Robin 1 / 2
- - - -
By Felix Webster (Felix Warstar)
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Chapter 8
- Training Night -
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All original Ranma ½ Characters and Back story Copyright Rumiko Takahashi, and all original DC Characters and Back story Copyright DC Comics Inc., and both are used without permission. Please don't sue... because I have no money.
Any new characters are mine, but they can travel as their bags are always packed.
- - - -
Akane sat in her homeroom seat barely able to pay attention to those coming in around
her. Her thoughts were on the fact that in only hours she would be seeing Robin again,
only hours away from her first night of training. The person calling herself 'Oracle' had
phoned the Dojo this morning to tell her, showing yet another person who knew she was
Spoiler. She was so wrapped in her thoughts her two best friends had given up trying to
involve her in conversation after their third attempt.
"Yen?"
"Wha..?" Akane blinked snapping out of her thoughts to see an offered coin of that type held out to her as Ranma took his desk next to her.
"Yen for you thoughts?" Ranma smiled as he leaned back causally after Akane took the coin. He was wearing similar clothes, in similar colours as he had the last week.
"Ah… I was.. ah.. thinking about all that stuff that happened on Friday when you came over," Akane stumbled into first gear trying to come up with a reasonable thing that could distract her that much.
"Sure you were," Ranma replied not sounding like he believed her, but he continued to smile. "So how was your weekend? Anything interesting happen?"
"Ah. No. Nothing. It was quiet… except for your Mother constantly yelling at my Dad about the 'bad' news," Akane giggled after she got her mind off of Robin. "Sakura seems to really be happy about the idea."
"Whaaooo, did you just say his Mother and your Dad?" Sandra spun around to face the pair with total eavesdropped interest. "What's that all about? Spill already."
"Ah… Sandra… It's, ah," Akane moved her head back away from the suddenly close face of her friend.
"It turns out my Mother is married to Akane's Father. Small world huh?" Ranma explained with a small shrug of indifference, enjoying the look of discomfort on Akane's face. "So me and Akane are like Step-siblings."
"What? And you didn't tell your very best friend?" Sandra exclaimed in mock indignation. "You had like all weekend."
"Dad asked we keep it quiet for awhile," Akane replied apologetically. "Anyhow, it's not like you're coming to live with us," Akane turned back to Ranma rolling her eyes, "not that I blame you for not wanting to give up living with Bruce Wayne…"
"You live with Bruce Wayne!" Sandra's focus changed to Ranma in an instant.
"Ah.. yeah. Bruce is my Godfather." Ranma replied noticing other people in the class were now paying attention. He wanted to talk to Akane longer but the barrage of questions started and Akane leaned back smiling smugly.
- - - -
"Great, just what I really needed to do today spend half of my lunch having to give a school radio interview," Ranma rolled his eyes as he put down his cafeteria tray next to Akane and Nabiki. "Thanks Akane."
"Sorry, but you shouldn't have said anything to Sandra about our parents," Akane said between bites of food.
"You mentioned it first I just explained," Ranma retorted unimpressed.
"Awww how sweet, a lovers spat," Nabiki giggled then moved back slightly when both Ranma and Akane turned to glare at her. "You know I'm kidding."
"Sorry Nabiki, it's just not a good day for me," Ranma relaxed back into his chair. "And sorry Akane… Bruce informed me that I have to attend a black tie charity event he's sponsoring on Friday."
"Ah, society," Nabiki sounded almost jealous at the idea. "You going stag I take it."
"Stag?" Ranma raised an eyebrow then caught the reference. "Actually no. I have to find a date according to Ms. Dayer… Bruce is taking some visiting model."
"So, what, now you have to find another model to compete?" Akane asked getting a little annoyed at the superficial tone that Ranma had giving the idea.
"What? No!" Ranma moved slightly away from the angry girl. "I simply have to find a girl who's willing to put up with the stupid thing. I've never done this before."
"What? Asking a girl out?" Nabiki raised an eyebrow at the idea that a guy as good looking a Ranma had never asked a girl out.
"Years of traveling on the road didn't leave much time for learning social stuff… and
even less for dating," Ranma confirmed the question looking sad about the whole thing.
