A/N: Bam! Chapter six! My lucky number! The longest chapter yet!
Okay, admission time, I was a tiny bit lazy and skipped the funeral. Don't hate me! It is mentioned though! However, if you would like me to type a quick one-shot about it or something...I guess I could try...But the reason I didn't include it is partially because I don't think I could accurately portray how it would go.
I own nothing.
Warnings: Language, potential OOCness (although I try not to), and that's all I can think of...
Review Responses:
angel grayson: Thanks for the long, energetic, random, and hyper review! Sorry about not describing Jason's gate crashing...I was typing and got carried away...Basically I completely forgot about it in the end... Heh. ^^ I did update quickly, so the wrath of the Bat-fam and Gotham villains is unecessary...Thank God! Also, I'm positive that Alfred is included (despite his awesomeness). He's basically the grandfather of the Batkids. Thanks again for reviewing and enjoying my story!
roy23: Sorry, no real insight on the funeral except for Tim's...A lot of your questions were actually answered in chapter two of the story, but yeah, Jason has mostly the same story. Except Dick was around before he died and Bruce didn't want to risk people making connections so he said Jason was off on a soul search, and not dead. So to the general public, Jason Todd is still alive, just never around. Hope that sort of helped. If you have any questions still, look back to chapter two. If you still have questions, feel free to ask. Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you're liking the story! :D
Guest that reads: Thanks for saying my story is awesome!...Thanks is becoming a bit of a broken record so...Gracias (I didn't take Spanish so I hope that's right) for finding my Jason and Richard moments lovely! Hope you continue reading, reviewing, and finding enjoyment in my story!
mixxi:This chapter marks the official entrance of Deathstroke! Hope you like how I write him (although he's technically not doing much).
Oh yeah, notice how mobody's name was underlined? They wouldn't show up -_-
Ch. 6- Developments
"The only thing we know for sure about future developments is that they will develop."
"This is bad. This is very very bad," Tim muttered under his breath as he watched the news. It had been a week since he was shown the Batcave, even longer since Dick Grayson was proclaimed dead, and only four days since the funeral. Tim, of course, had been invited to the burial of his idol, although there wasn't a body to bury. He may have shed a tear or two during Barbara's heartrending speech. The boy didn't even want to remember Bruce's remembrance of his ward, that one had sent even some of the press over the edge. And he'd swear up and down that he even saw Bruce's estranged son, Jason Todd, there. He seemed to be the only one (outside of one press photographer who managed to get a lucky shot…maybe it'd be published in next week's paper) to have noticed. All in all, the funeral was the most emotional thing Tim had ever witnessed in his twelve years.
Unfortunately, Batman, unlike Bruce Wayne, doesn't get sad. He gets mad. He gets violent. The night of the funeral, once all of the mourners were gone, Bruce had suited up and gone on patrol. Nothing unusual there. What was unusual was Batman's enhanced ruthlessness with the criminals. The vigilante had stopped a total of sixteen crimes that night. Seventy two criminals in all were apprehended…Sixty five of them were sent to the hospital after the Bat was done with them. The last time something like that had happened was when Jason Todd went soul searching and decided not to return. Although, Tim was beginning to realize that there was probably a lot to that story that he was missing.
The problem that was currently plaguing young Timothy's mind, shortly after Batman's return to extreme violence, was the man known as Two-Face. Apparently Mr. Dent recognized Batman's ire, and used it against him…by streaming Robin getting shot by the Joker on a continuous loop to every television in Gotham. If that wasn't a call to war, Tim didn't know what was.
Looking at the clock on his new phone (his dad had handled the frying of his old one relatively well) Tim sighed in frustration. It was almost 9:00 at night. The maids would never let him out of the house, but he had to do something. Tim felt that it was his duty as one of the few people who knew Batman's ID to prevent him from doing something stupid while he was so obviously emotionally compromised.
Taking his new responsibility to heart, Tim looked out of his second story window for an easy way down. There wasn't one, but that did little to deter the boy. He was prepared for anything, including a quick escapade from his house. Although he'd never snuck out before, Tim had a rope stashed away under his bed and a highly convenient hook nailed to the wall next to his window. One never knew if they'd need to climb out their window.
