Batgirl: Ascension (a fanfic)

One Month Later...

Batgirl flung herself onto the rafters above the drug deal going down. The Penguin, despite his many denials was back on his bullshit. Going about, selling drugs to not only the adults but the kids in the area. He had to be stopped. And it was the first night Batman had entrusted her and Dick to go at it alone. He and Robin meanwhile were working with Green Arrow again on a possible sting operation of the Court.
Batgirl looked down as Grayson waited outside. She heard Dick in her ear, "What do you see Batgirl?" Her secure network now in use as it was connected to the Batcomputer. A huge win for both the bats and her.
"Looks to be the Crystalline Meth going around the streets of the Narrows." Batgirl whispered into the mic.
"It's seeping into the suburbs. If we can catch Penguins lieutenants in action, we may have something on our hands."
"Oh shit." Batgirl breathed.
"Talk to me."
"It's Bane."
Batgirl watched as Bane strolled around. He looked even more massive than the last time they saw him a month ago. And if by some stroke of luck, there was the Penguin. His short, stocky frame clear. His gait even more clear, that limp with a heavy lean on his cane.
"Bane." Penguin smiled. "What brings you here?"
"The League needs your help."
"I don't know more than what I told you already."
"It's not regarding the Owls."
"Then what?"
"Should we move in?" Batgirl whispered.
"Waiting on word from Batman." Dick responded quickly. "Hold."
Bane walked around the warehouse looking around. "The bats are becoming a problem. I need you to solve it."
"Oh? Anyone in particular?"
"We think we discovered the location of one of them. One Jason Todd."
Batgirl gasped. "Did you hear that?"
"Hold, Batgirl."
"Name doesn't ring a bell." Penguin pondered this. "Do you know where he lives?"
"No." Bane shook his head. "Which is why I am leaving this up to you."
Their goons were transferring the drugs back and forth.
"I'll dig around." Penguin offered.
This wasn't good. Jason was their way into a lot of dealings. Them knowing he was a part of the bat family didn't make things easy on them in this moment.
"GO." Dick directed.
Batgirl jumped down, her cape flung open, softening her landing. She round house kicked a goon and the whole room stared at her for a moment.
"Sorry to drop in unannounced." Batgirl smiled. "It's over Penguin. You screwed up."
"It's not over." Penguin smiled. "You're outnumbered girlie."
The goons started converging on her. Penguin and Bane started stepping back. Batgirl threw a batarang at one, it stuck him in the arm. He was filled with electricity and he convulsed to the floor. She punched another man in the throat and flung him down.
Nightwing came flying in to help. He took down three men in quick succession. Batgirl rushed Penguin. He brought his cane up and it fired. Batgirl threw her arms up in front of her, expecting his cane had tricks to it. It bounced off her gauntlets as she charged again.
"Shit." Penguin said as Batgirl ran up and kicked him hard in the stomach. "Gah!"
Bane backed up further towards his crew. "Round it up boys. We're leaving."
"Nightwing!" Batgirl pointed towards the fleeing crew of Bane.
"On it." Nightwing started following the crew out, taking down more of them as he went.
Batgirl was hit in the back of the leg by a Penguin goon. She turned quick, backhanding him to the floor. She withdrew her tonfa and took a fighting position as she was swarmed by more goons. She hit one across the face and he went down. She flipped over another man and threw her tonfa at the back of a running Penguin's head. He fell to the ground as she blocked a volley of punches coming at her.
She planted her foot and kicked one hard in the jaw. He hit the floor hard as there was only one goon left. Batgirl rolled her shoulders. "Run, while you still have the chance."
The man looked at the chaos unfolding in front of him and dropped the bat in his hand. He ran off as Batgirl approached a still reeling Penguin. She hoisted him up.
"Talk." Batgirl instructed as she saw the SUVs of Bane pull away. Nightwing giving chase on the batcycle. "Before I break you."
"You don't have the -" Penguin started before being silenced by a palm to the nose. "Ow! What the hell."
"Who the hell is Jason Todd?" Batgirl demanded. "And why you so interested in him?"
"You heard that?" Penguin said, catching the blood flowing from his nose. "Heh. If Bane asked me, he's asked others around town."
"Yeah? Like who?"
"Two Face probably. Scarecrow. Riddler."
"Riddler is locked up."
"Not for long, you can't keep us off the street." Batgirl glowered down at Penguin's response. "Ah, there it is. That anger. You're a different breed than the bats. You and that new Robin. Violent. You know...we're not so different you and I."
"I'm not selling to kids on the street." Batgirl dragged him a few feet and tossed him in front of herself. "In a lot of ways we may be similar. I watch the Oscars. You watch the Oscars. But the superficial is where it ends Penguin. Tell me everything you know about the Court and the Owls before I send the corrupt cops after you. They aren't gentle."
"You don't play around kid."
"So, don't fuck with me." Batgirl glared.
"Fine!" Penguin said. "Jason Todd. He's to be taken out by the League. The Owl's are meanwhile looking into taking down some of the detectives. Gordon, Montoya. The likes."
