Author's Comments: So...what to say that won't spoil this chapter? You get to see some action, things going boom, and egos being busted on occasion. Obviously I'm having fun with this plot xD Shola isn't really based off of anyone, he just sort of popped in to my head the same time Titania/Kallichore did.

The song reference in this chapter is from Bleach, folks. It's just a quick verse, but I felt it was appropriate for the image I wanted to create here.

And when reading the last bit of this chapter, keep in mind the song "My Hands" By Leona Lewis. It's sort of what inspired some of it.


Chapter Four:

The Master of Shadow; Part Two

Shola had been enjoying the sight of his drill successfully getting in to the Earth's crust when a voice rudely brought him back to reality.

"Hey ugly, if you're looking for a costume party, you'd better come back during Halloween." Batman said just to get his attention.

"Said the pot calling the kettle black." Shola turned ever so slightly. "You must be the legendary Batman I've heard so much about." It wasn't a compliment. He flexed his hand, and Batman braced himself. A blast of pure black energy shot from Shola's hand, forcing Batman to change course in mid air or risk getting struck. He landed on the highest point of the drill, close as he could get to Shola. "Don't waste my time, Batman." He said as four Bat-a-rangs came flying at him.

Shola vanished, then reappeared several feet away. But these Bat-a-rangs had a surprise in store for him when they got close enough, they exploded. A pair of black feet appeared through the smoke and nearly made contact with his feet. He grabbed them by the ankles, being pushed backwards several feet.

"Your niece said you weren't used to fighting people like me." Said Batman as he sent two small orbs right at Shola's face which exploded in balls of fire. Batman used the rocket boosters on his feet to break away from the Alien Lord's grip.

"It's true. I did not sense your presence until you were nearly on me." Admitted Shola, who was not above admitting when he was at fault with one of his plans. "You have no powers that I can detect... yet you still wish to interfere with my plans."

"Just because I don't have any super powers doesn't mean I don't know how to fight." Retorted Batman, thinking it was a good thing that the suit amplified his strength as he swung his fist at Shola's face.

"Your arrogance will be your undoing, Terran boy." Shola's sneer got on Batman's nerves more than Titania's high-and-mightier-than-thou behavior.

"Arrogance? I call it confidence." Batman braced for another attack from the man.


It was an odd feeling for Batgirl, landing on the lake bottom which was bare of any signs of water but littered with dead and decaying fish and other sea creatures. The water that surrounded the drill rose like a blue wall, swirling in a whirlpool shape with a roar of many waterfalls.

"Bizarre..." She commented, looking around for a way in to the drill. She pressed a finger to her ears. "Boss, if this thing should implode, and the water comes crashing in again, will this suit be able to handle it?" There was something of fear in her voice as it cracked a bit when she spoke.

"It should." Replied Dick from the command center. It had to truly worry her if she asked him personally. "You'll be able to breathe underwater in that suit, and it is fire proof. It all depends on your reflexes and timing."

"Reassuring." Mumbled Batgirl in sarcasm, lowering her hand as she walked around, the cloaking device still on. She found an odd spot on the outside wall of the drill. Doubt was nagging at her as she put her hand on the point she spotted. There was no turning back, but all the training in the world couldn't take away the fact that this was probably the hardest thing she had to do yet as Batgirl. The Dees and Leia were nothing compared to this challenge. Finding and destroying the enriched plutonium power source, then making it out alive.

The portion of wall she touched fell with the odd clunk of metal on rock as she remembered a phrase from a song she liked-

Stand up, be strong. Know right from wrong, forever hence believe yourself.

It was an odd moment to think of something like this, she had to admit, but it gave her courage and she stepped inside, dropping the cloak and coming in to plain view now.


Titania thought Batgirl had an interesting way of swallowing fear through lyrics from a song. But perhaps the doubt she felt in Batgirl had been Batgirl's own doubt in herself. And yet Batgirl still went on with the plan without argument. She had to admit, though, that the tune Batgirl thought of did have a bit of truth to them in a situation like this. She resisted the urge to go in after her friend, as she watched Batman holding his own rather well against Shola from her vantage point, hiding in a rather tall and thick blue spruce. The branches of these unusual trees proved perfect for concealing herself since she couldn't make herself go invisible like Batman and Batgirl.