After he'd successfully set up the rope, Tim threw on a jacket, his sneakers, and a pair of gloves to prevent rope burn. He also packed a bag of random items he thought might come in handy, like a flashlight. Once satisfied with his preparations, Tim climbed out of his window and slid towards the ground via the rope. As quietly as possible, he then made his way down the driveway, out the gate, and safely behind some bushes near Wayne Manor. He then took out his phone and called Alfred. He was not going to try bypassing the virus Dick had created again.
After two rings, the kind butler picked up the phone with his textbook, "Wayne residence, Alfred Pennyworth speaking."
"Hey Alfred, it's Tim," the boy said quietly, still hiding behind the bushes, "Can you open the gate? I'm right outside."
"Master Bruce is quite busy right now Mr. Drake and-"
"I know about the video Alfred!" Tim interrupted, "Now let me in. I have to stop Bruce from doing something stupid."
"I am sorry sir, but Master Bruce has given direct orders to not even allow Miss Gordon trough these gates. He simply cannot be dissuaded from whatever course of action he has planned, not even I can talk sense into him. Now, I must go prepare the medical supplies, something tells me that if Master Bruce stays on this road, he is going need them. Good day, Mr. Drake."
Tim stared at his phone. Alfred had hung up on him! If that's the way it was going to be, then so be it. Nothing was going to stop him from helping, not even direct orders from the Bat himself! If he can't get in through the front door, maybe he can get in by other means. The Batcave had to have a back entrance, and Timothy Drake was going to find it.
Pause.
Rewind.
Play.
Jason Todd couldn't believe his eyes. The Blüdhaven news was having a field day over this story from Gotham, their sister city about half an hour away. Apparently Harvey Dent, being the douche he was, decided it would be smart to play Robin's death over and over again on every TV in the city. It was obviously a trap for Batman. Jason knew it, Grayson (who sat next to him on the couch) knew it, and even Harper (who was visiting) knew it. All three of them also knew that Batman knew it too, and that the man would still hunt the villain down.
Pause.
Rewind.
Play.
The three boys kept replaying the same news feed over and over again. Did Two-Face have a death wish? Everyone knew that when Batman was angry, bad guys were in deep shit. That's why he'd had Robin to back him up. It was Robin's job to watch Batman's back and prevent him from going overboard.
Pause.
Rewind.
Play.
But, now there wasn't a Robin. Without Robin, there was nobody there who was capable of preventing Batman from doing something incredibly stupid. Sure, Batgirl was a capable hero…she just had no influence over the Batman. Honestly, the boys whose eyes were glued to the television screen, as well as millions of other people, were curious as to how this would all play out.
Pause.
Rewind.
Play.
"I'm going to make some popcorn," Harper said standing up, "Something tells me we're going to be in for a show."
"Extra butter please," Grayson mumbled, staring intently at the screen. It was technically his death after all. Well, one of them.
Pause.
Rewind.
Play.
To be truthful, although he had actually died and not faked anything, Jason was quite thankful that he'd only had to die once. He was also quite pleased that his civilian ID was still usable, alive, and not a wanted felon. He'd visited Gotham a few times since his whole "I'm back from the grave" episode as Jason Todd just to tick Bruce off. After all, what kind of wayward son would he be if he didn't visit his "father" every now and again?
Pause.
Rewind.
Play.
"Yo, Todd, do you want anything?" Harper called from the kitchen.
"Beer!" Jason shouted back.
Jason heard the fridge open (loudly) and close (louder) signifying the other man grabbing the alcohol. "Dick, you want anything to drink?" the archer called, as if it were a second thought.
"Water is fine Roy," the acrobat answered.
Pause.
Rewind.
Play.
About five minutes later, Roy reentered the television area.
Somehow he'd managed to gather two bowels of popcorn, two beers, a water bottle, a bag of potato chips, a bag of pretzels, a half eaten tub of vanilla ice cream, and three spoons into his arms. An even more impressive feat on the archer's behalf was when he laid them on the coffee table without dropping anything. Obviously he'd learned a thing or two from Wally, the self-proclaimed master at holding insane amounts of food in his arms at one time.
