Chapter 5: Winter Soldier VS Red Hood
After the screen went black, they tried to decide what to do next.
"Well, we can't stay here all night. I've got to get home to my wife before she gets concerned." Flash said, getting ready to leave.
"Flash, wait!" Bruce called, causing the elder speedster to freeze. "We will be coming back to watch some more of this tomorrow."
Impulse spoke up, "Hey Gramps, can Grandma Iris come to watch as well?"
Flash looked hesitant, "Well, I don't think the Bat-"
"Bring her. I have a feeling we might learn some things that she'll want to see for herself. Bring Jay Garrick as well if possible." Bruce cut in, surprising the speedster once more. "Also, the ones that have already been talked about won't have to wear their uniforms."
"Uh sure thing, Bats." Flash called an uncertain note to his voice, before Impulse and him were off just with a gust of wind left in their wake.
"Alright all of you, go home and rest we've got a big day tomorrow." The Dark Knight called, picking up Gideon and heading off with the other main JL members.
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The next day, everyone returned to where they were before. With the new addition of Iris West and Jay Garrick (the First Flash). Once everyone was situated, Bruce Wayne, not Batman, placed down Gideon. He gestured at Flash to talk to it.
Clearing his throat, Flash compiled, "Gideon, What's the next episode?"
There was no response. "Gideon?"
"I'm sorry, Flash. The next episode will reveal some things from the future. I was programmed to be cautious with important information. Do you still want to continue?"
Everyone looked at one another.
"What exactly would be shown?" Flash asked, rightfully cautious.
"It would expose the identity of one of Batman's future villains." she responded, cryptically.
Bruce tenses a little. After a moment, he turned to Flash, nodding stiffly for the go ahead.
"Okay, Gideon. Play the episode." Flash ordered, exasperatedly. Iris noticed her husband's worry and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
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*Cues: Wiz & Boomstick - Brandon Yates*
(We cut to Wiz and Boomstick)
Wiz: Sidekicks. Every good superhero, or world-conquering scientist, needs one. Right, Boomstick?
Boomstick: That's right! (realizes) Hey! I think we all know which one of us is the real sidekick here.
Wiz: Such as the Winter Soldier, Marvel's brainwashed assassin.
Boomstick: And Red Hood, DC's resurrected Robin turned vigilante.
Everyone was startled. Resurrected? What the hell!
The bats, however, had a feeling of who this could be. Dick and Bruce looked at one another. Dick, looking like someone had just taken his ability to walk. Bruce looked like he'd just swallowed a lemon.
(We cut to Wiz and Boomstick)
Boomstick: He's Wiz and I'm Boomstick.
Wiz: And it's our job to analyze their weapons, armor, and skills to find out who would win... a Death Battle.
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Wiz: World War II. As strange as it is to name a war a sequel like some sort of movie, it was a time of turmoil across the globe. The brave and patriotic did their part, including one James Buchanan Barnes, known by his friends as "Bucky."
Boomstick: As a young lad, Bucky ripped open a standard superhero booster pack, to find classic cards like "Dead Parents" and "Deep Desire to Fight for Justice".
"Damn! Why is he so fucking blunt!" Roy yelled, once more.
Wiz: And that combo served him well in the U.S. Military. He joined at the age of fifteen and eventually got recruited for special assignments and training with British commandos.
Boomstick: Not long after that, he became friends with his own personal hero and the country's favorite boy scout: Captain America!
"Who in the hell is Captain America?" Green Arrow questioned, laughing at the things that his mind came up with.
Green lantern shrugged, "For all we know he'd probably be something like the boyscout over there." Pointing at Superman, who just looked confused.
Wiz: Bucky was initially unaware of the Captain's secret identity, until one night, he walked in on Steve Rogers changing into his costume.
Boomstick: (chuckling) Well, I guess that's one way to get to know a guy. Luckily, Cap had a lot of faith in Bucky, and asked him to become his partner in crime-er, hero work. They fought side-by-side, kickin' Nazi ass throughout the rest of the war.
"I hate Nazi's!" Flash, Supergirl and Green Arrow muttered at the same time.
The three hero's glanced at one another, surprised that they could actually agree on something.
Flash and Arrow worked fine together. It was just that they annoyed the ever-living fuck out each other.
Their personalities were similar but Barry just could not stand Oliver's rich boy personality. Having grown up in a middle class family for the first few years of his life then being moved to an orphanage. Barry was used to being around people who were respectable and grateful. Not that Barry hadn't met anyone with a disgusting personality, because Barry could name quite a few. But Oliver was a whole new kind of disrespectful. It was one of the few things that managed to piss the usually calm Flash off. Oliver knew this and therefore did these things just to piss the speedster off. Which explains their constant bickering when on a mission.
