Batgirl is the Quarry

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Story © Steve Zink

The following story contains characters owned by DC Comics/Warner Bros. It is written as a fanfic parody story not intended to make any use of actual story lines in published books. The story is purely for fun, with no profit to be made by the author.

The totally new Bat Trio made its way down the back streets along the docks until they got to Cattail Lane. Batgirl had told them that Catwoman was using the third warehouse down from the corner as her lair, and Batman figured that the street name made it an almost obvious choice. "Batman, while you and Batwoman make your entry though the side door, I'll circle around and come in through the rear door," Kitty told them. "It should take me only an extra minute to get there, so I'll be on the scene at the same time as you two."

"That's a plan, Batgirl," said the elder Bat. "Whatever you do, don't get involved before you see us coming to join you, if you get in before us. Batwoman and I will try to work our way to the center as soon as we see you come in."

"And you be careful, too, Batgirl," the yellow clad heroine added. "Even though you've been in here and know your way around, Catwoman may have changed some things to account for your escape."

"Don't worry, I'll be on top of things from the start. Don't get too tied up on your own before I can join you," Batgirl answered cryptically. She was going to be a big part of the trap.

As she watched the pair go inside, Kitty tried one last time to sort through her own feelings. She had never 'really' tried to kill Batman in any of her own traps over the years. Oh, it may have seemed that way, but deep down she had known that the Caped Crusader would be able to escape the Bengal Tiger, giant magnifying glass, acid coffee pot and her poisonous perfume. She had even subconsciously aided his escapes at times, such as by not tying his legs to the aluminum reflectors.

Yet now her replacement was making her an integral component in a sure-fire deathtrap. 'The Dark Knight has always managed to get out of traps before,' she rationalized, 'so maybe his luck will hold and also save Batwoman. Save Batwoman? No, it would serve him right to die along with her for running around with other women like Batgirl and Batwoman instead of...me? Oh God, now I AM Batgirl! Oh, I don't know what to think anymore...'

As soon as Batman and Batwoman went inside, Batgirl stripped off her purples. The Catgirl costume was underneath and now proudly displayed, it made her thoughts more sure. It was as if her change in costume brought with it a total change in identity. The new boots which she'd obtained earlier in the day were hidden in a box alongside the building, and after she pulled the zippers up to her thighs, Catgirl stood a couple inches higher than she had moments earlier. The black domino mask was put in place over her face, and the cat ears lodged in the hair over her ears. She was now ready to join Catwoman and Vixen, wholeheartedly proud of her role.

Batman was more than wary as he entered the dark interior of the building. With the way Catwoman had been acting the night before, he expected all kinds of variations on the behavior he'd observed in the past. This was obviously Catwoman, but it almost seemed as if someone far more vicious was in her body than the old Selina he knew and almost loved. He could hear Batwoman's gentle steps behind him as he slowly advanced. He turned and softly said, "Batwoman, stay here and drop behind me a bit, just in case. Follow at about ten to fifteen feet, and be very careful."

In not much more than a whisper, Kathy replied, "Okay, Batman. Stay nimble and be ready to jump."

Batman was following the only available path, and it was opening into a gap in about another eight feet. Just before he reached it, however, Batwoman, whose ears were not covered by a cowl that could block tiny noises, heard a sound to her right which should have been the direction Batgirl would come from to meet them. It was dark, but she could tell that the moving figure was not dressed in purple, but a sexy looking black outfit. In a whisper just loud enough to be heard by Batman but no others, she said, "Batman, STOP! There is someone approaching from where Batgirl said she'd be coming, but it isn't her. I smell a big trap!"

Batman halted just as the Cat's Cradle dropped from above. Had he continued moving, and with Batwoman directly behind him, they both would have been ensnared. As it was, he'd stopped in time to see the lines fall harmlessly to the floor in front of him. Batwoman raced up to join him at the sight, and at the same moment, he looked to the right to check on what Batwoman had told him. His jaw dropped. It was Catgirl, and she looked even sexier than she had the night before, with black boots now going all the way up her legs. Had Batgirl reverted to her criminal identity? Something was definitely not going the way it should.

At almost the same moment, Catwoman and Vixen came out of hiding to check on their trapped foes. Both stopped abruptly when they saw the Whiskers loose on the floor. Catgirl saw the failed trap and fled, without any thought of aiding her compatriots. Batwoman watched her running away, and told Batman, "We're down to two on two, Batman. The girl in black that I saw is bugging out quickly."

