It was late afternoon, the class period was already passing, and Barbara was getting ready to meet Dick in the cave. Packing her bag with all the items she had prepared for the makeshift base, she was almost ready to leave the dorm and head for the passage, where Dick was already waiting for her, until, this time, a person was on her way by accident. Before leaving, she had noticed the presence of Helena Bertinelli on her bed, sitting by the window, her thoughts elsewhere, her eyes lost on the horizon. Barbara didn't know how to react, but then she remembered what she had done a few days ago... Hel wasn't a bad girl, in fact, she was reserved, but she never got into trouble and always avoided others from getting into them.

         After leaving her backpack on your bed for a moment, Gordon approached her, nodding awkwardly, his steps small and shy, Barbara felt both fear and respect for Bertinelli.

- Hii, Helena... Are you OK? – She smiled, trying not to sound nervous.

- Hi, Gordon... I'm fine, thanks for asking.

- Look, I didn't thank you the other day for the mess you avoided between me and Harley – Barbara waved to the bed, asking to sit down. Helena nodded – Thanks. If there's anything I can do to compensate you in the future, just say so.

- I don't know, Barbara... Do you think there's anything for us beyond that future here, in this academy?

- That's a bit of a profound question... But you caught me at a good time to answer it. In fact… – Helena interrupted her right before she said.

-I...! – She paused in half a thought, turning her gaze to the window again – Forget it... You wouldn't understand.

- Why, don't say that! We're more alike than you think, and I'd like to admit, we have important parents who deal with bigger problems than we do, we spend our days here at this academy, and frankly... – Barbara looked around with a slurred expression, checking if there was anyone else, and returned to Helena, whispering – Most people here don't understand us. We're different girls, we're not part of any club, nor we're left with the same little and childish problems that everyone else insists on having. I've seen you out there, and I know you just don't want to mix up, other than not having the capacity for it, which is what everyone imagines.

         Helena hadn't taken her eyes off the window, watching the reddish sky of Gotham at sunset. Barbara had several theories as to what she was thinking, but one stood out from the rest.

- You're a huntress, aren't you? I heard that your family has cottages, where you go out to hunt, like real... Well, like real animals. And that was a compliment, by the way. I've always wondered if you had that nature hidden underneath that quiet girl disguise of yours.

Helena let out a breath:

- ... My cousin and I are the biggest hunters in our family. We've already stuffed more animals than our parents can count. But all this is a custom of ours... Usually to escape from reality, something none of us have had the luxury of doing. But what could you possibly know about the hunt?

- Oh, I'm a huntress too, Helena... More than you might think. The Hunt is out there, all the time... Our prey may be different, but the emotion and purpose of conquest are the same.

- Maybe you're right – She stood up, heading for the door – Now I'm going to leave you alone, I know that's what you came to ask me for...

- Oh... Thanks, I think.

- And Barbara...

- Yes?

- Don't get yourself in trouble – Helena gave him one of her rare smiles and walked out the door melodramatically.

-Oh... You have no idea I'm going to do just the opposite – Barbara whispered to herself, replying.

         Soon, grabbing his backpack back, she entered the floor passage, which they had repaired and patched for easy access, and entered the already illuminated cave, where Dick had already turned on the generator, and had all the materials and objects ready to prepare his base of operations. They spent the next hour preparing small countertops, setting up small cabinets that they took there piece by piece, set up a corner near the power outlet for a small retractable table, where Barbara prepared her computer station: Good access to the Academy's wi-fi signal, access to an outlet for the charger, and what she liked best,  an old computer screen she plugged into her laptop, which was the center of this whole bench.

         Nailing a large wooden board next to the chained corpse, whom Barbara affectionately called "Kel, the Skeleton," Gordon pinned the first image to him: The spoken, stately portrait of Batman right in the center. She cracked a big smile and talked about how her encounter with the Dark Knight in person was, which caused Dick to just crack a smile, admiring what was happening before him... Maybe this was a new starting point for her friend's life, regardless of what happened recently in her life. So, with the base ready, and without a name prepared for it yet, as Barbara pointed out, they went their separate ways. She was going to install the relay of the Clock King's broadcasts, and Dick was apparently going to solve a problem at his parents' house, but he seemed too content for it.