But something happened the moment Batgirl stepped in to the drill that she had not. Something cut her mental connection between her and Batgirl.

Now... If I were a power box, where would I be? Thought Batgirl, her eyes moving from left to right, unaware that anything had changed or happened when she stepped in. When she had stepped completely in to the hallway, the door raised itself back up as though controlled by strings like a marionette.

"Any idea what's going on boss?" She put her hand to her ear again. But this time she only heard static. "Boss?" She tried again. And again, it was static.

"Welcome, Batgirl... Or should I call you Caitlyn Boardener, the young Terran female who things she can best me?" Came a deep, grumbling male voice.

Inside the drill it was completely dark, and silent. The sound of the roaring waters outside did not go beyond the metal walls.

"Where are you?" She demanded. "Show yourself!" She instinctively reached for the rod attached to her belt now as though it had always been there. It extended to its full length and she stepped down the hallway, more cautiously now. Using the infra-red and night vision technology on her suit to see in the dark. If there was someone here, she wouldn't miss them.

Only a maddening laughter echoed back at her.

"Find the power source to this drill, then you find me, dear Terran."

There was something twisted in the way that he spoke, and it sent chills down her spine as she kept walking slowly, with caution. It was the first time she'd used this aspect of her suit, and it was odd walking in the pitch blackness of the halls, but seeing through night vision and infra-red. Her right hand gripped the staff tightly as she rounded a corner.

The halls seemed to go on and on for ages even though the drill itself didn't look this big on the inside. But she learned long ago that sight can be deceiving.


"You fight well for an underage Terran boy pretending to be Batman." Shola sneered. Though he'd clearly taken quite a few hits, he remained unscathed in general, hovering maddeningly above the drill he was fighting to protect.

"Ok, one, I AM Batman. And second, I might be 'underage' but I still know how to kick your ass." Retorted Batman, reactivating his cloaking device and vanishing from sight.

Shola stared wildly around.

"If you are running to hide, boy, then that is most advisable. Once I do away with your friend, then this world and its parallel twin will be mine." He said clenching his fists.

"Oh, I'm not planning on running." Batman's voice came from behind, and Shola sent a wave of black energy in that direction from his fist. "Besides, even if we don't survive, there's the Justice League you'll have to contend with next."

Shola then let out a grunt of surprise as Batman's own fist came in to contact with his head from the left now. The strength of the Terran in his suit sent him flying in to the shore line of the lake.


She felt the ground shaking for a moment, and wondered what was going on. It had been increasingly dull but tense inside this black and silent labyrinth. She didn't dare say anything in case she was caught, and she kept her weapon at the ready. Batgirl paused when she saw a door way. It was too easy, unguarded and left ajar. Was this man Shola really that confident in himself, or that arrogant that he would invite her in?

She knew she had no choice. She hadn't seen anything else that looked like a power box or room since she got here, even with the Bat suit's technological capabilities. She took a deep breath, and pushed open the door with her free left hand. Her eyes went wide.

There was already someone in this room. And it appeared that he had been waiting for her.

Shola had had enough of this Terran. He stood up, brushing the sand from his mulberry tailcoat with the ease as though he'd merely been winded.

"Let me ask you this, then, Batman... Why do you fight when there is no hope?" He didn't wait for an answer as he raised his right hand at Batman who stood at the highest point of the drill again.

Batman's eyes went wide at the sight aimed right at him. Jumping in to the air, activating the rocket boosters at his feet again, he sped upwards to avoid the waves of dark shadow that exploded where he had been standing moments before.

"I'll let you in on a secret, Batman." Shola's voice was that of a deep purr, as though he were a cat enjoying the game of cat-and-mouse.

A separate cloud of shadow engulfed Batman, and he saw the man's face standing out.

"Your friend is walking in to a trap. Oh yes, I know of your little plan. But the moment she destroys the power box, her fate is sealed. Since my niece did not go with her, there is little chance of her escaping the explosion, or surviving the flood." Shola chuckled, clearly pleased with himself as the shadow retreated back in to his body.

Batman had to fight hard not to betray any sense of worry or concern for his friend as he landed on the cliffside once Shola had stopped being intimidating. If he was telling the truth, then unless Titania stepped in, Batgirl would die. But if he was just faking to get him to back down, then he was worrying over nothing. He chose the latter to be able to focus on what was going on in the now right in front of him. But he still couldn't erase that nagging doubt that had crept in to his mind upon Shola's taunting words.

