A/N: Hey everyone! So, here it is the first chapter of the Reboot of The Owl in the family. Before we start I want to thank everyone who voted in the poll to decide what happened to this story. I also want to thank VenomSpider 33 for beta reading this chapter! So I hope you all like it. You know, the usual disclaimers.
However! A few things to point out for this story! So, first of all the Robin you see in this story is Tim Drake and the Kid Flash you see is Bart Allen and they along with Aqualad started the Team, and the Batgirl is Cassandra Cain. For those asking where are Wally and Barbra...he's The Flash now and Barbara is Oracle. Also, the Teen Titans the shows version were a thing before the team in this universe, they aren't a team anymore for now, but you will see them and others from that show appear in this story.
So this was a much longer note than I originally intended with that all said...
Enjoy!
Chapter 1
-Gotham City August 28, 20:00 EDT-
Artemis stepped out of the Zeta Tube and into the crisp night. Her breath was just starting to show in the air as she made her way home. It was an oddly cold night even for Gotham. She entered the apartment that she shared with her mother and wasn't surprised to find it empty. It was after all Friday night, her mother was likely still at her poker game.
Yawning she stripped off her jacket and stretched as she headed to her room. Before she entered she felt a chill run up her spine. She spun around ready to throw a punch and found nothing there. She sighed; 'Maybe I'm just hearing things?' She thought to herself walking into her room she went to her closet when a floorboard creaked behind her.
Seizing her bow she knocked an arrow and spun to face the other wall; "Come out with your hands up!" She demanded.
From the shadows there was a rustle and then an owl flew past her and out the window, but she didn't even move as a person stepped out from the shadows.
In front of her stood a lean but muscular figure, he was about as tall as Artemis maybe an inch taller if she had to guess. He wore a skintight black suit with several pockets for weapons, it was covered in gold armor, carefully shaped to look like feathers. His boots were golden with black steel plaiting and he had a strap of knives over his right shoulder. His mask covered his whole head and face making his features impossible to make out the mask gave his face the appearance of an owls face down to the seemingly glowing orange eyes.
"Artemis Crock, the Court of Owls has sentenced you and your friends to die!" He said before he rushed towards her.
Artemis let her arrow fly at the boy, whom she had guessed had to be about her age by the sound of his voice. He dodged easily swinging his foot at her face, but she dodged back flipping away from her assailant and out into the hall. He chased after her, they exchanged fast and hard kicks and punches. Each one they both barely managed to dodge or block.
Each time he hit the wall Artemis watched as a hole appeared in it. This guy whoever he was, had skills and strength, and he had her on the retreat. She couldn't even get the time to ready another arrow.
"It would be quicker if you'd just hold still!" He said chopping at her and breaking her bow into two pieces; 'Damn it, time to fall back and call in back up' She thought out loud she said confidently;
"Sorry, giving up isn't my style!" As she took out a Flashbang and smoke bomb and threw it into the ground temporarily blinding her attacker.
Wasting no time she bolted out the door and pulled a communicator from her pocket; "Artemis to team! I need backup in Gotham now!" She yelled into the device running out of her apartment building and darting into a large parking Garage not too far down the street even as she heard the assassin approach from behind.
"Trace my comm, I have an assassin on my tail." She muttered before heading up a level and hiding behind a car.
She soon heard footsteps coming up one of the ramps of the garage. She peeked out her head just enough to see the boy look around for her and head her way before she ducked down again.
"You should make this easy on yourself and come out. No matter how far you run, no matter where you hide, the Court's sentence shall be passed, Miss Crock!" The boy said loud enough that the whole garage echoed with his voice.
"Who even are you?! Who is this 'Court' you keep going on about?" Artemis asked loudly and in a way that made sure her voice bounced off the walls and didn't give away her position.
"Beware the Court of Owls, that watches all the time. Ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch, behind granite and lime. They watch you at your hearth, they watch you in your bed. Speak not a whispered word of them or they'll send The Talon for your head," The boy recited in a dark and cold voice.