"Pop had a low opinion of women in general and their uses to a man…"
"Opinions we know you haven't developed or you wouldn't be talking to us like we were friends and not just something to take under the bleachers." Nabiki pointed out before Akane could read the wrong thing into what Ranma had said. She had to resist laughing as Ranma didn't get the bleachers reference but Akane did, Ranma couldn't figure out why Akane was blushing so much. "Why don't you take Akane… or me to this charity thing?"
"Nabiki!" Akane blushed again not believing her sister's boldness, it was a sign of the old Nabiki coming back.
"Actually that's not a bad idea since I know the both of you enough not to be totally off of common ground," Ranma seemed to look up as if he was trying to decide which to ask then smiled as he looked at both girls, "I guess I should ask both of you so I don't offend the other."
"Both of us?" Akane exclaimed in surprise.
"Why you sly devil you," Nabiki laughed as she realised Ranma had played them. "You planned to ask both of us in the first place."
"Wha..?" Akane looked between Nabiki and Ranma and back again confused.
"Who else do I really know? And what other two girl can you think of that could more then rival a Swedish model?" Ranma smirked deviously glad he had a chance at the village to learn a bit about life and girls since his father had taught him anything useful.
"I'm going to have to stop underestimating you," Nabiki laughed. "I'm in, how about you Sis?"
"You're okay with both of us going?" Akane looked at her sister not totally convinced of that.
"Of course," Nabiki replied as if it should have been obvious, "I don't mind sharing a date if I get to go to a high society function and get an expensive new dress out of the deal… We are getting expensive new dresses out of this right Ranma?"
"Bruce wouldn't want it any other way," Ranma laughed. "I'll inform Ms. Dayer and she call you to set it up."
"Any problem with that Akane?" Nabiki gave her sister a pleading look with her eyes.
"Nope. No problems at all." Akane sighed in defeat.
"Great," Ranma smiled then got up again as a bell rang in warning that classes would be starting again. He looked at his food sadly now that he would have to eat on the run.
- - - -
Spoiler stood waiting on the same building she had the week before, waiting for the same person she had been then. This time this Oracle person had called her house and asked for her by name, her real name! Wasn't there any point to the idea of secret identities!
"Whatcha looking at?" a male voice asked causing Spoiler to spin and pull a dart out of her belt.
Spoiler blinked behind her mask as she had trouble believing what she was looking at. It was a boy wearing a similar costume to the Robin she had already met. His black hair was in a similar style and also in a long braided pony tail. The rumours were true… there were two Robins. "I.."
"Sorry, you seemed to be concentrating on something out there so I thought you might have noticed a crime or something," Robin stated as he came up beside Spoiler and looked out over Little Tokyo. "You ready for tonight?"
"Ah.. where's the other Robin? I thought she was going to train me?" Spoiler asked worried someone had changed their minds about her.
"She meant both of us." Robin replied then pulled out a few things from inside his cape.
"These are for you."
Spoiler took the offered two Batarangs and slimmer comm unit surprised and started to replace the WayneTech one she was wearing. "I was hoping to ask her about her trip to Paradise Island…"
"Don't worry, you'll see her again before too long." Robin smiled at the girl not wanting to add that it might be sooner than he wanted.
"So you know all about me like both Batman and the other Robin? I know nothing about you, her, both of you." Spoiler sounded a little annoyed about that.
"You will if you do well in your training." Robin lost the smile and looked back out over the city. "We're suppose to watch a shipment coming in tonight. We are only to act if we get permission from Batman, through Oracle. Should be quiet. Understand?"
"Ah.. yeah.. I guess." Spoiler replied sounding disappointed since she was hoping for action tonight. It had been a week since she was out in costume after all.
"Good, the car's down on the street." Robin nodded then stepped off the ledge. Spoiler ran forward wide eyed only to see that Robin had hooked a grapple line and was slowing as he reached the street. Shrugging to herself she followed him down.
- - - -
"Who's bringing this stuff in? I don't recognise the company logo," Spoiler asked Robin quietly as they watched from a rooftop of a nearby warehouse.
-Oh, like you'd know many of those Sis,- Control laughed through their comms.