Shola had to admit he was impressed against his will at this Terran, who just refused to back down. Now, however, he implanted the seeds of doubt and distraction in the young man. It might make it easier to fight him, or might make the Terran more desperate of a fighter. He sent another blast of black energy at Batman, who jumped to dodge it, and disappeared from sight yet again...


Titania frowned. So Shola had known all along? Well, if that was the case, she might as well blow her own cover. She leapt in to the air, flying smoothly along the lake surface like a rocket until she reached the edge that wrapped around the drill, and stopped abruptly.

I'm going in to help her. She sent the thought at Batman, who seemed to be having some sort of inner struggle at the moment as he fought with her uncle.

Wait. Came Batman's reply, who had gotten used to this telepathic ability of hers. Let's see what she's capable of. If he's telling the truth.

And if he's not telling the truth? What if this place implodes and goes to hell and she doesn't make it? She's a Terran, not one of my people who could survive something like that. It was stupid of me to let her go by herself!

So the all-mighty Alien princess had her own doubts and fears. But Batman wanted to show that he had a little more faith in his allies than that. He had to swerve and duck before shooting several Bat-a-rangs at Shola.

"These tricks of yours are getting wearisome, Batman." Said Shola. "You have yet to manage to scratch me."

"Really? Then why are you bleeding?" Asked Batman rather annoyed at the cockiness of this man who hadn't even realized that several of his Bat-a-rangs had made it through the man's shadow defenses.

"Luck and chance... those spoilers of all but the best laid plans." He raised his hands to merge two of his black energy spheres together in to a giant black onyx orb.

Titania saw what was coming and decided to help Batman whether he wanted her aid or not.

Batman, use your Bat-a-rangs again.

"Are you insane? Those won't work against that!"

Just DO it! Snarled the Princess in her most dangerous voice.


Batgirl stared at who was standing in the room she'd just walked in to. It was the same man Batman was currently fighting outside. He stood next to a railing set that wrapped around what looked like the power core to this drill. It wasn't a box at all, but looked like a pillar that jutted out from the floor, and had sharp but fragile as glass edges. Sparks of electricity shot out at random points every few seconds, and the room was filled with an eerie, iridescent blue glow as a result of this power source.

"You? No..." She said as he turned to face her in a single, elegant movement.

"Did you really think I would leave this room unguarded, Terran? Or are you as stupid as you look in that outfit?"

"Hark who's calling who stupid, stupid." Retorted Batgirl. "You look like you just stepped out of the Endless Labyrinth movie."

There was a pause. Shola rather liked this Terran and her attitude. She seemed apparently unafraid of anything. Even death, which was unusual for a Terran so young. But he could also sense power and promise from her. A plan seemed to form in his mind as he observed her.

"I do not wish to fight you, Caitlyn. If we were to get in a fight in this room, it would destroy the main power source of this drill and you would not survive the impending flood at the same time of the explosion." He said.

"I wish people would stop telling me what I could or could not survive when they know nothing about me." She snapped, loosing her temper. "Reading my mind is not the same as getting to know me, and I can already tell you I'm not letting you have that chance."

"I've seen it...Caitlyn... the grief and fear in your heart. Fear of loosing more friends, grief over the ones you've already lost. I could change that for you." He went on after a short pause from her outburst. "Your stubbornness and will power is impressive for an underage Terran. If we worked together on this, this mission wouldn't be suicidal for you."

"Sorry, but I've got a thing against dating guys who have power issues and undeserved sense of God-Complexes." She retorted after realizing he was hitting on her.

"If you don't want your parent's deaths to be in vain, then I suggest you stop this foolishness now, before its too late." He held out a hand that she did not take.

Something about his words made her snap. He dared to speak of her parents like that in front of her? She jumped in to the air, activating the cloaking device on the suit at the same moment, and vanished from sight before seconds later, slamming the staff in to the side of his neck with all her strength sending him flying sideways several feet before he stopped himself and looked up to see her coming back in to view.

"I seem to have touched a nerve." He said casually, rubbing his neck where she had struck.