"I'm who they send for your head. You and your friends have finally become an issue that they just can't let stand. So, you go first and then your friends one by one." He said, and to her surprise she could hear a note of what may have been regret in his voice.
"You really think that you can beat them!?" She asked again her voice echoing around the whole garage.
"Yes, I do but even if I don't someone will, everyone falls to the court in the end." He said and she could still hear the almost bitter tone to his voice. When he next spoke his voice had returned to it's dark and cold tone.
"Still even if I fail here, at least I killed you." His voice said from right on the other side of the car she had hidden behind. Knowing he had found her she leap out from behind the car kicking him hard in the face he stumbled backwards and she hit two more punches before he caught her hand and twisted it behind her back.
She felt a knife at her neck, and then suddenly he let go, she spun quickly in time to see Superboy throw the Talon several feet away and send him smashing into a car.
"Stay away from our friend." Superboy said as she noticed Robin, Miss Martian, Nightwing, Kid Flash and Batgirl all gathered as well glaring at the Talon.
"Glad to know my message got through," Artemis said as they all prepared for a fight.
"I was hoping to pick you all off one at a time, though this is more of a test of my skills." Talon said as he took out a pair of wicked looking curved daggers from sheaths on his hips, twirling them around before getting into a fighting stance himself. They noticed the wounds he had heal over through holes in his costume.
They all stared at him for a moment; "Who is this guy anyway?" Kid Flash asked running an eye over the black clad figure.
"Don't ask the answer comes with a really creepy nursery rhyme he calls himself a..." Artemis started, but Nightwing cut her off.
"A Talon, he calls himself a Talon right? Batman and I have been dealing with a few Talons like him for a few weeks, they're tough, but weak to cold." Nightwing said seriously his eyes narrowing.
"There are more, just none like me." He said rushing forward and throwing the knife in his right hand it flew and sliced Robin on the side creating a clean cut.
Superboy rushed in throwing several punches which the Talon dodged an weaved through landing a few shots of his own staggering the boy of steal.
He dodged a hit before grabbing Superboys arm and tossing Superboy out one of the windows and down into the city. Kid Flash rushed in landing several punches in a second and knocking the Talon back and into Miss Martian who used her powers to slam him into the wall.
He reached into a pouch and grabbed a small device which he threw at her arm when it hit she felt it burn. She gasped letting him go only for him to slam his feet into her face grab her by the cape and spinning to send her crashing into Kid Flash.
Only to be met with Nightwing and Artemis' boots to his face and chest. As he flipped away Nightwing threw a batarang into the Talons shoulder. He gasped as the shoulder started to freeze over.
"Incorporating a little bit of Freeze's tech into ours just for you Talons." Nightwing said smirking before Batgirl leap in with Robin and reengaged the Talon. Who was very quickly becoming overwhelmed.
'Not surprising. Cass alone isn't someone to be taken lightly.' Nightwing thought to himself.
The Talon was starting to loose more and more ground, out of the corner of his eye he saw that Kid Flash and Miss Martian were rising again.
'I can't win here, there's too many.' The Talon thought before hearing a roar of rage behind him. Turning he saw Superboy rushing towards him fist raised. He leap out of the way, and Superboy smashed into the groundbreaking it beneath his punch and sending the others crashing a level down.
"Should have kept your guard up." The Talon said tossing down several flash bangs, and smoke bombs. When it all cleared the Talon was gone.
"Damn it! He got away." Nightwing sighed before looking over the others and helping them up; "Everyone alright?" He asked.
Wounded pride, but other wise nothing more than a few bumps, cuts, and bruises." Miss Martian said as she looked everyone over.
"What the hell is going on! Who was that, how did they know where to find me!?" Artemis asked seriously. Nightwing sighed and turned to them all.
"I know that I have some explaining to do, but not here. All of you go to the cave, I'll meet you all there soon I need to call Batman." Nightwing said. They all stared at him, before nodding slightly and heading to the nearest Zeta Tube.
