Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Moon Princess in Gotham ❯ A Robin's Fledgling Flight! ( Chapter 3 )

I do not own Batman or any related characters-they are the property of D.C. Comics and Warner Bros. I also don't own Sailor Moon-and if you thought I did, you belong in Arkham Asylum with whoever thinks Adam Sandeler's comedy tapes are funny.

 

Moon Princess in Gotham

By Robert K. Hackney

 

Chapter Two: A Robin's Fledgling Flight!

“There,” Serena said as she brushed away the last of the powder from Molly's face, then placed a sparkled red nose over her real one, “I knew you'd look good in whiteface.”

Molly looked into the mirror Serena handed her. “Wow,” she exclaimed, “it looks like it's not just paint but part of my real face.”

“That's the idea,” said Serena. “The purpose is to exaggerate the expressions you want to give, to show what kind of person your character is.”

“And the colors you're wearing also show that?” Molly asked.

“Yes. You ever watch those old Abbott and Costello movies?” Molly nodded. “Well, the whiteface is kind of like Bud Abbott. He or she is the smarter kind who knows what he's doing. An auguste-that's the kind I am, with white only around the eyes and mouth-is like Lou Costello. He or she is clumsier, the one the joke is being played on, who gets the other into a mess or a pie in the face.”

Serena got up and went over to her costume chest. She ran through her collection of outfits and wigs until she found what she wanted. “Ah ha!” She picked out a bright red and white polka-dotted dress and stockings with matching stripes. Carefully, she helped Molly get into the suit, and then clasped a ruffled white collar around her friend's neck.

Next she got Molly's feet into a pair of oversized red shoes with white polka dots and finally placed a curly purple-pink wig over Molly's hair. “Here,” she said as she took Molly over to the dresser. “Have a look at yourself.”

“Wow,” Molly said in amazement, “my own mother wouldn't recognize me.”

“The shoes are a little oversized for a whiteface, and you'll need to either make up your neck or buy a white hood to go underneath the wig.” Serena said. “You also need to get a pair of white gloves-a whiteface doesn't allow any bare skin to show. You also have to color-coordinate you suit and makeup-a green suit or wig would go terrible with the blue shadows I painted around your eyes.

“Of course, looking the part is only the beginning.” Serena went on. “You have to decide exactly what kind of character you are, pick a name, and work out a routine.”

“Like your character Moonbunny?”

“Yep.” Serena nodded. “Basically, I figured she'd be a clumsy crybaby who tumbles at the smallest thing and when she does, cries gushes of water that squirt into the other clowns' faces.”

“In other words, all she does is be herself.” The two girls turned and saw Dick standing in the doorway of Serena's bedroom.

Serena glared at her brother. “Don't you ever miss an opportunity to insult me?"”

Dick shrugged. “With a target like you, I couldn't miss if I tried.” Serena picked up a rubber ball and threw it at her brother. Dick simply caught it in his left hand. Next Molly threw the powder brush at Dick, but he caught that one too.

“C'mon, aren't you girls going to throw anymore?” he asked.

“What's the point? You'd just get a hold of it and probably juggle them in front of us.” Serena's shoulders slumped. Sometimes it seemed that the agility and grace that ran in her family just passed her over and then got handed to her brother in a double portion. She wouldn't have minded it much if Dick didn't keep rubbing it in whenever he got a chance.

“Excuse me Master Richard.” Alfred walked up to the doorway. “Master Bruce says to tell you it's almost time your afternoon workout sessions together.” Bruce Wayne kept to a grueling exercise regimen and in the past week Dick had joined him in it to keep up his acrobatic skills.

“Sure thing, Alfred.” Just before he left, Dick looked back at his sister. “Good thing you're too lazy to exorcize, Meatball Head. Otherwise, you'd wreck the gym!” Laughing at his own wit, he left with Alfred.

“Boy,” Molly whistled. “Sometimes I wonder what it'd be like to have a brother or sister. But when I see something like this, I'm glad I'm an only child.”

“You don't know how lucky you are.”

 

“Very well, Jadeite,” Queen Beryl hissed at her General standing before her, “tell me why the energy you were sending me was cut off.”

