Wayne Manor
04 / 19 / 2008, 15:09 EDT
A squeal of laughter echoed through the large manor. An eight and a half year old brunette girl tore down the hallway and tossed her head to look behind her. Not paying attention to her surroundings, she rammed into a larger, muscular man. Her light blue eyes shone with laughter, "Oops! Désolé Papa."
The corner of his lip turned up into a smile. "It's fine, Mélanie."
She beamed up at him and turned to leave and he called after her. She titled her head curiously. His eyes flickered upwards and he lowered his voice, "Try avoiding any tall places. Dick has always favored heights."
She giggled and tore off to find another hiding spot and whispered a thanks. He shook his head bemusedly glancing up again.
Dick Grayson suddenly flipped through the air and landed in front of his guardian. He grinned lopsidedly and sped off after Mélanie.
Bruce shook his head again, he'd never understand why Dick would always let Mélanie win. When he brought it up with Alfred once, the butler had merely raised and eyebrow and dryly informed him that was just what siblings did.
He shrugged it off and continued to his study when he saw a flash of red in the corner of his eye. He frowned and quietly made his way toward where the red streak had disappeared behind a closet.
He swung the door open and a ten year old Barbara Gordon froze in her tracks.
She laughed nervously at his blank expression and he shook his head again. "What are you doing, Barbara? How did you get here?"
She shifted, "Well, funny story actually-" She was interrupted by a high pitched scream of 'You'll never take me alive!' and a loud crash in the distance. When Bruce turned back to the girl, she was gone.
He raised an eyebrow at that then to Alfred, who was nearby he said, "Why is she here?"
The older man doesn't look at all phased, "Master Dick smuggled the young Miss Gordon into the car when I went to pick him and Miss Mélanie up from school. Not to worry Sir, I already informed the girls father of her whereabouts. Should you have any other concerns, I will be in the kitchens."
Without another word the man swept out of the kitchen leaving Bruce alone. He continued on to his study with no other distractions. When he got to the door, however, Mélanie suddenly skidded across the floor and stopped a few feet away from him. The young girl got up grumbling and rubbed her arm.
Her eyes were strangely steely as she looked him dead in the eye. "Dad. I want you you to train me."
He startled slightly, his expression darkening. He had an idea she would ask at some point, especially with Dick being Robin and Barbara starting her training to become Batgirl. He had , however, hoped it would be in the far future.
The two other kids hovered in the doorway, Barbara didn't look at all surprised but Dick's expression was closed off. Mélanie gave an impatient noise and crossed her arms. His attention shifted back to her, "No."
Her eyes narrowed and she huffed and stomped off to her room. Bruce looked helplessly at Dick who shrugged. Barbara cleared her throat, "Bruce? Can you call my dad to pick me up?"
He waved her off, "No need. I'll have Alfred drop you off."
The ten year old redhead nodded and glanced at her friend then at the stairs where Mélanie had stormed up. Dick casts a parting look at his friend and rushes up the stairs after his sister. Bruce raised an eyebrow at Barbara. She smiled sheepishly, "Well the 'stealth training' turned into sparring. And um Mélanie didn't take to losing that well."
He relaxed at the explanation. Mélanie would get over her anger at losing and hopefully drop her sudden interest to train.
He called for Alfred and informed him that Barbara needed a ride. He turned to enter his office then stopped and instead went upstairs after his kids.
He knocked lightly on the door and after a few minutes, the door swung opened and he was greeted to two pairs of blue eyes. Dick stood, "Mel and I have been talking and I think you should start training her. Just so she can defend herself."
Bruce's eyes narrowed and he nodded for Dick to leave the room. The boy left without another word, a serious expression written on the eleven year old's face.
Mélanie stared up at him from her spot on her bed. She twisted the light pink covers in her hands nervously. Bruce moved her gray stuffed penguin out of the way and sat down. "I'm not mad, Mélanie. Barbara told me that you were upset at losing, but I know that isn't the whole reason. Why do you want to learn how to fight?"
The girl tilted her head to the side, "N'est-il pas évident? Je veux aider les gens comme vous et Dick et Babs."
Bruce sighed again. His daughter seemed to always switch to her native French tongue when upset. He gently reminded her to speak in English and she looked despairingly at him. "Mais c'est plus facile de cette façon."
"English only Mélanie. And there are other ways to help. You don't necessarily have to fight."
She opened her mouth to respond then she paused her nose scrunching up in concentration. "I know but I can already fight a little."
