Author's Note: This little gem grew in my brain after doing some research on Nightwing/Robin/Dick Grayson. I ran across the Court of Owls in my research and the theory (Can't seem to find any actual cannon evidence that this happens. If it's out there let me know) that Dick, or in this case Diane, was supposed to become a Talon for the Court. This idea has taken hold and is refusing to let me go. So here it is. This takes place in the five year period between seasons one and two. This is about a year after season ended. I own nothing please review.
In The Owl's Talon
1. Slipping
The Injustice League wasn't supposed to be here in Gotham on a routine patrol. Batman was away on a league mission and they had no one they could call for help. They were getting their asses handed to them by the combined force of seven heavy hitters plus Bane and Harley Quinn. Zatana was already down, unconscious due to one of Wotan's spells. Miss Martian and Superboy were taking on Atomic Skull and Ultra Huminite and not doing well. Aqualad was bleeding heavily, Artemis was trying to stay out of range of Harley's hammer while Kid Flash and Rocket teamed up against Black Atom and Count Vertigo. That left Robin on her own against Bane, Ivy and the Joker. She was actually doing pretty well until she missed her landing as Rocket screamed falling out of the sky. Robin slipped and caught a vine to the side. It grabbed hold around her around her utility belt cutting her off from her equipment.
She grunted as Wally tried to get to her but was smacked into a wall by Bane. He slid down it unconscious. M'ggan screamed as she was struck by one of Atomic Skulls blasts. Superboy roared but was knocked down along with Artemis and Aqualad by Count Vertigo. They passed out as Ivy brought Robin closer to the Joker.
The Joker cackled loudly as Robin struggled against the vine around her waist. Harley wandered to his side and draped herself against him.
"Aww look at the pretty Birdie Mister J!" The Joker grinned manically running a hand up Harley's side.
"He'll be even prettier covered in blood Harley!" Harley giggled clinging to the Jokers arm as he pulled out a knife with the other. Bane laughed.
"Será bueno volver a la Bat quitándole su pájaro." Ivy grinned and the vine squeezed hard making Robin cry out.
"Poor little birdie, should we put him out of our misery?" Ivy grinned as the non Gotham villains gathered the other teen heroes in a rather undignified pile. The Joker cackled.
"I call carving rights!" He moved forward knife in hand. Robin closed her eyes but the blow never came. She peeked at the villains in front of her to find that the non Gotham villains were all on the ground, bleeding and unconscious. The Gotham villains were looking up at the scaffolding of the warehouse terror in their eyes. Even the Jokers smile had slipped. Robin couldn't move around to see what they were looking at but she could hear the voice, distorted and loud behind and above her.
"Temp not the Owls, they hold the city in their hand. Fear the Owls, they are the true night. Touch not that which belongs to the Owls, or lose the harming hand." The knife clattered to the floor. Something struck Robin in the neck and her vision spun. The world went grey as the villains ran. She tried to turn her head as someone walked up to her. She saw an empty white mask with deep black eyes. As her vision tunneled someone tilted her head up.
"Little Robin watched over Gotham city just like a good boy should. But soon the little Robin will be taken by the Owls, to become what she truly should be." Robin could barely feel the needle that pierced her skin as her world went black.
Gordon found them a few hours later and took them to the station as quietly as possible before turning on the Batsignal. Batman arrived ten minutes later and picked up the still unconscious teens in the Batjet before flying it to Mount Justice and dumping all nine teen heroes in the med bay. He was both angry and worried as the team began to stir. Robin was out cold. He had found a dart in her neck, he had it in the lab where he was planning to analyze it later but he was too busy right now calming down the team. They were panicked because the last thing they had seen was Robin being menaced by the Joker. Once they were assured that Robin was fine the questions started. Only to be cut off abruptly by Robin groaning and sitting up.
"What happened?" Batman raised an eyebrow.
"That's what we were counting on you telling us. What do you remember?" Robin shook her head.
"Not much. Ivy had me caught, I was sloppy. The Joker was flirting with Harley while talking about ways to carve me up. Then everything went fuzzy. I think there was someone else there but I can't remember. It's all fuzzy." Batman nodded.
"You were drugged. Dart to the neck. Not the accounted for villains MO. Not the way it was done anyway. It wasn't deadly so it's not the Joker." Robin nodded rubbing her neck.
"Rohypnol?" Batman nodded.
"Most likely." Artemis stared.
"How do you know that!?" Robin grinned slightly.
"Cause I've been dosed with pretty much everything in the book. I know what it feels like." Artemis rolled her eyes at the young hero as Zatana fussed. Artemis knew Zatana would be disappointed soon when she discovered that her Boy Wonder was not a boy at all. Robin was running a hand over her arm.
"What's wrong?" Batman grabbed her arm and examined it. It took him about two seconds to find the other puncture wound on the inside of Robin's elbow. He was kicking himself for not noticing it earlier. He quickly grabbed a syringe off of the table next to him and drew a blood sample from the same arm she had been rubbing. Something was off here and he was going to find out what. He took the sample and headed towards the door.
"Robin you are on medical lockdown until further notice, the rest of you are free to go." He left before Robin could protest.
Translations
Thank google translate
Será bueno volver a la Bat quitándole su pájaro. (Spanish)
It will be good to get back at the Bat by taking away his bird.