The phantom turned slowly, his hands slowly moving above his head. Behind him is a strong-looking man with a strange gauntlet on his arm, and a laser sight aimed directly at his chest.
Batman: You must be the one I’m looking for.
Tony: *motioning toward Juan* And you must be the one he’s been waiting for.
Wise you are, my sons.
A moment later, Yoda pops through the window and sits on the desk, awakening Juan from his sleep as Pete flips on the light of the room.
Yoda: Bruce Wayne, meet Tony Stark.
Batman: Delighted.
Tony: Likewise.
Aye-Aye: *sleepily* Hi Master Yodaz.
********
In the moments that ensued, Juan told Batman and Master Yoda of the boys’ kindness in letting him stay, and the great anguish that had gripped his heart. Yoda told Juan of his coming to this world. Batman said nothing at all. Instead, his eyes were fixed on the strange object on Tony’s arm.
Batman: *to Tony* That’s quite the bit of hardware you have there.
Tony: Oh, thanks. The pieces to build it are hard to come by.
Batman: Pieces?
Tony: Old stereo systems, computers – you know, stuff no one wants anymore.
Batman: Impressive.
Tony: Well, it’s really just a prototype at this point – once school calms down I should be able to focus on it more.
Peter: By “more” he means “more than five hours a day.”
Yoda: Bruce, Tony’s brother this is.
Peter: Peter Parker.
Batman: Brothers?
Peter: Uh, yeah.
Batman: So how come the names...?
Peter: Um, well... we don’t really don’t know, actually.
Tony: But we look close enough, don’t we?
Batman: Yeah. Your resemblance is... striking.
Aye-Aye: They’s been really nice to me’s, Batman. I was gonna drownz before they’s came and brought me here’s.
Peter: Good thing, too – as we picked him up, I felt like something was watching him...
Tony: He gets those “feelings” sometimes. But they don’t always add up all the time, if you know what I mean.
Batman: Well, I don’t know about any “feelings,” but I had to fight off a bear outside on my way up – looked like he was heading for the same window I was.
Tony: Really?
Batman: Not to say there’s any causal relationship or anything...
Peter: I knew it! I have a gift!
Aye-Aye: *gulp*
Tony: Oh, nevermind that. What brings you here, Bruce? Juan here was trying to tell us that you come from another world... and at this point, I guess I could believe it.
Yoda: Far away indeed this world is, and yet, so far it is not. It is to this world they are returning, and it is there, too, we home you will come.
Tony: What?
Batman: He’s right. Before Juan and I came here, we and many more – all of them heroes, good friends of mine – were attacked by a dark power rising from the shadows. We were driven from that world by those forces...
Yoda: The whole truth, Bruce, you must reveal.
Batman: I tried to take them from that world, and ended up here with Juan, the rest of our comrades lost. They are still trapped in that space between worlds, and the road back... it has been blocked to me. Now Master Yoda has a small opening of time in which he can get me back.
Aye-Aye: We’s is going home?
Batman: *smiles* Yes, Juan. We’re going home.
Aye-Aye: Hurrayz!!!!
Batman: But our world is still far from perfect. It is dangerous. That is why I need your help.
Tony: Our help?
Yoda: Your company, he means to say. To go with him, he is asking of you.
The boys are understandably shocked at this proposition – if it is indeed a proposition. They’ve heard of strange things, mysteries happening before, and had even read of stories where people from our world were transported to another, but never for even a moment had they ever fancied it to be true.
Batman: *earnestly* Please. The fate of my world may depend on it.
Peter: But why us?
Yoda: Gifted are you both, and no accident was this that so you are. Courageous as well, as soon you shall see.
Batman: I will not lie to you. The road away is dangerous, more so now than ever before now that I have abandoned it.
Tony: But you made it here, didn’t you? You survived when others did not. Surely if you made it in the darkest hour, you are strong enough to fight the darkness you speak of.
Batman: *angrily* I am unworthy even to stand before you! I am unworthier than any of you can possibly imagine!
Then, as suddenly as it began, the anger melts away, leaving only pain and desperation in its wake.
Batman: But I am asking you to help me. The consequences are mine alone to face... but I know that I cannot face them alone.
Yoda: Our world, it has no more heroes. Its new heroes you can be.
Tony turns to Peter, who nods.
Peter: *smiles* Well, I’m still not sold that we’ll manage to be of much help, but we’re in anyway.
Tony: I hope you’re a good teacher – we’ll need to learn every trick you have.
Batman: *smiles* Master Yoda, I am ready.
Yoda: Good. We have not much time.
********
In less than an hour, the scenery has changed dramatically. Instead of being snug and dry in the boy’s dorm room, they are now standing atop the tallest building, and looking up at the copula stretching toward the storming sky.
Peter: Um, you didn’t say anything about heights...
Batman: Don’t worry – you get used to it.
Peter: *grits teeth and doesn’t look down*
Yoda: *to Batman* To the top of the tower you must go. Once there, a beam will come and away take you. Brace yourself, for this road, easy it will not be. Painful, searing, torturous, yes, the road will be. Break you, it will try to. Endure you must, or survive its fury you will not. The last time this is when between the worlds this way we may go.
Batman: The last time?
Yoda: Ruptured, this portal nearly is. This journey, to the brink of destruction will bring it, but not over it I think.
Batman: You think?
Yoda: Trust me you must, my son. And be wary. Alone you must go, for our enemy, he will sense you upon your return. Follow you by another route we will, but fend for yourself you must until our arrival.
Batman: Don’t worry. With all this gear, I should be able to stay invisible until you arrive.
Yoda: Your gear will not make it, nor anything else you bear. This way you will pass through, but only as one escaping through fire.
Suddenly, the sky above begins to thunder and flame. A vortex begins to form, as the clouds recede.
Yoda: Hurry, you must! At hand, the time is!
Batman: Where shall I go?
Yoda: To your old factory in Gotham’s heart you must first go. There, a dreadful sight you must endure. When beheld it you have, then meet you we will.
Lightning flashes above. The storm increases in violence and intensity.
Yoda: Ready, are you?
Batman: Yes, Master Yoda. I am ready.
Yoda: Then go you now, and quickly. Before long, we will find you again.
Batman: *nods* Farewell, master.
In a flash, the vortex opens, the beam descends, and the Dark Knight vanishes from sight, leaving the others alone on the crest of the building.
Tony: Are we going like that?
Yoda: No. By another way.
Peter: That’s a relief. Is it closer to the ground?
Yoda: It is a secret way, one which, detection, it will hopefully avoid.
Peter: I sure hope that means “yes.”
********
A world away, the warlords of a rising world order are gathered together to hear the bidding of their great leader and master-mind. Their victory is almost complete, their conquest nearly won. Then suddenly, a great dread like a shadow falls on the assembly, and their leader suffers a piercing pain in his heart, drawing all the color from his pale face and plunging his followers into a dark, nameless fear.
What is it, my lord?
The pain passes almost as quickly as it began. Their chief says nothing. He simply smiles – the most terrifying, horrific smile imaginable.
The end of the show, gentlemen – the last curtain-call. The Bat’s coming home.