         Choosing to ignore her friend's behavior, she went back to another of the abandoned buildings in the Clock Tower localities, it was already quite dark and she hoped the shadows would hide her. Last time, but she could still remember Midnight and the other armed henchmen of the terrorist they were going to face, fear rising in her head as she sank into the hood of her blouse. Of course, fear wasn't the only thing she was feeling, the adrenaline rising in her head was an equally exciting and fun incentive. When she was finally in position to arm the small box full of wires and antennas somewhere that didn't draw attention inside the wreckage of the decrepit building, she could say with all certainty that she had never felt so alive before, finally springing into action, finally making a difference in a place like Gotham.

         Upon returning to the Academy just before curfew, she only received a message, Dick was to meet her in the cave, which was worrisome because the academy was very busy an hour like this, but she managed, save for a few slips with a few steps longer than others, to sneak through the beds of the girl's dorm in the dark and enter the passage without drawing attention. There, Dick looked more excited than usual, holding a flashlight, and sitting on top of a large suitcase, something his friend didn't realize at first, walking to her station and turning on his laptop without delay.

- Right, I've fixed the pointer operations relay. Just let me access the communication channel here and I can leave a continuous recording cycle...

- Barbara, please…?

- Funny, why are you still here? Aren't they going to miss you in the boys' dorm? – She continued, still unfocused – If they catch you leaving the girls' dorm, my friend, you're going to be in for a trouble, you know that right?

- Barbara! –  He yelled, finally getting her attention – Thank you. I have news. What do you think about testing your skills as an acrobat today?

- ... What are you talking about, Dick?

- As you can see, by the flashlight I took, I explored a little more of the passages coming out of this little cave of ours and there is an exit that leads into one of the subway tunnels that exit at the nearest station, and the path is noted there on the map of the board.

- Sure... And what do you have in mind?

- Barbara, you can't face the Clock King and his twelve hours without a little practice, and finding a crime to stop in Gotham is absurdly easy. So, I stand here, monitor you through this – He extends a point of communication to her, and points to her ear – And you do your magic, what do you think?

- Are you really encouraging me to go out in the middle of the night and take on a crook? Which is, like, exactly what I want to do. Are you okay?

- I just want to inspire this new side of you... This new Barbara I've come to know in the last few days. Consider a part two apology from the last time we passed the Tower.

- Right – Gordon was both surprised and confused, but a smile was already beginning to form on her face – There's only one thing missing then... I need a codename. I mean, I have the bat mask you gave me last time, and... Well, it would be nice it to be broad, actually...

- That's where I'm thirty steps ahead of you, Babs – He climbed out of the strange suitcase he was sitting in, and opened it, showing its contents to his friend, who was stunned, amazed at the contents – I saw some drafts in your notebook, made some changes of my own these days to make it more viable, and besides, I asked a friend from the circus to help me, you know, we have all kinds of costumes there, and we do them by ourselves, so it would be stupid not to ask for help. For them it's just a secret project... But for you, bat girl... Well, I think it's your whole future.

         Barbara hugged her friend with all the strength she could, which was very much, unfortunately to Dick, who was reminded about how much Barbara has been working out lately to come out on top in karate training. They exchanged a smile of camaraderie, and she grabbed her fate with both hands.

It was two in the morning at the old and trusty "Stu Convenience Store," where the owner just took care of his problems. A small television was on his counter, and it illuminated part of the dark establishment. Things didn't go as well as he would have liked, but he had a loyal clientele, and his establishment never went through a phase where he considered selling it. But these thoughts came accompanied by a hooded figure, a burglar slipped into his shop and pointed a pistol at him through the dashboard of his checkout booth.

- Give me the money, man!

- Okay, okay – He hurriedly opened the cashier – I'm picking it up.

- Fast!

         Stu wasn't sure what to think or feel, he kept pulling the money out of the cash register in a hurry. He could tell that the assailant was shaking the hand holding the gun, it was probably some desperate street kid, but he couldn't risk wanting to talk to the poor guy. Suddenly, a voice came from outside the store, it was a muffled voice and the person saying it was hidden by the shadows of the night.

