(Hey guys. Since the first chapter switched into Artemis and Wally territory, I would like to show you what Dick was seeing and experiencing during the four minute run to the Manor. Under the fear gas, he was experiencing an event that would have him rendered by guilt, pain, fear and all the horrible experiences. I'd love it if you guys reviewed my story. I love to hear feedback. And for a tease, I am bringing the team in to talk about it. I will be slightly changing the story arc, but by very little.)
Thanks to: "Broken Antler in Winter", who asks "could you do a day at the cave where Robin hints to knowing everything about Artemis while they troll her? Just as another chapter (unless of course you're planning something else)?"
Thanks everyone!
~E.
Robin, The Boy Wonder was no stranger to pain.
If somebody asked him, day in the life, he would tell his audience about a couple reasons NOT to get into crime fighting.
He had been shot with multiple forms of riffles and guns, as it seemed EVERYBODY in Gotham owned a gun. Fists and shoes were painful when delivered by angry criminals or desperate civilians. Bombs looked a LOT more fun in movies, especially after he had Batman remove shrapnel from his legs and torso. If anyone ever stole The Jokers' Crowbar, he would pay them so that he could smack that damn clown in the face once before he put it in the Bat cave.
Three days previous, the Team had fought off the Injustice League and nearly died four times; almost drowning, directly attacked by super villains, strangling pants and Joker venom and nearly lost Kaldur to Dr. Fate in the process.
But the worst had to be Fear Gas Toxin. It used all your memories of pain, guilt and fear so it was like getting emotionally shot while ee-experiencing pain and loss with no way of relief was something, in Robin's opinion; nobody should have to deal with. It was like Scarecrow once said "Pain is power" and he was a monster.
So, in that aspect, Robin was no stranger to pain. Batman, thankfully, trained him well. He could hold out when somebody kicked him multiple times. He could handle scrapes and bruises without flinching and wore makeup as Richard Grayson. Sure, he still hated blood and death, but he could- for the most part- deal with it without vomiting or flinching. He even told jokes with Batman and tried to keep things light hearted.
Robin was always prepared, always thinking ahead, always ready for a back-up.
Richard Grayson on the other hand was supposed to be the "rich snob". The ninth grade genius of Gotham Academy and captain of the Mathlete Team. He had to look less, well…tough. He had to look a bit more main stream but smart. He was a bit more professional and more of a smart-aleck than a kid-crime fighter.
So Dick Grayson was a mixture of the two; smart, tough and full of endurance and stamina. His young mind was learning from the Dark Knight while his physical abilities were at its peak from acrobatics and BATMAN BOOTCAMP (Dick had dubbed his training, to Batman's angst).
So that night October night, he confronted pain in the form of Scarecrow…
"….Do you understand?" Batman asked his teenaged partner. The two were on a ledge of a building adjacent the warehouse where the Scarecrow was supposed to be. This information came from an ex-mob member "Goliath", whose children were taken as hostages. Horrified and angry, he went to the Police Chief, Commissioner Gordon. From there, Batman and Robin were called in and the four had set up a plan.
After looking over the information they had accumulated over the last two days, this was Scarecrows' big plan; hold a huge recruitment night. A good portion of the Gotham mob and criminal underground were here as well as a hand full of civilians to serve him. In return, it looked as though, to ensure their safety from the dreaded 'Fear Gas' and mental games Scarecrow was known for.
"I don't like this." Robin whispered tersely, surveying the scene.
"Neither do I. But from the way 'Goliath' acts, he is legitimately worried for his children. There may be other hostages as well. We know Scarecrow is in there and if I come out, he won't suspect you are nearby.
Robin shuddered. The last couple missions, he had been "away" or "hidden from sight" to confuse villains. His actions in Bialya had the advantage that they might help cement that he wasn't always with Batman, or so it would seem, since the villains were appearing to have active communication with one another.
He looked at the building again through his binoculars and didn't even have to look up to know Batman had left. He always laughed when Commissioner Gordon didn't see when he left. It was simple, Batman stated the objective and left. He was a man that got to the point quickly. Never betrayed how he felt in moments where his emotions could be manipulated later. He even controlled his reactions.
Robin wasn't as good as Batman, but he was getting there. He could hide his emotions pretty well. His specialty was using and manipulating technology and his athletics. His weakness' was that while Batman was tough and scary, he was still a kid. Villains didn't respect him as much because of his size and strength (or lack of compared to freaking Batman).
