And we're back. Not much to say at this point but enjoy the chapter.

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I landed on the roof of the GCPD, making my way over to the Bat Signal, with a sense of awe going through my body. With one switch of turning this signal on, Batman would make his way straight here, to talk with whoever turned it on. Most times its Commissioner Gordon but for this one night it was going to be me. And I felt positively giddy at the thought.

I looked around, finding the switch and flipped it on. I looked up in the sky as the Bat signal was displayed proudly in the sky. I just stood there and admired how it looked for a minute, committing this moment to memory.

After some time passed and no Batman in sight, I grew worried. Shouldn't he have been here by now? I switched the Bat Signal off, paused for a second and then flipped it back on. When some more time passed and nobody showing up, I looked back at the signal. Did Gordon and Batman have some sort of code with the Bat Signal, to tell how bad the situation was and for Batman to get here ASAP?

With that thought in mind I started turning the Bat Signal off and turning it back on in quick succession. When that didn't work, I tried for longer pauses. Still nothing. I was this close to tearing at my own hair in frustration.

"Where is he?!" I hissed out eyes darting everywhere. I turned in a circle, hoping to catch a glimpse of the man in question, bounding across rooftops, but no luck. No luck. On my final turn a newspaper came flying and slapped itself into my face.

Tearing the offending object off my face I peered down at it and read through the front page. Most of it was how the Joker was back in prison but there was a small section dedicated to something else.

Thieving Leprechauns?:

"The past week, sightings of 'Leprechauns' snatching purses or wallets from people and disappearing with them through alleys."

There was some more about how anyone spotting any of the thieves should call the Police.

Was Batman dealing with a magical problem in Gotham? I don't remember this ever happening in the comics. Were these Leprechauns why Batman wasn't responding to the Bat Signal? I looked out at the city and slumped.

"Great. Now I've got to go hunting. Just my luck." I took a step towards the edge and jumped to the next building with only one thought going through my head.

How did one hunt Leprechauns?

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"Look all I'm asking for is a Rune that can help me track people or things." I was back in my Mindscape and was talking with Cú Chulainn, who was giving me a bored look that was borderline irritation.

"Well I would love to help you Master, but considering you didn't follow my rules last time, I'm inclined to not help you out with this." The Caster servant scolded.

"Oh, come on! how was I supposed to know that those specific runes would make a Fireball?" I said throwing my hands up. Cú just looked at me before shaking his head.

"You would have known if you had just followed my instructions" The irish hero said before poking me in the chest with his staff.

"As punishment, you will find these thieves without the use of the Tracking Rune." And with that said I was thrust back to the outside world.

Huffing out in irritation I continued my trek down the road. I turned the corner-

"Ow!" a voice squeaked

-And felt someone bounce off my stomach and land on the sidewalk. Looking down it was a kid, dressed in some shorts and a green cape over his shirt, with a hoody hiding his hair. His look was complete with a pair of sunglasses covering his eyes.

I squatted down. "You alright kid?" I asked gently. Said kid looked up at me before freezing. I could just imagine how large his eyes were right now. If this were a cartoon, they would be dinner plates. We stayed in that position for a few seconds, just staring at each other, when I heard someone panting just further down the street. A large, overweight man rounded the corner, face red with exhaustion and sweat dripping down his face. He took a moment to collect himself before spotting the fallen child.

"Stop thief!" He took off running again. I moved around the kid, standing with my back to him. The man all but threw himself to a stop, almost tripping over himself when he saw me.

"Batman!" he squeaked. It was an honest to god squeak to. I almost snorted in mirth before I shook my head.

"Do I look like Batman to you?" I asked with disbelief. Batman didn't wear a god damned cloak. Nor were me and him the same height. I also didn't have fancy gadgets. And I didn't have a lot of things Batman had. Like money. Or a butler. And now I'm sad.

I looked at the man once more as his mouth moved, him trying to sputter out words.

"Please. This boy, he stole my wallet!" The man said, pointing at the boy, who was trying to sneak off. I reached out and grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Is this true?" I spoke softly. Didn't want to spook the kid more then he already was. He shook his head 'no' fast, before crossing his arms and looking down. I looked at him and then back to the guy then back to the boy before squatting down in front of him.

"Hey if you did take it its fine. Just give it back to the guy and then we can take you back to your parent or guardian. How does that sound?" I said giving him a smile that was gone when I realised, he couldn't see it with my mask on. The boy seemed to tense and hunch over before, slowly with drawing his hand, and with it a wallet. He held it out to me, and I took it with a small thanks.

"Here you go" I handed the wallet over to the man who thanked me, gave the stink eye to the kid and turned and walked away. I turned around and looked down at the kid who was still hunched into himself.

