Hunters of Justice

by trestwho

Remnant has fallen, its cities captured and its greatest defenders defeated at the hands of the alien conqueror, Brainiac. In the aftermath of his victory, the people of Remnant's last hope lies in the hands of two teams of students, whisked away to another world. A world where Gods walk among them.

29. You Think That You'll Break Me

Hunters of Justice (RWBY/DC)

Chapter 21: You Think That You'll Break Me

[~][~]

"So," Yang began as she and Blake walked on the sidewalk, moving with the pedestrian traffic, "what's the plan?"

"Right now," Blake answered, "we wait until Kate gives us the signal, then we move in."

"I got that. My question is, how are we going to get in?"

"I'm sure you'll think of something." Blake said, continuing to walk along. Both she and Yang were wearing civilian clothes instead of their costumes, allowing them to blend in seamlessly among the Gotham nightlife. Both girls were wearing evening gowns, Blake's a rich black and Yang's a vibrant yellow. The skirts stretched down to cover their feet, but never once did they threaten to trip over it. Their backs were exposed to the cool autumn air, as were their arms and neckline. Thick purses were hanging over their shoulders, which housed their actual equipment while also completing the look.

"You know, just gonna say it. We look good," Yang pointed out, to which Blake silently agreed. She refocused her attention to their surroundings, and it was a stark contrast to what one normally thought of Gotham. They were in a more upscale part of the city, filled with nice shops, restaurants, and clubs. For a moment, the street created a mask that could make one think Gotham's reputation was undeserved. But, upon taking a single look at their destination, that mask withered away.

The Iceberg Lounge sat at the end of the street, a gleaming white building made to look like an iceberg. Smaller columns with an ice-like appearance marked the entrance, where a pair of burly security guards opened and closed a velvet rope for would-be patrons. The patrons themselves were clearly high class, judging by the jewels and expensive clothing they wore, not to mention the air of arrogance only a rich person could expel. Months of living with Weiss had made them accustomed to it, even if the girl was honestly trying.

"Do you see her?" Yang asked, but Blake shook her head.

"Not yet," the Faunus replied with a small frown, "and I don't see a way in. It may not look like it, but this place is heavily guarded. Guards, security cameras, everything you could think of."

"Damn," Yang cursed and shook her head as they passed a young woman with short black hair wearing a fine dress. Still not seeing their escort, Yang and Blake spotted a bench and sat down on it, keeping their attention focused on the lounge. They continued to wait, Yang twiddling her thumbs while Blake tapped her foot. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the felt their scrolls buzz and they both pulled theirs out.

"Kate? Where are you?" Yang asked first, scanning the environment to find the socialite.

"Currently in line," Kate answered. Blake looked towards the line, where they saw a woman with short red hair waving at them. Yang and Blake nodded, then hung up and walked towards her. Kate let them join the line behind her, and all three turned their attention to the front.

"Couldn't have found a better way in?" Yang asked, and Kate shook her head.

"This was the easiest way," Kate clarified as she led the two girls further down the line. "Once we get inside, you know what to do."

Blake and Yang nodded in acknowledgement, then continued traversing the line. They listened in to the idle conversations around them, both to scope out any potential leads while also alleviating their boredom. Unfortunately, most were quite banal.

"Who's that you're wearing? Versace? Burburry?"

"Have to say, I've been looking forward to tonight, darling. The past few weeks have been absolutely dreadful."

"Did you hear about Jump City? Thank goodness that madman was taken down in time. And to think, I thought about moving there."

Similar conversations filled the air, and after a while Blake and Yang simply tuned them out. Instead, they focused on what they had to do. The plan was, at its core, simple. Get into the Iceberg Lounge, which they were about to do. Then, find information about the arms dealing, either from Cobblepot's records or the Penguin himself. Finally, once they have what they need, get out. Simple enough, but part of Blake just knew that things wouldn't go that simply. Nothing ever did anymore.

"Name?" the burly security guard said as the three made it to the front of the line.

"Katharine Kane," Kate answered then pointed at Yang and Blake from behind her shoulder, "with two tagalongs."

The security guard frowned and flipped through his list, then slowly nodded. He then turned towards the door and opened it, allowing the three women inside. A blast of cold air hit them as they passed the threshold, not cold enough to be uncomfortable but enough to be noticeable. Inside, they immediately noticed why it was called the 'Iceberg Lounge' as a mountain of ice jettisoned up to the rooftop. At its top sat a group of musicians, one playing a piano and the rest a series of string instruments, who filled the air with a sweet melody. A massive pool of ice and water sat in the middle, surrounded by multiple floors of tables, guests and waitresses. The room was constructed of fine white marble, textured to look like ice, with sparkling glass chandeliers hanging overhead. Inside the pool, they saw live seals swimming about and lounging lazily on hunks of ice alongside penguins, fish, and other arctic and Antarctic animals.

"Whew, and I thought this place was fancy on the outside," Yang noted.

"Too bad it's all a front," Blake replied with a frown.

"Never said it wasn't. Still, I can definitely see why people like this place."

Just as Yang finished speaking, a waiter carrying a plate of shrimp in dipping glasses walked over to them and offered a sample. With a smile on her face, Yang took one and waved him along before biting down.

"Oh my god, this is delicious!" Yang enthusiastically announced as she finished the sample, causing Blake to sigh and Kate to shake her head.

"Is she always like this?" Kate whispered to the Faunus.

"Yes." Blake nodded, then looked around the main lounge. There were hundreds of patrons scattered around the floors, accompanied by even more waitresses and waiters. Several burly security guards stood careful watch at key points, with a few standing around what appeared to be empty walls. Blake wasn't fooled, however, and knew that there were likely several secret entrances along those walls. Where they led, she could only guess.

"No obvious ways in," Kate noted with a frown, twiddling her fingers. Yang looked around as well, trying to spot an opening, then smiled.

"Leave that to me," she said, walking past a waiter carrying more shrimp, snagging another morsel on the way. Then, to Blake's horror, she sashayed over to a young waiter. He noticed her immediately and blushed heavily as she came closer.

"Oh my god…" Blake muttered, covering her face, while Kate raised an eyebrow.

"Lively one, ain't she?" she asked, and with her face still covered, Blake nodded.

"You have no idea," Blake replied, sighing and removing her hands to look at Yang. She was flirting heavily with the young waiter, who was sputtering at her every move. At the same time, she saw Yang's hand sneak around to his side, continuing to act as the flirt while actually swiping his keycard. The waiter hardly noticed it, so focused on Yang, before she whispered something into his ear and sent him off scurrying at a brisk pace. As he disappeared behind the counter, Yang walked back towards her partner and Kate, twiddling the swiped keycard in her hands.

"Got it," she declared with a smile, then handed the card to Blake. "You guys go ahead, I'll catch up."

"Why?" Blake asked, and Yang smiled.

"I'm getting more of those shrimp things, obviously. Seriously, they're really good. Plus, not only would I look like a jerk after pulling that stunt, it would put suspicion on us."

"No, I mean why—"

"Meet us at the east wing," Kate interrupted with a nod. Yang smiled and flashed a thumbs up, then the Batwoman dragged Blake away as Yang went back to the bar just as the waiter came back with a plate of shrimp. The two women walked through the crowd, putting more and more distance between them and Yang, and before long they found themselves in a slightly less crowded hallway. A pair of guards stood watch at the far end just before the corridor turned into a corner as waiters and waitresses helped their guests, leaving no obvious blind spots for them to exploit, not that they could before Yang rejoined them.

Kate pointed to one of the walls, to which Blake nodded. They made their way over through the crowd, trying to avoid any patrons, only for Blake to accidentally bump one that appeared out of nowhere.

"Oof!" Blake grunted as her body rotated to the side, her Aura not up. The blonde woman was sent reeling back as well, but before she could fall over, Blake caught her by the hand and kept her up.

"Ooh, my goodness," the woman slurred. "Clumsy me."

"Are you okay, miss?" Blake asked as she helped the clearly drunk woman steady herself. The woman dusted herself off, checking on her nice dress before nodding in drunken acceptance.

"I'm fine. Really, truly," she insisted, then looked at Blake and smiled while holding out her hand. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name. Irena Dubrovna. You?"

"Blake Belle," Blake replied, shaking the woman's hand. "Again, I'm sorry for bumping into you, Ms. Dubrovna."

"It's fine, really. Well, I won't keep you or your friend any longer," Irena stated before wandering off, swaying from side to side. Blake watched her go to ensure she wouldn't fall over, and once the drunken woman disappeared into the crowd she turned to walk back towards Kate. The older woman nodded as Blake leaned against the wall, and a light silence fell between them as they waited for Yang to make her way over.

"So," Kate started after a moment, her eyes fixated on the crowd, "what's your story?"

Blake thought on how best to answer, then shrugged. "Same as many. Started with a group thinking we were doing the right thing, only for them to become worse and worse until I could no longer stomach it. So, I left, met Yang, Weiss, and Ruby, and you know the rest."

Blake knew that wasn't entirely sufficient of an answer, but she could recognize the tactic Kate was using. The Batwoman was using the appearance of conversation to throw anyone off their scent, and she intended to play along the best they could. Kate nodded back, then crossed her arms.

"Former army myself, before I got discharged for bullshit reasons. Kinda drifted from place to place before finally settling on Gotham. Been here ever since."

Blake nodded at Kate's response just as Yang finally came over to them. She had a proud smile on her face, almost victorious, which only caused her partner to sigh.

"You know, he was kinda sweet. Not my type, but I was able to help him out with someone else," Yang declared as she folded her hands behind her head. Blake narrowed her eyes at Yang, then sighed again before looking at Kate.

"You ready?" Kate asked as she subtly pulled out a small cylinder from her purse. Yang nodded, adjusting the golden bracelets on her wrists in emphasis as Blake tugged on a ribbon wrapped around her arm. Kate nodded back, glanced at the guards, then pressed a button on the cylinder. At once, every light in the Iceberg Lounge shut off, plunging the entire room into darkness. Scared and confused screams rang out as patrons wondered what was going on while workers raced to fix the problem, but after a few seconds the lights came back on. Everyone stared at the lights tentatively, as if daring them to turn off again, but when nothing happened, they shrugged and went back to doing what they were doing before.

No one noticed the women who'd slunk their way past the guards, not even the men themselves.

---

The three women managed to find an empty room further down the hallway, away from any patrolling guards. There, in relative privacy, they were able to change into their costumes and stow their formal attire as best they could.

"All clear," Blake stated as she peeked out the door, looking for any guards. With Gambol Shroud drawn and loaded with rubber bullets and outfitted with a suppressor, Blake filed out first, followed by Yang and Batwoman. The two huntresses allowed Batwoman to take point, who led them further into the hallway.