"Nab.. Control? How'd you get on these Comm units?" Spoiler's head shot up in shock and Robin had to pull her back down.
-Oracle patched me in since she's dealing with too much tonight… you should see what she sent me on my computer,- Control sounded so happy.
"Looks like you're in training too," Robin stated never taking his eyes off of their target. "Be careful, Oracle's harder to impress than I am."
"Robin… who.. what is that?" Spoiler said after laughing then going back to using the batoculars that Robin had handed to her when they got on the roof.
Robin focused his lenses of the domino mask on where the girl pointed and frowned. The
thing Spoiler asked about was big, bigger than a normal human, and green. Grey green
actually. Hitting the comm button on his mask he cut past Control to get Oracle. "Oracle,
I need an identification on the image I just sent you… This thing is big."
-Robin, just got the image and you're right it's big.- Oracle replied almost two minutes later. -I've already contacted Batman about this. He wants you to decide if you want to try this or wait for him.-
"Okay, but what is it?" Robin asked not getting a proper answer.
-Oh, right. That is Killer Crock. Meta. High strength and tough skin but not too bright-
Oracle sounded embarrassed. -He isn't the type to mastermind anything but he's a good
grunt…-
"Fine, we'll deal with him," Robin nodded although Oracle couldn't see that.
-Batman says Crock needs to be dealt with immediately as he's an escaped killer, forget the shipment.- Oracle got back to business. -Are you sure? You have extra baggage tonight after all.-
"Gee, thanks," Spoiler rolled her eyes.
-You're an unknown element there that will distract Robin while he's fighting Crock-
Oracle replied in a point of fact way. -Crock is dangerous, even for Batman.-
"We'll handle it." Robin stated firmly.
-Understood.- Oracle sighed over the wires. -I'll let Control handle the comms for you two then.-
Robin took back the batoculars and then stood up, followed by Spoiler. Both were ready to make their way down when Control piped up, -Are you nuts Sis? Killer Crock?-
"Robin's choice." Spoiler leapt off the roof and landed next to the boy wonder.
"Keep it professional Control," Robin said as he ran towards his target.
- - - -
Things started off bad for the pair, they had tried to come in quietly to hit Croc by surprise but before they got close the mass of mutated man turned to look directly at the two then bolted away from the area where the cargo was being unloaded. Robin, followed by Spoiler, ran after him through a maze of building back alleys until they hit a corner and Killer Croc was not there anymore.
Robin put out a hand to hold back Spoiler from running forward as he started to look around. Spoiler turned her head in confusion, "Where..?"
Before Robin could shush her he pushed Spoiler out of the way as the tonnage of grey green mass come down from above. Croc landed hard enough to rumble the ground and both Robin and Spoiler rolled until their backs hit building walls. Robin was on his feet faster than Spoiler so he moved first to give her time to recover. Robin leapt with a side kick to impact with Killer Croc's chest, the contact was loud but Croc hardly noticed it and grabbed the extended ankle. Croc was about to use Robin as a club against the building next to him but a small explosion in his face caused him to let go in the mid arc of the swing. Robin landed in a crouch skidding a few feet seeing Spoiler throwing another set of concussion darts at the monster.
Croc gave a low throated scream in anger as the darts impacted and exploded but he had barely been pushed bad more than an inch before he came at the pair enraged. Robin and Spoiler rolled to either side of the bestial man as he ran right into the wall destroying the weakly built construction but Croc's clawed hand had caught the back of Spoiler's costume and a when the two got back to their feet Robin could see a small bit of blood coming from a long but shallow claw mark.
"You doing okay?" Robin asked as he pulled out a hand full of capsules and threw them into the hole in the wall. Both moved as the capsules exploded to avoid the blow back.
"I'm not a little girl! I can take a little scratch!" Spoiler replied in annoyance then went flying as the wall behind her exploded with Killer Croc coming back out.
Robin didn't have time to see if Spoiler was okay this time as Croc back handed him in
smooth sweep of his arm. He hit another wall and felt it crack behind him, metal pipes
rattled sharply from the vibrations it caused. Robin ducked the next swing and barely
avoided a burst of water coming from burst pipes broken in the wall Croc came out of.