Green lantern, Hal, was surprisingly the mediator between the two. That's the main reason they were able to tolerate each other when on a long mission.
Supergirl was super sweet, like her cousin, Clark. Her and Barry usually got along great. Their personalities had never clashed with each other. If anything, they were in sync. Whenever they were paired up together they were unstoppable.
With Green Arrow, that wasn't the case.
It wasn't like they hated each other, it's just that they sometimes got on one another's nerves and when that happened. It wasn't pretty.
Of course, not a lot of people noticed how close these three could get. Maybe in another universe they would have been closer friends?
Wiz: The duo seemed to be unstoppable, until one fateful mission, when they leapt after a plane to catch Nazi scientist, Baron Zemo.
Boomstick: Fortunately for Bucky, he was able to grab on to the plane, while Cap fell into the ocean to nab his last diving merit badge. Get it? 'Cuz- 'cuz he's a boy scout.
Wiz: Unfortunately for Bucky, the plane was booby-trapped and exploded. It appeared as though the Captain's loyal sidekick had been killed.
Boomstick: But the ones we love in comic books never truly leave us.
Wiz: Sometime after the war, a Russian submarine discovered Bucky's body preserved in the icy waters of the English channel.
Boomstick: They decided to scoop him up and experiment on him, 'cuz why not? Who could pass up a free body you found? Even if it was missing an arm.
Everyone looked rightfully disgusted with this news.
Wiz: Bucky's training and experience made him the perfect candidate as the ultimate assassin, and after they revived and brainwashed him, they outfitted him with a shiny new bionic arm.
Boomstick: Turning Bucky into... the Winter Soldier.
Wiz: Along with this new persona, the Winter Soldier sported a sundry of skills throughout his career that made him a killing machine. For starters, he was injected with the Infinity Formula.
Boomstick: Which permanently increased his physical ability to an enhanced state.
Popup: The Infinity Formula grants Bucky a healing factor, though it is much slower than those of mutants like Deadpool or Wolverine.
Wiz: This made him quite the formidable foe, even for Captain America, a foe who seemingly abandoned the values the duo previously shared.
Boomstick: These two have fought plenty of times, and Bucky's been able to hold his own against his former partner.
Wiz: His advanced strength and speed, coupled with his knowledge of various fighting styles, make for a lethal combination. He's skilled in everything from hand to hand, close-quarters combat, to an impressive arsenal of ranged weaponry.
"I feel bad for the guy that has to face him." Bart stated, eyebrows pulled together in worry.
(we cut to Wiz and Boomstick)
Boomstick: Ho ho, yeah! He's got a ton of sweet guns that are outfitted with some nifty palm print sensors, so only he can shoot 'em.
Wiz: If anyone other than the Winter Soldier tries to use these firearms, they will self-destruct. He also wields a katana, throwing knives, pretty much whatever comes in the welcome bag at Assassin-Con.
"Ha! I bet ghosty here has more than that in his utility belt." Green lantern stated, pointing at the White Knight.
Boomstick: Always a good time at Ass-Con.
Roy snickered.
Wiz: Ugh, but we can't forget his most iconic piece: the arm.
Boomstick: Well, I mean, it's definitely the coolest metal arm I've ever seen.
Wiz: What about mine? I made it myself.
Boomstick: Come on Wiz, look at that thing! He is super buff! Plus, it's got a flamethrower, a retractable blade, it can emit electric charges, and it's so strong, knives break on impact.
Wiz: It's not about the size of the arm, it's how you use it. Well, sure, it's strong, but it's not indestructible. It's been torn up by a vibranium sword.
Boomstick: Wait, wait, I thought the arm was made of vibranium.
Wiz: You're thinking of the movies. In the comics, Bucky did not receive a vibranium arm birthday present from T'Challa. Canonically, his arm is made up of strong, but unspecified metals. Likely a form of titanium alloy similar to the Iron Man suit.
Boomstick: Even without vibranium, it's tough to keep up with Bucky. He took a direct shot from Iron Man's repulsor blast, which was strong enough to tear through a helicopter moments later.
Wiz: And consider the heroes he's battled: Wolverine, Daredevil, Iron Man, and, obviously, Captain America.
No one reacted much to the one's that hadn't been talked about yet. But Daredevil definity rang a bell or two.
Boomstick: Ah, it's a shame Bucky and Cap were at odds for so long. They shoulda just knocked him on the head real good. That's the scientific way to get people to remember who they are, right?
