Our Time in Reverse – What it Takes

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Chapter 61: Self Defense 101 – Re:Re Session - Fight Back

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Bruce scoured the room by every design as himself. The bat in him did what he needed. Zatarra returned to them in a wardrobe in the Wayne mayor's attic, dust in her lashes and looking as shocked as her father. "This is now my case take on, Bruce." Mr Zatarra pulled Zee aside as she protested and tugged at his arm. "Daf! Let me help, I had –

"You were almost carried away under its influence!"

"So was I, and I know it's face. Just tell him al –

"Not in the cards right now, Jason." Bruce took to his evidence abd bagged up the scorched tile. Alfred never protested as the genuine finish was replaced with something of a modern antiquity.

"And, as for Master Richard, sir?"

"He's going to remember how to face his fears in another way. You too, Jason. Zatarra. Will you allow us to try again?"

"Train in combat against…" Mr. Z shook his cane at the bat's persona. "In the event that this will harm my daughter, I think not. She'll be sent to her academy once more to completely recognize what went wrong the other night ago. Pack your things, there will be no more team efforts for you here."

Zatanna scowled at her father and ran up to collect her suitcase, furious and with tears in her eyes. "Why not?"

"Master Dick?"

"Why not let her learn like the both of us. If I know anything, I used to…know how to fight things, like whatever hurt us last night. I think."

"Yet what if it is all wrong. What if you boy, only end up being as powerless as my child?"

"Dick isn't-

"Jason, let us handle this. Alfred? Please set out lunch for later. I'll see to it that Zatanna stays fir one last meal at the manor."

/

Alfred did move, yet on his own, his head throbbed dully until he was moving in a different direction. "Wayne needs to learn how to cook properly." Smirked the butler, overshadowed as the control here was made. The trick was to lower their defenses while Slade set up some extra pitfalls to steer Dick from his mentor's arms.

/

"I'm not leaving their side." Jason told both mentors in the kitchen. "This is bogus, B! You know we didn't know about a demon being what was after…I mean…"

"Nay, not a demon." Mr. Z grimly spoke. "A man, given the reason to leave his own body. A man cursed to one day sell his soul."

"( …..)"

Dick looked at their lips. No voice, just a blur. He furrowed his brows, stepping back. "What, is their mane? The person who is after me?"

"It's no one, Dick."

"Stop trying to hide what's hurting us, Bruce! I saw, a set of boots, boots I'm supposed to remember but can't. Why is it here? Why is he only after me?? What does it want?"

"I'm telling you, B. Tell, Manhunter –

"Jason, you don't have that right to give anyone orders in this –

"He, has to be important, right? If I have to stay that far away…he's seen me even on the shower, Bruce! Like I was always familiar, but…I can't remember…please…" Dick crumbled as Jason went to him, glaring back as Bruce had nothing to hide left in his eyes. "Dick, that man is insane, obsessed. We did this to keep him away."

"Well guess what? I saw his fuckijg face, B. I saw who ( ~*) is, what he did to get into both our heads and this home. He's probably lying in wait right…"

Bruce turned his head.

"Zatanna!" The magi in the room shouted, quickly hitting the floor as he rushed by.

"It's not too late, let's go." Jason looked up at Bruce. Looking down on his two sons. One ward.

"It's not too late to face our one demon, together. And forgetting isn't going to change anything."

"Allow me to fetch the young miss." Alfred waved a hand as Bruce nodded. How he'd been too quick to judge as their overshadowed butler took off. Dick bit his lip, not speaking a word of anyone being possessed in this room.

/

Zee was struggling for years on how to enter her mother's coven; the same one as Zatarra's legacy. She went and sat on the bed where she'd had more fun in a week than a whole month. Jason was funny, even Dick had the eye rolling big brother pose down pat. She trudged over to the dresser and pulled out anything she could not leave behind, the elderly butler knocking as she smiled to him, before dropping her things in a shushed gasp.

/

"Where is she –

"Perfectly fine." Alfred returned, sans Zatanna.

"Dick, is it true that Zee was spooked by that thing? Did –

"Master Jason? This is your dear friend you are speaking of I saw no such head or hide of the phantom inside of this manor, she was simply packing her things. It might be best to talk later to her about this sudden, abruptly made decision. She enjoys their company, and I am very sure the boys would prefer it if she were to visit time and again AFTER this mess has been put to the side, eventually."

"When that happens," Mr. Z nodded, "We would be delighted - only once her sorcery course in properly obtained. I don't know what I would ever do if I lost my dear daughter…you must think the same of your children, Mr. Wayne."

"I couldn't bare it, Zatarra. Neither should you."

A stoic answer, even Jason thought it too planned out. "B, I'll drag Dick to the cave to wait."

