Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Moon Princess in Gotham ❯ Scarlet Speed in Gotham! ( Chapter 9 )

I don't own Batman or any of the related characters. I also don't own Sailor Moon-and if you thought I did, you belong in Arkham Asylum with Gloria Allred.

Sorry I took so long to update. This chapter just took a long tome to write.

 

Chapter Eight: Scarlet Speed in Gotham! The Sailor Senshi meet the Fastest Man Alive!

 

POP! The balloon burst in Moonbunny's face. At the sound she fell over backwards, waving her oversized shoes in the air.

“Moonbunny!” Dottie Sparks stood over her, her hands on her hips. “That's the fifth balloon you've broken! Let me handle the balloon animals while you do the face painting.”

“BUT I WANNA DO BALLOONS!” As Moonbunny wailed, she pressed the small bulb hidden in the left sleeve of her costume. Water from two tiny hoses behind her ears squirted into the other clown's face, sparking laughter from the small crowd of children surrounding them. She turned towards them, spraying the kids with water. “I WANNA DO BALLOONS!”

“Moonbunny!” Dottie said in mock reproach, “You've already broken five balloons! If you do any more, there won't be any left!” She sighed as if in aspiration. “Do you want to disappoint the kids?”

“No.” Inside, Moonbunny was smiling at herself. Tying balloons was one other thing she'd never quite been able to get right-and Molly learned how in a single weekend-but Patchwork had taught her sometimes doing something wrong on purpose created great comic effect. This routine that she and Dottie worked out for the party celebrating the opening of the new hospital wing proved her late mentor right.

Moonbunny smiled at the first child who came up to her. “And what would you like, little girl?”

The girl, who looked about eight years old said, “To look like you.”

Moonbunny actually blushed under her makeup. “I'm sorry, but there's kind of a rule that no two clowns look alike. But I can do this.” She quickly painted white over the girl's eyebrows, red circles on her cheeks, and then gave her a big red smile.

“And the final touch.” Moonbunny took out a small clown nose and placed it on the girl. But she put it on a little too forcefully, and the girl's hair fell to the ground.

The other kids laughed at the sight of her baldhead. “Now you stop that!” Moonbunny shouted, and the children sobered. Moonbunny looked at the girl, who was near tears. “Don't cry,” she said. “What's your name?”

“Stephanie Brown.”

“And, if I may ask, how'd you lose your hair?”

“I've got leukemia,” the girl said, “and the medicine for it makes my hair fall out.”

“How well are you?”

Stephanie sniffed. “I'm all right now,” she said, “and the doctors say I won't have to take it anymore soon.”

“Will your hair grow back?” Moonbunny asked, although she already knew the answer. One thing she'd learned about cheering up sick people was to familiarize herself with the aspects of their problems and be sensitive about them.

Stephanie nodded. “Yes it will.”

“So it's only temporary. And being bald and alive is better than dying, isn't it?” The girl nodded again. Moonbunny held out a mirror. “Besides, have a look at yourself and smile!”

Stephanie looked and saw her reflection. She forced a smile, and then guffawed. “I do look pretty funny.”

Moonbunny picked up Stephanie's wig and gently placed it on her head. She held the mirror to the girl. “And which looks funnier?”

“This!” Stephanie took off her wig. Dottie placed a balloon hat on her head, and the young cancer patient turned and looked at the other kids. The two clowns winked and motioned to the crowd, who laughed again-gently, not raucously like before. Stephanie laughed along with them.

In another section of the hospital parking lot, Dick Grayson was doing an acrobatics demonstration. Five gymnastics bars were set up, each one higher than the one before it. At first Dick just swung from bar to bar. Then he would leap high into the air each time after he let go of the bar. And then he would do aerial somersaults, going higher and doing more somersaults with each swing.

The small crowd watching him clapped and cheered. Raye Hino looked over at Amy Anderson. “Serena's brother is amazing, isn't he?”

Amy nodded in agreement. “He certainly is. For someone so young, he must put in an incredible amount of practice.” She kept her eyes on Dick. There was something familiar about the way he was moving and those red and green tights he was wearing. Where had she seen something like that before?

“I almost can't believe he and Serena are even related, let alone brother and sister,” Raye continued. “Must be karma's way of compensating for Serena being such a klutz.”

“Actually, it's probably just the Grayson Family Woman Curse.” The two girls turned and saw Serena's classmate Melvin walk up to them.

“Grayson Family Woman Curse?” Amy asked.

“I was surfing the Internet the other day and I came across it,” The nerdish teenager said. “The Graysons are a very old family of acrobats, but until the end of the nineteenth century all of the performers were men. And even later, only women who married into the family performed-no girl born into the Grayson family ever did acrobatics.”

“Because they couldn't?” Amy said.

Melvin nodded. “Strangely enough, the Grayson men are exceptionally agile and graceful, while the Grayson women are clumsy and completely uncoordinated. Some of the sources say it happened because an ancestor sold his soul to a demon that takes the girls' agility and gives it to the boys in addition to their own. Others say a Grayson woman stole a witch's lover and she placed the curse on her and her daughters.”

“I can't believe such the kamis would allow such a sexist curse to exist,” Raye said. Then she thought of the times she'd seen Serena trip and fall, and of the stories Dick had told her of accidents she'd caused in the circus. “Of course, it would explain a lot.”

Just as Dick finished his final flip and landed on the fall mattress, the speakers to the doorway of the new wing sounded. “Testing, testing.” Raymond Sorville, the administrator for Gotham Children's Hospital spoke into the microphone. “I'm sorry to interrupt everybody's fun, but it's time to for the opening of the wing to begin.”

