My thanks to Acarolin95 for helping me out with the real Romany translations. I want to have a little more "quality time" with Ra's al Ghul before we get into the full-blown action sequences, which are being written even as I'm typing this. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: If I could, I would write for DC comics. Or Star Wars. Or Redwall. Or all of the above if I could.
"Bună dimineața, păsărica." Good morning, little bird. Dick felt the hairs on his neck bristle at the Demon's choice of words. He struggled for a moment to remain civil.
"Bună dimineața, Ra lui Al Ghul." Good morning, Ra's al Ghul. He felt the man's appraising eyes wander over every inch of his body. Not in the perverted way; this was different. Ra's al Ghul was looking for something he could use, and he probably thought that Robin had it tucked away somewhere. But that didn't make any sense. Nothing – no skill, no device, not even intellect – had been hidden by him. For the most part, Bats and he had stayed in the vicinity of Gotham where Ra's al Ghul had kept tabs on them, like any good possible father-in-law. There was very little Ra's al Ghul didn't know.
What if it was me? Robin wondered. What if Ra's needed my help for something? But that's ridiculous. Ra's has the power, the weapons, the best of the best. Besides, the only person he wants is Batman. I would be in the way, which I know is what Talia thinks of me.
"Studii de pornire pentru a ajunge la tine?" Studies starting to get to you? Ra's al Ghul smirked at him. "Mă gândeam s-ar putea nevoie de o pauză. La urma urmei, tot de studiu și nu de formare înseamnă că, băiete, pierde aripile. Ai vrea să lucreze cu mine?" I was thinking you might need a break. After all, all study and no training means you, lad, lose your wings. Would you care to work out with me? Robin's eyes narrowed.
"Care e șmecheria?" he asked. What's the catch?
"No catch," Ra's said. "Just a small workout session to act as a diversion from all this studying." Robin thought about it.
"Okay." The request seemed honest and up front. "Can I stay in my uniform?"
"By all means." The man stepped to the right of the doorway and gestured to Robin. The young teen followed suit, curiosity piqued.
"Where are we going?" They stepped out into the corridor, where Ra's guards joined them.
"Just to one of my training rooms." Ra's smiled down at the teen. "It is one of my favorite rooms, filled with ancient weaponry and practice dummies. It even contains gymnastic equipment for you, xarica dester'edre*."
"I told you, only Batman can call me that," Robin snapped. He detested hearing his nickname used by villains, but Ra's al Ghul was the only one who said it the same way that Batman did. That made it all the more annoying, not to mention terrifying.
"Of course, but Batman is not here, is he? And you truly did not think I would not use it as well, since you are only a spell away from gaining true flight."
"Will I be expected to practice with you?" Robin asked, choosing to ignore the Demon's suspiciously creepy comment.
"But of course," Ra's al Ghul replied. "I need to make sure that certain, vital skills have been imparted to you by your mentor and are still retained in your memory."
Once they arrived at the training room, Robin's jaw dropped. It was enormous, bigger than the spaces in the Batcave, and that was saying something. Climbing walls on either side rose far above the flickering lamps. Moving in further, he noticed a corner with the surrounding sides covered with mounted weapons, many that would be considered antiquities anywhere but here. As he turned towards the next corner, out of the corner of his eye he noticed Ra's al Ghul and his guards had not moved from their standing positions at the door. It didn't look like they were going to threaten him; they appeared to be content watching him wander about, looking and evaluating the contents of the room. He resumed looking at the gymnastics equipment Ra's al Ghul had mentioned. It was in good condition, almost new. He could have sworn that a tag was hidden somewhere amongst the gleaming bars and new-smelling ropes. He took a step back to get a better look at the fully functional and equipped gymnastics set. It's almost like mine, he mused. Except mine is older and more used than this set.
"Is everything to your liking, Robin?" he heard Ra's al Ghul ask.
"It is nice equipment," he replied. "I still prefer the Batcave. It's… roomier."