"What'd I miss?" the bringer of snacks asked once he was settled back into the couch.
"Nothing, Grayson keeps replaying the same thing over and over again, it's driving me mad!" Jason exclaimed whilst sending a glare towards the young teen who'd somehow gained the remote.
Pause.
Rewind.
Play.
"You do realize that if we keep seeing the same thing, when something new happens we'll miss it," Harper mused.
Apparently that was exactly what Dick needed to hear though because right after it was said the kid instantly pushed the "live TV" button on the remote. Right in time too, as it seemed the station just received new Intel regarding the situation in Gotham.
Jason gave a sigh of relief when the news anchor mentioned Gotham. He really hadn't wanted to return to the live news if all they were discussing was politics. He hated politics.
The sigh of relief soon turned to one of surprise when the update was finally given. Turning his head, Jason found Grayson and Harper displaying similar expressions. Out of all the possible developments the boys had pictured, this was most definitely not one of them.
"Whoooooooooooa….." Tim marveled as he wandered around the Batcave.
Yeah, he'd found the back entrance. He had a lot of free time, so with a map of his particular region of Gotham, Tim had managed to narrow down the location. There was a surprisingly small amount of possible sites where such an entrance could be found…Once one knew who the Batman was at least.
It had taken some rock climbing and getting his feet a bit wet, but Tim had managed to make his way in. Except, he'd missed Bruce. The man had obviously left long before Tim's unwelcome arrival, hence the lack of Batmobile. The assortment of Bat based vehicles still in the Cave truly amazed Tim. On top of that, the boy had spotted the Batcomputer…as well as a dinosaur. He made a mental note to ask about that later.
The tour he'd been given earlier of the Batcave hadn't included any of the wonders that caught the boy's eye now. It had clearly been condensed seeing as he'd only been shown the gyms (all three of them), the two training areas (there was a difference between training areas and gyms apparently), the gear/suit room, and one of the evidence lockers. Still interesting, but nothing in comparison to what he was now seeing.
"Tim!?" a female voice asked, in either shock or anger, from behind him. Whirling around, the boy gulped in fear when he spotted a fully suited up Batgirl standing there, hands on her hips. "What are you doing here? No, how did you get in here?"
Mouth suddenly dry, Tim couldn't seem to find his voice. So instead, he handed Batgirl the map he'd made to find his way into the Cave.
Snatching the proffered map, Batgirl frowned as she observed it. "Who gave you this?"
"Ugh…No-nobody. I made it."
"Why?" Behind the cowl, the girl's eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"When I found out who Batman was," Tim explained, finally regaining full control over his vocal cords, "I wanted to help. So I decided to find an alternate entranceway into the Batcave, besides the one that was obviously inside the manor. You know, in case something bad happened and I'd need to lend a hand. Like right now!"
"Batman doesn't need your help. He has me," Barbara slammed the map into Tim's chest as she strode past him towards the Batcomputer.
Not to be put off, Tim trotted behind the female vigilante, "Then why did he lock you out, huh? He's being stubborn and something tells me, you're going to need help saving him from Two-Face."
Batgirl practically growled, "He fights Two-Face all the time. I do too. You do not."
"You've never fought him while this emotionally connected to the case. Don't cops get pulled off of cases when they're emotionally involved? Something about being reckless and endangering their life and the lives of others? Ring any bells?"
"Then it's a good thing Batman and I aren't cops."
Tim glared at the back of Barbara's head as she typed something into the Batcomputer. Shortly afterward, the information Batman had on the current case involving Two-Face popped upon the screen.
Sensing the glare, Batgirl sighed in annoyance and glanced at the boy. "What do you want from me? I'm not going to take you out into the field! You're not trained, you're not quiet, and you'll just be in the way. It's my job to protect Batman now, so you can just go home Tim."
"You're doing a lousy job of looking out for Batman then. He just knowingly walked himself right into a trap, where were you? Right, not here! I live closer than you do to Bruce, I can keep a better eye on him, if only you guys would let me help! Also, I have been trained. Any rich kid with a brain living in Gotham has taken self-defense, and on top of that, my dad signed me up for classes using a bo staff. I'm better than the instructor I've been at it for so long!"
