Notes: This chapter takes place in the late part of previous one. It's Batgirl patrolling Gotham while Batman and Robin are out of town on another case. Also, I should point out that as these are out of continuity stories I'm creating with two (so far) fics, I took the liberty of making Catwoman black. You may disagree, but at least there is precedent, what with Eartha Kitt and Halle Berry having played the character.
Batgirl's perspective:
The Batgirl was on a rooftop when she heard a shot. She looked and saw two men pointing their guns at a couple in a car. Yep, definitely time for The Dark Lady to step in.
She Batgrappled down to the ground and charged, throwing two Batarangs at her opponents to disarm them and delivering a flying kick to one of them, knocking him down. She ducked the punch of the other and started kicking his left ankle and shin. Batgirl knew that as a girl and not even a particularly big one, she had to avoid taking too many hits from men and capitalize on her speed. It worked; targeting the meatless part of the leg had the mugger falling in pain.
By now the other criminal was standing up. Batgirl spun around a few times to tag him with three back-handed punches and a roundhouse kick that turned out his lights.
A father, mother, and daughter came out. "I wanna be like you when I grow up," said the daughter.
"I'm not really grown up," said Batgirl. She saw the father picking up his phone and calling the police. Saved Batgirl some trouble.
"Thanks," said the mother.
"He's too embarrassed about being rescued by a girl to thank me himself, isn't he?" whispered Batgirl. The mother nodded. "Don't worry. I'm used to that." With that, Batgirl used her Batgrapple to get back up to the rooftops and returned to the Batmobile. She pressed her boot on the accelerator and looked at the clock.
Batgirl was a wolf who was tired of catching rodents. She smiled at the clock. It was time to go after a deer.
The Riddler's perspective:
The Malevolent Seven were disbanded. Good! They were nutcases. A criminal genius like myself is too good for nutcases. But Batman has an entire team now. The Batgirl, Robin, and sometimes Catwoman and Huntress.
The Riddler had sprung his usual female accomplices, the blonde Query, and Chinese Echo, days before. But The Riddler felt as though he still needed more help, so he was in a bar talking to two men, Nash and Howie.
"We're robbing a bank tomorrow," said The Riddler.
"One thing," said Nash. "The riddles. If the cops don't figure 'em out, The Batman will."
"I've always wanted to catch him anyway," said Howie. "I'm in."
"Don't worry," said Query. "We've come close before. With two more on our side, we'll get 'em."
"Before her," seconded Echo. "We've got a score to settle."
"I'm outvoted," admitted Nash. "Guess you got your gang, Riddler."
Batgirl's perspective:
Batgirl was hiding in wait on a rooftop not far from Lillany's, a jewelry store. Information that she, Batman, and Robin had squeezed out of people told Batgirl that The Catwoman was going to rob this place. Sure enough, she entered with a bag and left with the bag looking much heavier. Catwoman looked around, then fixed her eyes on Batgirl. Oh, shit! She saw me. Catwoman took off running. Oh no you don't. I'm gonna do what Batman couldn't or wouldn't do last year.
Batgirl swung on her Batgrapple. This didn't quite close the distance, so she gave the rope an agile pull to get the grappling hook off the rooftop that it was hooked onto. As the grappling hook was retracting, Batgirl spread out her cape to slow the descent enough to keep from building enough momentum for a sudden end to the fall from hurting her, then grappled onto a windowsill. This time, she delivered a swinging kick to Catwoman that knocked her a distance away and down.
"It's been too long, honey," said Catwoman, getting up and turning around. A smile became a frown. "You're not him."
"No, I'm not," said Batgirl.
"I'd heard that he'd added you to his team," said Catwoman. "Never thought he'd send a second-stringer after me. I feel insulted. And a little hurt. Is he that afraid of his feelings for me?"
"You're insulted?" asked Batgirl. "I was doing for months by myself. But I know what else you're saying. Like a lot of guys, he favors bad girls for some reason. A lot of available women and you're the winner. That's why he hasn't caught you yet. Unfortunately for you, you can't charm your way out of this. I prefer lean and fresh-faced guys."