As everyone in the parking lot gathered around the door, Dr. Sorville continued, “As you know, the building of this new wing was result of the work and effort of many people. And I would like to present one of those people right now- Mr. Bruce Wayne!”

The entire crowd clapped as Dr. Sorville stepped aside and Bruce stepped up to the microphone. “Truly Dr. Sorville gives me too much credit. For while I did help to raise the money to build this wing and contributed a good portion of my own fortune, the real credit belongs to the architects who designed the blueprints and the construction crews who built it. Not to mention the technicians who built the equipment to be used, and the doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff who work here.

“My own father, the late Dr. Thomas Wayne,” Bruce continued, “worked in this hospital, and while I have pursued a different vocation than him, I have always taken an interest in the affairs and well being of this establishment.

“But this addition valuable as it is, came at a very high price. Not in money, but in blood. For at a fundraising event for building this new wing, a tragic incident took the lives of the parents of my two wards, Serena and Dick Grayson.”

Bruce walked over a section next to the door covered in cloth. “That is why I requested that this new wing,” he said as he removed the cloth, revealing a plaque underneath, “be named the Ken and Kerry Grayson Memorial Wing!”

Serena and Dick were both shocked. They had no idea the new hospital wing would be named after their parents. Trista Miouh, who was standing right next to them, smiled. “You both must be very proud right now.” Serena and Dick both nodded, unable to say anything.

“Sorry we couldn't be here earlier.” Serena saw Molly's mother had come up, with a tall blond man around her age. She coyly eyed her companion. “Someone here was late, as usual.”

“Hey, it was the bus, not me for once, that caused me to be late,” the man said.

Molly went up and hugged the man. “Oh Uncle Barry, you're so funny!”

The man-Barry, apparently-smiled down at Molly. “Before you spoke, I didn't recognize you underneath that costume and makeup. And how you've grown!”

“Children have a way of doing that,” Molly's mother smiled. “When are you going to settle down with that girl Iris you're always telling me about?”

Barry's cheeks turned red. “Will you stop that Ilene? Iris and I don't like being pressured.” He looked back at Molly. “Why don't you introduce me to your friend?”

“Oh. Uncle Barry, this here's Serena, otherwise known as Moonbunny formerly of Haley's Circus.”

He eyed Serena. “So you're the girl who's making my Molly give up her plans to become a nurse for a clowning career.”

“Uncle Barry!” Molly shouted. “I still want to be a nurse. This is just a hobby. Besides, from what Serena tells me of circus life I don't think I could handle it.” “Molly looked back at Serena. “Barry Allen's an old friend of my mom.”

“But isn't he your uncle?” Serena asked.

“Oh that.” Barry Allen let out a small laugh. “No. Ilene and I went to college together. We dated for a while, and we stayed close friends after we broke up. I visit them from time to time, so Molly just calls me Uncle Barry.”

“Excuse me.” Bruce had come up to them. “Am I interrupting anything?

“Oh, hi Bruce.” Serena said to her guardian.

Barry extended his hand, and Bruce took it. “Hi. Barry Allen, Forensic Scientist for the Central City PD, on temporary assignment to Gotham PD. And you don't need to tell me, you're Bruce Wayne. Pleased to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Bruce said.

 

“Nephrite!” Queen Beryl glared at her General. “You had an excellent source of energy and you let it slip through your hands!”

“I admit my failure, my queen.” Nephrite bowed his head. “Perhaps you will accept this as an apology.” He produced a large globe of light, which floated from his hand to Queen Beryl. “This is the remainder of the energy I drained from Superman.”

Queen Beryl was speechless as she held the glowing orb. “This-this is more than twice the energy that Jadeite had drained from a countless number of people,” she finally managed to say.

“And Nephrite here wasted even more creating that Doomsday youma.” Nephrite looked up and sure enough, floating above him was Zoicite, giving her annoying smirk. “Why, if you hadn't bothered with that, we'd almost have enough to unleash Queen Metailia now!”

“Be quiet Zoicite,” Nephrite growled. “I had no way of knowing the Sailor Senshi, Tuxedo Mask, and Batman would be able to defeat Doomsday. That is why I plan to go to Gotham City, to find out who they are, and destroy them!”

“Why concern yourself with the Batman?” Zoicite laughed. “Once those Sailor girls and Tuxedo Mask are out of the way, what harm can a mere mortal like him do to us?”

“It is not wise to dismiss the Batman so easily,” Nephrite snarled. “Jadeite underestimated him, and look what happened. He may be only a mortal, but he has a most extraordinary mind.”

“Humph. Such respect for a miserable human.”

Nephrite actually smiled. “I have no doubt, Zoicite, he could outwit YOU.”

 

Serena, Molly, Raye, and Amy raced down to the pool behind Wayne Manor in their swimsuits. It was an unusually warm fall Saturday and Bruce told the girls it would be the last day before he had the pool emptied for the winter. Even Amy eagerly put down her schoolbooks as the mention of one final dip in the pool.

Just as they rounded the rose bushes surrounding the pool, who should they see but Alfred Pennyworth talking to that young man Serena met outside the arcade and at the convention center. “And of course, these bushes won't need that much tending to with winter coming on,” Alfred said, “but Master Bruce would appreciate it if you checked up on them when the weather permits.”

“Not a problem, Mr. Pennyworth,” the man said. “I'll mostly be working in the greenhouse this winter anyway, and by spring, I'll be totally familiarized with the layout.”

“Alfred!” Serena cried, “What is that guy doing here?”