"Of course," Ra's al Ghul replied, coming into the room, three guards following while two remained at the door. "I suppose you would be used to those drafty, dark, and dank conditions. Although my fortress is nothing like your beloved Batcave, at the least it is as or even more well-equipped, if I do say so myself."
"At least ours is hidden somewhere a little more secret," Robin shot back. "And you need to visit a little more often to know: we got rid of the Batcave's dankness."
"True; my location is a little more advertised than yours. However, I believe we can both agree that both bases are more secure than any government or United Nations base." He raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't you?"
"I.. I would," Robin reluctantly agreed. Never having been stuck in a room with the man before his kidnapping, he had to admit that it took more to anger the man, if at all. Then again, being alive for the last few centuries would lengthen one's patience considerably. If he reached the end of that almost infinite patience, the anger at the end would be almost unimaginable. He shuddered inwardly.
I should probably wait on trying his patience, he thought. Besides, Batman will be here soon. I'll be free.
"Robin?" He looked to Ra's al Ghul. The Demon's Head was standing on the practice mats in the sword area, holding two Italian foils under his left arm. He held one out to Robin, hilt first.
"Shall we begin our practice with classical foil?"
Batman landed his Batjet on the landing pad resting inside the ledge of the mountain. He glanced at the clock. Good. His contingency plan should be arriving approximately twenty minutes after him, if he calculated the speed of their transport correctly (and he had – twice). He punched a button and the canopy of the Batjet opened.
He took a good look around the platform as he leapt out and began to secure the Batjet's landing spot. Everything appeared clear, abandoned even, but the hairs rising on the back of his neck spoke otherwise. Ra's al Ghul meant to lead him into a trap.
What was that line from those sci-fi movies Robin loved to watch? Spring the trap, or something similar. He had more important things to be concerned about than remembering movie quotes word for word.
"Hold on, Robin," he murmured. He recognized this base from years ago. Ra's al Ghul doubtlessly modified and upgraded the security systems, along with the sensors, cameras, and equipment, all in accordance with his paranoid contingency plans. Fortunately, Batman had his own special modifications and upgrades of his own, not to mention several well planned equally or more paranoid contingency plans.
He made his way toward the entrance. The more distance he covered, the less time he had to worry about the welfare of his most recent contingency plan.
"I see the Batjet!" Wally exclaimed, pointing out the window of the Bioship. His companions relaxed slightly in their seats.
"We see it, Wally," Kaldur replied quietly.
"Do you think Batman knows we're coming?" M'gann asked nervously.
"Maybe, maybe not." Wally shrugged. "All that matters is that he'll have backup."
"If we don't die by tongue-lashing first," Artemis muttered. "Connor, can you see into the jet?" The Kryptonian squinted.
" A little," he admitted. "Enough to know that Batman isn't there."
"M'gann, can you sense him?" Kaldur asked. The Martian closed her eyes and focused her psychic senses.
"I can't sense anyone remotely emoting Batman-like feelings," she said after a minute. "But the psychic field in there is cooler than it would be with an active mind in it. Even Batman can't control that."
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Wally demanded, jumping up and zipping around. "I say we go join Bats and rescue Robby."
"Finally," Artemis muttered. "Let's move." Miss Martian nodded and opened the bottom of the bioship so they could jump out.
"Be aware, everyone," Kaldur warned, jumping first. "There will inevitably be traps once we step inside. Be on your guard."
"En guarde!" Ra's al Ghul cried. "And… Via**!" The slim foil blades moved a step closer, engaged at their weak spots, and one quickly disengaged (removed his blade to) underneath the opposite foil while simultaneously engaging to remove the threatening point and lunged at his opponent, who drew his foil into a parry (block) of fourth and riposted – or extended his blade – along Robin's blade.
"Touch!" Robin called out.
"Halt!" Ra's responded. The two took two steps back, remaining in their en guarde positions (which consist of the leading foot facing forward and the other perpendicular a step-and-a-half back, and the corresponding knees bent directly above each foot), halted, stood, and took off their masks.
"Well, it took longer for you to hit me that time," Robin panted.
