"Batgirl, we caught Freeze." The voice of the Dark Knight came through the speaker that was built inside her cowl. The mentioned crime-fighter ran over the roof in Gotham as she brought her hand to her head and replied to her partner.

"Any casualties?" she placed her left hand on a vent and swept her legs over the obstacle of her course and slid down the roof. With a dull thud, she landed on the edge of the building and hid in the shadows. "And I still can't believe that you only invited Robin to your new team."

A soft almost quiet sigh was heard before Batgirl heard her partner and teacher again. "Batgirl, we had already talked about this. I can't leave Gotham without a guardian; if I placed both Robin and you on the new team, I would leave Gotham unprotected. And there were no casualties..."

The Night Angel of Gotham gritted her teeth when her partner, Batman, abruptly killed the connection between them. She narrowed her eyes dangerously as this was the umpteenth time that he cut her off or did something without her like that mysterious new group of his. It was now almost a year since her mentor formed a group of gathered heroes that called themselves the Justice League. Next time she sees him again she will tell him what she thinks of him cutting her off and doing things without her, but all her thoughts halted abruptly when a gunshot thundered through the street of Gotham. The young crime-fighter leaned slightly over the edge of the roof while still hidden in the shadows as she looked down the street. Down at the street in a particular building with large letters that says the name Gotham Bank the doors were thrown open and several civilians ran out. A second shot went off and a young woman fell face first dead on the street and quickly a pool of dark, red blood pooled around her. Batgirl turned her head from the now lifeless woman and pulled out her grapple-hook and aimed it at the edge of Gotham Bank. She pulled the trigger and then heard a dull thud that only could mean that it hit the other side, pulling a few times to check if it was safe she let herself fall from the roof and sailed through the air.

'Shit! That did just not happen, hang on everyone.' Batgirl cursed as she pulled herself up the building and then snuck towards the large windows and placed a bat-device that would shatter the glass silently. She could not believe that a civilian had died under her watch. But, like any hero, crime-fighter or sworn police officer, she knew that there would be civilians falling victim to criminals and villains, especially in a city like Gotham. The question is what she would find here in the building, normal thugs, criminals, or one of Gotham's infamous villains that are keeping the remaining civilians as hostages. She would find out soon enough as she now moved through the shadows and looked time from time down the edge to see several thugs wearing clown masks. Batgirl mentally groaned when she caught the sight of the henchmen of Gotham's clown prince of crime that spelled for serious trouble for her. 'If my day wasn't worse already, now I must stop these clowns and search for their deranged boss, Joker.'

Below the young Batgirl, several clown thugs patrolled the hostages. Each one of them sweated a bit when they heard the sounds of sirens and screeching sounds of tires of police cars on the pavement. Heavy footsteps echoed through the quiet hall at where the civilians were being held, hostage. Soon at the entrance of the bank several heavily armed policemen in bullet-protected jackets and large shields in front of them appeared. They glared from behind their shields at the clown thugs. Not a second later a fairly tall man with light brown hair, glasses firmly on his nose and wearing a long light-brown raincoat held a microphone in his hand before he brought it to his lips before his voice resounded through the hall. "This is Commissioner James Gordon of the GCPD! Lower your weapons and surrender yourselves. If you let your hostages go then we will handle you peacefully, if not then I let my guys rough you up."

Laughter came from the clowns that all loaded their rifles and aimed their tools of death at the civilians all of who whimpered and several released their bowels if the stench was any indication. Others begged for mercy and those that didn't freeze in place while praying for any deity to send help. Batgirl stared in horror when one of the clown thugs placed his barrel against the temple of a young girl that cried for her mother that lay several feet in

front of her with another clown holding his rifle against her head. "Kukuku, hey guys, these fools of the GCPD thinks they can rough us up. Should we surrender?"

"No way, no fun, why don't we show them a nice play? A happy, lovely reunion between daughter, mother, and father in Hell!" said the clown that held his rifle against the girl's temple. A wicked smirk behind his clown mask as his eyes made contact with James Gordon who sweated and he spoke once more arrogantly and slightly mockingly. "Or will you let us go Commissioner Gordon of the GCPD? I will count down from five and if I hit zero then it is toodle-oo for this pretty girl. Five, four..."