"I don't care what it takes, I won't let you destroy this world or Titania's." Batgirl snarled. She saw that she was now close enough to the main power source, which emitted an eerie blue glow in the room.

He watched curiously as with her free hand, Batgirl grabbed the Bat-a-rangs Titania had given her powers to before she came down here, then tossed them at the power core that filled the room with that eerie blue glow.

"NO!" He bellowed in rage, vanishing then reappearing right in front of her as the cores began to tremble and shake.

"What happened to you wanting me to be your ally?" Sneered Batgirl as cracks formed in the pillar of plutonium.

"That was only if you left this unharmed! But now both our fates are sealed!" He snarled, grabbing her neck just as a blast of violet energy shot at him from the entrance, and he vanished.

"I was only gonna wait for you for so long!" Titania said when Batgirl stared at her, wide eyed and surprised. "Come on! We've only got a few seconds before this thing blows us to hell!"

Batgirl glanced back and saw that she was right. The rock of plutonium had even more cracks forming, more blasts of pure plutonium radiation were seeping out at alarming rates. They had to get out, and fast.


Shola paused for a moment as what Titania had done winded him, and Batman took advantage of that moment of weakness. He didn't care if Bruce called it shallow, he just knew this was his moment to take down this man. He could tell something was happening in the drill as he slammed his fist in to Shola's stomach, then the back of his head with all the strength the Batsuit offered, which proved useful as he watched with satisfaction, the Alien Lord slamming in to the water from his vantage point on the top of the drill.

There was no point in keeping this drill. Once Batgirl had used those Bat-a-rangs on the pillar, he knew it was finished. Shola had seen the odd, purple glow around them, figured out why Batgirl didn't use those on him instead of her staff.

Batman's eyes went wide as he flipped over Shola, landing on the opposite side of the man as the drill exploded in on itself. He rammed his fist in to the back of Shola's head as water came crashing around the drill causing a shock wave so powerful it winded both men.


It only took a second for the two to realize what had gone on. The rumbling of the floor, the rushing of water as it came crashing in around

"Has he lost his mind?" Demanded Titania over the roaring water and plutonium radiation infected rubble that came crashing around them. She brought her hands up as violet energy shot around herself and Batgirl, forming a protective dome that kept out the effects of the plutonium and keeping them from being buffeted around by the water as it reclaimed its territory in the lake.

It was a bizarre feeling for Batgirl, having never been in a situation like this, as the transparent purple dome surrounded them. The sounds did not reach them inside this dome, so the two were able to speak at normal voice.

"Once the plutonium pillar started to crack, he must've known it was over." Batgirl replied.

"Apparently. Even this kind of advanced solidified plutonium is extremely fragile. But more so on Earth with it's atmospheric pressures and balance of only having one sun, with the oxygen and carbon dioxide." Titania said, lowering her hands. "Come on, let's get out of here before your friend has a heart attack from worry. This dome will protect us from any after effects of the explosion."

"Will the plutonium have any effect on the planet's economy though?" Asked Batgirl as she activated the rocket boosters at her feet to be able to fly with Titania.

"No. Your world is safe from that as I am taking it with me when I take Shola back to Lambda."

There was a pause. So Titania was just going to go back?

"Don't worry, I'll probably return. I like the Terran home world more than I thought I would." Replied the Princess to that train of thought just moments before they broke the surface. And the moment they broke the surface, the dome vanished. Titania looked around before spotting Batman pinning Shola to the ground. Apparently Shola had been weakened when she struck his clone, she thought, since normally he didn't go down that easily. "Easy there, Bats." She told Batman as she and Batgirl landed on the beach. "I'm taking him back to my home world where he will face the full might and wrath of the government."

"Sure you won't need any help on that?" Asked Batman, failing to hide his surprise and relief that they'd made it out. Well, Batgirl had made it out at least. He could at least tolerate Titania now.

Titania raised her right hand and directed the palm at Shola. Violet energy bonds appeared around the man, forcing his arms to snap to his side the moment he tried to break free. There was also a glowing violet collar around his neck.

