"That was quite a tour." says Selina Kyle, sitting down after going through Bruce's art museum in his foyer. It was quite a long trip. To tell the truth, if Bruce Wayne wasn't a friend of hers, she would have robbed him by now…
"So why did you actually come here Selina?" he says, folding his arms.
"To see your wonderful happy face again of course." she smiles sarcastically. "I can hardly contact you during the day anymore, so I decided to pop in tonight."
"At midnight?"
"My schedules packed late. Is it past your bedtime?"
"No. I have… unusual sleeping habits."
"If you will not be needing me anymore sir; I shall retire to my quarters." says Alfred after washing the dishes.
"Go on Alfred. Sorry to keep you up." says Bruce.
"I'm quite used to it now sir. Goodnight miss Kyle." and he heads downstairs.
"How on earth do you keep him employed?" says Selina. "That guy must be worth zillions in pensioning alone!"
"He's a friend of the family." smiles Bruce. "Now; where were we?"
"Well, last night, this sort of dropped by." she says, and she hands him some papers. "What do you make of it?"
"This is from Catwoman." says Bruce, looking at the papers carefully. "From the penguin's office."
"Detailing the purchase of the dock warehouse that was destroyed two days ago where the Riddler fought Batman." says Selina. "And the other lists of names seem to be of the Penguin's hired hands…"
"Hired men that were at the scene with Twoface yesterday." says Bruce. "If this wasn't from Catwoman, this may be substantial evidence that Penguin has teamed up with them."
"How did you find out about the criminals that were at the explosion? Batman tell you again?"
"You could say that. Why did Catwoman give this to you and not me?"
"Is it easier for a notorious cat burglar to go up to Wayne Manor or to my downtown apartment? She also said she wanted to meet with Batman at the Central Clock Tower tomorrow night at 10."
"Why tell me? Commissioner Gordon…"
"Out of all the people in Gotham, I believe you are the most linked with Batman." says Selina. Bruce hides some concern. "You may even know who he actually is. Gordon is okay, but as you said, having Catwoman in the picture makes things seem a little… offset."
"You're concerned that Gordon might try to put a trap for her?"
"Not so much concern as much as she knows where I live now apparently." she says, secretly patting herself on the back. "I don't want to cross a black cat."
"I think bats are scarier than the tabby." says Bruce. "I'll see that this message gets to Batman as soon as possible. Thank you."
"You're very welcome."
Upstairs, Richard Grayson listen throughs his spying devices, getting ready for the cat scratches…
…
"I'M STUUUPIID! WAAAHAAA!" cries Happy Raven.
"I'd never think I'd just have to sit back to watch people humiliate themselves!" says Mean smiling.
"Come on Happy! Cheer up!" says Shy, trying to comfort her. "You always said laughter's the greatest medicine!"
"I DON'T EVEN LIKE MEDICINE!" wails Happy. Sad Raven also joins in the moping.
"So he called you stupid! So what?" says Fighting Raven? "I say we just box him good and proper!"
"Hello-o! I'm trying to get some beauty sleep here!" says Vain.
"But you don't even need to sleep!" says Grumpy.
"So I may not HAVE to, but I want to!" says Vain, and she hides in a cave of boulders she piles up.
"This is really annoying…" mumbles Grumpy, rubbing her temples. "Right! We have to pick the next one to go up…"
"I don't ever want to go up there again! WAAAHAAA!" cries Happy.
"Don't be so stupid… whoops!"
"WAAAHAAAHAAA!" Happy bawls out. Fight finally slaps her in the face on both cheeks to snap her out of it. In fact she slaps Sad first with no effect before hitting Happy to silence her. "Thankyou." sniffles Happy. "I needed that."
…
"Oh this is just fine and dandy!" says Mumbo as he hands the rent over to Mad Mod. "How come the sudden rise in fees?"
"War fund my good friend!" says Mod smiling. "Must be in tip top form to bash those banks and those twitty Titans!" and he waddles upstairs. "Oh! I'll be needing that!" he says, using his cane to grab a strange piece of electronic machinery by some tractor beam. "Cheerio!"
"Hey Mumbo! He's still has fleas!" yells Kitten from downstairs, re-supplying her cacoon gun. "And can we get this place tidied up? It's a stinking mess!"
