AN: For those of you asking, Tim's date it in this chapter, soemone several others have asked about me using. Also, the Court of Owls and the Batman vs. Robin angles will not be used here, but some answers will be revieled later on. And Control Freak will not be making any huge comeback here, but I am planning on having her as the antagonist in the sequal to my story, Disny Dreams. I have an idea for that one since I've been asked in reviews and PM's. Last but not least, preassure oints really won't ork with someone with a high invulnerability unless the one using preassure points is super strong themselves, which is why I still say Batman can not beat Superman wilthout Kryptonite. There's no contest in my opinion.
4.
Gotham City
August 21
21:24 UTC
"I've got to hand it to you, Tim, you do know how to treat a girl."
Finishing up with their dinner, Tim and his date sat back and listened to the soft music provided by the in-house band. Sharply dressed men flirted and charmed their finely dressed ladies as they enjoyed their meals while servers made sure to tend to their needs without being summoned. It was just another night at the Moonlight Lounge, one of Gotham's finer restaurants. Dim lighting set a romantic mood for those in attendance with gorgeous decorations such as silver silk curtains hanging over windows, pure white table cloths, and small sparkling lights imbedded in the higher parts of the walls and ceiling to make it appear as if the guests were outdoors under the large faux moon above the dance floor. The cream colored walls also added into this effect by darkening the higher they went until they were the same black as the faux sky ceiling above.
"Glad you're enjoying yourself." Wiping his mouth with the cream colored cloth napkin, Tim stared at the blonde sitting across from him. "Enjoy your dinner, Steph?"
Nodding while taking a sip of her drink, the young woman known as Stephanie Brown smiled as she sat the glass down. "The show, the dinner, everything's been...more than I thought would ever happen. It's just with how little you talk during class, I was surprised when you asked me out."
"Yeah, I'm more of a thinker than anything else."
The statement was not far from the truth. Tim Drake was well known for his academic work and was always at the head of his class. There was not a problem he could not solve after the first or second try, and that included his 'extra curriculars'. As Tim, he would keep his head down, study, not make waves unless warranted, and charmed anyone he came across, something that ran with all males of the bat family. As Robin, the young crime fighter would calculate the best tactics to use in a fight and was always three to four steps ahead of his opponents. This type of thinking came naturally and was only one reason Bruce was so impressed with his current ward. Where Dick was athletic, Jason was a brawler, Tim was a thinker through and through.
"Well, Mr. Drake," Stephanie said as she flashed him a sly grin, "I hope that doesn't ring true if we keep this up. I like my dates to be men of action from time to time." She then ran her foot along the side of his shin.
Smirking, the dark haired teen could only imagine if his date actually knew what he did in his down time. Dating someone on the team of vigilantes he is a part of was easier than going out with someone of the civilian status. While Cassie was outgoing and did not mind the public displays of affection, he was more private, and admittingly slow to pick up on what a girl cold be thinking. Getting caught up in his detective work, as well as being apart from the Demi-Amazon while she trains, was enough to show him a relationship as two people would be difficult to maintain. Still, if others could do it, then maybe he could to.
Leaning forward, Tim was about to respond to Stephanie's advances when he felt a vibration in his coat pocket. Normal teenagers would carry around only one cell phone, which would have friend's contact numbers and such stored or mobile games. However, Tim was no normal teenager and this second phone was one he carried around for his 'other' identity.
"Um," he quietly said while mentally sighing. "I, I sorta have to take this."
Leaning back in his seat, the young hero slipped his phone out of his pocket while Stephanie formed a puzzled look on her face. It was almost as if she were asking him what could be so important or how could he ignore her like this? Especially when this was the first date night they had in a little over a week.
"How do you know you have to answer when you haven't even seen who's calling?" Stephanie asked a bit irritated. Her mood only grew worse once she saw her boyfriend ignore her for his phone call. "Tim? Tim."
Exhaling, Tim lowered his phone then breathed deeply as he fumbled his fingers around it. "Steph, I'm so sorry for this but I have to go."
"You have to go," Stephanie said, disappointed. "And here I thought we were having a good time. Spoiler."
"No, no spoiler. It's just something came up and-"
"Tim, you don't have to explain. I've been 'emergency called' before." Sitting back, Stephanie moved a strand of her shoulder length blonde hair behind her ear. "And just like last time, I'm stuck taking a cab home and paying for both meals."
Feeling worse now, Tim let out a huff and sat back down after a moment. "Stephanie, I'll make this up to you, I promise. It's just a family emergency came up and I have to go."
"Yeah, I understand." Grabbing her napkin from her lap the teen girl placed it on her plate then reached for her purse. "You know, this is the second time you've done this. Makes me think this relationship isn't going to work."
Watching his date get up to leave, Tim hurried to reach for his wallet and left what he thought was enough for the dinners then immediately went after her.
"Stephanie," grabbing is date by the arm, he spun her around and planted a kiss dead center on her lips. "We'll make it work." He then took her by the hand and kept her close. "Come on. I'll take you home first. Then I'll come up with a date that will knock your socks off."