"That low-life court of Lambdania will never be able to hold me." He grumbled. He was in a particularly bad mood now. Not only had Batman, a mere Terran with no supernatural powers managed to over come him in a moment of weakness, but his niece knew just how to restrain him and what to restrain him with so that he wouldn't be able to use his powers, fight back, or generally act on his own. He wouldn't be able to summon his Shadow Puppets to devour the Terrans that stood before him. He wouldn't be able to kill them, then blast their corpses in to dust. There was no point in wasting his strength against these bonds.

"We'll see about that, bastard. You nearly destroyed your own home world, and the Terran home world. You have a lot stacked against you. Now come on, dog." Snarled Titania, giving the collar a jerk with the chain, forcing the man to stand as with her other hand, what looked like a swirling vortex appeared behind her. She looked back at the two. "See you later." She knew that to be one of the Terran forms of saying farewell while adding that she'll probably be back. She dragged the man who had at one time been her uncle through the portal.

Batgirl blinked when Shola walked by her. There was something in the look of his eyes as he glared at her that warned her he would find a way to return as well. Titania raised her free hand. There was a flash of violet light that engulfed the whole lake as the wreckage of the drill was lifted from it, and the radiation was contained in the giant sphere of violet light as a result before she vanished entirely. It seemed somehow anti-climactic to her that her uncle no longer had any fight in him, with all the damage he had done before. But perhaps he truly was just a coward who didn't know anything better in life.

"Hey, I'm glad you made it out ok." Batman said as Batgirl's staff went back in to its miniature form after Titania, Shola and the drill wreckage disappeared. "But where did you get that? I thought that was Nightwing's."

"Well, Nightwing IS my grandfather. He gave it to me." She replied in a 'that should've been obvious' sort of way that annoyed him. "And I wouldn't have got out without Titania's help." She added in response to his first statement. She didn't say it, but she was glad that he'd beat down Shola when he did. "I'd better get back, fill them in what happened." She was referring to Dick and her grandmother.

Batman found himself thinking about seeing her at the cheerleader's practice after school. She seemed so different when she put on the Batgirl suit. It was on impulse that he reached out and grabbed her wrist when she turned from him.

"Hey, I'm just trying to be your friend. Why do you keep acting so cold like that?" He asked.

"I thought we were friends, and I wasn't trying to act 'cold' as you put it." She looked back at him and he blinked.

"Well, you were." He threw caution to the wind. "We've been through similar experiences. I've told you before. But can't you look past what happened? Or do you still blame me for that?"

She stopped trying to leave at this point. Did she still blame him for the death of her parents? It was hard to say. At least with the telepath gone, her thoughts were her own again. For the most part.

Batman let go of her wrist when she didn't respond.

"Look, I did what I could back then. It's been nearly two months and I still feel like I barely know you. Half of your friends have said you're normally the opposite of quiet, calm and stiff. Usually they said you're the 'life of the party' and stuff. But I've yet to see any of that even though you say we're friends now." He said. "There's only been a few times since we've met that I can say I may have seen the real you. Why don't you quit hiding yourself? Haven't I proven that I'm your friend since we first met?"

Batgirl remained silent for a while longer. She hadn't interrupted him while he spoke to her like that. And she noted that he never did raise his voice or storm off as she normally would have done at the end of an explosion. But he was making a point. All he ever did was try to help her through all the crap that went on in the last month and a half.

"Well, we could hang out more, if that's what you're really trying to get at." She said finally.

"And we need to learn to work together as a team." He added. "We could get more accomplished that way in the long run."

She nodded with a shrug like she was saying 'why not?'.

"In other words, next time let me know what your plan is." Batman said. "When you went in there like that, I was worried you might not make it out."

"Such faith you have in your friends." She smirked behind her mask, sarcasm laced in her voice.

"What I'd like to know is why you have to make everything so difficult." He snapped in a spot of annoyance. To that she just shrugged once more. "And another thing, apart from the fact that he was just an evil bastard who didn't know what was good for him, what did that guy do that go you so worked up?" He had noticed how tense and angry she was after getting out of the lake.

"Well, for one he tried hitting on me. Another, he tried using my parents' deaths and what happened with Leia as a means of blackmailing me to help him." She reeled off these points on her fingers as though it was everyday that something like this happened to her.

Batman felt a surge of anger that he couldn't quite explain at her first response and tried to find a way around it so that she wouldn't notice, when it felt like they were finally covering some ground when it came to their relationship.


