*DC owns every character except Jasmine, though she was created from DC characters*

Chapter 4

The alleyway was dark, and everything was cast in shadow. However, for the girl running through them, she maneuvered as though it wasn't much of a problem to see in the dim lighting. The hood of her cloak shadowed her face while the ends swept behind her. Jasmine soon slowed to a stop and kept her breathing quiet, straining her ears to hear any sounds of footsteps or voices. When she heard none, she allowed herself to lean back against the wall and tilt her head back, taking in deep breathes. It wasn't that she had done anything wrong, per say. In fact, she had no idea it had been Nightwing and Robin who had come to the house only a few minutes earlier. She had assumed her parents had returned, and having already planned on making her escape, she fled as soon as she heard the footsteps, though didn't take the time to shut her window.

The choice itself seemed almost delayed considering the years Jasmine has held hatred and dislike for her parents. One might even inquire why she hadn't just left earlier, if it was truly as easy as jumping from a window and running. She supposed that, while she could give many reasons, there were only three major ones that drove her to do what she did.

Before having met Nightwing, she believed that being evil and falling into the darkness that was intended for her was her fate. Her future. There was no escaping or changing it, and that was just how it was. It been something she pondered over again and again, and each time, she found no way of proving it not to be true. In her mind, she didn't have the power to simply choose not to be evil.

The second reason was that, well, Jasmine was smart enough to fear her parents. While she had the skills necessary to protect herself effectively, both of them knew her weaknesses. However, she also knew they wouldn't kill her. At least, not if they thought she could still be useful to their cause. If caught, she knew the extent of her punishment. She had been warned before, and received a sort of punishment a long time ago…though that was another story.

Lastly, Jasmine knew nothing of how the outside world works. This is not saying that she didn't know the city. That would be a wrong conclusion. Over the years of confinement in four different houses in her nineteen years of living, Jasmine has studied the maps of Gotham. Though it hadn't been told to her vocally, she knew she had been required to know. In the beginning, she would memorize the street names and the position of all the important buildings in the city. Learning the layout of Gotham had been easy, and memorizing something had never been difficult for her. However, living and striving in a city was completely different to knowing the layout of Gotham. Jasmine has never had the opportunity to experience life outside of the one her parents created for her. She didn't socialize with others, and hardly understood "normal" life. There were few things she actually did understand about a "normal" life, such as what it was like to have a friend or to be in love with another individual. Since she never spoke with hardly anyone outside of her parents and a few of their grunts, she never had the opportunity to have either a friend or a lover. Social pros and taboos were unknown to her, and as for laws, well, her parents broke it constantly, though she did know some. Living in the city, well, she wouldn't know where to go or what would be acceptable.

These three reasons were what kept her from running off for six years. It amazed her how in just three days she had thrown these reasons away and actually did run off into the city. In a way, it was almost a little crazy, considering her reasons were really quite valid. At least, she truly believed they were. And yet, she left anyways, and really, it all had to do with Nightwing.

With the way her mind worked, Jasmine had been ultimately convinced that she would never be able to have the chance to be a good person. She had reluctantly and rather despairingly come to terms with it. Then Nightwing showed up, and he offered her a chance to leave and escape, which was something that had only seemed possible six years before. She had given up hope in there ever being a way out. That old determination in her had sparked along with her hope that she wouldn't have to become another Joker or Harley Quinn. She was so set on it, and told herself that Nightwing would come through to her. She had heard the genuine sound of his voice, and had been convinced he wasn't lying. So when he returned with Batman, she was desperately holding onto that hope. Freedom had been so close. Then he and Nightwing left, leaving her there after she betrayed her parents' information. At least, the information she knew about their scheme. While Nightwing had seemed concerned, having asked what would happen if her parents returned and glancing over at her before leaving, he still left. In that moment, Jasmine had been angry. Angry for getting her spirits up, since this seemed like fate laughing at her once more, and angry at Nightwing for giving her such empty words.

However, this time she kept her old fire. Not long after they left, Jasmine began packing necessary things, not counting a few novels and her sketches. She had drawn her cloak over herself and attached her precious whips at her waist then stood at the window, looking out across the abandoned alleyway. Hardly anyone ever came into this part of the town, which was why it had been a perfect place to hide her. In that moment, even though she had chosen what she wanted to do, it still took her a while to gain the courage to step outside her room. She wasn't sure where she would go, and really, it had been rather terrifying. Even now as she stood in the alleyway, she had no idea where she was going to go for the night.

