His tone had been like nothing the five teens had ever heard before. Always so calm, so sure, so collected. Even and assertive.
Just..broken. Beyond physical pain, boarder line panic. Pleas in the form of sorrow filled sobs.
"Robin to Mount. Justice. Robin to- oh god. H-hang on batgirl-"
The previously cheerful Wally West had frozen, green eyes flashing through dozens of emotions, unable to settle on just one.
Confusion. Worry. Fear. Concern-
"Please! We need transportation! Bullet wound to the abdomen- Gotham City, West! The docks-"
The room was silent.
Robin's com-link crackled as he pulled in a shuddered breath. Sirens wailed in the background, distant but steady.
The redhead's eyes darted to his teammates warily, taking in the same expression that he must have been wearing himself. No one said a word aloud, but their minds were screaming.
'Who was shot!? Robin! Are you okay? Are you hurt!? Where's Batman? What do we do? What do we do!?"`
Glances were passed, frightened. A choked cough sounded through the transmission, and the ebony haired boy they all loved looses his last bit of composer.. He calls frantically for his best friend K.F, for Black Canary, for help. Footsteps thundered in the background, radios crackled, voices gasped.
The Boy Wonder had finally cracked. The shell he wore 24/7 in his resident city was shattered, and it scared every one of the teens into action.
XxXx
When she opened her eyes, the air above her shimmered. A soft glow, twirling in foggy swirls of swimming glitter. The colors around her resembled the sun at dawn; faint, yet vibrant tones of warm yellows and light oranges. Her emerald eyes blinked, pale fingers reaching up to touch the flecks as they twinkled and spun in lazy little circles.
"Pretty, isn't it?" the voice, the girl with the golden eyes, chimes happily, her location unidentifiable. Barbara squints, watching as her hand passes through the fog, leaving behind a trail of murky gray when her skin makes contact.
The ground is warm under her back, nothing like the brittle wood of the docks, or the cold, hard surface of the floor in the white room. It's…nice.
The girl appears without warning. She's quiet, swift. Her stealth matches…Robin's.
Robin.
She looks different today, yet the same. Chestnut hair pulled up in an easy ponytail, spandex skirt and top the color of vanilla with an emblem the same color as the glimmering air. When she spins around to offer Barbara a bandaged hand, the redhead notices that her cape also glimmers, when it catches the right amount of light. It was very... Whimsical?
Their hands make contact and Barbara is pulled to her feet. The bandages are rough, like they don't belong anywhere near the girl's skin.
Emerald eyes meet gold laced hazel. Barbara's mouth opens, ready to inquire about the wrapping, but the words fizzle out as the girl's cheery smile falters. She pulls her hand away quickly, choosing to busy herself with her silver chain instead. Somewhere in the distance, a lone bird chirps a simple melody.
"So…you're awfully quiet you know. Usually when people come here, they jabber for hours!" the caped teen giggles, throwing her voice a pitch higher. "What's this? What's that? Where am I? Who are you?"
Barbara studies the strange girl as she laughs away, gold eyes brightening with each smile. Then, she tells her the truth.
"I don't want to know."
The vanilla clad girl raises a puzzled eyebrow, laughter dying away in confusion.
"…you don't?"
The redhead sighs, glancing around at her haze coated surroundings. From what she could tell, they were in some sort of grassy meadow. Violet purple flowers sprung up in every direction, twining themselves around the bases of leafy trees. A soft flutter pulls her eyes watch on as a small bird, no bigger than the size of her fist lands carefully on a low branch, its bright red belly breathtaking against the darkened foliage. The bird chirps quietly, short blurbs of tiny cheeping that sound almost like hiccups. Soft white rings circle the creature's dark eyes, reminding the girl eerily of a domino mask.
She watches, transfixed on the elegant little robin as it swoops down to the grass, clawed feet digging into the dirt as it pads carefully around tall blades of greenery. The bird steps forward, gradually gaining speed as it spots its target. Poking up through a patch of fresh ferns sits a beautiful flower, its petals shaded in the most vibrant shade of purple the girl has ever seen. The robin struggles through the tangled plants, masked eyes focused on its price. Barbara's mouth tries to form words, but she is at a complete loss as what to say. The vanilla clad teen beside her fiddles with her chain, gold irises focused carefully on the flower, rather than the bird.
The pale yellow beak of the bird clamps down on the flower's stem.
The redhead's eyes widen as her right hand tingles with pressure.
The bird tugs with all its might, pulling the flower's roots free from the earthy soil bit by bit.
The feeling in her hand grows stronger, tighter almost.
The plant pops free of its binds.
The robin spreads its wings.
"Oh no you don't," the honey haired girl calls, racing forward quickly and pulling the flower out of the creature's mouth. Squawks fill the once serene air around them, loud and indignant. Barbara starts forward, eyebrows knitted together.
"What are you doing?" she feels herself ask, quite angrily. She's sorry for the poor bird. What gave this strange girl the right to take the flower that he had just worked so hard to get? It was hardly fair.
Bandaged hands cradle the plant carefully, inspecting its exposed roots for damage. The robin hops aggressively at her feet.
The girl's lips twist into a humorous smile, and the words she produces sound almost hollow.
"He's not ready to have it yet, and I'm not ready to give it to him."
xXxX
'N-no! stop! Let go! Let me stay with her!"
The masked boy struggles against the officers pulling him away, wide blue eyes filled with the sight of Barbara's blood.
His crimson stained gloves grasp helplessly at her limp hand, trying to keep himself connected to her any way he can.
He's slipping.
Chief Gordan is on the ground, cradling his daughter's head in his lap. His expression is blank. He's holding her identity, along with her dead body. The sight makes Robin pull harder, cry harder.
"P-please." He sobs brokenly, giving the older teen's fingers a squeeze. He wished with all his being that she would squeeze back.
They loose their vice grips on his arms and he breaks free, dropping to the ground and clasping Barbara's violet glove as tight as he can.
"Oh no you don't" the chief says quietly, his voice gruff with hidden emotions. He unhooks Robin's small fingers from his daughter's, pulling her cold hand away. It drops limply to her bloodied side.
"You've seen enough. Go home." He utters softly, eyes locked on the redhead's pale face.
They drag him away kicking, screaming for his dead partner.
XxXx
Author's note:
So sorry for the wait guys. I'm trying to get better with updates. Trying. :3
Lots of clues in this chapter. Did you find them all?
-Arrow.