"Great, Batwoman! If those two split up in any way, you go for the one in the glossy leather, and I'll take Catwoman, who's in the shiny Lurex. If they stay together, we'll hit them as a pair ourselves. Let's go!"

The two Bats started to advance on the black cats, and the villainesses looked like they were going to hold their ground. However, as Catwoman spun to take up a more secure position, she slipped in some oil on the floor. Her right foot went out from under her, and on the way down, her left arm caught the side of a can with jagged edges and marked XXX. The can's edges tore a gash in her costume, and also opened up a bloody slash on her arm. The can spilled over on top of her, drenching the open wound with the poison. In the confusion, Vixen became torn between caring for her mistress, and personal survival; Batwoman was able to grab her from behind and wrap her thoroughly in Bat Ropes.

Batman was on top of Catwoman in no time, and gasped when he saw what had happened. Before any other thoughts even came to mind, he whipped a canister of Bat Antidote from his utility belt. Villainess or not, this was a human being getting poisoned. "Batwoman! Quick! Find some water somewhere, and get it here for a rinse!" As Kathy turned to look around, Batman was spraying the open wound liberally. By the time Batwoman returned with a small pail full of tap water, Catwoman's left arm was bright red, and she seemed to be calming down.

Batman carefully doused the arm with a bit of water to wash away the remaining liquid poison, and also rid her appendage of some of the blood. When it looked pretty clear, he sprayed some more Bat Antidote on the opening. Added to the liberal dosage from before the rinse, it worked its way into her bloodstream right away due to the position on her arm, and did two things. The poison was neutralized, and the Cataphrenic from two nights before was attacked and eliminated. The shock from the accident combined with the elimination of the Cataphrenic allowed Barbara's mind to overcome the effects of the Cat's Eye Jade.

Catwoman's eyes blinked a few times and her head shook back and forth, with blonde hair streaming out to both sides. Then she blurted out, "Batman! I am Catwoman, but I'm not Selina! I am Batgirl. She switched bodies with me, and made me think I was her. The Cataphrenic must have been overcome by the antidote, and everything together must have undone her hypnosis. Though what you see and hear is Catwoman, she is right now running around in my body."

"Selina, do you really expect me to believe that?" Batman told her with more than a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "Whenever you've switched minds in the past, you kept your identity in whatever body you took over. So if a body swap was done, we would have seen Batgirl running around in a Catwoman costume. No, she's in a wicked Catgirl costume, and I think you just changed her somehow that the Bat Antidote couldn't erase. Don't try to fool me, Selina."

"Batman, you have to believe me! Selina *DID* switch minds with me, but this time she made me think I was Catwoman so that she could wreak havoc running around in my body, acting both as Batgirl and as Catgirl," she continued in trying to persuade him. Batwoman was watching this exchange with a lot of interest, all the while also watching Catwoman's assistant. Catwoman zipped her lips and put an innocent look on her face as she thought for a moment, then said, "Wait a minute, Batman. I know how I can prove that I'm really Batgirl. Has Catwoman been inside the Batcave recently?"

"No, and we changed things quite a bit after the one visit you...she made," he replied. "Why?"

"Come closer so Batwoman can't hear, Batman," she told him. When they were close enough to talk privately, Catwoman rattled off all the things that Batgirl had noted a few weeks before on her visit. Batman could not believe the detail that the woman's mind held, but felt deep down that only Batgirl could have known what he was just told.

As they broke apart, Batman turned to Batwoman and said, "I really do believe that Catwoman is telling us the truth. She has to be Batgirl in that body, and the real Selina must have been acting as Catgirl and pretending that she was Batgirl. She fled as soon as she saw that the trap had failed. Now, who is this Vixen? I thought she was in prison?"

"Oh, my God! Batman, I was so overcome by my Catwoman persona last night that I took Robin and turned him into Vixen!"

"That's Robin?!" said a pair of Bat voices in harmony.

"I'm not Robin, you stupid oafs!" the leather clad evil goddess said. "I am Vixen, can't you see that?"