“Oh, Miss Serena,” Alfred said. “This is Mr. Darien Shields, the new gardener Master Bruce hired. Mr. Shields, allow me to introduce Miss Serena Grayson, one of Master Bruce's two wards, and Miss Serena's friends misses Molly Baker, Amy Anderson, and Raye Hino.”

The young man-Darien-smirked. “I've met Meatball Head twice already.”

“I am not a Meatball Head!” Serena yelled. “Am not am not am not am not!”

“Mr. Shields, please!” Alfred rebuked the young man. “Whatever exchange you may have had with Miss Serena in the past, while you are employed here you will speak to her with the proper respect or you will be terminated. Am I clear?”

“Yes, Mr. Pennyworth.” Darien said. He and Alfred left the pool area. Serena stuck out her tongue after Darien.

“Oh relax Serena,” Molly said as she splashed her friend. “Now that he works for Mr. Wayne, it's almost like he works for you!”

“Yeah, Serena. Why you might even be able to get him fired!” Raye added. The young Shinto-priestess ran off the diving board and did a cannonball into the pool. “You're so lucky! You've got an Olympic pool in your own back yard!”

The girls swam and splashed around the pool for the next half hour, when suddenly they heard the roar of numerous moving vans along the road. “Is someone moving nearby?” Amy asked.

“Yes,” Serena said. “Some guy named Maxfeild Stanton's moving in to the old Falcone place down the road from here.”

“The old Falcone place?” Raye asked. “I always get bad vibes whenever I walk by there. Like there's some evil presence going on. Why would anyone want to move there?”

“Oh please Raye,” Amy put in, “just because it used to be the home of the Falcone crime family and a few mob-murders happened there doesn't mean the place itself is evil.”

The place was evil. Nephrite could feel in his bones as he walked into his new residence. He already knew the history of the old mansion, about how it had belonged to generations of thieves and murderers, of the nefarious dealings that occurred on these grounds. He could hear the echoes of screams from one man being shot in the old library, the aura greed that came from another room that he was sure some illicit bargain had been made.

He walked into the one room that he was told nothing of that sort had occurred. It had been the Falcone family chapel, and none of the Falcone patriarchs, whatever deeds they might commit elsewhere, would taint this sacred room with their business.

Nephrite made sure all the few human servants he had hired for display purposes were gone from the room. Quietly, he kneeled down and looked at the stained glass window.

“Oh, all powerful stars,” he began, “I Nephrite beseech you. Tell me, o stars, of one nearby, more than human, with the energy I can drain, to please my queen!”

A great black void appeared in front of the stained glass window. At the corners appear shining specks of light like stars, and at the center the image a young blonde man in his mid thirties.

“Who is this man?” Nephrite asked. “Tell me, o stars!” Over the image flashed a red cowl with yellow wings at the temples. Nephrite knew who it was; he'd read about the Flash and studied him as thoroughly as he had Earth's other super-powered beings.

“Yes,” Nephrite smiled. “He'll do quite nicely.”

 

“Okay, so what's the layout here?” Robin asked Batman. They were standing on a rooftop in Gotham City's business district, doing a standard patrol.

Batman took the binoculars from his eyes. “That nightclub you see across the street is the Iceberg Lounge. Owned by one Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot.”

Robin's eyebrows rose over his mask. “You mean that guy on your computer files called the Penguin?”

Batman nodded. “After he got out of Blackgate Prison for good behavior, he used money he had secretly stashed away to open this place. It serves as a front for his illegal dealings.”

Robin scratched his head. “And you let this go on?”

Now Batman's mouth turned up in a rare smile. “He thinks I don't notice what he does, but observing him leads me to bigger fish to fry.” The Dark Knight looked at his young partner. “Why don't you use the mask those Sailor girls gave you? You might notice something these binoculars can't.”

Robin tapped the side of his mask, activating its x-ray field. “Doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary,” he said, “just a bunch of people sitting and eating, or dancing, or-wait a minute! In that room in the back, a guy who looks like the pictures I've seen is talking to two other guys-I don't recognize either of them.”

“What do they look like?”

“One's some big muscular brute in a very realistic crocodile costume-,”

“His name's Killer Croc,” the Batman interrupted, “and that's not a costume.”

Robin continued as if his mentor hadn't spoken, “-and the other's wearing an outfit kind of like yours, only it's yellow and orange.”

“Thomas Blake,” Batman murmured. “Former big game hunter who took to hunting after treasure instead-even if it belongs to other people. The Catman.”

“Who's he? Catwoman's brother? Cousin? Ex-boyfriend?”

“They're not related,” the Batman said, “and she hates his guts.”

“Thinks he's a copycat, huh? Get it? Catwoman , Catman? Copy-cat? ” Batman only frowned at Robin's quip. “Jeez, you'd think with all his money he could at least buy a sense of humor,” the Boy Wonder grumbled.

He continued observing the Penguin's office. The reptilian man and cat-suited man both put on large trench coats and top hats. They departed out of a door leading behind the Iceberg Lounge.

Batman fired his grapnel and swung over the alleyways. Robin followed after him and landed on the nightclub's rooftop. Looking down, he saw Killer Croc and Catman go in opposite directions. “Which one we going after?”

“Catman,” the Batman said flatly. “Killer Croc recently got paroled for good behavior-although I don't think he's behaving himself right now-and we've got nothing on him. Catman though, mysteriously disappeared from his cell in Blackgate three days ago-and tonight he goes back.”

Catman had just reached the end of the alleyway when suddenly Batman landed in front of him. “Out for a night on the prowl, Blake?”