The whole place is littered with much junk food of Control Freak, randomly scattered magical items of Mumbo (If you weren't careful you could fall into a hat), a bunch of Kitten's beanie babies and Mod's mountain of washing.
"What's so messy about it?" says Control Freak (CtrlF) still trying to pick off the fleas from his Orang-utan transformation yesterday. "I think it's homely!" he says and he picks up some marshmallow cheese from the couch and eats it.
"Eew!" cringes Kitten. "You're worse than the grandfather clock upstairs! COULD SOMEONE AT LEAST TAKE OUT THE GARBAGE?"
Mod pops around and takes out the garbage…
… with a bazooka.
"Where on earth did you get that sort of firepower from!" says Mumbo. "Don't tell me it's in self defence?"
"This is America! I can buy anything!" says Mod returning to his work.
"AAAAAAARRRRGGH!" screams Kitten as the garbage starts to fall down after the explosion. "This is really, really gross! One of you do something! Argh!"
"Why not you?" says CtrlF, flipping through the channels. "After all, you are the lowest in the ranks!"
"Work for a living? What kind of a place is this?"
"I think I have a solution to our pollution!" smiles Mumbo. "Hang on to your horses!" and he takes off his hat.
"Oh no! Grab your stuff down everyone!" shouts Kitten. Mod double locks his door, Kitten dives on her crate of equipment and CtrlF secures the television.
"I'll never let go!" he cries.
"Lifto-shrinko! Sucko-ino!" says Mumbo, and the hat begins swirling in all the rubbish, somehow shrinking it to fit in the bag. Unfortunately, there is more rubbish than he anticipated, and even shrunk, it still is too much for the magic hat to hold. "She's going to blow!" shouts Mumbo, bracing himself.
"Be gone foul litter!" says CtrlF, and he shoots his remote at the hat, warping it to some unknown television series where it blows up its gross load. Some distant sea in the channels of entertainment the load heads down and down until it hits something…
…
"Oh no! They've killed Flipper!"
…
"That's that problem sorted out!" smiles Mumbo, dusting off his hands. He twirls his wand to conjure another hat.
"I hope someone didn't suck up me laundry!" calls Mod from upstairs. "The suite I'm wearing is the only clean one left!"
"You can just buy some more clothes later, with the money we hitched!" says Kitten. "And better ones in fact!"
"Can't at the moment! You'll have to buy it for me."
"Why us?" grumbles Kitten.
"When you're this old, you tend to have… um… accidents."
"THAT'S IT! THIS IS WAAAY TOO GROSS!"
…
"I feel so weird!" says Beastboy in his plant pot.
"You look weird to!" exclaims Cyborg. "How did you sleep with your arms up anyhow?"
"Like a log actually!" says Beastboy, his body petrified into a fixed position. His arms were in a y-shape and the tree growth had spread up to his knees. "I feel like a bit of mulch." he says, wriggling the earth with his toes.
"I would think you would feel like a tree?" says Starfire.
"Are you still upset about me downgrading your monster-wheelchair?" says Cyborg.
"It is okay Cyborg. I should have known better." she says. "I am sorry you get so much disagreement with friend Robin on my account."
"No worries Star. I needed an overhaul anyway. Running me down was a cherry on the cake."
"OKAY! WHERE IS HE?" shouts the voice of Raven from upstairs.
"Trees can't run! Carry me away! TREE'S CAN'T RUN! SAVE ME!" wails Beastboy frantically, but Raven soon comes down to meet the pot plant. "Uh! Sorry for calling you stupid and all that yesterday!" says Beastboy nervously. Raven lathers up a punch right on his nose.
…
"Ow!" cringes Shy as she watches Fight, fight him. "I hope she doesn't break him!"
"This doesn't feel right!" says Happy, watching on. "Should I be happy that she's taking revenge? Or should I be sad because she's taking revenge? I'm so confused!"
"Don't you mean stupid?" says Mean. Happy starts crying again.
"That's quite enough!" says Grumpy. "We have to get going guys. Evil is still out there, and so is Trigon." and the group moves onwards through the desolation.
"This is such a drag!" groans Vain, carrying Sad and Happy who are crying on the ground.
…
"Hey Rae! He said he was sorry!" says Cyborg.
"Not sorry enough yet!" says Fight, punching at Beastboy.
