A/N: Nightwing and Red Robin go on patrol. While on a break, Nightwing uses his dream weaving ability to weave a fanciful fairy tale for Tim to later tell to his children. Narissa, Ethan, and Aimee are three of Tim's children. They will appear in later stories as the Earth 14 stories progress. This is supposed to be five years in the future.
Cinder Bat Fella
An Earth 14 Fairy Tale
By
AJRedRobin and JasonToddLover
"Daddy can you tell us a story," Narissa pleaded with her father.
"Yeah," Ethan said. "How did you and Mommy meet?"
"I heard that one before," Aimee said.
"I haven't," Ethan stated to his older sister.
"Now, children," Tim said, coaxing them to calm down and listen. "Do you want to hear a story or do you want to know how your Mommy and I really met, because in truth, it's not really for ears such as yours."
"Well, Mommy is a princess," Marissa stated. "Tell us a story where you and Mommy met in a different way."
"Hmmm in a different way?"
"Yea, please," Ethan, Narissa, and Aimee pleaded.
"Okay," Tim relented. "Once upon a time there were two brothers, and they went on patrol together."
"Daddy, is this about you and Uncle Dick?" Aimee complained.
"Part of it is, but to get to the story part, I have to tell you about when we patrolled because, it started there."
"Okay."
"Now where was I . . . . . Oh yes . . . . . Your Uncle and I had just came back from Atlantis after stopping someone from trying to take over your grandfather Orin's kingdom. I was already in uniform."
"I need to change into my uniform." Dick said to Red Robin.
Red Robin checked his equipment and his belts for pellets and antidote pills. He wanted to make sure he was well supplied. "Looks like I may have to have a few more birds made. I have enough for now, but I don't always recover them when I need to."
Nightwing checked his escrima sticks. "I am charged and ready to go.
"Let's go," Red Robin exclaimed. "What vehicle do you want to take? Maybe we should take the Batmobile since Bruce isn't here. Give ourselves a thrill ride. We haven't done that together for a long time."
"I have no objections to doing that. I got the keys!"
Red Robin jumped into the passenger seat.
Nightwing started the engine. He zoomed out of the cave on full throttle and made his way into Gotham.
"Where do you think we should park the car and patrol?" Red Robin asked. "I know Batman parks the car near Crime Alley then goes through the narrows and other troubled spots."
"I was gonna park there," Nightwing answered. "So, I hope tonight is productive."
"Hope so, too. I don't mind if it's petty anti stuff right now. Could use a break from super villains."
Nightwing arrived near Crime Alley and parked the car. They both exited and made their way up to the rooftops. Nightwing started to walk across, hoping for something to happen, when movement was caught in the corner of his eye.
"There, Red Robin! A robber!"
"On it!" Red Robin dove down and landed on the man's shoulders and driving the would-be robber onto the ground. "I like a nice cushy landing. And you're not one."
"Good job Red Robin. Tie him up and get a move on."
Red Robin zip tied the robber and pulled out the small burner phone that he carried to alert the police. "We've got a robber at 12 and Fredrick. My name? Anonymous. He hung up the phone and climbed back up to the rooftop. "Where to next?"
"Where ever the wind takes us birdie," Nightwing grinned back at his partner, swinging off into the night.
Red Robin was looking around, keeping his eyes peeled for any trouble. "Do those two look a little suspicious to you?"
"Those two?" Nightwing checked where Red Robin was directing his attention. "They do." Nightwing grabbed his grapnel, anchoring it to the roof, and he Spiderman himself down to them. "BOO!"
"EEAAHH!" One of the suspicious men screamed like a girl.
Red Robin dropped down just above the two men on the fire escape looking like a bird sitting on a perch. "You do know breaking and entering is a crime. Looks like we're going to have to arrest you."
Red Robin and Nightwing zip tied the two would-be burglars and left them for the police. The climbed back up and went onto another rooftop. They found a comfortable spot to take a break. Nightwing started to daydream while Red Robin pulled out a couple of energy bars and gave one to Nightwing.
Red Robin decided to just sit there and study the area and see what he could remember what he saw once he closed his eyes. It was an exercise that Batman taught him once. He did it for a week to be able to see every detail and changes that might happen. Red Robin was watching and looking down in the street. There was a woman walking her dog, a man buying a newspaper. A street musician was playing a guitar. Red Robin let out a yawn.
Nightwing slowly nibble on the energy bar, his mind slowly started to weave a tale.
"Is this where the story starts?" Narissa asked.
"Yes, now no more interruptions," Tim said.
~Day Dream~
"/Momma...why must we give Timoti away/?" Six year old Ricard asked his mother.
"/Because times are tough and we aren't able to keep him/," Mary stated. 'Our home was lost to invading forces. We are penniless in this new kingdom and I do not have any milk to give him.'