A wretch in Batgirl's stomach had her thinking. "And how will they do it?"
"New kid in town. Some psycho. Goes by the name...Joker I think."
"What do you know about him?"
"He's crazy? That's all I have ever heard about him." Penguin nodded.
Batgirl sighed and leaned in. "Penguin. Why do you keep doing this? We always catch you?"
"Then let me go." Penguin offered.
"Then what?"
"Then...then I become you bats...I can become an informant."
"Think the GCPD would be happier to have you." Batgirl grimaced.
"Sure!" The Penguin blurted out. "Listen, I have been struggling with these new suits in town. With the Green Arrow digging into my production. Black Mask moving in on my territory. I think it's time I start living for the greater good."
"Stop selling drugs to children. Stop selling drugs period."
"Done." The Penguin nodded.
"How will you operate without your biggest money maker?"
"Sweety, I got enough legit businesses to keep my empire alive. I just...need your help protecting it from time to time."
"We'll see how good your information is." Batgirl grinned. "Now get out of here."
Penguin bowed his head low and proceeded out of the warehouse. Some of his goons continued to moan and groan on the floor.
"Nightwing, copy?" Batgirl asked into the mic on her neck. "Nightwing, sitrep?"
Radio silence.
"Hmm." Batgirl tapped a button on her gauntlet and her very own, much sleeker batcycle appeared. She hopped on and turned on her AR device around her cowl. It isolated the possible tracks of where Dick and Bane might have gone. Batgirl sped off after them. Down a couple of streets the van turned off and into the tunnel of a peculiar looking office building. Likely to some underground parking. Batgirl followed and found Nightwing's batcycle behind a crashed SUV.
Batgirl approached the wreck and found nothing. She looked around and thanks to her AR, saw signs of a struggle. She followed the boot tracks of Nightwing down the hall. It looked like he was picked up and tossed into a wall. He was retreating. Batgirl picked up her pace and went deeper into the parking garage.
"Nightwing?" Batgirl whispered into her mic.
Silence.
"Fuck me." Batgirl sighed out. "Okay, okay. You got this. How bad could it be?"
They trail led to a staircase. Batgirl jumped all the way down. There was a clear dent in the floor. At best appearances it was likely where Bane landed. The cracks around two distinctly large feet imprints. She followed them down a path and began to see blood marks. The lack of green fluid in it, led Barbara to believe it was Dick's blood. She hurried her pace, the AR was barely keeping up with her as she rounded a corner she found them.
Bane had lifted Nightwing by the neck. He turned towards Batgirl, he looked even larger than before. "You on the sauce Bane?" Batgirl asked. "Put him down. Before I hurt you."
Bane chuckled and dropped Nightwing, who collapsed into a heap on the floor. Batgirl hoped he wasn't dead. "Batgirl. I crush you."
"Lose your wordy words?" Batgirl jested. "You know they say roids mess with your performance. I didn't think they meant mentally too."
"Ha-ha." Bane's voice was even deeper, less coherent. "Time to die bat cunt."
Bane took a leap towards her and closed the distance. It was at this distance Batgirl was able to see what was on Bane. There was tubbing with that green liquid going into him. She backflipped back several paces and flung two batarangs at her target. He hit them out of the sky and they bounced off his skin.
"Not good." Batgirl grimaced. She held one in her hand, ready to strike when Bane got close enough. She weaved under a punch and slide behind him. She slashed up with her batarang and caught a tubbing. It burst forth with a thick green liquid. Some of it splashed on Batgirl's face.
"Ugh! Gross."
Bane started screaming in agony and stumbled back.
"Interesting...." Batgirl said before turning her attention to Dick. He coughed but slowly sit up.
"Thanks Babs." He said in a low, raspy voice.
"Bane isn't quite done yet." Batgirl's jaw tightened as a flailing Bane stood up. His right arm was smaller than his left and was twitching. But his right arm looked quite strong still. Batgirl threw a batarang behind him, knowing it would circle back towards her.
Indeed it flew threw the sky, Bane dodged it with ease. But wasn't expecting the batarang to swing back around. It landed directly into another tubing. That started squirting out.
Suddenly, large flash bangs started going off all around them. Barbara flipped her AR on while it was going on. Her ears were being overwhelmed but her eyes were able to see some ninjas carry Bane off. When Nightwing and Batgirl shook themselves free from the concussion grenades they saw one ninja in front of them. Two hook swords in hand. He twirled it around in his hands.
"Fucking ninjas?" Batgirl sighed out.
"Let's get this over with." Nightwing sprung forward. Batgirl followed.
The ninja swung a sword forward, catching Nightwing's gauntlet. He punched the blunt end, breaking the blade in two. Batgirl swung above him and brought a heel of her foot down on the ninja's head. They slammed into the ground and they stood above their defeated enemy breathing hard. The circled around their target and fist bumped each other.
"Hell of a kick Babs."
"Time to report to bats." Barbara grimaced.