Wiz: Or you can use a Cosmic Cube to rewrite their memories. That's what Captain America did to save Bucky.
Boomstick: Who was so pissed off, he just straight-up crushed the cube with his bare bionic hand!
"That probably would be more impressive if ya know we didn't have Wonder Woman and Superman who can crush almost anything without too much effort." Roy stated, arms crossed.
Wiz: While this brought him back, Bucky wasn't the same man who went into those icy waters. His remorse for his crimes was tough to overcome, and he would always wonder if he's done enough good to finally redeem himself.
Boomstick: But thankfully, it was hard to shake everything he learned from his hero, Steve. Bucky returned to fighting for justice, and even took up the shield himself for a while.
Wiz: Proving that, despite his sordid past, Bucky's persistence and resilience makes him a hero in his own right.
(Bucky hoists up a hollering Rocket Raccoon and pivots around while they gun down numerous Outriders)
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Wiz: When you think of the word "sidekick", who immediately comes to mind?
Boomstick: You. It's you.
Wiz: N-no, Robin, the Boy Wonder. Batman's iconic crime-fighting partner.
Everyone leaned forward. Ready to meet one of Batman's future villains.
Boomstick: Yeah, that's a close second. Too bad the Caped Crusader's sidecar has been revolving doors of orphans and acrobats.
Wiz: Not including alternate universes and "What If?" stories, Batman has taken five different Robins under his bat-wing. Some moved on to pursue a superhero career of their own, others... didn't turn out so lucky.
Boomstick: Enter Jason Todd.
The bats all tense. Causing the others in the room to grow nervous.
The older, more experienced members know all about Batman's second Robin. All the Bats were affected by the boy's death but the two most affected were Bruce, himself and Dick.
Dick remembered that night. Remembered in vivid detail. He'd had a fight with Bruce a little before that but had come to visit Jason. He remembered greeting Alfred and then heading down to the cave.
He'd waited there for hours, before finally, the Batmobile came barreling in. Standing up, Dick waited for the familiar black-haired Robin to come bouncing out of the car.
...But instead he watched as Batman came out instead.
Dick glanced at Bruce before looking at the passenger side of the batmobile. After another second he asked the question, dread growing in his stomach.
"Where's Jason?"
Batman didn't answer. He just opened the passenger side door and reached inside. After a second he pulled out a body. A bloody, broken, small-looking body with familiar raven colored hair. The colors in the Robin uniform extenuating the darker red stains.
"Jason." Dick whispered, horrified at the sight.
Seeing that Bruce wasn't going to talk to his adopted son. Flash looked at Wally gesturing for him to comfort his friend. Wally shook his head. Sighing in defeat, Flash walked over to the first robin, pulling back his mask as he went.
Barbara and Tim moved over so the older speedster could sit next to Nightwing.
Flash, now Barry, placed a comforting hand on Dick's shoulder. "Dick? Are you still with us?"
Dick turned to Barry still dazed by his memory. "Y-yeah. I-I'll be okay. Just bad memories."
Barry nodded in understanding. Before standing up and heading back to where his family was. Everyone else started their own conversions with one another. When he got up to Wally he smacked him on the back of the head.
"Ow! What was that for?" Wally cried, rubbing the sore place on the back of neck.
Sitting down beside Iris, who was just as shocked as Wally was, he answered, "For not being the supportive friend you're supposed to be. That was a change to help mend your relationship with Dick and you just let it pass you." He sighed once more. "I'm just disappointed."
Wally's harsh expression softened when he heard the underlying concern in his uncle's voice. Wally sighed. "I think i have a good reason to be mad at him, Uncle Barry. I mean he put Artemius in danger!"
Barry glanced at the archer sitting by the younger speedster. "Danger that she knew about beforehand." Said girl looking away from his gaze. Barry turned back to his nephew. "Look Wally. Dick came to talk to me when all of that was happening. He told me everything that was happening not only with the team but with the remaining bats. And to tell you the truth it wasn't pretty."
All of the Flash family were shocked. Wally looked at Artemis who was just as shocked.
"Dick opened up to you?" Iris stated, the shock wearing off. Her husband had always been good with getting kids to talk to him about things.
Barry nodded his head. "He originally planned to have himself 'die' but Artemis told him she'd do it. He didn't want to but she convinced him too."
Wally turned to Artemis. "Is that true? I thought we decided not to do the hero job anymore?"
"I know. But after a while I just missed it all. The urge was just too much to handle and that's what led me to offer myself for the job."
Wally's shoulders fell and his hands anxiously ran through his red hair. "I want to fix things but i'm still mad about how he handled it all. It was just like he did in that Failsafe simulator. He did what Batman would do. Which meant that our life meant nothing if it helped the mission get done."