Catwoman ran. "You're not going anywhere," Batgirl gave pusuit. Just as Catwoman would have turned to enter a nearby alley, Batgirl tackled her, only for Catwoman to literally roll with it and cause Batgirl to lose her grip.
"You're faster than Batman," admitted Catwoman. "I'll give you that. But I'd have never shook him off that easy, nor would his ambush have been so easily spotted. Go home, kid. I don't want a rep for beating on children."
Batgirl ran at Catwoman, determined to prove her wrong. A side kick to the hip was blocked by Catwoman. So was a right cross to the face. A left body blow and knee strike to the face downed Catwoman. Batgirl leaped and somersaulted to get as high as she could and to build power and height before attempting to stomp the head of Catwoman. Instead, she log rolled away. Guess I should've softened her up more before I tried to maximize the power of these blows.
Batgirl's youth let her keep the initiative, and she used it to perform a flying kick just as Catwoman got up. Catwoman's experience still enabled her to see it coming soon enough to bend over backwards just in time to avoid it. A whip looped around Batgirl's right foot and she was swung around, her gut colliding with a mail-in box. Batgirl grunted. Without her new, armored Batsuit, ribs would have been broken, but she couldn't take much more of this. It was Batgrapple time.
Catwoman ran and dragged Batgirl into an alley. "You want into my league, little girl?" taunted Catwoman. "You got it!" she lashed out, launching Batgirl face-first into a trash can. She couldn't take many more hits like that. "Had enough?"
"Bring it up, bitch," said Batgirl, Batgrappling up high. Catwoman was dragged up with her. The two masked females were far above ground, and Batgirl had the way down. "The tables have turned again. And this will be the last time, stray cat."
"Batman never gloated."
"I'm not Batman. I know the value of fun."
"Never thought I'd miss how lame he is."
"As much I love chatting, Cats, enough. You can either unmask and surrender or you can take a spill. The choice is yours."
"Batman wouldn't approve of killing anyone," Catwoman reminded Batgirl, "Let alone me."
"I know he's got a very male vulnerability to untrustworthy girls with looks. He'll get over it. This won't kill you, but you might never be the same. Be reasonable."
"Kid, you don't know me very well, do you?" No sooner had Catwoman said that when she was swinging on her whip, releasing it, and riding her momentum to an adjacent windowsill. She dropped down and gripped another with her claws. then another and another until she was on the ground.
Untying the whip from her foot, Batgirl extracted the Batgrapple until she was back down to the ground. To her surprise, Catwoman hadn't run.
"I've changed my mind," said Catwoman. "I've decided I want to teach you respect for authority."
"What's the matter," Batgirl relished Catwoman's anger. "Not as easy to beat this kid as you thought, Cats?"
Catwoman charged with her claws. She was serious. Batgirl drew two Batarangs, one in each hand. She blocked a combined five claw strikes before the off-handed Batarang was knocked out. To compensate, Batgirl grabbed Catwoman right claw with the disarmed left hand just before it would have struck cheek. At the same time, the remaining Batarang was stopped inches short of Catwoman's abdomen by a hand holding Batgirl's right wrist.
Both offenses finally pierced the defenses. Claws cut down cheek as Batarang cut an inch into abdomen. Fight the pain. Just need to cut a little harder into her guts and she's yours. Just don't hit anything she needs to live.
Suddenly, the pain in Batgirl's left cheek seemed to get more severe. She yelled in pain, much to Catwoman's delight. A flick of the wrist forced Batgirl to drop her Batarang. A headbutt had Batgirl staggering back and slipping to the ground on a banana peel.
Catwoman started laughing about this, which made Batgirl angry. A warning in her head told her that she needed to control her temper and that the possibility of making her sloppy was probably Catwoman's plan. But anger was beating reason; Batgirl delivered a flurry of furious attacks, all of which were blocked or dodged. This left Batgirl tired as well as in pain, so Catwoman capitalized with a claw strike across the face. It didn't make Batgirl bleed any more, but it did set her up to be decked by a roundhouse kick.
