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She was perfect.
She moved like nobody else Cass knew, not even herself. Lady Shiva. The best in the world. There had been ten goons—now, only four. One of them, whirling nun-chucks, launched himself at her.
Shiva stepped to the right, smiling. The goon turned and swung at her head. She ducked, jabbed the man in the stomach, and as he stumbled to catch his breath, drove her foot into his knee. The goon crashed to the ground, screaming in pain.
Two others came at the same time. They cornered her at the end of the pier, the sea a dark still sheet behind her. Cass leapt towards a closer crane, leaning forward and watching the scene from above. As soon as she'd heard Shiva was at the pier, she'd rushed straight here, turning off her comm on the way. No need to hear Oracle's lecture.
Below, the men rushed ahead with gleaming daggers.
Shiva kicked one in the jaw. He choked and staggered off the pier, splashing into the water. The other stopped, face pale in the moonlight, taking a step back. Shiva sprang and struck his neck, causing him to crumple into a heap.
Leaving one last man standing on the pier.
"Lady Shiva," the man said. He had silvery hair and a jagged scar on his right cheek. "The tales are true, then. You really are the mistress of martial arts, the most formidable fighter this world has ever seen."
"And you still wish to challenge me?"
"Yes."
"Good," Shiva said, and Cass could tell she meant it.
"I hope you don't mind that I brought a weapon," the man said. He drew out a long, curved blade.
Shiva unsheathed her own sword. "Only if you don't mind that I brought mine."
They circled each other, moving soundlessly over the wooden planks. He struck first, thrusting towards Shiva's shoulder. Shiva parried and sliced upwards towards the man's neck. He jumped back, the steel whistling through the air.
Cass shifted forward. Shiva hadn't killed anyone yet, but Cass knew what she was capable of. She didn't care about death. She didn't care about anything.
The man slashed viciously at Shiva. He was far more skilled than the others, fast and strong enough to put up a decent fight. But not fast or strong enough. Shiva caught his wrist with one hand, twisted, and the man's sword clattered out of his hand. He dived for the weapon, but Shiva lifted her foot and smashed him on the back of his head. She raised her blade over his slumped body.
"Stop!"
Cass jumped and landed on the pier. She hurled a batarang at Shiva, who batted it away with a flick of her sword.
"Ah, Batgirl. I was wondering when you'd show yourself."
"You know I won't let you kill him," Cass said, holding up another batarang.
Shiva raised an eyebrow. "If you want to beat me, you should come prepared with real shurikens. Batman's toys are beneath both of us."
"Won't feel like a toy." Cass shifted, eyes narrowing. "You... you don't want to fight me."
"Of course I want to fight you, Cassandra. I just have business to attend to first."
"I said I won't let you—"
"I'm not going to kill him."
Truth.
Cass blinked.
Shiva walked around her, kneeling by the unconscious man. She touched the wound on his head—the wound she inflicted—and pulled a roll of bandages from her robe. She began to dress the wound.
"You... you know how to heal?"
"I know how to shatter a bone so the pain will last for decades," Shiva said. "Do you think I wouldn't know how to mend one?"
Shiva pressed two fingers to the man's neck, checking his pulse. Cass curled her own fingers into a fist. The man behind the desk—her fingers on his neck, through his neck—the blood gleaming on the desk, like the blood staining the pier black...
"Why are you helping him? You're a killer."
"I'm a warrior," Shiva said, fingers still on the man's neck. "And he gave me a good fight."
"That's it?"
"Well, he interests me. I want to see what he'll become."
"That's not a real reason."
"To you, perhaps." Shiva turned the man on his side. "You and I are alike in a lot of ways. In others—not so much."
She stood, sheathing her sword. Her gaze met Cass'. "Now, daughter, we can fight."
Fighting Shiva was always different. Most people were limited, predictable—Cass could see what they'd do before they did it. Not Shiva. She was swift as lightning, jabbing straight at Cass' face, fingers grazing her cheek as Cass dodged at the last second. She punched at Shiva's stomach only to feel fingers tighten around her wrist. Shiva threw her over her shoulder.
Cass wrenched herself out of the hold, landing on her feet. A fist smashed into her back and she stumbled forward. The next fist she caught; twisting around, she punched Shiva in the chin, sending her head flying back. Shiva wiped her bloodied mouth with a sleeve.
"Very good," she said, before delivering a blow to Cass' stomach.
Gasping for air, she had no time to dodge Shiva's crescent kick. Her foot rammed into Cass' chin, snapping her head up and causing her to reel backwards.
Oracle had told her Shiva was better. Even after Cass had defeated Shiva multiple times, Oracle was still right.
But that didn't mean Cass was going to lose.
Ignoring her throbbing jaw, she threw herself at Shiva, landing a hit on her shoulder. They exchanged jabs, kicks, thrusts, as the stars shone above them. Fighting Shiva was different. Fighting Shiva was fun. She never had to hold back, not with her.
"As much as I'm enjoying this," Shiva said, avoiding a strike to her neck, "I must get this man proper medical attention soon."
Cass, panting, glanced at the man. "You really just find him interesting?"
"Yes. Have I ever lied to you, Cassandra?"
"I don't... understand you."
"Your kind always gets hung up on that," Shiva said, shaking her head. "Why would you want to understand? If you understood everyone, then everyone would be predictable. And if everyone was predictable, then everything would be boring. The world requires difference, Cassandra. Different ways of life clashing against each other. Just like you and me."
"You think I'm... interesting?"
"Extremely."
"Hm," Cass said, trying not to sound pleased.
"Besides," Shiva said as she slung the man over her shoulder, "I think you understand more than you let on. It's fun, isn't it? Fighting me. Letting it all out."
"That's not—"
"Don't be ashamed of your passion, Cassandra. Don't let anyone make you feel ashamed." She turned her back on Cass. "You should work on your left-handed jabs. When you do—or whenever you're bored—come and find me."
Then she was gone. Faint splashing sounded from the water, where the goons who fell in were paddling to shore.
Cass double-checked the slumped bodies on the pier for pulses, then left them for the cops to find. As she grappled away her heartbeat slowed, and the adrenaline slowly coursed out of her system. She turned her comm back on.
"Batgirl," Oracle said on the other end, her voice severe. "You went dark for two hours."
"Accident. Sorry."
"You have a lot of these accidents when Shiva comes to town," Oracle muttered. She sighed. "Come back to the Clock Tower, Cassie. I have some snacks waiting for you."
Cass grinned. "You're the best."
She started to head towards the Clock Tower. Oracle was going to ask a lot of questions she didn't have the answers to, as usual. There were lots of things about Shiva that Cass didn't have the answers to. In some ways, Cass' mother had always just been a big question mark to her.
Cass would never understand her mother. She probably would never even like her mother. But tonight, she had to admit, had been a good night.
As she swung through the Gotham air, she took a deep breath in, and let it all out.