Barry sighed once again. Iris wondered how much he'd do that before this conversation ends.
"Wally. There's a reason for that as well. But I'm not telling you that because that's something Dick will have to explain to you. Now about you still being mad? That's fine. Dick is expecting that. That, however, shouldn't stop you from talking to him about everything." Wally opened his mouth to say something, but Barry raised his to stop him. "Without chewing his head off."
Now it was Wally's turn to sigh. "Okay. I'll find some time to talk to him later."
Barry nodded in approval. Iris smiled. After Wally and Artemis's attention lifted from them Iris turned to look at her husband. "You treat him like he's your son."
Barry paused for a split second. Before he glanced at Wally again. Without realizing it, his eyes had softened to a fond expression. "Yeah, I do think of him as my son."
This poor kid was given the short end of the stick, and then the fans beat him to death with it.
A lot of the heros were confused by this statement. Fans beat him to death?
Wiz: Jason grew up on the streets of Gotham, getting by through a life of petty crime, until eventually running into the Batman himself.
Boomstick: By trying to steal the rims off the Batmobile! This kid's got some serious balls! I mean, you can't exactly look at the damn Batmobile and mistake it for someone else's car.
Dick smiled remembering when he'd first met Jason. He had been shy and quiet ever since he'd gotten to the manor. Bruce trying to resolve this told Dick to fix it. So he did, but not without a few choice words that Alfred would kill him for muttering.
When he got there, the kid was watching a movie. Walking closer he realized he was watching one of the old christmas movies Dick remembered watching during his early days as Robin.
He leaned against the wall for a moment, thinking about how to move forward.
"I know you're there."
Dick tried to hide that he was startled. Clearing his throat, he walked over and sat down on the couch next to the younger kid.
He was fidgeting. That was the first thing his mind thought. The kid was nervous.
"You must be Dick Grayson? Right? The First Robin?"
The corner of Dick's mouth lifted slightly. "Yep. And you must be this new Robin I've heard about?"
The boy tensed. "You know about me."
I studied him again for a second time.
He looked like he was going to fall over with how small he looked. He must not have had much to eat out there. He had a good many scars for someone so young. He looked like he wanted to run away from the older teen. But he didn't. He just stared at Dick, his body stiff as a board.
Eye's softening, Dick responded, "I've only heard a few things. Like how you were out on the streets…"
Jason scoffed and looked away from Dick, "I don't need or want your sympathy."
"And I'm not giving it. I'm just telling you what I know." The tension in Jason's shoulders lessened just a bit. "The only other thing I know about is how you managed to steal the rims off the Batmobile."
Jason turned to see his expression when he said that. Probably wondering if Dick was angry. But Dick just gave him a smirk. After a moment, Jason returned it.
After that, Jason was more talkative. He and Dick started to hang out a lot more. He put more effort into being Robin. Determined to prove that he was just as worthy as Dick to have that title. Which Dick had told him many times that he didn't have to prove anything. He'd stolen the rims off the goddamn Batmobile. For goodness sake. He'd also developed a habit of not listening to the Bat. And becoming a hot-head.
Wiz: Bruce had recently split up with the first Robin, Dick Grayson, and was on the lookout for a new sidekick. Impressed by Jason's scrappiness and latent ability, he had the twelve-year-old suit up. Yes, he really was twelve.
Boomstick: Yikes. Well, creepy child abducting habits aside, Bats hoped he could live up to the last Robin. Too bad this was a literal dick-measuring contest that Jason had no chance in.
Wiz: Despite some moderate success, Jason wasn't exactly an extraordinary Robin, and the fans saw it, too. In an unprecedented move, DC asked their readers to vote on whether or not Jason Todd would live or die.
Boomstick: Yup! They voted to kill the shit out of that kid! Joker style. On an unrelated note, if you wanna see Wiz die a horrible gruesome death that will lead to some serious mental health issues, call 555-2337, or 555-BEER.
Everyone's mouths dropped. Jason was killed because people didn't like him? What the Fuck!
Wiz: Jason Todd was dead... until Superboy-Prime punched a hole in the fabric of reality and accidentally brought him back. True story, don't ask.
"Superboy-Prime?" Superboy muttered to himself.
Boomstick: And after a dip in a magic hot tub, the Lazarus Pit, Jason was back in top form. Take that, readers! Your contribution means nothing!
Wiz: Resolve renewed, Jason donned a new identity inspired by his own killer, the Red Hood.