Coming up he parried the next swing almost not able to hold the strength of the low
except for another explosion to Croc's back. Croc spun out of reflex and his fist contact
with Spoiler's chest as the girl had tried to jump on the monster's back. Robin didn't
have time to waste as he did what Spoiler tried and got his arm around the grey green
neck that felt like steel.
Croc wiped his body around wildly to get the Boy Wonder off his back but Robin held on
for all he was worth as Spoiler slowly got up onto all four then stood shakily. Robin saw
the event coming in almost slow motion knowing he couldn't stop it from happening.
Spoiler was just starting to look up as Croc spun his body into the water hoping the cold
wash would discourage the annoyance around his neck.
Robin-chan couldn't keep up the choke hold after the change as she lost just enough strength for Croc to fling her off. Spinning to land beside Spoiler she took a split second to see the shocked expression on the side of face where Spoiler's mask had ripped away. "I'll explain later! Go right!" Robin-chan ordered as she moved to the left so Croc had to decide who to go after when he moved at the pair again. He chose to go after Spoiler since the other girl being there confused him a bit too much.
With his back turned to Robin-chan she decided to see if the monster man had some of the same vital points as a regular person. She focused her mind in a split second then rammed her foot into the closest place she could with all of her lesser strength then brought her other foot up to hit the next until it looked like she was running up Killer Croc's back, each impact shaking the ground.
Spoiler was trying to pull out another concussion dart to throw at the massive criminal in desperation when she felt as well as saw Robin-chan hitting Croc. The monster was about to grab her when his eyes rolled up and his body slumped causing her to jump out of the way of the falling man.
"Finally," Robin-chan stated as she stood stooped panting from the effort.
Spoiler moved with a slight limp over to her friend mirroring the statement in her partially exposed face, "Yeah, finally…"
- - - -
Akane sat in the back of the Red Bird with her mask off, as it was mostly useless to wear it in it's condition, and waited for Robin-chan to finish talking to Batman who had come after the fight. Robin-chan had already cleaned her back wound and gave it a light dressing after putting an odd balm over it first. The red head had also used the same balm on her own scrapes and cuts, the massive amount she had compared to the small amount Akane had from riding the monster's back.
"We're done for the night," Robin-chan said not sounding happy as she got back into the car's driver seat. "Batman will make sure Killer Croc is taken to Arkham."
"Okay…" Akane said not sure what the tone meant. "Did we.. I screw up?"
"You? No." Robin-chan turned to look at the other girl almost shocked by that. "When you do this kind of thing injuries happen, it's part of the deal."
"I know that! Do you hear me complaining?" Akane turned defensive then blushed at the undeserved lashing out. "What's wrong?"
"Batman was impressed with what I explained you did… but seeing me change was too soon"
Robin-chan turned and looked out the windshield sounding depressed. "It's too soon to
explain everything… but you deserve to know."
"Know what? The fact the girl I know as Robin and the boy I met tonight as Robin are the same person? You are the same person right? No time sharing the same body?" Akane went into a rambling reply completely out of her element.
"I'm the same person, just my body changes," Robin-chan said with a sight. "You have a change of clothes hidden somewhere? I'd like to do this somewhere… aw hell! Oracle?"
-Go ahead Robin,- Oracle answered immediately.
"Any chance we can use the clock tower so I can talk to Spoiler about things? I know it's your private area but I don't want to be around Batman right now and we need privacy," Robin-chan said to the empty air.
-I guess.- Oracle didn't sound too put out. -I wanted to meet Spoiler soon anyways.-
"Thanks, be there soon." Robin-chan sighed in relief. Starting the car she spoke to Akane without looking at the girl. "Don't ask anything until we get there."
"Sure," Akane replied choosing not to be offended a the commanding tone.
- - - -
"Wow…" Akane pressed her hands against the clock face window that looked out over most of Gotham higher than ninety percent of the other buildings.
"I said much the same thing when I came up here last week," Robin-chan said as she fell into a large fluffy circular couch in a conversation pit recession.
"I rarely go up this high when I'm out since it's hard to get around quickly," Akane came to the pit and took the circular couch facing the Girl Wonder.
