Chapter 5: Good Friends, Bat Idea
I feel so exposed right now. Spoiler thought as she stood upon a low rooftop in the midday sun, her eyes peeled on the passing pedestrians below. In her immediate line of sight, she noticed a scrawny man in a green shirt, accompanied by a Great Dane, a girl in her early teens in a dark purple dress, a shorter, younger girl wrapped head to toe in bandages, and–
Is that a ghost? she thought. And if it is, what the hell's it doing out at this time of day? Better call B–
"See anything interesting?" a familiar voice asked
Spoiler's heart promptly skipped a beat. "Don't do that, Babs!" she exclaimed. "Are you trying to kill me or something?!"
"…maybe?"
The purple-clad vigilante rolled her eyes. "And here I thought I could trust you with my life." she snarked. "Besides, aren't you supposed to be in class right now?"
"Doctor Sartorius was out sick again."
"Figures." Spoiler replied. "
"Is it just me, or does anyone else feel like we're being watched?" Tanis nervously asked.
"Considering we're, like, on Batman's home turf, I can't blame ya!" Shaggy replied, letting out a nervous laugh. "Now imagine what it's like after sundown, when Ol' Pointy Ears himself is supposed to be out on patrol!"
As Shaggy continued his spiel, Phantasma could swear she heard the gears turning inside Sibella's head as something of an excited grin formed on the latter's face. "Um, Bella? What're y–"
"Imagine it, Phanty! Getting to meet a kindred spirit such as the Batman– it'd be completely fang-tastic!"
"Um, girls? I'm pretty sure that'd be a bat idea!" Shaggy replied, promptly clapping his hands over his mouth as he realized what he'd just said.
"Reah– rat idea!" Scooby added.
"You feeling okay?"
Batgirl rubbed her eyes as she turned to face Spoiler. "Yeah, I'm okay. Why?"
"Because you've been laser-focused on that purple girl for the past five minutes."
She blinked. "…really?"
"Yeah. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were sizing her up or something."
"In my defense, when was the last time any of us saw anyone with purple skin?"
"…point conceded." Spoiler replied after a pregnant silence. "So, who do you want to tail these guys– me or you?"
"You."
"Figures." she said as she pulled out a grapnel gun. "See you in a few then, Babs."
"Likewise, Steph."
The Batcave– around the same time
"Sir, is there any particular reason as to why you've forgotten to eat again?" Alfred said as he approached the Batcomputer, gesturing to an untouched sandwich sitting on the console.
"Field reports." came the blunt reply.
"From who, may I ask?"
Batman swiveled around to face the source of the question. "Spoiler's calling in from the Financial District– claims to have seen, and I quote, 'five weirdos wandering around.'"
"And who might these 'weirdos' be?"
"No idea." he said, photos of a beatnik-looking man and a large dog soon materializing on the monitor. "Thus far, these are the only ones I've got any substantial information on."
Alfred squinted. "Who, pray tell, is the perpetrator of this egregious crime against fashion?"
"Norville "Shaggy" Rogers. Supposedly, he's a member of a group of amateur detectives calling themselves 'Mystery Incorporated'."
"The dog?"
"Rogers'. According to the National Dog Registry, it's a Great Dane by the name of Scooby-Doo." He paused. "As for the other three members of Rogers' entourage, that's where things get interesting."