-Wayne Enterprises 13th Floor-
While the team was heading to regroup The Talon had entered the false floor of Wayne Enterprises. He growled in frustration. Gathering himself a little, he walked over to a large computer with a gold and black chair in front of it. Sitting down in the chair he brought up a call and bowed his head.
The screen he sat in front of flickered to life and standing before him were several men and women dressed in suits and dresses and all of them had on white masks that gave them the appearance of owls.
"Talon, the Batman and his allies have stumbled across the other nests. With all this and your failure to kill Ms. Crock they will certainly be coming for you." The woman at the head of the group said casually as if speaking of nothing more than the weather.
"Are you asking me to flee my lady?" The Talon asked the Dark Orange lenses of his mask shining in the darkness as he looked up to them.
"No we have a plan for Gotham and tonight we will make our move, all I ask of you is to keep them busy in the mean time you will know when it is time to escape." She said.
"Of course Grandmaster." He said inclining his head as the screen turned off. Once the screen had gone dark the Talon let out a ragged breath and then punched a hole in the wall beside him. He was sick of this, all of it. The court, and their plans. He knew that, Batman and his allies would make their move to stop the Court.
He was also aware that, it wouldn't be enough. If the Court were making their move it was likely at a time where most if not all of the Justice League couldn't step in to help save Gotham. He however knew someone who might help them all.
Taking a deep breath he took a communicator for multi Talon missions. He set the frequency and stuck it in his ear.
"Please tell me that I still have the right frequency?" He said into the comm waiting for a second and then; "Who is this and how did you get on this frequency?" Asked a woman's voice sounding surprised but pleased and he smiled.
"This is Zach and I memorized it from the last time the Court worked with you, listen you remember how you said if I ever needed you to keep in touch, well I really need you now, or rather all of Gotham needs you." He said.
"Go on." The woman's voice said calmly.
"The Court of Owls is going to attempt to take over Gotham tonight, Batman and his allies aren't going to be able to win on their own you know the Court won't make a move like this if they didn't think they would win, but you can help even things out besides you kind of have a stake in this since I don't think you want Batman dead, yet anyway." He said.
He could almost hear the smirk in her voice, "Alright, we can be ready to move when you need us. Do you want me to send someone for you now?" She asked.
The Talon now known as Zach hesitated. This was it, win or loose he would be standing openly against the court, there was no turning back.
"Yes, but not to pick me up. If it's not too much trouble, I could use you and your son here. It's the only way that I can get them to listen without fighting me...not that I blame them for fighting me I kind of attacked one of them it's complicated." Zach said awkwardly.
She actually laughed a little; "We'll be there soon." She said seriously.
"Thank you." Zach said as the comm went quite.
-The Cave, Happy Harbor-
The team entered the main hanger of the Cave, Artemis now fully suited up with a new bow. Aqualad having returned from his trip to Atlantis after Superboy called him. As they entered they found Batman waiting for them typing away at one of the holographic computers, beside him were Nightwing and Red Arrow.
As soon as they entered Batman pulled up a picture of The Talon they had faced as well as a few other Talons.
"These as you all know now are Talons, lately they've been attacking Nightwing and I as we were investigating a group called the court of Owls. They're all highly trained, and very deadly." Batman said evenly.
Artemis spoke up; "If this were an issue and we were all in danger, why didn't you tell us about these Talons?" She demanded.
"I didn't tell any of you, because before now they only ever seemed to attack myself and Nightwing. They haven't gone after any one else, and especially not while they were not in costume. I'm glad that your still safe. However the attack on you proves the Court knows more than any of us would like. We need more information, so on that note, I am sending you all after the Talon who attacked Artemis. I want him brought in." Batman said seriously.
"Even with that level of skill isn't this group a bit much?" Kid Flash asked looking at the assembled heroes.
