Chapter 5: In Gotham, Once Again

Inside Casper High, all students not in the football team or the cheerleading squad needed signed authorizations from their parents or guardians to go to Gotham City to watch the upcoming game between Casper High and Gotham High. Danny Fenton, like the other students wanting to go to Gotham, got an authorization form from Mr. Lancer. "Mr. Fenton, I'm only handing you the form out of legal obligation." Mr. Lancer said. "I have my reservations considering you're not actually going to Gotham for the team. While I think Ms. Tetslaff was overreacting and there's a chance Miss… I don't think I got her surname."

"It's Gordon, Mr. Lancer." Danny said.

"and there's a chance Ms. Gordon really loves you, there's a chance she's just using you to spy on our team. Don't tell her anything." Mr. Lancer ordered.

"Okay." Danny replied and took the form.

"Now please leave, Mr. Fenton." Mr. Lancer said. "There are other students wanting forms."

As Danny left, he was surprised to see Tucker and Sam. "What're you guys doing here?"

"Are you kidding?" Tucker excitedly asked. "We're going to Batman's home turf!" 'And Sam wants my help with spying on Barbara.'

"And Gotham is such a dark city I must visit it." Sam added with fake excitement. 'And hopefully learn something bad about Barbara.'

"And I'll get to see Barbara again." Danny happily exclaimed and left the corridor while being clueless about how Sam felt hearing that.

The three teens then went to their respective homes to get their respective parents' signatures. "Oh, young love." Jack said as he and Maddie signed Danny's form. "Now remember, son. Just because your girlfriend is from the other school, it doesn't mean you must root for her team instead of Casper High's. I'm sure she'll understand."

"Sure, Dad." Danny replied. 'I don't think it'll matter to her but I'd rather cheer for the other team just to spite Dash and the other bullies.'

"Danny, be careful." Maddie warned her son. "Gotham City is full of criminals. If not for Mr. Lancer's reassurance he'd help Coach Tetslaff keeping an eye on the students, your father and I wouldn't have signed your authorization."

"Okay, Mom." Danny replied.

Meanwhile, Tucker was getting advice from his parents. "Son, stick to the group." His mother Angela Foley said. "Gotham is a crime-ridden city. They even need a wacko wearing a bat costume to protect them."

"Batman's not a wacko!" Tucker frowned.

"Don't use that tone with your mother, Tucker." His father Maurice Foley reprimanded him.

"Sorry."

Meanwhile, Sam Manson was receiving bad news. "No!" Jeremy Manson replied. "I won't allow you to go to such a dangerous city."

"And you're probably only wanting to go because the Fenton boy is going as well." Sam's mother Pamela Manson added. "Honestly, your father and I were expecting you'd get over him after he met another girl with bad taste."

"I must protect him from whatever game she's playing with him." Sam protested.

"You're just jealous because he's dating someone who's not you." Her father replied. "Now go to your room and think over it."

She did go to her room but decided to call Danny. "Sam?"

"Terrible news, Danny." Sam said. "My parents won't let me go to Gotham. They think it's too dangerous."

"They have a point, you know."

"Danny, can't you influence their minds like when you did to make them let me attend gothapalooza?" Sam asked.

"Sure, I'll be going there." Danny replied. "Bye." He then turned off the phone.

On the next day, the students were readying themselves to enter the buses to Gotham City. Dash was trying (and failing) to score a date. "Please, don't tell me you're still upset at me for not getting tickets for that basketball game?" The bully asked with a pleading tone.

"That and you running around wearing nothing but your underwear." Michelle Lynne Clarke answered.

"It was Fenton and Foley's fault." Dash argued.

"The last time I checked, they didn't force you to enter the bet." Michelle replied.

"How was I supposed to know a loser like Fenton got twenty-eight girls wanting dates with him?" Dash asked. "It sounded too farfetched."

"Fenton probably is more mature than you, not that it says much about him." Michelle retorted.

"Fenton." Dash muttered. "I will…"

"Get into the bus for football players and discuss football strategies with your teammates." Coach Tetslaff declared.

"Yes, Coach." Dash sadly replied and did as ordered.

During the ride, Danny was glad for Sam's presence since he felt it was what kept people from asking dating hints. 'Couldn't they understand I was just myself and treated those girls with respect?'

Other than that, the journey was uninteresting until they heard the following question from the radio. "What is yellow and has several pairs of eyes?"

A few seconds later, the answer came. "Bat Bait!" A flashing light blinded everyone for a while and, when it ended, the bus with the football players and Coach Tetslaff left.

"Where are the players?" Mikey asked.

"Were they abducted?" Tucker hopefully asked.

"Let's not jump to conclusions." Mr. Lancer replied. "They probably just left without us. Let's keep going to our hotel."

Upon arriving, they learned Mr. Lancer was wrong. Out of concern for the game (and the students, of course), Mr. Lancer called the cops. "So, why didn't you call us back then?" Detective Bullock asked.

"We initially assumed they just went ahead without us, Detective." Mr. Lancer asked.

"So, what was the last thing you remember from before the blinding light?" Bullock asked and Mr. Lancer explained about the riddle. "It seems like the Riddler is back." He commented.

"Don't be so sure, Detective." Batgirl replied as she appeared. "Roland Daggett waged a lot of money against Casper High and it wouldn't be the first time he tries to use one of Gotham's costumed villains as a scapegoat."

"He once stole a cat-themed artifact hoping people would think Catwoman was behind it." Tucker whispered to his friends.

"He also tried to kill Catwoman and me when we got too close to the truth." Batgirl added.