"Our best bet is to find the Penguin's archives," Batwoman explained as they ran down the hallway. "Barring that, we take the direct approach."

"Sounds good to me," Yang said. The Golden Dragon never was one to prefer stealth over a straight up fight but could when the situation called for it. Hopefully, should they feel the need to ask the Penguin directly, he'd be in a compliable mood. If not, Yang knew she had ways to make him talk.

Suddenly, Blake stopped, her ears twitching as they picked up a faint sound coming towards them. Recognizing the sign immediately, Yang threw herself to the side behind a wall outcropping while Batwoman and her partner did the same on the opposite side. A few moments later, a pair of burly men wielding assault rifles calmly walked down the corridor, idly chatting among themselves. Yang prepared to attack them, only for Batwoman to shake her head and subtly point to blinking devices mounted on their wrists. Yang's mask scanned them, and she had to bite back a curse as they were identified as military-grade heartbeat monitors.

"God, that blackout could not have come at a worse time," one complained while hoisting his rifle over his shoulder as he and his partner moved past the hidden superheroes.

"Yeah. There's nothing worse than having to use the restroom in the dark. Got Cobblepot all spooked, though," the other replied, keeping his rifle in hand pointed downward.

"You think there's someone here? Cops? One of the Bat-Freaks?"

"Possibly." He winced then rubbed his arms. "Hope it's cops and not them, though. Arm still feels a bit numb from the last time."

"Yep." The thug nodded, then smirked knowingly. "Still, once the boss gets this deal going, all of us are going to get a lot richer."

"Haha! You know it!" The other thug laughed as the two of them travelled further down the hallway, eventually disappearing behind a corner. Once they were out of sight, the three heroes stepped out from the shadows, frowns plastered across their faces.

"A deal? With Scarecrow?" Blake suggested, and Batwoman's frown deepened.

"Possibly. Only one way to find out."

Blake and Yang nodded, then the three continued running down the corridors. The Faunus kept her ears peeled, discerning where any guards were and how to avoid them. Although they were confident in their ability to take them down, the heartbeat monitors made taking one down an open invitation to be swarmed. Finally, they came across a lone metal gate stretching across the hallway, halting their progress.

"We're here," Batwoman declared as she walked up to the door. She stepped next to a keycard reader then held out her hand expectantly. Knowing what she was looking for, Blake nodded and reached into her pouch to pull out the swiped keycard. Only, to her surprise, she couldn't find it. Blake fished her hand around the pouch, reaching every corner of it, but with growing alarm she found that it wasn't there.

"What's the hold-up?" Yang asked, and Blake looked at her partner in alarm.

"The keycard. It's gone," she revealed, causing both Yang and Batwoman to stare at her incredulously.

"Are you serious? How?" Batwoman demanded.

"I literally just gave it to you," Yang pointed out, mildly annoyed. Blake thought back to when she last had the keycard, trying to find how she could have misplaced. Then an encounter came to mind, and Blake groaned.

Blake groaned in realization. "I know what happened. As I was putting the keycard away, I bumped into a woman. Irena-something. I must have dropped it on accident."

"Great." Batwoman groaned and shook her head, then took out a hacking device and hovered it over the card reader. "Cover me. This might take a while."

Both Blake and Yang nodded, then took position along the wall. A few tense minutes passed, faint footsteps growing closer and closer as the patrol they had just passed was returning.

"Clear," Batwoman said as the device beeped. The door unlocked, and quickly the three heroes piled through the threshold. Once they were all inside, they closed the door and locked it, leaving no trace of their entrance.

Yang and Blake took the time to look at their surroundings. In contrast to the gleam and glamor that was the public areas, this section of the Iceberg Lounge hid no truths. The entire room they found themselves in was covered in a thick layer of dust, several sections of wallpaper peeling away to reveal the cheap wood underneath. To them, this place reeked of criminal activity, which seemed appropriate given the owner.

"What's our next move?" Blake asked as the three of them moved into an adjacent room, where they found an old air duct grate.

"The sewers," Batwoman answered as she pried open the grate.

"Ew, seriously?" Yang whined and grimaced, but to her displeasure Batwoman nodded.

"Yes, unfortunately. There's a route directly underneath that'll take us right to his office, and this airduct will take us straight to it."

Yang sighed, then felt Blake pat her shoulder in sympathy. The Golden Dragon looked at her, then took a deep breath and pinched her nose.

"I swear, I'm going to smell for a week," Yang muttered as she entered the duct. Blake smiled wistfully and shook her head, then prepared to enter, only to stop as she heard a faint sound. She turned her head sharply to the door, certain that was where she heard it, but there was nothing. Blake switched her mask's vision to see through the thin wood, but again saw nothing but a few rats. After a few more moments, she shrugged, then entered the air duct, closing it behind her.

---

"You have to be kidding me," Blake declared as the three looked over a vast pool of salt water. The journey to get to this point involved a lot of cramped spaces and wallcrawling, which at times was uncomfortable, but that was nothing compared to the sight before her.

"Yep," Batwoman nodded, pursing her lips as they watched a large shadow swim beneath the water's surface. A lone fin jetted above, and a thick tail swiveled from side to side as the creature prowled its environment.

"The Penguin has a freaking shark?"

"Calls it Bruce, actually."

"Oh, he named it. So, it's a pet, then?"

Blake's ears twitched again as Batwoman looked around the room. She spotted a tunnel leading out of the pool then pointed to it.

"Through there, I take it?" she asked, and Batwoman nodded.

"Yep. That will take you right below Cobblepot's office. We just have to get past Bruce."

"Joy," Yang quipped, then readied her shotgun gauntlets. She looked around, trying to spot any way to traverse the obstacle, then pointed towards a wooden raft on a small dock. "Will that work?"

"It'll have to," Batwoman noted, then jumped off the overhang they were perched on and glided to the raft. Blake was following her, jumping from pole to pole down to the dock. Yang, meanwhile, pondered how she was going to get across, then snapped her fingers before launching a zipline to the wall above the dock. Hooking one of her gauntlets up to it, she rode the line down to the dock. Once they were all on the dock, they tentatively stepped out onto the raft, Batwoman pulling out her batclaw in preparation.

"Ready?" she asked, and the other passengers nodded as they braced themselves. Batwoman nodded back, then aimed the batclaw at the opposite wall and fired. The metal prongs embedded themselves into the concrete, allowing her to pull the raft forward.

"Need some help there?" Yang asked, preparing to step forward, only for the raft to suddenly rock violently as the shark passed underneath. The women steadied themselves, keeping a careful eye on the shark and their weapons aimed towards it.

"No. If that thing gets near, you shoot it," Batwoman ordered, and Blake and Yang nodded. The two loaded their guns, then stared out over the dark water. The shark was circling them, staring through an unblinking black eye as though they were prey. It was unnerving, to say the least.

"Say, Kate? Quick question, how does the Penguin feed this guy?" Yang asked, but Batwoman didn't answer immediately.

"… You don't want to know," Batwoman finally replied, shuddering at a foul memory. Yang took a moment to process her vague statement, then paled as realization sunk in.

"Message received. Geez…" she muttered, only for the raft to shake once again, this time more violently. The heroes hobbled back and forth, trying to keep their balance. Yang and Blake held onto each other, while Batwoman kept balance on her own. Slowly, the rocking stopped, and the water grew calm as the shadow disappeared from view. The three women waited a few more moments, still huddled together, then separated.

"Whew," Yang gasped, wiping some water from her forehead, "talk about a—"

Without warning, a massive grey and white shape leapt from the water off their port side. Yang barely had the time to even turn around as the shark's jaws slammed into her, the massive weight splintering the part of the raft she was on while dragging her below the waves.

"Yang!" she heard Blake yell, her voice muffled by the cascading waves as Yang was dragged further and further into the ice-cold pool. The shark's jaws were clamped tightly around Yang's leg, trying to bite through her Aura, but Yang was already on the offense. She threw punch after punch at the shark's eye, trying to dislodge it, but the beast's thrashing was throwing her aim off so that her knuckles were skidding off his sandpapery skin instead of connecting solidly, and the resistance of the pressurized water slowing down her punches wasn't helping matters. The massive fish was either too stubborn or too tough for her deflecting blows to make any headway.

Yang sputtered, a rush of bubbles escaping from her mouth, and her vision began to blur. She was drowning, Yang realized, while being thrashed about by a giant great white shark. Her mind raced, trying to figure out a way through it. Outside help wasn't happening, as both Blake's and Batwoman's pistols simply weren't powerful enough to maintain lethal force this far down underwater. Ember Celica itself was also out of the question, with the firing mechanism completely waterlogged. As her fist slid off the ridge of the shark's retracted eye, Yang was yet again reminded of how her own punches weren't working properly, and she began to panic.

Then, in a moment of pure desperation, an idea popped into Yang's head. She forced herself to remain calm, then pulled a single shell from one of her bandoliers. A particularly vicious shake caused it to slip from her fingers, and the brass casing began to sink down towards the dark depths of the tank, but Yang was able to fumble and catch it before being yanked to the side yet again. More bubbles escaped from her mouth, but she still forced herself to be calm. The shark continued to chew on her legs, her Aura the only thing keeping its jaws at bay, then Yang pressed the shell against where she thought the eye was. They were so far underwater now, it was hard to see anything. With her lungs and Aura straining, Yang reinforced her finger with Aura, then flicked the cap. A muffled bang sounded, followed by a sudden release of pressure on her legs and a cloud of red blood filling the water. She heard the shark swim away in pain, but Yang took no time to bask in her quick thinking. She was already swimming to the surface as fast as she could, and just as she felt the sudden need to inhale, regardless of what came in, her head broke above the water's surface. She gasped for breath, dripping water cascading down her head, and began to hear shouts.

"Yang! Get over here, now!" Blake shouted, a mixture of fear and relief filling her voice. With water dripping over her eyes, Yang swam towards her partner, only to hear gunshots as both Blake and Batwoman fired their pistols at something coming from behind her. Not looking back, Yang swam harder, her feet kicking splashes of water high into the air. She then felt something wrap itself around her arm and felt a light tug towards the side.

"Come on!" Batwoman yelled, balancing herself on a wooden pole. She had shot her batclaw around Yang's gauntlet, using her free hand to fire her pistol towards Bruce, and Yang pulled herself towards the vigilante while Batwoman herself braced against the pole. She heard the churn behind her as the shark was momentarily driven away once again, the noise unbearably close to her. Once she finally reached the pole, Batwoman helped her up, and together balanced on its top.

Yang wiped the water from her eyes and saw that the pool now had a noticeable red stain in it. Blake was on the other side, their half-raft nestled against the tunnel. A series of thin wooden poles, the remains of a walkway, separated them, telling Yang how Batwoman had managed to traverse the waterway. Taking deep breaths, Batwoman looked at Yang in concern, checking over her body for any injuries.