One last securement of his breathing mask later (he was NOT going into a Scarecrow building unprepared), he let off a grappling hook and swung across the alley to the building. Thanks to their surveillance, he knew that there was more security on the second floor, on North East side of the building.
Why hadn't the bad guys just put up a security camera, have maybe TWO GUARDS POSTED and left? Robin questioned. Instead, there were five guards, all armed with automatic rifles, clad in masks and leather jackets. Crap.
He lurked in the shadows of the buildings ledge, slowly unclipping a section of his utility belt. His fingers wormed his way around a flash bomb. Pull the trigger. Throw it. Go!
He threw it at the men in the leather jackets closest to the window.
BAM! Two men temporarily blind.
BLAMBLAMBLAMBLAMBLAMBLAMBLAMBL- The guns firing ceased.
Robin had set up a rigging device in the time the guards decided to fire on him. One man ran to the window. I guess to check for bodies. Robin knew all too well DON'T GET CAUGHT! While hiding below the window, he tied the man's boot with a rope and hoisted the man thirty feet above the ground. There. That should hold steady.
BLAMBLAMBLAMBL-
Robin then threw six Rob-berangs (he's Batman's partner, not his clone. He doesn't use Baterangs.) He pinned down one guy with a couple Robberangs and hit one of the blind guys in the leg.
Good news, there was only one guy left.
Bad news, he looked like the freakin' Terminator's younger brother.
So the man decided to fire off bullets, seemingly twenty at a time.
Dodge!
Dodge!
Move!
OH SHIT!
Wait, is he-
YESSSUH!
HE'S OUT OF AMMO!
Robin had avoided all of the shots fired at him by hiding behind abandoned desks, chairs and walls. Still, while he was doing this, he was curious.
Why hasn't he used the hostages against me yet?
"Come out little bird." His voice sounded dark and foreboding, but eerily smooth, like velvet.
"No thanks!" Robin called back.
"Too bad. Because I'm sure these nice people here want to see you before they die."
Crap. "Nice try." He stepped out. "Why can't we be friends?"
"Surrender Bat-spawn." The man spat.
"Bat-spawn!" Robin laughed. "You're joking!" He was torn. A few seconds ago, he wanted to just knock him unconscious. Now he wanted to laugh, punch the guy and throw Robberangs. He felt this funny mixture in his stomach.
He threw three Robberangs instead. One slicing his arm, one missing him by an inch, one hitting his head. The cuts weren't that bad, so he was surprised when the man fell, apparently unconscious.
Now that the wardens of terror were out of the way, Robin now saw the hostages and almost started crying. There were four children, five teenagers, six women looking about twenty to forty years old and three men. All looking like they were dragged off the street. Three of the children looked like they were already facing the worst fear gas. One man, who looked to be about his mid-twenties, spotting two major bruises on his face and disturbingly looking slightly like Bruce, was holding a little girl close to her.
Two were lying on the ground, eyes wide open. Were they dead? The others were shaking and looking like it was hard for them to focus. The children in the onslaught of bullets had crawled close together.
"It's okay. It's all over."
Each having a look of fear frozen on their faces varying from afraid to petrified to being in a state of shock. Most of the group were still tied up, but four had managed to wriggle out and climb into the laps of the adults or older children. They had all tried to edge away from a mechanical pump set up in the center of the room.
Not just any ordinary pump. A fear gas pump had been set up, slowly pumping the room with gas.
Those bastards! Exposing children to this- this- this shit. He had to tuck away his feelings and move on; trying not to think if this was how Batman did it. He loved his mentor, but didn't agree with all his methods.
Robin walked over to the machine inducer. Batman had prepared for this and had given Robin a bag to put it in. He shoved the bag in and carried it behind him. There was still a lot of gas in the room, but he had stocked up on Fear Gas Cure and had it ready in his utility belt.
First thing was to cure the children who had been hit hardest.
"It's okay." He walked over to the little girl in the man's arms, her young face hidden by his hands. "I'm here to help."
"Don't touch her!" The man with the small child cried out. The poor thing was about six years old and starting to shake, not even screaming because she was gagged.