- You better drop the pistol, buddy... – It was a female voice, but she was deep and strangely hoarse.

- W-who's there? – The assailant moved the gun in the direction of the door through which he passed, which even though it was glass, revealed nothing but it, only darkness.

- ... It's pointing the wrong way.

         A figure began to form from within the darkness of the streets of Old Gotham. It quickly passed by the sight of the two watching, and in the blink of an eye... The figure of a small woman crashed violently into a side window. The sound of the impact startled the assailant, who shot at the glass door, shattering it whole. Now they could hear the low complaint of the girl, who walked from the window to the broken door. The strong colors of purple and yellow made Stu and the assailant's reaction no longer frightened, but confused and curious. The girl adorned a black cape and a bat mask, with her hair and lower face sticking out.

- Sorry there, I thought I was going to make a triumphant entry, but what a hard window! – She rubbed her hands on her head, with an expression of pain, then pointed to the broken door – At least I provoked a real fear reaction in you, huh friend.

- Girl, what are you doing? – Stewart asked, clearly confused but considerably desperate.

- Rest assured, Stu, I know what I'm doing. Anyway, bro with the gun, drop now and surrender until the police arrive.

- And who might you be? – The assailant asked.

- I'm Batgirl! – She covered the exposed part of her face in her cloak, making a mysterious expression.

         The hooded boy and Stu looked at each other, no longer carried away by the heat of the situation, but equally confused and baffled by the situation. When the performance didn't have the effect she'd hoped for, she undid the heroic pose and snorted.

- My gosh, what a demanding audience! I must train my presentation better – She reached into one of her pockets, which provoked a negative reaction from the assailant, who pointed the gun at her – Oops, calm down friend, I'm just pulling out my phone.

- Are you going to call the police?! – He almost yelled, pointing the gun at Stu again – I'm going to kill him, I swear.

- Calm down, I'm not going to call the police. Not yet at least – She began to nonchalantly type on her phone, and the barrel of the gun in front of the store owner made him apprehensive.

- What are you doing, Batgirl? – He mumbled.

- Just a mo… – She raised her forefinger to the assailant, who was breathing heavily – Oh yes... I'm doing this.

         She slowly brought the indicator to her phone screen and pressed it one last time, causing the lights to turn off for themselves instantly. The assailant tried to shoot in the direction of the hero, but she was no longer there, the flashes of the shots only showed parts of the girl's rapid movement, which quickly reached the arms of the criminal from behind, disarming him. The sounds of punching and tumult filled the darkness of the store, and although the lack of light wouldn't let the shop owner see what was going on, now that the pistol had apparently fallen to the ground in a heavy thud, he could see the shadows dancing and writhing in front of him, as if they had come to life. Shortly after, a silence engulfed the establishment again. The lights came on again, and the burglar was knocked out on the floor of the store, and on top of him, Batgirl was sitting, fiddling with her phone again, careless. Stu didn't know how to react and babbled a few times before saying something concrete.

- Uh... Batgirl?

- Are you alright, Stu?

- Yes. Is he...?

- He just passed out. If I were you, I'd call the police – She stood up, handing the robber's pistol to him – Here, don't leave it near him.

- Okay – He grabbed his pistol and tucked it under the checkout counter, and then grabbed his phone – Thank you, girl.

- It was nothing! – She smiled, something that caught Stu's eye.

- I... Do I know you?

- Yes, you know, Stu. I'm from here, but that's all I can say, I'm here for the smaller people of Old Gotham.

-Good... I'm happy. Take care, huh girl. You don't want to take that gun, do you? – He moved his hands to pick up the gun.

- No, no... I'm here to protect people, not to kill them.

-OK... Thanks again.

         Batgirl cracked a wide smile once more, running through the shattered door, disappearing into the darkness again. Stu stood admiring the whole situation with a unique strangeness and fascination, maybe Batman wasn't real, but his legend was alive in this eccentric Batgirl, and she It was definitely real.