"It's not that bad but you just need better equipment," Robin-chan relaxed back ignoring
the bruises she recently gained. She moved a hand up and disengaged the sealing system on
her domino mask and removed the dark green mask with her head back and her eyes closed.
"Geez, this mask sometimes gives me headaches since we're still adjusting the optics
systems."
"You just took off your mask…" Akane said in such a shocked tone that Ranma-chan had to look directly at her.
"It was only far since you aren't wearing yours," Ranma-chan smirked as she draped her black cape over herself as if it was cold.
"You just took off your mask and I have no idea who you are." Akane sat back miffed at that fact. "It's not fair! You all know who I am but even with your mask off I have no clue!"
"No surprise there, you've never seen me change into a girl before," Ranma-chan took a small canister out of her cape and then sprayed her face with the hot water mist. "This should help."
Akane's eyes started getting larger as the smaller red haired girl shifted to the taller
black haired male form. Then her eyes got even larger when it hit her who it was, "Ra.
Ranma!"
"Hey Akane," Ranma Saotome tipped his hand in a cute greeting, "Small world."
"Ranma Saotome! Ranma you're Robin, the boy.. girl.. whatever wonder!" Akane still couldn't believe what she was seeing. "That.. That means.."
"That means nothing," Ranma could see where her mind was going with this, "I met Batman a couple of days after I came to live with Wayne-sama. Turns out he also knew my father and informed me that Pop was training me to do this kinda thing in Tokyo so he decided I should start here now that I lived in Gotham."
"Well of course Bruce Wayne isn't Batman," Akane rolled her eyes catching what Ranma was explaining, "Mister Wayne is too much of a pampered playboy to be able to do this kind of work. What I was going to say was that means that's how everyone knows who I am."
"Not even close," Ranma laughed. "I hadn't even met you as Ranma before I met you as Robin. I had nothing to do with Batman and everyone knowing who you are. You really have to remember that Batman is a master detective who keeps an almost insane interest in anything Gotham. He probably started his check on you the moment he heard even a rumour of a new vigilante."
-Getting me to do the work on your background,- Oracle added over an internal speaker system causing Akane to jump slightly.
"Glad to see you're able to join us," Ranma said to the ceiling with a touch of sarcasm.
-I'll be done in a few minutes with the other matter I'm dealing with,- Oracle actually sounded like she wanted to laugh.
"Don't hurry on our account," Ranma smirked to the room in general.
"So I'm also going to get to meet Oracle, boy tonight's been a full one." Akane looked at Ranma firmly. "Are you the reason Batman hasn't forced the issue about wanting me to quit being Spoiler?"
"Yes and no…" Ranma lost his smile but didn't look like he was going to explain. "Ask Batman why some day about that yourself, I can't really say what changed his mind."
"He's starting to get into the idea a Bat family again," a familiar female voice said as the sound of automated wheels proceeded the statement. Akane looked up to the slightly raised landing to see Batgirl sitting in a electric wheelchair stopping to be able to look down at the pair.
"Batgirl!" Akane scrambled to her feet in total shock.
"I use to be," Batgirl replied with a touch of hurt in her voice but kept a solid face to the girl, "now I work behind the scenes keeping the boys out of the deeper waters they use to get into."
"Personally I can't see how Batman worked before Oracle started, I wasn't around during that time of course," Ranma smiled up at the costumed woman, he had been wondering how she was going to come down.
"It wasn't that hard, but I doubt Batman would go back to those days," Batgirl frowned slightly even though she knew the boy was trying to be nice.
"What happened?" Akane couldn't help herself then she looked embarrassed about that. "I mean…"
"Don't worry, I know what you meant," Batgirl waved it off as she moved her chair down the ramp to come level with the two teens. When she stopped she took a moment to settle herself before she got into matters, "The Joker tried to kill me, he didn't succeed but the bullet he used lodged into my spinal column leaving me without the use of my legs. I got off lightly compared to the Robin at the time…"
Akane looked at Ranma when Batgirl didn't continue. Ranma looked firmly at the girl who was his step-sister, might have been his fiancé, and may be his girlfriend as he explained, "The last Robin was killed. He was shot in the head."
"We.. we had heard rumours.. but we all thought he just had enough of the adventures and quit," Akane sat down almost missing the couch and have to use a hand to guide herself onto it.