Boomstick: While the freaky death did bring him back stronger and faster, it turns out resurrection comes at a price. Jason was already a hothead, but Red Hood had a serious temper with violent outbursts. He... wasn't alright in the noggin.
Wiz: But he had a goal: Destroy Batman, and show him his humane methods were unfit for saving Gotham City.
Boomstick: If Bats had actually killed the Joker way back when, he never would've killed Jason in the first place. For a raging psychopath, he's...not exactly wrong. Where Batman failed, Jason was up for the task. He pushed himself to become a killing machine even Bruce would have a tough time keepin' up with.
Wiz: Even training with the League of Assassins, and the All-Caste, a group of monk assassins.
Oh Jason. Dick closed his eyes trying to remember old Jason.
Boomstick: So much ass stuff in this episode.
Wiz: In addition to Red Hood's wide array of skills, he also maintains a serious collection in his arsenal. Most obviously, his armored cowl. While it provides him with sturdy protection, the sensors within also allow him to scan his surrounding area, neutralizing any potential stealth threats. Plus, the hood can also explode, so...that's convenient?
Boomstick: Sounds like my new hangover recipe. On top of the red chrome dome, Jason packs all sorts of knives, explosives, guns, and he even once summoned these weird magic swords called the All-Blades to fight off supernatural threats.
"Somethings just don't change when it involves the Bats." Superman stated. Batman glared as usual.
Popup: The All-Blades can only be summoned in the presence of true evil.
Wiz: But probably most important is his continual use of Venom.
(we cut to Wiz and Boomstick, Wiz holds a jar with a green substance and a skull and crossbones picture)
Boomstick: Wait wait wait, what's the symbiote doin' here?
Wiz: No no, the Venom drug. It's what Bane uses to get all, you know, swole!
"Wait! Where did Jason find that stuff at?" Dick questioned, just as astonished as everyone else.
Boomstick: Wiz, have you ever been to the gym? Like, even once?
Wiz: DUMMI?
(DUMMI floats in)
DUMMI: I'm here to carry your arbitrary burdens.
Wiz: Venom is an addictive steroid that increases strength and stamina tenfold. A normal dose also affects the mind, dumbing it down and causing bouts of rage. But Jas-
(Boomstick pushes DUMMI down and grabs the jar)
Boomstick: Dibs! Ha ha, superpowers, here I come! You can call me the Redneck!
(He chugs it)
Wiz: Nonono, you're supposed to inject it...!
(Boomstick then immediately throws up the serum into DUMMI's funnel, much to the robot's disgust, he groans)
Boomstick: DUMMI... clean that up...
(DUMMI glares)
Popup: Venom comes in several varieties. While the version Jason has access to boosts his physical strength, it does not drastically alter his muscular size like the iteration commonly used by Bane.
Wiz: Using Venom has made Red Hood strong enough to fight off monsters twice his size, tear through alien tendrils, and even once break the grip of Supergirl.
This raised some eyebrows.
Boomstick: He can hold up a small part of a collapsing building, dodge bullets, and even once survived an All-Caste ritual called "The Cleansing", which no human has been able to do in over a thousand years!
Wiz: And while it was difficult to determine if this feat was due to Jason's worthiness or stubbornness, it's safe to say that, either way, he's a tough guy.
Boomstick: Tough enough to punch through a submarine hull, or at least, he carries enough explosives to blow a hole through it. Either way, I wouldn't wanna go one on one with this guy.
Wiz: Red Hood also has plenty of that Bat-like stealth ability to match his brute strength.
Boomstick: He was able to sneak away from Supergirl! Even Bruce would be proud of that one.
Bruce smiled proudly in his head. Proud of you, Son. I was always proud of you. Even if you'll never believe me.
Wiz: Despite how Jason tried to kill him. But the Red Hood failed, and was left to reexamine his own personal code. He ultimately decided to be a hero again, albeit a very conflicted one.
Boomstick: He even teamed up with Bats and even worked alongside other Robins. He also leads a group of ragtag heroes called The Outlaws.
Wiz: The roller coaster of Red Hood's crime-fighting career has, at best, landed himself in that anti-hero sweet spot. And, at worst, made him a violent vigilante who takes the law into his own hands.
(Red Hood throws down a duffel bag to some drug lords.)
Red Hood: Those are the heads of all your lieutenants. That took me two hours. (Aims his assault rifle) You wanna see what I can get done in a whole evening?
"Geez! Could you even get any more fucking blunt." Roy exclaimed, horrified.
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"Time for the fight, everyone!" Bart exclaimed.
Everyone looked on in amusement as Bart sped over to his family. Slamming into Flash's side, who grunted but ruffled his hair anyways. Iris smiled at him and hugged him.