As Catwoman slowly stood up, she said, "I pretty thoroughly eliminated Robin's good nature with Cataphrenic, and took away his identity with the Cat's Eye Jade that also turned me into a wicked Selina. His body is still under her new costume, but if his mind is still in there, I think we need to hit him with the Bat Antidote, too, and then get him to the Cat's Lair so I can try to bring back Robin with the Jade."

Batwoman went back to the blonde vision in black, and said, "I still can't believe that this is really Robin. You must have done an awesome costuming job to get him looking like this. Wait, now I can see that you're not kidding; his Adam's Apple is still apparent if you look closely under that leather collar." She grabbed the ropes and pushed the still protesting Vixen closer to Batman and Catwoman. Batman sprayed the can point blank into the apparent female's pretty nose, and between what went directly into her lungs and what was absorbed through the skin on her face, Vixen started to lose her animosity. However, since Robin was still effectively Vixen, the ropes securing her arms were left in place.

"Let's get Robin to the Cat's Lair right away. I can only try to use the Jade and hope for the best," Babs said. "I may still look like the villainess, but as of right now, Catwoman is the heroine, and Batgirl is the villainess. If Batwoman hadn't already taken the name, I would change my name and costume for the time being, but it looks like I will be staying as Catwoman for now."

"This is going to take some getting used to..." was all Batman could say. He helped Batwoman load Robin/Vixen into the Batmobile, still thoroughly tied up. Batwoman then joined Barbara in the Kitty Kar, and the pair of vehicles made a very interesting sight for anyone lucky enough to spot them that evening, especially if they spotted the occupants of the vehicles. The Batmobile was following the Kitty Kar, since Babs was the only one in the group who knew the way, and could be trusted. Vixen probably knew, but who knew where she would take them before she could be turned back into Robin.

While the two vehicle convoy was headed for the Cat's lair, Kitty was making her way back to her temporary home. Since the Bat team might be looking for her if they got past Catwoman and Vixen, she was less worried about someone seeing her in the black costume than she had been the night before. Besides, this time, she wasn't pretending to be Batgirl for Batman. She was Catgirl, and proud of it. She still had her Batgirl costume, though, and intended to put it to good use. She just wished that she had been able to get back to the Cat's Lair.

* * * * *

Batman had been inside one of Catwoman's past Cat Lairs, and therefore was not particularly amazed at what he saw once Barbara led them inside. Batwoman, on the other hand, was getting her first look at the living standards of the villainess. A short gasp escaped her lips before she recovered her composure and started to take in all that she saw. She followed Batman, who had what looked like a stunning blonde haired, black leather clad babe in his arms, as he followed Barbara to Catwoman's bedroom.

After he sat the transformed Robin on the edge of the bed, Batman was approached by Babs. In what looked to Batwoman like lovers whispering sweet nothings, she told him, "I don't think it would be a good idea for you or Batwoman to stay in here while I try to bring back Robin, Batman. The shock of seeing your image at any point might bring Vixen's hatred of you to the fore, and completely block any further pathways to Robin's mind. Do me a favor, and wait just outside the door until I call for you. If I can get Robin back, I may need you to come in and work with him to get his full identity. I will leave at that time."

Cat lips left the Bat ear, and Bat lips then went to the Cat ear. "You know more about how this works than I do...Catwoman. I can't even think of any better way to call you, since I don't know who you really are, other than Batgirl. I do see the logic of your point, and I'll take Batwoman outside with me. Call me when I'm needed."

Batwoman watched as Batman pulled away from Catwoman, and then heard him say, "Come on, Batwoman. We need to let Catwoman do this on her own. And yes, even though we know that she is really Batgirl, there is no other way to call her other than Catwoman for now. Follow me."

As the only apparent male in the room turned to go out the door, Batwoman looked at Catwoman with a bit of puzzlement, but then saw the pleasant smile on her lips that looked so contradictory. She trusted Batman completely, and so turned away and followed him out into the hallway.

When she was alone with Vixen, Catwoman brought the Jade up to her eyes. "Vixen, you are not really who you think you are. Deep, very deep in your mind is the person that you were until last night. Close your eyes now, and let Vixen go to sleep. You need to let Robin wake up, and let him become himself again." The sultry blonde's eyes closed, still behind the domino mask, and a pleasant smile formed on her lips.

Catwoman waited a few moments, then said, "Robin, can you hear me?"

