Batgirl: Ascension (a fanfic)

The Attack at the Ball

Batgirl got dressed and looked down at the crowd. She was in the security room, guard laying incapacitated nearby. “Robin, not picking anything up. Well, not even really sure what I’m looking for.”
“We’re just scanning for suspects Babs.” It was Nightwing’s voice.
“Rising from the dead are we?” Batgirl chuckled as she eyed the unconscious man on the floor.
“Concentrate Batgirl.” Robin urged. “There are a lot of guests here tonight. We don’t want another…” He trailed off. “Did you see that?”
“What?”
“Camera 05.”
Batgirl looked closely at it. There was something dark, moving behind the guests, beyond a wall of red velvet fencing. “What in the –”
Then it happened. From all the camera’s, dark figures dropped into the ball. The uncanny screams of silence, the CCTV having no audio. Batgirl recognized these ones as League of Assassins. One of them jumped down and lunged at Bruce and Clark. Bruce punched the man away. Clark disappeared into the crowd as fast as Bruce did. Likely getting ready.
Batgirl sprinted out of the surveillance room and back to the party. She swung around a hallway and saw two assassins fighting a woman. One Batgirl recognized as Bette Kane. Batgirl ran up and punched one of the assailants in the back of the head. He went down with force as Bette squared up and punched the other assassin in the jaw. There was a loud smack as his head hit the floor. Bette was breathing hard, hair eschew.
“I…I could’ve handle…handled that.” She wheezed out. “What are you batwoman?”
“Batgirl.” Batgirl winked. “Now get to safety. The surveillance room is…” Batgirl started trailing off as Bette rolled her eyes and lifted up a side of her dress. There she withdrew a skinny baton.
“These fuckers are going down.” Kane opened the door behind her.
Batgirl followed, they found themselves a floor overlooking the ballroom. Dozens of ninjas attacked. But then are large crash and whoosh of air knocked both Bette and Batgirl over. They looked up to see the man himself. The boy scout.
“Superman.” Bette grimaced.  
He quickly charged down and around to the hurting civilians. Right behind him Batman and Green Arrow showed up. Flashes of green whizzed through the air, knocking out several assassins. Batgirl took her cue and hopped down to the floor below. Landing on and knocking out an assassin. She elbowed another one who’s back was turned. Three assassins turned their attention her way. As she stepped forward a flash of blue and red swept them away.
“Thanks Clark.” Barbara whispered to herself, knowing the alien could hear her.
She turned and saw Bette knocking down one herself. Batgirl looked for more but they were taken down and out by the super trio of Green Arrow, Batman and Supes. Batgirl used the opportunity to slip away as the three of them gathered in the center.
“What are you doing?” Jason asked.
“Returning to the –”
“Batgirl, report.” Batman’s voice demanded.
Batgirl stopped in her tracks and turned. The three of them had their arms crossed, staring right at her. Batgirl shook her head and strolled over to them.
“Batman. League of Assassins attack. We…I didn’t notice until it was too late.”
“You were on surveillance.” Batman said sternly.
“Hey Bats ease up.” Green Arrow suggested.
“This is my team Arrow.” Batman said without breaking eye contact. “Anything else?”
“Bette Kane knows how to fight.” Batgirl shrugged. “What do we do now?”
“We question the survivors.”
“There won’t be any.” Batman shook his head. As if on cue, the bodies begin to convulse on the ground. “Neurotoxin they keep on themselves. It’s almost impossible to extract before they are killed. Normal means merely activate it. There won’t be survivors.”
“I would’ve liked to try.” Superman shakes his head.
There was a strange buzzing noise behind her, so Batgirl swung around. Her fists were ready but relaxed as caution turned to confusion. In front of her, was a man in dark green with a bright green mask. There was a strangle circular logo enclosed in two parallel lines. This logo too was bright green and for that matter he appeared to glow in a green hue. He was floating through the sky before he landed.
“Ah. Hal.” Superman said. “Wasn’t expecting you back on Earth so soon.”
