A/N: Sup guys so I haven't really one to school much thanks to a break and then severe case of strep throat and now all the roads are frozen so no school. Hence this chapter (the other two were my distraction from the series finale of Merlin). Hope you guys enjoy and please review I need more then just my own need to finish to finish.
(Translation) shouldn't be much in this chapter though. ASL and Thought
Wally: c'mon babe get on with the story I need more Wall-Man time in here
Dick: If you stop interrupting her she'll be able to get on with the story.
Wally: You just want to see what she's wrote about you.
By the time I got home from Jake's house it was nearly dinner and I knew that was in for a hell of a lecture from Bruce. I attempted to sneak in and pretend to have been home in my room the whole time. Key word there being 'attempted'. I was intercepted not three steps inside the house by Bruce. His face made it quite clear that he was very angry that I had not come home, and that I had skipped the entire school day.
"I did not skip the entire day. I was there before first period."
"You missed all of your classes. Why? And you better have a good reason." He growled, more or less.
"Jake...he got in a fight last night and wasn't at school. I decided to skip and clean him up a bit and make it back for first period, but he was worse off then I thought and so I ended up staying the whole day at his apartment." I explained.
"And you just happened to decide it was okay to leave him now?"
"No, I called Leslie and she didn't have time to see him until now." I tried to keep the annoyance out of my voice.
"That doesn't give you an excuse to skip school, but I am glad that you were able to help Jake. Don't make a habit of it though." Bruce told me, then turned and headed for the dining room. He stopped walking and turned back to me, "Oh and you have Batmobile duty."
I groaned audibly, resulting in a small chuckle from Bruce. "Come on everyone is ready for dinner." He led me into the dining room and I sat at my usual seat. My usual seat was to the left of Bruce, while Dick sat to the right. Dalyn sat next to Dick and Wally was next to me, already stuffing his face with whatever Alfred had cooked for dinner. I rolled my eyes and pulled napkin into my lap. I looked down at the plate in front of me and saw a normal Alfred made dinner, grilled chicken marinated in something with a side of peas, black cherries, and bread in the middle of the table. I looked around for Alfred, but he had already left the room.
"So how was school?" Bruce asked. I sent him a glare and began cutting my chicken as Dick answered Bruce's question.
"Eh, Joker was a bit weirder today, like he was edgy."
"Yeah I noticed that too. I think he's on to us, or at least he knows someone isn't buying the gig." Dalyn added.
"Wb dbs imb mamber sb mub? Me cim gb hmm." Wally said oh so plainly.
"Hey Walls, I know I'm the last person to be saying this but, could you speak English?" I asked him, a grin on my face.
He swallowed and spoke again. "Why does it matter so much? We can get him."
I felt my eyes roll. " Because to be able to understand how to get him, we have to know if he's on to us so we can plan the correct attack."
"It can't be that hard to catch one villain."
"This isn't Captain Cold or Pied Piper, it actually takes brains to catch him. You have to know what he knows so you have a chance to catch him. He will always be one step ahead of you and it's your job to know what the one step is." I pointed out.
"Pied Piper is hard to catch..." Wally muttered.
"Aaaaanyway, what have we figured out so far?" Dalyn semi changed the subject.
"Last night I figured out that he plans to kidnap Dick and myself. Meaning he needs money for some bigger scheme and he's bored of robbing banks." I answered ignoring Bruce's look of disapproval.
"So how do we catch him?" Wally asked.
" Easy, let him kidnap Dick and myself, and the Team saves the day. It's not only the simplest way to get him, but the smartest." I shrugged and continued eating.
"But that's dangerous." Wally said incredulously.
"So? Joker needs to be put on hold for a while so we can learn his bigger plan and stop it before he has a chance to complete it." Dick interjected.
"I agree with Dick and Jani, even though she is no longer part of the mission, they prove a good point." Bruce informed our group.
"Technically I'm still part of the mission. Joker wants both of us." I pointed out. Bruce gave me a mini batglare but didn't contradict me.
"So we jut stand by while he kidnaps you guys?"
"No we're gonna help him. Jani can already get into detention easy, all I have to is the same and he's got us." Dick answered Lyn's question.
Wally and Lyn exchanged a look and sighed, "It's not like we have an option. If this is what we have to do we'll do it. I'll tell the Team tonight, plan goes into affect tomorrow." Lyn got up from the table and left the room, most likely to go get ready for the Team's patrol of the school.
