AN: Well... This is awkward.
I'm so sorry for being so unspeakably late... Eh, completely my fault there... Got bogged down with work, Legend of Korra, Young Justice, yada, yada.
Thanks for SakuraTenshi39062 for beta-ing... again, and thanks to all you guys who reviewed :)
Blue Bird
Chapter 8
Nightwing stepped away from Superboy as the gym door opened and Artemis and Kid Flash entered, already bickering. Both were in uniform and Artemis was holding a bottle of water.
"... not like I want you anywhere near me." Kid Flash was saying.
Artemis huffed, "Then why d'you insist on invading by personal space?"
Kid Flash managed to avoid turning bright pink as he replied. "That is so not the point."
Artemis opened her mouth to make a sharp retort, but never got the chance, as Nightwing chose that moment to speak up; "Get a room and have your lover's spat there. It isn't something the rest of us need or want to see."
Both the archer and the speedster turned red, "'Lover's spat'?" Artemis asked, "I, we... We're not lovers!"
Nightwing grinned wickedly; "Sure you are, I've seen enough lover's spats to know one on sight; I've seen ones with green and grey skin, I've seen ones with horns and tiaras, capes and whips, fishnets and quivers, fish scales and lightning and a whole heap of others, so I think I'd know one when it walks in wearing green and yellow spandex, only slightly weirder than that one with a cat and a crossbow."
Kid Flash's jaw dropped as he struggled to come up with a witty comeback and Nightwing's grin widened; "Two words. Roy. Cheshire."
Artemis, who had just taken a swig from her water bottle, choked and started violently coughing. Nightwing gently thumped her on the back and she came up gasping, eyes watering and doing her best to give Nightwing a death glare. The vigilante, despite not being intimidated, raised his hands and backed off.
Before anyone could make a move against Nightwing, to attack or otherwise, the door slid open again to admit M'Gann, Kaldur and Black Canary, the latter of whom surveyed the scene before her with a raised eyebrow before taking her place, front and centre, on the holographic training ring.
"Okay team, today we were supposed to start with training on advanced weaponry, but as one of our experts isn't here we're going to go over hand to hand grappling." Canary turned her eyes on Nightwing, who gazed coolly back, "Batman's orders are for you to join the team's training sessions until we find a way to send you home."
Nightwing shrugged and, at Canary's gesture, joined her on the ring. The blonde brought up a holoscreen; "Computer; create a temporary profile for 'Nightwing'."
There was silence for a few minutes as the computer took the readings and then the screen flashed green and closed. Canary shrugged off her jacket and tossed it to one side; "Okay then, let's see what you can do."
"Whenever you're ready." Nightwing replied.
Canary lunged with a well placed jab, which Nightwing easily blocked and flipped away from Canary before she could follow it up with a kick. She pivoted to keep her eyes on Nightwing as he hit the ground and made to sweep her legs out from under her.
She dodged the attack and returned with a feint to the left followed through with a powerful right hook, but Nightwing anticipated the movement and blocked by catching Canary's fist and flipping her over his shoulder. Canary avoided hitting the floor and brought Nightwing over with her. He too managed to avoid the floor and made a jab for Canary's ribs, causing her to release his wrist so he could circle around and deliver a kick to the back of her knees. Canary hit the floor and the computer announced with a mundane finality; "Black Canary; fail."
Nightwing held out a hand and Canary took it, allowing the man to pull her to her feet; "Nice move." She said, "Where'd you learn it?"
Nightwing frowned slightly; "That particular one was a variation on a basic form used by most professional assassins to immobilise opponents. I learnt it in Bludhaven from a student of mine who then proceeded to throw two feet of lead piping at my head."
Black Canary arched an eyebrow, but made no comment. "Artemis, go against Nightwing."
The archer shrugged and stepped on to the training mat, assuming a fighting stance. Across from her Nightwing did the same. The two circled for several seconds;
"How's Cam?" Nightwing asked, smirking.
Artemis raised an eyebrow, "He doesn't go by 'Cam' anymore."
"Oh yeah." Nightwing's smirk widened slightly, "I heard he was on that bridge back in July."
"You and everyone else in the state." Artemis said, lunging for an opening punch, which Nightwing blocked.
He pulled her wrist down, tugging her elbow into an awkward angle, as he replied. "More like the country."
Nightwing jabbed at a pressure point in Artemis' shoulder and swept her legs out from under her.
"Artemis; fail."
The archer stood and stood to one side, massaging her shoulder as she traded places with Kid Flash, who didn't wait for banter and charged straight away. Nightwing sidestepped his attack and stuck out his foot. Wally hit the floor and skidded to a halt as the computer deadpanned.
"Kid Flash; fail."
"If you have time to, evaluate your opponent's fighting style." Nightwing said, offering the speedster a helping hand, Wally ignored it and pulled himself to his feet.
Face burning in shame he left the mat, allowing Kaldur to step up.
As the Atlantean programmed the computer Nightwing sidled up to Black Canary; "Are you planning on making them fight me until someone actually wins?"
"Something like that." The other hero replied.
Nightwing shrugged; "Good luck with that."
"Aren't you being a little complacent?" Canary asked, arching an eyebrow.
Nightwing shrugged; "You call it complacent, I call it knowing the team inside out."
Canary frowned; "And how do you do that?"
Nightwing shrugged; "Batman's paranoid, one of my brothers is more paranoid and I'm a world-class hacker."
With the barest trace of a smile Nightwing stepped back onto the mat for his fight with Kaldur, leaving a frowning Canary behind him.