We've seen her origins, but how about a recipe of a different taste? We've seen how well she works with Robin/Nightwing, but what if Hikari became Red Velvet Cake in something of how Dick became Robin? And started as a tourist? We'll see what happens!
"My name is Katsumi Hikari! I'm a sixteen-year-old eleventh-grader, or at least I am during the day, but because I come from two long family lines of Phantom Thieves, I have to take up that legacy to right the wrongs of others. My best friend Shizuka and my boyfriend Junichi are at my side, but now that I'm a member of the Justice League, I've got my work cut out for me. And yet, I've always known that with my capabilities and thieving running through my blood and genes, I'll overcome any adversary or boundary, and I'll solve any puzzle I run into. Because with great athleticism and stealth, God will punish those who are corrupt!"
In a town of criminals gone berserk, we call upon a beautiful Kaitou for help...
*Opening Instrumental*
Robbing the wicked at Nighttime!
Rectifying Sins at the same time!
Only does her deeds for what's right!
She's Kaitou Red Velvet Cake!
She's an average Jewish girl by day!
She always gets the top test grade!
She won't pass up a mission for anything!
She's the nighttime Kaitou…
Shizuka Sagami!
Junichi Yoichi!
Kenshin Jr.!
Tatsuo and Eriko!
Hikari has a secret no one else knows!
She's Kaitou Red Velvet Cake!
*Instrumental verse*
Robbing the wicked at Nighttime!
Rectifying Sins at the same time!
With her friends at her side!
She's Kaitou Red Velvet Cake!
She's Kaitou Red Velvet Cake!
She's Kaitou RED... VELVET CAKE!
Dark Cake, Dark Knight! Alternate Origins!
At Gotham Airport one afternoon, a family of three, consisting of a man and woman with a young, ten-year-old girl, came out of the gate at their flight. They were all carrying suitcases and they all had clothing that said that they were ready to have some fun.
The man had black hair and green eyes and was around the same age as his wife, who had violet eyes, and had dark brown hair. Their daughter clearly had a resemblance to her mother; she had dark brown hair, as well, and her eyes were a pastel pink.
"Daddy, I can't wait to play at some of the parks here!" The little girl said, but she was speaking in Japanese.
"Now Hikari-chan, remember, we're here because your oto-san has business," Hikari's mother said. "Tatsuo brought us along to show us a good time, as well."
"Hai, mama!" The girl, Hikari said.
"Now, now, Eriko, let's at least show our daughter a good time." Tatsuo said.
The family then started to walk out of the airport and they had a cab that drove them to their hotel, immediately.
Once the family was settled in, Hikari then started to look at all of the attractions within Gotham; she was very excited to see what they could do with each other.
"Mama, Papa, look at this," Hikari said, as she pointed to Gotham amusement park. "Doesn't this place look like a lot of fun?"
Looking at the brochure, Eriko said, "Oh, it sure does, honey."
"I think we should go after my work is done." Tatsuo said.
However, what they did not know was that Hikari's life was about to change forever that night…
~Crook's Viewpoint~
I had just mugged and gagged another by passer, and got away with several hundred dollars.
"Hehehe… Another mug, another wad!" I said, as I pocketed the cash.
However, I heard some laughing and cheerful junk coming up from up ahead. I saw a family of three, laughing and enjoying themselves. That made my blood boil.
However, I recognized the man within the family. Katsumi Tatsuo. I soon grit my teeth at the sight of him.
I remembered our days at the Japanese division of Wayne Industries. He and I were both accountants together in the exact same office, on the same schedule and everything. However, he got more respect, more work done, everything. I hated him for that.
Then, within a few months of the both of us getting the job, I was transferred here to America. This particular city was crawling with criminal maniacs. And it was always repeat offenders going into Arkham; the Joker, most specifically.
After I got transferred to Gotham, I was demoted because I was not able to complete very complex tasks, the way Tatsuo did.
Since my salary went down, my income did, too. Meanwhile, Tatsuo, whom I kept in touch with, was doing fine; he was happy, he had been promoted, everything. It was like someone stuck a silver spoon in his mouth.
However, I was then humiliated in front of my boss, Mr. Wayne, when he caught me raiding the vault for more cash. I needed to get more money; my kids depended on it, as did my wife. He still fired me, and then I was unable to get work ever since. I had no choice but to steal from unsuspecting people and robbing others in the dead of night.