"Now that never say die attitude is a bit more like the big guy," Catwoman complimented Batgirl as she slowly got up. Catwoman pulled Batgirl's head down by the mask ears and delivered three knee strikes to the cheek. Batgirl fell to her hands and knees. A low snap kick had her face-down and gasping for breath.
Shifting Batgirl's head so the the claw marks on her left cheek faced up, Catwoman pressed her right foot down against them. Batgirl screamed in pain as her newly sensitive spot was targeted. Just don't beg for mercy. It's beneath you. Besides, if this doesn't tell Batman that she's a bad person, nothing will.
Suddenly, the foot was off Batgirl's face. "Thought I was gonna kill you?" asked Catwoman.
Batgirl nodded.
"Like I said, you don't know me very well. I'm no killer. Although I'm not above embarrassing my enemies. Let's show everybody that pretty face of yours." Catwoman reached for Batgirl's mask. Batgirl grabbed Catwoman's wrists in vain. She couldn't let anyone know, especially not her father.
"C'mon," chuckled Catwoman. "A lot of guys are swooning over you, especially those you've put away but are out of jail by now." Batgirl hadn't thought of the possibility of an old collar looking her up upon realizing that Barbara Gordon and Batgirl were the same person. Maybe I hadn't been thinking when I put on this costume. It just felt right. Now it's about to be over.
Just as the mask was about to be pulled over the eyes, Catwoman released Batgirl and turned around. As she pulled the mask totally down again, Batgirl looked to see that it was two cops. "Gotham police," said one of them. "You're under arrest." Batgirl was overjoyed.
"Step away from your prisoner," said the other. "And raise your arms in the name of the law."
Catwoman looked down. "Your knights in blue armor," she said. Batgirl's heart sank. Being happy they were there meant admitting that she wasn't good enough.
Catwoman pulled Batgirl up into a hostage's position and placed her right claws against Batgirl's throat. "These are sharp claws I have up to her throat. Stay back."
This was embarrassing. Batgirl didn't exactly think of herself as a helpless girl. And yet, she found herself acting helpless because the battle had so weakened her.
"Don't try it," said the first cop. "We know those are claws you have up to her throat. We're authorized to shoot to save her life."
"This is kidnapping with deadly weapons," said the other. "You can cut burglary sentences short, but not that."
Catwoman backed up to where Batgirl had left her end of her Batgrapple still hooked to a window high above. "How do I use this?" asked Catwoman.
Batgirl said nothing.
"How," demanded Catwoman. "I'm not screwing around."
"Don't give in," said the first cop. "She won't give up her bargaining chip that easily."
But Batgirl was afraid for her life. "Trigger fires it," she said reluctantly. "Button on the high rear retracts. Side button extracts." Catwoman used it to get up high and get up to the roof from there, but not without detaching the hook of the Batgrapple and stealing it.
"Batman almost always makes me run," called Catwoman up top. "He sure as Hell doesn't need rescuing. Don't quit your day job, Batgirl! And boys, ain't she grateful to you chivalrous knights?"
"See if she's all right," ordered the first cop. "I'll call for backup."
The second cop helped Batgirl up. "You alright, young miss?"
"Yeah," said Batgirl. "Thanks." It was the right thing to say. As humiliating as this was, it wasn't the policemen's fault. It was Batgirl's own for losing her cool and missing a chance to take Catwoman out earlier by dropping her down from high above.
"You better go home," said the cop.
"I know I'm beat-up," admitted Batgirl, "But I can try again tomorrow."
"You mean you want more of her? I'd steer clear of her from now on. No, it's not because you're a woman. It's because you're a girl. No older than our boss' son."
Batgirl ran at this point. She eventually reached the Batmobile and started driving towards the Batcave.
The drive gave her time to think about what a humiliation this was. The Dark Lady was supposed to be a rising star in the crimefighting community, yet in one night, The Princess of Plunder had turned her into damsel in distress. She was going to pay for that. And Batgirl didn't take cash.