"This is very unusual." Says Starfire. "Usually violence comes with pain. Why are you smiling friend Beastboy?"
"Because it doesn't hurt a bit!" he smiles. "It just tickles a lot! Ha-ha! This is really ticklish!"
"Wise guy huh?" says Fight, and she kicks him under the belt with an all mighty crash… Cyborg faints.
"Great jumping jelly-babies!" says Beastboy. "I'm protected ALL over!"
"Ow!" says Fight, hopping on one leg. "You just wait here! I'll be right back!" and she zooms off to Robin's room.
The Teen Titan signal suddenly sounds and Cyborg groans. "You just stay here and look after BB okay Star!" Starfire nods. "I think Raven might be ready to fight this time. Are you coming Rae?"
"Coming right at you!" she says, zooming out in Robin's costume to their amazement. "Now I'm ready!" she says, strapping on boxing gloves, and she starts pummelling at Beastboy. "This is for Shy you flirter! And this one is for Happy you meanie! And this one and this one and these ones are from me!"
Starfire looks at her confused. "Friend Raven; what are you speaking of? And why are you dressed as Robin again? Shall we get the straight jacket?"
"Please take her away! This is killing me!" laughs Beastboy with tears bawling out. "Too ticklish! Too much laughter! Ha!"
"Alright Rae! Time to get moving!" says Cyborg, rolling his eyes. He puts his hand on her shoulder when he is suddenly thrown in the air and down the steps to the garage. "Okay! Ouch; and WHAT THE HECK?"
"Sorry adrenaline rush!" says Fight blushing.
"That was truly amazing friend Raven." says Starfire. "Friend Cyborg must be at least three times your average weights. How did you achieve such a success?"
"A simple combination of wrist movements and timing really!" chuffs Fight, admiring the Robin suit and flexing what muscles she had. "It's all about using his muscles against himself as well as a bit of personal strength!" and she starts punching at Beastboy again who is in laughing frenzy.
"I wish I could be of more help." sighs Starfire.
"No sweat sis!" says Fight. "That just means you can build up some more muscle for when you need it!"
"But I do not think I could ever…"
"Come on girl! That's no attitude!" says Fight, checking out her cape. "You're a real kick butt fighter! I know! Nothing breaks the day like a good scrap!"
"I thought you were against fighting?" says Beastboy confused.
"That was just another me!" says Fight (Which doesn't help Beastboy much.) "Just one more for the road!" she says and smashes Beastboy in the face.
"That felt like a breeze! Wow!" says Beastboy without a mark. "Hey! But that still doesn't mean you can hit me later!"
"C'mon Rae!" says Cyborg rubbing his shoulder. "Duty calls!"
"Good lucks." says Starfire.
"Yeah, good… hey!" says Beastboy getting hit again. "What was that for?"
"Knock on wood!" smiles Fight. "Now time to do some bashing!" and she runs to the street in a fury, cape flowing, of theme music supplied by herself. "Dun, dun duun! Dun, dun, dun! Durum! BOOHAH!"
"Hey that's my line!" moans Cybrog, chasing after her.
…
"Good news guys! We found him!" says Mean, struggling up after Trigon decked her.
"Thanks for the report!" says Shy, as she and Happy just miss an earth smashing kick.
"You're not worth fighting!" roars Trigon and he stomps the ground, sending a shockwave of earth and rock like a wave of water, flipping the Ravens over. "Mere puppets!"
"That's just great!" growls Vain, flipping up. "Split ends!" and she and Shy split to two different sides to get Trigon both sides of his head.
"Argh!" roars the Demon, and he beams at both of them, hitting Vain down. Grumpy tries to blast him head on, but Trigon laser eyes her. "This playfulness will have to end! I have an Evil being to find!" smiles Trigon. Before Shy, Happy and Mean can do a triple blast at the fiend, Trigon spurts off into the air, fleeing the battle.
"Darn!" says Grumpy, thumping the ground. "Every time we use energy; Evil gets drained of power! That fight must have told Evil our position. She's probably on the move!"
"Then let's get going!" says Happy, and the speed onwards.
…
"They will never catch me…" smiles Evil. "Not when it is dark; for I am the master of darkness." she grins as she burrows under the earth.