"Indeed," Ra's al Ghul replied. "Do you understand your error?"
"I didn't lunge immediately after disengaging, which you noticed and when I did lunge you parried and riposted at that moment where I couldn't immediately stop and switch to defense," Robin stated, wiping sweat from his brow. They had been going at this for two hours now, and his body wasn't used to staying in the unusual positions necessary to classical fencing, especially for that length of time.
"Exactly. You need to work on not telegraphing your plans to your opponent." The man's watch beeped; he tugged back his jacket's sleeve to glance at it. "I believe that is enough training for now. Let's salute out." After doing their eight-count salute, they put their masks on the racks, hung the foils on the wall racks, and stripped of their jackets.
"Classical foil is interesting," Robin commented. He did believe it to be interesting, having learned of the sword art but not how to practice it. Hand-to-hand combat and martial arts took precedence over weapons training, especially weapons with lethal edges. He watched Ra's al Ghul, waiting for a response.
"Indeed. It is more of an art than a sport. A shame that the modern world chooses the action over the artistic nature." He met Robin's gaze. "I'm surprised your mentor never taught you. Surely the blade work would be useful in some of the situations you face in your city of Gotham."
"Martial arts cover almost every scenario we face," Robin countered. "Besides, weapons training tends to make one dependent on their choice, which makes them vulnerable when their weapon is taken away."
"Perhaps. I, however, believe that a solid grounding in both will cover any situation you may be faced with. Sometimes the use of weapons is an unavoidable choice – one your mentor is never really comfortable with, is he?"
Robin kept his eyes locked on al Ghul's and his mouth closed. He was tired of Ra's making Batman out to be weak, cowardly, or somehow less of a man. They both had their codes they followed, but while Ra's used his to destroy and conquer, Batman used his to keep the evil at bay and give humanity a second chance to make the right choice.
While Robin was mulling it over, Ra's al Ghul took the time to open his comlink, disguised as a watch.
"Have they arrived?" he whispered, keeping an eye on the boy.
"They have, Father," the voice replied on the other end.
"Perfect," Ra's murmured. "Keep them busy, but not too busy. And alive. Remember, I want them to find all three of us."
"As you wish," the voice responded.
Closing his watch, Ra's al Ghul looked at Robin, who was smiling. "Why are you smiling, xarica dester'edre?" Ra's al Ghul inquired.
"You told me what I needed to know," Robin cackled. "Batman and my friends have come to rescue me. Looks like my visit will be short lived."
"In one sense, that is true," Ra's agreed. Robin's confident grin wavered but became steady. Poor lad. He was about to get a rude awakening. He looked beyond Robin and nodded. As Robin turned, a black-gloved hand appeared in front of his mouth with a cloth. Robin managed to let out a shocked cry before being muffled by the strong-smelling cloth.
"Do not struggle, Robin," The Demon's Head admonished. "Let the chloroform take effect. And do not worry about your friends. You all will be alive when you meet again. You will be awake by then as well, so you will not be missing out on anything."
The last thing Robin saw before blacking out was the satisfied look on Ra's al Ghul's face, a look that foreboded the worst was yet to come.
A woman sat surrounded by surveillance footage from thousands of places. Her seat was near the wall, with all the cameras and holographic instant channels surrounding her like an amphitheater. In front of her was a console. She punched a few buttons, enlarging and focusing on four different live feeds.
One was on Batman as he dispatched a few unlucky guards. The second was on the Young Justice team as they worked to avoid the multitude of traps that were hid within their corridor. The third was on Ra's al Ghul being handed the limp and bound form of Robin, finally drugged into unconsciousness. The fourth and final feed was on their Room of Ultimatum. Here was the foolproof plan to make Batman give in to them once and for all. The room looked empty except for a weird shimmer in the middle of the screen. The woman smiled.
"Soon, Beloved," she whispered. "Soon you shall see your rightful place."
* If it's something in Romany, they say little birdie, "xarica dester 'edre", and mum "Dya", and dad "dat" or "ta-ta"
**Via, Italian for, "Go" in Italian classical fencing