Last Laugh (arc)
RAY
"I need you to go on patrol."
That's what he had said. And it was true. It was only supposed to be a patrol. Just a sweep through, report anything big, take care of anything small. Unfortunately, some small things are a lot bigger than they seem.
It had started earlier that night, just as the sun was setting. Stay away from Bats, try to avoid Robin, usually Nightwing isn't here, there's probably no Batgirl. That was the closest thing to rules Red Hood had given her. Well, aside from a basic, avoid police and avoid wasting bullets, but only kill when necessary. Ray was standing, mask on, surveying the surround streets for a moment, before taking a turn and following the usual route.
It was only a small heist, probably something the police could've dealt with easily. That's what it looked like- some thugs coming in like they're buying before taking the cash from the register, not like, some expertly planned diamond heist from a super secure building done by metahumans. Honestly, Ray wished it had been. Because with metas, she didn't have to worry about backup, Flash or Bats would show up at some point. With this, she had no backup. No quick com call, no radio frequencies for help, no one nearby. She was completely alone, in the worst possible way.
Ray had dove in, getting the stores cash back quickly before one of the thugs grabbed her from behind, the smile on his face and the laugh escaping his lips telling her exactly who it was. Then, she was here. Some run down building, probably in the slums, and who knows how long she'd been there. And she knew nothing good would come from the horrid stench of chemicals and the table of knives beside her. Trying to move only hurt, causing icy steel to dig into her wrists. And ankles.
"So the new ones awake~" Joker cooed. Leaning towards Ray. "Did the ol' bird boy tell you what I did to him? 'Cause I'm gonna do it again. And this time," his face went serious as his gaze sliced into Ray. "This time no ones getting back. And this is gonna last as long as possible. No Bats coming to the rescue." He grinned, uncomfortably close to Rays face. And she spit. Right in his eye.
The smile vanished behind the furious look in the mad mans eyes as he slapped her. Grabbing a knife and pressing the blade against her neck, the grin sliding back onto his face as liquid crimson moved slowly down the blade.
"So much to do, and all the time in the world," Joker cackled, pausing to say "until you starve I guess. Or die of blood loss."
Ray glared up at the joker, trying to pull a blade from her sleeve when she realized the chill of the emptiness without her sweatshirt, a simple layer of an armored bodysuit. In short, no lock picks, no knives, and no guns. She knew the holsters on her thighs were gone, no way he'd let her keep those, and the right eye of her goggles were shattered, which blurred her vision quite a bit.
"Of all the things to break," she snarled, watching the knife move away. "You just had to break the goggles."
"Oh boo-hoo, cry me a river, Bat brat."
"What do you want anyways? If it's information all I can tell you is pi, a few formulas for math, and the mechanics of a bike."
"I don't need anything from you except for blood. A few months here, and you'll wish all I wanted was information."
"Like hell," she spat with a scowl.
Joker studied her before breaking out into laughter. "Let's turn that frown-" he spun the knife, pressing it to her face. "-upside down."
That. That was the exact moment fear washed over her face. She didn't want to scream. She didn't want to give in to the pain. But the serrated blade dragging through her face shredded the scream from her throat.
"No signs of the Joker have been reported since his escape from Arkham two weeks ago, but citizens are still on edge knowing he is loose..." the news droned from the computer in the cave. Damian was standing behind Bruce, both in their respective costume.
"Anything new over here?" a worn out looking Dick Grayson questioned, removing his mask to rub his eyes.
"No," Bruce sighed, still searching for news on his greatest enemy.
"Jace?" he questioned, tapping into the communications.
"No, but I may have some general news," the Red Hood growled through the coms.
"And that is?"
"Ray went missing, a few weeks ago-"
"Who the hell is Ray?" Damian questioned, crossing his arms and glaring at the comm. no doubt he wanted to be out patrolling.
"Reina Swenson, legally. She's worked with me for three years, ended up deciding to take on my last name," one could almost hear Jason frowning and a slight time of annoyance.