"Come on Jani, you have to clean the batmobile and I have to go on patrol." Bruce got up and followed Lyn.
"I'm not done eating." I called indignantly.
"Now." He called back. I sighed and followed him, not looking forward to the long night ahead, but even less to the even longer day after.
School the next day was stressful to say the least. History was distracting but not really enough to make forget the plan Dick and I had come up with last night. The plan that would be put in action in English next period.
When said class came along I was about to yell at the next person to ask me if I was okay, and when I saw Joker it was hard to not just simply punch him out of habit. But I refrained and sat down in my seat next to Jake. Dick poked me in the back and pointed at the Joker, who was looking at the two of us.
"So Miss. Pohl-Wayne where were you yesterday?" He smiled at me.
"None of your business." I answered truthfully.
"I will tolerate no more of your disrespect."
"Hmm." I nodded before pulling out my copy of War and Peace, or more accurately война и мир*.
"Miss. Pohl-Wayne."
"Du-te dracului (Screw you)" I told him, then opened my book and began reading , something that took me a while due to Russian being my newest language. I looked up from my book to see Joker two inches from my face (approximately).
"What did you say to me?"
"It was in a language you probably wouldn't be able to comprehend." I explained, then went back to my book.
"If you must speak another language could you try and make it relevant?" He said before standing back up and turning to the whole class. "Who can tell me what you learned so far in the book?"
I raised my hand, to continue with the plan, "P'yer Bezukhov yavlyayetsya nezakonnorozhdennym synom bogatogo grafa , pozhiloy chelovek , kotoryy umirayet posle serii insul'tov. P'yer sobirayetsya vvyazyvat'sya v bor'bu za yego nasledstvo. Obrazovaniye za rubezhom za schet svoyego ottsa posle smerti yego materi , P'yer , po sushchestvu, dobryy , no sotsial'no nelovko , i otchasti iz-za yego otkrytoy, dobrozhelatel'noy prirody , yemu trudno integrirovat'sya v peterburgskom obshchestve . Izvestno vsem v vechere , chto P'yer yavlyayetsya favoritom ottsa vsekh nelegitimnogo vtoroy chasti starogo grafa otkryvayetsya s opisaniyami predstoyashchikh rossiysko-frantsuzskikh voyennykh prigotovleniy . V Schöngrabern uchastiya , Nikolay Rostov , kotoryy v nastoyashcheye vremya mobilizovany praporshchikom v Eskadron gusar , imeyet svoy pervyy vkus bitvy. On vstrechayet knyazya Andreya , kotorogo on oskorblyayet v pristupe zadorom . Dazhe bol'she, chem bol'shinstvo molodykh soldat , on gluboko privlekayet kharizma tsarya Aleksandra. Nikolay igrayet v azartnyye igry i obshchayetsya s yego ofitsera , Vasiliy Fedorovich Denisov , i druzhit bezzhalostnyy i, vozmozhno , psikhopat Fedor Ivanovich Dolokhov**."
"This is English class. You are not speaking English." Joker growled.
"Ah but you said that if I was going to speak another language I would need to use one that is relevant. The book we are currently the reading was originally published in Russian, therefore it is a relevant language." I smirked at him.
"No Russian."
" Okay, Pierre Bézoukhov est le fils illégitime d'un comte riche , un homme âgé qui est en train de mourir après une série de coups . Pierre-"
"No French either!"
"Well what other relevant language is there?" I asked innocently.
"Hmm I don't know, ENGLISH?" He yelled, yay! I was getting under skin.
"But the book is only in English because it is a translation, I guess technically it's relevant, but in reality you're just being sore that you can't speak Russian or French." I shrugged.
"Detention after school! I will not allow you to say such things in my class." The words he spoke were just what I wanted to hear. Now it's Dick's turn.
"Now sir, I hardly think that is fair. You said she could use a relevant language and now she is being punished for it." Dick slipped into his role.
"She is being punished for talking back to her teacher, not merely the actions that brought it up." Joker 'clarified'.
"You started the argument, why aren't you being punished?" The intake of breath from the class was worth any beating Joker would dish out.