Catching her breath, Jasmine began to walk forwards to continue on her way, only to pause as she heard a small, muffled scream. Narrowing her eyes, she stuck to the shadows the night and alley offered before slipping towards it. The sound of shuffling reached her ears and she peered over a corner, seeing a man pinning a girl to a wall. One of his hands was over her mouth and the other holding her wrists above her head. She scowled and moved her hands to her waist, taking her whips into her hands. They were made of a very light black metal and were rather thin as well. It was set in a way that it looked like snake scales, but if she twisted a certain part on the handle, the scales would pop open and become sharp, small blades.

"You're a pretty girl, you know that?" The man smirked to the woman, who shrunk back against the wall as he moved his face closer to hers and turned her head to the side.

"Don't turn from me." He growled, lifting his hand from her mouth and moved it back. Just as he was about to strike her, Jasmine moved quickly and flicked her wrist rather effortlessly. One of her whips bolted forwards and wrapped around the man's wrist. Immediately, she tugged back, and he gave a surprised grunt as he staggered away from the girl by his caught hand. Seeing the opportunity, the woman quickly ran down the alleyway.

"You must have a really hard time maintaining a relationship," Jasmine spoke with a small smirk, though the upper part of her face was hidden by her hood, so the man could only see the small curve of her lips.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" He snarled, grabbing the whip wrapped around his wrist. Right as he touched it, Jasmine struck with her other. It caught his hand and he pulled it back with a small yelp. Blood began to spring up from the lash on his hand.

"That's my business," Jasmine said lowly before tugging the whip still wrapped around his wrist. He stumbled forwards and she struck her other whip once more, catching his chest, and then pulled the other whip from his wrist. Slowly she advanced towards him, both whips trailing at her sides while he slowly backed away.

"Look lady, I have some money. Just let me go." He said, pulling out a wallet and held it up and gave a nervous smile. Jasmine paused for a moment, studying him before shaking her head.

"Like you let that girl go? I'm not interested in your money." She said sharply. As fast as cobras, her whips struck his chest in a blurred 'x.' Almost immediately, two bleeding gashes appeared. The man could barely even register the pain before two more gashes appeared on his shoulders, then his side, stomach, legs and arms. By the time he had finally cried out in pain, his body was covered in bleeding lashes, and his clothes were ripped where her whips had ripped the fabric away. He fell to his knees, his blood starting to drip to the ground. As Jasmine began to walk forwards, two shadows landed on front of her.

"You've done enough," Said a cautious and familiar voice.

As the two figures straightened up, she recognized Nightwing. The one beside him seemed to be Robin. While she hadn't seen Robin before, she had a good idea of what he looked like back when her parents spoke of him and Batman. The two seemed to exchange a quick glance before Robin turned towards the man she had whipped. Nightwing strode towards her. Jasmine recoiled her whips as he did before attaching them back to her waist, her earlier anger starting to rise up.

"You're going to jail. Let's go." She heard Robin say to the man, though she tuned out as Nightwing stopped in front of her.

"Don't tell me. You're taking me to be confined too." She said thinly and he sighed lightly.

"No, though you didn't need to injure that man to the extent you did." He responded.

"He deserved more than what I gave him. He tried to rape a girl." She said lowly.

"So I saw."

At his response, Jasmine simply scowled and tilted her head up so her eyes were visible from underneath her hood, "I sure hope you didn't come up to me just so you could comment on how I reacted to such a disgusting action."

"Damn, you figured out my motive. I just really want to spend my night following you around town and watching you interact with bad guys, then comment on what you could do better." He said sarcastically and she rolled her eyes then brushed by him.

"I'm honored, but I can take care of myself." She snapped, only to stop as he caught her wrist.

"I can't let you go alone."

Jasmine narrowed her eyes and tugged her hand from his grip before spinning on her heels and facing him, "So staying with my parents will be much better? I don't believe you ever had the power to tell me where and where I can't go."

"No, it isn't any better, but if my assumptions are correct, you don't get out much. That means you have no idea how a city works, and Gotham isn't exactly the best place to test your limited knowledge. Besides, Batman didn't turn you down. Joker and Harley had to be taken care of first. I came back for you." He said to her evenly.

"You…I wasn't turn down?" She breathed, ignoring the whole part where he correctly guessed her social status. She felt her earlier anger at Nightwing dissipate, feeling more embarrassed for the way she acted towards him than anything.

"No, you weren't. Even if you were, I wouldn't have let you stay there. I would have come back regardless," He said calmly, seeming to sense that she was no longer upset and relaxed, but not by much.

Jasmine was silent for a moment before nodding, "Then I'm sorry for my sharpness towards you. I thought you simply left without an explanation, so I took matters into my own hands." She explains and he sighs softly.

