"Why are you here?" Batman Asked.
"We told you!" Said Arrow, internally seething. "We're here to catch two men who were wrecking havoc in our respective cities. If you would untie us..!"
"No," said Batman shortly. "Why are you here, in my city, without my permission?"
Oliver bristled. "We're trying to help people!"
"As I said during dinner, Arrow, you're a killer," Said Batman flatly. "And I don't trust you."
"Hold on a minute," protested Flash. "That was the old Arrow. This is the new, Green Arrow."
"He's right," Said Arrow. "I'm not that man anymore."
"And yet your partner is threatening to kill mine," Said Batman.
"That was an expression!" Protested Arsenal. "Besides - We're not the psychos tying their dinner guests to chairs."
"Or to dumpsters!" Put in Thea.
Robin shrugged. "We wanted to see how good you were."
"And we are not impressed," Said Batman. "I want you out of this city."
"We're not leaving until we do what we came to do," snapped Arrow.
Batman shrugged. "I do not think we need your assistance to catch your rogues," Said Batman. "You'll just get in the way."
Flash decided it was time to even the playing field. He could feel his toes again, which meant his speedy metabolism had run through the paralyzing agent. Quick as a, well, Flash, he shook himself out of the bonds and charged Batman, easily putting the older man in a headlock. "Look, Bats," began Flash.
Only to have the wind knocked out of him as Robin came sailing through the air and kicked him in the face.
"Oomph," Flash slumped over, dazed, but still holding onto Batman. Only to have Batman roll over on top of him. Flash had to admit that was effective, as he let go to dash out of range.
A bit warier, Flash paused to take stock of the situation.
"Super speed isn't everything," Said Batman, not even winded.
"Flash!" Complained Arrow. "Don't be an idiot!"
"Shut up," muttered Flash. He charged again, running around and around Batman and Robin with the intention of starving them of oxygen and having them pass out. But they both unhooked electronic grappling hooks from their belts and shot them at the ceiling so that they rose up, out of the danger zone. Flash changed tactics and focused on channeling the lightning that was generated when he ran. When he had a sizable bunch, he let it loose at the ceiling.
Or, what he thought was the ceiling.
The blast of lightning kept going up.
There was a moment of silence. A small explosion. And then an angry, animal shriek filled the air.
"Oh crap!" Yelped Robin. He and Batman dropped to the ground and ducked down in the brace position.
"Get down!" Batman snapped at Flash.
Flash did so just as the swarm of angry bats came down from the ceiling.
Thea let out a stream of expletives as Cisco screamed. Everyone else just ducked down as best they could as the bats darted around and then disappeared back into the darkness of the cavern-like room that they now realized was..."A bat cave!" Said Felicity. "You have a literal bat cave."
But Batman and Robin ignored her, both of them looking at Flash who had now torn through his nice dinner clothing and was looking rather put out by the entire situation.
"You produce The lightning yourself?" Asked Batman. "Without the aid of technology?"
"Yeah, it's called the speed force-"
Oliver made an angry noise at the loss of yet another secret.
"We thought you made some gadget that generated it at high speeds," said Robin.
"Nope," Said Flash. "It's all me."
A huge smile spread across Robin's face and he looked expectantly at Batman.
"I have to admit," Said Batman. His face still neutral. "I am now impressed."
"All right!" Crowed Robin.
Oliver finally got himself loose and launched himself at Batman without a sound. Batman ducked in time, coming up to block Arrow's lunge with an armored forearm and then swinging his leg up to hit Arrow in the chest. Arrow took a step back, grinning, as he'd managed to get one of those weird bat-shaped-boomerangs from Batman's belt and was holding it like a dagger.
Robin used one of the hanging rappel lines to swing himself towards the back of Arrow's head. But Flash intercepted him and brought Robin down towards the ground. Robin shot out his left hand and most likely meant to use it for balance to go into a flip that would have ended with Flash getting kicked in the face. So Flash redoubled his grip and meant sure to slam Robin all the way onto the ground.
Unfortunately, the movement was accompanied by a sickening sort of crunch and Robin let out a shout of pain.
Batman's concentration broke for a second, his eyes glancing up to check on his partner. Arrow pressed his advantage, slashing the baterang thing again and managing to catch Batman across his jaw - one of the few areas not protected by his outfit. Batman responded by aiming an armored fist at Arrow's face. Arrow tensed, only to have Batman switch direction mid-swing to actually grab Arrow's wrist.
"Kid?" Flash asked, even as he sat on Robin's legs to make sure he wasn't going anywhere. "You okay?"
"You broke my wrist!" Robin snapped, feeling it gingerly with his other hand. "Idiot - we were about to ask if you wanted to team up! You could have waited two more seconds."
"What?" Said Flash blankly.
Robin rolled his eyes. "This was a test - we couldn't just have amateurs running around Gotham in costumes, now could we?"
"Amateurs?!" Spluttered Flash.
"I tied your partners to a dumpster," Robin reminded him. "Look...you need our help, but we need your help. Can we talk about it civically?"
"Ugh...sure," Said Flash. "One moment."
He dashed away and pulled Arrow back so that there were a good ten feet between him and Batman.
"What are you doing?!" Arrow hissed at him.
"UNTIE US!" Six people bellowed.
Flash ignored all of them and looked at Batman. "What's this about teaming up?"
"We are NOT teaming up!" Protested Arrow.
Batman went over to kneel down by Robin. The teenager had sat up and was examining his wrist gingerly. Batman gently took the injured wrist and pulled back the partial gloves on the outfit to examine it. "You'll be fine," Batman murmured to his young partner. "But you won't be able to use it for a few days."
"Absolutely fantastic," Robin huffed.
Batman looked up at Flash and Arrow. "I don't like you, Arrow-"
"The feeling is mutual," Arrow growled.
"-but your partner had a point at dinner. There are more of you and we need more muscle - our run-in with Simon last night after dealing with you taught us that much."
Robin nodded, his expression flashing through something dark before smoothing over.
"And the two of you have been effective in your respective cities," conceded Batman. "But you must understand I couldn't just let you operate within Gotham without laying down some ground rules."
"We TOLD you!" Complained Cisco.
"Why not just talk to us?" Pointed out Felicity.
Batman snorted. "We all lie as easily as we breathe, it comes with the job description."
Thea started laughing. "You could have just asked Cisco."
"I'm not that bad at lying," Cisco Complained. "I'm as good as Felicity."
"I've improved!" She protested.
"I hope you have," Said Batman dryly. He pulled back his cowl and was once again Bruce Wayne. Albeit with a bruise forming and a line of blood across his jaw. "Oliver, if I hadn't decided to trust you, you wouldn't know who I was," he said simply.
Robin took this as a cue and also took the mask off his face. Once again looking into the kids blue eyes, Barry was suddenly sure that the two Gotham vigilantes were telling the truth.
"One sec," Barry said.
He dashed away, untied everyone, rounded them all up around Ollie (Diggle hated that), and said, "Teaming up, yes or no?"
"Yes!" Said Cisco.
"He has a point about the secret identities," Pointed our Diggle.
"We still need to get our two guys," Said Caitlin.
"I vote yes," said Felicity.
"I don't like this," Said Roy.
"They flattened us," Said Thea. "If they couldn't defeat Simon on their own, then we can't." Everyone looked at Oliver.
Oliver ground his teeth together and turned to Bruce/Batman.
"Fine," said Oliver. "Your city, your rules. But don't ever tie me to a chair again. Or drug me."
"Or us!" Said Roy.
"Or my team," agreed Oliver.
"Agreed," Said Batman.