I noticed the woman next to him was wearing a pearl necklace, amongst other fine jewelry. I was angered; seeing how well-off Tatsuo was as opposed to me, I felt like I snapped or something.
I approached the trio and then I angrily said, "It's been a while, Tatsuo-kun."
"Masaharu? It's been such a long time." Tatsuo said, recognizing me.
"Yes, it has… Too long," I said, as I pulled out a knife from my back pocket. "Too bad you're not going to live the lavish like you already do!"
I pointed the knife at Tatsuo, causing him and his family to step back a bit.
"Hand over the necklace! All of your jewelry and money, too! Every penny! RIGHT NOW!" I demanded, as I approached.
Tatsuo came in front of his wife and then he said, "Why are you doing this?!"
"You and I both had the exact same job at the same place, at the same time! Yet, why did you get all of the cash while I got fired?! Why was it you who got all of the good luck!?" I shouted, angry.
"Masaharu-kun… Calm down…" Tatsuo said.
"Not until you hand over all of your riches!" I insisted, motioning the knife forward.
"Hikari-chan, run!" Tatsuo's woman said.
I was too angry, so I tuned out, and then I heard footsteps running rapidly.
I put the knife away and then choked Tatsuo's woman, by grabbing on to her necklace.
"ERIKO!" Tatsuo shouted, as he tried to get me off of her.
I used my other hand and grabbed Tatsuo by the neck, wringing them both and choking them. I was being so violent and so tight with them that before I knew it, they fell to the ground… They were lifeless. I was breathing, and then with an evil smirk plastering my face, I took the wallets and emptied all of the money, change, and credit cards, I stripped them of their jewelry and fine clothes, and then I ran off into the night, with a successful heist.
~End of Crook's Viewpoint~
Little Hikari had seen the whole thing; she saw Masaharu strangle her parents, she saw him rob her parents, and she was hiding in an alley about twenty meters away. She saw everything.
Her pink eyes were filled with shock. She slowly approached the scene and then she noticed her parents were not moving at all.
"Mom… Dad…? Are you okay?" Hikari asked, as she approached. She looked and saw that her parents' eyes were lifeless and dull; no light.
No movement… No breathing… No reaction.
Hikari then fell to her knees, and she started saying, "Iie… Iie… IIE!"
She hollered into the sky as she began wailing in agony at her parents' death; she was heartbroken, scared, shocked.
Sirens then started blaring and then lights flashed on. Hikari turned around to see the police everywhere and Hikari began crying even louder, afraid and alone.
"This isn't good" spoke up an elderly man as he pulled out a small blanket and carried it over to drape around the small girl prior to picking her up and returning to his car to check her over.
"Are you alright, little one? You're not hurt anywhere are you?" inquired a young woman officer.
Hikari just cried out in Japanese, "I want my Mama and Papa!"
"Did anyone catch that?" asked a plump detective while scratching his head in confusion.
"I think I recognized the language, but I only know of one person who's fluent in speaking it" the elderly man replied as he directed the young officer to take up the small girl and to climb into the passenger side of his car to head off to the precinct.
"Would you mind watching over her until I can get Mr. Wayne down here?" the elderly man said as the two of them entered the station.
Meanwhile, returning home from busting the Joker once again, Batman and Robin were within range of Wayne Manor when Alfred called them, saying, "Commissioner Gordon is on the line and wishes to speak with you, Master Bruce."
"Patch it through, Alfred," Bruce replied before clearing his throat to speak in a lighter voice. "Commissioner Gordon, to what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"
"Wayne, I need your multilingual capacities down here at the precinct; this is important. I'll explain when you get here and while you're at it, can you also bring that Grayson kid along?" Gordon said, over the phone.
"A rather strange request, but we'll be right over," Bruce said, and then hung up. "Robin, get changed. We need to meet up with commissioner Gordon, but not as Batman and Robin, but as Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson."
"You got it, Bruce." Twelve-year-old Robin said.
They soon made it down to the police office and then Gordon explained the situation.
"Glad you could make here on such short notice, but we've got a bit of a situation here. Much like you and Dick, Wayne, this girl's parents were murdered right in front of her. But instead of with guns, or falling to their death, the perpetrator choked them to death before running off and took every cent and jewel they had," Gordon said. "We have their personal information; their wallets, ID cards, everything. The problem is, it's all in Japanese and none of us are literate in that language. That's where, we're hoping, you come in."
