<div class="floatleft">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/b/ba/Babs16a.gif) </div>Name: Barbara Gordon<br/>Location: Gotham<br/>Tagging: None<br/><hr/><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Then…</strong></span><br/>It hasn’t been terribly long since her run in with Mr. Freeze and his goons. Things were starting to resemble some normalcy in her world, but things aren’t ever so normal for her. Not when you’re the daughter of Gotham’s top cop. But all she would like to do this night is relax a little. She wants to, but it probably won’t happen. The cogs of fate are turning, and we’re all strapped to them.<br/><br/>It’s early evening, and Barb sits in the living room of the Gordon home. She reclines in a large chair (her favorite roost), absently watching ‘The Office’ on television. That one guy keeps looking into the camera with an odd gaze. She finds herself noticing it more and more, to the point it’s a little annoying. Her gaze snaps away from the television as she hears the lock of the front door being used… her father is home. An immediate smile is upon her lips as she now sits up, watching the front door intently. James Gordon opens that door, moving slowly through it. He looks tired, but he always does around this time. Continuous 14 hour days do that to you. Under his arm he holds multiple file folders, he always brings his work home.  He closes and locks the door behind him in one smooth, practiced motion, and he smiles seeing Barbara sitting there. Safe.    “Hi Barb. How was your day?”   He says as he hangs his keys up on a small hook next to the door. Barbara shrugs her slim shoulders as she sits there reclining, speaking in a very casual, relaxed tone.   “Uneventful.. Talecris still hasn’t called back.. I talked to coach Barton this morning.”    Jim slips his trench coat off, hanging in over the back of a chair as he enters the living room, and then plops down on that chair. He lets out a sigh as he leans back a little, setting the file folders on the small end table next to him. Barb eyes those files, now the gears in her head turning.   “And what did he have to say? Still wants you on his team or whatever?”   Jim says as he closes his eyes, slipping his glasses off. Barb nods as she looks back to him   “Uh huh. He says he hasn’t had a gymnast as good as me for a long time. I bet I could get him to pay me to come back if I wanted.”  And if the job she wants doesn’t come through, she may have to resort to that. Jim gives a little laugh at her comment, now leaning down to untie his shoes.   “Of course he hasn’t. I could have told you that.”   Barb smiles at the little comment, even if it was expected.   “Dad… I was thinking too..”   Now Jim glances to her, knowing that tone. Knowing an unpleasant subject was about to be brought up. One of Jim’s brows perk up as he sits up, dropping his shoes to the side of the chair. Barbara smiles sweetly as she watches him.   “Maybe… this fall.. I could enroll at the pol-“   She never finishes her sentence, cut off by her father.   “Barb we’ve been down this road. I don’t want you joining the force. It is not the life you want.”    “But-“    “No, Barb. And that’s the last word.”   He pauses, the look on Barb’s face one of anger.   “Honey.. I mean only the best for you. Please, trust me on this. You deserve a better life than to be a beat cop or some detective wasting away for nothing. You could go back into gymnastics, or that book keeping job. You liked that, right?”     She shrugs now, watching the TV. Well looking in it’s direction.  “I made some spaghetti, I can heat it up for you if ya want.” Jim sighs as he watches her, and he pushes himself up from his seat. He crosses the room and leans down in front of her, kissing her forehead.   “I’ll get it, sweety. I’m sorry, maybe we can talk about it later.”   Meaning they won’t talk about it later. She smiles up to him and nods, and watches as he walks into the kitchen. And the moment he turns that corner, her eyes snap towards those file folders on the end table..<br/><br/>A couple hours later…<br/>Her father has gone to bed, and she sits alone in her room now. Her laptop gives a soft glow into the mostly dark room, and she just stares out her window. The files were about an obnoxious burglar pestering Gotham’s finest. One of the newspapers dubbed her ‘catwoman’. Since it’s suspected she’s a she, and a cat burglar. An old fashioned term, but it sells papers. The police have tried time and time again to catch her, to try and get the drop on her. But every time they think they have her… she somehow slips out of their grasp. It’s cases like this that intrigue Barbara, and one of the reason she wants to join the police force. She knows she could make a kick ass detective, if given half a chance. All of the detectives at the force say so. But the only obstacle is her father.. and it’s a big obstacle. She continues to stare out the window, and something on her laptop catches her eye. She has the browser open to a local news site.. and a headline flashes about the rise of masked vigilantes in Gotham, and how they have become a menace. And by name, the Batman is mentioned. It’s like Barbara’s mind is struck by a bolt of lightning out of the blue. Her eyes widen suddenly and she looks towards the window. The night she saw Batman comes to her mind like a blazing inferno. His presence was palpable, and yet he barely seemed to be there. It’s nothing that could be explained easily. Batman… her father knew him, but he won’t talk about that with her. He’s making a difference in this city, and it’s being noticed. Batman…<br/><br/>Maybe if she can’t be on the police force… she can do something to help the city anyways…<br/><span class="bbc_u"><strong><br/>The Next Day</strong></span><br/>Gotham Police Headquarters. Not a place that’s easy to get into, and not a place a young girl should be hanging out. But this building is like her second home to her, she practically grew up here. And everyone here knows her, either personally or the fact she’s the daughter of their boss. Barbara strides into the Gotham Police Headquarters, a backpack slung over her shoulder. She has a pleasant smile or a ‘Hi!’ for nearly everyone she passes. That’s another reason she’s known so well around here, she sometimes goes out of her way to make friends with the people here. Including and especially the detectives. And that’s where her path leads her, to the detective offices. After having pleasant little conversations with a few of the detectives, she stops at one desk in particular. At the desk sits a slightly overweight man who looks like he hasn’t slept in years. He’s typing something on his laptop very… very… slowly. The one finger typing method.    “Hey there Todd.”   She says in a pleasant tone, standing in front of his desk. He looks up, smiling widely as he sees her.   “Shortcake! How’re ya?”   He is the only one in the world who calls her shortcake. And really, she does love the nickname. He’s called her that since she was a little girl. One day she brought a doll with her while visiting her father here, a Strawberry Shortcake doll. Red hair, just like hers. And that’s why he has called her that ever since. Barbara shrugs as she smiles widely to him.  “I’m doin okay. How ya doin? How’s Bonnie?”   his wife of 23 years. She sits down at the chair next to his desk, and he starts to tell her about how Bonnie hasn’t been feeling good lately, and how they need a vacation.<br/>And after about 10 minutes of small talk, Barbara brings up the reason for her visit.   “Todd, What can you tell me about Batman?”  Todd gets a perplexed look on his face, and he speaks as he glances at his laptop. His voice is quieter, as if not wanting the other detectives to hear him.   “He’s a guy in a mask and cape beating up people on rooftops, shortcake. He’s not a good fella.”  Barbara listens intently, reading his body language as he speaks. He’s not comfortable talking about him, maybe because they’ve been powerless to bring him in.   “You don’t think he’s doing good for Gotham?”  Todd shakes his head slowly    “Shortcake, he’s beating people up. They might be criminals, but we got due process here. Can’t let a fella take matters into his own hands…”   Barb nods absently, clearly lost in thought as she looks a little away from him.    “Yer really taken by him, huh.”   She looks back to him with a curious gaze.  He smiles as he watches her.   “Ya been actin all weirdzo since<em>that</em>night. We heard he was there, helped ya. ‘long with some of them others.”   She shrugs as she looks away from him, leaning on his desk with her elbow.   “Just curious is all.”<br/><br/>It isn’t stealing. Not really. Her dad is the head cop, and the equipment is from the cops. So… she’s not really stealing. She keeps telling herself that as she sneaks out some equipment from the female locker room of the police headquarters. She worked out for an hour in the police athletic area, and then had a quick shower there. And then… she kind of scooped up some equipment from open lockers.. and lockers that weren’t exactly open.<br/><br/>It isn’t stealing.<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u"><strong>That Night</strong></span><br/>She had an old light sweater, and a pair of pants she wore while doing training exercises with Gotham’s finest. As well as a pair of boots. The rest of the gear she put together herself. A nice backpack, gloves and a mask. Of course a mask. The light sweater she wears, she’s sewn an emblem onto it. She only saw Batman’s costume for a moment, but in that moment she remembered everything about it. Including how the stylized bat on the front of it looked. She got it close… but it’s not the same. But then, she wouldn’t want it to be. She isn’t Batman. She’s just someone wanting to help. The mask she was able to stylize a little, make it look more… batish. That’s not a word. Again it’s not exactly the same, but not bad. She was ready. And once her father went to bed, out her window she carefully climbed. Just like she has been since she was old enough to climb a tree. Convenient since there’s a tree right outside her window and all.<br/>She did a little research about the burglar the police are trying to catch, and of course she memorized the files her father had about her. And she suspects she knows where the thief will strike next. And Batgirl will be waiting for her.<br/>Wait.. Batgirl? Batwoman. Batgirl.. woman. Batwoman doesn’t roll off the tongue like Batgirl.<br/>She suspects she knows where the thief will strike next. And<em>Batgirl</em>will be waiting for her.<br/><br/><br/><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Now</strong></span><br/><div class="floatleft">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/1/14/Batgirlfirstcostumeooc.jpg) </div>Name: Barbara Gordon<br/>Location: Benjamin Jewelers, Gotham City<br/>Tagging: Huntress<br/><hr/>She was right. Son of a gun she was right. She<em>would</em>make a great detective for Gotham Police. As it is.. she’s found her target. It didn’t look like there was any particular patter to this thief’s movements, but there was. And she was able to find it. She’s going to be congratulating herself for a very long time.<br/>Now she knows the thief is here… all she has to do is apprehend her, and then present her to the police. Simple. She’s got years of training behind her.. she can take about anyone. This is going to be awesome. While she could probably go hand to hand with just about anyone… stealth isn’t her best suit yet. Yet. She spotted her little thief when she approached the jewelry store… and she’s done her best to keep out of sight. She can’t arrest her yet, not until she’s actually caught in the act. For now.. she follows. Catwoman goes in through a vent.. she won’t be doing that. However.. she does find a backdoor on the roof, a few moments after Catwoman disappears. It’s got a nice big lock on it… which she makes short work of with her lockpicks. Grow up with cops, learn all kinds of interesting things. Like breaking into buildings.<br/>Quickly she makes her way through the interior of the store, one of her throwing discs in her hand. She’ll use it like a ninja star or something.. though of course it doesn’t have any sharp edges. Still be good for a fight.. which is what she’s expecting. She creeps her way deeper into the store, now moving through a doorway leading to one of the offices, which is connected to the main showroom… she watches for her thief as she moves slowly and carefully, her heart pounding a hundred miles an hour.<br/><br/>Oh this is fun.<br/>