A/N)Ok I have been gone for like... ever. I apologize. Thanks for all those follows and favoring! Awesome to see so many waiting for my update. Barley had time to breath lately. Today, I squeezed this in between lessons, work and mowing the lawn!
Have fun!
Bruce . . . Bruce . . . Bruce . . .
One word. That word. It was all he said, all he whimpered miserably, before breaking out into another screaming fit, as if something was tearing his soul out all over again. More then once in the past few days Talia had been there. Often she sought to sooth his monstrous screeches. Needless to say he terrified all who dared pass by the room in which he lay. Except her of course. Then he'd just black out again. It had become routine.
It was during one of his mind tearing spasms that Talia was surprised. For the first time in a long while, Talia was actually shocked.
The boy shot up, literally straight up, by his own doing and opened his eyes mid scream.
Talia actually stood up in fear.
His eyes flew frantically around the room. Lost, empty, terrified.
"Whe- where am I?" He hissed out before gasping for air, as if speaking hurt horribly.
Talia decided since he had died two years ago, talking was probably a very far off thing to do. And by the looks of it, extremely painful.
"You are in my home." She lied, it wasn't exactly her home, just a place her father had in loan to complete his project, "You are sick. Still recovering, calm yourself." She spoke calmly, her voice level and smooth.
His body was rigid, his breathing irregular. That lost look in his eyes didn't leave. He wasn't completely sane at the moment. Lost, confused, and unable to understand things clearly just yet.
She reached a hand out. He flinched away.
"Come now precious," She said softly, "I won't hurt you. I promise. Here, You've been hurt and unable to awaken for sometime now. Rest." She gently pushed him back into the bed, gentleness a foreign thing to her. But she was trained to be what she wasn't in order to get what she wants.
He didn't relax, like a rock he fell back into the pillow, his eyes flashing everywhere, still lost.
"I'll return when you're in less of a state, don't move, you've had an exhausting . . .ordeal." She ordered, then carefully walked out, locking the door behind her.
This . . . was an extremely large breakthrough.
Ow. Why does my head hurt so badly?
Her body was tiff as she came too, it took a second to realize . . .where am I! She looked around frantically, nothing but darkness met her eyes.
Oh god! What happened, one minute I was shopping . . .the next- Daddy! She gasped out loud and tried to move only to discover her legs were tied.
She managed to sit up, dizziness slammed through her head, she leaned against a wall she didn't know was there, "Ow..." She groaned lightly, "I hope Dad hasn't killed anyone looking for me."
"Who's there!" A hard voice demanded making the girl jump out of her skin.
"Z-Zatanna . . .I-I-I'm a prisoner, are you?" She asked shakily, wondering if she could use her powers.
"Zatanna? It's me, Hawk-Shayera."
This gave her a spark of hope, "No! What are you-we doing here? What happened? Where is here?" She blurted out anxiously.
"I don't know. I was on the way back to the Leagues tower when . . . nothing." Shayera admitted sounding defeated in the dark.
Zatanna sighed, "Yah, same here. What gives?"
Just then a grinding sound of rusty hinges that made her skin crawl to her teeth and the darkness was filled with a dim light that hurt her eyes.
A tall man in a ninja suit walked in and grabbed her roughly, "Hey! Don't you jerks know how to handle a lady!" She hissed as his grip hurt her arm.
Two others grabbed Hawkgirl, she struggled for a moment until one elbowed her stomach making her double in surrender.
"Who are you guys?" Zatanna demanded, "What do you want with u-" She gasped as she was lead into a dimly lit room that looked like a bigger prison. Several other young people in it.
"You will stay here until Master tells us what he want's done with you." The ninja sneered and shoved her and Hawkgirl into the room before slamming it shut in their faces.
Shayera howled and threw herself full force at the heavy door, her wings flinging out in exertion. Zatanna watched her friend punch and kick the door, to no avail.
Then she noticed they were being stared at. Turning she saw several unfamiliar faces looking back.
"Um . .. hi?" She waved sheepishly.
The silent room was only interrupted from Hawkgirls battle cries and the clanging door she was pelting.
Then a pink haired girl stepped forward, "Hi. I'm Kole. That's Joey, his sister, Rose, and that's Gnnark. We're prisoners like you. Who are you?" She had a chirpy voice that didn't see effected by the seriousness of her admission.