Selina Kyle's perspective:
Having changed out of her Catsuit in her apartment, Selina Kyle had her best friend, Sabisia Williams, start running a medicine-tipped wad of cotton over her wound. "You're saying she hurt you like this?" asked Sabisia. "Batman doesn't do this to you."
"Batman's sweet on me," explained Selina. "Batgirl's not. I think she hates me."
"Let her hate you," smiled Sabisia. "You got her."
"Today," said Selina. She sensed her pet cougar, Caesarion, walking over to her. Petting the big, wild cat, Selina continued, "But the kid held her own. Almost got me. Might still have if I hadn't made her lose it at the end. Sure love to meet her when she knows what she's doing."
Barbara's perspective:
Alfred had finished stitching up the deep scratches on Batgirl's face and applying the patch. "Thanks," said Batgirl.
"Not at all, Madam," said Alfred. "I have to do this often for the Masters. They often ask what they would do without me."
"Good question," chuckled Barbara.
It was then that the hatch above opened and in came the Batplane. Out came Batman and Robin. "I have found exactly one Riko Dimiquen," Alfred explained to Batman and Robin. "His home is at 358 Broadroad Street."
Batman then saw Barbara Gordon with a large bandage on her cheek. "What happened?" asked Batman.
"The Catwoman happened to me," said Barbara.
"Sure you're alright to continue?"
"Don't give her a 'You can't continue' speech," said Robin.
"Figured you'd take her side," said Batman. "Fine. A cut isn't that serious. But I'll need to look at any further injuries. Both of your nights are over. Mine has one more thing left."
Fair enough. They seem busy. I'm free to continue my pursuit of Catwoman tomorrow.
The Riddler's perspective:
The following morning, The Riddler had finished putting together his plan for a bank robbery. Batman would get the riddles. This time, though, he'd be ready. Unless he wasn't.
He couldn't think like that. For sure, Riddler had clashed with Batman a few times in a full year, generally, in vain, but this time he had a true gang. Besides, the law of averages said that he had to win one of these. One was all he needed.
He wished he could believe that.
Barbara's perspective:
The day at school and work was a drag for Barbara. She didn't even talk to other students and workers much. While working at her computer at Wayne Enterprises, she did overhear that Bruce Wayne had the flu. More likely that was a cover for him and Dick Grayson doing whatever they needed to prove The Hog's innocence. It was a dirty job, but someone had to do it.
The end of Barbara's shift couldn't have come soon enough. She pushed her car to the speed limit on the way to Wayne Manor. Catwoman had turned her into disgrace of a heroine. No one did that to Batgirl. Not that she would take Catwoman's life, but if Cats found herself in the infirmary of Blackgate Prison, she would have brought it on herself.
"Madame Barbara," Alfred said politely as soon as Barbara came in. "Don't shoot the messenger, but follow me." He led Barbara to a window with a good view and pointed.
Barbara's heart sank at the sight of the Batsignal.
"Master Bruce considers it important to answer the Signal each time," Alfred said apologetically.
Barbara sighed. Redemption and revenge would have to wait another night.
Batgirl's perspective:
Batgirl was upset as she drove to answer the Batsignal. You won some, you lost some. And she had certainly lost this one. True, this was by default, since she was likely about to be taken off the case. But the reality was that she'd had her chances to win the battle against Catwoman the prior night and blown it.
Batgirl hated losing. And she hated that Catwoman was going to get away with what she had done to her even more. The Dark Lady pounded the panel of the Batmobile with an open palm.
Enough venting. She couldn't ignore Commissioner James Gordon's plea for help. Which brought her to another problem. Gordon was her father, and he had come close to recognizing his daughter the last time he had seen Batgirl.
Upon reaching GCPD HQ, Batgirl stepped into the shadow cast by the protrusion on the roof with a door that lead downstairs. "Commissioner," said Batgirl, just barely remembering not to call her father "Dad."
"Do all you people sneak up on others?" asked Commissioner Gordon.
"Sorry," said Batgirl. She meant it. She didn't like lying to her father, let alone surprising him.
"I expected Batman."
"He's out of town. I'm what you've got."