(*Cues: Red Winter - John Scigulinsky*)
Red Hood's phone rings, he answers as the lights come on.
Red Hood: Yo, Barbie.
Batman: Jason, it's me.
Red Hood: What do you want, Bruce?
He walks through a kitchen as Bruce talks to him.
Batman: Eight assassins from the League of Shadows were gunned down two miles from your current location.
Red Hood: Sounds like a party.
Batman: They were all shot with rounds from a modified M4, a gun I know is in your arsenal.
Red Hood chuckles as he enters an abandoned Chinatown restaurant that serves as his base.
Red Hood: As much as I'd love to take credit for that one, it wasn't me.
Batman: Don't lie to me.
Red Hood: It wasn't me, Bruce, but you know what? You can count on me to crack the case.
Jason sets his dinner from Big Belly Burger on the table.
Bart and Wally perked up after seeing the food. Noticing this, Flash sped off and in seconds was back with two large bags of Big Belly Burger and two coffees for him and Iris.
Iris kissed him as a thank you. Wally and Bart each gave him a speedster hig
Red Hood: In fact, I believe there's a bit of evidence that demands my attention right now.
Batman: Jaso-
Red Hood hangs up and sits down at a table. He removes his helmet and opens the bag, taking out a burger. However, before he can enjoy his dinner, he hears a dog barking and a gun firing in the distance. He whips out his pistol and aims, shining the laser sight at the window.
"At least he's ready for a fight. I mean isn't that one of the main signs that you're a bat?" Green Lantern stated, most of the others nodding in agreement.
Jason peeks underneath one of the newspapers covering the window and doesn't appear to notice anything. Just as he holsters his pistol and prepares to walk back, he hears gunshots.
"Nevermind. A bat would never let their guard down once alerted." Lantern corrected.
"That's just who Jason is though." Dick countered, chuckling at the fond memories that ran through his mind's eye.
Red Hood: Shit!
Jason leaps behind one of the tables as the door is riddled with bullet holes and kicked down. The ruthless Winter Soldier enters the establishment and begins firing his M4 at his new target. Jason runs to avoid the gunfire and vaults over a table and flips it on its side for cover. He starts shooting at Bucky, who takes cover behind a different table. When the Soviet assassin starts reloading his gun, Jason takes the opportunity to run to the countertop. He arrives just as Bucky begins shooting at the pictures near the counter.
Bucky slowly approaches the back of the bar counter, but doesn't find his opponent, instead only seeing Jason's discarded brown jacket.
"There's that infamous ninja vanishing trick that's used so often." Flash mutters, "I hate it when the bats do that.
The White Knight smirks.
He then pulls down his scarf and readies his submachine gun as he goes back to the tables. He points his weapon's mounted flashlight in multiple directions, looking for his target. Suddenly, Red Hood appears behind him in the middle of the restaurant.
Red Hood: Bar's closed.
"He even has a sense of Humor. Nice!" Everyone turned to look at him, "Even if it may be a little twisted." Roy added, laughing nervously.
Bucky quickly turns around, but before he can aim at his target, Jason uses his grappling hook to pull it to the ground. The former Robin starts firing his pistol, but Bucky protects his face with his metal arm, prompting Jason to flip over his opponent to the other side.
Red Hood attempts to fire one of his pistols, but Bucky grabs hold of both of his hands to aim them upwards. Red Hood manages to break his grip by kicking Winter Soldier back before deflecting one of Bucky's gunshots by punching his opponent's hand away.
Jason tries landing another punch, but Bucky blocks it with his regular arm before using his metal arm to protect his face and deflect bullets fired from Red Hood's pistol. The Russian assassin grabs the pistol and tosses it aside just before Jason charges through and throws him to the ground.
"Well, gotta hand it to you, Bruce." Superman started, "You know how to train them to be the best they can be."
Bruce smirks. "Yeah, but this one." He pointed at the screen. "This one was already great. Agent A and I just tried to shape him to be the best he could be. But Jason wasn't one to be tamed. That's for sure."
Bucky tries firing another shot, but Jason kicks his arm to the side. Red Hood fires another bullet, but Bucky grabs his hand with his bionic arm. Jason struggles to break free of the assassin's tight grip as Bucky forces him to aim right at his own helmet. The bullet ricochets off the helmet, but leaves Red Hood wide open for a massive punch from Bucky's robotic limb. Jason stumbles back into the doors leading to the kitchen and falls on the ground.
Red Hood: Okay...