"These are just a few things that can go wrong in our kind of work." Batgirl stated firmly not sounding very impressed at Akane's reaction. "One of the worst is when the crazies find out who you are and go after your family instead of you… I've had a few friends in this kind of work go through that."
"I know that! I know the risks!" Akane stood up again to face the girl who was one of her personal heroes. "Me and my sisters went over all the possibilities before we decided to do this!"
"Akane…" Ranma tried to calm his friend down but Akane removed her arm that Ranma had taken with more effort than needed.
"My family was already attacked! And I'm doing this so it doesn't happen again!" Akane moved to only a few feet from the wheelchair bound heroine sat. "Kasumi can't because she's too gentle. Nabiki can't because she doesn't have the skills since she stopped learning the family style after our Mother died. Sakura is too young, untrained. I'm the only one who can make sure dad.. they stay safe! And that other families don't go through what we did!"
"Settle down Akane! She's only explaining things from her point of view." Ranma grabbed Akane's wrist again and spun her to face him giving her a very unhappy face. "She doesn't deserve you yelling at her."
"Ranma..?" Akane looked up into the boy's eyes looking betrayed.
"It's okay," Batgirl got between the pair forcing them to separate. "Both of you, it's okay." Turning to Akane she finally gave the girl a smile, "Please sit down, I'd like to talk to you. No preaching. I promise."
Akane stopped took a moment to calm herself then sat down and waited for Batgirl to continue. She was feeling embarrassed that she even thought Ranma was against her when he was fighting to make sure these people accepted her.
"I was speaking about harsh realities, but that doesn't touch on all the fun I had while I was out there," Batgirl moved to a better distance and looked like she was remembering some very good times. "There's a thrill to it that no one but those of use who have done understand, especially in Gotham. Superman may save people in Metropolis and around the world but we take back the night for all those who should be allowed to enjoy it without fear of someone causing them pain. We, those of us who have only our skills and a few gadgets, are the only ones who know what it's like to face down a crazy meta as the others have some extraordinary power to aid them. Heck, I started out with only a few items I found from scenes where Batman had been, and let me tell you he wasn't happy about me back them." Batgirl laughed slightly and saw Akane smile too so she got serious again. "Those days are pretty much gone for me now because of this." She indicated the chair. "Oh I know I could go out and find another means, like a power ring or armoured battlesuit, but neither would be the same. I still fight crime, but now it's be making Batman, Nightwing, and Robin a more effective force in the city."
"Why'd you become Batgirl? I mean I get it might be personal, and painful.. but I would love to know…" Akane looked up into woman's eyes hopefully.
"Funny thing is it was to protect my father," Batgirl relaxed into her chair as she smiled at the girl again. "And when that direct threat was done with I found I liked doing the vigilante super heroine thing. I made some of my greatest friends while in costume… even if we may not know who the other was without our masks on. Of course there is always moments of pain but they almost never out weighed the fun, the feeling of pride knowing I was helping out the city I lived in a way few other could."
"You think she's ready don't you?" Ranma said a touch of humour in his voice causing Akane to remember he was there. "She hasn't been out on training more than a night and you already think she's ready."
"More ready than I was." Batgirl smiled back at Ranma confusing Akane totally.
"Ready for what?" Akane asked looking between the two.
"I was watching the fight with Killer Croc by a hidden flying camera, I was just
reviewing it again before coming down, and I have to say you might not be on Batman,
Nightwing, or Ranma's level but you are way above where I was even at the end," Batgirl
started as she started the roll back up the curving ramp and indicated for the two to
follow her. The three got to the door she had come in from and it opened smoothly. "I
know Batman has some plans to bring a girl in as my replacement but Batgirl was my
creation and I should have the right to pick my successor myself."
"Successor?" Akane nearly stumbled back in shock as she walked into the large dark area
dominated by a huge curved monitor to the right that seemed to just hover in the air,
with a console below it. The left had more equipment that Akane would never be able to
identify even if she could pay attention to them at the moment. "Who? Me?"