“Humph.” Catman smirked as he tore off his coat and hat. “I knew I'd run into you soon enough, Batman.” He held out his hands and three long blades emerged from the knuckles of each. “I've kept my claws sharp.”

He lunged at Batman, who quickly blocked with his right arm and punched with his left. Catman dodged, and then tripped the Dark Knight to the ground. “A cat has nine lives,” the cowled cat burglar sneered as he raised his clawed hand to strike, “how many does a bat have?”

“Then you should get nine life sentences!” The steel heels of Robin's pixie-shoes slammed into the back of Catman's skull. Robin back flipped and landed, only to see Catman already on his feet and facing him.

“Well, well, I see the rumors at prison are true after all. Bats has got himself a partner. Possibly even a cat-amite.” Before he finished speaking, he leaped at Robin, who quickly jumped, grabbed the nearest fire exit ladder, and used it to swing up to the roof.

He' d just landed when he'd heard the sound of boots behind him. “You're good, but can this little Robin escape a cat?” Quickly Robin ran, jumped off into the next ally, and swung via the fire escapes to the end of the alleyway. “I see Batman has trained you well-at running away!”

He's right behind me! Even Bruce can't keep up with me at acrobatics, Robin thought as he lept onto another roof and ran for the next alleyway. At least I'm buying Bruce some time to recover and catch up.

 

Luna was walking through the alleyway on the way home from the Crown arcade. She just consulted Central Control, but they had nothing new to tell her.

Suddenly she saw a red, green and yellow blur fly over her. She blinked and got a second look. Robin?

Right behind Serena's brother was a man dressed in what looked like a yellow and orange version of Batman's costume. Luna shook her head and looked again. Sure enough, that was what she saw. And if that strange man was chasing after Robin, he couldn't be up to any good.

 

Catman smiled to himself as his longer legs made the distance between him and Robin closer. The boy was good, no doubt about it. He was possibly as good as Catman himself at the dodge and leap game-certainly better than Batman. A pity I don't have time to train a protégé myself, the cat burglar thought as he grabbed Robin by the ankle.

He raised his clawed left hand when all of a sudden he felt something land on his forearm and bite.

“You cat!” he cried as he pulled the black feline from his arm-and then ommphed when Robin's heel hit his stomach. He staggered back, only to take more hits from the Boy Wonder.

He had just recovered when he held the cat up to his face and looked into its eyes. “You, cat-attack the boy!”

Luna didn't know what came over her-she couldn't control her self as she lept at Robin and Robin and sank her claws into his face. “What are you doing?” Robin cried out.

Catman grinned as he lept away. He successfully evaded Batman and now had foiled his partner too. True, he hadn't finished either off, but he had an errand to do for the man who'd arranged his escape.

He'd just landed on the alleyway floor when he felt himself punched in the face. “Batman?” He looked around and saw nothing.

“No,” an unfamiliar voice said as he was punched again in the face, then the stomach. “They say you have the reflexes of a cat, but even a cheetah's a slowpoke next to me!” Clearing his head, Catman got out the device that his benefactor him. He narrowed his eyes, and as the red and yellow blur got closer…

KRPACK! As the yellow-gauntleted fist collided against his jaw, Catman rushed his own hand forward…

 

Nephrite smiled as he looked at the image over the chapel window. Catman had gotten the Talisman onto the Flash just as he'd hoped. And now that Catman was unconscious, he'd likely get sent back to that island prison and Nephrite wouldn't have to reward him like he'd promised.

 

Robin looked straight into Luna's red eyes. “Why'd you attack me like that?”

Luna just blinked. “I don't know. He just looked at me and I couldn't control myself.”

“Never mind.” Robin put the cat down and headed to the edge of the roof. “I don't know how far Catman's gotten, but he's probably long gone. If only…” Suddenly he looked down and saw Catman laying on the ground, and a man in red and yellow standing over him.

He cradled Luna in his left arm and lowered himself to the ground with his grapnel. The Flash suddenly looked and saw him. “Oh. You must be that new partner I've heard Batman's taken. You certainly got better taste in clothes than he does.”

“Yeah. I'm Robin.” The Boy Wonder extended his hand, which the Flash took. “And you don't have to tell me who you are. But what are you doing in Gotham City?”

“Oh, I just happened to be in the neighborhood and thought I'd help out while I'm here.”

“And you'll back to Central City soon enough. And then don't come back to help unless I ask for it.” The Flash and Robin turned around and saw Batman standing right behind them. “And Robin, you need to work on your detection skills more. I shouldn't be able to come up on you like that.”

“Ah, yeah, I guess,” was all Robin could say.

“Now wait just a minute!” the Flash cried out. “Who are you to give me orders, Mr. High and Mighty?”

“Because Gotham is my city, and I protect it.” Batman said flatly. “If I need help I'll ask for it, Barry Allen.”

 

“The Flash is Barry Allen?” Robin asked as the Batmobile pulled into the Cave and parked. “That guy who's an old friend of Serena's friend Molly's mother?”

“The very same.” Batman got out of the Batmobile and walked to the computer.

“But he doesn't know who you are. He looked surprised when you called him by his real name.”

“No, he doesn't know.” Batman sat down at the computer and began typing through the files.

“Do you know any other superheroes identities?” Robin asked. “Do any know yours?”

“I know a great many but not all of them.” Batman said. “The only ones who know mine that I'm aware of are Superman and Wonder Woman.”

“Let me guess-the first time you ran into Superman he did an x-ray on you, didn't he.”

