Reposted May 2017 (Two mores days and I'm going on holiday yeah! First holiday in three years can't wait :) )
Chapter 3: Bat Talks and Bird Stories
If Robin was acting out of character the beginning of the week, he was almost manic now. He hadn't stop pacing and running his hands though his hair mumbling to himself since they arrived back at the tower. Robin identity was an highly guarded serect, Robin told no one his real name.
"Robin." said Cyborg firmly getting their leader attention "Clam down, you need to think clearly." Robin was getting himself too worked up. If Robin didn't stop panicking he was going to end up having an panic attack.
"This is a huge mess," said Robin "I didn't know the Court was real... This is so wrong... Batman going to kill me..." Robin went back to his pacing. Cyborg wasn't sure what Robin was more worried about the Talon or Batman.
"Robin this is not helping." said Starfire standing in front of Robin, stopping him in his tracks "Tell me, what's a Talon? What is the Court of the Owls?"
"I was going to ask that." said Beast Boy
Raven was the one who answered the question. "I've heard about them, they are ment to be an secret society base in Gotham. The stories I've heard they are highly trained assassins."
"What?" Asked Cyborg at once in alarm. Robin asked the Talon if he was going to kill him... But Cyborg didn't realise they just meet an assassin!
"Beware the Court of Owls,
That watch all the time,
Ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch,
Behind granite and lime,
They watch you at your heath,
They watch you in your bed.
Speck not a whispered word about them,
Or they'll send an Talon for his head" Robin said in an low voice, the Titans looked at him "A old Gotham nursery rhyme," he explained.
There was an long pause "But he didn't want to kill you?" Said Beast Boy sounding an little confused and scared.
"They want me to become one of them." said Robin gloomily "The Talon said they would of got to me... if Batman didn't...I was ment to be one of them..." It was an scary to think Robin as an violent killer. Scary to think someone would train an child to be an assassin.
"You can't go looking for him, Robin" said Raven at once. "You can't go looking for him, no matter what he says or dose... Robin!" Robin looked annoyed, like he was just forming some plan in his head to get closer to the emery to find out more information. Knowing Robin that was probably one of this first thoughts. "Give us your word you won't go looking for them."
"I swear I won't go nowhere near them." Said Robin.
"What do we do now?" Asked Starfire who was still stood in front of Robin.
"I have to connect Batman." said Robin quietly, they was an nervousness in his voice that hadn't been present untill now. From what the other knew, Robin hadn't spoken to Batman since he come to Jump. Robin sat at the computer and started to type away. "If they know my real name, they likely to know Batman as well."
"We can connect Batman though the main computer?" Asked Cyborg surprised
"If you know what you're doing, and know all the rights codes." replay Robin
Beast Boy come closer to the monitor "You're going to connect him right now? Doesn't he sleep during the day?"
"He's not an vampire, Beast Boy" said Raven
Beast Boy ignored Raven, and spoke directly to Robin "You're going to connect him now, we're going to meet Batman?"
Robin paused for a moment "You might want to stay quite... this is going to be awkward enough."
"What will Batman say?" Asked Starfire, she heard Cyborg and Beast Boy mention Batman before and seen him on the telly. She knew that Batman had trained Robin.
"Probably going to order me back to Gotham." said Robin almost at once "I'm not going back." he added more to himself.
Robin carried on the computer till he got to an screen with the Bat logo on it. Robin paused "Well here go's nothing..." He pressed an button and waited.
It wasn't long before Batman appeared on the screen. Batman was very intimidating even when he wasn't physically in the room "Robin." he spoken in an no nonsense sort of way and displayed little emotions, Robin seem to freeze for an moment "What is it?"
"I need to tell you something, you're not going like it." said Robin finding his voice.
"What is it?"
"The Count of Owls is real, I've just meet an Talon " said Robin keeping to the facts, and keeping his voice steady.
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
Batman didn't question Robin any further about their existence. If Robin said it was real, Batman seemed believe him. "What did the Talon want? Are you hurt?"