"You've accomplished enough. At any rate, The Riddler finally made his first move since freeing his old accomplices, Query and Echo, weeks ago. They robbed a bank with two more helpers. Here are the riddles." He walked into the shadow and gave Batgirl the piece of paper.
"Thank you," said Batgirl, walking away.
"Before you go," inquired Gordon. "Do you have your parents' permission? Because my daughter's an athlete and I'd never let her do what you do."
Batgirl ran for the edge of the roof.
"You people don't say goodbye, either," realized Gordon.
Catwoman's perspective:
Catwoman had figured out the answers to The Riddler's conundrums and entered his home. Catwoman wasn't challenged trying to hit legitimate businesses anymore unless Batman got involved, so why not try an archcriminal?
She sneaked into Riddler's room and found a safe. She didn't bother trying to crack it. No alarms. She could open it with tools at home. She picked it up. Definitely money or valuable objects inside. She dropped it upon hearing guns cocking and jumped out the window.
Unfortunately, these weren't normal homeowners. They were The Riddler and his perennial henchwomen, Query and Echo. They jumped out the window as well and pursued. "What killed The Catwoman?" asked Riddler.
"Curiosity," said Catwoman. Everyone knew that one.
"Wrong. Her belief that her primitive brain could outsmart The Riddler."
Primitive? That's probably racist, but what do you expect from a psychopath? These people were shooting straight. They could probably hit the wheels of Catwoman's car and would get her on the way out. Better to dash for the buildings and try to lose them up there. Sorry, Caesarion. You're gonna have to stay in the car awhile longer.
Batgirl's perspective:
Batgirl was looking over the riddles in the Batmobile:
What does the beginning of my security
number, 398, have to do with my address?
I live in superbia.
The first riddle Batgirl understood. Every Social Security number in the state was 398. But what was that "Superbia" business? Metahumans were rare. There was no town with a lot of them.
Did The Riddler mean a town home to one of the famous superheroes? Metropolis, New York, and Keystone City were home to Superman, Green Lantern and The Flash, respectively. All of them were too far away. Maybe the answer was Wonder Woman's northern Virginia/Washington DC area? That wasn't nearly as far away. Still not exactly a stone's throw away from Gotham, though.
If not, Batgirl was stumped. Maybe she should patrol as she thought. It might get her mind going.
At some point during the patrol, Batgirl heard a shot. Good thing she was the constructive type, whereas Bruce said that Dick was hard to pry away from his video games. Not that Batgirl was against that kind of thing, but not at work.
Batgirl used her Batgrapple to get up a building to see that The Riddler, Query, and Echo were chasing Catwoman across rooftops. Looked like Catwoman had bitten off more than she could chew. Or they were all setting a trap for Batgirl. Either way, she had wanted both cases to come together, hadn't she?
Catwoman just barely missed a jump and held onto the rooftop with her hands. A shot from Query's sniper rifle broke a piece of concrete off where Catwoman's right hand was, causing her to fall screaming!
Batgirl had arrived just in time. Even as she aimed her Batgrapple just to Catwoman's side, Batgirl found herself thinking about letting the bitch die. But that was a thought unworthy of a heroine. She fired; Catwoman caught the rope and swung on it to the edge of the building Batgirl was on. You better appreciate this, sugar!
Satisfied that Catwoman was saved, Batgirl got out a Mini-Batjet and used its targeting system to launch it at Query. It hit her right thigh just as she would have shot at Batgirl. "Eddie, I'm hit," cried Query.
"Live by the gun, die by gun," taunted Batgirl.
"We better get out of here," said Echo.
"OK," agreed The Riddler. As he and Echo helped Query down the building, Riddler shouted, "My real beef is with your boss and not the kitty-kitty. Don't cross me again, pretty girl."
Pretty girl? I always thought he looked kind of cute himself. Not that I'd go soft on him just because of that. That was Batman's mistake.
Catwoman was retracted up and ran away. Batgirl chased, tackled, straddled, turned Catwoman around to face her, and pinned her wrists to the ground. "Cats," demanded Batgirl, "Before we start anything else, I think you need to thank me."