Jadeite cleared his throat. “There has been an unforeseen circumstance.”

“Don't tell me that this `Batman' you spoke of caused it.” Beryl said in a mocking tone.

Now Jadeite really had to steady himself. He tried to look fearless most of the time and there was truly little that he feared. But that little included having to tell his queen something unpleasant. “The Batman was involved, yes, but there was something else. It seems our old adversary Sailor Moon, has been revived.”

“What!!!” If the queen of the Dark Kingdom was annoyed before, now she was furious. “How could she be? And are any of the other Sailor Senshi also revived?”

Jadeite spread his hands. “Your majesty, I do not know. I was unprepared, but I promise that next time we meet, I shall destroy her!”

“See that you do, Jadeite.” Queen Beryl waved her hand. “You are dismissed.”

Jadeite faded into out of the Dark Kingdom throne room and back into the penthouse of the man whom he killed and identity he took. Closing his eyes, the boyishly handsome General's body and clothes morphed and shifted into that of Tony Zucco.

Jadeite scowled as he looked at himself in the mirror. Boss Zucco had been a rather ugly man, but his identity was a fairly good cover. He checked at the clock on the desk. It was 4:45. Zucco had a meeting at an abandoned warehouse tonight, and he wanted to be ready.

 

“All right Dick,” Bruce said as he got into a judo stance, “watch my moves, and be ready.” He and Dick were both dressed in white martial arts gis, him with a black belt while Dick had a novice's white belt.

Dick came at Bruce. The older man blocked and dodged the boy's punches, then with quick movement, placed his left leg between Dicks, and elbowed his back. The former circus acrobat landed flat on his face on the mat.

“You're fast Dick, but you need to learn to read your opponent, and watch for an opening.” Bruce held his hand forward. Dick took it, and then all of a sudden, managed to flip Bruce against the wall.

Bruce laughed as he got up. “You do learn quickly.” Of course, he trained as a circus acrobat since he was three. Of course his reflexes and agility are better than an average sixth-grader's.

“Excuse me,” a female voice said from the gymnasium doorway. Bruce and Dick turned and saw Trista standing at the doorway.

“Oh, Trista, come on in,” Bruce said.

Trista came into the gym and looked at Dick. “I'm sorry Dick, but I need to talk to Bruce alone. Could you please leave for a minute?”

“Sure.” Dick grabbed a towel and walked out the door.

“So, “ Bruce said as he sat down on a weight bench, “what do you need to see me about?”

“It's about your wards,” Trista said. She pulled out a folder from her briefcase and handed it to Bruce. “Commissioner Gordon called me. He doesn't think what happened to their parents was an accident.”

“He doesn't?”

Trista shook her head. “An investigator who examined the acrobat swings said it looked like they were cut, not simply broken. And while Art Haley declined any comment, several witnesses reported seeing a strange man around the main tent just hours before the circus's performance that night.”

Bruce opened the folder and looked at the photo and profile. “Dominic Lucoli?”

“The man described matches his police record. He was a legman for that small time hood Tony Zucco, before his car was found inside Gotham River just this afternoon. With his body inside.”

“An accident or a rival gang?” Bruce asked.

“Possibly,” Trista said. “But the Commissioner told me he thinks that Zucco himself did Lucoli in. Possibly that he meant to threaten Arthur Haley but didn't know the Graysons would be performing without a net. A sort of subtle warning, but now that it's attracted so much attention Zucco wants to keep all eyes away from himself, and the police don't have any proof to move against him.”

“When hoods kill innocent people there's a public outrage but none when they just kill other hoods.” Bruce mused. “Thanks Trista, I needed to know this.”

Dick stood just outside the gymnasium doorway. It wasn't an accident? Dick thought to himself. Someone killed mom and Dad. Someone who wanted money from Haley. They were MURDERED!

 

Molly's mother picked her up and took her home. Serena let her friend keep the suit, nose, and wig and gave her a pallet of makeup to practice with. She'd also agreed to stop by Molly's after school Friday for some more coaching and to practice a few clown skits.

