Well, here I am with chapter four. Thought I'd warn you, since Shadow Creature: Sacrifice is started, and the sequel to Broken should soon follow, this story might take last place priority wise...unless you guys convince me otherwise.
jambey: Good question. LOL I hate when that happens...something of the sort happened to me only I was fortunate enough to be near a sink at the time. -eyebrow twitches- What on earth are you talking about? I don't do that! -eyebrow continues to twitch- LOL good, let it go cuz it's no big deal. Yes, I am so very happy now. -smiles smugly- Thanks.
strwbrrydaquiri: All the right questions, but I'm afraid now is not the time for answers. Well...I can tell you that yes, Raven defeated Trigon. That won't be important in the story, however.
VerticallyxChallenged: LOL yes, I noticed that. Strong dislike doesn't quite cut it. LOL well...if you want me to spoil it, Robin and Starfire had a moment...he basically confessed his love -gag- Stupid Wonder Bread! Robin: Hey! I'm not responsible for what they do to me, anymore than I am for what you do to me. Dusty: -sigh- I suppose not. Well it sucked, royally.
CelticHeiressFiona: Fruitful indeed. LOL yes, he's quite smart...he had a lovely gene pool, you see.
Umbro Draco: LOL that was a cliffhanger? Wow. Here I was thinking that the chapter in Broken that ended with Robin about to shoot Mina was a cliffhanger...I guess you just like this story more than I thought you would. Yes, And Robin! LOL. Yeah, I wanted to kick up the resemblance to Robin in that chapter. Yeah, I add to it frequently even though it's already too long. Yes indeed, Evanescence rules! Good, I'm glad you like him. I'm mostly better now, just have to finish up the bottle of antibiotics...it wasn't that bad, after I got them. Thanks!
Mina: LOL! Yeah, I wanted to bring out the family resemblance more. Yes, for my purposes (tho I don't think it's possible) they revived her. LOL I was the same way...hated the dark. I wouldn't sleep in my own room for so long for that very reason. ...Was that out loud? -blushes- Uh anyway. Yeah, I wanted to have a bit of a classic mystery feel to it...LOL yes I borrowed him for my own amusement. -sigh- Not fond is an understatement. Of course I did, your story kicks butt. I sure hope so, otherwise I'm gonna kill the writers! Actually, you're probably better off...that way you won't be disappointed either way. Don't apologize, I love long reviews. I feel better now, the antibiotics kicked it.
Chica De Los Ojos Cafe: Thanks!
Raven of the Night676: LOL yup, he's smart alright. Thanks, it's mostly just fun...Yeah I had Terra be revived, so BB would have someone.
Al the Pirate: LOL thanks.
Child of a Pineapple: Yes he certainly is...and I think I just might borrow that wording ;P LOL yes, just a little. Thanks!
TheAmazingTecnocolorRingWraith: Indeed. Not dumb or obvious, but I can't tell you. It would spoil everything. Thanks!
Mystyre: Yeah, Norman...just my little joke. LOL I know, isn't it amazing? Yup. LOL she was stretching...the kid is hard to lie to. Robin: Wth? Ooook... Dusty: Uh...hehehe. Robin: Oh yeah, I can see it now...Mystyre fires Nerf balls at Slade, Slade runs away screaming for his mother. Dusty: I know, it sucks. Yeah, here's hoping. Good, I was hoping you guys would... Robin: Uh...it's definitely...unique. The kid is kinda cute, I guess...basically how I was...when I was smaller... Dusty: Hmm...I wonder why? Robin: -hits with Nerf ball-
Laura Titan: -sigh- It's just a cruel world. Thanks!
darkfirebird1423: Thanks, and I will, if you guys keep reviewing.
superman35405: It's ok, I'm feeling a lot better now...just have to finish the bottle of antibiotics to make sure it's gone. That's always good to know :) Wow, thanks! I didn't really expect it to be much...mostly just for fun.
Onward ho! Oh and one more
thing...have any of you out there seen Batman Begins? -drools-
Uguguba...-mumbles senselessly- Robin: Uh...hello? -waves hand in
front of eyes- Dusty? Anyone home in there? Wow...looks like she's
out to lunch at the moment, so I suppose I'll type this up for her.