"Are you hurt?" Batwoman asked, but Yang shook her head.

"No. The blood ain't mine," Yang replied, breathing heavily. She then looked down at the pool, seeing that the blood had spread out like thin tendrils across a dark canvas, and frowned.

"Think he's gone?" she asked.

"I'm not staying around to find out," Batwoman replied, to which Yang nodded heavily. Carefully, the two bounded across the poles, Batwoman helping to keep Yang's balance, and before long the two finally found themselves on the remains of the raft. Yang was immediately greeted by a desperate hug from Blake, which Yang readily returned. Batwoman let the two partners have their moment, then silently pulled the remains deeper into the tunnel. Yang took the pause to catch her breath from the harrowing ordeal, her heavy breaths steadily returning to normal.

"You know," Yang finally began once they reached the other side and disembarked, "I think I would have preferred the armed guards."

"You and me, both," Batwoman admitted.

---

All three took a few minutes to catch their breath and recover from the harrowing shark attack, and so Yang could get Ember Celica's guns functional again after their saltwater bath, but before long they were on the move again. The smell, accompanied by the series of pipes and water told them they were in the sewers, which didn't surprise them. Gotham's sewers were vast and archaic depending on which part of the city you were in, which made them perfect places for criminals to hide.

"Uggh, I can feel it in my shoes…" Yang grimaced as she shimmied along a narrow pipe, following Batwoman. Blake was behind her, grimacing as they tried their best to ignore the foul stench coming from the putrid water.

"We're almost there," Batwoman said. Sure enough, the pipe ended in a metal grate, at which point she gently opened it and took a look around the room.

"All clear," she revealed as she opened the grate all the way, allowing herself room to exit the pipe. One by one, the rest of the heroes pried their way out and dusted as much of the water, dirt, and grime from their bodies as best they could.

"As soon as we get home, I'm taking a shower," Blake stated, and Yang nodded along with her, muttering to herself about the thorough cleaning she'd have to put her gauntlets through to prevent damage when they got back to the Manor.

"We're right below him," Batwoman revealed. She pressed her cowl and tried to look through the ceiling, but the concrete was too thick. She frowned, but ultimately nodded. As quietly as they could, the three scaled the wall, eventually finding themselves a small hatch leading to the underside of a wood-floored room. They crawled through the hatch and underneath the floorboards, and as they did, they heard a man with a Cockney accent curse and strut around the room.

"I don't care if you boys haven't found 'em yet. I know they're here, and I want 'em dead! Understand?" the Penguin demanded through his phone, which Batwoman immediately connected their comms to.

"Yessir, Mr. Cobblepot," they heard one of his many thugs reply, to which the Penguin scoffed.

"You better. That blackout almost called the whole deal off, and if I find out it really was caused by one of them freaks and they got away without any of you noticing, it'll be on your head," he threatened. The thug on the other line audibly gulped, then hung up to search some more.

"Bunch'a amateurs," he grumbled as he sat down on a velvet chair. Then, to his surprise, he heard muffled music come from outside his office. He frowned, figuring that one of his men decided to be funny and show off his latest mixtape. Cobblepot had half a mind to go down and shut it up but decided to get a smoke first. After today, he needed one.

He reached into a nearby desk and opened it, pulling out a cigar box. Grabbing one, he plopped it in his mouth as he put the box away, then grabbed a lighter and lit it. Bringing the small fire to the front of the stogie, he waited for the end to singe, and once it did, he breathed sharply and felt the smoke fill his lungs. The Penguin flicked the lighter shut, looking towards his desk as he put the lighter inside the drawer, then closed it. He puffed some more, then looked towards the door and prepared to head out.

Only for Batwoman to suddenly sock him across the jaw and send him flying back into his chair.

"What the-?!" he squawked in surprise, his cigar flying from his mouth and across the room. Before he could even attempt to reach for his umbrella, a black ribbon wrapped itself around his chest, pinning him to the chair.

"Why you little-! Untie me this instant!" Cobblepot demanded as Yang calmly walked over and locked the door, then leaned back against the wall and crossed her arms. He scowled at her, while Yang merely smiled and waved dismissively. Batwoman then stepped in front of him, pulling up a chair to sit on, and glared into his eyes.

"Hello, Cobblepot," Batwoman greeted, and the Penguin snarled.

"Well, if it ain't the Bat-Bitch," he spat, futilely trying to escape his binds. "Now you listen here. Either you let me go this instant, or I will have my men give me your heads on a silver platter."

"Nah, you see," Yang said from her position, "we can't exactly do that. Not when we have a few questions for you. So, be a dear and play nice, alright?"

"Fuck off, blondie!" Penguin shot back, causing Yang to frown. He then felt something press against his head, and he turned to look down Gambol Shroud's barrel. Instead of showing fear, Cobblepot merely scoffed. "Oh, really now? Gonna point a gun at me, when ya just said you needed me to answer some questions? Sure, pull the trigger. I dare ya. It'll spare me having to listen to your crap."

Blake frowned, and pressed the gun further. "Don't tempt me," she threatened, but Cobblepot merely rolled his eyes.

"Look, you're wasting your time," Cobblepot said. "I don't care what you say, I ain't talking. So, how's about you turn around, go back the way you came, and get the hell out of my bar."

Batwoman frowned and stood up, preparing to begin the interrogation, only for Yang to calmly step forward and hold up her hand. Silently, the brawler requested to take the lead, and after a moment Batwoman allowed it. With a smile, Yang sat down across from Cobblepot, causing the crime boss to frown in suspicion.

"Hey there," Yang greeted, crossing her legs.

"Are ya deaf?" Cobblepot asked. "Or just plain ol' stupid? Perhaps a bit of—"

Suddenly, Yang's gauntlet shot off, the sound muffled by the music outside as well as an internal suppressor she had attached to it, and a slug plowed through the corner of his chair right next to his head. At once, Cobblepot's attention swiveled towards it, and with incredulous eyes turned to look at an unapologetic Yang.

"Oh, I'm so sorry about that," she started, her voice filled with faux regret. "It's just, like, I'm so stupid that sometimes I forget which one's the safety, and which one's the trigger."

Cobblepot stared at Yang for a few seconds, then his face warped with rage. "Listen, you bimbo! Do that again and I will-!"

Another shot rang out, this time on the other side of his head, and much closer.

"Oops. My bad," Yang apologized once again. Cobblepot felt a trickle of sweat bead down his brow, realizing that these girls might actually be willing to off him, but he maintained his composure.

"…Now, I'm not gonna say it again," Cobblepot started, only for Yang to smile and aim her gauntlet down. He followed it, and paled as he realized exactly where it was pointing. "You wouldn't dare."

"Try me, Penguin," Yang started. A heavy, tense silence fell over the pair, each one daring the other to move first in a game of chicken. As the silence went on, Yang thumbed over the trigger, an action Cobblepot couldn't help but take note off. Each slide over it came with more and more pressure. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Cobblepot had enough.

"Alright! Alright! I'll talk, just call her off for God's sake!" Cobblepot demanded. At once, Yang smiled genuinely and collapsed Ember Celica, backing away to let Batwoman retake her seat. As Yang went back to the wall, Batwoman returned to sit in front of the Penguin. At the same time, Yang could've sworn that she heard the creaking of wood coming from the side room but ignored it to focus on the interrogation before her.

"Thank you, Oswald. I'm glad we could come to an agreement," Batwoman said, but the Penguin frowned.

"Get on with it, already," he replied, not wanting to waste time. "What is it you want to know so badly that you would break into here?"

In response, Batwoman pulled out a series of photographs and pulled over the desk closer to them. She laid the photos across the desk, allowing Cobblepot to look at all of them. He took one glance, then groaned.

"Oh, bloody hell," he cursed. "This is about what Scarecrow did, ain't it?"

"Yes," Batwoman answered, getting straight to the point. "Crane used several hundred thousand dollars-worth of high tech, military grade weaponry from a variety of manufacturers. H&K, ArmaLite, LexCorp, and more. We know you sold them to him."

"Oh yeah?" Cobblepot tilted his fat head and snarled. "Well, newsflash for ya. You're wrong. I didn't sell Scarecrow shit."

Batwoman narrowed her eyes while Yang scoffed. "Bullshit," Yang called out.

"Call it whatever ya' want, it's true," Cobblepot insisted. "I didn't sell those weapons to Crane. Not the ones he used that night, nor any other weapons for the last three fucking years. I consider it professional policy not to sell weapons to complete nutjobs who are just as likely to use them on me as any of you."

"Forgive me if I find that hard to believe," Batwoman countered, her patience running thin. "You and I both know you control the arms industry in Gotham. Nothing comes in without your knowledge."

"You think I don't know that?" Cobblepot stated, irritated both at the heroes and the subject matter. "Believe me, once I found the boys who went behind my back and smuggled those weapons in for him, I personally fed them to Bruce."

Yang frowned, disturbed at how callous he sounded about feeding people to a shark. Even if they brought deadly weapons into the city, no one deserved that horrible fate. She could only hope it ended quickly.

Still unconvinced, Batwoman pulled out another picture, this one focused on a symbol engraved into the side of a magazine holder. Cobblepot took one look at the picture, then looked back at Batwoman incredulously.

"Really? Do you honestly think I'd be that stupid as to put my logo on any of my merchandise?"

"You have a theme," Yang pointed out.

"Yeah, but my guns ain't freaking billboards!" Cobblepot scoffed.

"You're being surprisingly open about that," Blake pointed out, and Cobblepot glared at the Faunus.

"Listen, Catgirl," Cobblepot said, inadvertently riling Blake up, "selling guns is perfectly legal. Not my fault Gotham's more unscrupulous individuals tend to get their hands on my goods. You know how lawless some parts of town are."

Batwoman frowned, knowing that the Penguin struck a nerve against Blake. She stood up and, still not believing his story, suddenly kicked the chair back. With a surprised yell, Cobblepot fell back and hit the ground hard, the back of the chair resting against the wooden floor.

"What the hell?!" Cobblepot shouted as he thrashed about, but Batwoman ignored him.

"Find his archives. I know they're in here, somewhere," Batwoman ordered. At once, the heroes fanned out, ignoring Cobblepot's angry protests as they searched every desk, every book, every computer and every filing cabinet for information. Finally, a collective sigh echoed through the room, and the Penguin smiled victoriously.

"See? I told you. I may be a nasty bloke, but this? I didn't do it," Cobblepot declared, and Batwoman clenched her fist.

"Dammit," she cursed, as did the others. Huffing, Batwoman pressed her fingers up to her cowl, and spoke into it. "Oracle, did you get that?"

"I did, unfortunately," Oracle replied, sighing heavily. "Have to admit, this is surprising and a little disappointing. Can you get anything else out of him?"

