[ Street Near Star City Police Department HQ, Star City ]
Thea knew that if she wanted to defeat Catwoman, she had to slow her down. While Thea was agile in her own right, that was in comparison to the average fighter. Against Catwoman, there remained a small but crucial gap in speed—and that gap was what kept her from securing a definitive win.
Dodging Catwoman's barrage of kicks with sideways movements, Thea couldn't help but marvel—and grumble—at her opponent's legwork. Those kicks weren't just random swings. Whip kicks, back kicks, spinning kicks—each one executed with sharp precision. Who even fights in high heels like that? she thought bitterly. If it were her, she'd consider herself lucky just to walk in them without toppling over, let alone delivering high-flying kicks. Honestly, it defied every rule of logic.
Finally, Catwoman's stamina began to falter. One powerful side kick lost its edge, and Thea blocked it cleanly. Sensing the shift, she surged forward and delivered a fierce elbow toward her opponent's face.
The move had been aimed with ferocity—land it properly and the facial nerves would've triggered a brief but effective knockout. But Catwoman twisted midair at the last second, and the elbow struck her shoulder near the collarbone instead. It still landed with a satisfying thud.
Not missing a beat, Thea gripped both of Catwoman's shoulders. She grounded herself with her right foot, bent her left knee, and aimed for a Muay Thai knee strike to the gut. This would end it.
But just as the blow was about to land, a gleaming object zipped toward Thea's right foot at an alarming speed.
She had no idea what it was, but instinct screamed danger. Continuing her attack might take Catwoman out—but it'd also leave her injured.
Thea weighed the pros and cons and concluded that this was merely a sparring match, not a life-or-death duel. There was no sense in risking injury for it. So, instead of delivering an upward knee strike, she shifted to a backward jump with both feet to temporarily exit the combat zone.
With a crisp pop, the metallic object embedded itself into the concrete where she'd just been standing. Thea's eyes narrowed as she studied the half-buried projectile. It was sleek, deadly, and emitted a distinct metallic gleam under the dim streetlights. One sharp edge jutted out, unmistakable.
A batarang?
Just then, Felicity's urgent voice crackled through her headset. "Thea, be careful! It's Batman!"
Not that she needed the warning. Thea had already spotted the dark figure descending from above—wearing a bulletproof Kevlar suit, black cowl, and flowing cape, he looked like something out of a gothic myth. He landed silently, as if he'd glided on shadows.
This guy would've been worshipped as a god in medieval times, Thea mused, her eyes narrowing. That dramatic entrance? Clearly intentional. The intelligence reports weren't wrong—Batman was a psychological warfare expert.
Still, Thea wondered how he managed it. Could he fly? That was unlikely. She stretched out her senses and found something strange hovering high above—a vague presence, almost too far to register.
It had to be the Batwing. Capable of ultra-low flight and optical camouflage. Unlike standard stealth aircraft that were only radar-invisible, this one blended with the naked eye too. That level of tech was impressive.
Note to self: ask Queen Consolidated's R&D to start developing something like this.
Batman landed beside Catwoman, but strangely, she edged two steps away from him. The tension was... odd.
Though his face was concealed, Batman's jaw and posture hinted at frustration. He looked like he wanted to say something but couldn't figure out how. Meanwhile, Catwoman stared only at Thea, ignoring the brooding vigilante at her side.
Okay... even a blind guy could sense the weird tension here. Thea's internal gossip radar flared. Felicity, still monitoring the scene, nearly squealed into the comms.
Sensing the silence stretching too long, Thea spoke up, voice stern. "You're Batman, right? Gotham's hero? Then why are you protecting this thief?"
Batman looked pained.
The truth? He and Catwoman had been growing closer during their last few escapades. While on a road trip using their real identities, they'd had a philosophical debate mid-journey and ended up passing through Star City. Moira Queen had conveniently gathered the city's VIPs for a press event. Catwoman, still bitter from their argument, decided if she couldn't be happy, no one would.
She changed outfits and stirred up trouble, hoping to blow off steam.
What was supposed to be a small game spiraled out of control the moment Thea intervened. Their skirmish had spread from the venue to the streets, and now Catwoman was on the verge of losing. Batman had no choice but to step in.
He'd already reviewed Thea Queen's file while aboard the Batwing. Only daughter of Queen Consolidated. Lost both her father and brother in a tragic incident. No criminal record. Currently working at her family's company and applying to Princeton.
By all accounts, she was not only clean—but admirable. In fact, Batman, who had wrestled with his own inner darkness many times, felt a strange envy. She'd survived pain and hadn't turned bitter.
Sometimes, when someone succeeds at what you've struggled with, it creates respect—even if unspoken.
So, instead of replying to Thea's accusation, Batman chose silence. Stoic, unreadable, and maddeningly cool.
Catwoman, however, had reached her boiling point. Mocked, cornered, and now ignored—she snapped.
"Come and catch me if you can!" she shouted defiantly.
Thea stood there, stunned. Seriously? These two are clearly in cahoots and now I'm supposed to chase them? I'm not signing up for that mess.
She wasn't dumb. She wasn't going to burn bridges with Batman—not when he will be the de facto leader of the Justice League. She'd likely be working in the same circles someday.
And if she remained a non-meta human, she'd be placed under Batman's faction by default.
Just like in Marvel, where Captain America and Iron Man represented different camps, DC's internal rift lay between Superman and Batman. Batman viewed all superpowered beings—good or evil—as potential threats.
With wealth rivaling that of a nation and a vast network of connections, it might have been difficult for him to obtain superpowers, but creating his own super-soldier serum was well within reach. Yet, he chose to remain a pure Earthling, refusing such augmentations—revealing a great deal about his personal philosophy.
No matter how skilled you were, you could never truly defeat him. If you didn't kill him outright, he'd always bounce back, like an indestructible cockroach.
Thea decided she'd keep her fists holstered—for now.
Instead, she'd use the most powerful tool in a certain protagonist's arsenal: Talk no Jutsu.
By seizing the moral high ground, there would be no need to compare physical strength. As long as she could leave him speechless, victory would naturally be hers!
To Be Continued...
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[POWER STONES AND REVIEWS PLS]