Of Glitter and Gold

Chapter 9

"So what do we do now? She obviously isn't a civilian." Nightwing asked over the comms.

"It doesn't matter, even though she said she wasn't trained for the crime here. She needs to get off the streets. Add any info you gained to her file, we could build a profile, find a weakness, and exploit it." Batman was done letting a little girl run across the streets of Gotham like she owned the place.

"I doubt she'd give up just because we open an old wound. If anything it would galvanize her." Robin added that from the bat-cave, he still smelled of rotting fish and catnip- anyone at Gotham Academy would be able to put two and two together if he came across them.

"Why don't we just help her? You know give her some training on the roof of WE, no bat-cave just some pointers so she doesn't kill herself." Red Hood suggested.

"And validate her?" Orphan added, Cass wasn't one to interject during patrol but knew that the boys wouldn't consider that angle.

"Orphan is right, you'd essentially be telling Ladybird that you see her as a legitimate hero. She wouldn't stop after that." Cat Woman added.

"She's more qualified than most of us were when we started." Red Hood countered. "She's obviously the reason why crime has dropped, if we help her she could help lower it more."

"Or we could figure out what she does and mimic it, making her obsolete." Robin offered.

"You'd just validate her in a different way. I agree with Hood, she'd be a good ally." Signal added, why fight against something that's good for the city?

"No. Robin, work out a plan. We need to do this carefully, tail her and record her interactions- see how she convinces criminals to stay off the streets. Red, which way did she go?"

"W.E."

"I'm on my way."

"B, you're really gonna scare the girl?" Batman didn't respond. Red Robin rolled his eyes as he went back to his patrol route; she probably won't listen to him.

"Nice view, right?" Ladybird asked the shadows behind her, Batman emerged and approached the girl, she didn't look away from the vast expanse of Gotham hundreds of feet beneath them.

"I'd like to think so." Ladybird answered her own question when the man didn't.

"You need to stop."

"You shouldn't be one to talk." Batman glared at her.

"That's different, I'm an adult, you're a child."

"And your partners?"

"They were trained."

"Yes, but I think I'm doing well so far. Your crime rates have dropped dramatically."

"And what do you have to do with that?"

"Like I said, you need to help those you arrest. What is the point of their going to prison if it doesn't help them correct their ways. I simply listen, help them understand their options."

"You can't seriously think-" Ladybird interjects, just like she did Red Robin.

"I do, because I have the empathy necessary to see that it isn't just the corrupt officers or organized crime that plagues the city. It's the joke of a reform system that has failed." The dark knight hears chuckling over the comms, so she cut him off.

"And what are we supposed to do about that?"

"You are clearly wealthy, do what your counterparts usually do, throw money at the problem. Help fund volunteer programs and homeless shelters, create jobs. I don't know the extent of your wealth but anyone can volunteer, one person can make a difference."