Jake sent me a 'what's going on' look but I ignored it. "Mr. Grayson- Wayne-"
"Just Grayson actually, I'm not Jani." Dick pointed out.
"Mr. Grayson, you may join your sister in detention after school." Joker finished. I looked back at Dick and was met by his signature smirk. I rolled my eyes and turned back to the now fuming Joker. "Everyone pull out your books and begin reading book 2." He sat down at the desk and began to try to calm himself down. I held in my laugh and pulled out my phone.
JPW-Phase 1 complete.
BW- I never thought I'd see the day that I wanted my kids to get themselves into detention.
JPW-3
"All right Brats come on." Joker grabbed both Dick and my own arms and dragged us out of the school vi the back entrance. I pretended to be terrified and Dick pretend to be the strong brother. Joker tied both of our hands behind us and shoved us into his car.
"Umm Mr. Kerr I'm Deaf, it's against the Americans with Disabilities Act to prevent me from signing." I almost laughed at my own feigned stupidity.
"Its Joker, I don't really care about your stupid Americans with Disabilities Act."
"You're the J-J-Joker?" I stuttered.
"Why so serious?" He smiled at me as he took off the wig. I shrunk back and pressed myself against Dick, as though I believed he could protect me in this situation. Joker laughed, then turned around and began driving to the same location as the night before. I rolled my eyes once I knew that only Dick could see. Dick shrugged and began to mouth words to me. Once I figured out what language he was using I merely responded, not caring if the Joker heard.
"Ba!, nu putem face asta. Noi rămânem la planul și speră că echipa ne găsește. (No, we can't do that. We stick to the plan and hope the Team finds us.)."
"Hey shut up back there!" Joker commanded. I rolled my eyes, but stopped talking all the same, no need to piss him off anymore.
"Can I just say how beautiful your house is?" I taunted and the Joker shoved us in corner.
"What did I say about shutting up?" He answered, then left the room calling 'Harley' as he went.
I sighed. "Now what?"
"Now we wait." Dick answered with a slightly pained look. It must've been killing him to be in this position. He was having to wait on his Team, to save him. To save him from someone he had beaten multiple times. He could knock out Joker easy as Robin, but as Dick Grayson he was defenseless. At least it made sense for a certain level of my training. I was a teenage girl in Gotham City, our PE department did a whole section on how to defend yourself in the case of a rape situation or a mugging for us girls, but the boys weren't as big a target. Well at least the school thought so. My friend Michel's parents had put him self defense classes due to the fact he was a rich kid, gender didn't matter. Dick however had never been seen in a self defense class and so it was a long stretch for him to be able to help himself. Not even mentioning that his fighting style was very personal and specific for him. I knew what moves Jani knew and only used those out of costume. He however relied on his acrobatic past for a good portion of his fighting and that looked too much like Robin for him to be able t use it against the Joker. After we figured out that Dick was kidnapped more times then myself, Bruce tried to convince the school to give the boys a self defense portion of PE too, but the school is under the impression that boys cannot be attacked and thus nothing has been done.
"We have got to get you self defense classes." I said, loud enough for Joker to hear.
"If the school provided 'em I'd go, but I have too much homework to take up any after school activities." We were trying to lead Joker off our trail. If he knew that Dick hadn't been taught self-defense then he would never suspect him of being Robin.
"Maybe after this the school will change it's mind." I shrugged. We fell quiet. The Team wouldn't be there for an hour at best, they had to get the information that we were kidnapped and then find the Joker before we could even think of getting out.
"I hate this uniform." I growled pulling the skirt down." I'm not comfortable in this at all."
"After almost three years I would think you'd be used to it." He chuckled.
"Yeah well I'm not." I growled. He continued laughing as I struggled to make the skirt longer.
"Stop, it's gonna rip." He reached over and grabbed my still bound hands and made me stop. I glared at him, but still stopped.
"Aww look at the wittle family. It's sick." We looked up to see the Joker standing over us.
"Well I had a find a new one, you kinda killed my first one." I responded.
"Oh you poor baby. Well I can't guarantee that you'll keep this one, but as long as Daddy Warbucks pays your ransom you two'll be just fine." He smirked. I moved closer to Dick, prepared to kick Joker where the sun don't shine if he tried to hurt either of us.
Dick moved in front of me, in as a protective stance as he could get in.
