AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Hey guys, I haven't done one of these before but here we go. I'd just like to say that for the people who have read my work, thanks, but also if you could write a review no matter how short would be great. I have created this whole new character and universe based off of DC and it could go in any direction so if anyone wants to see something appear in the story then if you post it in a PM or a Review then I could it put it in for you guys. But anyway, this is Issue 7 and there is SOmuch more to come, so stay tuned!
ISSUE 7
It had been a few days since his encounter with the Bat and Red Robin and since then work had seemed even more dull. He felt like a kid wanting to get out of school to play video games, he wanted to get out of work to go and train with Bruce Wayne or lesser known as The Bat; silent avenger of Gotham.
He was buzzing with raw adrenaline as made his way up the woodland path on foot. Since he'd started coming up to Bruce's house every day after work, he couldn't hire out the car from the GCPD, so he'd starting jogging up to the house which helped him with his level of physical fitness and he'd slowly noticed that he made in shorter and shorter time.
He reached the door and used the large knocker. After a few seconds, Alfred whizzed in his wheel chair and opened the front door. They had the usual conversation and then he made his way to the grandfather clock entrance to the cave.
He pressed the button, entered the elevator and slowly made his way down to the cavern system below.
The doors snapped open and Ryan stepped onto the platform and watched as the elevator rose back up to the house above. He could spy Bruce in the distance, dressed in the black body armour of the Bat, practicing his combat skills in the dojo area.
"Hey Bruce!" he shouted as he made his way towards his mentor.
Ryan watched as Bruce performed a jumping kick followed by a back flip and a spider like landing. Even at 56 years old, Bruce was physically able as a 20 year old and an impressive sight to see. His combat skill and prowess was unparalleled by any human on the planet.
Bruce stood up and composed himself. It was odd seeing the mix of Bat and Bruce, the body suit without the cape and cowl, it was like two worlds were colliding right in front of him.
"Good evening Ryan," Bruce replied, walking towards him. "Are you ready for some combat training tonight?"
"Yeah sure," Ryan replied, undoing his tie and slipping it into his trench coat jacket pocket. "But I was going to ask when can I get a costume to train in?"
"Tonight," Bruce replied.
"Really?" Ryan asked, almost not believing the response.
"Follow," Bruce said walking off towards the set of large glass cases filled with assortment of costumes.
Bruce stopped at a case which made Ryan almost smirk. The costume dressed on the mannequin was the most ridiculous outfit there. The costume was red with green sleeves and trousers, a bright green cape and boots, finished with a green domino mask.
"This one? Really?" Ryan asked, smirking.
"What's wrong with it?"
"Have you not noticed that it's a bit bright?" Ryan asked the cold man who looked completely serious. "I'd be a living target!"
"So what else do you suppose you wear?" Bruce enquired.
Ryan looked up along the glass cases and his eyes rested on the only costume he could see himself wearing, apart from possibly the Bat costume.
"This one," Ryan grinned, gesticulating towards the black body armour costume like the bats but instead of the cowl it was a restyled black domino mask and the Bat symbol was replaced with a large blue bird.
"If you wish," Bruce sighed, turning away from the costumes. "But once you put on that costume you also wear responsibility. Like I took the mantle of the Bat, you have now taken on the Mantle of Nightwing, the name of the previous hero who wore it."
"Nightwing," Ryan murmured as Bruce walked off back to the combat area. Slowly Ryan reached out towards the glass door standing between him and the mantle he was going to take on.
Ryan exited the changing booth dressed in the black and blue costume. It was a perfect fit and the tight suit felt strange with the armour plating stuck on the top but as he walked the feeling felt more and more natural. He pushed the mask into the belt and walked towards the combat area of the cave.
Ryan felt odd in the costume, he could tell it hadn't been worn in a while, but it still felt like he was walking in someone else's shoes. But then he guessed that was the whole point of a mantle, to be passed down from one person to another to continue another fictional one's life, after all the Bat and Nightwing were all fictional characters used to mask the true identities of the vigilantes hidden beneath the surface.
