Here's a new chapter, hope you enjoy it, and the AN at the bottom is important, so please read it AFTER you read the chapter.
Robin shuddered as another cold night wind blew like ice through the air. He'd been standing on the edge of Gotham pier for almost an hour, waiting for the Joker. He glanced off into the water, his reflection a stranger to him. He saw a teenage kid wearing a black mask and a traffic light outfit. He was strong, muscular, and had an expressionless face. He was a hero. But was that really what he wanted anymore? He wasn't sure.
"Early aren't we," the Joker said with a psychotic mirth, approaching Robin quite casually. Robin glared at him, a hatred burning in his eyes.
"Where's Anny," he demanded.
"She's safe back at my hideout," the Joker reassured Robin, though the fact she was still in the Jokers possession did not relieve any of Robin's anxiety. "I will release her as long as this little meeting goes well."
"Then let's get on with it," Robin growled, his senses on high alert. The Joker was not to be trusted.
"Gladly," the Joker said. "Now, I bet you're wondering why I have captured Anny." Robin nodded. "The answer is that I've been hired to make your life a living hell and find out any information about you that I can. So here's what I need to know, and then you can have Anny back. What is your secret identity?" The question hit Robin like a ton of ice. The Joker wanted to know his secret identity for the safe return of Anny. He had to choose between the two things he cared the most about. It was Anny, or his identity.
"Weren't expecting that, were you," the Joker chuckled, giving Robin an evil glare. "But don't worry; this little deal is going to be quite profitable for me." A thought hit Robin like an electric shock. Who would pay the Joker to torment him? Who wanted to know his secret identity? Who wanted to make him look like a crazy person more than anyone else on the planet? Ludvick, that's who; and it, was Ludvick's fault Anny was in danger. Venomous anger now poured from Robin's words as he spat at the Joker.
"You can tell Ludvick he'll never learn my secret identity, and that I will save Anny." The Joker's expression fell when Ludvick's name was mentioned.
"Curse the Bat for teaching you his powers of deduction. I guess I have to move to plan B." Joker whipped out a crow bar from inside his suit coat. "I guess I'll be pulling that mask off your lifeless body!" He swung wildly, aiming for the vital points on the body. Robin flipped and rolled, dodging every blow from the malicious attack.
"Where's Anny," he demanded, sneaking under Joker's arm and jabbing him in the gut.
"Dead," coughed Joker, launching another wild swing at Robin's skull. But Robin didn't move, the word dead still ringing in his ears as he fell out of reality.
…
Batman stood over the motionless form of Robin lying under the covers, the monotonous beep of the heart monitor providing the only noise in the room. He wasn't the only League member in the room; Canary, Flash, and Captain Marvel were there too. When the League had heard what Joker had done to Robin, they took immediate action against him. He was now locked back up in Arkahm with most of his bones broken.
"Is he going to survive," Canary asked tentatively, knowing Bruce was in an emotional state.
"No," Bruce said, emotion void from his voice. "The blow dealt too much damage to his brain. If we're lucky he will stay in this coma for a few more days, but he will die." A single tear slipped out of the Bats mask, and Canary nodded. This was going to be a funeral for the ages.
…
It was a bright and sunny day when the funeral happened, with birds chirping and flowers blooming. There were two caskets sitting to either side of the grave site. Both League members and Titan's filled the crowd, along with a few civilians. The newly wed Kid Flash holding his wife's pale pink hand, knowing that their wedding a week ago hadn't been complete, not without Robin. Batman stepped up to the podium set up at the front, facing the teary eyed onlookers.
"My fellow heroes, we are gathered today to mourn the loss of one of our own," he began, holding back the tidal wave of emotion that was building up. "Robin, my protégé, dying in the attempt to save the girl he loved, is hero. Let us never forget that, because while we all have spots of grey in our lives," he gave Clark a glance, "we are defined by the totality of our actions. Robin is, and always was, a hero, even to the end." Bruce walked back to is seat, the tears beginning to fall. As he sat next to Alfred he felt as if he was a small child again, with only Alfred to comfort him over the loss of his parents.
As the mortuary workers moved to lower both the caskets into the ground, a Jersey accented voice called out.
"Wait!" Harley Quinn approached the burial site, dressed down as a civilian. "That's my sister you're burying, so may I say a few words?"
"You'll have to ask Batman," Superman replied softly, "After all, this is Robin's funeral as well." He had no clue who she was, nor did any of the other attendee's, except for Batman. He knew fully well who she was, but also knew the feeling of losing a loved one.
"I'll allow it," he replied, glad that Man Hunter wasn't present, or he'd blow Harley's cover.
"Thank you sir," she replied, aware that he knew who she was. She approached he podium with a slomness that could only be found in true mourning.
"Anny was my sister, and I loved her," Harley began. "But I betrayed her at the end, betrayed her for the man I loved, and she died for it. Now that man is gone, and I have no desire to ever see him again. But I wish I could go back, I wish I could apologize, but I can't. I can only cry wish she were here." She stepped away from the podium, tears streaming from her eyes, muttering
"I'm so sorry Anny, I'm so sorry." She stepped back and watched as both Robin and Anny's caskets were lowered into the ground, the grave filled, and the crowed vanished. She was the last one to leave, with Batman leaving just before her.
"Goodbye Anny," she whispered, with one final look at the tombstone, "I'll see you again someday."
And that's it, the end, sorry if you're disappointed. I'm going to be honest with you guys, the original intent of this chapter was not to end it, but as I kept trying to write it, I just wasn't feeling it. I'd lost interest in the story, so I ended it. I really am sorry because I knew how I wanted it all to end, but when I have no real motivation to write something it turns out poor; so rather than give you guys a terrible rest of the story I ended it. So unless you read my other stories, this is the last time you'll read this
Reaper of Heroes out.