The Winter Soldier tears off his left sleeve, revealing his metallic arm to his opponent. Jason begins to recover from the blow and disappears once the two doors swing back and forth again. As Bucky enters the kitchen, he prepares his knife before he is suddenly ambushed by Jason from around a corner, who is also wielding his knife. Despite the setback, Winter Soldier kicks Jason forward towards the sink.
The two trade several blows before Red Hood nearly stabs Bucky in the face, however, the former Captain America narrowly catches the knife with his metallic arm and pushes it away. The two clash multiple times before the Winter Soldier pins Red Hood to a refrigerator. He manages to start cutting through Jason's helmet and almost stabs him in the neck, but the Bat-family member manages to stab him in the stomach.
In response, the Winter Soldier chokeholds Red Hood with his human arm before using his bionic arm to punch the vigilante's helmet several times, even managing to crack open one of the eye holes. Jason breaks free by the Winter Soldier where his knife is still stuck, sending Bucky to the floor. He takes out one of his batarangs and throws it at his grounded opponent, who manages to stop it with his metal arm. Bucky then uses his artificial limb to pull out the knife lodged in his gut.
Red Hood: My turn.
Jason presses a button on his belt that causes the batarang to electrocute Bucky's arm, effectively disabling it. Red Hood takes advantage of his opponent's handicapped state by landing several punches before roundhouse kicking the Winter Soldier back to the ground. As Red Hood prepares another punch, Bucky grabs a nearby crowbar with his regular arm and strikes Red Hood twice, unknowingly triggering Jason's post-traumatic stress disorder in the process.
Jason begins to hear a familiar, yet terrifying voice in his head.
Joker: Jason…
There were several gasps around the room.
As the tortured sidekick begins hyperventilating, he struggles to fight back as Winter Soldier continues swinging the crowbar to corner him near the fryers.
Joker: Jason, oh Jason... He's not coming for you... No one is... *Laughs maniacally*
Red Hood: Shut up.
"Oh, Jason." Nightwing whispered, wishing that he could hug his brother and get him the help he needs.
Tim cringed. He heard very little of the second Robin. Not because he wasn't loved. No, quite the opposite, actually. It was hard for the other members to talk about him because they were still mourning his death. But now that he knows that he's not only alive but killing people? Tim isn't sure what to think about the whole thing.
Barbara seems to be able to read his thoughts just like Nightwing can. She pulls him so Tim's head lays on her shoulder. Putting her arm over him for comfort.
Tim glances at where Nightwing is to find his older brother smiling fondly at them. Tim blushes a little and ducks his head. Causing Dick and Barbara to chuckle.
Red Hood begins holding his head in agony as he begins screaming.
Joker: AH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!
Red Hood: SHUT UP!
Jason recklessly charges towards his real foe, but Bucky manages to trip him with the crowbar before landing one last hit on the helmet to buy himself some time. As Red Hood recovers, Bucky uses the crowbar to take out the batarang lodged in his arm, rendering it fully functional again.
Red Hood: Son of a...
As he stands back up, Red Hood takes out the vial of Venom attached to his belt.
Red Hood: Sorry, Bruce…
Bruce's expression changes into something a little softer. Not just anyone could tell though. Only those who really knew the White knights facial expressions could read it.
He injects it into his neck and undergoes a painful transformation. Bucky turns around after hearing Jason's bones and muscles begin to crack as his voice also gets deeper.
Winter Soldier: Huh.
Red Hood kicks Winter Soldier out of the kitchen and back into the main restaurant area, as he is now stronger and more aggressive than before.
Red Hood: Now you're dead!
Jason's new strength catches Bucky off guard as he continues to push him back. The assassin tries charging at him, but the former Robin simply grabs him and karate chops him to the floor. He then picks the agent back up, who manages to resist thanks to his bionic arm. Winter Soldier starts landing some of his punches before Jason catches his metal arm, now managing to push it back with his new strength before tossing Bucky towards one of the tables.
Winter Soldier notices that he has landed within arm's reach of his submachine gun. He attempts to grab it with his regular arm, but Red Hood steps on his arm and takes the gun for himself. Jason lifts Bucky up by the front of his shirt and tries finishing him off with the assassin's own gun, but thanks to the palm print sensors, the gun does not fire and instead sets off the timed bomb. The assassin smiles before punching and drop-kicking his rival back as the gun explodes.
Smoke fills the room as Jason stumbles back, stunned by the explosion and the kick. Suddenly, to his shock, Winter Soldier's arm comes out from the smoke and grabs him by his signature helmet. Red Hood grabs the arm in an attempt to pull it off, but he is too slow; Bucky uses the arm's strength and hidden blade to crush the front of Jason's skull through the helmet. As Red Hood's body falls to the ground, the Winter Soldier contacts S.H.I.E.L.D. to confirm his mission's status.