"She's more surprised that I expected," Batgirl said to Ranma in mock surprise. "You sure she has in her to do the detective part of our job? I mean if she couldn't see this coming…"
"Why you asking me?" Ranma replied warding off the woman. "I'm pretty knew to thinking myself, let alone looking for clues."
"You want me to become you?" Akane ignored the by play as the shock was too much for it to register very far. "I mean you want me to become Batgirl?"
"Basically yes," Batgirl nodded as she wheeled towards the console. "I have few ideas on how to upgrade the costume that I want you opinion on since you'll be wearing it."
"What? Costume? I haven't even said yes yet." Akane moved up to Batgirl quickly as it finally set in. "What about my sisters? We come up with the Spoiler…"
"For what Ranma has told me about Nabiki I think I could use her help here," Batgirl turned the chair around after punching a key on the console that caused the monitor to show a slightly darker, and more Batman like Batgirl costume. "I do operation control for more than just Batman right now and I could use the extra hands. As for Kasumi…"
"She wants to become a doctor," Akane stated firmly. "If you don't have a medic she could do that."
"I'm sure the doctor we do use would be happy to have help," Batgirl smiled before becoming serious again, "But you know that if you accept this you'll be given a very important responsibility."
"More than living up you your example?" Akane asked a little confused.
"I'm flattered," Batgirl smiled again, "No, I mean the responsibility of knowing who we really are. I can't go around this place wearing my cape and cowl all the time after all."
"I already know Ranma… and I'd never betray him," Akane sounded a little unsure about the whole thing again.
"It's not like half of the superhero community doesn't already know who we are." Ranma rolled his eyes. "And they slip up."
"I heard about the incident with Wonder Woman," Batgirl frowned. "I never expected her to slip like that, and Batman not catching it until you pointed it out." She looked at Akane again, "A few people know who most of us are but not many, and those who do, like Superman and Wonder Woman, are usually very careful about the matter."
"So if I accept I get to know who you are? Who Batman is?" Akane blinked as the idea was so heady that she might swoon if she didn't pace herself.
"If Batman tells you," Batgirl corrected the sly smile, "He might leave clues and wait for you to figure it out so to prove you can do the detective 'thing'."
"Ah," Akane nodded in understanding when she didn't really. "I think I should talk to my sister about this first.. this, becoming Spoiler, was a joint agreement…"
"Fine," Batgirl nodded. "Talk to them tonight, tomorrow, whenever, when you're ready talk to Ranma and he'll bring you back." Batgirl turned her chair to the monitor, "Just don't be too long deciding because Batman might find a replacement in that time."
"Um.. okay." Akane didn't understand why Batgirl had turned so cold when she mentioned her need to discuss things with her sisters. "I'll talk to them in the morning since Kasumi is out of town until then…"
- - - -
Akane sat in her street clothes while Ranma, who also changed into regular clothes,
drove her home in his normal car. She had commented that this car was similar on the
inside as his 'Red Bird' car Batman gave him. She was surprised when he told her it was
the same car and that Batman had built it so Bruce Wayne never figured out the car he had
bought Ranma had been replaced. They had decided that they would tell their parents that
they had gone out on a date. A date that included rock climbing at a nearby sports club,
rollerblading, and then Akane challenged Ranma to spar with her to see how good he
actually was. All three would explain the bumps, bruises, and scrapes that they both had
from fighting Killer Croc.
"You feel as stiff as I do?" Akane asked trying not to laugh as she stretched an arm over her head after getting out of the car.
"Not really," Ranma shrugged as he activated a low level security setting on his car and then opened the main gate to the house, "I told you to use the salve I offered."
"It smells of cloves and things I can't identify," Akane scrunched up her nose at the memory of the greenish white cream Ranma had offered her before leaving Batgirl's place.
"And you simply wipe the excess off with a damp cloth and the smell goes too," Ranma rolled his eyes since he explained that back at the clocktower but Akane didn't believe him.
"Brother!" a blur of red moved up and hugged Ranma as he turned around to the sound.
"Whao! Hey there Sakura!" Ranma caught the red haired six year old as she connected.
Akane was having a hard time not laughing. "I'm sure Mother isn't happy about you jumping
on boys."
"I'm going to learn Martial Arts!" Sakura exclaimed in a happy loud voice giving Ranma a kiss on the cheek. "You made Momma have to let me learn Martial Arts!"
