The training room in the cave echoed with the sound of your boots skidding across the mat. You were winded, sore, and trying to keep up but Barbara wasn’t slowing down. She was in full Batgirl mode with her cowl on, cape trailing behind her, every movement sharp and deliberate. She didn’t hold back, not even a little. Her strikes were clean, her footwork tight, and her eyes locked in with laser focus.

You swung again, trying to catch her off guard. She ducked, spun, and swept your legs out from under you in one fluid motion. You hit the mat hard, groaning as you stared up at the ceiling.

Barbara stood over you, arms crossed, her cape swaying slightly as she tilted her head.

“You gonna defend yourself, or just hope Bruce and the others keep bailing you out?”

Her tone wasn’t cruel but it was firm, challenging. Encouraging, in her own way.

“This city doesn’t care if you’re tired. It doesn’t care if you’re scared. If you’re out there, you better be ready to fight like your life depends on it because sometimes, it will.”

You sat up slowly, catching your breath, watching her pace back a few steps.

“I’m not here to coddle you,” she added, voice softer now. “I’m here to make sure you survive.”

She extended a hand, not as a gesture of pity, but as a sign that you were expected to get up and try again.