Alright everyone, so sorry for the extreame lateness of the next episode. I was injured in BJJ class and had to rewrite this one about three times before I settled on what to post. Guess I'm not a real fan fo the Batclan like so many others but I did my best. However, a new chapter and episode starts today and with that, HAPPY EASTER!
And has anyone heard from Eric The Looney? He's been with this and YJ:DF from day one but hasn't made a peep since the episode before last.
Black Victor Cachat- Kyle's ring charge was actually both. He didn't charge it before bed as he had enough power in it, but his nightmare made it seem as if he were nearly out. I don't remembr how long a single charge lasts, but it wouldn't have depleated that fast in less than one night given he didn't go all out with his constructs.
The Darkman- Nah, I'm not a villian, anti-hero maybe, but not a villian. :) Ad interesting cast choices, but I would go with Paige as Raven, she's already got the skin tone.
Guest 1- Yeah, that was the plan. Terra would escape and get help, leaving Garfield and Raven behind to provide a distraction. Not that it worked.
Guest 2- Yup, I used the TT episode as insperation for 'Fera Itself. It was one of my favorites fom the series. Glad you've enjoyed this and the last ne so much, and I do have another one panned but it won't be eposodic like these two, it'll be a chapter story simular to a movie or something.
Paragon Eight- Happy to have another reader enjoy this so much. Hope you enjoy the rest as well. For Carter's code name, it would most likely be SuperMartian, it just fits. As for Kyle, I don't have plans to make him a White Lanern in this one as he's just starting out.
FantasyMind93- Yeah, it's a spoiler alert with Terra so I can't say right now, and I'm glad you liked YJ:DF and Titans as much as you do. What about your season you're coming up with?
PhoePhoe- Fangirl, Fanboy, as long as you enjoy the story, it's all good. And remember, I'll be posting a new chapter everyday of the next four days until the end of the episode then I'll get back later with another.
10. Like Father...
Wayne Manner
August 21
11:13 UTC
It was just another day at the large mansion overlooking Gotham City. the groundskeepers were busy decapitating the blades of grass, hacking and slashing the decorative hedges, and amputating numerous tree limbs in preparation for the fall and winter. Soon the vibrant green trees would change colors to beautiful reds, yellows, and oranges, which would make Wayne Manner resemble as if it were sitting on a field of fire. It was one of many reasons the large dwelling was so picturesque durning the last months of the year.
Crossing the foyer of the mansion, Alfred Pennyworth silently made his way to the front doors at the sound of the ornate doorbell. The deep chime could be heard throughout the house as well as the underground catacomb known as the Batcave. Reaching the door, the elderly English butler looked through the peephole and saw a familiar face waiting on the other side. With a smile, he unlocked the first of the double doors and greeted the man formerly known as 'Boy Wonder'.
"A pleasure to see you, Master Dick," Alfred said with a slight bow of his head.
"Never going to stop calling me that or bowing, huh, Alfred?" Dick asked as he entered his second home growing up.
"Off the clock, I shall address you as you wish. Until then, etiquette dictates I use the formal 'Master' for you."
"Alfred...you're never off the clock."
"Then it looks as if you'll never have me call you by anything else."
Taking his jacket off with a grin, Dick Grayson handed it to his long time friend to hang up as he took a look around the interior of the estate. "Bruce down in the trenches?"
"That he is," Alfred said from the closet. "He has been down there since early this morning with his son, Damian and Miss Cain. I do believe Master Timothy and Barbara are also with him."
"Any idea why?"
"Not in the slightest, I'm afraid. But when you go down there, will you do me a favor in alerting them lunch will be a half hour late? It seems we ran out of a few ingredients I need for the spicy buffalo wings young Damian has grown fond of."
"Sure thing, Alfred. I'll tell them."
After giving the faithful Butler a pat on the shoulder, Dick headed for the study and stood before the piano. Pressing a few keys, which also scanned his fingerprints for his identity, he activated a hidden doorway behind the bookcase where an elevator waited. Once inside, the cases moved back into place as an iron gate took its place to keep him away form the wall as it descended below the mansion. After a quick ride, the gate retracted to the side and allowed him entry to the underground cavern known as the Batcave.
"You have got to be kidding me. These things look like they weigh a ton." Standing before a work table with numerous tools and long, thin pieces of black and red metal, Tim was bent over a harness with several of the metal strands attached.
"Only it weighs around seven pounds once fully assembled." Standing beside him, Bruce Wayne had his arms crossed as he watched his current Robin look his latest project over. "The anti-magnetic fiberglass fused polyurethane kevlar copper my military devision scientists have come up with for a new type of armor has shown some other promising uses. Among them is the theory of it being used to glide similar to the Batsuit capes once an electrically charged material is used to hold the plates together. It'll also be bulletproof, but again, in theory."