A still feminine voice answered, "Am I Robin? I seem to think I am here, but it is so dark. I don't feel like myself. But yes, I truly am Robin. I can now remember watching what I did as Vixen. She is still here with me, but I am letting her rest while I gather my strength. Yes, Vixen is now asleep. I am Robin."

"Open your eyes now, Robin."

Those same beautiful eyes flickered open, and took in the sight of Catwoman directly in front of them. Before the alarmed look on Robin's face resulted in a question, she said, "Robin, I may look like Catwoman, but I'm really Batgirl. I am sorry for changing you into a totally new form and a completely evil identity, and now that you are at least partially back to your own true self, let me bring in Batman." She got up and walked away before the still puzzled Robin could say anything.

Moments later, Batman sat down next to his still tied up transformed partner. "Old chum, you look a bit different today. You do know that you really are Robin now, right?"

"Yes, Batman. My mind is still a bit confused, but I am slowly putting all of Vixen's thoughts into her own little niche, and I am putting my own personality in charge."

"Do you remember your own real name, Robin?"

Those gorgeous eyes closed once again, and Batman had to fight the thoughts that were coming up at the sight. "I can picture what I look like, and I am seeing another face which must be yours, but my own name...Dick?" He was still speaking in a feminine voice.

"Yes, Robin, you are Dick Grayson. Does that name help your memories to come back?"

A wide grin formed on the bright red lips. A normal male voice said, "Holy Mind Mix Ups!" Batman knew instantly that his young chum was back, even if he didn't look like himself. "All my memories of last night just came back, and everything from before." Those bright red lips drew closer to Batman's cowled ear, and whispered, "Just in case Catwoman or Batwoman can hear us, I'll keep this quiet. I am Dick Grayson, you are Bruce Wayne, and even though she doesn't look like it, Catwoman is Batgirl."

"Glad to see you coming around, Robin!" Batman said aloud as he stood. He immediately reached down to untie his companion, who then stood to the greatly increased height brought on by the boots he was wearing, and looked down at the shape he was in.

After another few seconds, he said, "Holy Identity Crisis!"

A traditional groan escaped Batman's lips. Then the reality of the situation hit him and he smiled broadly. "Welcome back, Robin!" he said with a chuckle. "Can you still use the female voice you had until moments ago?" He then turned toward the doorway, and said, "Come on back in, ladies. Robin is back!"

Robin thought about it for a moment, then, just as Catwoman and Batwoman came through the doorway, said in a once again sultry voice, "Do you mean like this, Batman?"

To the stunned looks on the true female faces, Batman said, "Robin, would you mind staying in that Vixen costume for the time being?" To the stunned looks on the two true females' faces, and the only slightly puzzled one on his assistant, he continued, "I was just thinking that the best way to get our hands on Selina, whether she is Catgirl or Batgirl, is to have Robin pretend to be Vixen still, and that she was able to get away from us and get back to her. Robin, would you be willing to stay dressed up like that and do some more acting for a while?"

"If it means getting Selina and Batgirl back into their own bodies, I can put up with what I've become for a while longer," Robin said in the voice that went with what he was wearing. "I just don't think that we should stay here to wait for our opportunity. Let's all go back to the Batcave, and we can all sleep in shifts until Selina surfaces in one form or the other."

"That sounds like the Robin I know," Batman said. "Catwoman, you've been inside the Batcave before as Batgirl, so I see no problem with bringing you in. Batwoman, I can't let you or Catwoman see where the Batcave is, but it is about time you got a detailed look at my base of operations. Care to join us?"

"Would I!" Batwoman was amazed at what she heard, and couldn't wait to see the Batcave for herself.

Just as they were getting ready to leave, Selina grabbed the Cat's Eye Jade and put it into the Cat Kit on her belt. She couldn't have said why, she just had a feeling that it might come in handy.

* * * * *

Robin's original costume was retrieved from the box Barbara had put it in the night before, placed into the trunk of the Batmobile, and then they proceeded to the Batcave. Robin, who looked quite appropriate behind the wheel, drove the Kitty Kar with a blindfolded Catwoman laying down on the back seat out of sight. Batman had Batwoman accompanying him in the Batmobile, and her own eyes were also covered. Both vehicles took a slightly roundabout path to get there, just in case either of their passengers was keeping track of turns and other sensory perceptions other than sight.