Time seemed of the essence when everyone heard the countdown. Cold, long slender fingers loomed out of the darkness and grasped the hearts of the hostages that gazed at the young child, Commissioner James Gordon, and his police force were frozen except the first mentioned that moved with quick reflection as his hand moved into his coat and his fingers closed around the grip panel of his handgun that he aimed at the mentally sick clown thug. Inside the building and above the clown thugs and safely at the edge of the windows, Batgirl whipped out her Batarang and in one fluent motion of her arm, she threw her Batarang that cleaved through the air and towards its target. While the Batarang did just leave Batgirl, James Gordon stepped past his men with his handgun ready while he spoke in cold, calm manner through the microphone. "Stop! Alright, alright, we will do what you want, just let her go."

"Three, two... Ah~, don't you want to see how I splash her brain over the floor..." The clown cut himself off when he heard the police Commissioner clear voice. A slightly deranged smile grew behind his mask as he looked with small, crazy beaded eyes at the police Commissioner while he held his rifle against the child's head. The child shivered when she felt the end of the rifle buried itself deeper in her face and the tightening of the clown's hand on her shoulder. Rivers of tears flowed down her cheek as her eyes looked hopeful at the man in the raincoat that stared at her with eyes that said that everything will go well. The clown's cruel smile only grew more when he saw the hopeful expression on the girl's face and the muscles in his finger that laid against the trigger tightened as he slowly leaned in, and with a quiet, insane whisper he said, "Say, why so serious? Smile!"

"Don't do it!" Commissioner Gordon cried out in horror when he noticed the change of stance, the constriction of muscles and the terrified expression of the young girl. Everything together told the man of justice that the clown thug had lost his mind ...long ago. Time seemed frozen when the sound of a single bullet resounded through the building and the sound carried on to the outside where the police forces were waiting. "No! Dammit, it happened again."

James Gordon believed that he had failed when he heard the sound of a gunshot and shut his eyes tight for a moment. Someone else, a certain vigilante's Batgirl could only gawk in clear disbelief when the clown thug's hand that held the rifle lay motionless on the ground. From her position she had seen everything as the kusarigama flew out of the shadows and cut through the thug's limb before the strange ninja tool suddenly lose a shot and the tool of death cleaved through the space and claimed another appendage of a clown while the small projectile that left the kusarigama, pistol combination dig itself into the soft flesh of one of the clowns. Seeing that the stranger is still lurking in the shadows, Batgirl's Batarang now finally appeared and knocked out several thugs while the owner herself dropped from the edge with her bat-wings behind her as she sailed through the air and delivered a flying kick to a clown's head that crashed with a groan on the floor. Immediately all eyes shot towards the bat resembled heroine who opened her hand to reveal several batarangs while the clowns glared at her.

"Damnit, it is Batgirl! Kill that bitch!" A clown roared while lifting his iron pipe in his hand as he stormed towards the Night Angel. The protégé of Batman, Night Angel and protector of Gotham and to thugs and villains she is known as Batgirl, a protector of the innocents against the darkness of Gotham. She wears a dark purple Kevlar armor that hugs her curves nicely, and on her remarkable chest, she has a large yellow bat-symbol. Down her toned, flat stomach and past her bubbly rear and birth-wide hips and down her long, smooth legs that too were protected by Kevlar armored leggings and her legs ends in yellow combat boots. Around her waist, she wears a yellow utility belt and her identity was hidden behind her bat-cowl that reaches her neck and end up in her cloak that resembles bat wings. She lifted her arms up and warded off the attacks and she smiled slightly when her improved gloves caught the damage. Her gauntlets were like those of her mentor made out of Kevlar with edge

knives, claws that she could use to lock down a blade or iron pipes. She calculated the speed of her opponent before her arm shot out and caught the pipe on her bracers before twirling her arm slightly and locked the offending weapon and then delivered a low kick to the solar plexus that caused the clown to stumble back. Not waiting, Batgirl twirled around and delivered a high drop-kick towards another thug who crumbled towards the floor.

"Stay down, clown, if you know what is good for you." Batgirl ducked under a fist and thrust her fists rapidly in the clown's chest and finished him with an uppercut. She leaned to the left to avoid a leg and she dropped to her knees and swept her legs under those of her opponent and kicked his legs from under him. "Don't bother to stand up or it would get worse for you."

"Stop!" A clown shouted and Batgirl stopped her momentum when she caught sight of a clown thug holding a civilian in his arms. Against the civilian's head was a handgun and the clown glared over the woman's shoulder to her. "Surrender Batgirl or else this woman will never see her family again. And call your partner, Robin, out of the shadows, now!"

