Well, I haven't exactly been the best person lately, but the plot bunny has finally come back!
Title: To Break and to Mend
Rating: T (Character Death, Violence, etc.)
Word Count: 2610
Pairing/s: Slight Dick/Barbara and Chalant, Spitfire, Mentions of Dick/Bette.
Warnings: May be slightly OOC, story may be a little bit confusing.
Bludhaven
2015, Oct 18, 11:34 PM
"There's a fire!"
Zatanna's voice rang loud and clear, signalling Batgirl to get a move on. Running in Nichtwing's direction, Barbara awaited directions. Nightwing was looking strangely distracted, but Batgirl shook it off.
"Lead the people out of here, use this rope if you need it. Meet me on the roof. Tell Zatanna to meet us there." Nightwing ordered handing her a coiled rope. Batgirl looked at him strangely. She had a grappling hook, why would she need a normal rope?
Deciding not to question her leader's orders, Batgirl raced into the flaming building. Choking in the poisonous smoke that clouded the building, Batgirl sprinted past Zatanna who was firing spells rapidly, trying to stop the spreading fire.
"Nightwing said to meet on the roof!" Batgirl shouted as Zatanna disappeared from her vision. The smoke made tears rush to her eyes, trying to get the stinging air out. Her throat clenched as she gasped for fresh air, ushering civilians out of the building. She shoved a rebreather in her mouth, shaking fallen debris out of her hair. Swinging around the building, Batgirl checked for anyone left. As she passed Zatanna for the second time, the magician turned to face her.
"Go to the roof, I'll make sure everyone gets out!" She shouted.
Batgirl nodded, though not wanting to take orders from the magician, she clambered up staircase after staircase and gasped the fresh air on the top of the building.
Nightwing was waiting for her on the edge of the roof.
"Where's Zatanna?" He asked.
Batgirl frowned, knowing that the first thing he asked about was Zatanna. "She's getting the rest of the people out. She'll be here soon."
Nightwing nodded, clearly not satisfied with the answer. The two heroes stood on the corner of the the roof, staring off into the distance. Suddenly, a crumbling sound met her ears. The ground underneath their feet started breaking, and
Batgirl jumped back as fast as she could, rolling to soften her landing on safe ground. As she landed, the rope she had puled and tangled on her leg, and at impact on the ground the rope whipped around faster than it should have. Nightwing who had been holding the other end of the rope was pulled in the wrong direction in mid-jump.
Batgirl felt panic rise in her body. Nightwing's foot didn't meet the ground. Batgirl was pulled forward as Nightwing dangled on the edge of the building, sixty feet up in the air, with flames licking underneath him.
Scrambling, Batgirl struggled to hold on to the rope, trying to pull her teammate back onto the building. The ropes tangled around her body pulled tighter until it was starting to hurt, the hard rope biting through her costume. The rope continued to slip through her fingers, sweat beading her face.
I have to keep pulling. I can't let go.
She could only wait for Zatanna now. Turning back to the rope, her blood ran as cold as ice.
The rope, was snapping. One bit by another. Her arms trembled even more, as the rope continued to snap.
Zatanna burst onto the roof, sprinting towards her. Her eyes widened as she saw the rope.
"Dnib eht epo-"
"SNAP!"
The rope snapped.
Time seemed to slow down as Nightwing fell. Batgirl's head spun, hoping that it wasn't real. Zatanna's voice was desperate, so very desperate as she chanted the same spell over and over.
"Gniwthgin etativel! Gniwthgin etativel!Gniwthgin etativel!"
Batgirl's eyes snapped shut as Nightwing was swallowed by flames.
Happy Harbour
2015, Oct 19, 01:19 AM
Zatanna stared through the bars of the jail cell. The Dark Night glowered at the two girls behind the bars.
Her day couldn't have been any worse. First, Nightwing had died. That made her day the possible worst day of her life. Then, the League had shown up on the scene, immediately placing them as guilty. Third, she and Barbara were stuck in a jail cell, inside the escape-proof, high security, Mount Justice.
And finally, they were now being interrogated (aka. Blamed) for Dick's death. Oh right, not by the team, but by Batman.
"Do you two have any idea how serious this is? We have no evidence, no evidence that you two are not guilty for Dick's death. Not a single camera footage, not a single eye witness. And the most likely suspects, are you two."
"Once again," Barbara started. "Why would WE, out of all people want to kill him?"
"You would have your reasons. You both could have easily committed this crime."
"How do you know his death wasn't an accident?"
"I don't. Zatanna, Barbara, how do you expect me to trust you anymore? How do you expect anyone to trust you anymore?"
Barbara glared at The Dark Night. A glare that would have been worthy of Batman himself.
Zatanna found her mouth almost glued shut. A voice, a voice shot an response back at Batman.