-shakes head- What's the big deal anyway? Not like Christian Bale is
that hot...Oh well. Shut up and read.
Ironically, the meeting with Norman and co. had been the most important event of his work day, and now that he had thoroughly botched that up, there wasn't much left to do. "Great...the one day I actually want to be busy..."
"Leaving already, Mr. Grayson?"
Richard glanced up and forced a smile as he saw Amy hovering in the doorway. She was a nice kid, not like most of today's teenagers. "It looks like it. Oh, wait could you make a few calls for me?"
...An hour later, he was on his way out the door when--
"Mr. Grayson! I really need to talk to you about Project X! There's been a few...problems."
...Three hours later, he climbed into the jaguar, slammed the door, and peeled out of the parking lot...until the speeding ticket caught his eye, and his conscious which, coincidentally, sounded a lot like Raven, started nagging on him. With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, he slowed down a bit and passed the rest of the trip listening to some rock station or another and trying hard not to think about what he would do, or what would happen if he did it. A very uncomfortable phrase had been echoing in his head all day, and it was still there, twisting his stomach into knots as a familiar burning pain erupted within it...
Death Sentence.
"Don't think about it! Get a hold of yourself, or you can bet Raven will sense it the second you walk in the door. Stop being an idiot!" he commanded himself firmly as his stomach heaved. He turned the music up a notch and focused on the road. Right now, he just wanted to get home.
Raven had tried her best to remove some of the blood with her powers, but it was already dry and more or less fused with the carpet. Looked like it was time to get out that miserable excuse for a carpet shampooer.
After two long hours of struggling, sweating, and cursing, the stain had been reduced to a faint reddish hue, and apparently that was all she was going to get. Staring at it thoughtfully, she realized that one thing it certainly did not resemble was black cherry soda.
Raven rolled her eyes, smacking her forehead in exasperation. She had caved under interrogation...from a five-year-old! Black cherry soda! It was pathetic. Unfortunately, Timmy had inherited his dad's ability to scatter her wits and get exactly what was needed out of her. By the way he had looked at her, Detective Timmy was already on the case. Hiding Robin's secret life was a job that had fallen, for the most part, on her shoulders, and it was becoming more taxing by the day. She hated lying to him, despised the betrayed look he gave her every time she did. Raven worked so hard to hide it, however, that lying was usually unnecessary.
Until this. How could she forget to clean up the blood? The kid was anything but stupid; he knew what blood looked like. Of course he would be suspicious!
Speaking of which...where was he?
Her stomach twisting uncomfortably, Raven did a quick search of the house and backyard, but there was no sign of Timmy. Trying hard not to panic, she racked her brain. Had she checked all of his favorite hideouts? Like the linen closet, on top of the bookcases in the den, behind the curtains in the dining room...yes, yes, yes. She had looked absolutely everywhere! ...except...
Raven's eyes fell on the door leading down to the basement, finding it slightly ajar. "Oh no."
Timothy swallowed hard, preparing himself for the pitch-black journey down the who-knows-how-long staircase. This was just like one of those old detective movies Papa sometimes watched, and he felt a certain amount of excitement awake inside him as he imagined himself the hero of some great tale of danger and adventure, uncovering a long-forgotten mystery and finding the keys to the past. After all, that was more or less what he was doing.
...It was dark, and he didn't like it. He really didn't like it. All thoughts of glory and adventure had faded away along with the precious light, and the only treasure he wanted was to be back up there in the security of things known. Just when he was on the point of turning back, the floor leveled out, and he stumbled slightly as unexpected ground met his foot. It was still dark, and he was still unhappy about it, but now he was determined not to turn back. Not now that he was so close.
A few steps forward in the dark was all that it took. Timmy jumped a foot in the air (nothing to scoff at when you don't have many to spare) as the floor beneath his feet glowed white in one section. Experimentally, he took another step forward, then another...laughing nervously, he watched as a new square of light sprang up with every few steps he took. It was almost like magic...but he knew it wasn't Magic was no more real than Santa Claus.
