It was a typical patrol night in Gotham.
Batgirl moved from one rooftop to another when her eyes caught suspicious movement.
Two figures stood in the shadow of an alley below, partially concealed by darkness.
Still and close to each other.
That never meant anything good in Gotham, especially at this late hour.
Batgirl adjusted her path immediately, shifting direction and closing the distance in a matter of seconds.
She landed silently on the edge of a nearby rooftop, lowering herself just enough to look down without exposing her position.
She listened.
“thanks, brother,” one of the men said, his tone filled with relief.
“Your cocaine is a lifesaver.
I’ll make sure everyone gets the correct share.” That was all she needed to hear.
Batgirl dropped from the rooftop, aiming directly at the man who had spoken, her body angled for a clean ambush that would end the situation before either of them could react.
But something unexpected happened.
The second man moved suddenly.
He shoved the other out of the way, and she ended up hitting the ground hard.
The impact slammed through her legs, pain shooting upward despite the protection of her suit.
Without it, the fall would have been crippling.
She pushed herself up, but everything went wrong.
Her cape snapped upward, wrapping around her head in an instant.
Before she could react, her body was forced back down, pinned against the ground.
A weight settled over her, a guy sat atop of her.
She tried to break free but the person above her was not allowing her to move at all..
“Go to your family,” a familiar voice said calmly above her.
“I’ll handle this feisty one.” The other man hesitated.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay alone with her?” “Relax,” the voice replied.
“I’ll be fine.
She’s not that tough.” “I see.
Thank you, brother.” Footsteps faded.
Batgirl stopped struggling for a moment.
[That voice…] She thought.
“You know, Eris,” it continued, almost casually, “people usually greet others with a hello.
Not by jumping off buildings onto them.
That’s a bad look for a hero.
You are supposed to set an example for the rest of us, not scaring innocents in the night.” Her jaw tightened.
“Sebastian,” she said sharply.
“Let go of me.” “Will you attack me?” he asked lightly.
“I am but a coward.
I wouldn’t dare fight the scary Batgirl.” “Sebastian,” she repeated, anger rising, “let me go.
Now.” A quiet sigh.
“There is no reasoning with you.” The weight vanished.
Batgirl moved instantly, pushing herself up and turning around in one fluid motion.
Sebastian stood three steps away, smiling as if nothing had happened.
“How have you been?” he asked.
“It’s been a while.” Batgirl narrowed her eyes.
“I never thought you’d become a drug dealer,” she said coldly.
“Is that why you disappeared for months?
You were working on establishing a drug ring” Sebastian raised an eyebrow.
“That’s a rather serious accusation.
Where is this coming from, Eris?” “I just heard him,” she replied.
“He thanked you for the cocaine.” “Yes,” Sebastian said.
“He thanked me.
He did not say he bought it.” He tilted his head.
“I would never sell cocaine.
That would be a crime.” Batgirl stared at him.
“So you’re giving it away for free?” she said.
“That’s still a crime.” “I gave blessed cocaine,” Sebastian corrected, “His children are sick and need medicine, but he is too poor to buy it.” His tone remained completely serious.
“Once the kids ingest the cocaine, they should get better.
No one is being harmed.
If anything, you were about to cause harm.” Batgirl’s expression became shocked then angry.
“You are messing with me!!
You really expect me to believe that?” Sebastian exhaled softly.
“Why does no one believe me when I tell the truth?” “Because what you’re saying is nonsense.” He paused, then placed a hand lightly against his chest.
“That hurts, Eris.
And I haven’t even told you where I’ve been yet.” “Stop calling me Eris!
And I’m not interested!!” “How heartless.” Sebastian gave a small shake of his head.
“But that’s fine.
In that case, I shall take my leave.” Batgirl snapped, stepping forward.
“And you’re not going anywhere.
You are a criminal now.” Sebastian’s smile didn’t fade.
“I have nothing on me,” he said.
“Nothing that could incriminate me.” He gestured lightly.
“And you would still need to defeat me.” He looked at her with something almost like disappointment.
“Would you really hurt me,” he added softly, “after everything we’ve been through?” A brief pause.