“No.” Now Batman removed his cowl, revealing the face of Bruce Wayne. “When I first met him I was wearing a lead-lined cowl. He found out by other means.” He actually rolled up his eyes. “Some people call me the world's greatest detective. If I am, then Clark Kent is the world's best investigative reporter.”

“Oh.” Now Dick looked down at Luna, who was cradled in his arms. “And how did Wonder Woman find out?” Bruce said nothing but kept typing away.

Robin sighed. One thing he'd learned was that when Bruce gave him the silent treatment he shouldn't press further. It's not like you aren't keeping secrets from him, after all. Deciding to change the subject he asked, “How'd he get Serena's cat here to attack me?” He stroked the cat who was lying in his arms. “I mean, Luna likes me well enough.”

“If I knew I would tell you,” Batman said. “He has some strange ability to make cats do his bidding; just be glad there wasn't an entire pack of stray cats around. Or panthers or tigers.”

Robin took off his mask and walked to the closet to change. It was after midnight and he had school the next day.

He was just about there when all of a sudden he ran into Alfred. “Oh, sorry,” he said.

“Think nothing of it Master Dick.” Alfred looked down at Luna. “And what are you doing with Miss Serena's cat, if I may ask?”

“Oh. Well, we kind of found her in the city while we were out on patrol,” Robin said.

Alfred took Luna into his arms. “Really. I have to give your sister a lecture about keeping a better eye on her pet.” He smiled and looked at the cat. “Of course, it's not as if this little kitty will be blabbing to the world what she's seen here.”

No she won't, but she could. “Uh Alfred, may I ask you something?” Dick learned sometimes the English butler would tell him things Bruce wouldn't. “Bruce says only two others besides you and me knew his secret. I'm not at all surprised about Superman, but how did Wonder Woman find out?”

“Oh that.” Alfred said. “Master Bruce met Princess Diana of Themyscaria at a political gathering shortly after she came to this country. They actually started dating very publicly soon afterwards; and on several occasions worked together as Batman and Wonder Woman.”

Dick nodded; it was no surprise that his guardian might date royalty. He was one of the richest men in the world after all. “Did he break up with her after she found out?”

“No. He revealed himself to her one day, and then she dumped him, as you young people would say.” Now Alfred looked over at his employer who was still busy at the computer. “He doesn't admit it-he never will-but I do believe for the first time Master Bruce's heart was broken.”

 

“Serena!” Molly called as Alfred dropped Serena off at school, “Serena, I need to talk to you!”

“What is it Molly?” Serena yawned. Only fifteen minutes ago Dick had woke her up from a most wonderful dream and she had to rush to get dressed and eat a quick breakfast before Alfred could drive her to school.

“It's Uncle Barry,” Molly's eyes were filled with worry. “Serena, this morning at breakfast, Mom was in such a hurry to get the jewelry store open that she burned the eggs and toast and he snapped at her! Barry's never done that before; he's the nicest most easygoing man I ever knew. And when Mom apologized, he slapped her! Hard! And then he just stomped off to work!”

“She didn't report him?”

Molly shook her head. “No, this is just so unlike Uncle Barry, Serena, she hopes when he comes back she'll be able to talk with him and ask what it's all about. But Serena, for the first time in my life I'm actually scared of him!”

“Where is Allen!” cried out police Commissioner James Gordon as he stormed out of his office. “He's two hours late from his lunch break and there's a robbery scene out on Park Row we have to go to!”

Detective Harvey Bullock leaned back in his chair. “Why you actin' all surprised Commish? The brass in Central City told us he was always late for everything.”

“Yes, but they also said his work more than made up for it and they never mentioned him being this late for anything really important.” Gordon scratched his head. “I wonder if anybody I offended back in Chicago got transferred to there and he sent Allen here as his way of getting even.

The phone on Officer Renee Montoya's desk rang. “Hello, Gotham City Police Department, Officer Renee Montoya speaking. Yes, I'm her sister. She what? Again?”

The twenty something Dominican born policewoman put down the phone and looked at Commissioner Gordon. “That was Lita's school,” she said. “She's gotten into another fight and her guidance councilor wants to talk to me.”

“Go right ahead.” Gordon said. “I'll have Preston cover for you, and you'll be working double this weekend to make up for it.”

Bullock tilted back his battered fedora. “So that juvenile delinquent's in it again. What else is new?”

“Lita is NOT a delinquent!” Montoya glared at her partner. “She doesn't cause those fights and she doesn't look for trouble.”

Bullock smirked. “For a girl who doesn't look for trouble, she seems to have an uncanny way of finding it.”

Ignoring Bullock, Montoya got her coat and headed for the elevator. It had just opened and she stepped inside, when out stepped Barry Allen.

“Mr. Allen, where the hell have you been?” Gordon barked at him. “There's a break-in scene at Park Row and you're two hours late back from lunch!”

“How I manage my time is my business Commish.”

“Don't take that tone with me!” Gordon snapped. “If you were a cop I'd have your badge. And only Bullock calls me Commish!”

 

“YAII!” Raye cried as the makeshift grapnel Amy created lifted her into the tree in front of the Cherry Hill shrine. She managed to grab onto a nearby branch. She yelled down at Amy, “That thing rewinds a little too fast!”

“Apparently there are some bugs to be worked out,” Amy said quietly. “And the cord's just nylon instead of silk like Batman's so it has to be thicker, meaning it can't reach as far.”

“Just keep at it,” Serena patted her friend on the back.

“Yes,” put in Luna. “I'm sure if anyone can copy Batman's equipment you can!”