What really threw them off was when the Batmobile pulled up at Babs' apartment. She had no idea, laying in the back of the Kitty Kar, that Batman was quickly going up to find a totally empty apartment other than a squawking parrot. Batman had been introduced to Charlie once before, and when he saw the empty food tray and water dish, decided to do at least one useful thing in an otherwise fruitless visit. The fact that Barbara's pet bird had been underfed for a couple of days backed up what the Commissioner had said about his daughter being apparently missing. He was going to have to tell him that the evidence backed that up.

The Batcave looked quite strange a bit later with the Kitty Kar parked alongside the Batmobile. Batman called Alfred right away to let him know that visitors were on hand, and not to make his presence known. Even with all the strange sights he'd seen in the past, the grey haired butler would have still been stunned to see Batman accompanied by three voluptuous females if he had come down. As soon as Catwoman and Batwoman had their blindfolds removed, Barbara took Kathy in tow to show her around. This, too, would have made quite a picture. Catwoman was giving the guided tour to Batwoman!

With Robin at his side in a form never before seen in the Batcave, Batman went to the computers while the ladies were sightseeing. The two of them put out word to the GCPD and others that Batgirl was not to be trusted if she tried to work with them, and for them to contact the Batcave as soon as she was seen anywhere. They also told the powers that be about the new assistant that Catwoman had, Catgirl. They were assured that at the first sight of either of the ladies, they would be called.

Since it would be a bit difficult to sleep in the corsets he was wearing, Robin told the others that he would take the first watch while they napped. Batman showed Catwoman and Batwoman where the cots were, and then went to his own personal rest spot. Even after all the action, all three were soon resting comfortably.

Robin decided to kill time by playing some computer games, and got out one of his favorites from Networld. Had he known that the person behind that game was sleeping nearby, Robin would have been more than a bit surprised. With no need for the mask, he took it off and set it on the counter top, then started playing games. He did find that none of his skills or any of his dexterity were impaired by the costume he was wearing, and this made Robin all the more sure that he'd be able to perform when needed to bring in Selina.

When he got up to get a drink of water, Robin approached a mirror in which he could see his reflection for the first time since getting his identity back. All the time he'd been driving the car and working in the Batcave, he'd never seen just what he looked like. Then he looked into the mirror above the sink, and saw what Vixen looked like. He knew that he had been changed, and even recalled seeing what Vixen had seen the night before. But in seeing the beautiful face that he now wore, Robin became a bit confused. This allowed Vixen to come out of her slumber, and Robin went back to sleep.

Vixen reached up and fondled her breasts, and even though only her hands felt it and not the silicone, she felt herself becoming more complete. She looked around and saw where she was, then decided that she had to get away and find Catgirl. She had to tell her that Catwoman was no longer on their side. Vixen picked up her mask from the counter, and made herself whole.

Walking as carefully as she could to keep her heels from clicking on the Batcave's floor, Vixen made her way to where she knew from somewhere in her mind that a motorcycle could be found. This she wheeled into the access tunnel until she got a good ways down, and then started the engine. She was long gone and on the roads leading into Gotham moments later, with none of the sound being loud enough to awaken the Batcave's ccupants.

* * * * *

Batman awoke first four hours later to the sound of the Batphone beeping. On the way to the phone, he looked up at the wall chronometer. 3 AM. Where was Robin, and why hadn't he answered the call? "This is Batman."

"Batman, this is Sergeant Dougherty. I was just told that Batgirl is in the Gotham Central Train Station. She has already told one of my officers to leave her alone while she does her work, and that made him call me."

"Thank you, Sergeant. We'll get down there right away. Tell your men and women to avoid contact with Batgirl until we get there. Please call me back with any updates on her location."

"Will do, Batman. Also, you might be interested to know that there is a blonde in a black costume that looks a lot like Catwoman's old crony, Vixen, going from door to door in the all night bars along the waterfront. She seems to be looking for someone."

"Thanks again, Sergeant. We had lost track of that other young lady, and are glad to know where she is, also. Good night."

Batman hung up the phone to see a pair of slightly groggy women approaching him. "Don't ask me how, Catwoman, but Vixen must have taken over from Robin again. He isn't here in the cave, and I just heard that someone answering his description is along the waterfront looking for somebody. Probably Catgirl. Which brings up the other point. Selina is wearing your Batgirl costume, and is currently at Gotham Central."

