Notes: I felt the need to give my faithful readers some insight on Batwraith, so this chapter will give some explanation concerning him. After several debates with myself, I decided not to screw up the flow of the story with weird font changes when the explanations occur, so there will be no usages of italics except to express thoughts. Hopefully, the chapter will read smoothly and not be as confusing as it sounds! :) REVIEW!
Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings, and the only Nazgul I own is, of course, Batwraith. Do not sue. The only thing you will get is the flu and my class schedule for next semester. DC has the rights to everything else except the plot.
The figure stood atop the highest building in Gotham City, his eyes ablaze as he gazed down at Gotham's nightlife. He sniffed the air tentatively, his nostrils flaring as they picked up the scents that surrounded him. A breeze tousled short, black locks and lifted the shadow's long, ribbed cape off the ground. The breeze carried with it the unmistakable scent of gasoline from a high-powered vehicle. The figure honed in on the blue-and-back sports car that was responsible for the fumes, then abruptly slowed his pursuit. He knew who the driver was, and by the way the car sped through the Gotham streets, came to the conclusion that it would be wise to continue his pursuit rather than intercept the speeding blur that was the Nightbird. Wherever Nightwing was going, the Wraith would talk when they got there...
Nightwing saw the black-and-grey clad shadow in his mirror and grinned evilly. Between himself, Batgirl, and the Wraith, the Joker was in for a surprise that would spook him more than Batman ever did. "You're going down,clown!" snarled the vigilante as the Nightbird pulled into an alleyway across from an old thrift store. "Come on, Batgirl. Scanner says the Joker's in that building."
"He is."
For as long as he had worn a costume, Dick Grayson had been exposed to the Voice that made criminals cower and beg for mercy. He thought that he had grown immune to its effects. He was wrong. The Voice of his mentor-his father-coming out of nowhere and unexpected still made Nightwing jump even after years of working alongside the man.
Quickly composing himself, Nightwing faced his mentor, his bright blue eyes blazing in open, angry accusation as a growl was forced through his clenched teeth.
"WHY!?"
Batman didn't bother with the obvious, "Why what?" Instead, the Dark Knight shifted uneasily under his son's fierce gaze and answered the question, though he knew an explosion would occur.
"I. Do. Not. Kill. PERIOD. You know that, Nightwing."
"That doesn't answer my question!" Came the answering snarl as the three heroes scaled the walls of the run down store, where the grey-and-black shadow waited patiently.
"You didn't let me finish. The Joker knew I would never cross that line. He kidnapped Robin and nearly killed him in hopes that I would. Then he sent me on a wild goose chase. By the time I caught on and traced his hoods back to the old hideout, he had relocated. I was on my way here when the Wraith informed me of your…..condition."
Nightwing crouched, observing movement through a hole in the roof, his body still tense with fury.
"He may have fooled you, Batman, though I still find that hard to believe, but that bastard will not get past me!!"
The blue-eyed vigilante leaped high in the air, his legs locked at an angle as he prepared to crash through the roof and wreck havoc on whoever was in the building. His landing was interrupted as an escrima bo staff swatted him out of the air. The hero landed on his back with a thud and a grunt. A black boot was placed on his throat, and the young hero was forced to watch his mentor and Batgirl crash through the roof without him.
Nightwing groaned in frustration as his captor removed his boot from the vigilante's windpipe. The Wraith helped him to his feet then shrieked loudly. Nightwing began to feel his muscles loosen as rage gave way to utter determination, and he breathed deeply. He was calm, and he knew why.
The Wraith's shriek sounded like a Nazgul cry and was perhaps the teen hero's only superpower. The Shriek gave hope and confidence to heroes, good-hearted citizens, and honest cops. However, the Shriek had the opposite effect on villains and lowlifes; filling them with terror and making them think that they were caught in a nightmare with no escape, which was never too far from the truth whenever Batwraith was involved.
Nightwing thanked his friend for calming him down, and was amused when Batwraith shrugged and said,
"I figured you needed it. It's best to enter the battle with a clear mind. C'mon, Nightwing, Getcha head in the game!" In a more serious tone, the Wraith added, "Let's shut this bastard down!"
The two leaped into the building via the hole made by their comrades; Nightwing landing on top of a pasty faced goon and Batwraith shrieking like a mad banshee as he pounced on a burly guard, his escrima staff knocking the brawler unconscious. Nearby, Batgirl was fighting a slew of criminals with practiced ease and flawless skill. Two hoods rushed the black clad heroine only to have her introduce herself with a kick to one mook's face that sent him sprawling, and a hand under his buddy's chin that launched him into the air, where he landed with a satisfying crash into a wooden table. The hero had little time to celebrate as she was soon busy with another mob.
Suddenly, all the heroes were forced to stop attacking as a maniacal laugh cut through the chaos and the Clown Prince of Crime waltzed into the room, a comatose Robin-still clad in the white flannels given to him at the hospital-in the arms of Harley Quinn, the girlfriend of the madman.
Sorry this chapter's so short, but it's been, like, extremely hard to concentrate because the semester is ENDING soon! On that note, when the semester ends I will have more time for my Fics and will hopefully have chapter three up very quickly. After all, I don't want to keep you hanging!:) Please review and tell me how you liked CHAPTER TWO! If you do and I can respond, you will get a sneak peak/spoiler/hint of what to expect in the next chapter!! Even if you give me an anonymous review, I DO appreciate it!