"No, I don't think so," Batwoman admitted, and Penguin's grin grew wider. Oracle grunted in annoyance, while Yang frowned and walked over to him.

"Any idea who might have smuggled it in?" she asked, but Cobblepot shook his head.

"Blondie, trust me when I say this. No one, and I mean no one, intrudes on my turf and gets away with it. I don't know who did it, but when I do, heads are going to roll," he declared, telling Yang all she needed to know.

"Good to know," she said, then kicked the chair over to rotate it to its side. Penguin squawked in surprise, then grumbled at his uncomfortable position.

"I swear, when I get out of here…" he growled, continuing his thrashing. Then, he felt the ribbon loosen, then completely fall apart. Now untethered to the chair, he fell to the ground ignominiously, then shot to his feet and whirled about. Cobblepot grabbed his umbrella, pointing the end forward as he scanned the room, trying to find any trace of his captors, but found none.

Slowly, Cobblepot felt the fear from the interrogation making way for rage. It was both humiliating and infuriating, and he refused to let it stand. With a snarl, he stormed out of the room, intending to announce their presence over the intercom, only to stop as he heard a pair of heavy footsteps calmly walk towards him.

"Cobblepot," a deep, guttural voice rumbled. Cobblepot, annoyance etched onto his face, didn't even turn around to face his would-be business partner.

"Were you there the whole time?" he asked.

"I was."

"Then why in the hell didn't you do anything?!" Cobblepot demanded to know.

"Because, señor," the man said as he stepped out of the shadows, a thick mask covering his face, "one does not catch a bat without bait."

"Oh, is that what I was?" Cobblepot asked. The man refused to answer, to which Cobblepot huffed. "Doesn't matter. Look, I don't care if you came here with a legitimate business proposition or was merely using me from the start. The offer's still on the table, and if you kill those bitches for me, it'll be half off."

From beneath his mask, the man smiled, then extended his large hand outward. Putting aside his umbrella, Cobblepot shook his hand and smiled.

"Hope to see you soon, Bane."

---

Batwoman, Blake, and Yang traversed the sewers back the way they came, up until they reached Bruce's pool. Unwilling to traverse it yet again, lest they invite the massive shark for another snack run, they instead scaled the wall and entered the Iceberg Lounge's ventilation system. Each step echoed around them, causing Blake to wince as her ears twitched at the racket. Everything else was quiet, but Blake couldn't help but feel concerned. The three of them just humiliated one of the most powerful crime lords in Gotham, if not the entire country. Getting out was of the utmost priority.

"Can we keep using the air ducts?" she asked, but Batwoman shook her head.

"No. We keep going this way and it's a dead end," Batwoman revealed, frowning. "Luckily, there's an elevator shaft nearby that takes us directly to the top floor, where we can sneak out undetected."

The others remained silent, until Yang audibly scoffed and cracked her neck. "Well, no use staying in here. The sooner we get out, the better."

"Agreed," Batwoman said. Then, using her gauntlet's spikes, Batwoman gently pulled off the grate and laid it off to the side. She then poked her head through the opening, took a quick look around, and once she confirmed the coast was clear she gracefully lowered herself down. Batwoman fell to the ground, silently landing on the balls of her feet, and one by one the rest of the heroes followed suit.

"Come on, this way." Batwoman gestured with her hand, telling the heroes to follow her as they walked along the corridor. Blake kept her ears peeled, trying to discern any movement, but to her surprise and alarm found none. She supposed that should have been a good thing, but after what they just did to Cobblepot, she could only imagine what retribution he had planned. Hence why they were so insistent on getting out as fast as possible. Although Blake was confident they could fight their way out if need be, she'd rather avoid a fight altogether.

Finally, they reached the elevator door. Yang opened it, seeing that the car was on their floor. They piled on, Yang closing the door once they were all inside. By the time the Golden Dragon had turned around, Batwoman had already removed a ceiling grate and she and Nightshade were climbing up.

"Come on," Blake insisted, gesturing towards herself as Batwoman zipped towards the top of the shaft and Catwoman scaled up its scarce footholds. Yang nodded towards her partner and jumped up, grabbing hold of the opening's edges and pulling herself up. Once she was safely on top of the car, Yang cupped her hands together and sharply tilted her head upward with a smile, telling Blake to continue on while she herself put the grate back. Blake nodded in response, then hopped onto her partner's offered hands so she could effortlessly catapult her up, the shadowy girl flying up to Batwoman in one go. Yang watched her partner for a moment, then picked up the grate and placed it back where it belonged.

"There we go," Yang stated, slapping her hands together. "Like it never even—"

Suddenly, the doors chimed open, and Yang threw herself against the pullies, a heavy presence instinctively cautioning her. She heard heavy footsteps enter the car, likely from a large man. The roof prevented her from seeing him, however, so she had no idea who the man could be. Yang tilted her head to look at a suddenly worried Blake, who herself was at the top of the shaft and rapidly gesturing for Yang to hurry up and get over. She nodded back and prepared to zip up to her, only to hear the man suddenly stop pacing. A heavy silence grew, and Yang didn't even allow herself to breathe.

Then, to her surprise, a massive arm erupted out of the elevator roof next to her prone body. With a yelp, the arm grabbed hold of her and yanked her down, ripping through the roof as though it was tissue paper. Yang slammed onto the ground hard but jumped up to her feet, ready to fight, only to find herself face to face with a large, muscular man wearing a black coat over a black tank top and dark jeans. His head was covered by a black mask, the face outlined in white with only his eyes and mouth showing.

With a wordless yell, Yang threw a haymaker towards the man, only for him to deflect it and punch hard into her gut. Despite her Aura, Yang doubled over and felt the air leave her lungs, leaving her defenseless as the man picked her up and slammed her repeatedly against the walls of the elevator car. Each impact created a large dent, and once the car opened, he violently threw her into the hallway. Her body slammed into a desk, shattering it into splinters, but as she pushed herself off the ground the man calmly strode towards her just as Blake jumped down to assist her. As Blake entered the car, however, the doors slammed shut and the car began to ascend, leaving Yang alone with the man.

"Alright," Yang said, wiping some saliva from the corner of her mouth while raising her arms, "now you've gone and pissed me off."

"Hmm," the man grunted, unimpressed. "I had heard that you were temperamental."

"Oh, I'm more than temperamental right now," Yang countered, then yelled and charged at the man. She threw a punch towards his head, which he dodged to the side and countered with a jab into her ribs. Grunting, Yang retaliated with a punch to his chest, which connected and sent him sliding back against the wooden floor. Pressing her advantage, Yang charged and slammed into his waist, pushing him back while repeatedly punching into his side. The man grunted with each blow, but then raised his arms up high, clasped his hands together, and slammed them into Yang's back. The heavy hammer-like blow knocked Yang to the ground, where he effortlessly picked her up, twirled her in a circle, then threw her through a wall and into an adjacent room. A table broke her fall, reduced to nothing more than splinters, but it did little to ease the pain.

"Uggh," Yang grunted, picking herself up and removing wood chips from her hair. Her eyes were red, but she forced herself to keep focused on him. "So, you must be Bane?"

"Indeed, I am," Bane answered, calmly walking through the wall and cracking his knuckles. "I must admit, I'm a little disappointed."

"Oh, I'm not enough for ya?" Yang retorted, raising her fists and extending Ember Celica.

"Not at all. In fact, you are a welcome change in pace," Bane replied as he hunched over. "No, I had expected the Batman to come here."

"He's preoccupied," Yang spat, grinding her teeth. She then shot a pair of rubber slugs at Bane, who raised his arms to shield himself just as they impacted. He grunted against the pain, but otherwise did nothing before he charged through the hail of slugs. Yang threw a punch towards him as he got close, managing to make contact, but Bane fought through it and grabbed hold of her. He continued his charge, plowing through the wooden wall and into a large open room. At once, a rapturous and rowdy applause filled the air as Yang tumbled, punching Bane repeatedly before he threw her over a wall of metal grates and onto a sheet-metal floor.

"Well, well, well!" a woman started, her voice thick with a Cockney accent. "What do we have here, boys? Looks like fresh meat!"

Once again, a thoroughly annoyed Yang picked herself up and looked around the room. She found herself inside an arena, the walls topped with slanted grates lined with barbed wire. Stacks of tires were scattered around alongside barrels, chairs, and other miscellaneous objects. More pressing, however, was the horde of Penguin goons pounding against the wall with veritable bloodlust. Some held pipes and bats in their hands, while a few armed with rifles stood overhead, ready to fire at a moment's notice. Yang refused to allow herself to be intimidated, however, and instead focused her attention on Bane, who himself was circling the arena with a stoic expression.

"Oh, I'll give ya fresh meat," Yang shouted out, thrusting her arms forward to fire Ember Celica, but to her alarm found them no longer attached to her arms. Surprised, she looked over to Bane, who was tauntingly holding one of them aloft in his hand. Yang growled, then pointed at him. "I'm gonna want that back, Bane."

"Oy, ya hear that?! She wants her precious toys back!" the Cockney woman mocked, twirling around on the upper edge of the grate while gesturing towards her.

"Yeah, I heard her," Penguin suddenly announced, making his presence known as he strode into the room, arm clasped around a much taller and admittedly pretty black woman.

"Girl, I'm just gonna say it. You can do so much better," Yang called out to her, to which she merely laughed and the Penguin snarled.

"Shut ya trap!" Penguin shouted as he sat down, the girl sitting across his lap while he laid his hand across her back. With his other, he pointed his umbrella threateningly towards her, to which Yang frowned.

'I swear, what is it with short criminals wielding weaponized umbrellas? It's an interstellar plague,' she thought, but otherwise said nothing and allowed Cobblepot his moment in the spotlight.

"Ya know, I consider myself a pretty generous guy. Had ya come in just wantin' to talk, I might have just done that. After all, I'm a business man. But after the shit you and your little friends pulled, oy that generosity is long gone. You're dead, Blondie."

"Oh, you do care!" Yang taunted, a wide smile on her face while shaking her finger. "Just to let you know, Cobblepot, back then I was bluffing. But when I get out of here, I'm going to make good on my promise."

"Hah! Like you'll get the chance!" Oswald Cobblepot laughed hysterically, his goons laughing alongside him while Bane stoically crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall. The Penguin then raised his umbrella over the crowd, sweeping it across the room. "Tracey, whoever kills her gets a hundred-thousand!"

The crowd cheered, while Yang looked offended. "Oh, come on! A hundred-k? You can do better than that!"

Her voice was drowned out by the roar of the crowd as several began to scale the grate. Penguin, the apparently named Tracey, and the black woman smiled wickedly, and as the crowd poured over the side like a wave, Tracey pointed dramatically towards her.

"You heard the boss, boys! Get her!" she ordered, and the men roared and charged her from all sides. Yang, instead of feeling intimidated, smiled and cracked her knuckles and neck before meeting them head-on.