"Found a new toy, Bruce?" Dick asked as he let his presence known.
"You could say that." Reaching out, Bruce Wayne brought his first protege in for a half hug and pat on the back. "Glad you could make it."
"Anytime." Dick then turned to Tim who was setting one of the metal pieces down and slap-gripped his hand. "How's it going, Tim?"
"As usual," the younger man answered.
"Heard you got a new girlfriend."
Smirking, Tim nodded. "Yeah. Three weeks tomorrow."
"Did the background check on her?"
Rolling his eyes, Tim nodded. "Yeah."
"Background checked the girlfriends?"
"Yes."
"Parents?"
"Yes."
"Make sure she's who she said she is by running her fingerprints through the Batcomputer?"
"Yes. Twice."
"Made sure she's a girl?"
"Ye-what?"
"Just kidding," Dick said with a light nudge. "But they are getting better. They are getting better."
Shaking his head, Bruce held back a chuckle. "All kidding aside, I called you here for your input on the two new candidates for the teams. Both are in the training area with Barbara and I wanted you to give me your own evaluation along with hers and Tim's."
"Everyone still thinks they're orphaned siblings, right?" Tim asked.
"As far as I can tell," Dick answered. "I haven't been around too much with all that's in Bludhaven but it's safe to say no one thinks Bruce has a son. Oh, and Alfred said lunch will be a half hour late. Something about the spices for Buffalo wings or something."
Letting out a sigh, Bruce knew what that was from. "Damian."
Across the cave, Barbara had her wheelchair pulled up to a black, crescent shaped desk. Appearing flat, the ultra smooth surface was lit up with a neon blue keyboard, a timer over said board, and several other instruments monitoring pulse, stress, and other functions of the body as Damian and Cassandra ran an obstacle course. Two holographic screens with their names were situated to either side of the former Batgirl with the list of challenges the duo faced. Each one displayed 'passed' or 'fail' according to what the computer and Barbara were seeing.
Rounding a curved catwalk, the trio of men came up behind the red head and stood around her. They too saw the two teens as they leapt, slid, vaulted, and ran through an acrobatic course as fast as they could with the last challenge being a thirty foot rope climb. Reaching the last obstacle first, Cassandra climbed using only her arms. Her legs were stiff as she climbed easily to the top and snatched the yellow flag waiting for her, then slid down to complete the course.
With a few yards to go, since he started two minutes later than Cassandra, Damian reached the rope area and quickly ascended the rope. Moving faster than his bodyguard, the boy reached the flag almost twice as fast and not only slid down faster, but flipped to the ground the last several feet to end his run.
"Time?" Bruce asked.
"Eleven forty six, Cassandra. And nine thirty nine, Damian," Barbara answered. "Minus the two minutes To separate them, Damian was right on Cassandra's heels from the start."
"Impressive," Dick said. "And overall performance?"
"Overall, they both meet what myself and you two have done in preparation before donning the tights. They even show remarkable recovery after strenuous activity. Most likely from their time with the Shadows."
"A feat that is only accomplished by a handful of people in this world, I promise you that." From out of the darkness of the Batcave came a feminine voice, startling the band of vigilantes and the two new additions.
"Mother?" Damian asked as he stepped in front of a bowing Cassandra.
"Son." With a rare smile, the brown haired assassin greeted her offspring.
"Talia," Bruce muttered.
Looking down, Dick saw Tim with a Bird-A-Rang in hand ready to throw and shook his head. He then displayed a gas pellet in his hand, prompting the third Robin to exchange his weapon for one matching his partner's. Barbara herself, had a bola ready to go should the need arise.
Holding her hands up, Talia slowly approached her former lover and his wards. "I come here unarmed and alone, beloved. I only wish to see how our son is doing here in your care."
Gesturing for the others to give him a moment alone, Bruce approached the daughter of the head of The League of Shadows. "I remember telling you about coming to the cave. Why do you still insist on getting past my security?"
"For the same reason you continue leading the life you have chosen. To prove something."
"And that is?"
Placing her hands on his chest, Talia drew close until she could feel his breath on her lips. "To prove nothing will or can keep us apart, my beloved."
Gently grabbing her hands, the civilian dressed Dark Knight lowered them and made her take a step back. "That was a long time ago, Talia. And as you can see, Damian is doing quite well here as is Cassandra. Although he does still treat my home as if he's still with the Shadows. I have yet to instill respect towards others in him. Or make him stop making pepper bombs."