Bruce turned to see Ryan walking over dressed in the Nightwing outfit.
"You look just like him," Bruce said, almost smiling.
"Look like who?" Ryan asked, flexing his hands in the armoured gloves, noting that there were dark blue gauntlets on his forearms.
"Don't worry," Bruce sighed. "Now let's get to combat training."
The two of them made their way to the centre of the padded floored area, weapons ran along the racks along the side as well as gadgets and trinkets running along the table. Ryan tried to imagine how many people before him had trained on these mats, pushing their bodies and their minds to the limits as they clashed with the Titan that was Bruce Wayne.
"If you reach into the compartments in the gauntlets, there are two blue sticks among other items," Bruce instructed. "Take them out and flick them like you would a truncheon."
Ryan felt around and found a button along the top of the right gauntlet, he pressed it and suddenly a navy blue stick popped out of the top and landed in each hand. He supposed it was an item per button, he'd have to ask about that some other time. He flicked the stick out and held the two light sticks in his hands.
"The sticks function as batons and taser sticks," Bruce explained. "But if you connect the bottom and twist it becomes a bo staff with the functions of the batons."
Ryan did as he was instructed, turning the batons into a staff. He swung it about, trying to mimic the movements of Tim Drake/Red Robin when they had that arranged clash in the alley.
"Now you have the basic gadgets of the Nightwing outfit down, as well as the grapple hook and other gadgets we covered last time," Bruce smiled. "I want you to use them to fight me."
"What?" Ryan asked, smirking, as he disconnected the batons and slid them back into the holes of the dark navy gauntlets.
"I want you to fight me," Bruce said walking towards the table and collected his Egyptian type chest collar attached to the helmet type cowl and cape. He slipped it on over his head and waited for it to lock with the suit's armour plating. It hissed, locked on and Bruce was finally transformed into the Bat.
"Okay," Ryan said shakily, producing the mask and pressing it onto his face. He waited for it to lock in and guessed that it functioned like the cowl, with lenses that would slide over and operate like a computer system with hand movement controls. He tapped his temple and the white lenses slid over, adjusted and then locked in with the computer system.
He was ready and that's when he saw the puff of smoke and the Bat was gone.
Instantly Nightwing knew he had to move, he couldn't stand in the open because that was the Bat was best at, hiding in the shadows and pushing his opponents into the light where he could take them down with ease.
His hand moved and the computer set up the grapple hook program. The grapple flew from the wrist mounted device and gripped the rocky surface above. The engines inside yanked him into the air. He smacked into the rocky ceiling and tried not grunt and give away his position.
He switched the function of the lenses with his hands to night vision. His eyes scanned the ground below, feeling the strain slightly in his arm. He swore he saw a flash of movement on the ground below, he knew it was Bruce but he'd had years of experience over him and it would impossible to track him down with just that.
Nightwing looked at the ground and aimed his other arm and the wall below him. He fired the silent grapple hook and lets his monkey like swinging into action. He regretted the fact he'd trained with more of the other gadgets than his grapple hook as he unhooked the first grapple and gracefully fell.
He smacked into the rock wall and thanked the armour plating was in place to protect him. Trying to waste minimal time as possible, he bent his legs and unhooked the grapple. He gracefully fell towards the ground, in hindsight he could have used the wings in the suit but he hit the ground and safety rolled along the slippery rocky surface that was at the very bottom of cave.
He slowly stood up and looked around the bottom, expecting to see the Bat. It was empty apart from the trickle of water of the waterfalls and small pools that had collected over the years.
That's just when he looked up to see the Bat ascending from above. Nightwing dove to the side as the Bat touched down and swung a large fisted punch directly at his face.
Nightwing had sparred before with Bruce and knew his speed and movements but he was a tactical genius and could out think him in seconds. He could probably stay level with him for a few minutes but he would eventually be taken out by the warrior, his best bet was to flee and try and keep avoiding him until he could get Bruce when he's not expecting it; thought that chance was very slim.