"I can help," Bruce said, as he approached the girl. She was still sobbing, and then he turned on his Japanese tongue. "How are you doing, little one?"
Hikari then perked up, hearing some familiar language, and then she said, in Japanese, "Who are you? Where are my mom and dad?"
Bruce then sighed and said, in Japanese, "My name is Bruce Wayne. I'm sorry, but I'm afraid they're gone… I hate to say this, but they're not coming back. They… I'm afraid they're dead."
Hikari's heart was broken and kept crying softly, for obvious reasons. Bruce sympathized with her; he and Dick knew exactly what she was going through.
"Can you tell me your name?" Bruce asked, gently.
"Hikari… Katsumi Hikari." Hikari said.
Bruce then nodded, and asked, "Why are you here in America?"
"My daddy had a business trip here with Wayne Industries. I didn't get much of the details, but he said that while we were here, we would also have some fun. We were just getting back to the hotel from the trip to an amusement park when the person who killed my parents jumped us. His name was Masaharu-san… I didn't get his full name, but he was rather pudgy, with a goatee or whatever, wearing a trench coat. He also smelled rather icky; like he was rummaging through trash like a stray dog. He held up a knife… I think it was three or five inches long. He was speaking in Japanese, so I knew he wanted the jewels and money my parents wanted. Daddy seemed to recognize him as a former coworker of his. Apparently, he said he got fired and was jealous of daddy. Mommy told me to run and I did. However, I saw everything. Masaharu-san put away the knife and strangled them. Once they were down, every bit of cash and jewelry they had was taken from them. I approached them, asking mom and dad if they were okay, but since there was no movement, breath, or response… I knew they died. I immediately fell to my knees and started crying, and that's when these strangers came and brought me here." Hikari explained.
With the exception of Bruce, every word Hikari spoke was gibberish to everyone.
Bruce nodded, and relayed everything to Gordon, saying, "Okay, the girl actually relayed the entire scene. She saw the whole thing. Her name is Katsumi Hikari."
"So, Katsumi is her name?" Bullock said.
"Her family name," Bruce explained. "Her first name is Hikari. In most Asian countries, people address one another with family name first, then their first name second. For example, in my case, here in America my name is Bruce Wayne, but if I was in Japan, and had a Japanese name, it would be 'Wayne Bruce' or something to that effect."
"Okay… And she saw everything, you say?" Gordon said.
"Right," Bruce said. "Apparently, her parents were strangled by a man named Masaharu. She said that the man responsible was most likely a former coworker of her father, Katsumi Tatsuo. Masaharu then held a knife on them, demanding the money and jewels, but Hikari ran at her mother's request. Then, she saw them strangled to death. Turns out that Masaharu did this whole thing out of jealousy. He was fired and became jealous of Tatsuo. And, you know the rest."
"Another material witness…" Gordon sighed. "Wayne, do you think you could take her in for the time being? Until we get this case solved? While we do, I need you to translate these ID cards so we can contact their employment companies and such so as to try and get in contact with any of Hikari's relatives to take her in on a permanent basis. Is that okay?"
"I'll do what I can." Bruce said, as he turned to Hikari, who seemed downcast; Dick was next to her, trying to comfort her, but Hikari did not seem to respond to him at all.
Bringing Hikari back to the mansion, Alfred took her suitcases, and led Hikari to her bedroom. Alfred opened the door, and gestured for Hikari to enter her new room. Hikari silently walked inside and then she saw the luxury of the bedroom. She looked around; the whole day's events were a complete brick-ton to the face. She was overwhelmed.
"I shall give you time to settle in, miss." Alfred said, as he turned on the light and closed the door.
After Alfred left, Hikari immediately locked the door and she ran to the bed, jumped on, and started sobbing from grief; obviously, it was because she was overwhelmed and very scared.
Alfred then told Bruce and Dick, "The young lady seems very distraught, and it's not like you can blame her. She locked the door."
"She's shutting us out?" Dick asked.
"We're strangers to her; I don't think she's willing to trust us, yet. Dick, just wait outside the door and try talking to her. It's very likely she knows some English; it's taught in most Japanese schools as a secondary language, so I'm sure she'll understand most, if not all, of what you're saying. Just don't talk too quickly and you'll be fine." Bruce said.
"Okay…" Dick said, as he sat against the door.