---

The mission had officially gone belly-up. Probably had as soon as they left Cobblepot. Blake could see that now, although it was obvious with how she was currently firing Gambol Shroud from behind cover at thugs wielding fully-automatic assault rifles alongside Batwoman.

"Where's Golden Dragon?!" Batwoman shouted over the gunfire, shooting back with her pistol and driving a goon behind cover.

"Some big guy got her!" Blake answered, firing down the other side of the hallway. They were completely boxed in from both sides, a hail of bullets filling the hall both when they were in and out of cover.

"What'd he look like?!" Batwoman asked as she reloaded and continued to fire, downing one of the thugs.

"Don't know!" Blake broke cover to fire at a thug aiming towards Batwoman's back. The electrified rounds struck him, causing him to fall to the floor in a spasm, but his comrades pulled him back into cover before Blake could put him down for good. Another fired at her, forcing Blake back.

"Did you see anything?!" Batwoman asked again as Blake reloaded.

"I only saw his back! Some big buy wearing all black and a mask covering his head!"

"Shit!" Batwoman cursed. "That was probably Bane!"

"Aagh!" Blake snarled, continuing to fire as she tried to figure a way out of this mess. She knew who Bane was, and out of all of Batman's adversaries, he was perhaps one of the most dangerous. Even with her Aura and Semblance, Yang would have a tough time with him, so she needed to get down there. When Gambol Shroud clicked empty once again, Blake went back into cover and reloaded, looking along the roof of the hallway. She saw no obvious routes to take, but when the goons firing on her paused to reload, Blake seized her chance.

Blake broke cover, sprinting as fast as she could down the hallway and throwing Gambol Shroud into the wall behind her attackers. They flinched reflexively, allowing Blake to pull herself towards them. When she neared, she spun and threw out her leg, knocking two on their heads and pulling the chain scythe back towards her. She landed with a roll, using one of her Shadow Clones to absorb a shotgun shell from an opponent. In response, Blake threw two small disks that latched onto his chest, which immediately sent arcs of electricity throughout his entire body. He spasmed to the ground, and soon the strain was too much as he fell into unconsciousness.

"Batwoman!" Blake called out, waving towards her.

"Got it!" Batwoman yelled, throwing down a smoke pellet that filled the hallway. The goons on her end fired wildly into it, but now with their shot's wide and not having to worry about gunfire coming from both ends, Batwoman broke cover and sprinted towards Blake. The Faunus had already opened a door into the next room for her, allowing Batwoman to easily pass through. They slammed the door shut, then Blake ripped out a chair leg and thrust it between the door's handlebar, pinning it against the frame. A shot then went through the door right above Blake's head, causing her to duck.

"Which way do we go?!" Blake asked as she looked around the room for an exit. Unfortunately, there were none, and she cursed.

"Working on it!" Oracle yelled out, typing away furiously at her keyboard. As she did, the barred door banged as criminals on the other side tried to break in.

"Well, you better do it fast!" Blake yelled out as she shifted Gambol Shroud into its sword configuration, wielding its cleaver in her other hand. Batwoman, meanwhile, banged her fists together, causing sparks to shoot out as the gauntlet became electrified. Both looked through the wall with their suits' thermal-optics, where they saw that the criminals were continuing to throw their entire bodies against the door. More had joined them, leaving at least ten heavily armed gunmen waiting for them on the other side.

Silently, Blake took the front, holding both of her blades out in front of her, and the wooden bar cracked.

Then, suddenly, one of the men's thermal signature disappeared as he was pulled upward into an airduct. It happened so fast, and so silently, none of his comrades noticed. A faint, dark and slender figure that appeared to be female jumped down behind them. Only her head held a thermal signature, the rest of her body obscured from view. Batwoman studied the woman for a moment, then her eyes widened as the mysterious figure pulled out what Blake could only guess was a whip.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me…" she groaned. Then, just as their assailants prepared to kick down the door, the woman made herself known.

"Hello, boys!" the now-confirmed woman greeted haughtily, causing all of the men to sharply turn their heads towards her.

"Oh, shi-!" one of them yelled as he raised his gun towards her, but the woman struck first with her whip, striking his hand and causing it to fall to the ground. She then pulled him close, spinning him around to where his back was pressed up against her body, his arms pinned above his head by her left arm while she thrust her right fingers to his face. The guns were now facing her but judging by the heartrate Blake's mask was picking up, she wasn't scared.

"Well, I see we have ourselves a bit of a predicament, don't we? Tell you what, how about you big boys drop the guns and I'll let go of your friend," the woman said nonchalantly, her smile audible. Blake nodded towards Batwoman, who already began applying explosive gel onto the wall where the biggest clump of criminals was located.

"Forget it, Cat," one of them snarled, pointedly not the man currently held hostage, who himself was growing terrified. The woman's head then turned slightly to face the room Blake and Batwoman were about to spring out of, then back at the men.

"Meow," she mocked, then kicked her hostage towards the criminals before her, spring-boarding away from them in the process. Just as one of his comrades caught him, the wall exploded outward, the concussive force sending many flying to the adjacent wall. Splinters of wood shot forward, causing the few not caught by the blast to cover their eyes and allowing the three women to strike.

Blake pounced on the man closest to her, chopping through his gun with her sheath-cleaver then kicking him in the gut. As he fell to his knees, Blake jumped up and spun vertically, kicking her heel into the side of his head and knocking him into unconsciousness. At the same time, Batwoman pounded her electrified gauntlets against a more heavily armored opponent, her years of military training easily overcoming whatever skills he had picked up on the streets. He tried blocking with his arms, but she simply went around them. She struck his rips repeatedly, a snarl plastered across her face as her red wig flurried wildly from the onslaught. When he finally loosened his defenses from the pain, Batwoman grabbed his collar and socked him across the jaw, sending him reeling back into the wall where he slowly collapsed.

Their mysterious savior, meanwhile, took on two men at once. Both of them had their guns ripped away, but one hastily pulled out a pistol in an attempt to fire on her. The woman simply pulled out her whip and struck the man's hand with a loud snap, knocking the gun from his fingers and causing him to step back. She pressed her advantage, running towards him before she jumped and delivered a flip-kick into the back of the man's head, sending him slamming into the ground with a dull thud. He didn't get up, but her opponent yelled and charged toward her with a raised fist. She ducked underneath, the man's fist striking against a thick wooden column with a loud thud and faint cracks. He stepped back, clutching his hand in pain while she cartwheeled over, kicking him a few times as she came to a stop. Then, with her claws outstretched, she slashed him a few times, followed by a series of rapid kicks and punches before finally finishing him off with a kick to the head.

The three women breathed heavily, waiting for more to join the fray. But, for the moment, none were forthcoming, allowing all to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Well, I say that turned out—" Before the woman could even finish her sentence, Batwoman grabbed her by the arm and threw her against the wall, pinning her. Blake was shocked, but the woman didn't seem phased even as Batwoman held her pistol to her head.

"Geez, is that how you treat everybody who helps you out?" she teased, but Batwoman frowned.

"No, this is how I treat people who use us," Batwoman replied, and the woman shot an offended look.

"Who, me? Who said I was using you?"

Batwoman didn't respond, only glaring at the apparent criminal, who rolled her eyes and shot Blake a look.

"Military types," she said with a small shrug. "Think brute force is the way for everything. Me?"

Suddenly, the woman fell to her back, trying to pull Batwoman down with her. Instead, the vigilante released her hold and backed up, only for the woman to slide between her legs and jump up behind her back.

"I prefer a more…subtle approach," she finished, readjusting the sleeves of her catsuit. Only now did Blake have chance to really look at her. She was wearing a pure black body suit that hugged her slender figure tightly. It appeared to be made out of a leathery substance, one that perfectly masked her body's thermal signature. A zipper went up the belly and to the neck, whereas the suit continued to cover the back and top of her head. Only her face was exposed and resting on her forehead were a pair of orange-tinted goggles. To Blake's surprise, on the top of her head were protrusions that looked similar to cat ears, and she suddenly understood exactly who this woman was.

"Selina Kyle?" Blake guessed, and Selina smiled and gave a bow.

"Catwoman, master cat-burglar and thief extraordinaire," Selina introduced herself, and Blake frowned. Batwoman, meanwhile, continued to point her pistol towards her.

"What are you doing here, Selina?" Batwoman asked as the men around her groaned. They took a quick glance, and Catwoman frowned.

"Seriously, Kate? Do we really need to do this, now?" she asked, gesturing towards the fallen men around her. Blake's eyes widened at the casual use of Batwoman's real name, but the vigilante herself didn't seem alarmed, which surprised the Faunus more than anything. Batwoman looked ready to counter that, only for Catwoman to continue, "Especially when your friend is downstairs facing hordes of criminals?"

At once, both Blake's and Batwoman's eyes widened in alarm, and Catwoman nodded.

"Where is she?" Blake snarled, stepping towards the thief, but Catwoman held up her hands placatingly.

"In Penguin's arena, two floors down. I saw Bane throw her in."

"And you didn't think to help her?" Batwoman accused, but Catwoman shot her a genuinely insulted look.

"Why do you think I'm here? I may be good, but not even I can take on over fifty men at once. At least."

A heavily silence ensued between them, then Batwoman frowned and holstered her gun. Catwoman nodded, understanding the message, then began to run down the hallway.

"Follow me, I know a shortcut downstairs."

Blake and Batwoman nodded and ran after her. As they did, Blake couldn't help but worry about her partner. She knew Yang was stronger than anyone she knew, especially around here, but the thought of Yang facing off against scores of criminals created a pit in her stomach. At the same time, she wondered exactly what Selina Kyle was in the Iceberg Lounge for, as well as why she looked vaguely familiar.

Blake shook those thoughts out of her head. Right now, she only needed to focus on Cobblepot and Bane. Whatever they were planning, Blake knew they were going to regret it.

---

"Hi-yah!" Yang shouted as she punched another thug far away from her. Despite her current predicament, her boisterous smile never once left her face. Why should it, when around her were dozens of incapacitated and knocked out criminals? They'd tried their best, Yang had to admit, but in the end, it turned out that years of combat training with some of the best teachers from two worlds easily trumped their haphazard attempts.

"Come on! Is that all you got?!" Yang shouted as the last remaining criminals poured over the grate. They were much more nervous now, knowing just what Yang was capable off.

"Goddammit! Someone kill this bitch already!" Penguin shouted from his perch, thoroughly enraged. Bane remained leaning against the wall, studying Yang's every movement with a calculating eye. Unlike the rest of Penguin's men, he wouldn't rush in until he knew as much as he could.

"Yeah! I mean, the guy who puts me down gets a neat million! Maybe more! Personally, I think I could go for a nice five million, maybe even ten."

