The kids ran through the forest, panting and chasing each other. They played tag, pumping their legs and lungs full of oxygen as they tried to catch each other. Ryuu ran for Arashi, tackling him to the ground. The two laughed it off happily with Ryuu lightly tapping Arashi on the face.

"Tag, you're it!"

"That's not fair, Ryuu! You know these forests better than me!"

"Don't be complaining about that kind of stuff. You can't complain when things don't go your way. If you don't like it, just adapt to it or something."

"Adapt?"

"Yeah. My dad says that adapting is the only way to survive. So just do that!"

"I dunno how to do that. It sounds hard."

"Hey, Arashi..."

"What's up, Ryuu?"

"Why did you let him beat you?"

"Huh? Who're you talking about?"

"Why did you let the Batman beat you like that? Like you were some amateur?"

"Who's that? What are you talking about?"

Ryuu grabbed Arashi's neck and began squeezing it tightly, reducing his ability to breathe. "Why, Arashi? Why?! Why did you let him beat you?! Why aren't you strong enough?!"

"Ryuu...! You're hurting me!" Arashi choked out, tears building in his eyes.

"WHY?!"

"I DON'T KNOW!"

"AAH!" Arashi woke up with a start, sitting up with a cold sweat. He was panting hard, his heart racing. "I... don't know..." He put his hand to his face, his eyes wide. "I don't know..."

"...And that's basically what happened." Miki was recounting the mission details while Arashi, Yuko, Oriha and Mikoto sat on the benches. They all looked down and disappointed.

"I see..." Dr. Mochizuki replied slowly. "This man, the Batman, is interfering with true justice. He doesn't understand what it takes to protect society. I had hoped that perhaps we could use him but if he is only going to prove detrimental then our duty is clear... I am assigning a black label to the Batman. Arashi, Mikoto," They raised their heads in attention. "You said you knew his identity?"

"Yes, doctor." Mikoto replied. "We asked the owner of a restaurant about him and he said his name is Ryu Komori and that he is a shareholder at a company."

"Ran, search this name up in the database."

Using the holographic computer, the blonde woman typed up the name and had it run through the program. "Nothing... no information at all about this man. Not about where he was born, what he does... he is a complete ghost."

Mochizuki sighed. "It looks like we'll have to play it by ear. I'll be leaving the extermination of the Batman to Ampule Zero. This man, who was able to take out Hitsugi, is too much for Ampule One."

"Understood, doctor..." Arashi tightly squeezed his fist with his other hand.

"How is Hitsugi-nee-san, anyway?" Mikoto asked.

"She's fine. She had a little internal bleeding but otherwise is alright."

"That's good news." Mikoto said in relief.

"It is." Mochizuki replied. "Ran, have Inunaki come over for a meeting, we'll see what he knows. For now, we will wait until this man reveals himself from the shadows and when we do, we'll seize him. Meeting dismissed."

After everyone left, a figure dropped down from a vent above and landed in front of the desk silently. The figure narrowed his eyes, pressing his fingers to his ear. "Did you get that?"

'Yeah, luckily for us, I erased your name from most databases so you wouldn't get found out by them. Do you want me to restore it later on?'

"If it's not there when the police search for it, it'll be suspicious."

'Why would the police search for it?'

"Just a precaution."

'If you say so...'

Batman walked over to the computer, implanting a USB device into it. "Siphon all their data from this computer. I want to know everything about their operations and their plans."

'Gotcha. Just hang on.'

Batman glanced around the room, taking out a capsule on his belt and taking pictures of the place.

'Woah...'

"What have you got?"

'These guys are hardcore, like some serious hardcore military-type people. I think you should get back here and see the files yourself.'

"After."

'After what?'

"I look around."

'Ryu!'

Batman cut off the transmission and took out the USB. He grappled back up to the vents and began moving through them.

"These people have been around for a long time, long enough to establish a network of agents and killers. These people have been working their way up from the bottom of the criminal hierarchy, just recently going for higher criminals. I won't let them do as they please. So long as I'm here, this is my city and no one will do as they please. I don't care who they are. The more I know about this organization, the better."

Batman came upon a dark room where Mochizuki and Ran were in front of a holographic city. Mochizuki was staring at it for a long time, his eyes shadowed but steady and stern.

"Ran, what reports did we get from Hijiri at Police headquarters?"

"We learned that the man, Aoi Iwata, was booked a few hours ago. He hasn't posted bail yet and has so far remained in a catatonic state. He hasn't offered a testimony as of yet and we don't yet know whether or not, someone from the criminal world will either try to break him out..."

"...Or shut him up. So, we're in the dark right now?"

"I'm afraid so, sir."

"This man... Ryu Komori a.k.a. The Batman... he intends good upon this city. However, he doesn't know what will come from these lesions if we simply manage them and not treat them. There is only one to cure an illness... eliminate it."

"Agreed, Dr. Mochizuki."

"We need to contact Shinichiro, see what he knows."

"Understood."

Batman continued moving through the vents as Konomi talked in his ear.

