Alright, this is Roy's debut in my story. Enjoy and review!
"Scarlet, the Joker is basket case. There is no way he can be redeemed." Dick said, sighing. He had since recovered from his cold, but Scarlet was now down for the count after her encounter with the Joker two days ago.
"If he's so crazy, then how come he didn't kill?" Scarlet asked. Bruce was downstairs hosting a party, pretending to be a playboy again. Sometimes it seemed only they knew the soft side of the billionaire.
Dick sighed, running a hand through his hair. "That's just it. He's unpredictable and insane- it's what makes him so dangerous. I don't know why he didn't kill you, but I do know this- you were lucky. Bruce said I have to come down at least once, since I'm not sick. I'll be back in ten minutes, alright?"
"Alright." Scarlet nodded and Dick left. She sighed- she hated getting colds, but then again, it was better than being at the stupid party. She hated having a father who had to fake being a playboy, but she didn't say anything to him. Se knew Bruce disliked it as well, and didn't want to make him feel bad. Besides, he' already come upstairs to check on her three times, she knew he loved her. This was just one of those things they had to do.
The door opened a crack, and she looked up, surprised. "Tati?" she asked hopefully.
"Hello." A man in a tuxedo with slick brown hair and green eyes entered the room, smiling.
"Oh- hi. I thought you were my Dad." Scarlet said, eyes growing downcast again.
"Scarlet, can I ask you some questions?" the man asked, eyes serious.
"N-no... Dad says I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." Scarlet said getting a little afraid. She didn't like this strange man in her bedroom.
He whipped out a notepad. "Is this really your room? Do you really have your own bed?"
"Yeah..." she was confused, innocent mind not comprehending why was he asking this. "Can you leave me alone?"
He ignore her, writing down more things. "Does Bruce ever hit you? Does he love you?"
"Are you saying my Dad's mean!?" Scarlet demanded. "I don't like you, get out! Get out now!" she yelled, sitting up in bed.
The man moved forward, grabbing her arm tightly. "Look kid, I want a story, and I want a good one. I don't care if you don't like my questions, brat, but you'll answer them..."
"Let me go! I'll hurt you!" Scarlet screamed.
The reporter chuckled. "I'd like to see you try, brat."
That was when the door burst open.
BREAK
Roy Harper sighed, bored. He didn't see why Ollie had insisted he come to this boring party of Bruce Wayne's anyways- then again, being a rich man's ward meant you had to do crap- like dress up in a tux and come to these stupid events.
He'd long since been bored of the other thirteen year old snobby girls practically throwing themselves at him, and he stuck his hands in his pockets as he aimlessly wandered the Wayne Manor.
He trailed his finger on the bust of some long dead greek scholar- no dust at all. The butler really was amazing... Suddenly he heard it. A scream in the distance.
"Are you saying my Dad's mean!? I don't like you! Get out! Get out, now!" it was a girl's voice, followed by a low baritone he couldn't hear. He could tell the words being shared weren't nice, and he had already started running towards the voices.
"Let me go! I'll hurt you!" the girl screamed.
Roy had almost reached the door by now when he heard the man's laughter and reply. "I'd like to see you try, brat."
That did it. Roy kicked open the door, the red head's eyes an inferno of age. Both the reporter and the girl, who could only be around six, looked at him, the reporter shocked, the girl scared.
"She said to go." Roy said.
"I was just visiting her to be sure she was alright..." the reporter said, fluffing the pillows.
"Bull crap." Roy said, staring the man down. "I already thought you were a sleaze ball the moment I saw you, but harassing a kid, really? You asked for it." Roy cracked his knuckles and stepped forward. The reporter's eyes widened, even though he was a head taller than Roy, he was a coward. Roy's fist sent the man staggering back, and he followed it with another that gave the reporter a bloody nose.
"Mind your own business, kid!" the reporter snarled, suddenly angry this kid had hit him. He threw two well aimed punches, and Roy staggered and slammed into the girl's dresser...
"I said get out!" Scarlet yelled, emboldened by Roy's courage. She moved too fast to see, sweeping out the man's legs from under him and pouncing, punching his face like he was just another thug on the street. The difference was she wasn't in costume.
Roy stared as he got his bearings. How could one little kid be so... ferocious?
The man threw a punch she couldn't dodge that sent her into the wall and got Roy ticked off times ten. This guys was a total jerk. Roy slammed his fist into his face, knocking him unconscious.
"You alright?" Roy asked, running over to her, but the girl was already brushing herself off. "Thanks for the help." she said, smiling. She was panting pretty hard, however, and she looked pale...
