"That was awesome you guys, we are making progress towards taking out kaneshiro!" Akira informed the team. They decided to hang out at Leblanc's after they returned from the metaverse. Barbara was listening to their tales as the phantom thieves. She declined joining up with them to take him out so when they do she can make the arrest.
"Hey Barb, I have been meaning to ask, how were you able to hold your own when you first entered the metaverse? You were kicking ass!" Ryuji asked.
Barbara blushed a little bit. "Oh I grew up in Gotham city, there was a lot of crime so I had to learn self defence. Plus i was just winging it."
"You should totally teach us sometime." Makoto responded. I mean technically use hand to hand sometimes so it could help."
"More importantly" Morgana responded giving Barbara a scare. She kept getting frighten every time he talked outside the metaverse. "By tomorrow if we pull it off we should be able to put that man behind bars."
"That's all well and good but what if he doesn't turn himself in?" Barbara asked
"What do you mean?" The cat responded.
"I get my changing their cognition will cause them to repent and all put what if they take it the wrong way and run?"
The group was puzzled. "I did not think of that." Yusuke said as he was trying to sketch out a lone chair in the room.
"I mean it probably won't happen but what if?"
"It will be fine" Akira said. "If that happens he would have called the police before he realises it and get arrested."
"Lets not focus on that and let's talk strategy" Ann spoke up. Barbara decided to listen in and take note of what they do. Conserving strength for a busy day tomorrow.
LINE BREAK
'Now all i have to do is wait.' Barbara said in costume. She perched across the building waiting for police to show up.
She did not want the prosecutor or Goro for that matter to take the credit. She admired the group's sense of justice from all of them. They had to fully agree on a change in cognition and they had to take many precautions.
Then she saw the mobster walk out of the facility with his model at his side. They then entered the unlicensed car and drove hard.
Barb tuned into the trackers frequency she put in the car before hand and listen in.
"Babe what is this all about?"
"I don't know what came over me but i confessed everything to the police, I don't know why!"
"Was it those phantom punks?"
"Maybe, I don't know, We are taking as much money as we can and taking a plane to Italy, starting new, I can't go to jail!"
Barbara was already in pursuit as she flew above the car, she needed to slow it down and prevent them from reaching the airport. She boosted he flight ahead of the car and flung batarangs at the tires. Causing the car to slam into the sidewalk. Thankfully nobody was hurt.
"Kaneshiro, trying to run are we your coming with me to the police" she said as she attached handcuffs on him"
LINEBREAK
"Cheers to us." Makoto said with a smile.
"Hell yes Now we are definitely heros!" Ryuji responded.
The group decided to celebrate their victory at Akira's room to unveil the treasure.
"Imagine what's inside the case." Ann said with a smile as she put the gold suitcase on the table.
"Is that Kaneshiro's treasure? Forget I asked" Barbara said not questioning the score.
"Guys there is a passcode." Akira said bluntnly. "Makoto do you know it?"
"I think so." She said fiddling with the combination. The case made a click sound and the case was now slightly ajar. Everyone gasped as Makoto opened the case slowly. Inside was thousands of bills.
"WE ARE RICH!" Ryuji said as moved around the room with excitement. The group was pumped. Almost everyone was hype to spend the yen until Akira made a closer inspection.
"This money looks weird, is this American Barb?"
She took a closer look at the singular bill. It looked real but then the face changed to the monopoly man with the gangsters face on it."
"Guys" she said with embarrassment. "This is play money."
The group stopped. There was an unnatural silence. Their faces full of despair. "NOOOO" Both Ann and Ryuji shouted towards the heavens.
"But we could sell the case itself" Akira commented "It would be for less but we would still make a profit."
"Who would buy a solid gold case?" Barb asked
"I know people" Akira replied as the meeting was adjourned.
LINE BREAK AGAIN
"Welcome back ladies and gents, Today once again we have the Detective prince Goro Akechi as our guest."
The TV glared back at Barb as she sat down once again in LeBlanc's. She eyed the TV with curiosity with how the public viewed the Thieves. Sojiro walked from behind the counter to raise the volume and to get a better look at the show.
"Now Mr Akechi do you have a new stance on the phantom thieves after they supposedly exposed the criminal Kaneshiro?"
Goro looked up towards the camera and gave a TV smile. "No i don't unfortunately. The Thieves are still dangerous and should turn themselves in."
After an applause there was a significant boo from the live studio audience.
"There seems to be some clashing opinions in the audience, you sir why do you disagree?
"Because unlike the other cases they clearly are in the right. The helped society by putting that criminal away."
The audience too a moment to think that over then murmured in agreement
"What do you say to that Akechi?" the host asked
Goro looked annoyed and embarrassed. He did not account for the thieves good actions to spread across the public so fast. He looked towards the cam once again giving a fake smile. "I have no comment"
Barbara looked away from the TV with a smug look on her face. She felt like the first time her and Bruce took down a big criminal for the first time. She felt like the thieves accomplished something big and from here everything was going to be a bit easier. She looked out of the corner of her eye and saw Akira. He too was also smiling. She admired that the thieves were able to rise up to do good from bad scenarios, like Jason Todd.
'I think Bruce would be proud' she thought as she exited the cafe to head back to her apartment.
ONE MORE LINE BREAK
It was busy at the airport drop off area. He could not afford to waste time. How he would trump the bat brat with his intellect. He entered a taxi with a big duffle bag. The driver looked in the back to view his passenger
"What brings you to Japan?" He asked.
A grin formed on the man's face as he looked him in the eye.
"Isn't that a fine riddle in deed."
WOW sorry for the delay. Have been busy with school and trying to save grades. I know before i said i would limit the DC universe but i had an idea to put a villain into the story. I could update it to change the riddler to another villain. If have any ideas review or PM me. I'm gonna try to start a new story today so keep an eye out for that. Bye and have a good day.