"Shut up!"

"Come down and make me! Pfft," Yang blew a raspberry, enjoying how riled up he was getting. As she did, a criminal ran towards her, wielding a baseball bat. He swung towards her head, but she sharply turned around and caught it in the palm of her hand. With a wicked smile, she tore the blunt object from him and whacked him across the body hard enough for the wood to crack and splinter. A crack was heard as the bone shattered and the man screamed, but Yang paid him no heed as she tossed the ruined remains away.

"Who's next?" she asked while twirling around, her arms outstretched. "Come on! Don't leave me hanging!"

"Why you cheeky little-! Oy, bozos!" Cobblepot pointed at the gunmen overhead. "What cha' standing there for! Shoot her already!"

"Got it, boss!" the men answered without question, flicking off their safeties and aiming their guns. Yang recognized them as an assortment of submachine guns, assault rifles, and even a sniper rifle, but Yang was focused on the man clearly holding a shotgun.

"Finally," she muttered, then ran as the gunfire sounded. Bullets pinged against the metal floors and walls, sparks shooting all around her, but she kept going. A few struck her body, but her Aura kept it from doing any real damage. Still hurt, though, and with gritted teeth she reached her objective: a stack of tires the fighting had dislodged earlier. She picked up one with a single arm, looping it through the hole, then spun in a full circle. At the end of her spin, she released the tire, sending it hurtling towards the surprised shotgunner, who flew back as the rubber projectile crashed into his chest. She heard the crack of a rib, but she was already on the move as he fell over his perch and towards the ground. Yang deftly caught him with one hand, the other catching his shotgun.

"Ooh, a Mossberg 500. Nice taste," she admired the weapon before diving out of the way of a sniper shot. As she did, she quickly pumped the weapon, expelling all of the 12-gauge rounds before loading her own shock slugs in their stead. Once she was fully loaded, she pumped the weapon and aimed at the gunner closest to her.

"Oh, shi-!" he yelled just as Yang fired, striking his chest with an electrified slug. He spasmed to the ground, and with growing alarm the others could barely react as Yang shot each in rapid succession. None of her shots missed, and before long the gunfire stopped.

Yang looked around the silent arena, as though daring anyone to stand up again. None were forthcoming, either completely incapacitated or too scared to try anything.

"Gods damn," Yang finally said, dramatically pumping her shotgun, "I love being me."

Cobblepot looked down on Yang with unmasked fury. There she stood, standing on a pile of his men, wielding one of his shotguns as a trophy. Then, as though it was icing on the cake, Yang propped the shotgun on her shoulder and, with her free hand, extended a middle finger. Cobblepot's face was turning red from an intense rage, a feeling shared by Tracey. The young Cockney woman picked up a sledge hammer and, with a roar, leapt from her perch down onto the arena.

"You're gonna regret ever stepping foot in-!" Tracey didn't get the chance to finish her sentence as Yang merely slammed the butt of her shotgun across her face, sending the girl flying back and into the wall. She slumped over into unconsciousness, and Yang shook her head and clicked her mouth.

"Shame," Yang stated before looking back at an infuriated Cobblepot. She then turned her attention towards Bane and stared him down. A heavy silence fell over them, which only ended when Yang threw the shotgun off to the side and held out her arms. "Well, I'm still here. What are you waiting for?"

For the first time since she saw him, Bane smiled as he got off the wall and made his way towards her.

"Oh, so now you decide to jump in!" Cobblepot complained, but Bane ignored him. Instead, he began to take off his coat, revealing a series of tubes that ejected out of a pack on his upper back that flowed into his arms and legs.

"I must admit, señorita, you've impressed me," Bane allowed as he pressed a button on his chest. A green fluid slowly flowed through the tubes and into his body, causing his muscles to swell and his veins to turn a shade of green.

'Venom,' Yang thought, keeping an eye on the tubes. She knew what the substance was, a highly addictive narcotic that functioned as a steroid. A powerful steroid, one that bestowed its users with incredible strength.

"Well, I aim to impress," Yang replied as Bane calmly walked across the grates.

"Indeed," Bane said as he jumped down, the objects in the arena shaking from the impact. "But I'm afraid I must break you. Like I did to the Batman."

"Ah, that's a shame. And I was just beginning to like you," Yang teased as she leaned forward, her arms raised in preparation for the fight to come. Bane smirked and leaned forward as well, his arms hunkered to the side. The two fighters circled each other, taking care not to trip on one of the fallen bodies. Then, as though a silent signal was sent, the two roared and charged at each other.

Both struck their faces at the same time, each reeling back from the mutual blows. Yang recovered first, following up with a punch to his gut. In response, Bane threw a punch into Yang's side, the venom increasing his strength enough to send her flying back into a pile of tires.

"Oohh," she groaned, wincing and holding her side as she pushed herself up. "Gonna feel that in the morning."

Bane didn't say a word as he walked towards her, ignoring a tire rolling past him. Yang got up, but instead of charging forward, picked up a tire and threw it at him. He blocked it with his veiny arm then continued at a slightly faster pace, seeming to enjoy the slow march to inevitability. However, rather than change tactics, Yang threw another tire at Bane, then another, and before long she was like a tire machine gun. Projectile after projectile slammed into Bane, who was forced to stop his advance to block it with his arms. His vision obstructed, Yang threw the last tire then lunged towards Bane. Just as he opened his arms to see, Yang struck him in the face, sending him reeling back.

Pressing her advantage, Yang circled around him and struck the side of his knee, sending him to the ground. She punched the back of his head, and as he was dazed, she grabbed hold of one of the tubes pumping venom into him. She pulled, and after a slight resistance the tube forcibly pried from Bane's body, the green fluid squirting out as the tube itself shook violently.

"No!" Bane shouted as he recovered, rising to his feet and hurling Yang away with a slap of his arm. Yang rolled against the ground, sliding to a stop on her hands and feet, and watched as Bane futilely tried to stem the flow of venom. She frowned, recognizing the actions of an addict when she saw it. Bane truly was addicted to venom, and despite all of the vast strength it offered him, she knew it would also be his undoing.

Now visibly enraged, Bane charged towards Yang once again. Yang charged back, hunkered low in order to avoid his obvious attacks. Bane swung his arm towards Yang from the top, who jumped to the side in order to avoid it. As she did, however, his other arm slammed upward into her gut, lifting her off the ground and knocking the air from her lungs. At the zenith of her arc, Bane grabbed hold of her leg and slammed her hard into the metal floor, lifted her up, then did it again. Yang began seeing stars with each impact, but finally Bane had enough and hurled her away. She spun in the air and hit the ground, rolling along her side and to a stop.

Yang shook her head and rose to her feet, but had to hastily dive out of the way as Bane slammed into the wall where she just stood. The sheet metal dented, but Bane himself looked no worse for wear. Yang was forced to dodge again as Bane slammed his fist down at her, denting the floor slightly. When she landed, Yang lunged forward, knocking Bane's head back with an uppercut. She then grabbed hold of his waist and, with a mighty shout, lifted him off the ground and above her head, then slammed him onto the ground face first behind her. Yang quickly recovered, rolling to the side and grabbing hold of both tubes pumping venom into Bane's legs, then pulled them loose. The green fluid sprayed back and forth, a few drops landing on her yellow costume while most pooled around him.

"No, no!" Bane shouted as he clawed at the drug, then forced himself to take a deep breath and stood up. Slowly, he turned to face Yang, anger filling his eyes while Yang stepped slightly back.

"Listen, Bane," Yang started, attempting to calm him down as exhaustion began to take root within herself. Even if he was her enemy, she didn't like to see anyone like this. "That venom you're pumping into yourself? It's appropriately named. It's a poison, and it's going to destroy you."

"I know it is, luchadora," Bane replied, flexing his muscles. "And as much as I hate my dependence on it, right now I'll gladly accept its costs."

Yang's eyes widened slightly, then steeled herself. It was obvious now that there was truly no talking him down, but deep down she already knew that. Still, it didn't hurt to try, even if she ultimately knew it was futile. She craned her neck with an audible pop, while Bane cracked his knuckles. Then, the two charged each other once again, converging into a brawl. Each threw powerful punches at their opponent, wanting to put them down as quickly as possible but neither relenting.

Bane grabbed hold of Yang across her back and held her close to his chest. He then began to squeeze, and Yang felt his powerful, venom-infused muscles constrict around her. She bit back a scream, then slammed her forehead into his jaw. Not expecting the attack, Bane loosened his grip, allowing Yang to push against him with her legs and launch herself back. She landed with a roll, then dived out of the way as Bane charged her yet again. When she got to her feet and turned, however, she suddenly saw the end of a tire being hurtled towards her face, and she barely had enough time to even attempt a block. The rubber slammed into her nose, and Yang stumbled black, allowing Bane to close the distance.

Yang couldn't even try to get out of the way before he was on her. Bane grabbed her shoulder with one hand then gut-punched her with the other. As she doubled over, the villain grabbed her other shoulder then slammed his knee into her gut, followed by clasping her head and bringing it down to a rising knee. Again Yang stumbled back, but she could barely take a few steps before Bane yanked her back by the arm and clotheslined her. She flipped from the attack, landing on her back with a thud. With a scowl on his face, Bane grabbed Yang then violently threw her against the ground with enough force to dent it, forming a small crater around Yang's body.

Bane breathed heavily, then relaxed as Yang tried to push herself up. As she did, Bane calmly walked towards her, a noticeable limp in his stride.

"It's over, señorita," Bane declared before lifting Yang up by the back of her jacket. "Now I must break you as well."

He held her high overhead, her face towards the ceiling. Bane then yelled and threw her down back-first into a rising knee. Yang screamed as pain shot through her spine, but her Aura still held as a yellow sheen flickered dangerously. She heard Bane walk away as Cobblepot began to laugh victoriously, but that stopped as Yang forced herself to her feet. Bane turned around, surprised at her resilience, then frowned.

"Stay down!" he yelled, throwing another punch at her head, only for Yang to catch it without even looking. Shock crossed Bane's face, and he tried to rip it free, but found himself unable to do so.

"You know," Yang began, her head facing down and blonde locks obscuring her face, "I'm not stupid. Some people like to think I am, but I'm not. I knew exactly what you were doing up there. You were studying me, trying to find out my combat style while Penguin's goons wore me down. All so you could beat me."

Bane frowned then threw another punch at Yang, who caught it just as easily as the first. His eyes widened as her hair began to glow and embers started coming off of it.

"But here's the thing, Bane," Yang smiled and shot her face up so he could stare into her blazing red eyes. "I'm more than meets the eye."