“It's not really the principle behind the technology that's a problem,” Amy said. “It's finance. To duplicate Batman's grapnel exactly would cost more than I can afford-the weighted bits on the end are even made of diamonds.”

“Diamonds? Why would anybody waste diamonds on something like that?” Serena asked.

“It's really a more practical use for them than jewelry, and industrial diamonds are cheaper-although the De Beers monopoly makes even them so expensive I can never afford them.” She then smiled as Raye climbed down. “I've actually had better luck with some other devices-want to see?”

“Yes!” Serena and Raye both followed Amy to where she put her schoolbags. She reached inside and pulled out three belts.

“You've got utility belts made for us!” Serena exclaimed.

Amy nodded. “I did them in part as my sewing project for home economics-Although my teacher thought it was a bit strange to make three belts with so many pouches. I had the special buckles and equipment put in later.”

Raye looked at the belt Amy handed her. “The buckles all have our respective symbols on them!” She opened one of the pouches “You even put in batarangs!”

Now Amy smiled. “Shortly after our last fight with Jadeite, I went back to the waterfront, and found one of the batarangs Robin had thrown. I took it home and had a machinist whose wife is a nurse at the Clinic duplicates it. It's just a throwing weapon and it can't do anything fancy like some of those Batman and Robin use or Serena's tiara, but I figured they might come in handy.”

“Smoke bombs and a butane lighter?” Serena asked.

“Yes. You might need them to blind or distract youma in case I'm not around to use my bubbles. There are also a few vials of sulfuric aced that can dissolve old cement and rusted metal pretty quick.” She let out a loud sigh. “I wish I could do more, but I just don't have the money or the resources.”

“I'm sure that what you've come up with will be more than enough, and will make a valuable addition to your senshi powers,” Luna said.

Raye snapped on her belt and pulled out a batarang. “I want to try these out!” She pulled back her armed and tossed the boomerang-like weapon. It soared out to the edge of the wall surrounding the shrine and arced back-into the tree.

“Not bad-for a beginner,” a voice called out from the tree. A young boy in a leather jacket and blue jeans leaped down to the ground holding the batarang.

The girls' mouths all dropped as the saw his masked face. “Robin!” Raye exclaimed, “I was just in that tree, and I didn't see you!”

The Boy Wonder shrugged. “Who do you think taught me?” He held up the batarang and examined it. “Not bad. That machinist Amy hired sure knew his stuff. That grapnel she designed isn't bad either.”

Amy blushed at Robin's praise. “I did the best I could with what I had. But why are you here?”

“Tonight's a Friday, so that means none of you girls has school tomorrow, right?” All three nodded. “Well, its almost evening and Batman's letting me patrol on my own tonight. And I figure you might need some practice for the next time a youma shows up, so why not get yourselves powered up and come with me?”

 

After Amy and Serena both made calls explaining that they'd be spending the night with Raye (whose Grandfather was out of town on a retreat), all three girls had transformed and were following Robin who had changed into his full costume, over the rooftops of Gotham City. They stopped by a break-in by two young hoodlums. After tying up one of the would-be-rapists and calling the police, Sailor Mars looked at Robin. “Is this a typical night for you?”

“More or less. Of course Batman doesn't want me to handle anyone to try anyone major without him around, but if any of them show up, I think with you and Sailor Mercury I can handle them-although I'm glad the Joker, Poison Ivey, and Two-Face are safely locked-,” he stopped when he saw Sailor Mars's face cloud up. “I'm sorry. I forgot Harvey Dent's your-,”

Sailor Mars looked away and held up her hand. “Forget it. The man who was my dad died that night with Mom when that acid hit his face. What he's become is someone I want nothing to do with.”

“So, what's happened here?” Robin and the girls turned around and saw the Flash standing behind them, his arms crossed across his chest.

“An attempted burglary. Me and these girls here stopped them and now we're waiting for the police.”

“Oh?” The Flash eyed the two men dangling from the telephone pole, and cracked his knuckles. “Maybe they need a little more roughing up!”

“Flash!” Robin cried. “We've already apprehended them and scum like these can't tell us anything useful, so what's the point?”

“The point!” The Flash wagged his finger into Robin's face. “The point, my Boy Wonder, is that scum like these get off way too easy! And who knows? They might have something useful to tell us after all-like maybe they're front men for a major drug smuggling outfit!”

“I don't have any clues that they do and without those I'm not going to question them any further!” Robin said as he stepped in front of the Flash-and got thrown off to the side.

“Hey!” Sailor Moon cried out, “Why you throw him like that!”

“Because he calls himself a crime fighter, but he doesn't go far enough!” the Flash answered. “Now stand aside while-.”

“No!” Now Sailor Mercury stepped in between the two trussed up thieves and the Scarlet Speedster. “The Flash I read about in the newspapers wouldn't harm anyone more than necessary.”

“Maybe I wised up,” the Flash said, “And if you don't stand aside, I'll-,” before he finished he punched Sailor Mercury faster than anyone could see, slamming her into a wall.

“Mercury!” Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars cried out.

Groggily, Robin got to his feet. He looked at the flash and suddenly noticed his belt. “That-that thing on his belt-!”

“Moon Tiara Capture!” Sailor Moon threw her tiara at the Flash. He ran-faster than anyone could see-behind Sailor Mars, who screamed when the tiara pinned her arms to her sides.

“Sailor Moon, get this thing off of me!” the black-haired senshi yelled.

“Moon Tiara return!”

Sailor Mercury stood up. “Mercury Bubble Blast!” Bubbles lept forth around the flash and burst, dissolving into mist around the Flash.