The Bat extended his gauntlet claws and began to swing powerful blows which were followed by large scratches from the sharp blades. Nightwing kept dodging the attacks, side stepping and jumping back, though if it kept going that way the Bat would have him down in minutes.
Nightwing made a subtle hand movement and the two batons ejected from the gauntlets and into his gloved hands. He extended them and raised them, blocking a powerful attack from Bruce.
He hadn't done a lot of gymnastics so far but he managed to pull off a back flip and follow it with a smack of the batons. The blow managed to knock the Bat back but he was better than that, he just kept advancing.
Nightwing connected the sticks and created his staff. He spun it in his hands and electronically charged it. He brought it down but the Bat side stepped. The black creature of the night placed a heavy boot on the stick and then kicked Nightwing in the face.
He dropped the staff to the floor, thanking god he had turned off the taser setting when it hit the floor or he'd be like burnt toast, and hit the floor with blood dripping from his nose. He could understand why the thugs just stayed down after fighting him, who'd want to go two rounds with the Bat.
But he wasn't giving up that easily, Nightwing rolled back and jumped to his feet. He set the gauntlets to grapple hook and fired it at the platform above. He sailed into the air, he suppressed the pain in his nose as he could sense the Bat was right behind him.
It was a terrifying thing running from the Bat even when he knew that he was really just a 56 year old man, but it kept Nightwing rushing with energy and on his toes. This was true excitement, it was electric and he'd felt nothing like it before.
He unhooked the grapple and swung over the edge onto the platform. He sprinted off, hearing the Bat climb onto the platform where he was just ten seconds ago. He kept moving, looking for a target to lock the grapple hook onto.
He noticed a shady walkway up ahead, he locked on the grapple and was once again in the air. He flew towards the surface but used his boot to stop himself from hitting against the dense surface. Trying to be as quick as possible, he shot out another grapple and used the tension to run along the walls of the cave, nearly slipping on the waterfalls. He then hooked the first grapple and used it to fall downwards, straight towards the platform; towards the dojo area.
He unhooked, front flipped and rolled along the mat. He needed a weapon since he'd lost his staff down the bottom of the cavern system. He sprinted to the rack of gadgets and plucked a long sheathed katana. He spun around to see a sharp metal bat shaped object flying towards him.
Nightwing moved to the side and the blade narrowly missed him, scratching the edge of the shoulder plate. He pulled the sheath off the sword and held it in both hands; feeling the weight and power of the weapon.
He bent his knees and waited for the attack from the Bat which didn't seem to be coming. He heard a noise, snapped his head to the side and noticed that one of the katanas had been taken from the rack.
Someone was moving behind him. He spun around and raised the sword to block a metallic blade flying towards his head. The metal clashed and sparks flew.
Nightwing pushed against him but the Bat had the upper hand since he was pushing down where he was resisting the force of gravity. Nightwing dropped the suit and ducked under the blade coming down towards him.
The Bat wasn't expecting what came next, Nightwing tackled him and pushed him to the ground. The Bat's cowl protected his head as Nightwing straddled him and then slugged him in the, only unprotected part of his face, jaw.
The Bat grunted as Nightwing reeled back another. Continually Nightwing kept slugging him, panting with effort. He stopped after the tenth attack and let his arms slump.
"We done?" Nightwing asked, panting.
The Bat didn't answer, he just stared at Nightwing's chest. Nightwing slowly looked down to see a bat shaped explosive was stuck to his chest.
"Oh fuc-" he muttered as the bomb went off. The force of the explosion knocked him back and pushed him onto his back.
The Bat rose to his feet and suddenly the white lenses slide away and Nightwing could see Bruce's real, human, eyes.
"We are now," Bruce replied with a grunt, clearly still slightly pissed off that he had just spent the past minute punching him in the face.
Nightwing's chest ached as he laid on the dojo mat, gasping for breath. The fight proved something to him. It proved that he needed more training and that it would be a long time before he could ever get close to beating Bruce at anything.
Right now he was going to need to be the best Nightwing he could be before ever getting close to wearing the cape and cowl of the Bat.