“I never thought the day you would betray me would come.” Batgirl spoke in annoyance “Stop messing with me.
It never crossed my mind that you deal with drugs.
I was wrong about you.” Sebastian chuckled, clearly amused by her reaction.
“Wrong about me, you say.” He shrugged lightly.
“The truth is, you don’t know me that much.
We barely met, really.
Even now, your assumptions about me are wrong, and the truth I tell you is disregarded as nonsense.” Batgirl said nothing more.
Instead, she brought out her batons fully and took a firm stance, her posture lowering as she prepared to fight.
Sebastian raised an eyebrow.
“You really want to fight me?
I am the good guy here who gave a troubled father what his children need.” “You are either a liar or insane,” Batgirl replied coldly.
“Who in their right mind would give their children cocaine to ingest?” “It is blessed cocaine,” Sebastian corrected.
“That’s enough.” She attacked.
Her baton headed straight to his head, but Sebastian stepped aside with ease, the strike missing him completely.
He shifted again, avoiding the second swing just as effortlessly.
“Shouldn’t you first tell me to surrender or something along those lines?” he asked casually.
“You won’t go down without a beating,” Batgirl said angrily, pressing forward.
“Oh, so you knew me a little,” Sebastian replied with a faint smile.
“Glad all of the time we spent together was not in vain.” She swung again.
This time, he didn’t move away.
He caught the baton mid-strike, his grip firm and unmoving.
Batgirl’s eyes widened slightly, but she didn’t stop.
Her other baton came immediately after, only to be caught in the same manner.
For a brief moment, both weapons were locked in his hands.
Her body shifted, knees bending as she prepared to flip out of his hold.
Sebastian was faster.
His foot drove forward into her stomach, the impact sending her flying backward.
She hit the ground hard and tumbled across the pavement before coming to a stop.
Batgirl clenched her stomach in pain as she tried to stand.
Sebastian walked toward her with a small smile, unhurried.
“You take my words as absurd even though I tell the truth,” he said.
“Here are another two interesting truths.
I am a strong advocate of all equality, my fist doesn’t know discrimination against gender, race or age.” He stopped a few steps away.
“And even more nonsense from me, Eris,” he continued.
“I am by far the most skilled person you could possibly fight, more so than Batman.” Batgirl looked at him as he approached, unease settling in her chest.
Sebastian’s expression remained relaxed.
“Normally, I would give someone the choice to take a step back, especially if I consider them an acquaintance,” he said.
“But I know you won’t give up without a proper beating.” He paused briefly.
“But don’t fear for a moment.
I won’t kill you or do any permanent harm.
Just a friendly beat down with a few bruises here and there.
You know, the basic package of a street fight.” ——— The next morning, Commissioner Gordon frowned as he stood in his kitchen.
For years, Barbara had always been there before him, preparing breakfast without fail.
It was her routine.
Today, she was nowhere to be seen.
A quiet unease settled in his chest, his daughter would never miss breakfast without a reason.
Worried, he made his way down the hallway and stopped in front of her door.
He knocked lightly.
“Babs, are you still sleeping?” “Yes, dad,” Barbara answered from inside.
“I am a little tired today.
I will stay in my bed.” Something about her voice felt off.
Gordon’s frown deepened as he opened the door and stepped inside.
“Babs, are you okay?
If something hurts, I will take you to the hospital.” Barbara lay under the blanket, completely hidden from view.
“I am fine, dad.” “No, you are not,” Gordon said, stepping closer.
“I can tell when something is wrong from your voice.
Babs, what is wrong?” “Believe me, I am fine.” Now fully alert, Gordon’s expression hardened.
“Babs, look at me.” She didn’t move.
“I am not leaving till I know what is wrong,” he said firmly as he walked closer to the bed.
“You are worrying me.
What is going on?” There was a moment of silence.
Then he heard her sigh.
Slowly, she pushed herself up and turned to face him.
The sight froze him in place.
Her lower lip burst open.
Her right cheek was swollen.
A dark bruise circled her left eye.
Gordon stared at her for two seconds, his mind going blank.
Then rage took over, greater than anything Barbara had ever seen from him.
“WHO DID THIS TO YOU!!”