A/N: So this fanfic is an idea which I have been pretty excited to implement on paper myself.
The Court of Owls always fascinated me ever since its introduction/existence in the DC universe and imo, the comics ended up making it all about Batman when it could (should) have been about Dick's (Nightwing's) story since his grandfather is literally involved in a huge, ancient crime syndicate of sorts controlling Gotham for generations. So I decided why not write a piece of my imagination on it then? So here we are!
I have read tons of Court of Owls fanfics (both in Teen Titans Fandoms and outside) and some of them inspired me a lot and I might reference a few of those events in here (I will make sure to mention them out each time by the chapter's end)
So all credits for those specific set of events (which will be mentioned) go to them!
Time of the Events taking place: After the end of the TT 2003 Comic series.
Calm. The thing which made early morning priceless was its calming beauty.
It is regarded as the "Golden Hour" by alot of field of works. Whether it be normal day lives or works relating to order or pure evil.
Most successful men have a constant history of waking up early to start their day.
The world is a weird place. Despite knowing a path may very well be wrong and it requires one to step on others, which in turn will crush the one being stepped on fully. Even the most good moral-ed people take the opportunity to put themselves over the others and climb the stairs of success and will not hesitate much to do so.
Robin grew up knowing these ideals. He met with all sorts of people belonging from different classes of society. He had to grow too fast ever since he lost his parents and life hasn't been sunshine and rainbows for him.
Currently holding a coffee cup with the drink in his hands, legs swung off the edge of the roof, he stared at the disappearing blue hue of the sky as the yellow shades of the sun filled it and soon the sun itself rose, declaring day has arrived and marking the end of night.
Watching sun-rise was a thing he was fond of because it marked new beginnings and brought new hope.
Not to mention, the peace and calmness it brought to his mind. It was almost like a therapy, a healing session of sorts.
The T-Communicator beeped, alarming the owner of the time passed, earning a silent sigh from the owner. Time seems to flow very fast up in on the Tower roof, so the Leader of the group always set up a it seems it was already 8 AM already.
Sipping the last remaining contents of his cup, he gets up and looks at the view of the whole city in front of him for the final time. He notices a few small birds who have managed to fly out so far, playing on the roof by themselves, smiling to himself, he leaves and closes the stair case door behind him.
Little did he know that the birds were soon chased away by another winged guest with pale white feathers and a very thin silver metal collar of sort. An Owl.
As Robin descended down the stairs with the empty of cup of coffee in his hand, he recalls the incidents which happened during these last three weeks.
*Flashback*
It was raining heavily that day.
Red and blue lights from the police car was the only source of light which lit the area up.
This place was the last of rural areas left in Jump City where mostly immigrants stayed .
Stepping out of his 'R-Cycle', Robin took off his helmet, exposing himself fully to the rain which was least of his concerns.
It has been the twenty-sixth case of the month and tenth of this week alone.
"Ah…Robin. Pleased to meet you, again" As an officer walked towards them from the shade, uncaring towards the weather as he drenched his already wet brown coat in the rain fully.
He was the head investigator of the Detective Department in Jump City.
He shook hands with the leader of the Titans.
"We gettin' homely in 'ere, not that its a good thing" he said.
"Ha! I think I know every alleyway in 'ere better than my own apartment's bathroom!" He continued in a joking tone.
Robin narrowed his eyes at the investigator. He knew the former might be trying to lighten up moods but it might be much more than that.
The officer sighs and looks at the house which witnessed the murder crime and says in a heavy tone.
"You gotta see this"
Both of them head to the scene where the marking of the bodies have been done in their respective places but the stains and a few evidences still untouched. The room stank lightly of decayed flesh.
There were a few other officers and photographers on the scene who looked up at the titan but were motioned to go on with their work which they did.
"They are getting more and more brutal" Robin says as he bends down and checks the long dried blood marks across the floor.
"The killings are near identical. It's the same person or creature." The officer continued as he took out one zip locked pouch containing a feather each, "Same evidences as well." He let out a defeated sigh.
"How late were the authorities informed?"
"Pretty late. Like all the kills, this one was a quiet one as well. You know the drill, child goes first with some injection of an untraceable chemical, killing swiftly then goes his or her parents but given a less of an instant death"
Robin casted his eyes down and asked,
"What were the authorities informed?"
"The issue was of a very bad smell escaping the given house and the neighbours complained. With how every person out in here is locking themselves up in their own homes, they assumed the worst and it can't be blamed. The bodies have been decomposing for nearly a week"
Robin closed his eyes and absorbed the given information.
