Spoiler warning: Contains spoilers for The New Batman Adventures and Static Shock seasons 3 and 4.

Bruce Wayne returned to his daytime duties: mainly appearing at functions and making speeches. He spoke to his representatives and spoke at meetings and succeeded in expanding Wayne Enterprises' involvement in Bang Baby research programs. In addition to the ongoing funding to help individual Bang Babies learn to control their powers, Wayne Enterprises was going to be involved in research and production of Big Bang antidote.

The sling made everything more awkward than ever. People either tried their hardest to ignore it or immediately asked about it and Bruce had to repeatedly tell the made-up story of his assault by a Bang Baby, which had motivated him to get more involved. The one benefit of the injury was that he had half the usual number of girls on his arm at any one time. Being Bruce Wayne, he almost forgot he had superpowers. It was easy for Bruce Wayne to be a normal human, but it was difficult for Batman.

Barbara escaped from her dad's police guard and came to stay in Wayne Manor. Bruce was glad she had a safe place to be, but he was annoyed that it had to be his place while he was going through so much, and he avoided her like he avoided everyone. He told Alfred to tell her it was because of the broken arm and to tell her she didn't have to be Batgirl, reasoning that her dad would probably try to arrest her and hinder all of them in the process. She didn't listen, of course. In addition to being Batgirl, she was in a rebellious mood due to the fight with her father, and went out as Batgirl anyway. Soon, the police were after her, and Robin helped her escape. She returned to Wayne Manor to stay, almost as moody as Bruce. After a few nights, when she had calmed down, she snuck to Gordon's house in the Batgirl suit and dropped off a note, letting her dad know she was safe with Batman.

Construction on the windows was maddening. The constant drilling and banging would've been bad enough without super-hearing. Tim and Barbara hung out in the Batcave to escape the noise. For once in his life, Bruce was glad to be a celebrity, out of the house much of the time. The workers were always sent home before sunset and never admitted before sunrise.

Bruce was depressed without being able to work as Batman, but he didn't need to be depressed to stay in bed. All he needed to think about was his claws. He couldn't go out with those claws. He was a menace. Not to mention, not himself. He wasn't supposed to be a superhero. He was supposed to be a human and he wasn't anymore. Batman with superpowers was wrong. He couldn't bear being Batman with superpowers. He couldn't even bear to exist with superpowers. It was so wrong. Batman was gone. He'd lost himself. He just had to wait until the antidote was completed. Then he could go back to being himself. Being Batman.

But every night was torture. He felt his powers grow every night. He felt energized and needed to go outside. He learned to lie still and tolerate the constant bombardment of cars, voices, and movement, but it was maddening. He learned secrets of people he didn't know. He heard Nightwing and Robin fighting criminals. He could hear the Joker's laugh, the flip of Two-Face's coin, and every time Clayface moved. He could hear Alfred's breathing and even his heartbeat if he was in the room. But worst of all were the cries for help and screams of fear. He could hear every crime and every victim. Every hold-up, every mugging, every instance of domestic abuse across the entire city.

Every night grew worse. Slowly the cries and screams were all he could hear. Every single person's terror, trauma, and pain. Nothing could stop the noise. Soon he would be as mad as the Joker, and infinitely more dangerous.

Bruce couldn't go one more night hearing everything and doing nothing. Superpowers or not, he had to attend to the cries for help. He didn't need the sling anymore, but Leslie would have argued against Batman's work. He raced out the door and ran past Tim on his way to the Batcave.

"Tim! Gotham needs me."

Tim jumped up. "All right!"

They donned their suits and Batman reveled in the feel of his Batarangs. If Superman could be Clark Kent, how hard could it be to pretend to be a normal human? He had to get out and start practicing. Practicing not using his powers.

Batman and Robin went searching for crime, stopping criminals, and perching ominously on rooftops. Alfred had put a little extra support for his injured arm into the suit, but he still tried not to put too much strain on it. He avoided the more serious enemies because he was weak from inactivity, to protect his arm, and to practice not accidentally using any superpowers. He slowly worked his way up, defeating the Riddler, then Poison Ivy, then a Two-Face scheme.

Returning to work in Gotham, Batman also returned to training in the Batcave. He avoided training with his partners as much as he could. If he couldn't avoid them, he stood aside to coach or did some research on the Bat Computer. He heard Tim mutter to Barbara that he thought it was because Bruce was weak from inactivity and afraid of humiliating himself. Dick was suspicious, and Bruce feared he might figure it out. If anyone could immediately see that Batman wasn't really Batman anymore, it was Nightwing, and he couldn't bear to face Dick as a superhero. Fortunately, Dick kept his suspicions to himself.