"/But momma he is but a small baby. We can't just give him away./
"/Someone will care for him/," Mary said, trying her best to keep the tears back. "/I love him too, but it is all we can do. Maybe someday . . . *weeping* . . . . . Maybe some day we'll find him again ./"
Ricard's bottom lip trembled. His Papa was getting ready to leave, to take Timoti away from them.
"/Bye Timoti/," Ricard sniffled. "/Just remember I always loved you. I'll never forget you./" Ricard kissed his tiny rosy cheek.
'/I hate to give Timoti away/,' Mary thought. '/But our home is gone. We are going to a new land, the Kingdom of Gotham. My husband is starting a new job at the Palace of the King. Maybe after we have saved some money we will be able to find Timoti and bring him home again..'
"/I will be back soon./" John had to gently tug the small bundle out of his oldest son's arms.
"/Timoti! No don't do this! Papa, please. I'll eat less so he will have food. Papa no!/" Ricard was screaming after his father. His father walked out slamming the door in Ricard's face. "/Papa noooooo!/" Ricard coughed. /Bring him back!/"
Mary grabbed her son and held onto him as he cried out his anguish and loss, tears falling silently down her cheeks.
~Village in the Kingdom of Gotham~
John Grayson must have walked the streets of Gotham Village for what felt like hours. Every time he tried to give his son away, people turned away. Then he came to the market place. There had to be someone there, maybe a kindly woman who could take his tiny son and care and love him as much as he did.
'It's been three months since we came to this place,' Margaret Alcazar thought as she walked among the stalls of people selling their wares. 'We have been exiled. My husband accused of killing the king's brother in our home kingdom. We have no place to go. My husband only keeps me around because he wants my fortune. He does not know I can no longer give him sons. If only we can return, but I don't know when we will be able to, if ever.' Margaret stopped at a vegetable booth and selected several tomatoes, carrots, and potatoes for her family. "Merchant, I wish to purchase theses." Margaret handed the man the vegetables she had chosen to add to their dinner.
John walked into the market. There just had to be someone willing to take his son. He looked at all the suitable women as he walked through. At first, he did not see any one that would meet his standards. They needed to be someone who appeared to be wealthy so his son could get the love and food that he needed. Then he spotted her, a woman that stood out above the rest.
'Her. It has to be her,' John thought. "/I am so sorry to do this to you, my son./" John gave his son a loving kiss then tapped on the woman's shoulder.
" . . . Excuse me . . . . " Margaret turned to see a man. He held onto a small bundle.
"Waaaahhh . . . . . Waahhhhh," Timoti cried, realizing what his father was going to do.
"Oh the poor baby." Margaret stated. "He must be hungry. Let me buy him some milk for you."
"No . . . I mean, thank you, but can you please take him...my wife and I can not care for him."
Margaret was surprised at that request. She had always wanted to give Antonio a third son to guarantee succession, but she was unable to. The twins had been very rough on her. She almost died.
'A son just like that. My husband will have his third son if I accept this man's request,' she thought. "Of course I'll take him." She didn't bother to ask his name. It would giving them a chance to give the child a name of their choosing.
"Goodbye, my son." John Grayson kissed his son's head and handed him over to the woman. "Thank you. Please take good care of him. See that he grows up happy and well. Maybe someday, if we meet again, he'll forgive me."
"I will." Margaret took the baby and placed him in her basket then turned back and gave the merchant the money for the vegetables. She placed them in the basket with the baby wrapped in a blanket and carried both back to her home.
John Grayson watched the woman disappear into the crowd. Once the woman was gone from sight, John realized he had not asked her name or given her his son's name.
'Oh dear, what have I done?'
Continues with Part 2
A/N: A few additional notes here. The / indicates they are speaking Romani. Here is our cast of characters. Dick's dream catcher and dream weaving ability will be explored in other Earth 14 stories as they unfold.
Grayson Family
Mary and John Grayson
Ricard . . . Richard Grayson
Timoti {Fella} . . .Tim Grayson {Drake-Wayne}
Kingdom of Gotham
King Bruce . . . Bruce Wayne
Queen Selina . . . Selina Kyle
Princess Saman'ta . . . . Samantha Clark (Original character)
Timoti's Step Family
Margaret Alcazar
Antonio Alcazar
Victor Alcazar
Vincent Alcazar
Timoti's Fairy God Father
Virgil (Tanner) Alcazar-Kent
The Alcazar brothers will be introduced as original characters to the Earth 14 story.
A note on the children: The ages of the children here are approximately - Aimee 4, Narissa 3, and Ethan 2. If their ages don't seem to add up, it's because of Samantha Clark and her heritage, which you will learn about in a future story by JasonToddLover.