Hikari, after what seemed like a few hours, also sat against the door. Dick, sensing this, said, "You there?"
Hikari got nervous and then she said, in Japanese, "Um… I…"
"It's okay if you don't feel any better. You must be really angry and upset about this whole thing," Dick said. "And, though small comfort, I know how you feel."
Hikari listened, but did not say anything.
"I'll take your silence as you're listening," Dick said. "My parents were murdered right before my eyes, too. It was the same with Bruce. Both of us lost our parents when we were about your age. Bruce's parents were shot to their death… In my case… My parents were in the Haley's Circus and we were known as the 'Flying Graysons'. However, when we did our first act in Gotham, Tony Zucco tried to extort us for money. He then sabotaged the trapeze and my parents fell to their deaths. As for the net, we never used them. We were too experienced and we were in the business too long to use it. But we sure could have used it then."
Hikari listened, but she once again did not say a single word.
"Well, take your time. I know it's hard to acclimate to a new environment; I had the same problem when I first came here." Dick said.
Dick then stood up and left, leaving Hikari alone. Hikari herself was thinking aloud, "Maybe… I can trust them…"
She then shook her head and said, "No, no! I can't trust them at all! No!"
Hikari then took out something from inside her shirt. It was a necklace; it was decorated with a red velvet cupcake with a ruby as the cherry.
"I promise, oka-san… I'll carry the family tradition once my eleventh birthday rolls around! I will take Masaharu down and I will get revenge!" Hikari vowed, as she gripped the chain of the necklace.
Dick then went down into the Batcave, seeing Bruce, now Batman, doing research on Hikari's family.
"Any luck?" Dick asked.
"I think I got the killer: Masaharu Hiroto; he was an accountant at the Tokyo, Japan division of Wayne Industries. He and Tatsuo were coworkers together before he was transferred here to Gotham. He was caught robbing the company vault and was therefor terminated. He's been arrested for many crimes since then." Batman said.
"Then let's get him!" Dick said.
"Easy, Dick, we still don't know where he's hiding" Batman said. "As for where Hikari is going to go once the case is cracked… I don't think she has any choice but to remain here."
"What?" Dick said.
"There aren't any more of her family members that can take her in. Her grandmother is disabled and can't take her in and she has no other family. Both her parents were only children." Bruce said.
"Well, that's another person to keep in the dark about our being the Dynamic Duo." Dick said, sadly.
"I may not know where Masaharu is right now, but I did find something that could probably lighten the mood for all of us," Bruce said, as he found Hikari's birth certificate. "Her eleventh birthday is coming up in a few days. I think that we should try celebrating it."
"Wouldn't that make her feel worse? It'll be the first one without her parents…" Dick said.
"Like it or not, we're her family now," Bruce said. "We'll need to treat her as such."
"I tried talking with her, but she either listened or tuned me out. I wonder if she even speaks English…" Dick said.
"She's probably shutting us out because she's still mourning; can't say that I blame her." Bruce said.
"And Masaharu?" Dick said.
"I'll take care of him," Bruce said. "Keep Hikari occupied until I do."
Dick nodded.
Later, Alfred went to Hikari's room and knocked on her door. He then said, "Miss Hikari, dinner is about to be served."
Hikari merely groaned and then she unlocked the door and came out of the room. However, she looked at Alfred with her pastel-pink eyes with a lot of distrust in them. Alfred was unfazed by this, and Hikari merely followed him to the dinning room.
Hikari silently ate her dinner of a tenderloin steak and marinated asparagus with baked potato. She was very happy with the meal itself, but she felt very out of place. Bruce was at the head of the table while Dick was sitting next to her.
"So… Are there are any hobbies you like doing?" Dick said, trying to make conversation.
Hikari did not say a word, but kept eating. Dick shrugged while looking at Bruce.
"What's your favorite color?" Bruce asked, in Japanese.
"Pink." Hikari replied, in Japanese, after swallowing some of her baked potato.
"Um… Favorite food?" Dick asked.
Hikari just did not answer. She seemed at ease enough to say only one word, but it was meaningful enough to help Dick and Bruce decide on a birthday gift.
Hikari soon finished eating her diner, and she stood up to head back to her room, when Dick grabbed her arm, saying, quite firmly, "Hold on!"
Hikari looked at Dick in fear, and started trembling a lot. Dick smiled and then said, "You can't leave without having dessert!"
