With martial arts, size didn't matter. And he was getting a pretty good start, surprising the gangers and thugs with his furious attack.

"Kid's not half bad. Chu wanna be the Bats when youse grow up, little squirt?" A burly man laughed, and promptly got a sock to the gut and a kick in the pants. "Alright, that's it. No more foolin' round." He grabbed the kid's leg and held him upside down.

"Eerrraggh!" The small Bat yelled furiously, kicking with his free leg and swinging right and left hooks madly, though it didn't do much good. The thug held him up to his face and laughed, his breath smelled foul.

"Spirited kid. Don't know what's good for yah." The gangbanger flicked him in the head and he saw stars for a second. "I'ma let you and your little girlfriend heah go fer now, you made me laugh today and I needed that. Oh, and if youse needs more costumes, dere's an excellent store on 49th." He motioned his head to his men and they walked off, and he let go of the kid in his hands, and he fell to the ground in a crumpled heap.

"Katalyn," he whispered in a strained voice, getting up to go look for her.