Winter Soldier: This is Agent Barnes, target eliminated. Moving on.
Everyone looked on in shock. Everyone had thought that Jason had the upper hand in the fight. Guess not.
Bucky walks over the corpse of his fallen opponent and takes one last look back before leaving the establishment.
KO!
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(We cut to Wiz and Boomstick)
Boomstick: Oh ho ho! Talk about a headache!
Wiz: These two were quite evenly matched. They both had wells of experience, similar arsenals, and an unparalleled drive to win.
Boomstick: They even had almost identical speed and reactionary feats, and Jason definitely had better stealth skills.
"Obviously." Bart stated, eyebrows raised.
Wiz: However, Bucky Barnes earned the edge in almost every other way.
Boomstick: Like how Red Hood had plenty of experience training with Batman and assassins, but Winty had decades of training on him with Commandos, as the Captain's sidepiece, an emo assassin, and even as Captain America himself.
Wiz: The Winter Soldier also had an edge in defense. His metal arm was able to shatter a knife on impact, but when Red Hood took a similar hit, his helmet cracked.
Boomstick: Red didn't really have any way to stop that arm for good, or Bucky's superhuman-ness. Sure, using Venom could even the playing field for a short time, but a brief power-up is nothing' compared to a metal arm and the permanent Infinity Formula.
Popup: While Bucky has a checkered past, he logically could not be defined as "pure evil," unfortunately giving little chance for the All-Blades to be summoned.
Wiz: And don't take Jason breaking Supergirl's grip out of context. She wasn't expecting the Venom, and they weren't even fighting in the first place. It's interesting, but not nearly as noteworthy as it sounds.
Bart frowns causing the rest of the Flash family to be confused.
Jay was the one to ask. "What's going on, kiddo?"
Bart turned to him but didn't respond. Jay looked to Flash, who seemed to know why he didn't answer.
"It's about your time period isn't it?" Bart's eyes widened in surprise. "Yeah, I know time can be tricky but you being here is what was supposed to happen. And I know that because if it wasn't we'd be told by someone saying it's the end of the world."
Bart sighed. "Where I come from Jason has done a lot that should earn him a little more recognition. He's going to do things in this century that also deserve to be recognized. Of course I'm not talking about the killing part."
Jay places a hand on Bart's shoulder. "Said it like a true Allen." Causing Flash to raise an eyebrow under his cowl. "What I mean by that is. Allen's always seem to want to take care of others before themselves."
Iris nodded her agreement. "Which is a good thing." She said, kissing her husband. "And can also be a bad thing." She turned Flash's arm over after pulling off one of his gloves, showing off a healing burn wound received after a fight with heatwave that morning.
For his part, Barry gave iris his trademark "I'm sorry that I make you worry." Face. Iris laughing and playfully pushing him away.
Watching this whole charade had seemed to cheer Bart up because he leaned onto Barry's shoulder. Barry ruffling the kid's hair like he used to do to Wally's.
Boomstick: Yeah, we know for a fact Venom is a ten-times strength booster. There's no way Red could match a Kryptonian in a real brawl.
(We cut to Wiz and Boomstick)
Wiz: Red Hood was a deadly combatant, but the Winter Soldier one-upped him with superior experience, survivability, and a consistent strength advantage.
Boomstick: Looks like Bucky was the win-ter.
(Wiz crosses his arms and glares as Boomstick grins sheepishly)
Wiz: The WINNER is the Winter Soldier.
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When the screen went off. Gideon appeared, startling pretty much everyone.
" There is a movie called, "Under the Red Hood" that goes into more detail about what Jason does when he comes back. I can play that whenever it is needed."
Everyone looked at Bruce, who nodded. "We can watch that at a later date after we have completed this." He concluded.
Everyone agreed with his decision. Gideon got ready to play the next one. "The next episode is called, "...Flash vs Quicksilver"
Bart shouted in excitement. "Oh yeah! I can't wait to see this one."
Wally smirked. "Hey, Kid. We gotta see who Flash's opponent is to see if he'll win."
Flash looked insulted. "You don't think i'm going to win?"
Wally seemed to realize that what he said could be seen as an insult. "Oh No! I meant that I don't wanna see you get hurt much less get killed."
Flash ruffled his hair. "I know, Kid. I was just teasing you."
Everyone went quiet when the next episode started.
End of Chapter.
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Author's note: Heyyyyyyyyy. So yeah. I'm definitely late. Haha. But I haven't forgotten this story! So yeah here's this one. Hope everyone's had an amazing Easter!