Another failure. Another life gone.
"You know, I think its high time to leave the case."
"What?" Robin said, unable to hold back the shock and confusion in his tone.
"The City demands me to look into bigger problems than a few scores in a small place like this. I suppose you got some major business to handle too, eh?" He let out a small chuckle.
Robin chose not to respond and listen a bit more.
"Between you and me, I bet this new group or serial killer at town got some big connections outside or inside. Makes it hard to meddle since they know exactly what move we are to take back in the department and how to stop it. Its a perfect crime. You are getting what I am saying, right?" The investigator said as he lead Robin outside.
The heavy rain has now reduced down to a drizzle as the sky darkened declaring the end of day.
The officer handed Robin the pouch containing the feather and tilted his hat slightly.
"I know you took a feather or two from the department for research yourself. Thats why, givin' you one myself haha… Will parcel you the others as well. They are of no use to me now and have the orders to dispose of them anyway-"
"Mr. Sherman"
"Hm?" Replied the older man a bit surprised.
"You should correct your notes on your next case of Star City. You and your team got a bit of a wrong tip while trying to sneak into Titans Security Information Base"
An acknowledging laugh was heard from the investigator as he shook his head.
"You are one smart boy Robin…you are one smart boy-"
He looked in the direction where the boy stood once only to find nobody. He was a bit shocked to see the Boy Wonder didn't wait long enough to listen to his reply, he sped off towards the Titans Tower.
"I will not let their case close. I will bring justice to these innocent people whose life have been taken"
*End of Flashback*
(While heading towards the living room, Robin decided to visit his room for a few moments.)
The red strings attached to a number of people and children's pictures, hand written notes hung on the sole 'evidence' board which lied on the Boy Wonder's Office part of the room. One of the many notes marked "First Sighting 07/4" marking the first day these mystery murders started to take place.
The authorities haven't been cooperative with the titans since the beginning, so much so that they didn't even send the photographic images for the titans to analyze and so he had to take a few liberties himself.
"I won't let their tears of pain and agony during their last moments go to waste"
As promised, the evidences collected by Jump City Police Department was given to the Titans one week ago as they closed the case from their side, officially.
And since that last week, Robin had worked tirelessly on the case. The murder numbers have only increased since his last talk with the officer. Unfortunately he got no leads either.
However he noticed an interesting silence in crime rates in Jump City. No one seems to be doing anything illegal. Even the HIVE seems to be very neutral ever since the murder happening and not trying to get into anyone's hate list.
Without wasting time further, he went straight to the living room, took a deep breath and entered as the automated doors opened for him.
"Robin?" Cyborg asked in a half happy and surprised tone.
Raven reading a book, removed her attention from it and turned to look at Robin, the latter looking back at her as an unspoken conversation takes place.
"A very good morning, my friend!" Starfire chirped cheerfully.
"Yea? Oh, Good Morning, by the way." Robin said as he finally put his cup in the sink and sat in the coffee table. He looked exhausted both mentally and physically.
Cyborg passes him a plate with some bacon, Omelets and buttered bread, the breakfast everyone present had. However, the leader chooses to not eat at that moment and puts it at the side.
"You know Rob, you can always ask for help. We are a team" Cyborg said with genuine worry, earning a nod from Raven and Starfire.
"Robin, you are not alone. If you need help with-"
"I am fine Cy, Star, Rae really. Besides, that's why I have come here today." Robin's reassuring tone turning into serious.
Cyborg, Starfire and Raven stop doing the other chores and pay him their full attention.
"Firstly; the evidences provided by JCPD helped alot. Secondly; this criminal gang or serial killer seems to only target people who have traveled alot for work…like circus workers, entertainers, you get the idea" Robin continued,
"Thirdly, there's a lot to say. Whoever is doing the murders, they aren't doing it in complete mad randomness. I should have said this earlier, but every victim had a good history of traveling and had traveled to different places in a short time to keep up with entertainment based professions. They are constantly targeting couples with a boy or a girl of 15-16 years old and, some even at their local schools, that too of ones with a bit of a less financial holdings…they are most probably looking for something."
"Or it might be a fun thing to them? Psychopaths do have a few screws loose" said Raven.
"Could be. This group is too precise about the age and family background thing, not to mention 3-4 murders take place in the same time in different spots. It is definitely not one person. The whole thing is somewhat researched and either someone is giving them access to the information or they are hacking into the national security information vaults"
"But what is their motive? Could it be done by Bribery? Extortion?"