Just when he was beginning to enjoy this unusual game of hopscotch, it came to an abrupt end as he reached what he later realized was the middle of the room. The entire floor was now aglow, giving an eerie light to the room, which was a lot bigger than he expected it to be. There were little walkways made of the squares of light, leading off in various directions and urging him to follow, which he promptly did. In one corner, there was a monstrosity that could only be a supercomputer, and a rather outdated one at that. In another, there was a plain white bed surrounded by even more outdated equipment, undoubtedly for medical use.
Timmy shook his head slowly, eyes wide and mind racing. Suddenly afraid of being caught, he turned to race back through the doorway, up the stairs, and into the office...but something caught his eye. The faint glow of the floor tiles, reflecting off a smooth surface...
He was drawn to it, as though he and the glass were opposite ends of a magnet. It was opaque, showing him his face instead of its contents, until he stepped right up to the glass, triggering the lights within the display.
Black...a blue bird spreading its wings in flight...a tiny N slashed across the left side of the chest...N...Nightwing. This was Nightwing's suit, he recognized it from the papers. Nightwing the criminal, Nightwing the murderer. Nightwing.
Timmy stumbled backwards, falling hard on the ground and scooting desperately away from the suit and all that it meant. This wasn't possible, no! Not Papa...he wouldn't...he would never--
"But he did."
The boy staggered to his feet, whipping around, eyes wide and searching frantically for the source of that chilling voice. "Wh...who's there?" he whispered, terror squeezing his lungs and making air hard to come by.
Silence. Nothing but that suffocating silence.
Slowly, TImmy commanded his feet to move; one step, another...soon he was running, running faster than his short legs had ever before been capable of, running as though the devil himself was down in that room...
For Timmy, he might as well have been.
Richard was almost home when he glanced casually at a store as he passed it by, wondering if they were out of anything. A large sign, written in red marker, spelled out the words: Kittens! Free to a Good Home!
Licking his lip and glancing towards the traffic light, Richard swerved to the right and into the parking lot. It couldn't hurt to look, after all.
The two young girls instantly brightened as they saw him, and they smiled shyly, as though uncertain as to whether they should say something or wait for him to make the first move. Richard grinned widely, stepping right up to them and peering at the box sitting on the bench next to them. "So...kittens, huh?"
"Yes, sir. They're free! ...But not because they're sick or ugly or anything," the girl added hurriedly, recieving an elbow in the ribs from her companion. "Would you like to take a look?" Girl 2 asked.
Richard smiled. "Why not?"
Girl 2 lifted the towel away, revealing the contents of the large cardboard box. About five kittens were crawling around the bottom, meowing and scrabbling the sides of their prison. "Aren't they a little young to be leaving their mother?" he asked skeptically. The last thing he needed was for the kitten to die a week after he brought it home.
"No, no they're weaned. They're just a little...small for their age. Wanna hold one? They're really nice!" Girl 1 assured him, smiling encouragingly.
Richard nodded, and Girl 2 gently lifted a kitten from the box. It was black, save for its paws and the very tips of its ears, nose, and tail, which were pure white. The kitten fit easily into the palm of his hand, head bobbing as it sniffed him curiously. Almost hesitantly, Richard lifted his free hand and stroked its silky fur, smiling in spite of himself as it licked his finger with its tiny pink tongue. Timmy would love it. "So, do I qualify as a good home?" he asked, smiling teasingly at the girls.
Girl 1 giggled and blushed, while Girl 2 said hastily, "Excellent choice, he's the sweetest of the bunch. Quite healthy, too. Enjoy your kitten, sir."
"I will. Thank you, and good luck with the rest." Cradling the tiny kitten inside his suit jacket, Richard walked back to the jaguar and climbed in, grateful for the towel in the back seat as he gently wrapped the kitten and settled it on the floor. Looks like he'd be driving a little less recklessly for the last few blocks...
Well, that's what she wrote, word for word, I swear. -looks at Dusty- Nope, still in Lala Land...guess she won't be able to say goodbye to you. -sigh- Christian Bale...Well, until next time then. -Robin (standing in for Dusty)