"For what?" asked Catwoman. "Giving me the indignity of being saved by one of the good girls and one not old enough to pop a cork, at that?"
Batgirl nodded.
"T-H-A-N-K-S," Catwoman grinded the letters out.
"Was that so hard?" Batgirl smiled. Saving Catwoman wasn't so bad after all.
"Don't get smart with me, Bratgirl," sneered Catwoman. "I'm not too grateful to kick your ass again!"
"You can try," Batgirl knew she could show no fear. "First, let me know why you were running from Question Marks in the first place."
"He's my latest mark."
"Not exactly an easy one?"
"What did I just warn you about?
"Sor-ry. I can't find where he lives. Tell me and it'll shorten your sentence a lot."
"Do you expect me to turn myself in just because you stopped me from dying, which, by the way, I'd take over being caged by this evil society?"
"I don't know who's crazier, you or The Riddler. I have the high ground. I'll win."
"In your dreams. But how about a bargain. I'm on The Riddler's shit list. He's on yours. Why don't we put him away together?"
"You actually expect me to trust you?" laughed Batgirl. "You're not the same as him. You're worse. At least he's crazy."
That clearly pissed Catwoman off. "There's no point in arguing," she said with reluctance.
"Because you know I'm right."
"Because you need me."
"Like AIDS."
"That's right. Forget that I turned you into a valley girl last night. Face it. Without me, you ain't got no chance!"
Batgirl thought. Catwoman might be right, she had to admit. "Alright, Catwoman," said Batgirl. "But when he's behind bars, it's on!"
"You want another fight?" smiled Catwoman with glee. "I'll give you one."
The Riddler's perspective:
Echo was tending to Query's leg wound, so The Riddler said to the other two men playing poker, "Sorry to cut your game short, but The Batgirl and Catwoman are on the way. We must be prepared. No killing. They're bait for Batman. I'll show Batgirl and Catwoman that you don't screw with The Riddler! At least not that way... And they've both missed their chance at the right way."
Batgirl's perspective:
Getting the location of The Riddler's new home had solved the unknown riddle. "Superbia" was a word game. He meant suburbia. It figured. Batgirl did recall reading about the one who had once been known as Eddie Nygma cheating as a child.
"So what's it like to be you?" asked Catwoman during the ride.
"I'd rather not talk," said Batgirl.
"You want we should just seethe?"
"Let's get one thing straight, Catwoman. I hate you. I certainly don't feel like talking to you."
"I like dealing with Batman better."
"That's because you've got him seduced and manipulated."
"Has it occurred to you, that I may be a more complicated woman than you think, Batgirl?"
"No."
"Then maybe you should be more open-minded. Like Batman. Oh, he wants to put me away, but he has hard time looking at me and seeing a monster."
"I have a hard time looking at you and seeing anything else. We're nearing The Riddler's neighborhood."
But Catwoman still seemed to want to talk. "Strong words considering your apparently cold-hearted approach to fighting crime."
"You think I'm like a cold-hearted policeman?"
"Well, is there anyone you truly care about?"
There was Robin, actually. "If there is, you're the last one I'd tell. We've reached the neighborhood." Not a moment too soon.
They parked just outside. Catwoman lead Batgirl through the neighborhood carefully to the house. Everyone seemed to be asleep or gone. Catwoman clawed out a segment in a window for them to enter through.
Both Batgirl and Catwoman had their nightvision lenses on as they explored the living room. Good thing the new Batsuit Batgirl got from Batman had the lenses or she would have been at a disadvantage against two archcriminals in the dark.
"Guess he got when the getting was good," guessed Catwoman.
"No way," said Batgirl. "He's obsessed with outsmarting Batman. He wouldn't run."
Suddenly, Catwoman turned towards the couch in front of them. "You're right," she said. "My great Cat-burglar ears hear him. Come out, Riddler! I know you're behind that couch. Show yourself or I cut 'em off!"
"That handsome face of yours shouldn't be wasted behind the couch anyway," agreed Batgirl.
