Eventful Beginnings
Chapter 1
The music in the club was giving her a headache, she'd heard enough techno and bass pulsing sounds these last couple nights to last a lifetime. Serenity had come to realize the club scene just wasn't for her. Sure she didn't mind a party with drinking and dancing but if she was going to be around someone she'd like to actually be able to have a conversation and be able to hear herself talk. Hell the only reason she was here was because Naru came for a visit and wanted to "hit the town" and drown her troubles away from her break up with Umino. Speaking of said girl she'd lost her, figuring she was in the bathroom since her friend was three sheets to the wind Naru was most likely hugging a toilet while she emptied her stomach. Searching the ladies room there was no sign of her friend, pulling up a picture on her phone she asked a few of the people standing around the restrooms if they'd seen her and they directed her toward a side exit. Hoping they weren't lying she walked out into the warm summer night air and thankfully found Naru hovering over a dumpster emptying the contents of her stomach in the back alley.
"You okay Naru?" She asked softly placing a hand on her shoulder.
Naru just raised up looked at her shook her head and continued to vomit.
Sighing Serenity held back her friends hair and rubbed her back soothingly waiting for her to finish so she could take her home and put her to bed.
A few minutes later she heard a loud whistling and cat calls coming from the entryway to the alley.
"Who're they?" Naru asked looking up from the dumpster.
"No one good." Serenity answered as she went to try and open the door she'd came out of but it wouldn't budge. She pounded on the door to try and get someone's attention but no one answered. "Shit!" She thought as she heard the footsteps coming closer. Going back to her friend she stood in front of her defensively Naru was in no condition to defend herself.
"I call dibs on the silver haired beauty." She heard one say.
"Fine by me I prefer redheads, besides looks like she'll be easier to tame than your wildcat." Another said.
"I'll show you wildcat." Serenity thought as she crouched into a defensive position not taking her eyes off the group of men coming towards them.
"Don't we get a say." One asked motioning between himself and two others.
"You guys can have them when we're done. You know that." The tallest of the group most likely the ringleader said. "I have a feeling you already know how this is going to work. So we can do this the easy way or the hard way. It's your choice sweetheart." He said once they all reached the end of the alley and finally came into the light surrounding them as they blocked the exit.
They were average looking varying in heights and build from lean to somewhat muscular and some were on the heavy side. And each one looked like they jumped out of the generic thug catalog complete with baggy clothing and crappy facial hair. Though she did give them credit for actually having some type of vocabulary instead of constantly talking in slang like some knockoff gangster on TV.
"Five wannabe thugs attacking innocent women in an alley it's really cliché." She told them calmly though her heart wanted to beat out of her chest. Only one of her and five of them she didn't like the odds especially in a confined space and having to look after Naru. She might have a chance to get away on her own but that was out of the question. And she doubted anyone was going to walk out the door anytime soon. "Where'd you get your clothes Gangster R Us?"
"You're feisty I'm going to enjoy plugging up that mouth of yours."
"Try it and I bite it off."
"Hard way it is then wildcat." He said cracking his knuckles for effect.
She'd take out the leader first they seemed like good little sheep that followed there master and if you take out the leader the rest run scared or so she hoped. "You should know better than to corner a wild animal so bring it asshole."
He jabbed at her with his right hand and she felt the rush of air pass by her ear as she dodged.
Punch after punch came at her and she dodged and blocked each one.
She was thankful that Haruka and Makoto insisted that she learn to defend herself properly and taught her how to fight.
When she saw an opening her fist connected with his nose blood splattering.
He stumbled back a bit and she sent a kick straight to his groin bringing him to his knees.
"Take this Bitch!" He ordered as blood poured from his nose.
And the rest rushed her. So much for taking out the leader strategy she probably should have knocked him out instead of just down. Her mistake now she had to suffer the consequences.
Everything blurred into one dodging blows blocking others using the opponent's momentum against them as she slammed them into the wall.
She was vaguely aware of Naru yelling for help. Maybe they'd get lucky and a policeman was around but Serenity highly doubted it.
"Shut her up." One of them yelled.
Naru's scream made her look in that direction and a fist collided with her cheek hard causing her to stumble she tasted blood as her vision blurred momentarily.
A hand fisted in her hair yanking her back pulling a scream from her throat as they tossed her backwards into two pairs of waiting arms that quickly restrained her.
"You're good Baby I'll give ya that. Not many who could take out Jack." The leader proclaimed.
Serenity didn't know who Jack was but assumed it was the guy laying on the ground by the wall maybe that was the guy she slammed into the wall. But she couldn't say everything happened so fast it was hard to remember. She did notice Naru was unconscious on the ground by the dumpter and gave him a massive death glare struggling against her captives hold.
"Don't worry you'll be conscious for what we do to you." The leader assured threateningly as he raised her chin to meet his gaze.
Not missing a beat Serenity spat in face the blood from her blow earlier mixing with the saliva as it spattered across his face and slowly trickled down. After he got over his initial shock her made a go to strike her face and she braced herself for the pain. Unfortunately it was just a feint and he punched her in the gut. The pain was imminent and would have doubled her over and fallen to her knees but she was kept standing by the men. All she could do was gasp for air as they all laughed at her discomfort. Even in this situation she still stared at them defiantly. Men liked this prayed on the fear of others and reveled in it. There was no way Serenity was going to let them see her fear.