Grayson stiffened, wide eyes on the computer. "Ray? Ray's missing, and you didn't tell anyone?" Dick growled, fists clenched at his side.
"I don't have to share life stories with you, Grayson," Jason snarled back.
"Yeah but the amount of time she's spent around Dick Grayson is enough that I should know-"
"Both of you shut up. It's likely that your friend is the reason we haven't seen Joker..."
At first, she had wanted to try to keep time, but her inability to focus and stay awake for even a few hours destroyed that idea. The dried blood sickened her and her skin burned in pain from previous days of some chemical thrown at her. The only mark of her tears were the thin lines where the grime had washed away. Her stillness would make someone think she was dead, and maybe she really wished she was.
"It's been a month Bruce, none of them have showed up. No bodies, no clues, they've just disappeared!" Dick was pacing around the computer. Earlier he'd been fighting the urge to destroy anything reminding him of Joker. Just as Grayson paused to look at the computer, the news flashed on.
"Just now the Joker who has been missing for almost two months after his escape from Arkham has made an appearance, and with this video he's all but inviting Batman to stop him? The video is not for young audiences." The video cut to a grinning Joker, waving his fingers at a camera.
"Hey Batsy, missed me? Well, someone missed the new toy," he stepped to the side and the men froze. The blood was everywhere, glass shattered, a few knives here and there, and the pale stains from that acidic chemical. "She was a fun toy but broke quite a bit sooner than I hoped. But maybe you'll be here when this ones disposed of, like last time," he broke off into a cackle, and panned the camera back to the girl. "You know where, the parties at midnight, don't be late."
The screen cut black then to the reporter who stood there horrified.
"She's only a kid, barely almost seventeen," Dick murmured, the tortured image stuck tattooed in his mind.
"Robin, we're going out."
/Gothom City Slums, Jackies Candie Factory: 11:37 PM/
He had all but ordered Nightwing to stay away from this, as well as Jason. Who knew how they might react to this, being that they knew the kid and it was the Joker.
The door of the old factory was unlocked, creaking open and the shadows slid in.
"As soon as we find the kid, you get her out of here," Batman directed to Robin as the two moved through the crumbling building.
"Hey kiddo," Jokers voice echoed as he stood in front of Ray. "You look happy- what's got ya smiling?" he cackled, releasing Rays chin as her head fell. Her empty eyes on the ground. "You must've heard what I did to your Boy Blunder, and know what's gonna happen to you..."
A sharp scream sent Batman running down the hall, Robin at his heels. Somewhere near- but where? Where exactly was she?
The moment his eyes landed on her, there was a gun shot, a starting fire, and the sound of metal on bone.
"Just in time, Batman," Joker all but sang, standing next to Ray. A guns barrel resting against her temple. "You get to see what happened before her brains are painting the floor." With his empty hand he latched onto Rays disheveled hair, forcing her head up.
"She was so serious, and hey, it's a kid! Let's give her a smile."
Her skin was a mess of pale and sickly white, with spots looking paler, like that of Jokers, and covered in a mix of fresh and old blood, crusted especially around her mouth.
"Robin!" he shouted, throwing batarangs towards Joker, hoping to disarm him.
Joker in turn, laughed, firing madly at Batman, who moved forward quickly, slamming his fist into Jokers jaw.
Robin darted forward, beginning to melt the metal chains with a small heated laser from his utility belt.
"Robin, get her to a hospital! Now!..."
Another few weeks and Bruce had told Dick and Jason not to even think of visiting until he said so. He, of course, had, as well as Robin, doing what they could to keep her identity as secret as possible, along with keep the two away due to Bruces fearing the reactions they may have. Always one of the two there, keeping an eye on the girl who had multiple times refused to eat after attempts the first few days where it not only hurt to extreme measures, but she couldn't keep it down, which caused even more pain. They had done what the could to the cuts on her face, as well as the rest of her body, but that didn't mean there wasn't going to be intense scarring. But now, almost another month later, while he was patrolling, Robin was giving Ray a sweatshirt and pants which they'd got from Jason, who'd gotten said things from the girls cheap apartment.