'Damnit, I can't call Robin out because whoever that person is, it is not Robin. Hopefully, it is a new hero that can see what kind of trouble I am in. But I think that he is a hero type, maybe not like Batman due all the missing limbs, but hero nonetheless.' She was brought out of her thinking when a pistol goes off. In front of her eyes the clown that threatened her to surrender laid on the ground, unconscious. Her eyes noticed the several small pellets that lay around the unconscious form of the clown, and much to her relief she saw that his chest rose and fell that showed her that he was still alive. That solidified my thought that he is at least a good guy and not some deranged criminal. If only he just stepped out of the shadows...

"I am afraid that you have a common misunderstanding, clown." A cold, stoic voice came from the shadows and it was accompanied with a dark silhouette of the owner who was still covered in shadows. Out of nowhere, two sounds of gunshots resounded through the building and two clowns fell down unconscious. "Batgirl and I are no partners, and while I enjoy a beautiful woman at my side, I work alone."

"And yet, you hide in the shadows like Batgirl and all the other heroes." shouted the clown when he saw his last remaining men fall unconscious. Nervously he glanced around for a possible escape route with the only protection was his the hostage in his arms. "But like them, you are afraid for the safety of the hostages."

Smiling smugly behind his mask, the thug inched away from Batgirl and the unknown person who stepped back in the shadows and his silhouette disappeared. Looking around the clown made his way towards the exit while keeping an eye on Batgirl and vanished through the door and then pushed the woman back to Batgirl who ran after him. His voice echoed and reached Batgirl's ears. "Follow me, little Bat."

"I intended to already, prepare yourself for long nights in Arkham, clown." Said Batgirl as she moved past the woman that she was now sure is safe. Running up the stairs she followed the clown to the roof. Crashing through the door she rolled out her momentum and then rose up to her feet. Immediately she looked around her, searching for the last clown. "Show yourself, I know you are here!"

"Oh, hello little Bat, miss me?" The Night Angel of Gotham whirled around to the source of the voice. Her blue-green eyes grew in fear when she caught the sight of one of Gotham's most feared villain, Scarecrow! Scarecrow, a name many people don't dare to say aloud, as many feared him. Fear is the driving force of Scarecrow, his lust, and obsession. Fear is what he creates, what he let fester in his enemies, allies and in Gotham. Fear is what caused her to almost stop being Batgirl. And now, Scarecrow has returned with a terrifying fear toxin that he released in close proximately to Batgirl's face. In shock, she deeply inhaled the fearsome toxin that filled her lungs and the world around her started to spin, "Welcome to my world, Batgirl!"

No! Stop this!" Batgirl cried out as colors whirled around her and her hallucination took form. It began with the sounds of sirens that grew in volume with the voice of Commissioner Gordon echoing from the street in a no-nonsense tone of voice. Above her, several helicopters aimed their spotlights on her and bathed her in blinding light. She ran to the edge of the roof to look down and only to see countless of police cars waiting below her. Out of one of these police car, a tall man with light brown hair, mustache and glasses tilted his head to look up straight in her eyes. He lifted his microphone and sounded his command.

"GCPD, capture the criminal, Batgirl!" Stumbling away from the edge, Batgirl whirled around when the sounds of heavy footsteps echoed through the staircase. Without a second thought, the young vigilante began to flee the building and ran over the roof. Her black bat-cloak billowed behind her as the sound of several voices reached her, including that of Commissioner James Gordon. "She is fleeing on the roof, fire!"

"This is not reality. No, it's just a hallucination created by Scarecrow!" the Night Angel muttered as she avoided several deadly projectiles as she jumped off the building and sailed through the air. Her arms outstretched as she used her cloak as gliders and landed with a dull thud in a dark alley. Immediately she started to run, jumping over containers as the sounds of shrill brakes entered her location. Sinking her teeth into the soft flesh of her lips she drew some blood in the hope to get out of this nightmare. "I... I will not lose against you, Crane!"

"Why Barbara? Why did you do all those terrible things? I did not take you in from my sister only for you to become a criminal that actively bribes, robs and murders innocent, hard working citizens! Tell me Barb, why you did such things?!" The disappointed tone of Commissioner Gordon echoed through the alley and reached her ears. She stopped for a second to look back over her shoulder to see her uncle, James Gordon look at her with disappointment. Shaking his head he pulled out his handgun and aimed his weapon at his own bat-costumed niece who wears the uniform of the Vigilantes of Gotham. Behind Gordon, several heavily armed policemen of the GCPD took their position and aimed their rifles at her and red lasers covered her form. The world seemed to freeze when her eyes fell on all the weapons are aimed at her and in the distance she could hear whispers, whispers of her most feared villain, Scarecrow.