"Ooooh boy, I'm sure Nodoka is in there ready to explode," Akane looked at the house as if she was deciding if she should go in or not. "She's probably looking for anything to go off on…"
"Well lets find out." Ranma carried his half-sister towards the house and a few minutes later was coming into the living room. Soun sat there alone and started to get up as he heard the trio come in.
"Ranma, good to see you," Soun smiled coming up and taking the small form of his youngest daughter from the teenage boy. "I guess you heard."
"Sakura seems very happy." Ranma nodded to the little girl who beamed back. "I'm going to guess Mother wasn't."
"Nodoka is laying down with a headache," Soun replied giving an affirmative without saying as much. Getting off that subject he looked between Akane and Ranma, he was looking over the damage he could see, "You two have fun? I mean I was surprised when Akane called to tell me you two had gone out without asking but I know both of you can take care of yourselves."
"We didn't do anything bad Dad," Akane rolled her eyes thinking that he was talking about them doing things sexual. "We went Indoor rock climbing."
"Then rollerblading at the rink," Ranma added knowing Soun wasn't believing them but going with it for Akane's sake.
"Then I made the mistake of challenging Ranma to spar with me, hence the bruises," Akane shrugged trying to be cute. "I need to practice more."
"Yes you do," Soun replied firmly then handed Sakura over to Akane, "Why don't you put Sakura to bed since it's past her bedtime."
"Um.. okay," Akane agreed but looked at Ranma in concern, Ranma simply nodded to her with a lopsided confident smile.
After Akane was out of ear shot Soun motioned Ranma towards the Dojo where he locked the door before asking, "So, what caused the injuries?"
"Killer Croc." Ranma replied expecting the man to know the name since he worked with the police when it came to meta criminals.
"Ki..Killer Croc!" Soun stumbled back in shock. "You let her… Bruce let her face Killer Croc!"
"A little quieter would be nice," Ranma stated still very calm, "and she did good tonight… I wouldn't have been able to handle him alone."
"She faced Killer Croc and that was the only damage she, either of you took away from it? My Daughter is better than I thought," Soun started to laugh feeling proud after the initial shock wore off.
"Maybe even better," Ranma relaxed he internal self that he didn't show to Soun,
"Batgirl wants her to take on her old title…"
"She what?" Soun blinked in surprise at the new news. "But Akane has an identity…"
"She hasn't accepted yet but becoming Batgirl makes her official with a lot of other heroes in this country, and it also means she'll have a better selection of good equipment instead of having to scrounge at flea markets." Ranma explained the obvious benefits to the idea. "Personally it makes things easier. Oh and she knows I'm Robin… and about the curse. It's been a busy night."
"Sounds like it." Soun frowned at all he had to think about then smiled again, "She faced off against Killer Croc and was able to walk away…"
"We should get back since she should be done with Sakura by now and is probably wondering if you're trying to beat me silly right now," Ranma suggested as he unlocked the door and started to head back to the house.
About twenty minutes later Ranma finally left, giving Akane a kiss on the cheek for appearances sake. Nodoka never came down even though she was informed by Soun her son was there. Soun tried to bring up the possibility of reforging the old pledge since Ranma and Akane were getting on so well, which earned him an elbow in the gut from Akane. Soun stood with his Daughter watching as Ranma drove off before heading inside.
"Since Nabiki is already a sleep I'm heading to bed," Akane informed her Father and started to head out of the room.
"Did you really have fun tonight?" Soun asked sounding actually interested in the answer.
"Oh yes, I loved it," Akane beamed back at her Father then ran up the stairs to go to her room.
"I was afraid of that," Soun shook his head sadly after Akane was out of earshot, then looked up to the heavens with an odd smile, "My Daughter is going to be Batgirl."
- - - - / - - - -
AN: No comments will be made about how long this took. I rewrote this chapter at least six times never getting what I really wanted, but this is close enough. I'll probably get a few nasty comments about the Akane and Batgirl stuff but that's where I wanted to go with her and now I've begun. I want to get at least one more chapter out before I post the Robin Annual (which is done) sorry for the wait.
Thanks for continuing to read Felix