"You never trusted us. You trusted Dick." Barbara seemed to just realise was the one who had said those words. Those bitter words hit Zatanna like a smack to the face. And for once, she actually pitied Batman.
The man glared back, and left the room without a word.
Zatanna collapsed on the bed. The cell was small, with two plain white beds and a door that lead to the bathroom. Barbara was completely disarmed, while Zatanna had a collar around her neck that cancelled her powers.
"What now?" She asked, hoping for a good answer.
"What now? What now!?" Barbara's voice rose until she was almost shouting. "This is all your fault! If you stupid spell worked, Dick would still be alive and we wouldn't be blamed for murder!"
"My fault? You were the one who couldn't pull him up!"
"Not my fault he happens to be heavier than I am. Besides, you had two chances to save him! You failed at both."
"You could have at least shot a grappling hook or some sort of weapon that lets people have a soft landing!"
"If I shot a grappling hook at him it would have snapped his neck! And even if there was something to soften his landing he would have died from the fire!"
Zatanna tried to swallow her anger. "Can't we just stop arguing and make up? We can't change the past. Not now."
"Whatever you say Miss. Magician Girl. I will if you promise to not bother me."
"It's a deal, Mini Commissioner."
Happy Harbour
2015, Nov 21, 09:14 PM
Hours became days. Time passed slowly. every once in a while a member of the Team, the League, would come to see them.
Most of the looks were hate, despise, anger. Zatanna got used to those.
But the looks of pity, disappointment, she would never get used to them.
Days were spent in silence. Barbara didn't talk to her, and she didn't talk to Barbara. They walked past each other without a single glance. They lived life without a single word to anybody.
But one night, when the Team was already in bed, Barbara stopped to talk.
"Look, Zatanna, I've been thinking."
"About what?"
"About how Dick's death, didn't really make sense."
Zatanna wasn't surprised. But really, did anything make sense to her anymore? Barbara continued talking.
" The random fire with no cause, and the fact that Dick gave me the rope, it was almost as if he expected that he would- that he would fall."
"Are you saying he planned his own death?"
"No! It's just that what had happened, seemed to much like a coincidence. The place we were standing on, wouldn't have just collapsed. The structure of the building proved that the spot we were standing on was one of the most stable parts of the building!"
Zatanna blinked, realising what Barbara had just said was true. "Barbara, is Dick heavy enough to make the rope snap?"
Barbara thought for a moment. "No, even though there was a lot of strain on the rope, it shouldn't have just snapped. Unless Dick tampered with the rope before he gave it to me. But why would he do that? And also, the rope seemed to keep slipping out of my hands. I thought it was sweat, but I was wearing gloves!"
"And who gave you those gloves?"
"Dick!"
"Now that I think of it, when Dick passed me as he was heading to the roof, I noticed his aura was a little bit wrong. I thought it was nothing... but maybe..." Her voice trailed off.
"Maybe, that wasn't actually Dick. Even though he looked like him, acted like him, I don't think the person who had died was actually Dick. He could be a clone, or a robot or something." Barbara replied.
"That means, the real Dick is out there somewhere, probably trapped by whoever made the fake Dick. And we're the only ones who know."
Gotham City
2015, Nov 21, 10:23
Barbara typed furiously on her computer, deleting any evidence of the fact that they had just travelled through the zeta tubes. Getting out of the Cave was the easy part. Hiding their tracks from the World's Best Detective, not exactly easy.
Zatanna and Barbara now stood in an alley in the dirty streets of Gotham, she couldn't help but be thankful about the fact that Batman was off world at the moment. The two girls wore civilian clothes, and were currently shoving quarters into a working pay phone.
They were currently trying to find somebody on their side, somebody that still trusted them, and knew a good range of villains. Barbara's first instinct was to call her Dad. But Batman had told her Dad what had happened. It wasn't like she could call her Dad as Barbara Gordon, but calling him as Batgirl was almost as bad.
But she had to try. Dialling the number of Commissioner Gordon, Barbara waited for him to answer.
"Commissioner Gordon, can I help you?"
"Hi, um, Commissioner, it's Batgirl."
There were a couple seconds of silence.
"I'd prefer it if you could please return to where you are being held. You are not my problem. Has Batman not yet placed you in a cell?"
Barbara hung up.
"That, didn't really go well." Zatanna stated.
"What do you expect? My Dad hates one part of me but loves the other! How can I live like that?"
"Babs, just let me try." Zatanna punched a number that Barbara didn't recognize.
They waited.
Palo Alto
2015, Nov 21, 10:30
Artemis groaned as the phone rang loud. She checked her clock. Why would anyone call her at this time of the night? She slipped out of the bed, and headed towards her phone that she had left on the kitchen table.
Now frowning, Artemis noticed the number wasn't one that she knew. Cautious, she answered the call.