She had got out her homework and was about to get started on her math when suddenly she heard an “ahem!” from behind her.

She turned in her chair and saw Luna sitting on her bed. “I was waiting for you to finish `clowning around' with your friend before I came in.” the black cat said. “Last time I didn't have time to tell you the whole story or explain all your new powers.”

The black cat then went on into a lengthy discussion about how this mysterious moon princess from thousands of years ago had been reborn in Gotham City today and how these strange outsiders were looking for something called the Imperial Silver Crystal. “It is a thing of great power and importance. You are the reincarnation of the chief guardian of the princess to whom it belongs. You must not let it fall into these people's hands.”

Serena just sat thee as she listened; Luna's story was much more interesting than homework. “Do you think we might be able to get this Batman person to help us?”

Luna shook her head. “I've been in Gotham City for several months and I've seen him in action many times, but I don't think he may be of much help. He is mainly concerned with petty criminals and does not appear to have the ability to confront the enemy we face. We will have to find the princess's other guardians, the Sailor Senshi, to aid us. They are like you, ordinary girls who in their previous lives served the princess we are looking for. We will have to find them and inform them of their duties.”

“How will we find them?”

Although Luna had an ordinary cat's face, her facial muscles were able to form human expressions. “The same way I found you…”

 

It was just past three o'clock in the morning at Wayne Manor. Dick had dressed from his pajamas into a pair of blue jeans and a sweater. He carried a change of clothes in his school backpack and wore a blue baseball cap on his head.

He crept into Bruce's study. Sure enough, on the desk was the file Trista had given Bruce.

Carefully he opened the folder and found the picture he wanted. Stuffing the picture into his pants pocket, Dick opened the window and slowly climbed down to the lawn below. Quickly, made his way down to the gates.

After he climbed over the top, Dick took one last look at Wayne Manor. He hoped he be able to come back soon. But if he didn't, well, he left a note on his pillow saying why he was doing what he was doing.

 

“Serena, Miss Serena.” Serena felt someone shaking her awake. “Serena wake up!”

Serena awoke. Blinking her eyes twice she saw Alfred and Bruce standing over her bed. “What is it?” she yawned as she glanced at the clock. 6:00 in the morning!

“Serena, your brother's run off.” Alfred handed Serena a piece of paper. Serena rubbed the grit out of her eyes as she read it.

Bruce, Alfred, Serena,” the paper read, by the time you read this, I'll be off in Gotham City. I'm sorry I listened in on your conversation with Miss Miouh, Bruce, but after what I found out I knew I couldn't stay here. Please, this is something I have to do. Don't come after me. Sincerely, Dick.

“What is this?” Serena asked.

Bruce sighed. “Serena, yesterday Trista came over to tell me that what happened to your parents may not have been an accident.” Quickly Bruce gave her the details of the conversation. “And we found the photo of Tony Zucco missing from the file Trista gave me.”

“We've got to find him!” Serena shouted. “He can't have gone far, we've got to go where we think he'd be and try to-.”

“Serena, we've already called the police.” Bruce said, trying to reassure her. “Believe me, I'm going to be personally looking for him. And so will the police. Hopefully, we can find him soon and bring him back here.”

“And in the meantime, you have to go to school today.” Alfred put in. “And, regretting the circumstances, you are up rather early for once, so I'd suggest you get ready.”

 

Dick Grayson hadn't had a very easy life. No-one who grew up in a circus where you were on the road most of the year, had to practice for whatever act or job you did, and help set up the tents and take care of the animals would call it easy. But undeniably it had been a sheltered life.

He'd been around most of Gotham City that day, showing the photograph of Tony Zucco he'd taken from Bruce's study. He'd gotten nowhere, and now he was in the section of slums and rundown houses called Crime Alley.

He'd never seen a place like this, nor ever wanted to. All of the building looked shabby or neglected; two out of every three windows were either broken or boarded up.

He had just come around a corner when he noticed a rather rough-looking man yelling at a scantily clad woman. “You've been holding out on me! Now give me the money you owe!”

“Please,” the woman pleaded. “I'll have the money. Business just haven't been very good lately-.”

