Children Of The Bat

Chapter 2: Night

Mary's P.O.V
21:15 EST Wayne Manor, Gotham City

I was pretending to sleep when Alfred came into my room to grab my skirt. I was waiting for him to go to bed so I could sneak out, but he just wouldn't leave. He walked over to my bed and I snapped my eyes shut, he pulled the blanket, that was at my waist, over my shoulder, smoothed it, and kissed my cheek. I had to force myself not to smile, I was happy to know he didn't hate me after that whole screaming tantrum.

"Oh, Miss Mary," he said softly. "What am I going to do with you?"

He patted my shoulder lightly, grabbed my skirt and was gone before the first tear left my eye.

***
At 10 o'clock Alfred finally, went to bed, and I wasn't Mary anymore, at night, when the city comes to life, I'm not goofy, clumsy, very short tempered Mary, I'm quick, intelligent, mysterious Batgirl.

I climbed out my window and went to the old Oak tree next to the house. I climbed onto the tree, then leaped, swung, and maneuvered myself to the ground. I landed perfectly on the ground.

"Annnd, dismount!" I whispered with a giggle.

I ran down the hill and used my, Rocket Boots, to get over the fence, I don't use them when close to the house, they make a lot of noise sometimes.

I darted down the sidewalk toward the city, if I wanted to get to the warehouse on time, I had to go now.

Gotham at night is pretty...at least it is from the rooftops, that's all I really see at night.

I jumped, leaped, -and once every few buildings- flew, from roof-to-roof.

I knew I didn't have the time, but every so often, I stop and watch my city as it bursts with the nighttime rush: cars honking, bike bells ringing, the loud chatter of people, then there are the not so nice things like, police sirens, people screaming, the lights.

I snapped out of my trans and continued on to get to the warehouse, I'm already late enough.

******
23:00 EST Abandoned Warehouse, Gotham City

The outside of the warehouse was dark and calm, it has a good ambiance, creepy but, safe. Probably because every night for the past four years I've been coming here for special purposes. The broken windows on all the levels and the aging foundation and walls made it the perfect place to go and hide.

I took a deep breath, opened the heavy metal door, and marched in, head held high. I was ready for the night to start.

I stepped into the building and stopped to watch the others in their groups and nightly habits.

When I first walked in I looked at the training area, were the youngest of the "children" as I call us, were taught to fight and keep themselves -and others- safe, I specified trainers of my choice to teach the kids.

I saw the jocks, whom I call the "players" practicing beating each other up, they were slamming each other into stuff, trash talking, a few were playfully attacking their friends from other groups.

Then there were the nerds, they were surrounding the arcade machines and computer tables, and there were a few tutoring, or something.

There were even some rebels that I allowed in, they weren't my favorite people but they wanted to help so I gave them a chance, even though they annoy me to the moon and back. Two of those dopes, were in the middle of an actual fight, they looked like they were killing each other, I assumed this was going on for awhile because they were covered in bruises. One was covered in blood, had a tooth missing, and was on the floor, while the other guy had a nose bleed.