…
"What have I told you? Batman is a nemesis of this city and its well being!" says Oswald Cobblepot on the news. "Forty people killed in the dock incident and three large tankers have been capsized! Fish prices have therefore risen along with all other commodities that have come in by sea. Yesterday, though he DID save the patients of the Wayne Enterprises, it was only AFTER his arrival did any of the shootings and killings begin! You may actually thank Twoface fro getting all the people out of the building before he blew it up! Does he, that Bat fink, think he can just waltz into such situations un-advised and by his own devices? Intolerable! He must be…"
"We're really going to have to get our act together." says Dick, switching off the TV. "I'm sorry for not grabbing Twoface." he admits, with a slight attitude.
"It wasn't really your fault alone. We were careless in the moment." says Bruce.
Suddenly, the lights o the house and the electronics begin to waver. A faint humming sound can also be heard. The Riddler was sending another signal. As soon as it had begun, it subsided.
"That was stronger than last time." says Dick.
"And stronger each time…" says Bruce.
"Master Bruce!" says Alfred running in. "I do think you should see this."
They go down to the Batcave and turn to see the great screen over the Gotham Plaza upon their surveillance monitor. There is writing in luminous green… a riddle.
"It is on all the TV stations as well sir" says Alfred. "Though most stations have been shut down due to the interference."
…
"What can be read, yet have no words? What can speak yet never heard? It can pout us in dreadful shame; covering our cheerful smiles. A passionate screen for our white like tiles."
…
"What can you make of it?" says Robin reading the Riddle.
"Nothing… yet…" says Bruce, thinking of the possible answers. "Maybe he'll throw us some more hints later."
"But if he sends more transmitions, then the more havoc his signal will do."
"That's his plan." says Bruce, dawning on his cape. "A timer on how long it will take me to find him."
"And then what?"
"He's going to have a headache… a man made headache." says the Batman, getting into his car. (Since the Batmobile is out of order, he has no alternative but to use the Punch-buggy batmobile, as the other Bat cars are in maintenance.) "You stay here in case anything else turns up."
"Where are you going?"
"Patrol… I won't be back until late…" and he goes off in a great blast from the buggy's engine. Dick folds his arms. Batman didn't tell him about the meeting with Catwoman; although he already knew, it meant that he didn't want him to know about it… therefore, Robin was prepared to go.
…
"You're raiding a retro 70's shop?" says Cyborg bemused. "What kind of sick revenge are you planning?"
"The best we can contrive my metal moulded friend!" says Mumbo, throwing fireballs at Cyborg and Fight. They dodge it carefully.
"Ha! Is that the best you can do?" says Fight, rushing in.
"I have much more in store Rob…" and then he corrects himself. "My! If it isn't Raven! Why are you dressed as the Boy Blunder?"
"I like it. It's all the more better to pound you with!"
"A challenge? How quaint!" says Mumbo, putting up a shield wall.
Actually, Mumbo was expecting Raven to start hurling stuff at him, or blasting him with energy. So he put up a shield that would counter her magic with his own. However; the shield was quite useless against a very non-magic and very ordinary punch.
"Ow! My head!" yells Mumbo as his head spins from the hit. "You weren't supposed to punch me! You were meant to use magic!"
"Don't like the old fashioned fists Mumbo?" smiles Fight and she steps on his toe with a stomp. "How about that?" and she pulls her hand back.
Mumbo thinks she's going to blast him, so he puts the energy shield up again. BAP! He gets hit again.
"Stop doing that! You're ruining my new act!" whines Mumbo. Fight pounds him to the next century… actually the last century since he crashes through the 70's retro shop window.
"Hoo-hah! That felt good!" smiles Fight doing a pose over her victory. It is cut short when Girl Moth suddenly zooms down and smashes her away.
"Rae!" shouts Cyborg, but he has CtrlF to worry about. "Let's make this quick Freak!"
"Fast Forward then!" smiles CtrlF, and he turns the remote on himself and presses fast forward. Cyborg doesn't expect this as CtrlF suddenly doubles his speed to attack him… it doesn't however, improve his strength and he just hurts himself.
"Right! Are you going to come quietly or not?" says Cyborg, picking him up by his collar.
"."
"What?" says Cyborg.
"." says CtrlF and he presses the play button. "That's better! I'm not done yet!" he smiles.