"Thats something I am not unsure of. But Someone is definitely helping them through the upper ranks because of what I said before and since the JCPD department's research was stopped due to that. Money has no meaning to the gang it seems. Not a single belonging taken after each murder"
"Anyone you suspect?"
"I have my own theories but its definitely someone from Gotham. The brutality of each cut implemented on the parents is on par with Gotham Criminals. But the thing is…its a complete different cut signature…There's one more thing which-"
"Please, what is this 'signature of cut' you speak of?"
"Star, its basically like one's style of cutting its victims. Every notably infamous criminal who kill have one."
Robin continued,
"Anyway, that and the Owl feather. There has been no new criminal in Gotham with an Owl feathered costume or anything to do with Owls. And in every crime scene, there has been one real owl feather lying near with no traces of human DNA. Of course it might be left with the intent of just to confuse authorities but the only thing known is that they use sword like things to cut open their victims… I might need to research a bit more on who exactly is the villian which will be done in a few days at max. Till then, I want you all to patrol around the city and arrest anyone for any illegal or suspicious activity and keep an eye out."
"Got it, man! Will let BB know"
"Yes, indeed!"
"By the way" Raven started, "You were going to say about something just before Starfire asked you about signature cuts...what was that?"
"...Oh, it was about this old-"
Almost by coincidence, Beast Boy came into room, yawning and rubbing his eyes and dumbfounded at everyone already present in the hall and gathered around the coffee table as if a discussion was going on. (The others look up to him as well since Robin stops)
"Did I miss something?" He asked confusingly.
"Yeah and by miles!" Cyborg said as he had the widest grin on his face.
"Aw man! Why am I always late when interesting things happen!!" Beast Boy said as he kicked an imaginary rock on the floor only to lost his balance immediately and fall on his back, earning laughs from everyone including Raven.
"What were you guys talking about anyway?" Beast Boy says as he gets up almost immediately.
"Its a lot to process in when you just woke up, fell on your head while trying to kick an imaginary rock and your average day IQ is just above that of a prop" Raven said as she sipped her tea and tilted her face, to hide it a bit from others. It won't take a world's greatest Detective to figure out someone needed a lotion for that burn.
Cyborg burst out into full laughter, Starfire giggled and seeing the whole situation, Robin barely held off his laugh.
"Raven!" Beast Boy whined which only further intensified the laughter for others.
"Don't worry about it B, I will tell everything a bit later" Cyborg said as he slowly stopped the laughing along with others.
"Hmph Fine! All the big brain thinking without food inside my tummy will give me a headache anyway!" Beast Boy said as he stomped his way to the kitchen and unpacked a bit of tofu for himself to cook.
"Man, you should really stop eating that fake stuff and switch to real food. Like THIS!" Cyborg said as he grabbed the breakfast plate he gave to Robin earlier, nearly shoving it on BB's face.
"Ew, get that away from me! I am happy with what I have got here!" Beast Boy said as he pushed the plate away which gets returned to the Boy wonder who starts eating from it.
Starfire follows as she takes a breakfast filled plate and eats at the same time. Both enjoying the scene unfolding in front of them.
"Fake Meat will never be as delicious as the real meat prepared by the all great and powerful Cyborg though!" said Cyborg, his broad shoulders and chest out.
"Hah! You wish! Tofu meat is much tastier than what you make! Legendary Chef Beast Boy will whoop your butt like he does on video games!" Beast Boy said as he somehow managed to pull out an apron and chef's hat within a second.
"Oh yeah?! So it is on then! A FOOD COOKING CHALLENGE?! BREAKFAST EXPLOSION!!!!!" Cyborg says as he pulls out his whole cooking kit, apron and his own hat to match with Beast Boy's (which he too wears within a mili second)
"You gotta be kidding me" Raven said as she massaged her temples at the two's nonsense.
Robin chuckled but his thoughts were soon preoccupied by those of the case, his smile dying down.
Do I really deserve to laugh like this when I can't stop the killing of those innocent people?
Starfire seemed to notice this and called him a few times but only to receive no reply at all. She started to shake him and that snapped him back into reality from his thoughts.
This earned him a nervous and worried stare from everyone.
Raven seemed to try to ask Robin something but before she could, the red alarm sounded across the tower. Robin raced towards the Titans computer (the others getting near the screen immediately), inputting the necessary permissions and checking the situation.
"Cinderblock down town." he said.
A/N: I genuinely hope this chapter wasn't boring and built up some interest-
Once again, I apologize in case there had been any mistakes made.
Please feel free to comment on how you felt this chapter was!
See you in the next chapter!