"Come on. Let's get you to the police so they can get in contact with your parents." I said, guiding the boy back to the station. We only made it a single step before the boy twisted out of my grasp and bolted around the corner. I stared, before sighing and I began to run after him. Catching up to him was easy. I looped an arm around his waist and picked him up to which he immediately began kicking, punching and twisting, trying his best to get out of my grasp.

"Look kid, I'm not going to hurt you, but I need to get you back to the station. It isn't safe for you out here, at night." I explained to him gently, trying to calm him down. This seemed to have the opposite effect however as his thrashing seemed to grow even more. I rolled my eyes, before placing him on his feet and turned him around to face me.

"Ok enough. Look I get it, I'm scary but I need you to work with me here." I said. The boy had stopped trying to escape and was staring right into the eyes of my mask. "Is there anywhere else you can stay that will keep you off the streets and safe?"

The boy seemed to mull my question over before giving a shrug.

"Ok, not the answer I'm looking for. Either answer yes, that you have somewhere to stay or if no, then I'm taking you straight to the station." I told him. The boy seemed to draw in on himself before his mouth moved slowly.

"Have… place" he said, pausing between the words with uncertainty.

"Ok. Do you know where that place is from hear?" I asked him. He nodded before gesturing with his hand to across the street. I stood up and held my hand out to him.

"Alright. I'll take you home and you'll never have to see me again. That sound good?" I asked with a grin. The boy shrugged his shoulder, but I spotted a grin forming on his lips. He started to cross the street, without looking and then stop in the middle of it. I followed him and watched as he, with some effort, push a manhole cover out of its proper place before climbing down a ladder. I followed him down, putting the manhole cover back in place.

"So, is this a short cut, or do you live down here?" I said teasingly on the last part, but the kid just nodded his head to my question.

"Wait, are you nodding to my first question or my second question?" The kid just nodded again.

'Cheeky brat'

We kept walking, with me taking in my surroundings and doing my best to step around any questionable things that were on the ground. I say questionable as anything on the ground was hard to describe, with out the words 'crap', 'more crap', and 'hey what do you know? More crap!'. Some of it was literal crap from animals that lived down here and the other stuff was the non-literal crap. I took a moment to glance at the kid, before taking my mask off and quickly wiping my head with my arm. I was starting to sweat, and I was feeling tired enough where I could sleep for a whole day. Quickly putting my mask back, I asked a question.

"So, do you have a name I can call you? I feel kind of bad just calling you 'Kid' or 'Boy'" Said boy stopped for a moment before continuing forwards, fingers tapping against the pipes in an off-beat rhythm.

"Alright then. I guess from now on, I hereby christen you, Kid" The boy stopped and turned around and looked up at me, confusion on his face.

"What? You didn't give me a name and I have to call you something as were adventuring together. And besides, I suck at names, so I figured I'd just stick to what I've already been calling you" I explained, somewhat sheepishly. The newly named 'Kid' gave me a stare that was dryer then a desert. He turned and continued walk forward, fingers still tapping on the pipes, creating a faint echo sound that was hard to pick up. I strained my ears and observed how Kid tapped the pips.

'Is that Morse code?' I thought as we rounded another corner. Honestly for all I know we could have been going in a circle and rounding the same corner for who knows how long. All these walls looked the same to me. We walked past a small tunnel that led off to the side and I knew we were finally heading somewhere.

"So how long until were there?" I asked. The kid stopped walking and spun around to face me holding up three fingers. I stared at him, blinking in confusion.

"Three? Three what? Minutes, hours? Seconds" I said, disbelief feeding into my voice on that last word. The boy shook his head before dropping one of his fingers. And then he dropped another one and then the last one. As soon as the last one went down, I heard it. The sound of someone's shoes hitting a small puddle of water and making a splash noise.

I spun around and my hands flew up, one grabbing the wrist of another green hooded figure, who had tried sneaking up behind me, and my other hand grabbing her shoulder to keep her in place. The next second I felt a weight on my back and felt tiny arms wrap around my neck, squeezing. I let go of the other figure and grabbed the arms holding and pried them off. Moving quickly, I tore the person off my back and planted them in front of me, hand moving to lock both people in place. In my left hand, I held the boy, that I tried to help, by the shoulder keeping him at arm's length from me and my right hand held the other hooded figures wrist, arm facing up as I looked at the object she was holding.

"Is that a bloody taser?!" I hissed out loudly, as I quickly let go of the boy and pried it, gently out of the figure hand. This didn't deter the figure though as they lashed out with fist, that I swatted to the side.

"Stop! Stop it right now!" I said grabbing them both once again. They struggled to free themselves and pulled as hard as they could away from me.

"Honestly Kid, I'm a little hurt." I said, a little bitter, from almost getting tricked and hit by a taser. Although I sure nothing would have happened even, they did hit me, being a Servant and all.

"So, any particular reason for this grand betrayal?" I said with a dramatic sniff.

Kid just glowered at me and had a pout on his face, while his friend tried kicking at me.