Sure, she was able to make some money working with Red Hood, that didn't mean she was rich. Anyways she'd always said that those more broken areas were something she was used too, and one person didn't need a mansion to themselves.
"You look like shit," Damian stated, tossing the clothes towards Ray, who caught them and shrugged. Damian turned, waiting for the girl to change. Ray tapped his shoulder before sliding out of the window, her hood up.
"Do you have my glasses?" She questioned with a soft voice, still wearing the broken pair of goggles. Her voice was laced with fear, and it was clear she didn't want to speak.
"Yeah. I'll give them to you as soon as we're further away though."
Ray nodded, moving quickly down the side of the building via fire escape.
"You're not driving," Damian stated, climbing onto the Robin motorcycle.
"Wasn't gonna ask to," she muttered, sliding into the seat behind him. The second she had a safe grip, and both had helmets, the kid slammed the gas and they took off towards the cave.
As much as she wanted to ask where they were going, it was even more clear that she didn't want to talk. Or maybe it hurt. But when they pulled into the cave, Ray was definitely shocked. Yes, she was buddies with Dick and worked with Jason, but that didn't mean she knew where the hell the cave was. And she definitely had not been there before.
"Reina means queen," Damian commented, not looking at Ray. "You don't seem like much of a queen."
"I go by Ray," she stated, removing the helmet and throwing the hood back to shadow her face. "And no, I'm not a queen. In any way. I believe I'm far from it."
"Ray!" the girl looked up as Dick sprinted over. Panic entered her eyes as she saw Jason, remembering what she'd been told about his time as Robin.
"How far would you say this is from my apartment?" Ray asked looking at Dick who had slowed to a walk. He wrapped his arms around the girl before answering.
"Further than you're going. Why the hood, kiddo?" Rays hands flew to the hood, pulling at it to keep it over her face. Dicks smile faded to worry. "Is everything ok?"
"I'm just- still tired..." she gave a nervous laugh, shifting on her feet.
"Alfred prepared a room upstairs for her," Bruce's voice came in over Damian's com unit.
"Can I-"
"I'm on my way back to the cave. And Damian, she's your responsibility until I say otherwise."
"Yes father," Damian turned, sending a glare at Ray before moving towards the cave stairs up to the house.
No sooner had Damian pointed to a room and pushed Ray inside than the boy had left, no doubt back to the cave. Ray shook her head, locking the door before shuffling over to the bed and curling up at the edge, not even bothering with the sheets or pillows. She ran her fingers over the raised scars by her lips before pulling the hood tight over her face, feeling tears slip out of the corner of her eyes. She stayed there for the next hour or so, thankfully alone, before looking around the room for paper and a pen or something.
She found some crumpled paper in a desk and a pen as well. Quickly she scribbled "I had to do something at my apartment. Thanks for everything, I'll play you back. Stay safe -RT"
With that she unlocked the door before opening the window and exiting that way.
It had taken a few minutes to get towards the city, and then a taxi, and then to her apartment. A total of at the least an hour, maximum of three, she hadn't tried keeping track of time.
Walking into her apartment, a small tabby cat ran up to her, rubbing it's head against her leg. She grinned, closing the door and crouching, gathering the cat in her arms.
"Hey Robin," she hummed, making her way towards a room a little further in the small apartment. The walls were an off white, and the floors were hardwood that probably hadn't been replaced since the building was built. She glanced down to see a full bowl of food and clean water, a smiling tugging at her lips. She put down the cat before changing into sleep pants and again curled up on the bed, throwing the sheet over her head and letting herself fall into blackness.
/
Ray woke to a cat curled into the side of her body and the other, Robin, on her stomach. It was still dark outside and her face felt wet. She didn't realize she was crying until she rubbed her eyes, and remembered the horrid nightmare she'd had. She slowly shifted, sliding a cheap flip phone into her pocket before walking to the "living room" as one would call it, though it was a living room, partially kitchen, dining room, etc. She turned on a small light, sitting on the old couch she'd picked up from a garage sale with a friends help and finally began going through all the missed messages and calls, most from Dick, some Jason, a few friends, and work. Which she was fired from the previous week according to a message.