A video port is plugged into Cyborg's ear and suddenly Cyborg's view gets turned upside down and opposite. What is up is down and what was left is right. He drops CtrlF in confusion.
"What the?" he says, walking dizzily around. He pulls the plug out but his vision is still warped. "This is really annoying!" and he charges at CtrlF… he hits the wall.
"Ha! What a comedy!" laughs CtrlF. "Let's see what this does?" he smiles and he presses rewind and fast-forward in succession, making Cyborg hit and re-hit the wall several times.
…
"EEEEWWWW!" says Fight, brushing herself off rapidly. "THAT WAS A DIRTY, WRONG AND REALLY DIRTY MANOUVER YOU SICKO!"
"SICKO?" yells Moth Girl, likewise brushing her costume and wiping her lips vigorously. "IT'S YOUR FAULT YOU DRESSED IN THOSE CLOTHES AND SOUND LIKE A BOY! NO WONDER I MISTOOK YOU FOR MY ROBBIE POO!" and she shuddered.
"I do NOT sound like a boy! Robin just sounds like a girl!"
"Just don't talk about it to anyone okay you cross-dresser!"
"Well it's a good thing I slapped you before you could get TOO close you weirdo!" says Fight, getting ready to fight.
"Who are you calling weirdo?" says Moth Girl, pulling out her cacoon gun.
"Hello! A giant moth costume and a weakness for girls!"
"YOU ARE DEAD!" shouts the Girl Moth and the cacoon blasts come out.
"Blockage!" says Fight, and she throws her boxing gloves at the missiles, wrapping up the cacoons in one big sticky ball of web. It flies to Moth Girl and sticks to the cacoon gun, wrenching it out from her hand.
"Now this evens the odds!" smiles Fight and the two battle it out.
Although fight was really well aptly named, Kitten was also very well trained by her father, as well as possessing a really large amount of angry teenage girl strength.
"Pretty good! But not good enough!" says Fight, and she does a great swing at her opponent.
"Less talk more pain!" says Moth Girl, dodging the punch and pulling at Fight's hair.
"Hey! That's an underhand move!" says Fight, who only enjoyed fair fighting.
"Not as backhanded as this!" says the Moth, slapping at Fight with her back hand serve. Fight begins to steam in fury. "Life's full of treachery girl!" laughs Kitten. "You better expect it!"
"Expect this!" says Fight, and she attacks with added determination.
…
"Err… Starfire?" says Beastboy looking to the wheelchair bound alien.
Starfire was wearing an aerobics outfit with head and wrist bands. She loaded her wheels with some weights and fastened a pulse watch on her wrist.
"Do you need more water friend Beastboy?" she asks as she begins rolling around with the exercise equipment.
"No thanks, I'm still moist. Just; what are you doing?"
" I am building up muscle so that I may enhance my combating ability as friend Raven suggested."
"But you're still recovering Starfire! Besides; you don't really need to work out. You're perfectly fine the way you are."
"But I can be better." she says. "Robin always says training is important. I want to be the optimum of my capability."
"Fighting isn't everything you know!" says Beastboy, his legs starting to merge into one trunk. "And neither is muscle."
"It isn't?" says Starfire confused. "On my home planet, muscle was a measure of a person's rank and ability."
"Haven't you seen Robin face Slade? How Robin can match him without being nearly as strong?"
"I had not thought much about that." Starfire admits.
"Fighting isn't always the answer either." says Beastboy. "Friendship and peace can do a lot more than War and hate."
"That is very profound friend Beastboy." says Starfire.
"I know we have to fight a lot, but only when there is no other choice. Some people refuse to listen or admit when they are wrong. I even do it sometimes. Keep training, but don't forget why you train, young grasshopper."
"Grasshopper?"
"Yeah. There's one that just jumped on my shoulder."
Starfire sweeps it off and nods. "I will still train, as we are forced to fight these criminals as they do not seem to have your wisdom. Thank you for your insight semi petrified friend."
"Hey! It's no big deal."
"Why are you so intellectually enhanced today?"
Beastboy shrugs (Actually he tilts his face a bit since he can't move). "I think it has something to do with green peace…"
…
"Ow!" exclaims the dazed Girl Moth inside a garbage can. She shouldn't have called Fight a boy a second time.
"Now for you tubby!" says Fight.