"It's a preferred weapon. Blind your enemies-"
"Then take them down without mercy, I know."
"Mother." Arriving by her side, Damian looked up at her wide eyed. "I- how have you been?"
Bringing him into a half hug, Talia smiled. "I have missed you too. I see you have been doing well."
"Yes. Father has been keeping me busy and insists he is honing my abilities."
Away from the three, in another part of the cave, Barabra, Dick, and Tim watched video footage of them as well as listen in on their conversation. The three were silent as they kept one camera on them, and the others on different parts of the cave to make sure they were not infiltrated by anyone else. Footage was even rewound to check where the assassin came in through, that being the exit for the Batplane.
"Soooo, anyone wanna tell me about why this Talia woman has a 'Get into the Batcave free' card?" Tim asked as he and the others watched the video feed.
"She's the daughter of Ra's," Dick answered, "one of the top two assassins in the League of Shadows. Second only to her father. She and Ra's have infiltrated the cave a handful of times with neither triggering the alarms. They're that good."
"And what's keeping them from...you know, the identity thing?"
"The fact they have more respect for Bruce than America has for any of it's presidents for starters," Barbara replied. "That and Ra's still hope to one day make Bruce his heir."
"Seriously, Tim Tim, read the files," Dick said as he took a seat beside the former Batgirl. "So tell me, what do you think about Cassandra?"
"She's too young for you for starters."
Her response only made Dick roll his eyes. "I mean seriously."
"She's amazing for one," Barbara told him with a smirk as she continued to watch the young woman stand behind Damian on the monitor. "She just needs to get away form Damian and be her own person. It's remarkable what she has done in the amount of time she has been here."
"Jealous much?"
Snickering at Dick's teasing, Barbara shook her head. "No. But believe me, if I wasn't confined to this wheelchair, I wouldn't mind training her myself. It's a shame we can't stay young forever. Or healthy." Exhaling, the former vigilante leaned forward with her elbows on the desk. "I would love to go out there at least one more night and just...swing trough the city. I'm hoping Cassandra would want to do that. There's not much better than going out for a night on the town like that."
"Oh, crap." Reaching for his phone, Tim checked the time. "It's already after twelve?"
"What's wrong?" Dick asked.
"I need to make reservations for tonight."
"For what?"
"Gotta date."
Sharing a look with Barbara, Dick grinned then crossed his arms. "Get used to it, Tim Tim. If you date a civilian, you'll be fighting with your other half every night."
"Is that what happened when you started dating Barbara in school?"
Taken by surprise, Dick visibly straitened and bit his lips. "There's really, um. You see, I...Well with Babs-"
"What he's trying to say is," Barbara interrupted, and saved Dick from explaining, "when he dated me, while also dating Zatanna, he was wondering if he can have a separate life away from the mask. We all do. I tried dating after he and I broke up while being Batgirl and it's not easy. If this is something you want, you have to make a choice, her or the mask. Some, not many, have found a balance between the two. You just have to be willing to find it if you can."
Back in the main section of the cave, Talia was finishing up with talking to her son. From over the video feed, it seemed as if he wanted something more from the encounter but quickly fell into the same mood he was in when he first arrived at the mansion. It seemed the members of Batman's team were not the only ones wearing masks when out of costume.
"So things are really that bad with Ra's?" Bruce asked once Talia dismissed her son and his bodyguard.
"Yes," Talia replied. "You and I may have had our differences in the past, but I believed if my father ever got to the point where he was flirting with crossing the line, you would take care of our son. As I do not know what he is planning, I do know it may involve his partners outside the Shadows."
"Talia, you have my word Damian will be caed for as long as he's here. But if this is some ruse-"
"No, beloved. This is not a ruse to have you come back with me to the Shadows. This is survival. Whatever my father has planned, he has yet to tell me. He has even become distant. A part of me feels as if his precious Lazarus Pit is finally taking it's toll on his mind by slowly driving him mad each time he enters it. If that's the case, I will do my duty as his loyal daughter and take care of it myself. But incase I fail, incase I can not do what is necessary, or if there is something else I have not seen or accounted for, I want the only good thing we created to be cared for."
"Things are not as smooth on my end ether. But I promise I will look out after Damian."
Placing her hands on Bruce's chest, Talia stole a quick peck on the cheek then turned her back to him. "Thank you, Bruce."
Without looking at her son, as it would be hard to let him go again, Talia headed back into the shadows to disappear where she came in through. Hearing everything, Damian narrowed his eyes and tightened his fists.
"I don't need to be watched," the boy muttered. "If mother thinks I can not take care of myself, I'll prove her wrong."
Turning, he left the cave for upstairs, signaling for Cassandra to stay behind.