Zatanna blinked, "Oh, I'm Zatanna, This is my friend Hawkgirl and nice to meet you. Wish it could have been under better circumstances." She laughed nervously.
Nobody answered.
Zatanna decided the circumstances where a lot worse then she thought.
Flash yelped as the Ninja tried to decapitate him. He anchored himself and twirled around to make a mini tornado. The ninja must have seen this coming because one threw a bomb pellet at him, causing him to loose footing and fly into the nearest wall, full force. The blow cracked his back and knocked the wind out of him. He fell to his hands and knees, breathing heavily.
Out of juice.
The ninja surrounded him, on raised his sword to strike the final blow.
A sound of air slicing and suddenly a loud explosion. Then ninja flew back and landed on the ground, stunned.
Wally gulped in air and looked up. Nightwing was standing on a roof edge in all his stupid glory, an electro stick in either hand, sparking at the ends as he jumped down in front of Flash.
"You-" Wally couldn't finish.
A ninja jumped up and threw his sword at Nightwing, who rounded and blocked the sword with his metal stick sending it into a tree.
That was the only distraction they needed to disappear. Wally looked up. The freaks were gone. Nightwing was still there.
"Here," His voice was emotionless.
Wally could have strangled him, but he took his offered hand instead. Actually letting the fact that his . .. ex? best friend was standing in front of him sink in.
"What are you doing here?" He demanded, trying to catch his energy.
Nightwing didn't answer and turned to leave.
Aw, hell no! I haven't seen him in forever and he thinks I'm gonna let him walk away!
"Dick!" He shouted. Knowing that names in the field was rule that not even late Robin broke.
That got his attention, the dark haired boy whirled around, "What?!"
Wally could feel the Bat glare through his mask. He didn't care.
"What is this? What're you doing here? And why have those freaks been stealing from Stars Lab lately?" He spat out faster than normal.
For a second there, Wally swore he saw his old best friend before he changed back into that jerk ass.
"That's none of your concern Flash." He turned to go.
Wally hissed and threw whatever energy he hadn't wasted into cutting Nightwings walk off, "To heck it isn't!" He spat, "This is my city, what are they doing here? I have more of a right to know then you do!" He jabbed Dick in the chest plate with every word.
"Their Al Ghul minions. That's my business. Now if you'll excuse me." With that he shot his line and smoothly swung to the roof tops.
Wally had half a mind to chase after him and kill him.
He squashed down the hurt, anger, and just plain ache in his chest and turned to blow some steam. Dick might be a jerk ass, but they'd been friends forever. He hated what's happened to him. He couldn't understand why it even happened. His parents died, sure it still hurt the guy, but he didn't go all batman over it. Now Jason kicks the bucket . . .what the hecks the difference?!
And who's Al ghul?
Wally was so busy lost in his own head he didn't realize he'd speed walked to Megs Café. Seems like when he felt down this was where he always went subconsciously or willingly.
He whirled around and entered with his civvies looking and feeling exhausted.
Nobody was in yet, the night shift hadn't started yet. Good, maybe he could talk to Meg now and let off some feelings.
"Hey Wally." Meg chirped, then her face fell, "what happened?"
Wally sighed and sat in a worn stool heavily, "I . . . got in a pretty big and exhausting fight." he propped his head on his hands, "And got my butt saved last minute by Nightwing."
Meg gasped, "What? But isn't he here, in Gotham and-"
"Apparently he had been tracking those guys from before." The red head let out an irritated growl, "Left with out so much as a 'buzz off.'"
Megan sighed and patted his head comfortingly, "I'm sorry Wally. But maybe this is one of those things that we have to except as . . . different."
Wally folded his arms on the counter and buried his head down.
Meg felt bad, "Um, how 'bout some coco to cheer you up!" She tried to lighten him, "I'll be right back." She disappeared into the back.
Silence.
Silence that felt suffocating. Wally lifted his head and swallowed. Why was it suffocating? Heat began to rise up his face, anger followed with it. The more he thought about Dick and his idiotic batman acting, and those freaks that nearly did him in, the angrier he got. Wally decided, it wasn't fair. He had as much right as Dick to be a hero. AND a friend. Though Dick didn't want that. Whatever. I don't even know what I'm thinking any more.
His head hurt. His body ached.