Grinning, Stephanie nodded. "Okay. One more chance. And if this next one is as good as you promise it will be, I may consider forgetting the other two."
"Deal."
Gotham City
August 21
21:37 UTC
Swinging through the night time city sky, the new Batgirl put on a display of acrobatic mastery. It was as if she defied gravity with every flip, spiral, and wall run executed while making her way to her target.
Traditionally, those of the bat clan would use a grappling gun to get around the higher parts of the city. Being a new person inside the new Batgirl suit, Cassandra had a few custom made gadgets for her use such as a new grapple system. While extending her arm, she could fire a miniature grapple from the top of her forearm and use the cable tied to it to get around.
Descending in an arc, the new Batgirl landed on a ledge and swiftly ran past a line of windows before leaping off, grabbing a flag pole to swing around it, then launched herself across a rather large alleyway to land on an adjacent roof.
"Oracle to Batgirl," Barbara said over Cassandra's built in com unit in her cowl, "You're about a half mile from your target. Any sign he's been around your position?"
Pulling out a set of binoculars, Batgirl switched on their nightvision filter and searched the dark alleys. Since the last time she checked her device she used in the Batcave, she knew the direction young Damian had taken off in. It wasn't long until she saw evidence the boy had been there in the form of two florescent painted thugs lying in the ground with three police officers standing over them to take them in.
With a clue as to the direction Damian had taken off in, Batgirl pulled up a holocomputer on her left wrist and quickly typed she was close to catching up to Damian before checking her device and taking off again.
Back in the Batcave, Barbara leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. A small grin etched itself across her lips as she watched the tracking feed on the large screen before her.
"Good girl," she said in satisfaction. "Boys can't have all the fun." She then pulled up Batman's com frequency.
Gotham City - Outskirts of Crime Alley
August 21
21:38 UTC
Landing with a hard thud, another of the painted thugs lay unconscious at the feet of Damian. Two others lay behind him, one in a pile of garbage bags and the other near the brick wall of an abandoned building with his arm in an awkward position. Around them, loose trash and the occasional rat skittered about, not to mention the roaches. Even tough it was a dry day, things looked moist, mostly due to the humidity created by the cool air and warmth of the illegally powered buildings.
Sitting at the end of the alley on a concrete throne painted with neon orange and yellow skulls, was a tall, muscular, yet thin, man in leather pants and matching trench coat. A tall stovepipe-like hat sat crookedly on his head with a large feather sticking out of it with a brightly glowing orange fanged skull hiding his face.
"Tell me, child," the man said in a strong Jamaican accent, "what business do you have here in my domain?"
Narrowing his eyes behind his mask, Damian stayed in an attack ready position.
"Bat got your tongue, child?" Every word spoken made the man's mask move ever so slightly. His jaw, which was also painted and glowing, made the overall effect of the mask terrifying if one did not know any better. "I have seen you before, but not as short. There have been three others before you."
Relaxing a bit, Damian had his cape fall over his shoulders to hide his arms and hands.
"The first one and Batman took me to jail when I was a young boy myself. The second one put several of my crew behind bars. The third was smart enough to not come down here. To my domain!" The last word's emphasis were aided by the man's arms shooting up into the air.
"Then maybe it's time for you to step off that throne of yours permanently." Damian said threateningly.
"So, the little birdy can speak. But if you came down here to take me in, if you be out here looking to make a name for yourself, you are in over your head."
Standing from is throne, the man brought himself up to full height, near seven feet, and took several steps down from his seat. Designed to look as if he were walking on air, the steps he was on were not painted, but an outline of where they were glowed a bright neon purple to give some impression of where to step. More skulls lined the tall slope the throne he sat on top of, along with strange symbols adorning their foreheads.
Raising his hands, the skull faced man loudly clapped, the sound of which echoed off the walls around Damian. Silence blanketed the area for a few moments when a steady tapping of metal on metal occurred. Looking around, the boy saw movements in the shadows as more metal tapping could be heard. Slowly, a few people wearing the same neon paint came out of their hiding places. Whoops and howls above alerted Damian to a large number of brightly glowing thugs descending down on him using ropes or flipping over the fire escapes. In no time at all, several dozen green and purple glowing men had surrounded the boy, each brandishing chains, pipes, sledgehammers, knives, and bats. The alley was now full of noise from those wanting to start a fight.
Holding his arm up, the throne thug silenced his underlings. "Little bird, here in crime alley, we hate heroes. Your kind is not welcome here. The police know this, the Bats know this, but it seems the feathered kids fail to comprehend my rules. Down here, I rule crime alley. Anyone who crosses Bone Daddy will pay the ultimate price."
Damian could literally feel every thug around him grin evilly as well as hear a few snickers.
Taking out a large serrated knife, Bone Daddy ran his finger on the blade's sharpened end then stopped at the weapon's pointed tip meant to create a large bleed out wound with the way it was shaped. "For coming into my city, little birdy, I have to take your soul. It's what's best for business. You understand."
Watching the boy glare at him, Bone Daddy extended his knife wielding arm at Damian, signaling the others to attack and have some fun.