"Are you scared, little Bat? Do you need your mommy?" Scarecrow's whispered voice echoed all around her. Batgirl's hand clasped together in a fist as she turned around and started to run, again. She turned her back to her uncle that send her a warm, encouraging smile as his eyes flashed crimson with strange tomoe symbols gazing at her back before they turned to the natural color of James Gordon. And when she ran she could swear that she heard the voice of her uncle, encouraging her to fight this illusion.

'Keep fighting, Batgirl! Everyone needs to conquer his or her fear once in her life, so don't give up hope!'

"What are you trying to do?" Scarecrow said when he saw her clutch her fingers into a fist. But it doesn't matter as he gazed with uncontained glee as the infamous Batgirl laid there on the ground, shivering in fear. The sounds of chattering teeth, the fear in her eyes, and the trembles in her body all excited him. "You can't escape me, little Bat. You're in my realm now."

"And you are in mine," Scarecrow turned around when an unfamiliar voice reached his ears. Unclear, blue eyes met crimson with whirling tomoe symbols around the iris that had a hypnotic effect. "…Tsukuyomi!"

Scarecrow's world suddenly whirled around him and he found himself cuffed against across like a certain Messiah. The outlines of different objects and himself were white. He tilted his head in mock amusement, this is nothing that he can't handle and he looked up straight into a massive crimson eye with nine rings with an equal number of tomoe whirling around a vertical, animalistic iris. With certain insanity, he cried to the heavens. "Is this all you can do, gah!"

The bonds that held his limbs against the cross were suddenly replaced with nine inches long and three inch thick spikes that dig into flesh and bones. He howled when his blood sprayed out of his wounds and the pain increased. His head swayed wildly from left to right as he spat out blood. A cruel, cold voice resounded through space: "Welcome Scarecrow to the Tsukuyomi! The world where I am God! Let us see what your greatest fear is..."

"I... I have... no... fear!" Scarecrow coughed up as he looked wildly around him. It did hurt, no it did more; the pain was something not from this world. It burned, it tears him apart and then it came to him, this is torture! "N...No more... please... I beg you, no more!"

Crane's eyes grew when a familiar figure appeared in front of him. A man that he had once met in his clinic, a patient of his that he nurtured with fear. Now in this man's hand, a large, spiky object inched a few millimeters from his upper-leg before it sunk in with a sickening sound. Horrifying screams burst from Scarecrow's lips as he felt the object dig into his skin, through muscles and then split his bones. His scream filled the empty space and the sky turned to blood, crimson red as his blood flowed out his wounds. Tears gathered and streamed down his face before he felt another spike dig into his flesh, through muscles and split his bones as the process repeated, time and time again.

"Do you feel it? The suffering that you caused your victims. Can you imagine what they felt when they were under your mercy, Scarecrow?" A blood-curdling voice thundered through space while another former victim of his speared him with a spike. Scarecrow threw his head back as another unnatural scream burst from his throat while his mysterious torturer laughed menacingly. After a while, the laughter died out and the only sounds were the screams of Jonathan Crane. Soft, pathetic whimpers and pleas escaped his throat when the voice returned. "Can you imagine the nightmare that Batgirl must go through all thanks to you? But don't you worry; I will help her, heal her while you stay here for all of the eternity with your victims... Scarecrow, welcome to my realm now."

"No! Noooooo... Noooooooooo!" Scarecrow wailed when the giant eye vanished and out of the shadows struggled out his former patients, his former victims and all of them carried a large, wooden spike. Shaking his head, pulling his limbs in the hope of escaping his bindings as the pain increased tenfold and then he screamed as he had never done before. Outside the Tsukuyomi, Scarecrow twitched on the ground; his eyes rolled up in his head and only showed the whites. Drool flowed out of his mouth as he screamed towards the heavens while his tormentor glided towards Batgirl and placed his arms under her back and legs before lifting her up. Carrying her bridal style he calmly walked away from the scene. Just when he placed his feet on the edge a demanding voice full of authority stopped him.

"Freeze! Put your hands up in the air, now!" Slowly the figure with Batgirl in his arms turned around, facing Commissioner James Gordon who stood not less than five feet away from him. In his hand, he held a gun that was trained on the savior of Batgirl. With great satisfaction, the vigilante noticed the widening of the Commissioner's eyes, and he could see the wheels turn in his head. "Batman?"

"I am afraid that I can't comply with your wishes, Commissioner. I think you can see my dilemma. And for your record, do I look like a Bat?" replied the mysterious vigilante while a helicopter moved and hovered above his location. The spotlight under the helicopter moved until it was locked on the rescuer of Batgirl that showed someone that resembled Batman a little, if only in shades and armor. "But don't you think there are other more important matters, say a certain Scarecrow?"