He wanted to disappear.
He'd handled a lot of things but maybe they were finally weighing in and wanting to break that mask of a smile he often wore now. No, let it go. Let it go. I always let it go!
Meg came back into the room, "Here Wall-" A harsh burst of air was all that answered her.
"Wally?"
Barbara watched as Robin went through his training routine in the holo-dojo. She was supposed to be keeping track of his stats. Instead her mind whirled backwards, wondering what Dick was up to. The stupid male had been extremely touchy and stoic. More then usual, which was saying something. He refused to let her know about anything. She'd figured he was trying to hack for blue prints and information about Santa Prisca and Al Ghul, but Batman's computer wasn't making it easy.
That's what he'd been doing. But he wouldn't tell her how far he'd gotten, or at least let her help.
A loud crash caught her attention, Tim was upside down against another wall.
"You ok Timmy?" She smiled softly as he rolled to his feet with a groan.
"Yah. Man, I was so close to beating level ten."
"It's ok. You'll get it later. Come on. Let's spar some. Better with a real person anyway." She informed while taking a stance.
Tim Grinned, "Ok. But I'm warning you, I've studied your moves, watch out!"
She laughed, "Give me your best shots Robin."
Wally kicked the can hard.
He kicked it again, in tune with his thoughts.
I. Hate. This. So. Much! Stupid. Dick. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!
He kicked the can clear across the street. Some anger going out with it.
If it's that big of a deal that he won't tell me. Then I'll just have to find out and help anyway. He thought defiantly. Suddenly a loud crash that didn't come form him caught his attention. Gotham was a crapped up place at night.
He shifted against the wall and peered around the bend.
A thin woman was being cornered by two burly street thugs.
"Hey Babe. Going somewhere?" One leered, reaching for her purse.
Wally moved to step out, but then something made him freeze.
"You had better get your filthy hands off me." The woman said coldly, completely calm.
That voice, I swear I've heard it somewhere, but not often, he couldn't place it.
The second thug snickered, "Aw, what? Cutie thinks she's tough." The street jerks hands slid towards the woman's hair.
Wally decided this was definitely his cue. I'll just zip in and out nobody will know what happened.
A yelp stopped him mid step.
The woman had grabbed thug number two's wrist, the freak yelped in pain as she twisted it smoothly and side kicked him into the wall. Sending him crashing into a dumpster. Wally forgot to run in, in shock as he watched the first thug lung at her.
"You little Bitch!" He yelled and snatched her purse roughly out of her grasp and threw a hard punch at her.
In a simple calm movement she bent backward, ALL the way backwards and smoothly flipped from bending back on to her feet, kicking the thug in the chin. He stumbled back then glared at the small female who didn't seem the least bit afraid.
"Give me back my property." She demanded coolly.
"Property this you freak!" He threw a metal pipe from the hard ground straight at her.
Wally barley blinked when a sudden intense flash of pink sparked from the woman's fingers as she aimed it at the pipe. It rusted mid-air into literally nothing.
Wally gapped. What?
"I said. Give me my property." Cold and hard.
The thug visibly shuddered, "What the crud are you?!" His gravely voice sounded fearful in the dark.
"A innocent bystander, now hand it over."
"N-not a chance." Stupid move, "Hey, carl, let's take her out."
Both thugs advanced stupidly towards her, then a flash of pink surrounded the girl, her hair burned into the bright color, Wally gapped as her eyes began to glow menacingly, "I don't have time for this." She hissed out viciously.
A sharp blast escaped her body without so much as a twitch from her and floored the freaks against the gravely ground, the fire escape above seemingly falling on its own on top of them, crushing them with a resounding crash.
Then all at once the color faded, though her pink hair was still there. She smoothly bent over and picked up her purse as if nothing had happened.
Wally had forgotten he was hiding, he fell on one knee, his hand gripping the rough brick wall, until it slipped, grating against it, scraping a layer of skin from his palm. He hissed as he fell forward, his injured hand slapping the rough cold concert.
This caught her attention. She whirled around, her eyes glowing a florescent pink, the diminishing instantly when she saw Wally unsteadily standing, unconsciously rubbing his hand.
Both stared in silence for a dark, suffocating moment.
Then, in a hushed, awed, whisper from Wally's shocked lips broke the thick silence. . .
"Who are you?"