I'm back! Really sorry for the wait. I was blocked on this story, writers blocked. (Never try to use that grammar with your English teacher). But I'm back now! I know this chapter is short and may seem kind of fillerish but I have a plot in mind and I know what I'm shooting for! So, I just want to tell everyone thank you for reviewing! You all seriously rock! Seriously! Second places goes to all those guys and gals who put this on your favorites or alerts list but didn't review. You guys are cool to, just not as cool as those who reviewed :b So without further ado! The Next Chapter.
Disclaimer: Ugh, again? Okay fine, I am in no way affiliated with DC and this is purely a work of fiction written by a fan. Fan fiction if you will. It is based off of existing characters and stories but I am in no way making money off of this and DC comics is in no way losing money due to this work. Blah blah, legal stuff. Ugh, it's late, I wanna go to sleep...
As soon as he entered the bat cave Richard quickly grabbed his suit and utility belt. After double checking to see if everything was working properly he pulled the cowl over his head, jumped into the batmobile and took off. The entire process had taken him less than a minute. As soon as the car zoomed out of sight Raven emerged from the shadows wearing her old blue cloak that she'd packed just in case she would ever have to jump into action while she was on the trip. Quickly, she flew from the upper platform and towards the exit where the batmobile had vanished into moments ago.
There were a number of tunnels and branching paths but to a trained eye like Raven's, it was relatively easy to see which path Batman had taken. Upon reaching the cave's exit Raven quickly flew forward until she saw the security cameras posted on both sides of the door. Silently, she phased through the wall and out of the cave. Back inside, Alfred glanced over at one of the security cameras as set out a small plate of food for when Richard returned. He could have sworn he'd seen something move.
He shrugged to himself. 'It couldn't hurt to have some extra security tonight' he thought before pressing a button on the bat computer to activate the motion sensors. You could never be too careful in Gotham.
Meanwhile out in the city Batman continued to drive the batmobile towards Gotham PD. The particular district he was driving through was relatively quiet that night, not suspiciously quiet but there were very few cars or pedestrians out. However, with this weather he really couldn't blame them. Winter in this city was never…he paused as he spied something out of the corner of his eye. It wasn't the figure of a person or a creature, rather it seemed to only be an unnecessary shadow. A suspicious unnecessary shadow that seemed to be following him.
"Raven," he growled to himself. What was that girl's problem; he didn't need her tailing him. But if she wanted to tag along fine, he'd…Batman shook his head and mentally berated himself. He was out on patrol, he couldn't let himself be distracted, he had to completely devote his mind and body to his present task. That's what he lived for, that's why he was Batman. Concentration way key!... Still, she aggravated him to no end, why…? Ugh!
"Damnit" he growled shaking his head. His concentration was definitely shot tonight. He pressed the autopilot button on the batmobile's control console and clenched the door handle with all his might and grimaced. He shook his head a moment later. 'Much better' he thought to himself as he released his grip and pulled the eject lever. Batman shot out of the top of the batmobile and quickly grappled towards the top of a nearby building.
From her spot in the shadows Raven quietly watched Batman running across the rooftops towards the Police headquarters where the Bat signal shinned in the night sky.
"It'd be much more efficient just to drive to the car up to the entrance of the building," she muttered to herself before rolling her eyes. Vigilantes, they always had to do everything with stealth. Ugh. On the rooftop of the police headquarters Barbara Gordon looked at her watch.
"Ma'am?" one of the officers behind her asked.
"I turned the signal on four minutes ago," Barbara shrugged. "We've probably got two minutes before he shows up." The officer nodded his head and stepped backed. Barbara sighed out loud before looking back at the various cops assembled behind her. "Sooooo…how about them Cubs?"
"Commissioner Gordon," a cold voice said from behind her. Barbara jumped and spun around.
"You always gotta do that to me don't ya?" she huffed stuffing her hands into her coat pockets. Batman gave her what she guessed was a shrug. "Anyway, you're here early. So let's get right down…" She looked up for a moment. "Your know you were followed?" she whispered.
"Yes," Batman sighed. "Just get on with it."
"House guest?" Barbara asked in a joking tone. Batman's face remained emotionless. "Right, forgot who I was talking to. Back to the matter at hand," she sighed digging into her coat pocket. "There is no immediate danger but about an hour ago," Barbara began pulling out some pictures. "Someone broke into S.T.A.R labs Gotham division. Tactics, M.O and style don't match any known Gotham villain but I identified her," she said in a much softer voice. "With my other files, thought you might want to take a look."
Batman took the pictures and started leafing through them. "Ravager," he growled. Barbara nodded.
"The daughter of an old friend of yours," she nodded plainly.
"I'll take care of it," Batman muttered readying a grapple hook.
"You sure?" Barbara asked looking at him curiously. He was unusually ticked tonight. Something about him was seemed…odd.
"I'll be fine," he growled grappling away. The cops watched him go until finally the figure vanished back into the darkness. A captain shuffled over the bat signal and pulled the switch to shut it off. The cop stood around for a few more moments unsure of what to do next.
"Okay!" Barbara said turning around. "Bullock I hope you got the doughnuts!"
"You might as well come out now," Batman growled as soon as he was far enough away from from GCPD.
"So, the real you emerges," Raven muttered as a black pool of energy appeared on the rooftop. Batman turned around to face her as she stepped out of the pool.
"Yes, congratulations, now go home! I don't need distractions out here." Ravens temper flared. This little stealth mission had not gone as she'd hoped. His face, attitude and mannerisms were exactly as she'd pictured them and yet at the moment the only thing she felt for him was pity and anger. He was an emotional wreck. She could feel it. Now, just after she was starting to feel sorry for him he'd snapped at her.
"You really don't like people helping, do you?" Raven spat.
"No," he growled back bluntly. "I thought that stuff like, teams and sidekicks worked at one point, but..." he continued his voice growing lower and colder. Raven felt something click in her mind, something she hadn't felt in a long time. Their old empathy link was back and stress and anger was flowing out of Richard like a fountain. Pain and loss, frustration and loneliness. That amount of negative emotions should have caused the air to feel hot as hell but If anything, the air became chillier to her. Raven backed away a few steps. "But I've learned the hard way that forming these connections and bonds in a line of work like this, for a person who's sole purpose in life if vengeance...it doesn't end well. You form attachments and makes friends but you're forced to leave them behind for the mission. Or suddenly you die, or they die...stuff like that happens all the time. What happens to everyone around you? What happens when you're gone? Eventually, they get sucked a bit further into that abyss. I wouldn't wish this on anyone so that's why I'm telling you," he paused and glared straight at her. "Go home," he said his voice barely a whisper. "Forget about me...please...I don't want anyone else to suffer like I did," and with that, he vanished back into the shadows.
Raven kept staring into the cold Gotham night for a long time. He'd changed, much more so than she'd originally thought. And not for the better. She knew what she had to do, she was going to have to pull him out of that abyss or get sucked in trying.
Face heel turn :b Okay, so that may have been a little sudden but I thought I had adaquette buildup. Anywho, I also know that Ravager appeared in the comic but hey different 'Continuity!' So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll try to get the next one up soon!...After I update my other seven stories...where have I been for the past month?