'Aw, I can't believe that!'

"You know who they're talking about?"

'Yes, Hijiri-kun has been on the force for a few months now. We've been on a few cases together... I would have never known... Of course, I guess I would've never known about plenty of things if I wasn't on this computer.'

Batman stayed silent, moving to another grate, where he saw a garage with motorcycles and a few trucks. Working on a black motorcycle was Mikoto, getting oil and grease all over her hands. She seemed content, fixing up the bike and tuning it. After tightening some bolts, she tossed the wrench in the box and wiped her brow with a satisfied smile.

"We just can't seem to stop messing up your bike... eh, brother?"

"Mikoto." She spun around behind her to see Miki walk into the garage. "Do you have a second?"

"Sure, what's up?"

"I just wanted to know if you were okay... after you and Arashi had a run-in with the Batman, I heard you got hit pretty hard. Are you alright?"

Mikoto sighed, looking down at the floor. "I'm fine... It didn't even hurt that much."

Miki lifted up Mikoto's chin, looking her right in the eye. She had a stern but worried look on her face. "Don't lie. You can get a check-up if you need it. It won't hurt anyone."

Mikoto, irritated, swatted Miki's hand off and gave an angry look. "I said I'm fine. I don't need you babying me all the time."

"That's my job! I'm supposed to look out for you."

"I can take care of myself! You're not my mother or anything so just leave me alone!" Mikoto stopped cold after what she just said, while Miki sighed sadly and turned on her heel and left the room. Mikoto exhaled slowly, slamming her fist against her thigh.

"Damn it..."

Batman continued down the vents where he came upon another room, this time a music room. It was pink, completely pink with fluffy animals and pink furniture. Sitting on her couch in a pink top and black skirt was Oriha. She was writing something on a paper, humming to herself.

"Okay... rehearsal!" She jumped off her couch and spun around, putting her imaginary mike to her face. "If you wanna take a ride on my ship then that's all up to you! The sea of space is OriOri's sea! Galactic Onstage! … No, that doesn't sound right." Oriha plopped back down on her couch, continuing to write up some notes. "I don't know... hmm... Ugh, this is so hard!" Oriha sighed, scratching her forehead. "I won't lose to that stupid Haron though! I know!" She got off her couch again and picked up the cell phone from her desk. "I'll give Aya-tan a call and see if she'll help me out."

Batman continued down the vent, silently moving through in his crouched position. The fact that he was bent as he was offered him no discomfort. He had grown used to such a thing when he had to do this type of training for Indian wrestling. Batman stopped at yet another grate and peered through it to see a gym complete with weights and a punching bag. The weights, such as the dumbbells, had absurd numbers on them, however. On the couch, in a scanty shirt that covered half of her breasts and revealed her very toned stomach along with a black thong was Hitsugi, who was lifting the weights with one hand. She look focused and angry, with her eyes glaring at the floor. She sighed and threw the weight on the floor, creating a large dent.

"I can't believe I let that son of bitch get the better of me... If I had taken care of him back in the ship, we wouldn't have failed the mission..." Hitsugi clicked her teeth, striding over to the punching bag. She raised her arm and punched the bag, sending it flying into the wall. The bag had sand pouring out of it and the wall was cracked.

"Damn it to hell... I swear to God the next time I meet the Batman, I'll rip his damn head off."

"Noted." Batman continued down the vent, moving through another set of grates that peered into the hallway. Batman came upon a split in the path where one path of the vent continued forward while another continued left. He went left and eventually came upon another grate. This grate peered outside, where a wide, open grass yard could be seen. Apple trees were planted around and in the middle of the yard was the same man in the wheelchair, Mochizuki along with the blond woman, Ran.

"Ran, how are Arashi's dosages?"

"Stable. He hasn't needed to increase his rate of consumption as of yet."

"Good. I don't yet know if any negative effects will come from us using D99 on him."

"I'm sure he'll be fine. For now, you should really just worry about yourself."

"The irony isn't foreign to me... I created an organization to deal with tumors and the cancer of this city yet I am ravaged with a deadly, life-consuming disease myself. I'll probably die before I can see this city cured..."

"Don't say that." Ran said softly. "You'll be here. We'll all be here, because they'll get it done. We have to."

Batman continued back down the vent he came before turning left again, and going straight from he were he was before. This time Batman walked over a grate that looked down into some sort of shooting range and there the boy, Arashi, stood holding a gun at a target. He wore his red and black suit, without his helmet and instead wore earphones. He shot the bullets off, aiming for the target in the middle of the chest but he never could completely get it, always a bit off target. He clicked his teeth in frustration, taking off the earphones.

"You're still not strong yet."

Arashi turned to his side to see his young friend, Ryuu, standing beside him and staring at the shots he fired along with their impact points. "I know..."

"Your hands are trembling."

"I know!" Arashi angrily threw the gun at the wall. "I know, Ryuu... I know I'm weak. Even after all this time, I haven't used your arm and leg for its proper uses. I'm sorry..." Arashi dugs his fingers into his palm, making a fist. "I can't get in the way... no matter how much I want to help, I'd only get in the way. I still haven't proven myself. I still need to get stronger." Arashi sighed to himself as Ryuu had already disappeared.