She'd slept for four hours according to a clock when her phone began ringing.
"You've reached Reina Todd, how may I help you?" Ray answered, holding back a small yawn.
"Hey, Ray, it's Dick."
"Oh, yeah, hey."
"You left, and you were acting weird, what's going on?" Dick asked, the worry in his voice evident. "You just got out of the hospital a few hours ago-"
"I'm fine Dick, I just wanted to be home. I mean, I haven't seen Robin or Red in so long!" As if Dick was there, Ray grinned, then froze, seeing her reflection in the old screen of the tv in front of her. Her phone hit the floor as she trembled, hands again touching the scars left by the joker.
"Ray? Ray what's going on?" the words seemed to fade away to Ray, the world spinning around her. And as if waiting, Dick was there within minutes.
She looked up long enough to see his reaction before pulling her hood over her face, but was quickly restricted from doing so when Grayson wrapped his arms around the girl, trying to calm her down.
"What did I do?" she finally cried out, her voice low and weak. "What could I have possibly done to deserve this?"
"Nothing- you didn't deserve it at all," Dick tried to speak, but it was if her mind was somewhere else, only hearing herself.
"I-I didn't do anything- I didn't mean to... not my fault- Trinity what did I do?" Her fists clutched Dicks shirt as she cried out in confusion.
Trinity was a name Dick hadn't heard Ray mention before, and he quickly made a mental note to check stuff out as he attempted to instruct the panicking girl.
It felt like an eternity before the eighteen year old had come back into focus, though it had only been minutes.
"It's fine, and it'll go away over time-" he began only for Ray to snap back.
"That's not how scars work Grayson and you know it. And at the moment I don't seem to have any kind of job which kind of ruins my income and I was just accepted into college for mechanics- how the hell am I gonna pay for that- oh my god I couldn't even go to classes-"
"Hey," Dick gave Ray a stern look, grabbing the girls shoulders. "No one knows who you are," he lowered his voice, knowing how thin the walls were here. "And no one knows what happened.
"You know how Bruce is, all you would have to do was ask him to help-"
"No." Rays eyes narrowed. "I can't take anymore charity. Not unless I absolutely have to. And even then, I treat it as a dept. Which reminds me, I've gotta pay back for that hospital bill."
"Ray you don't have to."
"Yes, I do. That's a debt, Grayson. I owe him-"
"Then pay him back some other way," Dick pointed at the small sketches of symbols on a sticky note stuck to the wall. "A way better than money. Just ask him-"
Ray held up a hand, stopping Dick. "That could work, but I've still gotta find a paying job. I don't think I'll ever get that with-" she lightly dragged her finger over the scar. "This. Nothing's going to work!" she cried in frustration, scraping her fingers through her bangs.
"Mr. Fox. Talk to Bruce and Lucius, your a mechanic and an engineer, I bet you could help a lot."
"But Jace-"
"He's not a good person, Ray. You know that. You have known that. Something's you have to leave behind."
Ray sighed, curling into the corner of the couch which a sigh. "We'll see," she finally stated, hugging her knees. "Shouldn't you be in Blüdhaven?"
"You just got out of the hospital."
"Technically I got out yesterday. Don't you have a girlfriend you should be with? Or a boyfriend? Someone you should be sleeping with or something?"
Dick glared for a moment before sighing and shaking his head. "I'll leave once you've spoken to Bruce."
"Then we'll wait until some time when he's awake, which I guess is often... so when I'm awake. Happy?"
"Well-"
"Don't be a Dick. It's fine."
"Did you really just make that pun?"
Ray raised an eyebrow at him in questioning as if saying "did you really just ask that?"
"You're something, Ray."
"Aye, at least I'm not nothing."
Dick smiled, standing up and moving towards the door. "Talk to him. Head over at eight. AM, Ray. Not PM."
Ray frowned at Dicks back before mentally sighing, watching her friend exit.