"Not so fast!" says CtrlF, drawing out his remote.
"Hey!" she says, freezing her attack. "Why not face me like a man?"
"Sorry! Too lazy!" smiles CtrlF. Fight is forced to stay still as CtrlF walks closer to make sure he can't miss. "I think the Teletubbies should be right on now!" he smiles cruelly.
"NOOOOOOO!"
"Come on Rae! Use your powers!" says Cyborg's muffled voice with his head stuck in the wall.
"Sorry CY! No powers remember!" sighs Fight.
"No powers huh?" says CtrlF interested. "That's very interesting indeed!"
"Look a dead bird!" says Fight suddenly pointing to the sky. CtrlF falls for it and his remote is snatched away. "Made you look!" she smiles.
"NO! DON'T!" screams CtrlF as he is warped into the sick and twisted plastic world of the teletubbies. "NOOOOOOO!"
"OH YEAH! WHO'S THE GIRL?" shouts Fight, jumping in victory.
"What a sad excuse for villains! Tut-tut!" sighs Mad Mod, hobbling over to the scene.
"You?" says Fight.
"What do you want Mod?" says Cyborg, getting his head out of the wall.
"My team back chappies; if you don't mind!"
"Your team?" says Fight. "They were really pathetic."
"Four super villains? This is really bad!" exclaims Cyborg.
"Nothing we can't shuffle out!" says Fight and she rushes at Mod.
"Hello there Guv'ner!" says Mod as he blasts Fight with his cane beam.
"I AM NOT ROBIN!" yells Fight, but she can't seem to move. Mod throws her away… away… away until she flies into a cushion factory neatly placed at the end of the street.
"Try this!" shouts Cyborg, blasting his sonic cannon at the old man. He manages to judge the aim right by looking at it upside down and left to right.
"I'll step in if you don't mind!" says Mumbo, recovered from his bashing. He pulls up the special energy shield that rebounds Cyborg's blast right back at him.
"That was lucky!" says Fight, getting up from the cushions. Her exclamation changes when Cyborg comes flying at her. There is a great explosion of feathers. Police sirens are heard.
"Hop to it! The coppers are coming!" says Mod and the troop run away with CtrlF still stuck with the Teletubbies. "Head for the hills!"
"Well… it was a good fight!" says Fight.
…
"I'm closing in on the signal now Alfred. 200 feet." says Batman in his Bat-buggy. "I don't think they've recognized the car."
"On all accounts sir, it is very unusual." says Alfred, monitoring his progress from the Bat cave. "Another trap I think has been set up. Do be careful sir."
"How discreetly can you get the area evacuated?"
"I don't think we have any other choice but the old fire drill."
"I'll get Gordon to call the fire-brigade. Let's hope the Riddler doesn't do something he'll regret in prison."
"I'm starting the drill now sir." and Alfred switches on the fire alarms of the surrounding buildings.
…
Evil Raven lay perfectly still in her dark hole. Trigon was nearby. She could feel it in her bones.
"I know you are close daughter of Evil… my daughter…" says Trigon, in the air, looking around the rocks and blowing away soft soil with his aura. "Show yourself. Do not be afraid… and most of all; do not be afraid of me."
Evil Raven started to sweat. She could hide her energy, but only to a point. Trigon could sense her presence, faint but somewhere near for certain. There is a clamour of voices.
"I know you can hear Me." says Trigon, sending his telepathic waves around. "Those others, your other pieces; you will not return to them. How can you? They betrayed you and cast you out like a demon. But if you will but join me, imagine what wonders we can achieve, what revenge shall be ours and what havoc we shall reap. Death, destruction and doom will reign supreme."
Evil steadied her urge to get excited over these words as it would betray her hiding place.
"I will not destroy you; for you have great potential evil one. And I cannot exist without your power flowing through me. Therefore, we shall be partners, and such a power cannot be challenged so easily. We shall be foremost in control. Think about my offer…" and he flies off before the other Ravens are able to sense him.
Evil had a lot to think about.
…
…
…
…
A really sneaky preview of The Lancer, but this scene is pretty far in the series, after the villain truly becomes a murderer and after many tangles with other evil doers for The Lancer.
"Remember; Aunt Rachel is like a second mother to Me." says Robin with a slight warning to him.