"You think he's handsome?" whispered Catwoman. "Your taste sucks, you know that?"
"Hey, I've a right to an opinion," whispered Batgirl. "Plus, we've got the good cop/bad cop routine going, so don't complain."
Suddenly, a pepper spray grenade was thrown from around the couch. Batgirl and Catwoman fell down, teary and weakened.
"He's turned the tables," whispered Batgirl. "We've gotta make for the broken window."
"For once," said Catwoman. "I can't argue." They ran at the window, but, no longer one hundred percent, their shoulders collided halfway to the window, and both masked females fell.
"Watch where you're going," they both said. Moments later, each of them was held by two of The Riddler's forces. He and his goons were in gas masks. After disposing of the pepper spray grenade, they dragged Batgirl and Catwoman into the kitchen. Two chairs and a rope were used to tie the "guests" together.
"You really don't seem to like being tied together," noted Riddler with a grin.
"How'd you guess?" asked Catwoman.
"Deal with it," smiled Echo. "Too bad you're not friends like we are." She and Query stood together smiling to prove the point.
"What're we gonna do wit' 'em?" asked one of The Riddler's two men.
"Two very hot ladies," admired The Riddler.
"We're not available," said Batgirl. Attractive as she found Riddler, she wasn't getting involved with a criminal.
"You are now," said The Riddler fiercely. "But I'm not so rotten that I'd take two girls at once against their will. Here's the deal. You take turns at my riddles. The first to get one wrong gets a shot in the head. The other becomes my woman."
"I've got a suggestion," said Catwoman. "As you may have heard, I'm Batman's girl. You kill me, you'll only make him mad. This time, I can't guarantee you live. So keep Batgirl and let me go."
"Batman must be insane," groaned Batgirl.
"Hey," Catwoman defended herself. "You've been treating me like scum all night."
"You are scum." Batgirl and Catwoman stopped talking upon hearing a gun cock.
"As much as I live seein' the chicks argue," said one of The Riddler's two men with a gun in hand, "Shut up!"
"If only you ladies could've co-existed," The Riddler rubbed it in, "You might have had a chance." He started laughing and his henchmen and henchwomen joined in. "Batgirl, what's black and white and red all over?"
"Oldest one in the book," said Batgirl. "Newspaper."
"They'll get harder. Catwoman, What time is it when a tiger sits on your watch?"
"Time to get a new watch," said Catwoman sleepily.
"Wrong," smiled Riddler. "It's nighttime because tigers are nocturnal."
"You son of a bitch," screamed Catwoman.
"Looks like you've been outsmarted," pointed out Batgirl.
"I warned you," The Riddler reminded them. "Nash, unmask Catwoman. I want to see the look on that face before I shoot it."
Nash walked over to Catwoman. Batgirl couldn't see what was happening, what with her having been bound behind Catwoman, but the howl in pain and thudding sound said that Nash had caught a knee in the balls.
"Incompetent," scoffed The Riddler.
"Look all you want," said Catwoman. "But you better not touch."
"Actually," said Batgirl, "He was trying to look and couldn't even do that. Wait a second. From how much Nash's hurting, he was hit pretty hard there."
"So?" laughed Riddler's other male employee.
"This isn't a comedy flick," explained Batgirl. "Riddler, you better get him in bed with an ice pack. Otherwise, it'll swell and cause real injury."
"Fine," said Riddler. "I'll get the ice and bag it. The rest of you drag the idiot upstairs into his bed." Before long, Batgirl and Catwoman were alone.
"That's pretty compassionate considering he'd have let you suffer if not taken the chance to abuse you," said Catwoman.
"If you have to ask," replied Batgirl, "You'll never know. Besides, they're gone. Cut the ropes."
Catwoman did so on her side so that in case she didn't finish before the other criminals returned, they wouldn't notice right away. "What's taking so long?" asked Batgirl.
"Patience, Bratgirl," admonished Catwoman, "These claws aren't as long as knives and I'm tied up."
Soon enough, The Riddler, Query, Echo, and the remaining henchman came down the stairs. "Where were we?" asked Riddler.