"No problem..." she stuck out her hand. "Scarlet Grayson. But you can call me Scarlet, everyone else does."
Roy nodded, shaking her small hand. "Roy Harper. Got anyplace I can dump this jerk? A backdoor, maybe?"
Scarlet nodded, guiding him by the hand to the back door, where Roy unceremoniously deposited the man's unconscious form on the ground, turning and locking the door as Scarlet broke out coughing.
The fit lasted for around a minute, and Scarlet was left gasping for breath.
"Say, you alright, kid? You don't look so good..." Roy placed a hand on her forehead and pulled back to find her burning up.
"I'll be... fine... I was sick before he came in, anyways..." Scarlet said, staring towards her room but looking somewhat shaky. Roy resisted the urge to carry her, since she'd just had a bad encounter with a stranger and he didn't want to frighten her more...
"So you weren't at the party because you're sick?" Roy asked.
She nodded. A question came out of his mouth before Roy could stop it. "And your Dad, Bruce, just left you alone in your room?"
"No. He's been up to see me three times." she said, looking unperturbed by being left alone, before she broke out into a coughing fit.
"Take it easy..." Roy rubbed her back until the fit subsided, and she nodded to him. "Thanks..."
"Scarlet!" the nervous voice drifted down the corridor...
"Dad"
Bruce Wayne rushed over to the girl and scooped her up. "I thought someone had kidnapped you..."
"Nope. Some jerky reporter..." Scarlet started, but broke out coughing again.
Bruce felt her forehead and his brow creased. "I'm calling Dr. Leslie up here." He announced.
"You should've seen him, Dad. Roy beat the crap outta the guy..."
Suddenly Bruce and Oliver Queen, who'd been walking with Bruce to come and meet Scarlet, noticed Roy. "You did what?" Bruce asked, looking interested.
Roy studied his boots and shrugged. "Some reporter was harassing her so I gave him what he had coming. Scarlet did most of the facial damage." Roy said. "The kid sure can fight..."
"Not now, Roy, Bruce has to go get the doctor for Scarlet." Oliver said quickly, trying to divert his ward's attention from Scarlet's combat skill.
"Bye Roy..." Scarlet said hoarsely, waving from where she clung to Bruce's front like a baby Koala.
"Bye kid." Roy said, waving. Bruce hadn't even thanked him for saving the girl- but in a way, he was glad- his hovering and concern in getting the doctor showed he really did care for the girl. Besides, he had an inkling Scarlet could've taken down the reporter by herself, if need be.
"Ollie- how?" Roy asked as they left Bruce to be with Scarlet.
"How what?" Ollie asked, failing miserably at hiding the fact he knew something.
"How does a kid like Scarlet Grayson, daughter of Bruce Wayne, have the combat knowledge of a Navy SEAL?" Roy asked.
Oliver sighed. "She was raised in a circus, things there were probably rough..."
"Don't give me that crap, Ollie, you're hiding something from me, and I know it."
Oliver sighed. "You'll learn soon enough."
And Roy did learn when, a week later, he was introduced to the Justice League as Speedy.
"These are the other sidekicks we have in training. Wally West- Kid Flash. Robin, and Scarlet."
"Roy!" Scarlet launched herself at Roy, who caught her thanks to his reflexes and smiled.
"We've met before, have we not?" he asked teasingly.
"You know it! I can't believe you're a hero too!" Scarlet grinned. Roy suddenly saw where Scarlet had gained her knowledge of combat. He noted Dick, no, he was Robin, watching them with interest.
Batman stepped forward. "Scarlet- trapeze- now." Batman ordered.
"Yes Daddy." Scarlet scampered off to the trapeze set and Roy met Batman's batglare.
"What? I hugged her. I'm not some thug whose going to try and shoot her." Roy said.
"I know. You give away her or Robin's identity, you're dead." Batman growled.
"How low do you think I am?" Roy asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Don't assume things, Roy Harper. I know more about you than you now. Just don't hurt my children, and I won't hurt you." Batman said, before walking out.
"Hey Roy, up here!" Scarlet flipped from trapeze bar to trapeze bar almost effortlessly, and Roy gaped. How the heck did the girl do that?
"Get over here!" Roy looked up to see Dick hanging upside down on the opposite bar, and Scarlet swung to her brother, doing a triple flip before returning to her own bar. Wally ran over to stand beside Roy.
"Crazy, aren't they?" he asked.
Roy just nodded dumbly. That day he learned to never underestimate the Bats.