"It is, but everyone here isn't going on this mission. I will be taking Kid Flash, Aqualad, and Miss Martian with me to investigate another Talons nest that I discovered. Any questions?" Batman asked.
There were none, after all they had seen earlier there wasn't really anything else they needed to know. Batman nodded before digging into his belt and pulling out several arrowheads, and a few R shaped shuriken. He handed them to Robin, Red Arrow and Artemis.
"Take these, I made them especially for this mission they freeze on contact the Talons are weak to cold. Now move out." Batman said dismissing them all.
-Wayne Enterprises 14th Floor-
"Everybody, comms on and ready before we head in just in case." Nightwing said they all nodded and set up.
"Everyone good?" He asked through them receiving an affirmative from each of them Robin used a miniature laser to cut a hole in the floor and they each slid inside.
For a moment they were surrounded by nothing, but pitch blackness and silence. Then the lights came on revealing a room filled with various weapons, several suits of owl themed armor, a training area, a door that appeared to lead off into a bedroom. Directly in front of them was a large computer with a gold and black chair in front of it.
As the lights came on there was a rustling of wings and a live owl flew out past them and up through the hole they had made. They turned to where the owl had come from and stopped for a moment.
Before them stood the Talon still dressed as he had been, but he wasn't alone. Beside him stood three people, none of them Talons. To his right was a woman she had high cheek bones, olive skin, bright green eyes and long brown hair. She wore a black and green armored bodysuit that fit her like a glove, with a grey belt that held a gun and sword around her waist.
To that womans right was a boy of no older than ten, he wore an armored bodysuit that was white on top and black on bottom with a red and green Robin tunic over his chest the long white sleeves of the bodysuit coming out from under the sleeves of the tunic. He wore a red domino mask on his face with white lenses and a hooded grey cloak pulled up over his head. He wore white combat boots on his feet and black gloves with spiked knuckles on his hands and on his back he had two katana's.
To the Talons left was someone the team had encountered before. She had thick black hair and grey eyes, as well as olive colored skin. She wore a dark green colored kimono, that had shreds and rips along it. It was tied around her waist, where it reached to just above her knees. She wore knee-high black boots. On her face she wore a white mask, resembling a cat's head with red stripes and a wide grin making them all think of the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland.
For a moment the two groups stared at each other, no one spoke no one moved and then Nightwing broke the silence;
"Well, this is unexpected. Talia." He said inclining his head just slightly to the woman in the green and black bodysuit.
"Richard." She said smiling pleasantly.
"I should have suspected that you and the shadows would be working with the Talons." He sighed.
"Wrong we aren't working with all the Talons, just this one . We aren't working with the Court of Owls, we're trying to destroy them." Talia said calmly.
"Why do I have a hard time believing that?" Red Arrow asked his arrow drawn.
"Because put it this way, if we wanted to fight you why didn't we attack you all as soon as you entered?" The Talon asked simply. That actually gave them all a moment of pause.
"Please, just call Batman and I promise once he's here I can and will explain everything. I don't want to fight you all again, and I'm sorry about earlier. However, if you don't listen to me right now Gotham is doomed." He said seriously.
Nightwing stood cocking an eyebrow at the odd group before him as his own team looked to him for the word; "How do I know I could trust anything you say?" He asked.
The Talon sighed, and reached up gripping the edge of his mask. He hesitated for a moment and then he pulled his mask up and off his face. Beneath the mask was a young man about most of the teams age. He had short, black spikey hair and bright expressive green eyes. His skin was slightly pale from a life of mostly going out at night.
Nightwing gasped staring at the boys face, as if he had seen a ghost; "Nightwing are you okay? You know him?" Robin asked concerned.
"Of course I do, his names Zach and he's my little brother." He said shocking the others as Zach smiled a little.
"Hello Dick, please listen to me I really am trying to save your city." He said.
A/N: And so ends the first chapter. Let me know what you all think of the new version with review. Favorite or follow if you want to know the second the next chapter goes up. See you all next time.
Bye!