But Catwoman had cut just enough rope for Batgirl to get them off.
"They're... well, you know that," said a suddenly scared Riddler. "Get them!"
Catwoman delivered a hopping double kick to knock down both Query and Echo, followed by claw strikes into their hides. A couple more kicks knocked them out.
Meanwhile, Batgirl dodged two punches from the henchman attacking her and retaliated with two jabs, a snap kick to the ribs, another snap kick to the shoulder, a third to the face, and a headbutt with Batgirl's lightly armored mask. The thug was knocked out.
It was two against one, but The Riddler whipped out an equalizer: his automatic pistol. "I believe you lost our game," he said, cocking the gun and aiming it at Catwoman. Batgirl suspected that Catwoman could dodge a couple bullets, but there was a more sure way to win.
"And I won," said Batgirl in a loving voice. "And what a prize I won. A brilliant and handsome guy like you."
"That's the first intelligent thing either of you have said all night," "complimented" The Riddler. But, seeing that his guard had been dropped, Batgirl threw a Batarang that knocked out the gun. Riddler chased it, but Batgirl's right foot got on top of it first.
"And you can tell we're a couple because we're fighting already," joked Batgirl, cracking her knuckles with threaded fingers.
The Riddler punched his right fist at Batgirl. Batgirl caught the wrist of the scrawny Riddler and twisted his arm hard behind his back. Pretty soon, he was on his knees.
"For what it's worth," grinned Batgirl, "I wasn't lying when I called you 'handsome,' and I'm sure this is all somehow society's work... but you need therapy. After you get it, look me up. If you've gotten over having been beaten by a girl, that is. I'll be of age and may be available." I like Robin at the moment, but Riddler's hypothetical release was a long way away. Never know what's gonna happen in a relationship.
Batgirl elbowed Riddler over the neck a few times so as not to mess up that face and he fell unconscious. "Alright, Catwoman," she said, "You're nex..." Catwoman was gone. "Scared kitten!"
Batgirl had called the police and was watching on a roof a distance away as she watched The Riddler and his accomplices get taken away.
"A very good night," Batgirl said to herself. "Too bad she got away, but we'll settle this sooner or later."
Suddenly, a lasso encircled her and she was pulled off her feet and towards Catwoman, who smiled triumphantly as she thoroughly roped her. "How about sooner?" asked The Princess of Plunder. "I told you I was up for that rematch."
"Don't do fair fights, do you, coward?"
"No. I'm 'scum', remember? Scare, Caesarion!" A cougar pushed Batgirl down completely on her back with his front legs and growled. Catwoman and Caesarion had clearly been waiting for the police to leave. Wingspan's against the wall again.
"You showed me tonight that you're not just a kid," said a graciously victorious Catwoman. "How about we work together? Hear me out. I'd have killed you multiple times if I were all bad. And I swear to God that I have causes. I donate a lot of the money I steal to cleaning up the environment, conservation, and helping poor people. Together, we can clean up this corrupt city! Even Batman couldn't stand against us."
"Sorry," said Batgirl. "I'm naive enough to think that it can be cleaned up the right way. Besides, if I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times; I do not believe in this good side of you. You're a petty thief through and through. In closing..." she spit on Catwoman's right cheek.
"A simple 'no' would've done," said Catwoman, wiping off the spit. "Fine. I'll settle for ending your career." She reached for Batgirl's mask, but Batgirl had reached a gas pellet and lobbed it at Caesarion. The pressure on her upper body went away as Caesarion fell unconscious. Batgirl log rolled to the side and off the house before she would've been put to sleep as well.
Cutting the ropes off with a Batarang, Batgirl watched and waited for the gas to clear. Caesarion had been taken out by the gas, and Batgirl hadn't seen or heard any sign of him being taken away. Even if Catwoman escaped, her DNA's on the animal. She's mine!
But when the gas cleared, both Catwoman and Caesarion were gone. Batgirl didn't know how Catwoman got Caesarion away Batgirl noticing or breathing in any gas, but somehow she did. Another round had gone to The Catwoman.