Commissioner Gordon glanced down his gun to the downed form of Scarecrow and saw the pitiful state he was in. Cautious moving towards the downed villain, Gordon hit him with the nose of his shoes to check if he was a danger. All he got was a pitiful wail from Scarecrow and decided he was not a danger and immediately refocused on the vigilante that much to his annoyance pulled a Batman escape trick. Pulling out his police communicator he growled out his orders. "This is Commissioner Gordon, I want a heavy, secured prison car send to my location, ASAP!"

'Roger sir, who did we catch this time?' Gordon kneeled next to Scarecrow and roughly placed his arms on his back before pulling out his handcuffs before he slapped the handcuffs on. Checking if it was placed right and a little bit tight he moved his hand to the Scarecrow's mask and pulled it off, revealing the pale face of one Jonathan Crane. Looking for a second at the man he brought the communicator to his lips and replied. "Jonathan Crane, also known as the Scarecrow who terrorized Gotham's Bank today. He was helped by a group of clowns, but eventually, he was stopped by Batgirl and an unknown vigilante."

'An unknown vigilante? What did he look like? Just wait I'll make a sketch.' Gordon sighed, knowing that the night has just only started. Wrapping his fingers around the chains of the cuffs he pulled Crane back to his feet and led him roughly down the stairs while waiting for his partner at the other end of the line. Arriving at the ground floor and out of the building he was met with several heavily armed policemen that took his villain from his hand, and just in time as the voice of his colleague returned. 'Alright Commissioner, I am ready!'

"Give me a moment, I need to recall what I saw." The Commissioner heard humming at the other end of the line while he recalled his memory of what he saw. He was almost right at the first time when he called this unknown vigilante, Batman. "Ready Ellen? This unknown vigilante has a small semblance of Gotham's Dark Knight due to their matching scheme of shade and choice of armor."

'Sounds almost like a copybat.' Laughed Ellen mirthful at which Gordon groaned at the tasteless joke. 'Sorry, sorry bad joke. Alright, I have drawn a complete Batman, now I need you to tell the difference between them.'

"The few differences are that his bracers or glove claws are slightly more advanced if you go off only by a look. Following by that, he has the same utility belt like Batman, but they have strange symbols on them that are a circle with three commas circling around the center." Gordon paused for a moment to let Ellen adding them on her sketch, hearing that she is done he continued his rough image of the vigilante. "He doesn't wear a bat cloak or cowl. What he does have is a black hood with his face covered by a black mask with ripple patterns with the same three commas circling around the center, and two of these commas are being used for eye-holes."

'Humm... hum, got it. Anything else?'

"Yes got a few more things; instead of the Bat symbol, he has those same commas like symbols around his collar like a necklace. They give off a neon red glow and I think saw a strange blade handle peeking over his shoulder. That was all, Ellen Yang." Gordon finished his report on the new vigilante. Turning the key of his vehicle he started the engine that came roaring to life before he rode down the street. "And Ellen, don't you dare to give him any of those pet names of yours"

'Aww... but Commissioner.' Whined Ellen before Gordon cut her off as he took a sip of his coffee and increased the volume of his radio. The Commissioner knows that sooner or later he would have a roof appointment with the Dark Knight himself about this new vigilante, and pray to god that he is on our side.

"What are you trying to do?" Batgirl released her grapple-hook that sailed through the air and hooked itself behind the edge of the roof. Landing on the roof she scanned her surrounding for the source of the voice. She knew that voice, a voice she dreaded to hear from the bottom of her heart. Hearing it make her shiver in fear and she began to run again as her ears now caught the sounds of sirens as she made her escape. The voice kept haunting her while she glided down the roofs and then jumped off the edge to another roof. "You can't escape me, little Bat. You're in my realm now."

'Don't think that this mad hallucination of yours will hold me, Scarecrow. I will escape and when I am out of here, I will drag your sorry ass back to Arkham.' Batgirl mentally promised herself as she hid in the shadows when the sounds of heavy footsteps entered the roof. Watching from out of the shadows, Batgirl noticed them wearing night vision goggles and cursed inwardly when all rifles were aimed at her position. Without a second thought, the Night Angel of Gotham threw herself out of the shadows and off the roof as bullets sailed past her head and she landed with a soft thud at the staircase. Running down the stairs and arriving at the dark, dusty, wet alley of Gotham she ran through the shadows as she heard multiple shots that drilled themselves in the ground behind her. She rounded the corner of the valley and leaned against the wall to catch her breath, her hand moved to her shoulder to feel warm blood seeping past her fingers and she groaned in pain. Metal sounds of footsteps descending down the stairs made her push off the wall and back into the darkness to escape her persuaders.