"Artemis." She said.
"Hey Artemis, it's Zatanna."
"Zatanna? Why are you calling me? Why aren't you using your own phone?"
"It's a long story. But I need your help, and quick."
"I'm listening."
"Do you know any villains that are good with making clones or robots that are very realistic? And can they be ones that are really good at evil master plans?"
"Well, you know that Cadmus makes clones, but not really good at evil plans. Other than that, I'd Ra's Al Ghul and Lex Luthor are your best bets."
"Thank you so much Artemis!"
Zatanna hung up.
Sighing, Artemis wondered if it was right to tell them what she had. After all, Wally didn't want anything to do with the two.
But Artemis knew she could make her own decisions.
"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Zatanna asked.
"No. But it's our only chance."
Barbara continued walking inside the cave-like area. Her eyes darted around for any sign of movement. Going after Ra's Al Ghul was possibly one of the stupidest things she had ever done. But what other choice did she have?
"This place seems strangely empty." Zatanna stated.
"Basically screams 'trap' to me."
"Duh."
They continued walking. Silence followed them. Minute after minute. Half a hour. A whole hour. Two hours.
"Babs, what if, whoever did this, expected us to figure it out? What if they expected us to be here?"
"Seems likely."
A voice rang through the dark.
"And right you are girls."
The two whipped around. Barbara squinted through the darkness. A man stood there, a familiar man. His mouth stretched in a grin. No wonder. Of course it was him.
Lex Luthor clapped his hands. "Well girls, I can't say I'm not surprised. But of course, I have to be ready for everything. And I am."
Mercy stepped out of the shadows, dragging a limp body tied to a chair with her. Her arm was in ready to shoot, aimed at the figure she dragged with her. Zatanna gasped. At first, Barbara couldn't recognise the person. Then, she looked closer. Worry was her first thought.
"Dick?" The name slipped out of her mouth without permission. The said man looked up, before Mercy shoved his head back down.
"Stop!" Zatanna shouted.
"I'm so sorry Zatanna, but this could be the key to learning everything about the League."
"Eerf gniwthg-"
Zatanna was interrupted as she dodged Mercy's laser.
"Girls, I expected you here. I'm ready. It isn't luck in battle that matters, it's prepara-"
"You may have expected them here. But you definitely didn't expect me." A batarang flew through the air, lodging itself in Mercy's arm. Instantly, a mini explosion erupted from the device, taking out Mercy's cannon.
Robin leaped towards Mercy, knocking her away from Dick. Taking this as a chance to use her spells, Zatanna opened her mouth.
"Xel rohtul peels!"
Lex Luthor almost instantly dropped to the ground unconscious. Barbara rushed toward Dick, Zatanna right behind her.
"He's fine." Barbara said, relaxing almost instantly. Zatanna let out a sigh of relief.
"Hey!" Robin shouted. "I could use some help here!"
"Ycrem tuhs nwod!"
The machine stopped moving.
"Thanks." Robin said.
Batman knelt next to Nightwing, who had finally sat up.
"We should leave now." The Dark Night stated.
"What, you didn't miss me?" Nightwing protested. Bat man ignored him.
"Barbara, Zatanna, you snuck out of the cave, hacked the zeta tubes, and headed after a dangerous villain. Good Job."
Pride swelled up in Barbara's chest, along with a strange feeling of happiness. Her cheeks heated up the slightest bit.
"You'll tell my Dad what happened right?"
"I think you should tell him yourself. After all, he deserves to know that his daughter is Batgirl."
Barbara nodded and headed towards Zatanna.
"So, I guess this is all over. Right Zatanna?"
"Right." The said girl replied.
"Something wrong?"
"Nah, just thinking about when we used to hate each other because we both liked Dick. We were so stupid."
"Definitely stupid."
"Now that I think of it, how many girls do you think Dick has dated?"
"Not that I care, but I don't think I would know. Right Miss. Magician Girl?"
"Duh, Mini Commissioner."
Walking not far behind them, Tim looked up at Dick.
"I don't think you should tell them about your one night stand with Bette." He whispered. "They make a scary team."
"How do you think they would react if they knew I had a one night stand with Bette?"
"YOU WHAT?" Two voices rang out in unison.
"Run." Tim said. "You don't stand a chance."
Bruce glared back at them.
"As much as I should worry about your life, you asked for it."
Dick ran.
End.
Translation of Zatanna's spells:
"Dnib eht epo-" = Bind the rope (Unfinished)
"Gniwthgin etativel!" = Nightwing levitate!
"Eerf gniwthg-" = Free Nightwing (Unfinished)
"Xel rohtul peels!" = Lex Luthor sleep!
"Ycrem tuhs nwod!" = Mercy shut down!
Please R&R, and if anyone wants to make a story about what happened to Dick, go ahead, you're allowed.