Notes: I will be in no-internet land for the weekend and so, unable to update or respond to reviews/PMs. I did manage to finish this chapter before I leave though.

Chapter 3 – …

Damian and Colin were sitting at the table when Mar'i came out. Damian had a box of Dick's favourite cereal in his hands and was eating it straight from the box.

"You don't have any milk," he explained as she stared at him.

"So you'll steal my cereal anyway?" It wasn't exactly hers and she didn't think her dad would mind but it was the principle of the thing! Damian Wayne could buy a cereal company, he didn't need to steal their boxed cereal.

"Honestly, it's more efficient to eat it like this. Pennyworth doesn't think so though."

Mar'i sighed and pulled out a bowl. From the fridge, she grabbed some orange juice. She placed the bowl in front of Damian and poured a glass of orange juice for herself.

"At least use a bowl," she said to him.

Colin cleared his throat, reminding them both he was there.

"So, Nightstar?" he questioned.

"Yeah. Got a problem?" she responded.

Colin shook his head.

"I have a problem," Damian said. "Gotham has me."

"Yeah, an immature Batman," Mar'i responded.

"Are you two going to fight all the time?" Colin questioned. "Isn't it better to work together?"

"Quiet Colin," Damian said. "You're the one who suggested a visit."

Colin frowned and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I suggested we ask if we could visit. Not that we break in. This is not a good thing, Damian. Robin wouldn't do it."

"Good thing I'm no longer Robin then," Damian responded.

Mar'i snorted a laugh. "Not for long. Then again, how many Robins have returned to the suit after abandoning it?" she mused. "I think... all but dad. Red Hood wore it a few times to freak people out, like Red Robin who was just Robin back then and Red Robin returned to it after quitting because his girlfriend could do a better job than him."

"Brown?" Damian questioned incredulously. "She was the worst Robin-"

"She became Robin to get Red Robin to go back to being Robin," Mar'i interrupted. "And he did. She wasn't out to be the best Robin, she was trying to convince Red Robin to come back. She needed to be replaceable."

The boys were silent for a moment. Damian looked to Colin and Colin nodded. Mar'i was right.

Damian cursed.

"Besides, she makes an awesome Batgirl." Even though Batgirl thought they didn't need Nightstar. It wasn't about needing Nightstar.

"You okay?" Damian asked.

"Yep. Just tired. Two people broke into my bedroom this morning and woke me up."

"You can go to bed then, instead of listening to the case Colin has brought us," Damian goaded.

Mar'i felt excited about this. "You brought me a case?"

"Both you and Damian," Colin said, "which is why I suggested seeing you."

Mar'i nodded. Colin seemed to have something important for them. Damian frowned in worry. Colin lived in the streets of Gotham, knew them and their darkness. He wouldn't admit it out loud but Colin was a great hero. To have a case which needed Abuse, Nightstar and Batman, it wasn't going to be good.

"Around my area, a new rumour seems to be surfacing. It's saying that young women shouldn't go out onto the streets alone."

"Isn't that kind of standard around Gotham?" Mar'i questioned. She knew there were places here Dad didn't like her going.

"That's what I thought. Until one of the other kids I know disappeared. She was 18, the age they let you out into the world, and excited about living for herself. But, she vanished."

"Couldn't she have moved to a new city?" Mar'i questioned, wanting all the information and considering all possibilities.

Colin shook his head.

"I helped her move into her apartment here in Gotham. She didn't go very far and all her stuff is still there, untouched."

"So it's unlikely," Damian theorised. "What are you proposing as our next step?"

"We check out the apartment and Mar'i, um, acts as bait."

"Bait?" Damian questioned, slightly angry at the suggestion.

"I'll do it," Mar'i said, cutting Damian off. She didn't like the sound of this rumour at all. People should be allowed to move about as they wished without being scared of shadows. That's partly what Batman was about, right? "We need to stop this as soon as possible."

Damian frowned.

"Thanks. I can't ask anyone else," Colin said, "since I have no idea what we'll be facing. But, I promise I'll be watching and I'll help you-" Mar'i glared, eyes lighting up. "If you need it?" he finished weakly.

"Back-up's not a bad idea," Damian informed her. "I'll hang around the area too. Batman's sure to scare the scum away."

Mar'i and Colin both gave him flat stares.

"We're not trying to scare them away," Mar'i pointed out.

"Scare answers out of the scum of Gotham?" Damian suggested as a phrasing alternative.

"Better but still unlikely to happen," Colin pointed out with a sigh. He explained that Abuse had tried already.

Mar'i's evening consisted of meeting Colin in a casual Gothamite outfit, complete with jacket, scarves and a blond wig. She waited until Damian roared up on his motorbike before walking over.

"Hey! Nice bike," she said, putting a little Gotham lit into her voice. She had learnt the accent from her dad, who had learnt it from Jason back before she had been born.

"Thanks," Damian muttered, glancing at her and then away as she approached. Then he looked back. "Mar'i?"

Colin stared, jaw dropping a bit.

"Whoa. Uh, I couldn't tell it was you," Colin said.

"Isn't that the point of a disguise?" she responded.

"What about your eyes?" Damian questioned. Mar'i self-consciously touched her, now brown, eyes.

"A sort of hologram," she explained. "Mum gave it to me for my birthday. Apparently, it's one of many devices she received during her time with Uncle Jason and Uncle Roy. She said they were fun to play with."

"Okay, let's get started then," Colin said.

Mar'i walked the streets. She used the time to keep up with her skills at spotting trails. She lost Damian and Colin a few times, Colin more often because she took a while to adapt and learn to spot the way Abuse moved.

Nothing happened for a few hours. Mar'i sat down on some steps and just waited for a while. She walked down deserted streets and alleys.

She encountered a few muggers and ran away screaming. Muggers really didn't run fast. Or look up at fire escapes when chasing their prey.

"I'm so coming back later to teach them how to treat others," she muttered into her comm for Damian to hear.

"I assume you want this area for your patrol tonight?" Damian commented back.

"Yep."

"You know it's Abuse's territory."

"And crosses with Red Robin's and Batgirl's," Damian pointed out.

"I know. Besides, I think I can handle them."

"-tt- Call me if realise the error of that statement."

Mar'i couldn't help it, she stuck her tongue out at him.

Nightstar held true to Mar'i's declaration. She hunted down the men who had attempted to attack her and made them rethink mugging people in the streets.

The one who only attacked her because he needed money to feed his young children, she led to a shelter which offered food for the hungry. It involved taking his youngest and ordering him to follow but she got him there and inside. The people there, funded by The Wayne Foundation, fed the hungry who came.

The one who had pretended to have a gun by pointing a finger in his coat, she snarled, lifted him against the wall and suggested he find a better job because he wasn't any good as a mugger. At all. She was a glowing flame of anger in the darkness, just as terrifying as the bat; or so she hoped.

The one who was just looking to make a few bucks by beating up a young girl, she beat him back and left him tied up on the steps of the local police station with a note.

It was around then she noticed that someone was watching her. Cameras focused on her when she was in range, an indicator that someone behind a screen was monitoring her.

She smiled, bowed and gave a girly wave.