'Go left and go through the alleys, you will find there a vehicle. Once you escape them, search for the symbol of your mentor, for that is your way out of here.' Batgirl whirled her head when she heard a voice that ordered her to search for a certain Bat-symbol. Her eyes scanning her surrounding while she moved with a destination in her mind that she had visited a lot in the past, but now it was dangerous the lion's den. Moving through the small alleys and avoiding the S.W.A.T. police forces she arrived at a small, dark and dusty alley where she found a motorcycle and whipped out her tools. She broke open the hatch and cut through several wires and connected them as the motor roared to life. Placing herself on the vehicle she raced out of the alley and on the street while the sounds of sirens could be heard in the distance. Hearing the sirens she cursed out as the vigilante used her skills to maneuver past the countless vehicles while avoiding the police cars that tried to knock her off the road, and possibly trying to kill her. Seeing in the distance a barricade made out of police cars she took a sharp turn that led her to a park at where she pulled her engine open to the maximum as she sped towards the stairs. Pulling the nose up, she made a wheelie and climbed the stairs as behind her the sound of screeching sounds of brakes could be heard and angered curses of her persuaders. Reaching the top of the stairs she flew over the waiting police cars that tried to block her and only in succeeding in claiming her motorcycle as the priority target sailed through the air and shot her grapple hook that pulled her up to the high building and brought her to safety.

The police force below the building could only curse as the dangerous, sexy vigilante once again escaped their grasps. Dent pulled out his police communicator to inform his Commissioner of the proceeding of capturing the Batgirl. He brought the communicator to his mouth as his colleague drove the car towards the next meeting point for a new trap. "Dent here, Batgirl once more escaped our fingers. I suspect she is moving towards the GCPD Headquarters in the hope of warning the Batman."

'Are you sure Dent?' came the reply of Commissioner Gordon through the device. Dent could hear the frustration in the Commissioner's voice and could not blame him as the Bat criminals were very, very dangerous. A small pause fell before Gordon spoke again, 'Dent, good work. We can use this to our advantage of capturing the head of the snake or better said that of the Bat.'

"What are your ideas, sir?"

'Let her go with minimum patrols cars tailing her to lure her in false safety. Once she arrives at her destination where she will activate the Bat-call, we will show up when the Batman shows up to get her out of here.' Commissioner Gordon laid out his plan while Dent enjoyed a donut while cursing as his colleague didn't drive careful enough that he could enjoy his snack. "You will order an amount of sharpshooters at the roofs to shoot them down once they arrive and then... we of the Joker's clan will rise in Gotham!"

A bolt of lightning cleaved the dark knight of Gotham that momentarily lifted the illusion of the Gotham City Police Corps as they all suddenly had white painted faces, green wild hair and large, red smiles that stretch from ear to ear as a maniacal laughter rang through the city.

'Commissioner Gordon is planning to lay a trap for you at the place of your destination.' Batgirl heard the unknown voice echoing through her head. The young vigilantes moved through the shadows towards her destination as she listened to the voice. Spreading her wings she glided through the night towards an empty roof where she landed with a roll and landed quietly on her feet before she moved towards the edge. Keeping herself hidden in the shadows she glanced at the building of the GCPD that she held for a moment with her gaze before she scanned her surroundings in search for possible marksmen. She found several on the roofs, hidden from her eyes but not for her night scanner while she decided to satisfy her curiosity.

"I don't think you are part of my hallucination, so who are you and how do you know so much of what happens around here?" The Night Angel spoke in a soft, quiet voice while she moved along the shadows to get a different view of her surroundings. Spotting a few other marksmen and a few policemen, she recognized this as some kind of trap. Not only thanks to the warning of her mysterious helper but also their tactical position and the slight view of Police's van that were hidden in the dark alleys that were specially made for the villains of Gotham.

'In some way, I am a part of your illusion. Not from the fear toxin but in a way like Martian Manhunter of the Justice League. I infiltrated your mind, guiding you through this hellish nightmare in the hope of getting you out.'

'That is interesting to know. An unknown with the same ability as the Martian Manhunter, but at the moment that is irrelevant. I will hold onto this thought for later as at the moment I need to concentrate at the hand at the task.' she thought when she filed her new knowledge away. Counting several marksmen on one roof and six more on the roof at where her target is, she wondered why she must be here. As if he listened to her, his voice echoed through her mind once more.