Hikari sighed in relief and nodded, coming back to the table to eat a piece of chocolate cake. She felt a lot better and was actually smiling after eating the cake.
"She seems to like chocolate cake," Dick said. "That's a good sign."
Bruce nodded, albeit he was still serious in facial expression.
Dick was back at Hikari's door later; she shut the Dynamic Duo out again. Hikari was leaning on the door in her bedroom while Dick was leaning outside.
"You know… Those eyes of yours are quite pretty," Dick said. "I … I've never been a fan of pink, but your eyes make it look… cute."
Hikari, hearing his compliment, blushed a bit, but then calmed down, and remained silent.
"What I want to know is why you're being so cold to me and Bruce? We want to make you feel at home," Dick said. "We're not trying to hurt you. As for what happened at dinner, I only wanted you to stay and eat with us. We can't exactly be a family if we can't get to know you."
Hikari then sighed sadly and then said, in English, "What right do you have to get to know a complete foreign stranger like myself?"
Dick was surprised to hear her speak a full sentence in English. He turned around and asked, "You speak English?"
"Duh," Hikari said, scoffing. "It's taught as a secondary language in most schools in Japan. Or did you not know that?"
"Now you're finally talking and you're being a bit rude," Dick said, a little annoyed. "Care to tell me what's wrong? Why did you shut us out?"
"Why should I let in complete strangers? For all I know, you could be lying to me." Hikari said.
"We have no reason to lie to you." Dick said. 'Um… Actually, we do.'
"Really? I find that hard to believe," Hikari said. "If you really did care, then that piece of vermin who killed my parents would be behind bars and my mother's jewels and money would be back here with me."
"We're trying to find him, trust me," Dick said. "Like I said… Bruce and I know how you feel."
Hikari sighed sadly, as she started crying again. Dick took this as a hint to leave; just when he was about to, Hikari said, "Thank you… Dick."
Dick smiled when he heard her say his name for the first time, and then he walked away, satisfied.
"Any luck getting her to open up?" Bruce asked.
"She finally said something in English, but she was being a little rude at first. She doesn't really trust us." Dick said.
"We'll just have to give her more time. Anyway, suit up; Bane is up to his old tricks." Bruce said.
Activating the clock, it raised up to reveal the door to the Bat Cave and then they went inside.
Hikari stayed in her room, and she tried to keep herself from crying out loud and attracting Alfred to her bedroom.
She then stood up and then she sniveled, "It's time to be productive…"
Hikari walked towards the bed and then her face became serious.
The next few days, the routine was the same: woke up, ate breakfast, went into the bedroom, shut out Dick and Bruce, and trained her athletic ability and everything.
Around four days later, Hikari was once again training some of her martial arts in the bedroom when she heard knocking on the door. She immediately stopped, and scrambled to put everything back in place.
"Miss Hikari," Alfred said. "It's time for dinner; it will do you good to stay for the entire meal this time around. It's not easy to make you family if we can't communicate."
"Fine…" Hikari said, as she then came out of the bedroom, still looking sullen. She came into the dining room, following Alfred, but the dining room was dark.
The lights came on, and then Hikari saw a cake on the table, with Dick and Bruce at the table, with smiles on their faces. Bruce wrote on the cake, in Japanese, "Happy Eleventh Birthday, Hikari!"
"I hope you're feeling better, Hikari-chan. I know spending your life here with us is going to be a drastic change from what you're used to, but I promise we can help you feel better. We both know what it's like to lose family." Bruce said, in Japanese.
Hikari smiled while crying tears of joy, and then she sat down to eat the cake, and she opened her presents, which she loved. She felt so much better being in the new environment, and she even felt comfortable enough to be calling Dick and Bruce by name.
"Hikari, I'll come and play later," Dick said. "So… Just sit tight, okay?"
Hikari went into her bedroom with a small smile, and then she locked the door again.
"Dick, suit up," Bruce said. "I got a lock on Masaharu."
"Right." Dick said, with a nod and a serious look on his face.
They ran to the Bat Cave, got into the Bat Mobile and then drove off.
Hikari was still in her bedroom, and she was ready to do what she could to stop Masaharu herself.