“Back?” Batgirl turned her head.
“Green Lantern has been on a mission of the Justice Society.” Superman nodded.
Batgirl whistled. “Impressive work.”
“Who’s the new girl?”
“A new ward for the Bats.” Green Arrow chuckled. “Thought the whole ears on the cowl would clue you in.”
“Robin was a bird not a bat.” Hal simply shrugged. “I see I got here too late. Missed all of the fun.”
“Death is never fun.” Batman said seriously.
“Not what I meant and you know it bats.” Hal’s suit disappeared as an Airforce jumpsuit replaced it. He shrugged his shoulders and rotated his right. “Hell of a long trip. What’s the plan Supes?”
“We wait for the police to show up.” Green Arrow offered.
“GCPD isn’t kind to vigilantes.” Batman shook his head.
“Robin and Nightwing were recording the whole time.” Batgirl pointed at the cameras. “I can go back to the cave and see what I can gleam off the footage.”
Batman nodded. “Good plan. We’ll handle clean up duties. Maybe the GCPD will respect the Justice Society more than it will me.”
“See how Commissioner Kane handles this.” Green Arrow nodded.
“I’ll see you back home.” Batgirl nodded to Batman who gave her a quick, solemn nod.
Batgirl turned and left the Ballroom. Outside she hopped on the batcycle and took off. The ride was quick and smooth. Robin and Nightwing were silent the whole ride. A heaviness in the air. When she returned into the cave she got a phone call. She answered.
“Hey daddy.” She said in a cheery voice. “What? No, I left the ball early. Just wasn’t my vibe…you’re kidding me.” Barbara continued to bullshit her way through a conversation with her father. The call ended quick as Detective Gordon had to take over father Jim. “Okay, love you. Bye.”
Batgirl leaned in on the Batcomputer as Jason scanned through various footages.
“Anything?”
“No.” Nightwing turned in his chair, rubbing his temples. “But it’s kind of hard for me to see right now.”
“Hey maybe get some more rest. Couple hours, I can come get you.” Barbara offered as she ripped off her cowl.
Nightwing shook his head and nodded. He went back up to the mansion this time. Likely wanting to sleep in his own bed. Alfred walked in from where Dick had just left. “Ms. Gordon. Mr. Todd. Have you two found anything?”
“I’ve scanned through hours and hours of this shit. I…” Jason sighed. “It’s like they knew where every camera was. Exept…the one that triggered us to act. By then it was all too late.”
Jason brought up the footage of the shadow that set off the whole evening. Barbara leaned in and stared. She watched the dark figure move in and out of the fighting. Jason and Barbara tracked…her. It was a woman. Lean but powerful frame. She wasn’t attacking, no she was watching. Then she walked off from view of the camera and disappeared.
“Impossible.” Jason said. “She’s just gone.”
“She is a ninja assassin.” Barbara mused. “Likely has a few disappearing acts in her arsenal.”
“Good catch by us though. We know this woman was watching. She was likely looking for…what do you gander us?”
“That or for signs of owls.”
“If that’s the case…” Alfred offered. “Perhaps we can find evidence of owls as well.”
“Let’s get to work then.” Batgirl stretched her arms up. “I’m gonna take a shower first.”
Batgirl walked off and took her shower. She took her sweet time, she was sore and could let Jason and Alfred handle a load of work for a time. She got out of the shower and wiped the steam off the mirror. She looked at herself in the mirror. She looked more gaunt than she expected. She rubbed her eyes and looked down at her hands. They were shaking, she squeezed her hands tight into fists. The shaking stopped and she leaned against the sink.
“Fuck…” Barbara was beginning to wonder if this was the woman she thought she would be. “Of course you are Barbara. You’re fucking Batgirl.”
She smiled at herself, she still looked tired. But she got dressed quickly and went down to join the boys at work. They scanned and scanned every inch of the footage they found. As they worked through the night and into the morning the news eventually caught up to them. It reported that eighteen people had died at the ball. One of the largest disasters in Gotham history. Even more so with three superheroes there.