“So dress more attractive.” He grabbed for the woman's purse. Now give me-!”

Suddenly a garbage can lid clanged of the back of the man's head. “What the-?” He turned his head and saw Dick looking right at him.
“Why don't you leave that woman alone?” Dick said.

“Why you little-.” The man charged at Dick, who immediately leaped up and grabbed the fire escape ladder above him. The man just missed him and tipped into the open garbage bin right beneath. Quickly the boy jumped down and closed the garbage bin lid.

The woman looked at Dick. “Quickly, lets get out of here before he gets free.”

 

Serena couldn't concentrate at all in school that day, which was not unusual. She also didn't eat her lunch, which was unusual. When she let Melvin have it, both he and Molly looked at her in shock, but didn't say anything.

Alfred picked her up from school and drove her back to Wayne Manor. He could tell she was upset, but didn't say anything. Bruce had already cancelled all of his business meetings for the day and Alfred knew he was already looking for the boy.

The afternoon faded to evening very quickly. Alfred was preparing supper when Serena walked into the kitchen.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, remembering the countless times he comforted young Bruce shortly after Master Thomas and Madame Martha had been shot.

“Lousy.” Serena said. She sat down at the kitchen table and stared of into space. Her eyes had a glazed watery look and Alfred could see a stream of tears were about to come forth.

“Miss Serena,” Alfred walked to the table and placed a hand on her shoulder, “Master Bruce will find your brother. I know he will. And the police are out looking for him too.”

“Alfred, will he?” Tears began to pour forth-not the gushing whines that usually came when Serena embarrassed herself or Dick went too far in his teasing, but the quiet, steady tears of sorrow and worry. “He's a pain and a brat, but he's all I've got left! Mom and Dad are gone; most of the time I just go on, but then it hits me that they're dead and I miss them so much! Now Dick's run off, and if something happens to him-!” Serena couldn't finish, but threw her arms around Alfred's neck and wept on his shoulder.

Alfred gently held Serena; this was bringing him flashbacks. Both Dick and Serena had seemed to take their parents' deaths better than Bruce had his, but then Bruce had been an only child where Serena and Dick still had each other. Now Dick was missing, and Serena had to feel terribly alone.

Suddenly Alfred felt something at the back of his neck, and slowly feinted face first onto the table. Serena looked and saw Luna standing on the back of the butler's neck.

“I touched a pressure point at the back of his neck.” Luna said to Serena. “Quickly now, we have to find your brother.”

“But how?” Serena asked.

Luna shook her head. THIS girl was the one to help bring back the Silver Millennium? “Become Sailor Moon! Your powers then should help you find him!”

Serena touched the brooch that she wore on her shirt. “MOON PRISM POWER MAKEUP!”

 

“Well boss, why'd we let that circus go?” one of Tony Zucco's underling's asked. “I mean, we still could have squeezed them, maybe even got more than we originally planned, what with the way those two acrobats died.”

Jadeite, in the guise of Zucco, glared at the man across the table from him. “He would have gone straight to the police, and we're not big enough or have any cops in our pay yet to afford their attention.” And I'd probably have to use my otherworldly powers to stop them, and that would invite the attention of the so-called superheroes. Jadeite had his youma scouts give him thorough reports, and the abilities of the ones called Superman and Green Lantern terrified him. The Dark Kingdom would need to drain a LOT of energy before it could create youma capable of taking them on.

For perhaps the millionth time Jadeite wondered why he'd assumed a petty gangster's identity. True, it gave him valuable resources to pursue his operation with little of the attention an honest well to do person would be sure to get. But it put him in some very compromising situations.

He looked over at another of his men. “Scarpachi, congratulations on taking care of Lucoli for me.” The man he addressed nodded; unlike the first speaker, Scarpachi was really one of his youma that he'd put in positions to help guard him from Zucco's rivals. “That bungler should have learned they'd be performing that night without the net.”

