Out of the Belfry, into the Fire

The Knight and the Moon

"I know we're right in the middle of catching Gas-Lamp, but what do you think's really the story behind that new bat?" asked Robin.

They were in the Batmobile as they spoke and there had been relative silence on their way to the docks. Robin felt Gas-Lamp Wickers was as good as caught now without his hostage. He could not help but ask. They already had Barbara Gordon taking off as Batgirl now and again, and with her around the whole city felt like there were ten people donning the bat persona. Now with Lunabat it made everyone act like there were hundreds of Bat-hero-wannabes.

When Batman did not answer right away, Robin went on with a careless shrug, "I mean, I guess, we have to say that it's better than another criminal, but Bullock is right in one thing that the rest of Gotham can't help but see it as a convention."

"There have been other people who have tried to fight crime in this city and gave it up over time," Batman replied calmly indicating that he felt this Lunabat had not become their business as of yet.

At least, there was no annoyance in his voice.

"I don't know," said Robin. "This one seems like a real wild one. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was—ah!"

Batman suddenly swerved as an oncoming vehicle nearly rammed right into them from around a corner, but it did not seem to have them in mind at all. It was coming from the docks. It was possible it was some of Wickers' men, if not Wicker himself judging by the reproduction Model T body despite its newer engine. The police must have already been after him. Now suddenly aware of the Batmobile, whoever the driver was, he realized he was cornered.

But before either Batman or Robin could say anything, and before the Batmobile itself was perfectly reengaged again for the chase, they saw something wave behind the runaway vehicle like a huge yellow and purple kite. Before either of them could say for sure if the sudden siren-like shriek was coming from the kite itself— or at least what had originally looked like a kite— it swerved with the runaway vehicle in such a way that it rammed right into the Batmobile windshield.

Robin and Batman blinked almost stupidly as they gawked at the wide-eyed face staring back at them through the glass. The rest of the body of this face was dressed in purple, black, and gold and she looked more like a clown than a member of the "bat family". At least Barbara had had the sense for keeping with the theme. The look on her face at present made it more like she had stepped off the set of a comedy show or circus arena to mock Batman rather than to join him.

The woman blinked.

Then prying her face from the window with a near-swoon, she was ripped from the vehicle as she was still holding onto the line that linked her to the fake Model T, but the vehicle itself was in the process of crashing. As the woman took flight, she just barely managed to grab her mask from flying off, revealing some of her bright blond hair as she let out an "Eeep!"

Once she was out of their main vision, Batman frowned.

Robin grinned and threw his arms around the back of his head.

"Just another night in Gotham!" he said.

"C'mon," was all Batman answered.

They jumped out just as Lunabat kicked a particularly big, gruff guy with a gun coming out of the vehicle.

"Hyah!" cried Lunabat as she kicked and she turned to Robin with a grin. "Oh, uh...hey, Robin."

She sounded disturbingly familiar.

Another guy tried to attack from the other side of the car, but Batman threw a batterang that caused him to drop his machine gun before he could fire more than a few shots.