"This would be cute if it weren't so revolting." Joker gagged. I smirked at him, glad that he wasn't trying to use us as human punching bags. "Now which one of you is closest to Money Bags?"
Dick and I looked at each other. Dick had known Bruce longer, but lately they hadn't been as close. Bruce and however were not close, but I was his little girl. Truth be told Joker would get two different people depending on which of us he used as bait. For Dick Bruce would go all Batman, but with me he would turn into protective father Bruce Wayne. Both were powerful and effective.
But Dick wasn't about to let me be used as bait, "I am." I sent him a 'really?' look, but let him go ahead. He normally had a back up plan in these situations anyway.
"Alrighty then, come on brat." Joker grabbed Dick and pulled him into another room. I sighed and leaned against the wall.
"Come on guys, get your asses here." I muttered.
I heard a blow land, followed by a grunt of pain. "What are you doing to him?!" I called to the other room. My question was, of course, not answered, not that I was expecting it to be. The blows continued, until I heard Joker laugh and say something inaudible. Once that was over and done with, he dragged Dick back in by the rope around his hands, and casually left him in the corner near where I was sitting.
He was doubled over as much as he could be, and I couldn't tell if he was playing the part of a poor, little rich kid, or if he was genuinely hurt. When he looked up at me, I could see a bruise forming on his left cheek. He had a nosebleed, however, it didn't look broken. Joker probably made him bleed to make it look worse to Bruce, because once blood is involved, everyone goes batshit insane.
"What's the damage, bro?" I asked, trying not to act to casual, but not wanting to show fear as well.
"Can't say I've had worse," he groaned, and dragged himself closer to where I was sitting. I knew he had obviously had worse, not like he could say that as Dick Grayson though.
Joker hadn't left the room yet, so I assumed he was either sending a video of what just happened, or he was planning on making a grand entrance to...kill us or something. I don't know. Whatever he does in his spare time. Other than Harley. Ugh...bad mental image.
"Now what?" I asked.
"Now we wait for Bruce to pay the ransom." He winked. "Wink wink."
I rolled my eyes at how stupid he was. Even injured, he was an idiot. "Speaking of Harley, where is she?"
"I never said anything about Harley," he raised an eyebrow.
"I did. In my mind. Get on my level, bro."
He rolled his eyes and shrugged slightly. "Hell if I know."
"Well aren't you just a big bowl of sunshine."
"I would be, if I wasn't, you know, bleeding from my nostrils."
"No need to use big words there, Richard," I smirked.
"Yeah, well, I'm very acquainted with the Dicktionary," he smirked.
"Shut up, you self-righteous bastard." I told him chuckling.
"Now Miss. Janala you shouldn't say such vile words, there are most unbecoming." He mimicked Alfred's at least once a week lecture on swearing.
"I swear if I want to." My usual response.
"Jani no swearing." That's what Bruce usually says.
"You two get along too well for siblings." Joker interrupted.
"You and Harley get along too well for psychopathic clowns." Dick muttered, but not loud enough for the Joker to hear.
"What do you want?" I asked.
"Well we're gonna have some fun while Daddy gets his money together."
*voyna i mir phonetically spelled, this is what the cover of her book would read as she is reading War and Peace in Russian.
**Pierre Bezukhov is the illegitimate son of a wealthy count, an elderly man who is dying after a series of strokes. Pierre is about to become embroiled in a struggle for his inheritance. Educated abroad at his father's expense following his mother's death, Pierre is essentially kindhearted, but socially awkward, and owing in part to his open, benevolent nature, finds it difficult to integrate into Petersburg society. It is known to everyone at the soirée that Pierre is his father's favorite of all the old count's illegitimate second part opens with descriptions of the impending Russian-French war preparations. At the Schöngrabern engagement, Nikolai Rostov, who is now conscripted as ensign in a squadron of hussars, has his first taste of battle. He meets Prince Andrei, whom he insults in a fit of impetuousness. Even more than most young soldiers, he is deeply attracted by Tsar Alexander's charisma. Nikolai gambles and socializes with his officer, Vasily Dmitrich Denisov, and befriends the ruthless, and perhaps, psychopathic Fyodor Ivanovich Dolokhov (Didn't feel like putting the translation seeing as its simply what I read on the Wikipedia page for War and Peace but here it is if you want to know about book one of War and Peace)