"I need to give her a cure. This will make her stop." He said frankly. He knew it sounded slightly more like Batman talking, but he needed to get it done. Batman had the authority and people listened to him. He then grabbed the young girl, poked her with the needle in the arm. The little girl flailed for a moment, then loosened and relaxed.
He walked over to the man, putting a look of innocence on his face. "Sit still." He poked her in the shoulder.
The man let out a loud yell.
"It's okay. You are okay."
He felt a blow to the side of his face, coming from behind.
"Oooooohefffucc.- I thought I knocked you out already!"
"Say good bye baby Bat."
"IT'S ROBIN!" The little girl yelled, healing from her mental wounds.
The man turned to the girl and moved to fire his gun. Then he remembered it was useless and simply threw it;
THOK-
THWAK!
SLHUMP
The little girl was now sporting a lump on her face and her assailant was on the floor with a Robin sized foot print on his face, a size five men's' shoes.
The man held the little girl tight as she cried. He made quick work injecting the small group curled up in the corner.
The man and woman were still barely breathing. Inject them! Go!
Go!
Done.
What do I do?
Do I leave them here and get them later or do I take try and bail them out? Batman should be out by now. What should I-?
"Hey, buddy? You okay?" He asked the first man who he had helped.
"Yeah. Yeah I'm okay." The man said, rubbing his face. He picked up the little girl. "Melissa, baby?"
"Daddy." The little girl whimpered. "You're alive."
"Yes sweetheart."
Robin took a deep breath and steadied himself. I must have moved a little too fast. Gotta stretch next time. NO! MY mask! I feel okay. I guess I didn't breathe in anything yet. "I need you to get everyone out of here." He told the man.
"What? How?" The man asked.
"Everyone follow me!" Robin yelled. He slipped a new mask over his face and prayed there was nothing wrong. He ran out of cure. He and Batman had grabbed
The man and child took the lead, follow by two teenaged girls, two holding hands with young children. The women walked behind the girls, one holding the hands of two young teenaged twins. A man walked behind the woman, holding a gun taken from an unconscious guard.
"Just in case." The man's blue eyes looked as hard as steel looking into Robin. The man looked to be in his fifties, but his face looked as though he was seventy.
I hope he doesn't have to use...what am I thinking?! This is Gotham of course he's going to need the gun soon.
The last boy was over in the corner.
"Come on! We have to go!" the boy had to leave. What if somebody came to check on the hostages? A guard shift? Anything that might go wrong could happen if he didn't move.
Then he saw the look. The look of one who had seen death.
The man and woman...this is their son.
An orphan.
If I could have seen myself four years ago, this is probably how I'd look.
The boy was bent over the bodies of a man and woman, looking to be in their mid-thirties. The man's face was distorted in pain and his arms had flailed. The woman looked beautiful, but the look of overwhelming distress on her face ruined her image. "Mamá! ¡Papá! Despierta! ¡Te quiero!"
It was as if somebody had put him back in a time-capsule. Before he became Robin, before he met Bruce, he was Richard John Grayson. The boy who saw his parents bodies lie on the floor of the circus tent like discarded trash.
"Mutti! Tati! Nu! Nu meurt! Mutti! TATI!"
He saw his mother and father's images flickering between the mother and father who had died of fear gas. It wasn't fair. What would happen to this kid? His own parents were gone.
Falling! FALLING! Everything is falling!
"Dick…Wally... Okay?...It's okay...I'm going to help you."
What was that? Somebody was trying to say something- was it Bruce?
Bruce? Where was Bruce? Should have been back by NOW!
"BRUCE!"
The fall was coming faster and faster. Hurtling down…
DOWN!
""ALFRED! HELP! QUICK!"
ALFRED? Falling…falling…failing…spinning...
"What?"
His arm? What was happening to his arm? It hurt!
Blood. His mother's mouth was dripping with blood. His father's face was crushed…
Suddenly, the image started to fade. His parents faces started to dim and his vision cleared. He also heard something too;
"Artemis called me -panicked about him." That was Wally. Where was he? What was going on?
"Dammit Di -me." Bruce? What?
"That's the way he is. Just like you."
He opened his eyes. For a split second, he saw Wally and Bruce standing over him, Alfred a couple feet away. He was-in the Batcave? Wasn't he at school? Where was Artemi-
Then, his eyes flickered shut and he took an involuntary nap.