got caught in the rope Batman had thrown via a Batarang.

"You and your gadgets..." However, he knew exactly how to slice through it using his dagger and mildly electrocuted Batman by setting a shock on to the rope, "turns out you're not the only one with toys."

But just as Batman regained his balance, he threw a handful of tiny grenades at Red Hood's feet that exploded however he managed to dodge the explosion, scaling the facade of the bricked building using his dagger to dig in the grooves and have a better grip.

Batman followed him to the top of the roof, the fight between them not ceasing for even a second. Red Hood took advantage by jamming his dagger into the Kevlar of Batman's cape, landing blow after blow until the Dark Knight was able to break his cape free from the dagger.