Batman narrowed his eyes down at the boy. "He's talking to himself... Is he imagining the boy, Ryuu or..."

Batman, after waiting several more moments, continued down the vent for a while. His mind replayed over everything he saw and heard. He had discerned several psychological weaknesses he could use against them and now knew their base. Batman came upon his final room, the vent stopping in a dark, wooden room with a Japanese theme. There were columns all around and the dim light could be seen from a circle of candles. In the center of those candles was Yuko, sitting in a lotus position in white panties and a purple tank top. She was meditating with her sword horizontally laid across her legs.

"Come down from there." She announced aloud. "I know you've been lurking around here for awhile. Haven't you seen enough?"

Batman busted out from the vent, landing crouched on the floor. Standing to his full height, he looked around the room to see it was spacious with samurai armor and katanas around the room.

"I'm in your head, aren't I?"

This statement made Yuko's eyes fly open. "What?"

"You noticed my presence back in the meeting room, yet you kept her mouth shut. You are meditating now but your breathing has been hitched, meaning you're unable to clear your mind properly. Something is keeping you back and if I were a detective, I might put two-and-two together. I'm on your mind, swordsman."

Yuko smiled bitterly. "You're quite the analyst and that's a pretty elaborate theory you've laid out." She stood up with her sword in hand, facing him now.

"I don't see you denying it."

Yuko pointed the sword at the Dark Knight. "Tell me... do you really believe in the consciousness of people to such a degree that you would refuse to kill even one?"

"The conditions of the city are not foreign to me. Poverty, desperation and peer pressure bring about some of these criminals, forging them into hardened criminals that would be indistinguishable from the filth who willingly chose this life. When Hell becomes all you know, the stars become omens and the Heavens become foreboding."

"You're quite the philosophical man..."

"If I wasn't, I wouldn't be doing this."

"Touché." Yuko sprang forward, bringing her sword down to cut Batman in half. Batman sidestepped it, jumping back and threw three batarangs at her. She quickly cleaved them in half as Batman reached back and pulled out the blade from a nearby shelf. He blocked her next strike, shifting his body with the blade and moving out of the way. Yuko spun on her heel and tried to stab him behind her. He stepped back before using the blocking edge of the sword to attack her neck. She dodged it, coming around with a horizontal sword strike. The cut was powerful enough to cut his Kevlar chest plate in a somewhat deep slash. Batman brought the sword down on her and she stepped back in a stance and blocked it. Redirecting the sword, she spun and tried to slash at his neck but Batman blocked it with his gauntlet, which she nearly cut through and he quickly disarmed her. She wouldn't go down that easy and kicked him the gut, sending him skidding back a few feet. Yuko rushed forward and did a low spin kick on Batman's legs, knocking him to the floor. She then jumped on top of him, pinning him down with her body. Grabbing her sword, she put the blade to his neck and glared at him with a dangerous smirk.

"You'll be excised here and now."

"Unlikely."

The smirk disappeared but the glared remained. "Do you doubt my ability to kill you?"

"Yes. If anything, that fight just now proved my suspicions – I'm in your head. You can't kill a thought with a sword."

"I can try."

"Then try."

The blade edged closer to his veins, the pressure beginning to be felt. The next thing that happened was she embedded the blade into the wooden floor, leaned down and kissed Batman on the lips. Though his eyes widened in slight surprise, he made no move to resist. Yuko's lips remained on his for several moments, the taste of cherries imprinted on them. After she parted, she looked down at him thoughtfully with her hands on his torn chest. He didn't say anything and neither did she. For a second, all she could was stare into his red cowl lenses, trying to peer into the man behind the mask. She sighed before getting up and grabbing her sword.

"Leave." She quietly ordered.

Batman stood to his feet and watched as she sat back on the floor, back to him, and resumed her meditation. He narrowed his eyes at her before choosing to move on. Before he left, he looked over his shoulder at her one last time.

"I will bring this organization down."

"You'll try." She retorted. "And just for your information..." She glanced over her shoulder, a somewhat superior half-smile on her face. "I took it easy on you too."

Batman walked out of the room while Yuko let the awareness of his presence fade away. Now alone in the room, she wasn't aware when her fingers flew to her lips to faintly feel them as if the question of what sensation she got from kissing the Batman would fade as well. She smiled to herself as a candle blew out.

A.N.: Sorry for the late update guys, been kinda busy with this, that and that and this. Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed the chapter and are enjoying the story so far. Let me know with a review if you are and follow and favorite if you want to stay updated. Also, be sure to let me know what your harem preferences are. I have no real limits - so yes, good guys, 'bad guys', whatever. Like I said, just because you want it doesn't mean the wish will necessarily get granted but I will take it into consideration. And also, when mentioning who you want be sure to let me know who you don't want, because that's kind of important too. Thanks guys and until next time.

Green out.