"That's different."
She crossed her arms, "How?"
He let out an exasperated noise, "When your older maybe but not right now."
She glared petulantly at him and turned away. She threw herself face forward onto her pillow and mumbled something incomprehensible.
When Bruce left her room he found Dick waiting outside, arms crossed and eyes narrowed. He rolled his eyes and slid past Bruce and walked back in his sister's room.
Hilltop Elementary
04 / 21 / 2008, 09:48 EDT
Ten year old Barbara Gordon sat down at her usual lunch table. Mélanie and Dick were already there much to her surprise; her two best friends usually showed up around five minutes after she did.
She grinned at them as she sat down and pulled out her lunch. "Hey Dick, Mel."
Mélanie yawned and waved, "Hey Babs. I gotta question for you," She lowered her voice suddenly. "How did you get Bruce to teach you?"
Barbara hesitated, "Well I kinda just went out one day and shadowed then in my makeshift suit. I threatened to go patrol by myself unless he trained me."
Mélanie looked thoughtful and Barbara hurried to dissuade her younger friend. "Not that you should do that. It was pretty dumb I could've gotten hurt."
She nodded distractedly, "Of course not Babs."
Dick glared at Barbara and the three continued their lunch in silence. Dick was staring at his younger sister in concern as she suddenly sat straight up and started shoveling her food in her mouth as quickly as she could.
He and Barbara exchanged a confused glance before shrugging it off. The two had gotten used to Mélanie's random and odd behaviors.
The girl suddenly jerked her head up to look at them, her brown hair whipping around as she turned to stare at each of them.
She suddenly giggled and jumped up, speeding off in a different direction. Barbara laughed and Dick stared in confusion. "Where is she going?"
Barbara shrugged, "She's your sister." Then turned back to the container of cookies Alfred gave the siblings for the day.
"Should we go after her?" Dick asked the redhead who immediately shook her head.
"You're too overprotective Dick. She's almost nine now."
He gave her a weird look, "Exactly! She's only eight Barbara. And she's my little sister."
Barbara shook her head, "Dick were not that much older than her. Besides when you were eight you were already doing the exact thing she wants to."
He looked flustered, "But I- but that's different Babs!"
She rolled her eyes, "Whatever you say, Pixie Boots."
She put her lunchbox away in her backpack and walked away right as the bell rang.
Crime Alley
04 / 21 / 22:42 EDT
Selina Kyle sat perched on the countertop in her small apartment. She gazed down at the young girl in front of her.
She pushed herself off the counter. "Remind me again why you want to do this."
The girl crossed her arms, "I already told you why, Selina."
The woman smiled dryly, "Sorry Kitten, I'm not looking for a sidekick." She bent down and pet one of her cats. "I'm not Batman. I'm a solo act."
The girl furrows her brow and taps her nails together. "It will-" She stops and her eyes screw up in concentration, "It will upset Batman. He won't like that you have a sidekick."
Selina stops and places the cat back down. "Well, I suppose you do have a point there. Do you still have the suit I gave you?" At the girls affirmative she continues, "The Jade Cat Statue was stolen earlier today. I'm going to steal it back."
She turned to the girl and looked at her sternly, "Follow every word I say. If Batman shows up then leave him to me."
The girl looks slightly apprehensive but nods. Selina searches her face, "Go get dressed and at the first sign of trouble, get out."
She takes a deep breath and grabs her backpack. She darts off to a corner and changes into the catsuit Selina gave her a year ago. She deftly caught the goggles the woman tossed her way and slipped them on.
Selina was now dressed in her Catwoman garb and studied her. "No cat ears but this'll have to do, Catgirl."
The girl scrunched her nose up at that, then slowly grinned. Selina tutted and rummaged through a drawer before tossing her a grappling gun. "Nicked that from Batman a few years back." With that the two were off.
The newly dubbed Catgirl let out a whoop as she swung from rooftop to rooftop after her new partner.
Catwoman landed softly onto a rooftop overlooking a parked truck guarded by only a few thugs. Catgirl's landing was harsher than her mentor's and she stumbled before regaining her balance. The feline thief smirked as she surveyed the people below. She held up a hand signaling her young partner to stay put. "Watch and learn Kitten."
Catgirl sat down and peered over the edge, head in hand as she watched Catwoman easily take down the thugs. A chill crept up her spine and she whipped her head around. She swallowed hard and her eyes scanned her surroundings. A flash of fear and panic spread through her. She forced herself to calm down and she focused again on watching Catwoman like she was instructed to.