"Then maybe; as time goes on; you may look to me as a second father!" smiles the man. With his dark eyes gleaming, his sharp downward nose and his orange/red hair contrasting to his pale complexion, his smile seemed to frighten Robin somehow. "I have a feeling our futures will be intertwined young lad. Fate has destined it." and he holds out his hand.
"What is this for?"
"I see you really care for your aunt. It is easy to see that if I'm actually going to court her that I will need your approval; your trust. Do I have it?"
Robin looks to his white gloved hand with some doubt. The man fixed up his bow tie.
"How do I know I can trust you?" says Robin, mostly to himself.
"There are many people in this world young man. Out of all my wanderings and meetings I have found there are two different types…"
"Man and woman?"
"No. Well yes; but I meant the givers and the takers."
"Givers and… takers?"
"Rob. May I call you Rob? You are a very out of touch person I have to say. You always try to look for the good in someone, always willing to overlook the evil. That is why I like you." he smiles. "So merciful; I'm glad they still teach stuff like that. The givers are those like your aunt who not only give material wealth, but also emotional support and her time and effort. You should know that, you are practically her guest. And then there are the takers, whom live off the givers like a parasite; a leech if I may use the current hype. Living off the effort and time of those who's weakness is to give."
"And what does this have to do with you?"
"In due time you will be able to perceive in a person what he or she is, a giver or a taker." says the man. "It is obvious which one you would prefer to be with your aunt. What do you think I am?"
Robin recalls the many gifts by the man to his aunt, the many times he went out of his way to meet her, and the seemingly helpful emotional times he spends with her. "I guess… you are a giver…"
"Yet you are only guessing. You are wary. That is a good thing to be." smiles the man. "In time, I hope to make your vision of me as clear as clear as can be."
Robin looks at him with some seriousness. "If you turn out to be a taker… a leech… then I will…"
"Your aunt has been a very lonely woman boy." the man adds with some drawing tone. "For so long she has been trying to find someone she can finally be a match with. I can tell, from what she has told me that she has been trying very hard in her long search. Each time, every time she is let down, and each time she drifts further into that black hole; will you let me try to fill that empty space in her life?" he says, his hand still held out, looking for trust. "Will you allow me to try and help her?"
Robin sees the truth in this. He had never really thought about his aunt's well being all that much; she seemed so well off. The many other suitors that had walked out on Rachel had mostly been because of his snooping. Though he had always done it for the welfare of his K'norfka (Most of the guys being real zargnarfs) he couldn't help feeling that he was a bit over protective, selfish and over all responsible for the lonely life of Miss Rachel Roth. He looks to the hand for a moment, then shakes.
Even though he didn't seem like a good choice, you can never judge a book by its cover as Aunt Rachel always said. He would let him have a shot, maybe she'd like him. It wasn't his choice…
"Thankyou!" says the man, picking up his short top hat. His hand, though gloved, is cold and somewhat slimy. Robin doesn't shake for long. "You have my word! Your aunt will finally find peace in her life. You have the word of Mr. Fresco Kafka!" and he smiles.
"We shall meet again." replies Robin.
Robin can't help feeling very frightened of the man. Looking into his eyes, he imagines he can see the cold thoughts of a heartless, scheming murderer… he was right… but he didn't know it… The Leech tipped his hat and went on his way.
"I'm counting on it! Remember to give her my regards dear boy!" and he exits the door. "Our next engagement may turn out to be a permanent one!" he twirls his cane as he struts to the elevator. Robin bolts the door.
…
Robin meets one of his most deadly adversaries…
Written especially for Rose, as well as all the others who are interested in the Lancer and the Leech…
Thanks for advertising for me Pakkrat!
If you like great fight scenes, in depth stories, Soul edge or Japanese anime, please consider reading Teen Titan's Feudal Fairytale by Pakkrat (You can locate his name in Reviews), as well as the darker sequel, Tale of Souls and Swords. The characters and plots are superb! THE CHARACTERS AND PLOTS ARE SUPERB! Especially the twists with the villains in the Feudal Fairytale which are spine tingling and a great tribute to this wonderful writer's imagination! When Beastboy, while tampering with one of Raven's books, gets everyone transported to a different era in Feudal Japan, what terrible forces await them? I recommend it highly (Rated for graphic violence, truckloads of demon references and really deep story telling!)