Yang suddenly pushed Bane back violently, the villain sliding back on his feet as Yang pounded her fists together. As soon as she did, her body became alight in fire, an intense heat that even Cobblepot could feel. She shouted before rocketing towards Bane, who attempted to block just as Yang's fist made contact. First, he heard a crack as his arm was broken on impact, then he felt his feet leave the ground. A veritable explosion rippled from where Yang's fist made contact, and the last thing Bane saw before everything went black was the metal wall of the arena filling his vision

The impact of Bane's body caused the wall to split apart, exposing a pathway into the stands above. As Yang calmly walked through the opening, she went over to Bane to retrieve her weapons. A quick look through her mask showed that, although he was heavily injured, he was still alive. The same could be said for every other criminal around her, and she nodded to herself as she walked up to Penguin. The criminal was picking himself off his feet, his female companion trying to crawl away, and Yang announced her presence by cracking her knuckles.

"Hey, Cobblepot," Yang said as Penguin rose to his full stance. He took one look at her, then yelled defiantly as he raised his umbrella and fired it, revealing the weapon to be a machine gun. He only got a few shots off, which bounced off Yang's gauntlets before she ripped the weapon from his hands and broke it in half. She then kicked him away, the short, rotund man flying into the remains of his chair and shattering it.

"Gagh!" he screamed as he rolled around in pain, but any sympathy Yang might have had towards him was long gone. She walked up to him, a deep scowl etched across her face, then slammed her foot down onto his gut while aiming Ember Celica towards his face.

"Now then, here's what's going to happen," Yang started, her voice completely serious. "Something tells me you didn't tell us everything in your room, that you know something else that you wanted to keep close to your chest. That ain't gonna fly. So, either you tell me what I want to know, or I start shooting. Understand?"

Cobblepot glared at Yang, who only tilted her head and wordlessly loaded a shell in response. He then took one look around the shattered remains of his arena, then sighed.

"Fine, you daft twit. Candy, be a dear and give her what she wants," he ordered, and Yang looked at the black woman with a raised eyebrow.

"Candy? Tell me that's not your real name," Yang asked, and Candy sighed.

"It's short for Candace," she replied.

"Oh good, cuz' I was getting worried. Anyway, you got something for me?" Yang requested, holding out her arm while keeping sure to point Ember Celica towards her. Candy gulped, then reached into her pocket and pulled out a small flash drive. Yang took it, holding the USB up to her eyes as Penguin began to explain.

"I had my boys track where the smugglers came from," Penguin revealed. "Was about to look at it when you lot showed up and ruined everything."

"I take it whatever was in this stick was the deal you wanted with Bane?" Yang asked, and Cobblepot nodded.

"Yea, we were gonna go in and wipe 'em out together in exchange for a large lump sum and easier access to my goods. Cuz no one, and I mean no one, messes on my turf and gets away with it."

"Good to know," Yang said as she took her foot off Cobblepot and walked away, then pressed her finger to her ear as she inspected the USB more closely. "Oracle, you in?"

Static filled the comm, and Yang sighed, figuring that they were too far underground to get a signal. She shrugged, knowing there would be time to contact her.

"You know what," she figured as she eyed the arena one last time then went back in, grabbing the discarded shotgun from earlier, "I'm keeping this."

"Oy! You can't steal from me!" Cobblepot shouted as Candy helped him up, but Yang shrugged, honestly not caring.

"You're a criminal, and I'd say I earned it after what you just pulled." She walked out of the arena, preparing to exit out the hole she entered from, then paused and tapped her lips. Yang felt like she was forgetting something, then snapped her fingers as she remembered what it was.

"Oh, yeah," she stated, then turned around and walked back to Cobblepot. She stared down at him, smiling innocently. He took a moment to register her threat from before, then his eyes widened.

"Don't you da-!"

Yang kicked upward. It was more of a tap than anything, yet that didn't make it hurt any less as he crumpled to the floor in pain with a wordless scream while Candy looked on in shock.

"Told 'ya I was gonna do that," Yang pointed out, then waved two fingers at them and calmly walked out. "Ciao!"

With a victorious smile on her face, Yang walked out of the hole in the wall and back to the elevator she had come down in. She thought about taking it but figured the damage Bane must have caused would make the car unstable, and so turned to walk up the stairs. Just as she did, the doors to the stairwell burst open as Blake, Batwoman, and a third woman ran out with their weapons drawn. They were clearly expecting a fight but were surprised to see Yang walking about with a shotgun over her shoulder.

"Oh, hey guys. What's up? Also, who's she?" Yang asked as the three women looked at her, first in surprise then in relief.

"Dragon, are you alright?" Batwoman asked, to which Yang shrugged.

"Eh, I'm fine. You should see the other guy. Speaking of, can you guys call the cops? Cannot get a signal down here."

"They're already outside," Blake revealed as Catwoman walked through the hole in the wall to look at the remains on the arena.

"Holy-! What happened here?!" Catwoman asked, to which Yang smiled.

"Just me being awesome!" she declared, which caused Blake to slap her forehead while Batwoman smirked. "Also, again: who are you and why are you here?"

---

"JUST YOU WAIT, BLONDIE! WHEN I GET OUTTA HERE, YOU'RE A DEAD WOMAN! YOU HEAR ME?!" Cobblepot shouted at the top of his lungs, though at a slightly higher pitch than normal, as police officers forced him into an armored car while Bane was loaded onto an ambulance.

"Yeah, yeah. I don't think she cares," Renee Montoya stated as she slammed the door shut, banging on the side of the car to signal the driver. At once the vehicle sped off, leaving Officer Montoya behind alongside Batwoman, Blake and Yang, who themselves were talking to Commissioner Gordon.

"Over a hundred arrests, including two major crime bosses, one of which had to be hospitalized," Gordon read off. "And that's on top of the several hundred thousand dollars-worth of property damage to the Lounge itself. You never cease to make things boring, do you?"

"My apologies, Commissioner," Blake said. "It was not our intention for our investigation to get as hot as it did."

"Be that as it may, I'm grateful," Gordon replied while his partner, Harvey Bullock, scoffed.

"It's not like we needed it. We were already investigating the bastard. Had you just waited a few days, we could've done it ourselves," Bullock insisted. Instead of putting him down, Yang smiled genuinely and nodded.

"I know you could, Detective. Just thought we'd land a hand," Yang insisted. Bullock huffed, still not satisfied but he would take it. As much as he disliked the fact that the GCPD had to rely on these costumed vigilantes, he had come to accept the reality years ago.

"We'll compile all the evidence we can, then hand it off to the DA," Gordon continued, turning away to flip through his folder of evidence. "Then we can—"

He turned around, but as he expected, the heroes were gone. Or rather, Batwoman and the other darkly dressed girl had already vanished on cue, while the more brightly dressed hero was standing there and aiming a bemused look up in the direction they'd supposedly gone. She turned and gave him an apologetic smile and shrug, before grappling up to the nearby rooftops as well with a jaunty wave goodbye. He sighed, shaking his head, while Bullock frowned.

"Always hated it when they did that," Bullock complained, and Gordon patted his shoulder.

"You get used to it."

"I know, and that's why I hate it."

The two men bickered as only years-long partners could do as they walked back to the assembled squad cars. Meanwhile, above on a rooftop the women crouched on the roof's edge, overlooking the entire Iceberg Lounge.

"Tell me," Yang started, a frown on her face. "How long can we expect him and Bane to stay in jail?"

"Penguin's bought off enough judges," Batwoman answered, a frown on her face, "not to mention a few politicians, so his sentence will probably be more lenient than it has any right to be. As for Bane, don't know. He's broken out before, usually when we were otherwise preoccupied."

Yang frowned, clenching her fist tightly. The corruption Batwoman was describing infuriated her, but unlike punching an army of goons or taking down mob bosses, there wasn't much she could do there. She knew Batman and good cops like Gordon, Montoya, and Bullock were doing their best, but it was becoming obvious just how corrupt Gotham truly was.

"Hey, don't get upset," Batwoman stated, putting her hand on Yang's shoulder. "What we did today was a victory. Every little bit counts towards making this city better."

"I know, but it's…frustrating," Yang admitted, to which Batwoman nodded in agreement. She looked back down, staring at Renee Montoya as the GCPD officer looked around for a bit more then glanced up at her general direction. The two women stared at each other for a split second, but to both it seemed like an eternity. Past regrets built up in Batwoman, and the look on Renee's face told she was feeling the same. Then, without a word being said, Renee got into her squad car just alongside Bullock and Gordon, then drove off. Batwoman watched the car leave, which Yang noticed but didn't say anything about. She recognized that look anywhere and knew better than to dig up old wounds.

"Oracle, did you get the data?" Blake asked while Catwoman sat on a shack over her, hanging her leg off the edge and swaying it back and forth.

"I did," Oracle answered. "It'll take me a while to go through it all, but if I combine this with the data from Jump City… Yeah, I think we can get somewhere with this. Nice work."

"You can thank Golden Dragon. She's the one who got it out of him," Blake responded, and out of the corner of her eye she saw Yang flash a thumbs up.

"Right. In any case, I'm sending the Batwing to come pick you guys up. Red Reaper, Ivory Mage, and Robin are already in there."

"Any word on the others?"

"Still no sign of Spoiler, Red Robin, Verdant Lotus or Pink Lightning, but I'll keep trying to raise contact with them. As for the others, their infiltration is still ongoing. Will update as soon as I receive word."

"Sounds good. We're ready for extraction." Blake declared, then signed off the comms. She turned to face Catwoman, and the thief looked down on her with a smile. Selina then laid her belly across the roof of the shack, resting her chin on her hand.

"So, you're the famous Catwoman?" Yang greeted, placing her hands on her hips.

"Yep," Catwoman responded with a wry smile. Yang nodded, then looked back at Kate.

"Apparently, I owe you some thanks," Yang noted, but Catwoman shook her head.

"Not really. Besides, it looked like you had it handled."

"Hence the apparently," Yang joked back, and Catwoman smiled before jumping off. "Still, thank you for helping t hem."

"Don't mention it," Selina replied, then stood up and jumped down to join them. "So, as much as I would like to stay and chat, I must get going. I have a party to attend to."

All three heroes narrowed their eyes at her, but soon relented. After the help she provided, they could afford to give her some benefit of the doubt. They nodded towards her and prepared to turn back, only for them to notice that Catwoman hadn't yet left.

"Oh, by the way. Meant to ask this earlier but it didn't seem like the right time," Catwoman began.

Blake raised an eyebrow, noticing that the thief was looking at her, then shrugged. "Sure, go right ahead. Good a time as any."

"What exactly are you called? Your alias, I mean? I already know Kate's and I'm guessing blondie is Golden Dragon, but I didn't hear yours yet," Catwoman asked. Blake thought a moment, then nodded after seeing no harm in answering the question. Before she could answer, Catwoman continued. "Wait, let me guess. You're Black Cat?"

Blake stared blankly at Catwoman and shook her head. "No."