Unknown to Jadeite/Zucco, the hood's meeting was being monitored by an eleven year old boy. Dick Grayson had come to the abandoned warehouse by the Gotham River canal only minutes before Zucco's gang arrived for their meeting, thanks to that woman he'd rescued. He had showed her the picture of Zucco and she told him he'd seen someone who matched his description come to this warehouse several nights with a bunch of other men. He'd been taking pictures and recording the gangsters' conversation from underneath a pile of filthy rags in the right corner of the building.

He'd just taken his fifth picture when he suddenly felt a big strong hand reach underneath the rag pile and pull him out. “What do we have here?”

Dick saw a big Italian face with a couple of teeth missing grinning at him. “Trying to spy on our meeting, were you?”

Dick suddenly looked behind him and saw Zucco and his men get up from their seats. “I see someone's decided to sneak in on us,” Zucco smirked. “Well, we can't have you go showing those pictures and that tape to the police, can we?”

Quickly, Dick kicked the man holding him in the groin. As the brute went to his knees and moaned, Dick leaped over his head and ran out the warehouse door.

“Stop him!” Jadeite/Zucco called out. “He'll go right to the cops with that tape and that camera if we let him!” He ran out the door himself, his men following him.

Dick turned into an alleyway and ran by the canal rail. Suddenly, he stopped, only to find himself at a dead end.

He turned around and saw Zucco walking up to him. The gangster held out his hand. “Give me that tape and camera, kid.” Dejectedly, Dick did as he said.

Zucco walked back to his men. “Okay boys, take care of the brat.”

Dick Grayson cursed his stupidity when he saw the hoods pull pistols out of their jackets and point them at him. He'd come here to try to find the men who'd killed his parents and make them pay, and now they were going to kill him.

Suddenly a golden disk of light flew out and one by one knocked the guns out of the men's hands. Dick, Zucco, and Zucco's gangsters looked up and saw teenage girl dressed in white, red, and blue standing on top of the warehouse. She grabbed the light-disk, which quickly turned into a tiara, and placed it on her head.

“Who are you?” Jadeite/Zucco growled.

The girl placed her hands on her hips. “I am Sailor Moon, the champion of Love and Justice! Using beatings and murder to extort honest people's hard-earned money is completely unforgivable. And in the name of the Moon, I shall punish you!”

“Is that so?” Jadeite/Zucco laughed. He saw his men pick up their guns, which hadn't been damaged at all. He pulled out his own Browning .9mm and pointed at the girl. “Shoot her!”

The gangsters fired at Sailor Moon, who lept off of the building. Almost instinctively she rolled herself into a ball and felt the bullets bounce off of her gloves, boot, and leotard.

She landed in front of Dick. “Leave now and you won't get hurt!”

Jadeite/Zucco only laughed. “Enough wit these primitive devices,” he said as he threw down his gun. Quickly he morphed his body from the ugly gangster to that of the gray suited Dark Kingdom General and floated up as high as the rooftops of the nearby buildings. “Youma, show your true selves!”

Almost half of the sixteen men who'd been at the meeting morphed into monsters of various descriptions. Sailor Moon quickly grabbed her tiara and shouted “Moon Tiara Action!”

The disk of light burst forth again, and sliced almost all of the monsters in half. When it reached one that looked like a winged Minotaur, the one called Scarpachi, it just stopped.

Jadeite laughed down at Sailor Moon. “Did you really think that toy of yours would stop ALL my youma? That will be the last mistake you ever make.”

Scarpachi walked towards Sailor Moon and Dick and raised his right hand to strike at them.

All of a sudden, a rose struck him in the chest and sent him stagger back. Another rose struck the youma, then another, and another, until finally Scarpachi exploded into a flurry of rainbow-colored dust.

Jadeite looked and saw on the building opposite from the canal a lone caped figure. At first he thought it might be the Batman, but then saw this person was wearing a tuxedo, white domino mask and top hat.

“So, you dare to interfere with me?” Jadeite called out.

“Yes I dare!” the tuxedo-clad man shouted back. He reached into his pocket and threw another rose at the General. Jadeite blocked it with his hand, and then another hit him in the leg. Angrily, he sent a burst of energy over at his opponent, who jumped to a nearby building.

Jadeite next unleashed a ball of energy at Sailor Moon and Dick. The both managed to jump out of the way, but the explosion sent Dick straight into the canal.