"I thought as much," He commented before becoming more serious than anything, "That man you were attacking. How far were you going to take that, Jasmine?" He asked her lowly and she glanced away from him for a moment before her eyes hardened and she looked back to him.

"Until he understood the fault of his actions. People like him don't get mercy as an option. He tried to buy his way out, which I suppose is better than lying. I gave him the punishment he deserved." She said in an almost dangerously quiet voice. Nightwing was silent as he seemed to study her.

"The punishment he deserves lies in the hands of a judge, not in the hands of a girl." He said to her firmly and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"He was going to rape a girl-" She began.

"I understand that, and the action is despicable, but you could have simply knocked him out without the extra lashes. The police could have taken it from there." He said, cutting her off.

"I've learned differently."

"You were also raised by Joker and Harley Quinn."

"On the contrary, you really don't know me or my past, Nightwing." Jasmine said calmly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Are you saying you weren't raised by Joker and Harley?" He asked with a frown and she gave a light but humorless smile.

"It's all a matter of perspective. Define raised." She said, her voice seemed into contain an undertone of amusement.

"Raised as in being brought up to follow certain morals and molded in who you are today." He said slowly and evenly.

"At first, yes, I was being raised by them for the first few years of my life. Then it changed. They haven't truly raised me."

Nightwing didn't seem too surprised at this new information. At least, he didn't look as surprised as she excepted him to, "Who did then?"

"Come on, Nightwing. You don't honestly expect me to give up every little secret about me," Jasmine smirked slightly then walked towards him till they were chest to chest. She leaned forward, as if she were to share a secret with him and peered into his covered eyes from the shadows of her cowl, "That would be terribly uninteresting, and who doesn't like a mystery to solve?"

"This has nothing to do with you being interesting or not." He said to her lowly.

"Does it not? Then why return for me, if you weren't interested or curious?"

Nightwing opened his mouth to speak up, but never spoke. Instead his eyes shifted to behind her and he rested his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed her back from him. She looked over her shoulder and saw Robin standing there, a small smirk on his lips. He walked over and stopped beside her. Quickly, he darted his hand forwards and reached towards her hood, but Jasmine caught his wrist before he could touch it, stopping the approach.

"Don't touch my cloak." She said quietly, slowly letting his wrist go. Robin seemed faintly surprised before he chuckled.

"I'll keep that in mind." He smirked slightly, and Nightwing shook his head.

"Robin, this is Jasmine Quinn." Nightwing introduced.

"I figured as much." Robin responded, before looking back to her, "You really beat that guy up. Nicely done." He grinned, which earned a disapproving glare from Nightwing.

"I'm glad to know someone approves of it." She responded with a small smile. A small gust of wind blew through the alleyway, which tugged her hood off. Her light brown hair spilled around her and her blue-green eyes were now revealed and out of the shadows that had hid them. Letting out a sigh, she considered replacing the hood to cover her features, but decided not to. It wasn't like anyone knew what she looked like besides a few people anyways. As she looked over, she noticed Robin gazing over at her.

"What?" She asked, tilting her head a little to the side and he seemed to glance at Nightwing before returning his attention to her.

"You're Joker and Harley Quinn's daughter?" He spoke and she nodded.

"The one and only."

"I see…I just wasn't expecting you to look like…this." He said rather awkwardly and she gave a slow blink as she processed what he said then raised her eyebrows.

"What exactly were you expecting then?" Jasmine asked, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"Oh you know. Dyed green hair…maybe pigtails. Some kind of outfit Harley would dress in." He said and instead of being offended or anything, she simply laughed, though she put her hand over her mouth to try and quiet herself down.

"I may be their daughter, but that doesn't mean I have to dress like some ridiculous clown." She said with a smile, unable to help herself from giving a soft laugh again.

"Even I could have told you that, Robin." Nightwing snickered. Robin sighed and rubbed the back of his head, looking rather embarrassed.

"Anyways, we're supposed to take you with us. You can either go blindfolded or unconscious." Robin spoke up to Jasmine, clearing his throat.

"Blindfolded or unconscious? How compelling." Jasmine said sarcastically.

Nightwing sighed softly, "It's relevant."

She gave a light smile and nodded slightly, "I understand. I'll choose to be unconscious. I'd be much too tempted to take the blindfold off." She answered. While she really didn't want to be knocked out, at the same time, she knew she wouldn't be extremely reliable if they blindfolded her. Her curiosity would make her impulsive, and she really didn't want to betray their trust in her. As Jasmine looked at Nightwing and Robin, they seemed a little conflicted in how to do it and she smirked slightly, "What? Too scared to hit a girl?"