“Ha ha ha!” the Flash laughed and whirling his arms, blew the cloud away. “Did you silly girls think a little mist could stop me?”

“I hate to do this, but,” Sailor Mars held her hands, “Mars Fire Ignite!” Flames shot forth from her fingers, encircling the Flash. “Maybe that'll hold him.”

“Afraid not, Pyro!” Flash whirled his hand again, and sent the flames flying at Sailor Moon.

“Ah!” Sailor Moon cried out as she tried to dodge the fire; some of it caught on her leg. “Hot hot hot hot hot!”

“Here!” Robin quickly sprayed her leg with something that put out the flame.

“What is that?”

“Aerosol fire extinguisher. To be used in emergencies.” Now Sailor Moon saw her brother's eyes behind the mask “Look, I saw the Flash's belt. He's got one of those devices like that Nephrite guy put on Superman!”

“Huh?” Sailor Moon looked and saw a flaming winged foot on the Flash's belt buckle.

“Oh my, you're right! What are we going to do?”

Up one the rooftop, Nephrite stood enjoying the show. Soon enough, his energy will peak, the General thought, about right-

The Flash rushed at Sailor Mars, then suddenly stopped. The light on his belt buckle suddenly flared, then burst into swirling globe around the speedster.

“-now!”

The light cleared and the Flash lay on the Ground, unconscious. Standing above him was a creature about 7 feet tall with red skin, a pointed tail, and twin lightning bolts coming out of it temples. It stared at the Sailor Senshii and the Bow Wonder, it's eyes glowing yellow orbs in a skull like face.

“Ha ha ha!” The four look up and saw Nephrite standing above them. “What you got from the Flash was only a small taste of what you'll get from THE SPEED DEMON!”

Suddenly a black shadow struck Jadeite from behind. Before he could turn, he felt a fist to his jaw and another to his solar plexus, then an elbow to his back, sending him falling off the roof.

Quickly Nephrite stopped in mid air, and floated up to face his adversary.

“Very good, Batman,” he smiled. “For a mortal, you are indeed a worthy foe.” Energy flared up in Nephrites hand, and he launched it at the Dark Knight.

Batman dodged out of the energy ball's path, and leaped into the alleyway behind the building.

Nephrite floated to the alleyway and looked down. “Where did he go?”

 

“Cover your eyes girls!” Robin cried as he reached into his utility belt. He pulled out a small globe and tossed it at the youma. As soon as it hit the ground at the Speed Demon's feet, a blinding white light filled the alleyway.

“Now Sailor Mars! Use your wards!” Sailor Mercury shouted!

Sailor Mars brought out the white paper sheets; but before she could use them, the Speed Demon ran at hit and slammed its bone-knuckled fist into her face. Sailor Moon tried to reach for her tiara, but the Speed Demon was on her next, picking her up and lifting her over its head.

Then it was hit in the face by the pointed stem of a red rose.

Hope filled Sailor Moon as she looked up at the roof over they alley. “It's Tuxedo Mask!”

The Seed Demon threw Sailor Moon at Tuxedo Mask, who immediately caught her as he lept off the roof. Before they landed, the youma sped off from the alley.

“That thing's getting away!” Sailor Mars cried. “And at the Flash's speed, we'll never catch up with it.”

“Well, maybe we can follow it.” The others looked at Robin, who took off the buckle from his utility belt. “When I threw that flash grenade, I also manage to put a homing device on the Speed Demon.” He showed them the reverse of his belt buckle. “The signal shows on this here screen covering all of Gotham City, telling us where that ugly sucker is heading.”

“Good.” Tuxedo Mask took the homing screen from Robin. “Sailor Moon, Sailor Mars, come with me. Sailor Mercury, tend to the Flash. And Robin, Batman's busy with Nephrite. I think you better help him out.”

 

“So, Batman,” Nephrite said as he scanned the neighboring alleyway, looking for the Dark Knight, “I see you're as much a creature of shadows as your namesake.”

Suddenly he heard a metallic tinkle beneath his feet. He looked down and bright light flashed, momentarily blinding him and making him fall to the ground.

Before he could get to his feet, a fist slammed against his jaw, then a steel heel against his chest. “I may be a creature of shadows, but I can make use of light as well.”

Nephrite wiped at his bleeding nose. “So you have reached the peak of human fighting capability,” he laughed. “See how wow you do against someone beyond human!”

He punched at Batman, who blocked, then tripped Nephrite and sent a flailing kick to his chin.

“All right,” Nephrite said, “no more games!” He sent an energy blast that sent Batman reeling against a dumpster.

All of a sudden two heels landed at the back of Nephrite's skull. “What, you don't want play with me?” a juvenile voice said mockingly.

Nephrite turned and saw Robin looking down a building fire escape. “You impudent brat!” He sent an energy ball at the Boy Wonder, who leaped out of the way just before it hit.

Landing behind the general, Robin cried out, “Missed me, missed me!”

Nephrite sent another energy ball at Robin. Robin leaped and extended his left foot for a kick-

-and Nephrite grabbed him by the ankle. Smiling he said, “Time to give your energy to the Dark Kingdom, boy.”

Then out of nowhere something struck him from behind, knocking him to the ground.

Robin saw the Flash staring down at Nephrite. “Make a monster out of my energy will you?” The Scarlet Speedster then looked at Robin. “How are you feeling?”

“Okay,” Robin said as he got up. He looked over to the dumpster where Batman and fallen, and saw his mentor getting up on his own legs. “Batman, how are you?”