Barbara reached into the Cat Kit on her belt. "Don't ask me why I decided to bring this along, but here is the Cat's Eye Jade. If I can get it in front of Robin again, I should be able to bring him back. I don't know how he lost out to Vixen, but the Jade should help him. How about if I go after Robin, or rather, Vixen, and you and Batwoman try to get your hands on Selina? The sooner we get her in our clutches, the sooner I can get my own body back."

"I have a better idea," chimed in Kathy. "Since Robin, or Vixen, knows that you are one of the good guys, Catwoman, how about if I go with you? We can get into totally different costumes and act like friends to him...er, her, whatever, and get close that way. It should be easier than a confrontation."

"Good idea, Batwoman," Bruce said. "I should be able to handle Selina, so if Catwoman agrees, that sounds like the plan."

"Sounds good to me," Babs replied. "Where are we going to find the costumes, though, especially at this time of the night?"

"Welllllll...since you've been inside the Batcave," Batwoman answered, "I guess it couldn't hurt to show you the insides of the Bat Cavern. I have a good assortment of costume components there, and we should be able to work something up."

"You'll be one step ahead of me, then," Batman added. "I knew there was a Bat Cavern, but where it is and what's inside it are beyond my ken."

"And so they shall remain, Batman." Kathy turned toward Catwoman, and said, "I hope you don't mind another blindfold. While I'll let you have free rein inside, I don't want you to know where the Cavern is."

"Not at all, Batwoman. Let's get going!" This time, the Kitty Kar left the Batcave with Batman at the wheel and two blindfolded ladies riding in back. As soon as he got far enough away from the entrance to make it safe, he stopped the car and let Batwoman take over in the driver's seat. He waited until they were gone, then got his radio from the utility belt and called Alfred to come pick him up. The subterfuge added about fifteen minutes to the time he'd need to get to the train station, and Batman wondered if maybe it was time to let his closest allies know who he really was and where they had just been.

* * * * *

While Batwoman knew Catwoman's face, it would reveal too much to allow Catwoman to see hers. So after both of the ladies had selected what they would disguise themselves as, they split up into divided sections of the Cavern. Kathy picked a shoulder length red wig to cover her own long black locks, and Babs picked a short brown one to cover her now blonde mane.

Babs got out of the form fitting black costume, and slipped her legs into some yellow spandex leggings. She put on a bright orange leotard that somehow clung even closer to her torso than the black lurex did. The deep V on her chest allowed a lot more cleavage to show than Babs would have been happy with, but for the show they were going to make, it would be a bonus. There were white knee high PVC boots and shoulder length gloves that she donned, and Barbara wondered where Batwoman needed white boots with stiletto heels. They sure looked good, though. A white domino mask completed her outfit. She was now Sunburst.

Kathy got out of yellow spandex and into black leather. The catsuit took longer for her to put on than Barbara's outfit, because the legs and arms all had lacing which needed to be tightened and then tied off. The knee high black leather boots also had to be laced on, and the heels they perched her on made Kathy stand almost on her tiptoes. The added height gave her a commanding presence. The elbow length black gloves, with wide flaring cuffs, were drawn onto her arms. A knee length black cape was clipped to her shoulders, with the red hair spilling out behind it. After the wide black belt with an attached coiled whip was drawn over her hips, Kathy pulled the black cowl with rakish eye holes down over her head. She was now Eclipse.

When Kathy called out that she was ready, Babs stepped around the corner and whistled. "If I ever thought that Catwoman was the ultimate in evil looking black, that just went out the window! Batwoman, that outfit is a killer!"

Kathy grinned, then put a sneer on her lips and growled in a voice that totally fit her appearance, "Batwoman is no more! I am Eclipse, the Mistress of Evil!"

"And evil you look! I'll be your henchwoman, Sunburst. I can see that you've got a whip; what do you think I should use?"

Back in her normal voice, Eclipse said, "Grab that white belt, and hook the holster to it. You can use the laser pistol from the video game in the other room, and its beam can be altered from pinpoint to wide angle. That way you can live up to your name. You can also put the Jade into the pouch on the other side of the belt."

A few minutes later, the new team of Eclipse and Sunburst drove from the Bat Cavern in the Kitty Kar. Eclipse looked like she was right at home at its wheel.