Robin had appreciated the chance to prove himself with Batman out of action during summer break, but he was happy to be working together again. But something still seemed different about him. No one but Robin would have noticed that he spoke even less than usual and he was even more serious. But the main indicator was his uncanny ability to find a crime wherever he went. They had always stood on rooftops looking for trouble, but they stayed in one spot for much longer and Batman didn't seem to be looking anymore, instead, listening. Suddenly he would rush off and Robin would follow him directly to a crime scene. Sometimes he even slipped away from Robin, and Robin caught him breaking up instances of domestic abuse a few times, which he had never done before. Their efficiency improved greatly, but Robin couldn't help feeling suspicious.

"Batman," Robin said one night as they watched over the city on a rooftop in the chill night air.

Batman stood as a silent sentinel over the city, eyes barely open, cape blowing gently.

"How do you know exactly where a crime is happening every time?"

"Bat-sense."

"Huh?"

"I took a break and now I'm back, better than ever. I've reset, and now my instincts are fully realized."

"Could you teach me?"

"No."

Robin didn't press him.

But he couldn't help noticing more strange things. During a fight, Robin knocked down a burglar and turned to see Batman crouched on a wall. He was there for almost a second before he jumped off and kept fighting. He could have simply landed on the wall and jumped off, and it was too dark to be sure, but Robin was almost certain Batman had lingered a fraction of a second longer than natural. When Batman got especially worked up in a fight, Robin wondered if he was seeing knives. He was almost certain Batman had some sharp points in his hands, but he moved too fast to know for sure. One time Robin was sure he saw sharp claws as Batman swiped a gun out of a mercenary's hand. Robin made sure to get a look at the gun on the ground before Batman confiscated it. He was sure he saw some claw marks. He tried to look at Batman's hands without being suspicious. He got a good look once when they were sitting still on the lookout, Batman's hand spread on the low wall around the rooftop, and it seemed completely normal.

Robin paid closer and closer attention, trying his hardest to either confirm or debunk the things he had seen. He began to notice Batman's subtle defiance of physics, and that it occurred much more frequently than any of the other odd occurrences. He landed perfectly every time he was thrown, maneuvering in the air almost as if gravity didn't exist. Even when he jumped, he could jump higher and farther, and sometimes his hangtime seemed extended by a fraction of a second. Robin was sure he saw Batman linger on the side of a wall longer than natural a few more times.

"Batman." Robin didn't expect him to respond anymore. "You know those martial arts movies where the masters are so good they can fly and stuff? Is that real?"

"I've seen enough to know there's a lot of things in this crazy world that seem fictional, but are real. There's also a lot of things I haven't seen. I've never seen it. But that doesn't mean it isn't real."

"If … if it is real … do you think you could achieve it without realizing it?"

"Don't think so. That stuff takes extreme focus and a lifetime of training."

"Maybe there's another way that people don't know about?"

"You're never gonna fly like Superman, Robin."

"What about you?"

Batman looked at him, always with a scowl on his face. "Batman doesn't fly! Humans don't fly."

Robin decided to leave it alone, but it seemed almost like he'd touched a nerve.

Tim was noticing. Bruce couldn't let anyone know. He couldn't hide it. He'd made too many mistakes. Tim knew him too well. Bruce could always hear Tim, Barbara, and Alfred's conversations no matter where they were. Tim was confiding in the others all the strange things he'd noticed about Batman. Bruce listened with concern. Alfred kept his promise and didn't say anything, but the others were figuring it out and figuring out Alfred knew something.

Batman began sending Robin on more solo missions. He would have liked a partner for Robin, but Batgirl wasn't available and Batman wanted to avoid Nightwing as much as possible. Batman was relieved when school started up again and he insisted that Tim focus on his education and take a break from being Robin. Without Robin at his side, he suddenly felt more free to use his powers if necessary. With a little flight adjustment he always landed perfectly every time, even if he fell or was thrown. The claws were helpful for cutting bonds and even locks. He realized he could hide by crouching on the side of a building. Nobody was looking for him on the side. They always looked on the edge of the rooftop.

He wasn't really using his powers. It wasn't like he was being a superhero or anything. He wasn't flying or anything. He was just avoiding getting hurt so he could be in better shape to protect more people. He was doing things he'd normally do, escaping traps and hiding in the shadows, just a little differently, a little faster than before, so he could prevent more collateral damage.