“Three!?” Barbara stood up away from her work.
Alfred gave her a light touch on the shoulder. “Best to stay in the shadows as long as possible Batgirl.”
Barbara relaxed a bit. “You’re right…you’re right. I should be concerned about the lives lost… Not…my ego.”
“I’d still be pissed.” Jason smirked. “Come here, I think I found something anyways.”
Alfred and Barbara approached Jason and looked at his work on his little laptop. Sure enough there was something there. It looked like Jacob Kane was escorted out almost immediately by people in curious white masks. They were angled down and sharp chin…almost like –
“Is that an owl mask?” Alfred asked first.
“God damnit…” Barbara punched the table with enough force to scare Jason.
“What’s wrong Babs?”
Barbara scoffed. “You know what this means?”
“Kane is an owl…” Alfred sighed. “Or at least is being protected by them.”
“What do you think Batman’s doing?” Jason asked. “I bet he’d like to know his uncle is a member of the court.”
“Bruce just might become a member of the court.” Batman’s voice made all but Alfred jump. Batman was already out of his cowl and sitting in the chair for the Batcomputer. He turned it on and brought the image up on the big screen.
A whistle from farther back had Barbara raise her fists. She stopped and smiled when she saw who it was. It was Wonder Woman and Superman.
“Impressive place Bruce.” Wonder Woman said. Barbara recognized the archaeologist from France. “I see you have two new wards.”
Batgirl walked straight up to wonder woman and held out her hand. Wonder Woman smiled and brought her in for a hug. “Sister. You are a fine warrior.”
“Can we focus?” Batman grunted.
Wonder Woman rolled her eyes playfully at Barbara. “Men.”
They walked up to look at the Batcomputer.
“Jacob Kane. CEO of Kane Industries. A member of the court.” Superman shook his head. “You a part of that little club yet, Bruce?”
“No.” Batman shook his head. “They keep dragging Ollie and I around.”
“We will have our answers soon.” Another voice said. From the shadows revealed Green Arrow and his sidekick Red Arrow.
“Ollie.” Jason nodded his way. “Red.”
Red Arrow bowed and Green Arrow gave a small wave. “You got about half of the Justice Society in Gotham working on this case Bats. And yet, I see you have your own crew.”
“We can only do so much.” Barbara offered. “Supes and Diana have super powers. You and Red have been doing this for a couple more years together. This team is new and fresh. Lot more kinks amongst each to work out.”
“Excuses.” Red Arrow smugly grinned.
“Hey –” Jason started.
Batman sent him a glare that had Jason sit back in his seat. “No time for petty squabbling. We need to devise a plan.”
“I can use my vision to search the city. It would take me a long time though without a lead.”
“Jacob Kane.” Batman thought on it. “I think’s about time Bruce confronts his uncle.”
“What about us?” Diana asked.
“Ollie, you’ll join me. We are going to confront him. Show we have initiative and resources to work for the court.” Batman looked at them. “Superman, can you handle the petty crimes here for a while?”
Superman nodded. “Having Wonder Woman patrolling would help.”
“What about the wards?” Diana asked looking at Jason, Barbara and Red.
“Someone needs to stay with Dick.” Batman said. “Batgirl, you can run operations here right?”
Batgirl nodded. “I’ve been meaning to tinker with some of the subsystems as it was.”
“Okay, Jason, you street ready?”
“Of course.”
“Good.” Batman nodded. “Red, you and Robin can start tracking down this woman. Batgirl will assist from the Batcave.”
“Let’s move out then.” Superman said rising up into the air. Wonder Woman did the same. She zeroed in on Barbara then Batman. “Should your…Batgirl need additional training. Themyscira could use a powerful sister such as her.”
Barbara grinned from ear to ear.
“Noted.” Batman nodded. “After the Court.”
Batgirl gave Wonder Woman a thankful nod before they parted ways