* * * * *

Batman arrived at the train station just in time to see Batgirl pouring acid over and into the coin boxes at the turnstiles. She obviously couldn't be intending to steal very much that way, and had to be just trying to be a nuisance. When she saw Batman approaching, Kitty said, "Where's all your help, Batman? I thought you would at least have brought Batwoman with you."

"Batwoman is busy right now, Selina," he told her. "And Catwoman is with her. We now know that it is Batgirl acting as Catwoman, and this time, once we get you and her back into your own bodies, that machine is going to be taken away from you."

'So, I'm back to being Selina again?' she thought. 'Good!'

"What makes you think I'll want to use the machine, or even show you where it is, Batman? There isn't anything wrong with this fresh young body I have now, and I'm sure Batgirl can have lots of fun being Catwoman. Besides, you have to catch me first, before you can even think of doing anything else."

Batman could not believe that Selina was just standing there trying to taunt him. If she had any plans for escape, she wasn't giving any of them away. Of course, the fact that she was so intent on facing him and challenging him made it easy for Batman's plan to come into play. "I'm not worried about catching you, Selina. We've had too much going on together over the years for me to not know just how you think. No matter what you do, I will be right there. Even with the quick and nimble body you now have, you will never be more than one step ahead of me."

She took his bait, hook, line, and sinker. Selina's hands went to her hips in a challenging pose, and both her chest and her chin shot forward. "Not good enough to get away from YOU, Batman?! HAH! Don't make me laugh. I'm going to be so far gone from you before you can even move that you'll wonder what happened!"

And as she turned to race away from the elder Bat, Batgirl faced Detective Montoya with a can of mace in one hand and cuffs in the other. All the time that Batman had been keeping Selina occupied, Renee had been circling around and behind her. One brief burst from the can had Selina bringing her hands up to her stinging eyes. Before she realized where that put her hands, Selina felt the cuffs being slapped around her wrists. "I'm not even going to bother with Miranda, you bitch," the grinning Montoya said. "You've already gotten around our justice system too much. I'm giving you to Batman. Let him figure out what to do with you."

Then turning to a grinning Batman, she said, "Your plan worked like a charm, Batman. Though this looks like the Batgirl that I'm used to working with, she sounded like Catwoman through and through. I sure hope you can find a way to get them straightened out. It would be awfully strange in Gotham if Catwoman was the new helper to Batman and Robin, and Batgirl was the villainess to track down all the time."

"Thanks for your help, Detective Montoya. I'm going to try my best to get Selina back into her own body, and then you'll be able to have Batgirl working alongside you once again." Then Batman turned to Selina. "No matter what it takes, we will find a way to make you switch back. Even if I have to get Egghead to make another contraption, you are not staying in a body that is not yours, Selina."

Selina was too angry with herself to show any more animosity to Batman. To think that she had allowed herself to be corralled that easily! All she did was scowl, and it was a very different looking Batgirl that walked back out of the station in the arms of Batman.

The black motorcycle, with Catgirl's costume in the sack on back, was loaded onto the back of the Batmobile. With a band over her eyes, the person who looked like Batgirl was then driven to the Batcave.

* * * * *

Eclipse and Sunburst cruised up and own the street slowly, scanning the bars and the spaces in between for any sign of their black clad prey. On their third run, while Kathy was intently watching the red light at which they were stopped, Babs pointed forward and to the right and called out, "There she is! Or he. What the hell, the way Robin looks right now, it's got to be she. She just left the front door of O'Flannigan's, and is walking toward the parking lot along the side. Let's get this car parked so she can't see it, then join up with her."

"Okay, Sunburst. As soon as the light changes, I'll pull in along the curb. Keep her in sight, and don't lose her. If you have to, jump out and go after her, and I'll catch up with you."

Just then, the light changed and no rash action was needed. Kathy squeezed into one of the few open spots along the curb, then the two commanding women stepped out of the car. Kathy heard a few low whistles, but the sneer that Eclipse gave them made them shut up instantly. She and Babs went first toward the bar door, all the while watching Vixen, to make it look like they too were coming out of the bar. When Vixen spotted Sunburst's bright colors first, she didn't know what to think. When she spotted Eclipse, though, she knew she was among friends.

As Eclipse strode purposefully toward her position, Vixen evaluated what she saw. This woman had to be a commanding demoness! Maybe she knew where she could find Catgirl.