"I don't need the Batman… I don't need Robin, either! I don't need the police, I don't need the detectives, and I don't need ANYONE! I can get my mother's jewelry back by myself. It's time to hold true to my promise and make Masaharu pay for it!" Hikari said, as she put on her necklace. "It's time to use the family heirloom… My four times maternal great-grandmother's transformation necklace!"
Hikari put her hands together, closed her eyes, and then took a deep breath.
"Oh God, forgive me, for I use no lies or façades!" Hikari said.
The necklace started to shine dark red as the magic sparkles and glow started to surround Hikari, while she transformed into her Kaitou outfit.
"Mélange! (Blend!)
Hikari put on her red mask and took out the ribbon in her hair, letting it fall down to her mid back, and it turned a lighter shade of brown in the process. She then lifted her hands in the air, forming the gloves, which were dark red, with pink fringes on the ends.
"Cuire au four! (Bake!)
Dark red knee-high boots were formed on Hikari's legs and then on the toes a cupcake appeared. Her dark red dress then formed all over her body, and the skirt was 1 or 2 inches above her knees, and it had pink lace on it.
"Décorez!"
Hikari's hair was then adorned with red velvet cake crumb-like beads that glistened in the light of the synagogue. Her eyelids were then glossed over with magic sparkles that left behind a light layer of eye shadow, eyeliner, and mascara. Then a wave of magic sparkles passed over her lips and then left behind a light pink layer of lipstick. Her cheeks were then brightened up with some blush and then she smiled, with white teeth shining.
Hikari – now Red Velvet Cake – then posed: she flexed her leg out to the left, put her hands on her hips, smiled, and then let the wind move her hair in the gentle breeze.
Hikari then sighed and said, "May God's blessing be with me!"
Hikari then noticed there was a lock on the window; she recognized this kind of lock; she immediately undid the lock. She opened the window before leaping out the window; she locked the window again, and she started hopping on rooftops.
She noticed the Bat Mobile from below and decided to follow it. Seeing how fast it was going, Red Velvet Cake took out a bead from her belt, and then pressed the button. She threw it at the Bat Mobile and then took out the tracker from the belt.
"Heh. They think they can use that fancy car of theirs to find Masaharu? This is my mission! I don't need Batman or Robin!" Hikari said, as she started running around the rooftops, following the tracking device's signal.
Masaharu was hiding on the rooftop of an abandoned apartment complex. He was counting the cash that he had on him and then he said, "Aha! Perfect! Once I sell off these jewels, I can head back to Japan and rob Tatsuo's house. Once that's done, I can settle down, rich as rich can be, and with a whole new identity!"
He then took out all of the gold and jewels that he had stolen from Hikari's parents, but then he remembered something: Hikari.
"But first things first: get rid of my material witness; Tatsuo's daughter." Masaharu said, picking up a gun and smirking with evil in his eyes.
However, a bead or two landed in front of him and it started expelling brownish-colored gas. It turned out to be Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder.
The cocoa powder was something that caused his airways to act up and then he started hacking and coughing.
"Not if I have anything to say about it!" A female voice said, and out came Red Velvet Cake from the shadows.
"Who are you?!" Masaharu said, as he held out his gun towards Red Velvet Cake.
"Does it matter?" She said, as she did a running jump and then she did a windmill kick to Masaharu's hand, causing him to drop the gun.
"Hey, what do you want?!" Masaharu asked.
Red Velvet Cake merely tied him up with a pen that shot a strong, thick thread made of royal icing.
She then pulled Masaharu towards her and then she decked him. She snagged the gold and jewelry, saying, in English, "I'll be taking those!"
However, Batman and Robin then made the scene and noticed what was happening.
Masaharu broke out of the string; in rage, Red Velvet Cake then started beating him up. She kicked him in the groin, punched him in the face, amongst other things, but in her rage, she did not notice that Batman and Robin were watching her.
"Who is she?" Robin asked.
"I don't know, but she's pretty angry! We need to calm her down." Batman said.
"She's beating Masaharu to a pulp; how do we stop her?" Robin asked.
Batman then noticed something about Red Velvet Cake: her eye color.
"Robin, hold Masaharu down!" Batman said, as he grabbed Red Velvet Cake.
Robin then kicked Masaharu in the back, knocked him down and then he cuffed him; Robin then said, "What now, Batman?"
"No!" Red Velvet Cake shouted, in English. She was angry, tears were running down her face. "Let me at him! Let me cream the cockroach! He doesn't deserve to live after what he did!"