"So, are there anymore 'Leprechauns' in these tunnels that I should be worried about?" I asked lightly. I removed my hands and let them drop at my sides as I stared at the kids. My only answer was a swift kick to the shin, that did nothing to me. I cracked my neck and huffed out a breath.

"Alright if that's how it's going to be then" I swiftly snatched up both kids and held them under each arm and continued advancing. "Look as soon as I've dropped you two off at your little base of safety I'll be out of your hairs, okay?"

"NO!"

I paused at the sudden shout from the now unhooded child. The child in question was a small girl with blond hair and brown eyes, and a face that scrunched up in fear.

"What do you mean 'no'? I said slowly, studying both their faces. All I got was the naked fear in their eyes.

"Can't bring strangers! Not allowed. Will get in trouble" The girl rattled off.

"Well I'm not going to be there very long. I'm just going to drop you two off and then leave." I told them gently, but this only seemed to send them into a frenzy of panic pleads of "NO!"

"Hey easy, easy!" I said plopping them on the ground. "What happens if you break the rules" I said softly.

"Light" The boy whispered with a grimace, as if the word itself left a foul taste in his mouth.

"… What happens if a stranger, wanders into your hideout?"

"… Bad stuff" the girl whispered, making me frown.

"How close are we to your hideout? I asked. They both glanced at each other

"Not far" Kid answered.

"Ok then. I'm going to make you a pinkie promise ok. Do you know what a pinkie promise is?" They shook their heads "Ok. A pinkie promise is an unbreakable vow. It means that no matter what I do, I can't break it." I explained. They both nodded, heads moving slow.

"I pinkie promise, that you will not get in trouble for bringing me back to your safe place." I said holding out my pinkie. They both looked at my pinkie for the longest time before, ever so slowly, they wrapped their own pinkie's around it.

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"So, this is it." I said as we exited a large pipe. The room we had entered was a good size for some kids to stay, along with some beds. As I touched down on the ground, I saw other small kids, between various ages, eyes wide and backing away from me.

"Hey, its ok. I'm not going to hurt you" I said softly hands raised up past my head. I tried to be as non-threating as possible, but I don't think I succeeded as one kid all but threw himself underneath his bed.

"Do you guys know where your… caretaker is? I'd like to speak to him." I informed them. My only response was a multitude of fingers, pointing at a door. With a nod of thanks, I walked past them and opened the door, walking through it. I made my way down a small corridor before coming to a large lit room. It had a staircase that led to an upper level and very nicely crafted table with various amounts of foods on it that made my mouth water. At the table sat a man. He had black hair, was wearing glasses, with one of the lenses being a see through while the other wasn't. he had on a white shirt with a bow tie, a long red jacket over it and blue pants.

"Hello" I said, looking at the man. Something about him seemed familiar to me. The man looked up, startled, eyes focusing on me. For a few seconds, he sat there, mouth open with surprise, before closing and rising to his feet so fast that his chair skidded backwards and fell.

"Who the hell are?! How did you get in here?!" The man shouted, moving around the table. I raised my hands up in a show of peace.

"Woah, easy there. I just came to return home one of your kids." I told him.

"Return?"

"Yeah. They got lost so I managed to get them to tell me where he was staying, and I brought him back. No need for thanks." I told him with a smile as I tilted my head. Something about this guy seemed so familiar. But he didn't remind of anyone from the comics.

"They- they told you?!" the man shouted, face going red. He looked off to the side, face twitching, and muttering to himself, barley loud enough that I could hear him.

"Damned brats. Sho- throw- the room."

My face soured at the words as I remembered my promise to the kids. Time to send that idea straight to hell.

"Hey, look, I know it's not my business but-"

"No, it is not your business!" the man said with scorn. Suddenly his face went lax and he tilted his head. "But you have seen too much. It is time for you to take the plunge"

"I'm sorry?" I said confused. My confusion turned to shock and surprise as the floor suddenly opened up beneath me. I yelled as I fell through the floor and landed on a small wooden square, floating on some water. I scanned my surroundings but could only see grey walls, all around me and my only escape was just above me.

"Sorry about that. But I don't usually have any guests over to try that on." A voice said.

I looked up, to see the man step away from a ladder, higher up then me.

"But its ok. I've had my fun. I think it's time I let my pet have a taste of you, hm?" He said with a cruel smile. I only had time to open my mouth, before I felt something grab my leg and pulled me off the square and into the water below. I flailed my arms around and kicked out with my free leg. I didn't feel anything connect but, felt two hands clamp down on my shoulders. I was spun around and saw a massive green, scaled, drool dripping, Killer Croc, with his mouth opened, teeth looking to rip me to shreds. At this close, being faced against this, I did the only thing my mind thought up in its panic induced frenzy.

I screamed.

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And done. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Sorry about the wait. Till next time.