This story will take place a year after the events of season 2 in a AU universe. (Don't worry this will be explained.)
Nightwing P.O.V
Batman has always told me to start striking out on my own would make me a stronger hero and after everything that has happened losing my best friend Wally and betraying my friends to save the world. Alone seems like the perfect thing to be. I thought to myself as I finished packing up my things from the manor and zetaing back to Bludhaven Gotham's sister city. Where the team had taken up a temporary base after Aqualad blew up Mount Justice to help impress the light.
Flashback- 1 day ago- Location Watchtower
"Have you given any thought to where you're going to start spending your time going solo yet?" Superboy asked Nightwing as he say him fiddling with a halo map.
"In all honesty Connor I'm still not even sure I'm ready for this I have never worked alone not even with that whole plot we had to take down the Light I still had you, Kaldur, Artemis, and Wally to have my back.
"I know you can handle it and remember if you ever need us… I know I speak for all of us if you need anything just call and we will be there for you." Superboy said putting a hand on his old friends shoulder.
"Thanks Connor and I'm thinking of setting up shop in Bludhaven there have been a lot of strange happenings going on in that city like apparently Meta-humans are popping up all over the city.
"From what I heard when our base was there as soon as we set up shop. I started hearing rumors of a hero running around that city with a jetpack and a sword saving people. Some said he might not even be human and others say he could be turning into a new Batman to protect Bludhaven. Connor retold of all the old rumors he remember picking up with his super-hearing.
"I have been hearing those as well Connor I have also heard that he is getting more and more reckless like he is in over his head a little bit. Tho you're right Connor it might be good for me to make a start there and see if I can't uncover these mysteries. Nightwing stood up from his chair and shook hands with his old friend and departed from the tower.
End Flashback
Now I'm here in Bludhaven, Gotham's sister city looking out my loft window onto the city's dark desolate streets. Jeez this place is even worse of than Gotham was when I was just starting out as Robin all the graffiti and abandoned buildings are at least making me feel a little more at home. Tho it could not be more different than good old Happy Harbor that place feels as long away from here as Haley's Circus did when I first came to Gotham.
I decide its time to start patrol and throw on my good old black and blues. I leapt out the window and pulled out my grappling hook and zipped up to the top of an apartment building. I look down and see the blue bird symbol on my chest most people think I came up with the name and symbol for Nightwing from Superman's stories of the Kryptonian heroes Flamebird and Nightwing, that is partially true the other reason I have the blue bird symbol is for Jason the second Robin who took up my mantel before he died. That blue bird is in his memory the memory of good old Jaybird.
As I continue you running across the rooftops I hear a young lady scream that usual blood curdling scream that only comes from a young girl being attacked by Jokers goons but, then I realise that this is Bludhaven so there should be no Jokers around here.
I round the corner on the top of the building and I was right there were a couple of Jokers goons from Gotham had cornered a young woman with short blond hair and were about to mug her for the usual no good reason. I was about the jump in when someone beat me too it. A boy with a jetpack no less!
Unknown P.O.V
An I thought tonight was going to be quiet this will be the tired Joker gang mugging I will stop tonight something has to be up last time I checked Gotham was Joker's usual stomping grounds not Bludhaven.
"Okay creeps back away from the lady or I'm the one thats gonna have to handout the pain tonight." I said with my usual glare and gravel voice I like doing my best Batman impression to help impress the babes and get the villeins to wet their pants every once and awhile.
"Yeah right kid we have gone up against the real Batman and you're not scary at all." said Goon number one who was holding a rather large baseball bat.
"Well I guess that means I'm gonna have to hurt you then.. sigh… so be it." I said pulling my sword from its sheath I pulled my free hand up and gestured for them to come at me which they always did.
The goon with the baseball bat charged first with a heavy one handed swing he came at me, I switched my sword to my left hand and held it sideways to block his swing and I jabbed him in the put with my taser gauntlet knocking him down.
"Huh one down two to go and I thought this was going to be a challenge since you guys have gone against the real Batman." I said with a bit of a chuckle in my voice.
The other two goons charged me as I knew they would one had a brass knuckle the other had a combat knife the size of my forearm so this was going to be a little more tricky. I switched my hands again going back to my right to block the on coming knife attack and while the goons watched that I pulled a quick-charge grenade from my belt (They go over in 1.5 seconds when released.) and threw it at the goon with the brass knuckle it was knockout gas so he should be out for the rest of the fight he will wake up in a cell block with a nice hangover style headache. The third goons knife came down on me and I blocked it with my sword and with a forceful shove knocked it out of his hand. He charged again looking for an opening I altered my stance for some hand to hand he threw a right hook at me and I ducked and threw my left straight into his gut and with a swift headbutt I knocked him on the ground.
"Thank you….. for saving me.." The blond girl who I almost forgot about that I was saving said in a still almost out of breath and terrified voice as she run up to me and kissed my cheek or what would have been if not for my helmet (I still blushed even tho no one could tell)
"Who are you anyway" The girl asked before she started to run off.
"I'm Gladiator ma'am and I'm here to help." I said giving her a quick salute before I went back to tying the goons together. When I noticed someone dropping down from above.
"Hey so you're that hero I have been hearing rumors about with the jetpack and sword that has been protecting this city. You would not happen to know why Joker's thugs have been popping up so much tonight do you?" A raven haired hero who had a familiar blue bird symbol on his chest asked as he stepped out of the shadows.
"No way you're Nightwing from the Justice League what are you doing here in my city?" I said in almost complete shock despite seeing so many of Joker's thugs as of late.
"I have been looking for a new start since I'm running solo now and I was looking to set up shop here in Bludhaven especially since Joker has seemed to have done the same I have seen what that mad man can do to a city and he needs to be stopped." Nightwing said his tone slipping darker as he finished like he was remembering losing someone close to him because of that psycho. But, he was interrupted by a scream that ended in laughter that drove my ears crazy just from hearing it.
"Oh no…." Nightwing said before rushing out into the street to find the blonde girl he had seen Gladiator save from a mugging a short time ago being hauled into the back of a whoopie pie truck my some of Joker's goons with an all too familiar smile on her now unconscious face, with Gladiator only a short step behind him.
Clap..Clap..Clap...
"So it looks like my boys and I get to have there jollys after and we thought we weren't going to since there was no bats or birds in this city ha ha ha ha ha. I guess we thought wrong, but guess what bird boy you get to be the first hero to meet my new family. Even tho I thought I already killed you once or maybe it was another one.. no matter killing another won't hurt me any. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA….
A/N Thats the end of Chapter one now I know you're all wondering why is Joker of all people in Bludhaven and who the heck is this family he is talking about well I guess you will see in the next chapter.