Sailor Moon quickly grabbed her tiara and looked at the canal. “Oh no, Dick!” she cried at as she saw her brother swept by the current towards the canal waterfall over Gotham River.

“Quickly, Sailor Moon!” the tuxedo-clad stranger called out save the boy. I'll take care of this scumbag!”

Sailor Moon dove into the Gotham River. The current brought her closer to Dick, who was struggling to swim with all his might. Dick was in excellent shape and a strong swimmer, but the canal's current was too much for him.

It was too much for Sailor Moon as well, even with her magic-enhanced strength and stamina. The current brought them closer to the waterfall.

“Quickly Sailor Moon!” Sailor Moon looked and saw Luna on the canal rail; she'd been hiding in an alleyway. “Use your Tiara! Touch it to your brooch and shout `Moon Tiara Grappler!'”

Sailor Moon did as she said. “Moon Tiara Grappler!” she shouted and suddenly the tiara shot forth with a ribbon trailing from the brooch. It reached over and wrapped itself around a metal beam hanging over the waterfall.

The current brought Sailor Moon and Dick out of the waterfall and left them hanging over the Gotham River. Sailor Moon looked down and suddenly recalled another reason besides her clumsiness that she failed at acrobatics: heights made her dizzy.

Dick held tighter to Sailor Moon and looked at her. Even though he was looking right into her eyes he couldn't recognize his own sister. “Well, what do we do now?”

“Uh, ah, I don't know!”

Dick looked down. The heights didn't make him dizzy; he'd been swinging with his parents almost before he could walk. “For a super heroine you sure don't plan very well, do you.

How am I supposed to plan for this? Sailor Moon almost cried out, but then suddenly noticed a strange bat shaped plane dive out of the sky. The plane slowed and flew underneath them. It hovered in place and all of a sudden the ribbon holding Sailor Moon and Dick dissolved into thin air.

Jadeite continued to fight with the mysterious stranger, when all of a sudden he heard the sound of sirens. The police were coming. He had to get out of here. All of the youma he had here were destroyed and his men who weren't were still in shock; he hadn't revealed his secret to them. They'd babble what had happened to the police, who most likely wouldn't believe them and lock them in that lunatic asylum he'd heard about.

He opened a portal to his own dimension. Just before he entered, he looked back at the stranger. “Farewell, until we meet again, worthy adversary.”

Sailor Moon and Dick looked at the plane's cockpit, which had just slid open. Standing up from the seat and looking straight at them was none other than the Batman.

Batman stared at Sailor Moon, who suddenly shivered. Whatever magic had given her these powers also made her physically stronger than Batman, but his stare was intimidating.

“Sailor Moon,” the Batman said, “you did good in saving this boy's life.” Sailor sighed as if relieved; somehow she felt she had his approval.

“Ah, the legendary Batman.” Batman, Dick, and Sailor Moon looked up to see the stranger in the cape and tuxedo standing on the beam overhanging the canal. “It is an honor to meet you.”

Batman looked at the stranger “Who are you?”

“Someone of no importance.” The stranger reached into his pocket. “But if you must call me by a name, Tuxedo Mask will do.” He pulled something out of his pocket and threw it at Sailor Moon.

Sailor Moon caught it in her hands. A rose? She tensed for several seconds, and then relaxed when it didn't explode.

A puff of smoke suddenly appeared around the stranger. When the smoke cleared, he was gone.

Batman looked at Sailor Moon. “Do you know who he is?”

Sailor Moon shook her head. “No I don't. I have no idea at all.”

The Batman said not a word but sat back down in the pilot seat. Slowly the Batplane edged over to the sidewalk and stopped.

“Get off,” the Batman said to Sailor Moon. “I'll take this boy home.”

Sailor Moon lept off of the Batplane and watched her brother crawl back into the seat behind Batman. “Um, Batman?”

“Yes?”

“Are you going to place another homing device on me?”

Batman shook his head. “No I will not. I can see that there will be strange things happening in Gotham City, and you and that Tuxedo-Mask's powers seem to be the key to stopping whatever these creatures are. But I will be watching you both.”