It was a large circular room with towering walls that rose up high to form a domed glass ceiling which filled this room with light. The whole of Lambdanian Royal Court had been assembled, which was a miracle in itself considering it was such short notice. But they all heard the news that their Princess had retrieved Shola, the Enemy of Two Worlds, and would be returning soon. Each of the members of the royal court sat according to their status, those at the bottom or 'floor level' seating had the most power next to the Judge. The room was bright, and panels could be seen in front of each man or woman in black and white robes that resembled their status in the Lambdanian High Court. The High Judge sat on the Eastern End, in the tallest chair with the largest desk. Her hair was magenta and held in a side pony tail, which clashed with her black and white robes that flowed around her. There was a wide open space in the center around which the judges were arranged. But there wasn't a chair, or anything visible but golden brown marble flooring.

The room was suddenly lit like a flash of violet lightning had struck just outside the windows, and the judges and High Judge all had their heads bowed as through the portal appeared their Princess, holding Shola by means of the bonds she had put on him on the Terran home world.

"Welcome back, Your Majesty!" Came the general outcry.

"Thank you. I have brought this monster, the monster who nearly destroyed the two interlinked worlds. I managed to restrain him with the help of two Terrans of legend... Batman and Batgirl. As well as their friend who located him for me, for he had hidden himself well." Kallichore had to admit she was glad to be home, even if it was only temporary.

Shola sneered at the court that glowered down at him as though he were the most despicable thing they had ever seen as black chains shot up around him, replacing the violet bonds that held him before, and Kallichore let go of him at last since he could no longer move. A low chuckle came from him, and the High Judge stared down.

"What is so funny, Shola?" She demanded.

"The lot of you...thinking you can pass judgement on me! Lowlife scum of the society ruling over everyone's hearts like they are nothing..."

"Insolent!" Cried one of the judges in the seating around him.

"Bind his mouth as well." Ordered the High Judge as Kallichore walked out of the Courtroom to let their judicial system work as se went to see her mother for permission to return to the Terran home world. Permanently.


Caitlyn was back home. It was late at night, and she was sitting on the roof top of the house, having snuck out after her grandparents went to sleep. She'd changed from the Batgirl suit after returning, and was now in a lilac t-shirt, black jean shorts and her shoes since she couldn't sleep that night. She had a note book in her left hand, and a pen in the right as she jotted down her thoughts in the form of a poem. It was her secret that she'd kept even from Leia and Melody over the years, and her form of keeping a journal. She looked up at the sky, thinking. It was past two in the morning, but her mind just wouldn't quit due to everything that had gone on that day.

She blinked when she saw a meteorite streaking across the sky. It had to be a bright one to be able to be seen through the city lights. A small smile crossed her lips as she returned to her writing.


Max had been glad when Caitlyn and Terry dropped by her place to let her know that everything was ok now, and Shola had been apprehended. She was sitting at her table typing on her computer laptop working on a different project now, late in to the night hours. Having a late night snack of some chips, she leaned back in her chair and stretched, feeling her joints pop and complain in protest before she returned to her work. Hopefully in the long run it would help her keep in better touch with Batgirl and Batman. Just because neither would actually let her join in on the fights or their missions didn't mean she wouldn't find a way to be involved in the lives of her friends. Especially after today.


"How did it go?" Asked Bruce when Terry returned.

"Not too shabby. We caught the suspect, and he's being taken back to his home world for judgement apparently." Shrugged the younger man.

"And?" Bruce persisted.

"Titania's probably gonna be back. Just dunno when, though." He replied.

"Sounds like things are going to be a lot more interesting around Gotham." Smirked Bruce.

"And they weren't before?"

"Well, usually when someone like this Titania turns up, they attract attention." Bruce stood up from his chair in front of the computer screens in the Batcave. "And it's often not always the pleasant kind once word gets out about them."

Terry was grabbing his jacket and putting it on.

"Going somewhere?" Bruce looked at him.

"Gotta get home and get some sleep. Long day ahead for tomorrow." Replied Terry.

Bruce didn't comment as the teenager left the Batcave, and settled back down in his chair once Terry was gone. Ace came up to the old man, wagging his tail as he stared up at the screens. Things were certainly getting interesting over the last several weeks. And there was never any worry that boredom would set in, since there was always something to do.