Babs spotted one lone eavesdropper that was nearing their position, and unholstered her weapon. She set it for pinpoint to sting him, and hit the guy on his right elbow. The laser didn't burn, only irritated. Then Sunburst reset it, and while making a grand show for any other observers, took a daring stance and fired a broad beam of light toward him. In the dark of the night, it actually looked like Sunburst was living up to her name. The broad and expanding beam was bright enough to outshine any and all lights in the vicinity, and the interloper was temporarily blinded. He knew better than to get any closer, and turned to walk away, groping slowly as he went.

Eclipse got right to the point. "Vixen, we've been looking for you. We got word that Catgirl was holed up and waiting for you to join her. Come with me." Her commanding tone left no question, and Vixen followed Eclipse as ordered. They walked toward the back of the parking lot, where a large number of cars were parked, and very little could be seen by onlookers.

"Vixen, Sunburst brought you a present from Catgirl as a sign of good faith. Sunburst?"

Babs reached into the pouch on her left hip, and extracted the Cat's Eye Jade. In the intense dark of the lot, it glowed eerily. Vixen's eyes were drawn to it, and locked onto the orb in seconds. A blank look formed on her face. "Vixen, you are drawn to the Eye. Let the Eye take you. It wants you, and you want it. Go to the Eye, and let Robin come forth," Babs intoned.

"No, I want to live! I can't go to the Eye, or I will die. I must not, I must...I must...go to the Eye. I...I..." Vixen's voice faded away.

After a brief moment, a deeper male voice said, "Holy Disappearing Act! When Vixen came back in the Batcave, I could see and feel everything she did. I couldn't control anything, she had taken over completely. I sure hope that whatever you did this time keeps her away for a long, long time!"

Then Robin noticed the two costumed ladies standing next to him. "Who are you? I thought only Catwoman had the gem which could bring Vixen back and forth."

"Relax, Robin. Right now, I'm Sunburst, but you know me as Catwoman, or Batgirl. The vision in black next to me is Eclipse, the Mistress of Evil, but you know her as Batwoman. How do you like our disguises?"

"Holy Halloween! I'd have never guessed who either of you were if you hadn't told me. I guess that makes three of us in totally different costumes right now!"

"Too bad I didn't bring a camera," Kathy said. "No one is ever going to believe this without any pictures."

"Personally, I hope nobody EVER hears about how I look right now!" Robin replied.

"Now that we're all back to normal, other than how we look, let's get back to the Batcave. I want to find out how Batman is making out with getting Selina," Barbara said in conclusion. The three of them went back to the Kitty Kar, and this time, there were two blindfolded women going in instead of going out.

To make a long ending short, an amazed Batman took in the sight of the costumed ladies that arrived. Babs used the Cat's Eye Jade on Selina to learn where in the Cat's Lair the mind swap machine was hidden. After a quick trip to the Lair, the still cowled Batgirl had one band put around her head, and Sunburst had one on hers. When the transfer took place, Batgirl's identity was still more or less a secret, since the full face that Batman had seen two nights earlier was surrounded by hair in a totally different style, and the makeup had been enough to hide her eye shape.

Babs drove the black motorcycle home, and put her hair back into the normal, almost bland style she was known to have. She called her dad and told him that she had been gone for a few days because The Penguin had grabbed her once again. She didn't get free until Batgirl found her early that morning. She told him that Batgirl had said that she had her own troubles that she had just been through, and was glad to be back to normal.

Batman had been tempted to use the Jade to leave Catwoman in the Sunburst identity that she was dressed as, but that would not be right. The Justice System would have to take her into its possession once again, but at least this time, there weren't any chances for a mind swap to screw things up. He had taken it into his possession as soon as Batgirl was herself.

Batwoman gained quite a reputation for costuming and disguise work. Along with Batgirl, she helped Flamebird get a knack for it, also. As more and more different heroines were seen around Gotham City, the criminals thought they were being totally outnumbered.

The two costumes that were never worn again were the black one of Catgirl which Batgirl took home to add to her collection, and Vixen's, which Robin placed into the mini museum in the Batcave, along with Catwoman's Cat's Eye Jade and the Psyche Eggschange Machine. He didn't want to let the Vixen costume have any chance of ever taking over his mind again. If so, though, why did he have it so close by in the Batcave...

The End?
 

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