A twinkling laughter echoed through her mind. When it stopped the voice returned as it spoke in a calm but light voice full of mirth. 'Indeed, you are just like your mentor, Batman. Finding my ability interesting while at the same time keeping your priority in sight. I think we can have some sort of conversation.'

'We can?' Batgirl exclaimed, perplexed at the offer while a few building away from her position a quarter of an army was waiting for her, waiting to fill her with bullets.

'Yes. At the moment they expect you and are on full alert. Now, if you wait several minutes. The men stationed will fall into a slight slumber and will react slower when you move, and it gives me a really good moment to explain some things to you.'

'I am listening...'

'Listen carefully. No interruptions as your very own life are at stake, but you might know that already.' Batgirl gave a firm nod to the mysterious voice. It is no secret that Scarecrow's toxins are very lethal to anyone that came in contact with. She hoped that this person had some new information about this toxin as it feels extremely real, terrifying to say. 'This fear toxin drags out your most hidden fear from your mind. Making you relive the whole experience in a loop. Repeating the whole vision from beginning to end until the mind is so overloaded that it damages itself. Brain cells dying, Autonomic body functions cease to work as it slowly invades the muscles, but that is not the worst.'

'O-oh... are y-you f-freaking k-kidding me!' Cold chills crawled up her spine and her eyes shrunk. The all familiar fear of what Scarecrow's toxin did to her returned. Her whole body was rigged at the thought of what this sick toxin could do. Not only to her but to any innocent civilian when they come in contact with this cursed toxin. Far in the distance, she could hear the voice calling out to her but she did not react to it. She slowly spiraled down in a maelstrom of her fear. Fear's cold fingers clutched her heart and tugged on the organ. Scarecrow had her once more in his clutches.

"Boss! Her heartbeat is climbing at a dangerous rate!" A voice cut through the air of the hideout of the mysterious person. The one that kept a watchful eye over the unconscious vigilante and from time to time he dived in her mind to help her out while his boss studied the vial of the toxin. "Heart rate is still climbing! Finished yet!"

"Not finished yet! Breaking down the toxic is a nightmare itself. Scarecrow really did a number this time." The mysterious figure replied as he studied the toxin on the screen. Fingers raced over the keys as the vial connected to the computer slowly filled with a serum that would fight the effect of Scarecrow's new toxin. "Anti-toxin serum is forming and will be ready in a few minutes. How is she?"

"Heartbeat still rising, how long until serum is finished?" shouted the second mysterious figure that kept an eye on Batgirl that stirred on the medical bed. The person on the medical bed suddenly stirred and a scream left her throat. Immediately a pair of strong hands held her down, fighting her struggling body tightly back to the bed. "She is losing it, boss! We need that serum, now!"

"It is not yet ready! I need a few more minutes or else it could put her in more danger, like increasing the effect of Scarecrow's toxin!" Two pairs of eyes locked each other at which the latest widened in disbelief at the first told him with only eye contact before it turned cool. "Do it!"

"You mean you want to use the Yamanaka Clan technique: Saiko Denshin!" shouted the one that watched over the immobilized Batgirl. He kept his eye locked on his boss before cursing. "Are you sure, as in really sure?"

"Yes, just do it! This is her only chance at being saved, or else if we wait for the serum ...it will be too late for her. Now, do it!"

The one that watches the Night Angel of Gotham brought his hands together in a tiger seal before he placed a hand on her forehead. His face was a mask of concentration when he used the Yamanaka clan to infiltrate the mind of Batgirl in order to save her.

"Saiko Denshin!"

Streaks of red lasers cut through the darkness in search of their target. Gliding amongst the walls as the S.W.A.T. police force marched over the roof in search for the infamous Batgirl. One of them shot his hand in the air to halt his team and his men behind him paused while keeping a watchful eye around their surroundings.

"Team Alpha found a suspicious person on the roof. I repeat. Team Alpha found a suspicious figure on the roof, over."

"Team Alpha, charge in and arrest this figure. If god has mercy on us, pray that it is the stray vigilante Batgirl."

"Roger, we're moving in on the individual." Making the charge gesture, he and his men moved in a quick movement towards a figure lying on the roof. Their eyes fell on the black themed Bat clothed vigilante as she quivered in fear. She laid there curled up, eyes tightly shut and a trail of tears stained her cheeks. The men caught her weak voice that rambled about forgiveness, fear, and Scarecrow. Martin Lake brought his communicator to his lips to inform his superior about his find and awaiting the possible execution of the infamous Batgirl. "Commissioner Gordon, we caught Batgirl, over."