"Isn't this what happened to Tim?" She murmured, looking up at the ceiling. "...no. No, I got off lucky..."
/
A week later, knowing she wasn't going to sleep, Ray had thrown the costume on and climbed to the roof of the building. She had spotted the bat symbol in the sky. She had tried to talk to Bruce Wayne, but, to her relief and Dicks annoyance, he'd always been busy with something. She knew she still had to speak with him, and she had assumed that talking to batman was just as good. She aimed the grappling gun, shooting and beginning to make her way to the police building.
The second she landed there was a gun aimed at her and the commissioner was speaking.
"Give me one good reason I wouldn't shoot you."
Ray sighed, holding up her hands in a surrender. "Because I was a stupid kid," she spoke with a sigh, moving one hand to pull the cloth away from over her mouth. "And I've got my consequences." She pulled a device from her pocket and showed it to both the commissioner and Batman. "I'm here to make up for the sins in my past, though I know they'll never truly go away."
The commissioner cautiously moved forward, taking the device labeled "FAILSAFE."
"A failsafe for what?"
"I built an automatic lock into the guns I messed with. I do my best to always have some kind of failsafe."
"And why should any of this stop me from shooting you-?"
"I'll deal with her, Gordon," Batman interrupted, glaring at Ray.
"But-"
"Hey, commiss, catch," Ray tossed the device towards Gordon caught it with both hands.
"Go to the cave, Hood," Batman ordered, turning back towards the commissioner.
Ray nodded, turning and stepping off the building, and quickly firing the grappling gun in a direction opposite the manor, taking a longer route around.
She landed on a building roof with a roll before firing again and diving off the building. If only I'd gone about this a bit differently... maybe I wouldn't have so much to make up for- if only I'd been more thoughtful, if only I'd been smarter. The line went taunt and then, it wasn't. She felt the rope go loose, and for a moment she was suspended in midair. Then she was falling. She didn't scream at first, simply trying to find something to grab onto while thoughts raced her mind. No. Oh god no- no no no- she spotted a flag pole jutting out from someone's wall. Praise- her hand hooked it, swinging slightly before that too snapped. No- oh god- I'm sorry- if only I'd been smarter. She squeezed her eyes shut, tensing her body. I don't want to die-
"Oh my god is that-"
"Someone call the police-"
"...ambulance! Call an ambulance!"
"Don't look-..."
/
"I am here on the scene where the body of the vigilante known to some as Hood has been found. The police are on the scene and the body has been covered, while more officers are closing off the street-" the news woman paused, quickly turning to look somewhere off camera. "This just in, Blüdhaven's Nightwing has just appeared on the scene and is... claiming the body? I must assume that whoever is behind that mask is someone close to Nightwing."
The news droned on as Damian stared. Something was wrong about it. Bruce had said she was coming to the cave- mentioned a change of heart or something. Then minutes later she was dead. From falling. And unless Jason didn't care, he was positive Ray had a line similar to the one he used as Robin. And those don't just break.
Thirty minutes later, Nightwing was back in the cave carrying the broken figure of Ray, and another hour later both Jason and Bruce had returned. Unless mistaken, all thought Jason appeared shocked, gaping at the broken body. His thoughts shot back to earlier, on the roof top. He was about to shoot, and Ray had fired instead, knocking the gun from his hand.
"You're getting soft," Jason snarled, slamming a fist into the mans skull, knocking him out. He looked up at Ray.
"No, Red. I'm growing up. I'm not fifteen anymore."
"The old mans rubbing off on you."
"Good," Ray turned, stepping away from Jason and falling through the night.
"It's going to get you killed."
He had never expected that it would be so soon-
/
They held a small personal funeral. Only people that knew Ray as Hood, or people who knew only the Hood. Personally. Bruce, his sons, a few others from the Batfamily, and Oracle.
And while watching people talk, discussing how it happened or who could have done something to cause it. Jason moved forward, placing a hand on Damian's shoulder.
"You're going to help me," he stated, not looking at the smaller boy as he examined the room. "This is something that can be fixed. And you're going to help."