"We'll be taking back those jewels." Batman said, reaching for Red Velvet Cake's hand that had the loot in it.
However, Red Velvet Cake stomped her foot on Batman's and then she grabbed up her pen once again, before shouting, "Sorry, but I don't take kindly to interference!"
"Hikari, stop!" Batman said, trying to placate her.
Red Velvet Cake then looked over to Batman, blinked, and then scowled before saying, still in English, "Barking up the wrong tree, Bat. My name is Red Velvet Cake! I don't know this 'Hikari' that you're talking about."
"Don't hide it! I know it's you, Hikari! I can tell it really is!" Batman said.
Ignoring Batman, Red Velvet Cake then used her icing string pen to escape, and before leaving, she said, "I'll be taking these jewels back to their rightful owner, now. Bye-bye, Batty-Boy!"
She then escaped by gliding in the air with her pen and then she started leaping on rooftops again.
Robin did a once-over to make sure that Masaharu was really out cold; he was out like a light. Robin then approached his partner and saw the look on his face.
"Batman, was that really…?" Robin asked.
"Yes, it was Hikari." Batman asked.
"But how?!" Robin asked.
"She must have been preparing her skills for this without our knowledge. How I managed to unmask her without knowing it was because I got a good look at her eye color. They're pink, just like Hikari's." Batman said.
"But… Why would she not tell us that?! Why didn't she tell us she was a thief?" Robin asked, tears about to spill.
"Let's bring Masaharu to the cops before we head back to the manor to talk to Hikari," Batman said. "And Robin, it's not stealing if you're bringing something back to their rightful owner."
Back at the mansion, Hikari was pacing around in concern and fear; Batman knew who she was underneath her costume. She had no clue what to do next.
"What do I do?! What am I going to do?! He knows who I am, despite a cover up?! I don't think it worked, though…" Hikari said.
She immediately started packing up her bags in an attempt to run away, catch a plane, and get back to her grandmother so she could stay there instead.
However, she heard banging on the door. She kept the door locked, so she was not concerned.
Alfred was knocking on the door, outside, asking, "Miss Hikari, are you hungry? I prepared a snack of onigiri for you."
"N-N-N-Not hungry!" Hikari said, in a panic, as she scrambled to pack her bags and locked them.
Down in the Bat Cave, a few minutes later, the Bat Mobile pulled in. Jumping out of the car, Batman asked of Alfred, "Where's Hikari?"
Alfred said, "As far as I can tell, Miss Hikari has been in her room; as usual, a shut-in. I didn't see anything because I was cleaning."
"Alright, I need to have a talk with her. Dick, stay here with Alfred" Bruce then said as he finished changing out of his costume and then left to find Hikari.
Knocking on the bedroom door, Bruce called in, "Hikari-chan, are you there? Please, open the door."
"I'm a little busy right now; can you come back in a couple of hours?" Hikari replied, as she was getting ready to slip her last bag out the window to make her escape.
"No!" Bruce said, firmly. Getting the room key out of his pocket, he opened the door to see Hikari slipping her bag out the window.
"What are you doing?" Bruce asked.
"Leaving, what do you think?" Hikari asked.
"Don't think you can escape from this place; you have no where else to go." Bruce said, as he brought Hikari away from the window.
"There's my obaa-chan! Why can't I go live with her?!" Hikari asked, as she started crying.
"She's in no condition to take care of a girl your age," Bruce said. "We need to talk."
"I have nothing to say!" Hikari said.
"Then explain this," Bruce said, as he took Eriko's jewels and gold out from Hikari's pocket. "Red Velvet Cake-chan."
"She came back and gave me my mother's jewelry back," Hikari said, firmly, snatching the jewelry back. "So leave me alone!"
"If that should be the case, then why do you have a speck of buttercream in your hair? Don't lie to me, young lady, I know it was you!" Bruce told her in a demanding tone.
Hikari then broke down in tears, but Bruce placed a comforting hand on her shoulder; Hikari kept crying, and she then bawled into Bruce's chest.
"I knew it… You were the one who took the jewels back." Bruce said.
"And how would you know that?" Hikari replied in realization of Bruce's own words; she managed to calm down.
"Okay, so it looks like I've got a bit of a confession of my own to make here" Bruce said as he also realized what he had just said.
Hikari looked at him in surprise, amazement, and distrust for a few silent moments.