"Prove it," Batgirl spat, "You beat me with the staff, and I take you with me. You lose, you go home." To Batgirl, that seemed like the easiest way to get rid of the little nuisance. He, a boy taught by normal people, clearly wasn't going to win against someone who has had training with Batman, even if said trainee was pretty weak in that particular weapon's area.
Tim didn't seem to notice or care about Batgirl's confidence. He just smiled and said, "Deal."
The three boys on the couch in an apartment in Blüdhaven gaped at the television. Why? Well, the screen was showing something impossible. It showed a smug Two-Face, flipping away with that obnoxious coin of his, with an unconscious and tied up Batman in the background.
Impossible. Virtually impossible. He was the goddamn Batman; he didn't just get knocked out and tied up! It was just something that didn't happen. Of course, apparently it did...and without backup…
"How the hell did that happen?" Roy asked, completely ignoring whatever monologue Two-Face was giving.
"Batsy is getting reckless again," Jason stated. It was common knowledge that a Batman on his own was a Batman who took chances he normally was smart enough not to make. "And where the hell is Batgirl? Isn't she supposed to be helping?"
Dick shrugged, eyes focused on the marred face of Harvey Dent. "Batman probably took measures in order to make sure she couldn't help him. When he takes unnecessary risks, he tries to go alone," the boy said.
"If he knows it's dumb, why'd he go anyway?" Roy asked his younger friend.
"He gets irrational when it comes to his sidekicks."
Jason scowled, "More so for some than others," he muttered.
"Jay," the ex-Boy Wonder stated, "You were still dead when Bruce got scary. Trust me; he was just as reckless. In fact, he was downright terrifying even as Bruce Wayne until Alfred had knocked some sense into him. He did, after all, have another kid to look after."
"Hey guys," Roy cut in, "does that shadow appear to be moving?" The archer pointed to the upper left side of the live video feed featuring Two-Face's dull monologue (which he was still giving) where, sure enough, the shadow did appear to be moving.
"Batgirl?" Jason asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Batgirl," Dick agreed.
Meanwhile, back in Gotham, Barbara Gordon was seriously questioning her life choices. Here she was, dressed as a bat, sneaking through the rafters of an abandoned warehouse, preparing to fight a complete and utter psychopath. How'd she get roped into it? Oh yeah, she was stubborn. That's why.
"…200 million in cash within the next twenty four hours. There will be absolutely no League interference…" Two-Face was saying once Batgirl started paying attention to his speech. She was finally in the perfect position for action; she was just waiting for the right moment…
"…show I'm serious, I'm going to begin with this pest!" the deranged criminal shouted suddenly. He pulled out his gun and aimed it at Batman.
To Batgirl, that was the sign that it was the right moment. Slipping a hand into her utility belt, the redheaded vigilante pulled out a batarang. With a quick flip of the wrist, the tiny weapon went sailing straight and true towards its target: Two-Face's gun. The man gave a shout of rage as his weapon went sailing.
Jumping down from her hiding spot, Batgirl smiled at the camera before sending a kick to Mr. Dent's face. The disfigured man collapsed on the ground seemingly unconscious. With victory near at hand, Batgirl ran across the room towards her still not awake mentor. "Hey, Batman?" she shook his shoulder and gave a relieved smile when he groaned, "Welcome back!" Batman's eyes fluttered open underneath his cowl.
"Two-Face?" the Justice Leaguer questioned.
Batgirl sighed, "Currently incapacitated," she nodded towards the downed body.
"Good."
"Now hold still while I get these ropes off of you." Batman simply nodded while Batgirl went to work. Pulling out another batarang, the girl began cutting the ropes. As she was so focused on freeing Batman, Batgirl failed to notice Two-Face getting up.
That is, she failed to notice until he said, "Did you really believe I could go down so easily?" Batgirl cursed as she snapped her head up to stare at the man. "Such language," he chastised, "Now, I prepared myself for just this occasion."
"How so?" Batgirl asked, frantically sawing at the ropes.
