I love the little crossovers that the DC Animated Universe provides for us careful watchers - such as the mere handful of moments that Nightwing really does appear crouched on a Bludhaven rooftop in the JLU episode Grudge Match. Don't believe me? Go find it for yourself, and enjoy a good bit of superheroic fighting at the same time.
Batgirl was just getting ready to sign off for the evening when a call came in over her communicator. "Heya 'Wing, what's up?"
"Hey Babs. Got time to answer a few questions for me?"
"Sure, shoot."
"I know you're friends with Supergirl, but do you have any other contacts in the League? Especially any of the female members?"
"Nightwing, I swear if you're trying to get me to set you up with a date-"
He chuckled over the line. "Nah, I'd get Roy or Wally's help with that. No, I wanted to know if you could help solve the mystery of why Black Canary and several other League women have been in my city lately."
"Seriously?" Batgirl frowned, considering what she knew of recent missions with the rest of the superhero community. "I don't think there's anything big going on... No undercover missions either, though I could hack into the Watchtower systems to check if you wanted."
"Maybe as a last resort, though I have debated trying that. I'd just wanted to see if there were any answers to be found the old fashioned way first- Oh, you have got to be kidding me."
"Nightwing?"
"...Canary just rode her motorcycle into Bludhaven again, being tailed by Huntress of all people. I thought she wasn't in the League anymore?"
"She's not - Huntress got kicked out a few months back. I know because I've run into her and her boyfriend a few times on investigations." Even as she spoke, Batgirl was heading to her own bike, with the intention of going to Gotham's sister city to meet up with her friend. "If she'd following Black Canary someplace, you can bet she's noticed something odd."
"Right. I'll go after them-"
"And wait before you jump into anything, because I'm on my way."
"Babs..."
"Don't you 'Babs' me, 'Wing. You're not on speaking terms with the Big Bat right now, so if something's up concerning the League, I want to help so that I can make sure he gets the full story later."
"...Fine. I'll send you the coordinates of wherever they end up." Batgirl smirked at his resigned tone of voice.
-BiB-
"Y'know, I find it ironic they wound up here of all places." Nightwing remarked as Batgirl joined him on a rooftop overlooking a dilapidated parking garage. "I've been trying to keep an eye on this joint for a while now, without much luck."
"Dare I ask?"
"There's a big underground chamber beneath this building. Someone started fixing it up a couple of weeks ago, along with adding in some serious security. I'm pretty sure it's some kind of fighting ring, and a high class one at that, though it does make me wonder why on Earth members of the Justice League have been coming here."
Batgirl's gaze narrowed. "If it were anyone other than Canary, I'd be tempted to dismiss it as moonlighting for some extra cash."
"What makes you say that?"
"Remember that Metabrawl stuff Roulette had going in Los Angeles last year? Wildcat got mixed up in it, and Canary and Arrow infiltrated the last of the fights in order to get him out. No way she'd stoop to anything similar." Now it was Nightwing's turn to narrow his eyes.
"If this is an illegal fight ring, you think Roulette might be involved? If she managed to get her hands on any mind control technology..."
"Then it would be practically a perfect bet to say she'd want to include Canary in revenge for messing up her last Metabrawl operation." Nodding, Batgirl decided it was more than likely. "Don't suppose in your trying to watch this place, you figured out a way to get inside without being spotted?"
"As Nightwing and Batgirl? Nope. As Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon, though..."
She groaned slightly. "I hate going into a mission in civvies."
"Speak for yourself. I have to keep my pair of shades on just to avoid being recognized and swarmed."
-BiB-
To say the evening was eventful would be a terrible, terrible understatement. After Dick lost a couple thousand dollars to get him and Barbara, each wearing formal evening outfits, past the initial security ring, they slipped into some seats in the truly massive stadium, catching the tail end of the fight between Canary and Fire. The pair split up briefly after that - Babs to try and send a signal out to Batman and the Justice League, while Dick did some scouting of the other rooms and levels. He swiftly returned to Barbara after watching an unconscious Canary and subdued Huntress being taken into what looked like a prison level. Since she hadn't been able to get a signal out, they'd quickly come to the conclusion that slipping out again to wait for more help to arrive was the best idea...
...Until the fight between the two captured heroes and Vixen and Hawkgirl began. Then things got interesting.
Unable to do too much to help while in civilian gear, Dick and Barbara helped where they could - a handful of smoke pellets to hide with while taking down the hired muscle, some hacking and disabling of automated defenses, and last but not least, calling in the cavalry once Sonar's jamming field was finally removed.
"Forget Bruce's constant warnings, this is exactly why I've decided not to join the League anytime soon." Babs groaned, dropping into one of the abandoned stadium seats. Dick chuckled as he sank down beside her.
"Yeah, just think - you could have been part of the 'Glamour Slam' and gone up against ladies like these. Who knows, maybe you would have been the reigning champ instead of Canary."
"Yeah, no. I think we're pretty evenly matched when it comes to the actual fighting, but have you seen what that woman's sonic scream does to people at close range?"
"Point." Stretching out his tired muscles, Dick was about to continue when he saw the people on the fighting platform heading out, with just one pair remaining. "Huh... Wonder what those two are up to now?" He and Babs watched as Huntress and Canary readied themselves for another duel, before exchanging a mischievous glance. "Twenty bucks says Huntress takes the gold."
"Fifty, and you're on. Canary's got this in the bag." The pair settled in to actually enjoy a fight between superheroes, neither thinking of the work that would go into explaining or cleaning up this mess later.
Whoever said it was bad form to take a date to a fight?