"I'm unharmed." said Robin "The Talon said he didn't want to kill me...there something else I should tell you too." Robin paused but Batman didn't speck so Robin carried on "The Talon knew my real name, were I've come from, they might know yours too...growing up I used to heard stories about owls... I never though they were connected to the Court, but now I believe they are linked."
"What did the Talon want?" Asked Batman again.
"He said I would go looking for him."
Batman and Robin looked at each other for an moment, like they were silently talking. Then Batman spoke "You're coming back to Gotham - today." Robin open his mouth "That's an direct order, Robin" the Titans never seen Robin get ordered like this before. Robin clearly still respect Batman despite they problems.
"The Court of the Owls are based in Gotham, going there is like walking into the lion den" argued back Robin at once. The tension between Batman and Robin grow thicker.
Batman spoken again, obviously keeping his anger at Robin not following orders under control "What do you suggest then, you're not remaining in Jump. Not only are you at risk, you also putting your team at risk too." Batman had only just acknowledged they existed, he looked at them briefly then back at Robin.
Robin face was hard to read. "Remember the first time Two Face was after me, you send me away.. I'll go there"
"You will keep me regularly undated about your whereabouts" ordered Batman.
"Yes sir." said Robin at once.
Batman frowned "There something else isn't there."
Robin nodded his head slowly "The Talon said that, if you haven't got to me first, they would of done."
There was an paused "I told you before we make up our own destiny. People may have plans for you, but its your choice." The screen then went blank. Batman had sign off without an goodbye.
"Batman is quite scary actually." said Beast Boy, breaking the awkward silent that settled in the room.
"He's not called the Dark Knight for nothing" said Robin still looking at the monitor almost dejectedly.
"You have to leave don't you." said Cyborg.
Robin trun his head away screen. "Batman is right, If I stay here I'm putting everyone at risk, I have to stay away... Just for a little bit, I'll be back as soon as I can..."
"Were will you go Robin?" Asked Starfire
Robin signed "To an another member of the Justice League." Robin looked at his team mates "I suppose you lot have questions." they nodded, they had lots of question about the events of that morning. "I can't tell you everything, but I'll tell you some of it"
"You don't have to tell us anything Robin." said Raven no doubt sensing some of Robins emotions.
"I have to say something." said Robin "Remember the story I told you guys last night?"
"About the owls and the circus?" Asked Starfire immediately "You said you heard that story growing up..."
"In your story you said that that children went missing, kidnapped by Owls." said Cyborg
Robin nodded his head "The truth is, when I was young I spend some time in an circus... That where I heard the stories..."
"You weren't born in Gotham?" Asked Beast Boy slowly. Robin shoock his head. "Batman not your dad?" Robin shook his head again.
"You think the missing children of the circus become Talons?" Asked Raven
"Yes." said Robin
Starfire looked worried "You said the children were never found..."
Robin didn't reply to Starfire straight away "Well... the others didn't have Batman on their side did they? Or the Justice League..." He said adding an fake confidents to his voice.
Beast Boy looked a bit shifty "Why did Batman train you?" Everyone trun to Beast Boy "If he's not your dad...the Talon said if Batman haven't of got to you first..."
Robin looked away for an moment, Robin was the first child hero, the first sidekick. But the Titans were still unclear on his origin story. "Batman saw himself in me," said Robin finally "He understood me... better than most" they was a dark tone in Robin voice "He wasn't keen to train me at first." admitted Robin "No one was keen on an eight year old fighting crime in Gotham... But... Batman didn't want me to trun out like him...surrounded in darkness..." Robin looked at his uniform. They was another story behind what Robin just said, more then one story. But it was more than he ever told them about his past.
"That's how you got your name?" Asked Cyborg. Robin was an odd name for someone who did crime fighting at night.
"Partly." said Robin
"Why did you leave Gotham?" Asked Raven. That was another big question that Robin refused to answer.
Robin face hardened "Batman didn't want me to trun out like him, but I had to do things his way... we argued..." Robin hesitated for an moment, like he wanted to say something more - but he changed his mind "I have to get ready... I've got an long journey."