Bruce then rose up and took hold of her hand as he said, "You'd best come with me; it's easier to believe if I show you."
Uncertain about it, Hikari did indeed follow him as he led her down to the Bat Cave which she just look around at in astonishment until a bat buzzed her causing her to drop down while covering her head in fear.
"Don't worry, the bats that inhabit these caves only eat insects" Bruce told her in reassurance as he took hold of her hand once again to lead her further down the stairs to the large computer which he kept in the cave.
Looking around herself further, first she saw the Bat Mobile sitting off to the side and then up on a higher ledge sat the Bat Wing. Feeling a little overwhelmed by all of this Hikari started to back away when she ran into the glass cases that held both Batman's and Robin's uniforms and turned to stare at them in shock.
"It's a bit much to take in, I know" Bruce said from his computer chair.
"Master Bruce, what are you doing down...ah, I see; so am I to take it that our little miss is to become a member of the team?" asked Alfred as he was coming down the stairs with Dick following him.
"Cool; it'll be nice to have a girl on the team!" Dick exclaimed happily.
"Y-You mean to tell me that two know about this also?!" Hikari asked in disbelief.
"Sure, who do you think Robin is?" Dick replied with a smile, making a thumb-jerk to himself.
"And who do you think keeps these caves looking so pristine and clean?" asked Alfred, beaming.
"I need to sit down…" Hikari said as she placed one hand upon her forehead.
The phone began ringing and Bruce turned to answer it, "Wayne residence...Commissioner, it is good to hear from you again. We've had a few bumps in our road, but overall I'd say we were getting along rather well. What?! I see...no, I-I'll tell her. Yes, thank you. Goodbye."
"Is something the matter?" Alfred asked of Bruce.
Making no reply, Bruce turned to Hikari and held his hand out to her. Approaching to take hold of his hand, Hikari looked at him in concern of the expression on his face.
"Hikari, your grandmother's lawyer called the Commissioner and… I'm sorry, but after hearing of what happened to your parents, she had a heart attack. She died just a few minutes ago at Tokyo General." Bruce told her and Hikari's knees just buckled out from under her so that she fell into his arms where she started crying heavily.
Once Hikari had cried herself to sleep, Bruce carried her back up to her room where he, with Alfred's help, pulled her baggage back inside prior to changing her into her pajamas and putting her to bed.
"She's going to need time to recover from this blow, too. That's two tragedies within two weeks for the poor girl. I'm not sure she can handle it on her own." Alfred commented to Bruce.
"Yes, but hopefully this time she won't be as quick to shut us out and may actually look to us for help and support" Bruce replied.
The next day, although Hikari was still grieving, she was made an official member of the team. She was brought into the training room in the manor for martial arts training.
While Bruce and Hikari were sparring, they were using large rods with big cushions that were very firm on the ends to spar. They were also in martial arts robes and belts; Bruce's was black, Hikari's was white.
Bruce threw a swing at Hikari, but she ducked down, blocked the attack and then flipped back up.
Dick was watching from outside the ring, alongside Alfred, and then Bruce tripped Hikari and she fell face-first on the floor.
"You had me going there. Nice work, for your first time." Bruce said, helping Hikari up.
"Not really my first time in Martial Arts training, Bruce," Hikari said, but she was still feeling glum. "It runs in the family. Just like my abilities."
Soon, the bat-signal went off and then everyone dropped what he or she was doing.
"Dick, Hikari, suit up and get in the car." Bruce said, as he leaped out of the ring.
Hikari snagged her necklace from her purse and then put it on while Dick ran to the locker rooms.
'Well… I'm keeping the promise I made to oka-san… Just not in the way I was expecting to.' Hikari said, as she transformed and then ran to the Bat Mobile.
Hikari and Dick then sat in the back seat of the car and then when Bruce came back, he leaped into the car and drove off.
"Looks like I'm the Girl Wonder!" Hikari said, with a happy laugh.
Not exactly what I was hoping for this chapter, but otherwise, it was fine. I really feel satisfied with this one. I hope you all like it.
Next time…
Red Velvet Cake: Dodging traps is one thing, but solving a puzzle to get OUT of a trap?! What the heck?!
Dark Devil's Cake: I better do it now…
Red Velvet Cake: Whatever it is, save it for later; we have to keep our masks on!
Next time on Kaitou Red Velvet Cake: "Cakes And A Riddler!"