A flutter of a breeze fell over her and her head jerked up. She mentally willed Selina to hurry up. The woman was now breaking into the truck. Someone cleared their throat. She slowly turned her head toward the noise. Robin was standing above her and she squeaked. She toppled backwards off the roof. She struggled for her grappling gun when a gloved hand shot out and caught her.
Robin yanked her back onto the roof and he was frowning, "Who're you supposed to be?"
She titled her head up and narrowed her eyes, "I'm Catgirl."
He slowly brought his hand up to his comm, "Uh B? Does Catwoman have a protégée? I'm in the Burnley District. I think you need to get over here now."
Catgirl ignored him and glanced back down at Catwoman who beckoned her to come down. She climbed up onto the edge of the roof and leaped down, breaking her fall with an awkwardly executed roll. She yelped as pain shot through her arm. Catwoman frowned and the girl surged forward toward her. "Catwoman, Robin saw me and helped called Bats!"
The woman nodded, "I got the statue, let's hurry and-" She was interrupted by a gravely voice.
"Catwoman. Who is this child? You should know better than this."
Her eyes narrow, "This is my protégée, Catgirl. It doesn't involve you anyway. Stay out of our business."
Robin hovered uncertainty behind Batman and peered closely at the girl with narrowed eyes. "Batman I think-" He trailed off when Catgirl yelled out. "Cat watch out!"
Catwoman whirled around, her whip in hand. The thugs she had previously subdued, were now back up again. Batman joined in the fight without any hesitation. Catgirl watched in awe and was about to jump in to help when Robin pulled her back.
He nodded toward her arm, "Your already hurt. If you go in you'll just distract them. Here I can tape it up for you."
She nodded her consent and he stepped forward, pulling out gauze and alcohol wipes from his belt. He gently cleaned the scrape on her arm and wrapped it with the gauze. "Any pain in your ankles? Oh and just a tip, but when you jump from heights like that you should probably do a front flip before you go into a roll."
She winced but nodded. She glanced up and noticed Catwoman and Batman watching them. The woman smirked, "Aw look at that Bats I think our sidekicks like each other."
Catgirl laughed and Robin coughed embarrassedly. Catwoman winked at Batman, "Pleasure doing business with you. Now we gotta scram."
She leapt forward and grabbed Catgirl who shot her grappling gun to a nearby building. The two were gone before Robin could say anything.
Batman growled and shot his own grapple after them and Robin quickly followed with a huff.
"Y'know B, I was thinking. We should some bats. Because well Catwoman has cats, Penguin has penguins and what do we have? Nothing." Robin commented suddenly as he swung after mentor.
Batman grunted and Robin continued. "M likes animals too, so she wouldn't mind if we got bats."
His mentor shot him a warning glare to be quiet and he immediately stopped talking. The boy saw a silhouette of two people at the opposite end of the rooftop. Robin inched forward toward the two. Catgirl was sitting on the roof clutching her leg. Her face was pale with pain and Catwoman was knelt next to her, running a hand through her hair and quietly telling a story. Batman swept forward and gently picked the girl up.
Catwoman hissed and started forward however Catgirl raised a hand to stop her, "S'ok Cat."
Batman shifted the girl to a comfortable position and glared at Catwoman. "What were you thinking Selina? You should know better."
Catgirl let out a slight squeak, "You two- er you know her secret identity?"
Selina cast the younger girl an amused smirk, "Oh yeah, we've known each other for years. Sorry Kitten guess this is the end of our partnership."
Batman's eyes narrowed, "Explain."
The woman laughed, "I'm sure you already know that. I'd recommend increasing the security on your house."
Robin's eyes widened, "No way. You kidnapped my sister? And turned her into your sidekick?!"
Catwoman smirked again, "Guilty as charged. Wasn't that hard to convince her, actually."
Batman spun around, "Enough. Robin, take her home. I need to have a word with Catwoman."
Robin nodded and moved forward to his mentor who gently moved the girl over to him. The boy wonder bent down and helped his sister onto his back. She wrapped her arms around his neck. He glanced up at her, "Hold on tight. Don't let go."
She nodded jerkily and Robin shot his grapple out and the two swung away headed towards the zeta beam.
Batman turned back to Catwoman once they left. She looked surprisingly solemn and her arms were crossed. She raised an eyebrow expectantly at him. He growled, "Now we talk."