"You did...?" There was a slight pause. Martin could hear his boss sigh deeply and prepared for the order that would go into history as Batgirl's execution. Several fingers tightened around their triggers before the order fell as a bomb. "I, Commissioner James Gordon hereby order you to execute the former vigilante now villain Batgirl!"

"You heard our boss, fire!" Martin shouted in a primal tone. Not a second later he and his men pulled the trigger and they released a swarm of bullets that pierced through the air towards the unprotected Batgirl who laid there on the roof. She lifted her head up to see who spoke when her eyes fell on the swarm of bullets and she parted her lips to say something when suddenly a figure loomed up in front of her. Flashes of light cut through the night and the S.W.A.T. team witnessed an unnatural feat as the mysterious figure in front of them deflected each and every projectile with his blade in one hand and in the other his ballistic chain scythe that released bullets of their own that claimed the life of several men. Martin's eyes fell on this mysterious figure and studied him. Just like the Batman and Batgirl he wears a Kevlar armor protector, same gloves with the claws bracers and for a second he thought that Batman adopted a new costume or some wannabe hero that tried to follow in his footsteps. His eyes glided towards this person's chest as he expected the all too familiar Bat symbol, only to find a different symbol, namely nine commas that faintly glowing red. His eyes continued climbing up until he saw his face, and just as he expected a mask concealed this person's face. His mask was black with red rings in a ripple pattern, three commas at which there were two used as eye holes and a pair of crimson looked at him from its shadows. And a black hood that certainly concealed his hair before Martin met his end due a blade separated his head from his body. His view changed as his head sailed through the air before it fell on the roof and rolled, and what he last saw was the crimson, full moon that glowed eerily before death claimed him.

"Stand up, Batgirl!" A commanding tone entered her ears. With huge resistance, she lifted her head from the flat surface of the roof and her eyes fell immediately on the mysterious figure that knelt next to her with a hand extended towards her. Blearily she blinked her eyes as they focused on this figure that was certainly male if his form and voice were any indications and she began to study him. "Stand up Batgirl; we don't have much time left."

Slowly and with shaking arms she pushed herself to a sitting position as the man next to her helped himself back to his feet and then extended his hand out to her once more. She stared at the hand for a second before accepting the hand as he helped her back to her feet. Batgirl looked at him with questioning eyes that he caught and shook his head.

"Not now, Batgirl. Like I said, we don't have much time left." He moved away from her, leading her to the roof towards the place of destination. "You must leave here at once or else..."

Batgirl shivered at the thought what might happen to her. She knew that she was on the brink of no return and a warm feeling spread through her chest when someone showed up to help her, just like that mysterious voice that encouraged her through this nightmare. Thinking back, that mysterious voice had the same tone as the mysterious

person's voice. Deciding to ask him this question about her idea of being the same person, she did. "Thank you for saving my life back there, can I assume that you are the same and the only person that that voice belongs to?"

"Your assumptions are correct, Batgirl. I am the voice that guided you here, but we must make haste." The person pulled out his weapon and swings his kusarigama through the air and pulled Batgirl close to him as he wrapped his arm around her waist as they sailed through the air. Landing with a soft thud the pair landed on the roof. Locking eyes with Batgirl he gave her some orders. "You must activate the Bat Symbol while I will change the course of the light towards a wall. This symbol is your ticket out of here and we will not fail."

"There are marksmen on the roofs." Batgirl shared her findings as the mysterious man swiped his blades through the air, cutting a hail of deadly projectiles. She moved with haste towards the on, off switch to activate the symbol before she met him again on the roof as they avoided each bullet at which he mostly blocked with his blades. Batgirl watches him cut through the stands of the spotlight that caused it to fall to the roof and the light was now aimed at a wall. "Will I ever see you again?"

"Go! We will see each other on the other side, now go!" Batgirl heard when she ran over the roof and then jumped off the roof and sailed through the air towards the light as the familiar Bat symbol grew as she closed the distance. A bright light suddenly blinded her when she made through the symbol and her eyes shot open and bolted upwards into a sitting position. Immediately she looked around, scanning the unfamiliar place until her eyes met with the mysterious figure that sat next to her bed. Blue-green eyes met a pair of crimson slit eyes and her rescuer spoke in a warm, pleasant tone. "Welcome back to the real world, Batgirl."

"Who are you?"

"Ah, I see. Immediately serious." He didn't sound offended, more amused. "You can call me, Susanoo. It is me a pleasure to finally meet you, Batgirl, now sleep."

Batgirl's eyes feel heavy as they slid shut. Her head met the soft cushion of her bed as the last thing on her mind were his crimson eyes that shone with warmth and mirth as a small smile lingered on her lips before sleep claimed her.