Flashback Chapter 13 Masquerade

Gotham City. Crime capital of America.

The crowd pressed tight, tense and fearful, but not yet panicking. That could change in a heartbeat if a shot was fired.

Record number of every crime in the book, except maybe barratry.

Killer Moth stalked through the room, his men in crisp purple suits and moth motif sunglasses carrying big guns and brandishing them willingly. "Bruce Wayne!" Moth yelled.

The cops can hardly keep up.

"Where's Brucie?" Moth continued to shout. Wayne, dressed as a clown for the night's masquerade, moved forward slowly but drunkenly.

Especially not against Arkham Masks.

Recently appointed Commissioner Gordon, in the garb of a cowboy, reached for the handgun he always carried. Before he could draw it, however, one of the thugs clocked him with the butt of his firearm.

That's why we have Batman and Robin.

Jump down from the balcony. Blood starts pumping, adrenaline flowing. Kick the guy standing over the Commissioner in the groin, chop the neck, stomp and crack the knee. Next thug: he's lunging, so twist, grab as he goes by, use his momentum to slam him down. Throw some nice, sharp, pointy metal pieces into two more guys' shoulders. Now Killer Moth. Not bad, girl.

Because some things are predestined.

'Martial arts is cool, especially when Dad thinks it's dance class,' Babs thought, stretching out the pleasantly strained muscles. She knew full well her father would have kittens if he knew. He did not like the idea of her going into law enforcement, which was really quite hypocritical. Mind you, fairly understandable after all he'd seen.

But then, how could she deny that she craved the chance to protect the citizens, to catch the criminals, and stand against the forces of anarchy? Problem was, she'd have to wait several years before graduating high school and police academy. If she even got in. Not only would Dad kick up a stink, she appeared to have stopped growing at a good two inches below the minimum height requirement.

But what other options were there? FBI field agent? Same height restriction! Try to get a dispensation due to a black belt or two? Be content with a desk job? Like hell.

She'd find her place, because there was no other choice. But with no good options, and a drive towards what could not be, what was that place?

At least there was the Million Dollar Masquerade coming up. She'd devised just the right costume to give Dad a fit, told him she would take a taxi to let him have a surprise, and just had a few details to fix.

It wasn't her fault the costume shop's Batman was so unrealistic.

Killer Moth had quite the reputation for brutality. Seizing Wayne might net him a sizeable ransom, but he probably wouldn't release the billionaire either way.

At least Dick wasn't there. He'd told Babs that, as it was a masquerade, he could get away with missing it without anyone noticing. Good job too. Seeing his father taken by that brute would most likely upset him just as much as…well, as much as it riled Babs to see her father knocked down.

And that was the thought in her head as she charged Moth; that he'd orphan her friend again and not even care. That he'd destroy lives without a second thought. That he'd broken out of Blackgate just to do so.

She didn't have batarangs; just some dinky little shuriken and a switchblade. Palming the knife and extending the blade, she gouged at Moth's wing harness while pushing his gun to one side and hooking a leg around his knees. He fell, but kicked, catching her in the stomach.

She went down, rolling with it and returning to a crouch. As she did so, she saw the four thugs she'd taken on earlier. One was still down (and didn't look like he'd be up anytime soon), two had pulled the shuriken from their shoulders and were trying to rearm themselves and the last was already on his feet and bringing his sidearm to bear.

That guy fired, and Babs dived, feeling the bullet pass through her thin cape like a hot knife through warm butter. She lunged, rolled, skittered slightly to stop him getting a bead on her, and crashed into him. As he went down again, a red, green and yellow blur flew into the last two men. Babs got to her feet, spying Moth fleeing, the blur coalescing into Robin.

"Nice one, Batgirl," Robin said, a smirk dancing across his lips as he rose and glided over to her. Babs couldn't help but wonder just what he thought he was doing; crashing her party, giving her names. "Is this gonna be a regular thing?" he continued under his breath. "Or are you a one-hit wonder?"

"I-I don't-" Babs stuttered. Hang on. He was asking if she was going to do this regularly? Could she?

"Whichever," Robin dismissed. "Let's go!" He hared off after Moth.

Cursing inwardly at him stealing her thunder once again, she followed.

Ten minutes later, she'd chased a deranged murderer through a wood, been shot at by said deranged murderer from a helicopter, been given a blood-freezing glare from Batman, and been called 'gutsy' by the Boy Wonder himself.

"Leave," Batman growled, "And stay home before you get killed."

She turned, and fled. She was not so stupid as to risk the ire of the big, bad Bat.

"Guess I know how you felt that first time with Joker," she heard Robin quip behind her as she left, but was gone before Batman responded, if he did at all.

As she approached the edge of the woods, she pulled off the cape and cowl, ducked behind a tree to reverse her shirt, and wrapped up the more distinctive parts of the costume, retrieving her cell, purse and keys from the belt. She quickly called her dad, spun a story about her friend calling for a chat and losing track of the time, and received firm instructions to stay home. Then walked far enough to call a taxi without suspicion.

Robin asked if she'd be doing it regularly. It worked for him, and Batman. And if there was no other way…

Some things are predestined.

AN: Welcome back to the blast from the past. A lot of this, and the subsequent chapters, is based on Batgirl: Year One. For reference, Babs and Dick are currently Sophomore, aged sixteen and fourteen and a half respectively. In the comics, at this point Babs had already graduated college and ended up in the dead end desk job she fears, leaing her feeling like her destiny is leading her somewhere else. There's a lot of musing about destiny, whic I've toned down a bit. Also, and this is interest, she tried to apprentice herself to Black Canary through breaking into the Justice Society's headquarters. That bit has been left out for a very good reason that will become apparent in later chapters.

Anyway, also updating this week is Black and Red, with Red Robin and his Oracle investigating stuff, and next week we'll be staying here as well as heading back to LBV.

Please, please, please review. I know you're out there, dear reader, so...

See you next week.

Katara