The Batman suit and reputation worked wonders to frighten the bad guys, but it had never worked as much as Batman had hoped. Suddenly the power of fear had landed perfectly in his lap and he was ignoring it. If he could scare them more, he could prevent more crimes before they happened. He began purposefully showing his claws, even if he didn't touch anyone with them. He started floating ominously an inch or two off the ground and allowing people to notice him crouched unnervingly on the wall above their heads. He could hide in the shadow cast by a balcony or overhang, crouching upside-down on the underside, completely invisible in the darkness. He still wasn't really being a superhero. He wasn't using his powers against his enemies. His powers were simply a tool to enhance his appearance, just like the costume.

He noticed a spike in fear whenever he showed his teeth, whether by a dark smile or a furious glare, and began to subconsciously show them more frequently. Until he noticed his teeth felt different and realization hit him. He had fangs. But only when his claws were out. Retractable fangs. He stared at himself in the mirror one morning. He grinned at himself. Normal teeth. He lifted his hand and let his claws out. His incisors grew into fangs. He leaned toward the mirror for a better look at one of his fangs. Was he a vampire? Could he suck blood? He backed off and closed his mouth. He lowered his eyebrows and did his dark Batman grin. Those fangs were horrible. They were inhuman. But they worked.

He told himself his superpowers were wrong, but he continued to convince himself it was okay. Soon, he was using them without thinking. After two months, they had become almost normal. He had to remind himself it wasn't normal to be able to stand on the side of a wall. It wasn't normal to have talons in his hands. It wasn't normal to be able to float. He finally asked himself why he continued to use his powers more and more if he believed they were bad. He finally decided to accept it and use his powers until they could be removed. After all, they weren't hurting anyone. In fact, they were helping. He was more efficient in every way. They were temporary. And it wasn't his fault. He might as well take advantage while it lasted.

Clayface had been hitting cosmetics shops all week. Batman staked out the likeliest next target. Leaning over the edge of a rooftop with a pair of binoculars, the air just beginning to cool down from summer to fall, Batman studied everyone who went into the shop across the street. Mostly women entered the shop, but occasionally young men. Clayface was too good an actor to let anyone notice, but Batman had to look for him anyway. They all seemed natural.

Suddenly came the sound of smashing glass and women screaming. People ran out of the building as Batman swung down and smashed through a window.

"If I can't be beautiful, no one can!" the globular mound of goop roared as he threw a table of free perfume samples.

Batman ran and threw a jump spinning kick straight through his face. Clayface growled as his face reformed and Batman backflipped away from two large, globby fists. He swung a hammer hand, but Batman jumped onto his arm, ran up it, and threw two punches to his face. He jumped down and shoulder rolled out of the way as Clayface chopped his own arm off. He growled and reformed himself. The lone vigilante landed repeated blows on the monster that seemed to do nothing, narrowly avoiding attacks from constantly shifting weapons.

The cashier hit the fire alarm for the police, but it had a secondary effect. The sprinklers engaged and Clayface shielded his face with his arm as he slowly melted. Clayface shot an arm through the ceiling and merged himself up to the roof, leaving a few handfuls of goop behind. Batman shot his grappling hook through the hole and rappelled up. Batman threw a Batarang just before he emerged, cutting off an ax swinging toward him. It splattered on the roof, but Clayface simply grew another hand and the battle continued.

Batman jumped away from a large, metal fist that smashed the ground. Clayface swung his limbs, shapeshifting quickly and powerfully. The Caped Crusader dodged every one of Clayface's attacks. Out of sight of bystanders, Batman let loose the claws, effortlessly slicing through his opponent's viscous form, chopping off a limb until the creature merged with it again. Clayface thought it was just a new addition to the suit until Batman ignored gravity. He dodged even faster with his feet off the ground, hit harder with more momentum, and floated high out of Clayface's reach. He was surprised to discover it took no momentum and no equal and opposite force to flit like a hummingbird ... or a bat. Clayface looked surprised and a little nervous. He had to stretch himself to get at Batman in the air.

But Clayface could only be annoyed or momentarily separated. Nothing could defeat him. Nothing physical. Batman remembered the night he had first discovered his superpowers. Before he had found out he had claws, before he had found out he could fly. He landed on the side of the taller next-door building, looking down at Clayface.

"Impressive special effects, Batman," Clayface said, "You do that with wires, huh? Feeling jealous of your Super friends? Or is that Superman playing a joke?"

"Not Superman."

Batman took a deep breath and let out a yell. Some of the windows below him shattered. The building on which Clayface stood crumbled and collapsed. Clayface held his head, stumbling, leaving pieces of his legs behind. He screamed as he fell to the ground. The goop spread across the crumbled debris as Clayface melted, unable to maintain his form against the powerful sonic waves.

Batman stood up straight on the side of the building, hiding under the cape. "Superbat."

He spread his cape and flew away. Police sirens wailed, bringing a containment unit for the creature, as the Superbat disappeared into the night sky.