The Dark Knight shook his head. “Well enough.” He asked the Flash, “How did you-,

The Flash smirked and thumbed his face. “Hey, I'm the Fastest Man Alive-not just in running speed, but in recuperation as well.”

He looked down at the unconscious Nephrite. Suddenly the general seemed to flicker, then fade from sight.

“Where'd he go?” Robin asked.

“There's no time to worry about that right now.” The three saw Sailor Mercury standing at the front of the alleyway. “Tuxedo Mask and the others have their hands full with that Speed Demon monster! We've got to help them!”

 

Finding the Speed Demon would have been easy for Tuxedo Mask, Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars even without Robin's tracking device-the youma left a trail of destruction where it went. But every time Tuxedo Mask's motorcycle caught up with it, the Speed Demon would run off at top speed, to wreck havoc in some other section of Gotham.

Sailor Mars looked at the buckle-screen she held in one hand while her other arm was around Sailor Moon who had both her arms around Tuxedo Mask. “Okay, I think that monster should be around-.”

A red and yellow blur streaked past the motorcycle. “Was that who I thought it-?” Sailor Mars said, when all of a sudden the Speed Demon was flying backwards and crashed against a brick building. The Flash stopped right in front of the youma and began hitting it as he could.

The youma fought back and soon the two seemed to melt into one big red blur. Tuxedo Mask stopped his motorcycle and shook his head. “Those two are equally matched in strength and speed-I don't see any way we can help the Flash.”

“Maybe there is a way.” Sailor Mars leaped off the motorcycle and threw spirit wards at the blur. “Evil spirits be gone!”

Suddenly the blur stopped and separated into the Flash and the Speed Demon. The later was frozen, the spirit wards clinging to its forehead and body. “Okay Sailor Moon, use that Frisbee of yours!” Sailor Mars shouted.

“Moon Tiara Action!” Sailor Moon's tiara ripped through the Speed Demon, which then dissolved into glittering dust.

The Flash blinked. “Did I just see-?”

Suddenly the Batmobile pulled up and out stepped Batman, Robin, and Sailor Mercury. “Where's that Speed Demon at?” Robin asked.

“It's moon dust now, thanks to me.” Sailor Moon smiled.

“Hey!” Sailor Mars yelled into Sailor Moon's face, “My spirit wards had something to do with it too!”

“Girls!” Now the Flash stepped in between them. “It was the both of you that beat that monster-with a little help from me, of course.”

Police sirens roared as a squad of Gotham PD cars arrived on the scene. They stopped and Commissioner Gordon stepped out, followed by Detective Bullock and Officer Montoya.

The slovenly detective walked out in front of Gordon. “Well well, if it isn't the bat-freak and those kiddies he's been working with,” he said, “not to mention that speed freak from Central City!”

“Bullock, that's uncalled for!” Gordon shouted, and then looked at the Senshii. “So, you're those sailor suited girls I've been hearing about. Can you explain what happened?”

The Senshii all looked at each other uneasily. “I can vouch for them,” Batman said. “Some being created a creature that was wrecking the havoc. These girls here were the ones who stopped it.”

“Aw c'mon, Commish, don't tell me you believe that nonsense!” Detective Bullock shouted at his boss.

“I trust Batman.” Gordon looked at the girls again. “If Batman vouches for you, I'll back you up too. But where's that guy in a tuxedo I've also been hearing about?”

“He's right-,” now Batman looked around and saw no sign of Tuxedo Mask. The Dark Knight sighed. “He always disappears whenever I'm not looking.”

Gordon couldn't resist smiling. “Now you know how it feels.”

 

“You mean he's back to his old self again?” Serena asked Molly as they walked along the rose garden at Wayne Manor.

“Yup,” said Molly cheerfully. “He apologized to Mom for hitting her and is taking us out to dinner tonight. And he even bought a ring from the jewelry store!”

“A ring?”

“Yeah. An engagement ring for his girlfriend Iris West!”

The two girls rounded the corner when they came upon Darien tending to one of the rose bushes. “Hello Darien.” Serena said glumly.

“Hello Serena.”

Dick came running up from the manor. “Oh Molly, Alfred says your Mother called and she'll be coming over to-.” Suddenly he noticed Darien. “Oh. You're the new gardener Bruce hired.”

“And you must be Serena's brother.” Now Darien smirked. “Figures a meatball head like her would have a shrimp for a brother.”

Fifteen seconds later, Darien went flying into the bushes. “Uh, Dick?” Serena said. “I think Bruce is going to have you mow the grass for this.”

Dick just shrugged. “It was worth it.”

End of chapter eight

Okay, I know the last scene may seem real improbable, but hey, it was fun. Besides, as Robin Dick beats up gangsters, so a nineteen year old like Darien should be no problem.

Okay, I know I didn't have Amy ask any questions of Serena, but she will next chapter. How long do you think it will be before she realizes the truth?

Does anyone think my idea of her making utility belts for her and the other Sailor Senshii lame?

The fight scene between Batman and Nephrite-even before she powered up for the first time, Lita was able to hurt Zoicite, so it shouldn't be impossible for the likes of Batman to trade blows with the Generals. I plan to have it again-how well do you think Bats will do the second time?

After she appears, how do you like the idea of Sailor Jupiter seeking martial arts training from the Batman?

And this idea: Lita can't stand Dick Grayson-typical girl's attitude to her friend' little brother, all the more so because he's a sixth grader who can get the best of her. But she admires Robin!

In the next chapter: A cop's sister transfers to Serena's school. And at a social gathering Bruce and Trista come across Bruce's Amazonian ex!