Two-Face gave a grotesque grin. "Simple," he pulled out two small devices. Each device had a button, one purple the other orange. With both devices in his right hand, Two-Face pulled out his coin with the left. "Heads, I blow up northern Gotham. Tails, I blow up southern Gotham."
"Bombs. I see you took one from Joker's book."
Instead of responding to the jibe, Dent just threw the coin in the air. It flipped as if in slow motion. Up, up, up. Down, down, down. He caught the coin and peeked at it with a smile. "It appears as though the civilians of-"
CLANG!
Two-Face fell on the ground. Behind him, surprising everyone who was watching this battle going on at home, stood a young boy wearing a version of the Robin suit. It was patchy, as though thrown together last minute with hand me downs from the first one. He had on the green bottoms the other Robin had worn when he was eleven, the red top with green short sleeves from when the other kid was ten, and the same cape, black gloves, and boots from the costume Robin number one had worn at the time of his death. This new boy even had a domino mask and utility belt, although he seemed to have taken out Two-Face using other means.
"Hey Batgirl," the boy waved sheepishly.
Batgirl only blinked at the boy before asking, "Did you just hit Two-Face with a fire extinguisher?"
"Yep," walking over to the camera, the apparently new Robin said, "Hey cops, I sent you the address of this warehouse approximately five minutes ago. Your ETA as of now should place you at this location within the next hour. Two-Face will be safely restrained and awaiting arrest by then." With a businesslike nod, new Robin turned off the camera.
Batgirl just stared at the kid in awe. He'd been a bundle of nonstop energy on the way over, and now he was professional. The change was truly amazing. She continued staring as the boy dragged Two-Face's limp body over to a pillar and handcuffed him to it, then proceeded to tie him up with a rope he found lying around. "Batgirl, can you finish freeing Batman?" Tim asked with a smile. Now that Two-Face was safely taken care of, he figured his job was done so he could lose the air of professionalism.
Batman, recognizing the boy dressed as Robin right away, glared daggers at the two kids the instant he was up and on his feet again. "What is he doing here?" the stone cold tone clearly emphasized his disapproval.
Robin smiled devilishly as Batgirl gulped. Her answer was clearly not going to be something Batman would want to hear.
"I um… I lost a bet."
Back in Blüdhaven, Chester Honeywell, formerly known as Dick Grayson a.k.a. Robin the Boy Wonder, sat stunned. He now knew exactly how Jason felt upon his return to the living...Well not exactly, but he understood the feeling of being replaced. He hadn't even been "dead" for a month yet! Never before in his life had the fourteen year old felt so insignificant. That newbie stole his name! The name his mother had given him! Apparently Bruce had lied to him when he'd said he'd cared. That he'd always be there for him. To the billionaire, he'd just been a pawn; a measly soldier in his war on the crime of Gotham. If his supposed father hadn't cared, who's to say the whole Justice League hadn't cared as well.
"Hey, Dick?" Roy asked the slowly simmering boy hesitantly, "You okay?"
Dick shook his head. Fine, if Bruce didn't care, then he wouldn't either. He could be heartless too.
"Hello?" Jason questioned obnoxiously, "Anyone there?"
"Yeah. I'm fine," Dick said, far more calm than what the others had expected.
"You sure?" Roy asked in concern. From personal experience, the archer knew being replaced wasn't a good feeling.
"Positive," the younger male answered with a smile, "After all, Batman has become accustomed to having backup; he can't dwell on the loss of one sidekick for very long anymore."
Jason scoffed, "Really? You're trying to say you don't care that you've been replaced faster than even Roy? Excuse me if I don't believe you."
"Well believe me! I'm fine, honestly! Why do you guys want something to be wrong with me!?" Dick shouted before storming off to his room.
"Something tells me that he's not fine…" Jason stated, earning a glare from Roy. The two young men just sat there in silence, both reliving their experiences when it came to being replaced. Neither of them had taken it too well. After all, they risked their lives for their mentors. They assumed that they were special. Every sidekick believes that. It truly was a dream crusher once they realized they weren't as unique as they'd thought.
Suddenly Dick stomped out of his room, coat in hand.
"Going somewhere?" Jason called after his little brother.
"Yeah," the teen replied simply.