Then the canopy of the Batplane slid itself shut, and the strange jet flew off into the night.

 

Dick couldn't believe what had just happened. He'd almost gotten killed, was rescued by three strange figures, and now was flying in the jet of one of them to wherever he lived!

The Batplane flew over the ocean and up to some familiar looking cliffs. Batman pressed a button on the control console and a hole suddenly appeared in one of the cliffs.

Carefully, Batman guided the plane though the hole and down a long dark tunnel. Finally the plane stopped and the cockpit slid open.

Batman got out and helped Dick out of the Batplane. Dick's eyes widened at what he saw.

They were inside a large, spacious cave. Over on the far side a large computer console lay up against the wall. A few feet away a strangely shaped blue-and-black car was parked.

Dick looked at the Batman, who had turned his back to him. “Why did you go off seeking Tony Zucco?”

“Because,” tears welled up in Dicks eyes as he tried to find the words, “because I want him to pay for killing my parents! Even if he's some super powered creature, I still want to help make him pay!”

The Batman turned and faced Dick. “How badly do you want it?” Suddenly his gloved hand reached up and pulled off the cowl covering his face.

Dick took back a few paces as he recognized the face. “Bruce?

 

“Are you sure he'll show up tonight?” Officer Renee Montoya asked Police Commissioner James Gordon. They were on the top of Police Headquarters, and the Bat-Signal was shining bright.

“He'll come,” Gordon replied. He was tall man in his late thirties with red hair going white at the temples and a red mustache. “He always does, whenever something like this happens.”

“Commissioner, about my application for-.”

“I'm sorry, Renee, but I can't transfer you.” Gordon shook his head. “I know you deserve it, but there aren't very many cops on the force I can trust completely, and you're one of them. I need you on the beat, not behind a desk.”

“It's not really for my sake. It's for Lita.” Officer Montoya's parents had died six months ago in a plane crash, leaving her the guardian of her thirteen-year-old sister. Since then, Montoya had tried to get transferred to a less dangerous assignment, but Gordon just couldn't spare her.

“You wish to speak with me, Commissioner?” Gordon and Montoya turned around and saw a dark silhouette step out from behind the Bat-Signal.

“Ah, Batman.” Gordon walked over to the mysterious figure he thought of as his ally. We just rounded up Tony Zucco's mob at the waterfront last night after the explosion. The strange things they're babbling about, about their comrades turning into monsters, a super-powered teenage girl and some rose throwing guy in a tuxedo-I don't know what to make of it.”

“Strange things are happening in Gotham.” The Batman looked away from Gordon towards the night sky. “I don't know much more than you do-even who those two you just described are.”

 

“Oh.” Gordon took out a pipe, filled and lit it, then began to puff. “I thought maybe they might be trained by you, your partners or something.”

“No, they're not my partners.” Suddenly a small figure clad in orange and green with a yellow cape and black domino mask emerged from the shadows. “This is my partner.”

End of chapter two

Sorry for the slow updating. Life tends to get in the way of my writing.

I know it seems I had Dick's becoming Robin a little rushed. Thing is at first he's mainly going to be used for scouting and recognizance. And also for Batman to approach Sailor Moon.

One reason it took so long for me to write this was that I wanted to bring in Tuxedo Mask in this chapter, but it's hard to write him in a scene with Batman, because they are so much alike. I'm absolutely certain that when created Tux Boy Batman was one of her inspirations.

I've thought some more about candidates for rainbow crystal carriers, and I decided one of them will be an D.C. hero-and no; it won't be Superman or Wonder Woman. My candidates are:

Barry Allen (Flash)

Hal Jordan (Green Lantern)

Arthur Curry (Aquaman)

Eel O'Brien (Plasticman)

J'onn J'onzz (Martian Manhunter)

Tell me which one you think is the most likely

Also, after I get done writing this, I may start a sequel that will include other outer Senshi besides Trista. Tell me, who do you think is the most likely Candidate to be Hotaru's father: Jeremiah Arkham, Kirk Langstrom, Hugo Strange, or Victor Fries?