"And he'd still be in Blackgate for it had either of you testified in court." Bullock replied with a glare.

"Anyway, we still have people to find." Detective Renee Montoya said. "Has anyone seen anything that can help pinpoint the location where the disappearance took place?"

"I have." Mr. Lancer replied while raising his hand. "I've seen a sign saying we were fourteen miles away from Gotham City."

"Okay." The cops said as they took notes.

"I'll be looking for them." Batgirl said. "Bye."

"Wait." Bullock ordered. "Where's Batman? Not that I'd rather have another crazed vigilante nearby but…"

"He's trying to bust a drug ring operating at the south side." Batgirl explained and left.

"At least she's not abrupt like the other bat." Bullock commented.

After the students and Mr. Lancer were released from questioning, Detectives Bullock and Montoya reported their findings to Commissioner Gordon. "So, what do you think?" He asked.

"I think it's the Riddler's doing, Commish." Bullock answered.

"And I think it could be Daggett." Montoya replied.

"I probably shouldn't be asking it but, did you take a good look at the Fenton boy?" The Commissioner asked.

"Seems like an okay guy." Montoya commented.

"Too skinny in my opinion." Bullock said with disdain. "I don't know what your daughter sees in him. She probably wants you to think an ex-boyfriend of hers wasn't that bad after all." He said and then took another bite of his donut.

"By your standards, who besides Santa Claus and Oliver Hardy isn't too skinny?" Montoya teasingly asked.

"Just go look for clues to the missing students, okay?" Gordon asked in frustration.

Meanwhile, once Danny and Tucker were alone in their hotel room, Danny went ghost. "Tucker, cover for me if someone tries to call." He asked and left. As he flew around, he noticed the Batjet flying next to him. "Batgirl?"

"Danny, I knew it was a matter of time you'd show up." Batgirl said and gave him a communicator. "Luckily Batman decided he'd not need the jet for the drug bust."

"It's your town." He commented. "What do we do?"

"You'll lead the way to the crime scene and then we'll see." She replied.

"So, any chances we'll sit together while watching the game?" Danny asked as they flew.

"Yes." Batgirl answered. "Unlike Kim Possible, I have a secret identity to protect so I didn't become a cheerleader even after she increased my respect for cheerleading."

After they arrived, they started looking around. "So, what exactly are we looking for?" Danny asked.

"Tire marks leaving the road." Batgirl answered. "Unless whoever abducted those students can fly and is strong enough to carry them all, their bus will have left marks for us to follow."

"Good thinking, Batgirl." Danny replied.

"I found them!" Barbara exclaimed after a few minutes. Following the marks, both heroes seemingly reached a dead end as they found a mountain.

"I got it!" Danny said and turned himself intangible and invisible. "As I thought." He said after entering and leaving. "It's a secret entrance."

"How do I get in?" Batgirl asked.

"If you don't mind, I can make both of us intangible but you'd better hold me firmly if you're willing to go through that." Danny suggested and she accepted it. Following the tunnel, they found the bus and saw several thugs surrounding them. "Can you use your intangibility to get them out?" Batgirl asked.

"Not all of them at once." Danny answered. "I'd need something to distract them."

"Or someone." Batgirl replied. "Just phase yourself into the bus and let me handle the distraction."

A few punches and kicks later, the jocks were amazed with Batgirl. "Wow!" Kwan exclaimed. "She's awesome!"

"I agree." Danny replied as he phased himself inside the bus.

"Phantom!" All jocks and the driver exclaimed.

"Shhhh." He asked. "I can get you guys out but one at a time."

"Me first! Me first!" Everyone shouted.

Danny decided to approach Kwan first. "Keep holding and stay silent until I release you." Danny instructed the jock. He took Kwan to a point where the bad guys couldn't see them. "Wait here while Batgirl and I rescue the others." Danny said and Kwan nodded. As Danny returned to the bus, he noticed Batgirl already knocked down the mooks. "I guess there's no need for distractions any longer." He commented.

"Still not intimidated?" Barbara teasingly asked and then pointed to a device next to the bus door. "That must be what allowed the villains to control the bus."

Taking the cue, Danny phased it out and released everyone. "There. Run away before…" A gate then closed with only Kwan outside.

"Before something like this happens?" Someone wearing a mostly green suit with details in purple and a just as purple mask maliciously asked.

"The Riddler?" Batgirl asked upon recognizing the villain. "And to think I suspected Daggett was up to another frame up." She then saw the villain next to him. "Black Manta? I guess you did join the Legion of Doom as Batman deduced."

"Well, two on two is a fair fight." Danny commented as he revealed himself to the two villains.

"Two on two?" Black Manta maliciously asked his literal partner-in-crime. "Would you look at that, Riddler? They think they're the only side in this case to bring a ghost."

"What're you talking about?" Danny asked and then felt his ghost sense. He readied himself for any of his ghostly enemies but, to his surprise, the ghost that phased himself in didn't look like any ghost (friend, enemy or neutral) he ever met before. Unlike these other ghosts, the newcomer was dressed like a British Lord from ancient times and even wore a monocle. Also unlike any other ghosts Danny met before, this one was invisible but wore visible clothes.

Unlike Danny, Batgirl recognized the ghost. "You?"

End chapter.

Answer to Leonardo (guest): Lamento, sem reação deles sobre isso neste capítulo. Quanto à Sam, você me deu uma ideia brilhante. Entretanto, acho que seu comentário está incompleto. Creio que você queria colocar alguma coisa além da letra "y" entre "Dann" e "Batgirl". Algum motivo especial para repetir o comentário duas semanas depois?