Chapter 6
Two years later, early in the morning on a cold October day, Piper and Dick faced each other in the Batcave.
"You ready for this Piper?" Dick asked mockingly.
Piper punched her fist into her other hand. "You know it."
Dick struck first. He hooked his right fist, aiming for Piper's head. She ducked and threw her fist at Dick's gut. He grabbed her arm, flipped over her back, and flung her across the room. Piper hit the floor, knocking all the air out of her body. Dick walked over and extended his hand. She took it and he helped her up.
"Not fair Dick," she panted. "I thought we agreed; no acrobatics."
"Sorry about that Pip. Instinct."
Piper suddenly crouched down and lashed her foot out, knocking Dick off his feet and onto his back.
"Ow," was all he could manage.
Piper looked down at him and held out her hand. She smirked. "Instinct."
Dick let out a winded laugh. "We're even."
Alfred came down through the elevator. "Sorry in interrupt your morning training, but Master Bruce has asked me to remind you about school. Master Jason is already at the bus stop.
"Oh shoot!" Piper ran to the Batmobile and pulled her backpack out of the passenger seat. She then grabbed Dick's bag and through it at him.
"Miss Piper," Alfred said, "I'm not sure if Master Bruce wants you putting your stuff in his car."
"Eh, I'm sure he won't mind." Piper and Dick ran up the ramp to the elevator and jumped inside. They rode up and bolted out the front door.
"Bye Bruce!" They yelled in unison.
"Bye you two!" Bruce's voice echoed behind them. The school bus stop was at the bottom of the hill. They ran at top speed to catch it. They jumped on right as the doors were closing.
"Sorry," Dick mumbled to the driver.
The bus, as usual, was crowded. There were two open seats in the back. Jason sat in one of them. Piper slid into the one next to Jason's first then Dick sat down next to her. They took advantage of the bus's noise.
"How did the mission go last night?" Piper whispered.
"Pretty well, actually. We managed to get Bane behind bars. Kobra got away though."
"You'll get him next time. I know you will."
"Well, well, well, Dickie boy and his little sister and brother." Piper and Dick looked up and saw Philip Marvin poking his head over the seat. "What should we taunt you about today?"
"Get lost Philip," Piper said.
Dick put his hand on her shoulder protectively. "What's your taunt today? The same one it was yesterday?"
Philip laughed. "How about Bruce Wayne? Or Jason? Why is he such a loner?"
"Yup, same one as yesterday," Piper mumbled. "Leave Jason out of this jerk."
"Do they ever actually spend time with you guys?"
Jason was about to get up and punch him, but Piper held up her hand.
"Before you actually start your taunts, Philip," Piper said, "You're not sitting in your seat correctly."
Philip stared at her. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"Well, in about five seconds, the driver is going to look in the mirror, like he does every two minutes, and see you sitting wrong. He'll stop the bus and then move you up front where he can keep a better eye on you. So, long story short…you're going to be in trouble."
"Yeah right you little-" Philip's sentence stopped short when the bus jerked to a stop. The bus driver stood up and marched to Philip's seat.
"You're not sitting properly," the driver said. "Move up to the front please."
"But-"
"Move!"
Philip grabbed his bag and stormed his way to the front. Dick, Piper, and Jason looked at each other then laughed.
"And that stops the taunts until we get to school," Piper said.
"I could've helped myself," Jason said. "You didn't have to do that."
Piper smiled at him. "It's what older sisters do."