"Where?"
"Out."
"You gonna come back at some point?"
"Maybe," and then he was gone.
"Do you think he'll be okay on his own?" Roy asked after the door to the apartment had been slammed shut.
Jason turned off the news (which was having a field day over the appearance of New Robin) and sighed, "He should be fine. I think he just needs some time to cool off. By midnight he'll be back."
"You're probably right…"
Yet both young men somehow couldn't make themselves believe what they were saying.
"Stupid Batman, stupid League, stupid Gotham, stupid, stupid stupid!" Dick mumbled under his breath irritably as he made his way towards the bridge he'd been on the night he'd faked his death. "After everything I've done for him!" Fists clenched at his sides, the angered boy kicked the stone wall that made up the sides of the bridge.
With a heavy sigh, he rested his elbows on the wall and set his head in his hands. What had he expected to happen when he'd left? Truthfully, he knew he'd get replaced sooner or later. Batman and Batgirl needed help. That was obvious. He just hadn't expected it to be so soon after his civilian ID was proclaimed dead to the world.
Trying to reassure himself out lout, Dick heard himself say, "He probably had his reasons. He still cares…"
"But Richard, what has he done to show that?" a new voice asked from his right.
Snapping his head to face the intruder, Dick automatically tensed up once he realized it was the man he'd seen on the building, the one who'd been watching him, Jason, and Roy. The man's build was exactly the same, and sure enough, he was wearing armor.
"Calm down Richard, I'm not here to fight," the man said simply.
Still tense, Dick responded, "Excuse me for not trusting a stranger who somehow knows my name. I've never really had good experiences when this kind of a thing happens..."
"But you see I'm here to give you an offer, not anything else."
"Why would I accept an offer from a creepy man I don't know? This is becoming incredibly discomforting."
"Because my offer can help you achieve your true potential."
Normally, such an idea wouldn't tempt Dick, but for some reason, now it was incredibly enticing… "I don't really…" the teen trailed off not sure how to proceed. What was wrong with him? All he had to de was say no! When mysterious men offered true potential deals, it was bad news. Everyone, especially heroes, knew that. And yet… "Why should I accept? I can reach my true potential elsewhere."
Apparently that wasn't what the man had been expecting, but he looked pleased nonetheless. "But I can make Batman truly realize what he threw away when he fired you. I can make it so that you can make him regret ever replacing you."
That sparked Dick's anger once again; in fact, it sparked it so much he didn't even question how the man knew so much. All that the teen saw was red, and the joys of sweet revenge…Not since Zucco had he felt that way.
"Of course," the man continued, "You'll have to disappear. Tonight."
That caught Dick's attention, "You mean I won't be able to tell anyone that I'm going with you?"
"No, I do not wish for unwelcome company hunting me down so that they can speak with you."
"I don't know…It's not right…"
"It wasn't right how your talents were being wasted either. It wasn't right for Batman to throw you away. It wasn't right that to those you once called friends thought you were just a liability. I can train you to be better than what the League was allowing you to be. Better even then what Batman was allowing you to be."
The League…they'd been babying him. Batman had been babying him. The Team had been babying him. That's why he'd left. Now this man was offering him exactly what he wanted. "What's the catch?" the ex-Boy Wonder asked.
"I just want a protégée, you can be exactly that." The man responded.
Dick knew he should say no. In fact, everything about this situation was screaming and begging him to say no. No, no, NO! That's all he had to say… But he couldn't. His emotions took over his voice when he said, "Okay, I accept your offer."
"Wonderful." the man said as he motioned for Dick to follow him and began walking off. Against every fiber of his being, Dick followed, silently begging Jason to show up and stop him, or at the very least, forgive him.
"You know," Dick told his apparently new mentor after a few minutes of walking, "You should really get a different mask, it's kind of weird."
If looks could kill, Dick would've died after that comment.
What have I gotten myself into?
A/N: Deathstoke has an emotionally distraught Richard! NOOOOOOOOOOO!
New Robin has made his appearance, rather unconventionally too.
You know...I can't quite recall next chapter...But I think there's a time jump/fast forward thing happening.
Au revoir mes amis!