"No, but we're not going to punch you and to knock you out." Nightwing said firmly. With a final look to Robin he walked up then swiftly slipped behind her. She felt him rest his hands on her waist and lean forward. His longish hair tickled the side of her cheek and she turned her head slightly.

"I'll cut off your air supply. When you pass out, I'll catch you. I promise." He said to her quietly and she took a deep breath.

"Can't you just punch me and get it over with?" She muttered and caught a trace of a smile on his lips.

"I have to keep things interesting."

"This has nothing to do with things being interesting." Jasmine responded, unable to keep herself from giving a small smile, since they basically traded lines from earlier.

"That's all a matter of perspective." He said with a faint chuckle before becoming serious, "Get ready."

Jasmine tried to prepare herself for what was to come, but honestly, one can't really truly prepare themselves for being unable to breathe. The body reacts on its own, and the burning sensation in air deprived lungs, well, it isn't particularly pleasant. Most people would perhaps struggle and try to twist away while they get weaker and weaker from the lack of oxygen, however, Jasmine barely displayed much of a struggle at all. In fact, she stood there as Nightwing placed his hand over her mouth and nose with hardly a reaction. Even as her lungs screamed and she felt the need to fight him off, the only movement she made was raising her hand and clutching Nightwing's arm, looking almost like a vain attempt to push his arm and hand away from her mouth, though she put no pressure on it. As the black crept into the edges of her vision and she began to feel light-headed, she could help but lean back against him as she grew weak. Jasmine felt the hand he had on her waist slowly wrap around her and pull her closer to help in supporting her up. Only a few seconds after, the world became hazy before she was completely plunged into darkness.

oOo

Young seven year old Jasmine stood in a rather large basement, staring over at a woman across from her. Really, the very thought of actually having to be with this inferior woman every day for hours on end annoyed her. Clenching her hands into fists, she then crossed her arms over her chest despite feeling the want to punch something. Her dumb parents couldn't just teach her how to shoot a gun. She just had to learn how to use combat weapons because Batman and Robin didn't use guns and blah blah blah.

Ever since she could walk and talk, Jasmine has been a little reign of terror. Anyone watching her would end up with bruises or be tricked into something. She was smarter than an average kid, which could be seen by the clever ways she found in tricking those that were assigned to watch her. It was rather irritating to Jasmine to have to be watched by such lowly creatures as her parents' henchmen. All of them were idiotic, and not a single one could compare to her significance.

Now, Jasmine had to learn from this woman. Glaring daggers at her, the young girl took the time to study the individual before her. She had long inky black hair that was braided down her back. She was also rather short, standing at what was an approximation of 5'3. Her skin was a light tan and her almond eyes were slanted, showing her Japanese heritage. She was dressed in tightfitting black pants and wore a jade green tank top. At her waist rested two black coiled whips.

"You are Jasmine?" The woman eventually spoke, her voice holding a thick accent.

"Who else would I be?" Jasmine spoke in an annoyed tone. It was a stupid question to start out with.

"I am Risuka Tamashi. I am here to teach you how to wield whips." She said evenly, though her eyes had narrowed slightly.

"I know why you're here, and honestly, I really don't care who you are. I bet you don't even know how to use whips, so this is just a waste of my time." Jasmine sneered at Risuka. There was a small lapse of silence.

Just as Jasmine blinked, she felt the cold metal of Risuka's whip wrap around her wrist followed by a strong pull. She stumbled forwards, about to fall to the ground but was stopped as a strong hand gripped her shoulder and held her in place. Furious, she snapped her eyes up, her blue green eyes boring into Risuka's strict almond ones.

"Your first lesson. Respect and discipline." She said lowly, and Jasmine felt the whip fall from her wrist.

"Your first lesson." Jasmine mocked then narrowed her eyes, "Learn who's in charge," She said in a deadly voice then ripped away from Risuka before lunging at her, driven by her rage. However, Risuka merely danced out of the way as Jasmine brought her fists towards her in quick little arcs. This little flurry of attacks and dodges went on for about twenty minutes until Jasmine was out of breath. She swung her left fist towards Risuka, only for the woman to catch it then bend down to her eye level. Glaring at her hatefully, she swung her other fist, aiming for her face, though this one was caught as well.

"I believe it is you who has learned who is in charge then." Risuka said evenly. Jasmine glared at her, seething quietly for a moment before pulling her hands away and taking a small step back as she regarded the weird woman. Of all the people she has messed with or attacked, no one ever fought back, but she did. And she beat her. While the young girl didn't value other humans, thinking them inferior to herself, this one gained at least a bit of respect from her.

"What's first?"