"Cat-Girl?"

"No."

"…Ninja Kitty?"

"Hah!" Yang laughed and shook her head at Catwoman's suggestion. "Oh, I'm gonna remember that one."

"So, I take it that's not it?" Catwoman asked, and Blake glared at the thief.

"No. I'm not named after a cat," Blake growled. "My name is Nightshade."

"Really? Like the plant? Huh, I would have thought, with the very realistic cat ears and all, that you were going for a cat-theme."

"They're not fake," Blake refuted, prompting Catwoman to raise her eyebrows.

"What? Yes they are."

"Oh, they're real," Batwoman insisted. Surprised, Catwoman turned her head around to look at the twitching ears more closely.

"… Huh," Catwoman finally said. "Gotta admit, my mind's drawing a blank here. Closest thing I've ever seen to a cat girl before was Cheetah, and you look nothing like her"

Blake rolled her eyes then turned around. She prepared to call Oracle yet again, only to feel some fingers gingerly pet her cat ears, causing Blake to go still.

"They're so soft…" Catwoman cooed, even as Blake craned her neck to glare at Catwoman. The two stared at each other for a few moments, and Blake was about to slap her hand away when Catwoman finally got the message and removed her hand. She held it up placatingly and awkwardly smiled. "Sorry, couldn't resist."

Blake gritted her teeth and glared a few more seconds at Catwoman while Yang pursed her lips in disapproval.

"You don't have much respect for personal boundaries, do you?" the blonde asked as her eyes flashed red for a second.

"What? Well no, that comes with being a thief, but I don't see what the big deal is here." Selina seemed honestly baffled by the hostility.

"So, you're saying that you'd be fine if I started caressing your ears from out of nowhere?" she arched a golden eyebrow. "I've decked more than one stranger who thought they could just reach over and paw at my hair out of 'admiration'. Even more than that, you can't just start messing with the animal features of a Faunus you've just met without their permission, that's-!"

"I'm sorry, 'Faunus'?"

Blake took a calming breath at the reminder that they weren't on Remnant anymore, and that this person had no context to realize how offensive her impulsive petting had been. How could she, when they had taken careful steps to keep everything about them a secret?

"It's fine, Dragon. Forget about it." Blake shot her partner a thankful smile for speaking up about it, instead of considering it a bit of harmless fun. She then looked towards a still slightly confused Catwoman, who locked eyes with her. Slowly, realization began to dawn on the thief, and a look of mortification fell across her.

"Oh god, I am so—" she began, but Blake waved her off.

"It's fine, you didn't know."

"Still, I shouldn't have—"

"It's fine," Blake said more pointedly. Selina clammed up, then sighed and shook her head. Yang looked at the two for a moment, then sighed and shook her head as well. It was obvious to everyone now that Catwoman crossed a major line, but at the very least the thief was genuinely remorseful. Not to mention, as Blake figured, she didn't know. It was hard to remain angry at that.

"Well, as much as I'd like to stay and chat, I must be going." Selina apparently decided to retreat from the whole awkward affair as she walked towards the end of the rooftop. Before she reached the edge, however, she stopped and looked over her shoulder. "By the way, when you see Bruce, tell him I said hi."

Again, Blake and now Yang felt their eyes widen in surprise, but before either of them could ask for clarification the Catwoman was gone, having leapt off the building and using her whip as a swing. Yang and Batwoman rejoined Blake as they watched her leave, then both turned to face a resigned Batwoman.

"She used us as bait at first to rob the Penguin, didn't she?" Blake bluntly asked, and Batwoman nodded.

"Probably. Then her conscience got the better of her," Batwoman added. Blake nodded at this. From her admittedly brief introduction to the Catwoman, she was a criminal, but one with a strong moral compass. Still, she didn't like being used like that, even if she helped them at the end.

"Uh, I have a question," Yang started. "Meant to ask while she was here, actually, but… Just how close is she to you guys?"

"She's a tentative ally, depending on the situation," Batwoman answered, her eyes half closed.

"Yeah, I figured that, but… How close is she to Batman? I mean, she knows his real name." Yang clarified, to which Batwoman refused to answer. Yang narrowed her eyes at her, then they suddenly widened. "No. You're kidding me!"

Batwoman remained silent, then sighed and shook her head. "Batman and Catwoman have a…complicated yet intimate relationship."

Both huntresses took a moment to process, then both reacted. Yang began to laugh hysterically, forgetting her annoyance towards Selina Kyle, while Blake blushed and thought back to her favorite book series, one of which had a plotline very reminiscent of what was apparently unfolding before her. A strong knight, a seductive thief. Both trying to bring the other to their side of the law as passions flare between them. The resemblance was uncanny.

"Oh, that dog! Wait, that's even better cause she's a cat! Haha!"

"Glad you're finding amusement from it," Batwoman stated as they heard the whine of the Batwing coming towards them. Yang laughed some more, wiping a tear from her eye as the aircraft began to descend.

"Okay, okay I'm good." As the Batwing's ramp descended, showing Ruby, Weiss, and Damian waiting for them inside, Yang began to walk, only to suddenly wobble. Blake was on her immediately, concern etched on her face, but Yang waved her off.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she said, her voice sounding much more tired than just a few moments ago. "I think the…adrenaline is…finally wearing off…"

Blake could only watch as Yang drifted off to sleep right in her arms, her feet dragging against the ramp. The Faunus sighed, then with a smiling Ruby's help, gently placed Yang on a chair and strapped her in. Batwoman didn't get on the Batwing, instead waving them off as she prepared to leave on her own, and Blake waved back as the ramp closed. The Batwing then lifted off, flying through the night towards the Batcave once again.

"So," Ruby started, bouncing up and down on her chair. "How'd the mission go?"

"And why do you smell like a sewer?" Weiss demanded, sidling way from the two huntresses alongside Damian. Even Ruby, despite her cheerfulness, was inching away from them, although much more subtly.

"Pretty good, actually, despite a hiccup. Took down the—"

Blake was interrupted by a loud snore, coming straight from Yang. Everyone inside the aircraft stared at her, while the blonde herself remained oblivious and continued to saw logs. Seeing the question on Robin's face, Ruby turned to face him.

"Yeah, she does that," Ruby said, punctuated by another unladylike snort courtesy of Yang. As the snooze fest continued, the group couldn't help but laugh.

[~][~]

Hello, everyone and welcome to the latest chapter of Hunters of Justice! Special thanks to NaanContributor and Jesse K/Jessessanman for all their help in bringing this to life. Lots happened here, including a highly-demanded matchup between our favorite brawlers, Yang and Bane. Trust me when I say that match up was in the cards from the very beginning, we just had to find a way to make it work. Personally, I think we did.

Now, onto the Q&A:

Guest (1): Yep, that was Doomsday. Our plans for him are, as you can expect, sealed at the moment.

BingingPopcorn: Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much. And yeah, them being woken up by Bat-Cow was a well-overdo moment of light. We need those in a story, otherwise you run the risk of darkness-induced audience antipathy. This ain't 40k or Dark Souls, after all. As towards what floor they're on, I imagined it on the ground floor.

Gen2324: Glad you liked the Chibi chapters and the HISHE. We plan on doing more of those in the future.

GXY-2013: Yeah, Rose Thorn is still being worked on, but progress is being made. Future enhancements will be made to all of our heroes' weapons in the future. Same with their equipment.

RandomName3064: I can see that, but I personally interpreted Raven's motivations as a combination of her cowardice and thinking she's smarter than what she actually is. Raven's no chess master, usually only seeing the next few steps to keep herself alive. In contrast, Ozpin, Salem, and others like them are thinking ten steps ahead, at least. Right now in regards to Brainiac, the only thing she can think of is how to keep herself alive, no matter what.

mastergamer14: I will not be doing a MK vs DC arc for the story, as that opens the road to multi-crosses and I don't want to do a serious version of that outside of Control Freak chapters. It would get way too out of hand.

Jebest4781: Although Batman: Arkham is an inspiration for this story, I do not plan on adapting any of the games for Hunters of Justice. Not because it wouldn't be interesting, but because I don't want to do something that someone else has already done. We like telling an original story involving the DC characters interacting with RWBYJNPR, and our fear is that adapting the Arkham events would cut into our ability to tell a creative story.

Hazzamo: While an interesting thought, that is not going to happen. For one, none of RWBYJNPR will become Lanterns, Green or otherwise. That's because we firmly believe that them becoming a Lantern is a subject matter worthy enough to be its own standalone story. Furthermore, becoming a Red Lantern is not a good thing. At all, coming from the 'if the ring comes off, your heart stops', forced to serve Atrocitus' will, being consumed by everlasting rage, and more. Besides, for as angry as Yang can get sometimes, she's not defined by it. A better example would be Adam Taurus.

ranjira1988: Glad you're liking the story so much!

Knight of Fate: Yep, the Arkham games were an influence on the Riddler here. Glad to see that it came through correctly. As for the Joker, wait and see.

Unsettling-A.I.R.: Glad you liked the chapter so much. Having them solve the riddles was a lot of fun, and yeah Ruby and Weiss are a lot nicer than the rest of the Batfamily, who themselves are a prime example of 'good is not nice'. And yeah, we have plans for the Joker. What exactly they are, you'll have to wait and see.

You're welcome. Admittedly, early in the process we thought about it, but ultimately decided that having Earth-humans get their Aura unlocked would take away from the charm of the non-powered heroes. Plus, it made RWBYJNPR stand out more. Jaune's Semblance is indeed set in stone, but when he unlocks it will be revealed in due time. As for Arkos, again you'll have to wait and see how we address that.

Jacob9594: Glad to hear that!

I Am The Prophet: All of those questions will be answered in due time, rest assured.

Vein Bloodborne: Glad to hear that we got the atmosphere of Arkham good, even if it was only for a single short scene. Arkham's an important landmark in Gotham, so we wanted to make it click. And I'm glad that the Joker gave you chills. He was supposed to.

meeyaaargh3412: Our plans for the Joker will be revealed in due time. And yeah, Team Remnant is hitting some major marks. As to where it all leads, you'll have to wait and see.

edinosuar25: Yep, there's a reason why Joker is so feared in DC. Glad we made his cameo impressive. As for other characters' rogues gallery, we do plan on exploring them in due time.

Wolfpackersson09: Yep, this story, although it will include both canon and crossover ships, does not focus on shipping or romance. They are meant to be a spice, not overwhelm the core of the story, that being RWBYJNPR interacting with the DC universe. Any pairings that we do, we will have plans to make them seem natural and well developed.

Masso 2010: Glad you liked the Ozpin scenes. We have more planned in the future.

SulliMike23: As mentioned before, Jaune's Semblance hasn't yet been unlocked, but it is still his canon version. We saw no need to change it.

That's it for this week. Let us know what you think and we hope you enjoy!