"Still feisty I see." The leader remarked looking at her face. "Yo Marco come over here you can play with the redhead later."
"What's up Boss?" Marco asked coming over.
"It's time I made good on my promise earlier so why don't you help the boys hold our little wildcat steady."
"You got it." He said with a gleefully evil smile.
The two others forced her to her knees pressing down on her shoulders as they held onto her arms and Marco came up behind her grasping her hair tightly in his hand as he pulled her head back making her look up at the man that was in front of her laughing as he started to do unbutton his pants. Her heart was in throat pounding a mile a minute she was in trouble but still she wouldn't act afraid though she'd was truthfully terrified. If he'd make good on his promise than she'd damn well make good on hers. If that thing came anywhere near her she'd bite it off they might kill her but at least he couldn't hurt anyone else afterwards.
"That's no way to treat a lady." A voice said from the darkness.
It not only startled her but her attackers as well causing her assailant to halt his movement for which she was severely grateful.
"It's one of them costumed freaks." The man holding her right side said.
Serenity had read the papers and heard rumors about the masked vigilantes that prowled Gotham's streets at night but she'd yet to see any of them I guess you could say this was her "Lucky" night.
Boss man started looking around franticly walking in circles that is until he was knocked to the ground sliding a few feet away and a man in black took his place. He turned around the man was handsome dark hair, well defined cheek bones and strong jaw. His outfit didn't leave much to the imagination showing off his toned muscles but she could tell the outfit was built more on an offensive strategy for more of an agility and speed attacks instead of defense.
"Okay boys who's next?" He cockily asked pulling out two escrima sticks and twirling them in his hand making a whistling sound as they went around.
The two men holding her arms let go as they rushed at the newcomer and the man behind her wasted no time in restraining her while he used her as a shield. She watched him fight in awe the man was fast athletic and graceful. He'd maneuver effortlessly using his enemy's momentum against them as he'd strike.
"C'mon guys at least make it interesting." He said while easily blocking an attack.
"I'll show you interesting pretty boy." The Boss said getting back up and pulling out a knife.
"That's a little better." He praised.
Serenity sighed not that she wasn't enjoying the show but she didn't think of herself as a damsel in distress. Bowing her head then raised up with as much force as she could muster and head butted the guy holding her he groaned in pain releasing her as he cradled his face. Wasting no time she kicked him in the groin and he dropped to his knees not sure which area to hold then she punched him in the face as hard as she could and he fell to the ground.
"Nice." Her rescuer said.
"Thanks." She said as she turned around noticing Boss man had been disarmed and now laid unconscious in the alley. "And thank you. If you hadn't shown up things would have gone very bad."
"It's why I'm here but in the future try to avoid back alley brawls late at night." He said giving her a charming smile.
"I'll do my best." She told him smiling in return.
"Good and you'll want to put some ice on that when you get home." He said pointing at her now most likely swollen cheek.
"I will." She promised.
"Alright well take care." He said as he went to leave.
"Wait!"
He turned back towards her quizzically.
"I'm sorry but I'm still new to Gotham and I know there are "vigilantes" running all around the city. So… are you Batman?"
He looked taken back then started laughing, "Got to write that one down on the calendar. But no I'm not Batman." He said once he got his laughter under control. "I'm Nightwi-"
He grunted then slumped forward and Serenity instinctively reached out to catch him and felt those rippling muscles beneath the costume and did her best to hold down the blush that was probably on her cheeks as well defined body was pressed so close to her. Looking over his shoulder she spotted Naru with her Taser out. Briefly she wondered when she regained consciousness instead said "Tell me you did not! Tase our rescuer. And why the hell didn't you pull that out earlier?" Serenity demanded
"He's here to rescue us?" Naru asked confused ignoring the last question.
"Do you not see the unconscious bodies of the men who attacked us?" Serenity said waving an arm around for emphasis while still holding onto her masked savior.
"Why's he in a costume?"
"This is Gotham. There are some people who dress up and patrol the city and help people in need. I mean the police can't be everywhere." She sighed heavily.
"You think he's okay?" Naru asked her voice holding genuine concern.
"I'm fine." He said stepping out of Serenity's hold and removing the wires from his back, "That Taser doesn't have a high enough voltage to actually hurt me through this suit." He assured.
"Then why pretend to faint?" Serenity asked crossing her arms over her chest.
"Simple I wanted hear the conversation that followed." He explained like it was obvious. Pulling something out of his wrist shooting whatever it was into the air and as it propelled him upwards he said, "And the names Nightwing." Then landed gracefully on top of the building.
"He has a cute butt." Naru said coming up next to Serenity.
"Yes he does." She agreed. "Now why didn't you pull out the Taser earlier?" Serenity asked again.
"Think he's single?" Naru asked dodging the question yet again.
"I doubt it. A guy that good looking is definitely taken. Now answer my question."
"Forgot I had it." Naru answered bashfully.
Serenity just huffed, "Let's go home." She said and started walking down the alley to the entrance.
"Aw can't we get another drink first."
"No! Now let's go."