"The gym." Bruce corrected. "With enough light in there for the demon if it is one. To see that we aren't going to stay taking this much longer."

/

In Jump City, Raven had been getting ill. At least that was what she believed. She felt…a tad starter than usual. Burping up her breakfast as if to regurgitate it. Sleeping in the day and falling during battle. Losing her sight to double vision while reading and…. that wasn't all. Her prophetic dreams had gotten stronger.

She could see the man they were all avoiding. See him plotting beside a stone that housed her father's entry to their world. The only thing about seeing, was that she was not a GPS. She honed in closer abf relieved a mark. His mark on her wrist as sge retreated, wearing a glove to cover it. After that, they had to help Starfire through her puberty Transformation, an alien time frame that allowed her to shoot bolts from her eyes. A dangerous time, as the dream had words in it. And Slade.

Sge remembered his name, and against that, she guarded the reason. Everyone else wouldn't speak it to help with Richard's healing process. She had heard it, had even seen his phantom wandering as her out of body experience spooked him.

They clasher and yet could not, would not fight in their out of body forms, fir fear of losing sight of the physical.

She also remembered that other dream, the dream claiming she was connected still to Dick's emotions and memories. His sight. And that…

She rose to go to the sink, once more only saliva and no bile. She was preferably ready to drink gallons of tea as she took to a special blend of herbs and watched them burn in a medium shaped cauldron. She chanted over it, tasting black smoke as it transformed to tell her. To show her what her father was-

~ Rave??~

The smoke scattered as Raven's concentration broke. Cyborg needed her, and so…

She headed for the door, angst eating at her vocal chords. "What." She dropped an octave, just to show that she was in the middle of a divination session.

~ I got a call from GL. Says it's important. You've been…hanging in there and awful lot. We got Kori back to being herself, why not you? ~

Raven let the electronic door Slade back. Her paler than pale complex made him worry, as she had presented that it would. "I, just have things on my mind right now-

"Is it about –

"I don't know." She cut him off, abruptly. Her cloak circled her and fell, forming her features as she masked the one scar well, and the other mark, on her back none could see. The fact that the vomiting was proof that he was coming.

Trigon had a new way to their world.

( So, in this, there will be Slade doing what he does best BUT…months and seasons prior to season four, she is feeling it. Slade died after in Season two and came back only to wander through those seasons up to poss Haunted (my best guess,) until after season three. And that, might be why the foreboding or foreshadowing occurred. Just a hunch. Could be, I dunno, so Raven is feeling the exorcist version of what will be, and I'll tell you why later. Remember her dark side? Yeah, this is not pg or rated Teen after I got a hold if it in Worst case scenario so it may become the same tenderly…. into this. Will see!)

/

Dick padded with Jason to a dojo within the manor. Not the aerial room he'd seen on a walk through with equipment from his days in the circus. Not even the high bar or rings that he could work over like his real father.

Bruce was agile, yet Dick didn't want to stay this close. A part of himself was egging him to move on, to run.

Jason nudged his head to usher them both into the center of the room. "B's coming. Just cool off before we start. Katas or, I dunno. Meditate fir all I guess he'll have us doing." Katas sounded doable, yet Jason decided to seat himself in lotus position which confused Richard. Dick moved to find the adjourned restroom as the shroud had followed him inside. ~ He's ignoring this, he knows to be afraid. ~

Dick nodded, turning to the military boots to see a shoulder of metal guards. An arm with a gauntlet much more played than the Bat's.

"I'm not going to have an answer, why did you attack her?"

~ In warning, to drive you to me. Your poor brother takes the fall for you every time, Dick. You didn't think for a second to run quick enough. Knowing your buyer is under my command. ~

"You did that, it wasn't fake. Why not stop all of this right now? Let me see –

( ) pulled away as Richard pondered the expression the shroud was hiding. ~ Not yet. Just know, that when Wayne fights, if you hold back, it will only hurt you and your brother. ~

"If he restricts it, that strength? You said, it would hurt Jason, but maybe I should let him collar me. I can't-

~ Renegade. ~ The man's last word was a shock field as Dick held his skull again, a dull chuckle as Jason knocked. The shroud was once again, gone.

~ Ready to start, Dick – head?... Yo!~

Richard winced. He smiled it off. The door opened, but not by Todd's hand or his own. Bruce stood on the other side in a Black Gi.

"Dick. I'm back. It's time to get started."

Dick nodded, bringing s set of fingers to his throat.

"I guess, you need the inhibitor-

"We won't be doing any of that. For this session, I want you to fight me, not Jason."

The shroud's eye popped as before, it's arms crossed as Dick shook his head and walked out of the restroom. "I, I don't know what's happening. Bruce. You can't just put cuffs –

"Dick, I want to show you that to me, you're not going to go as far as hurting another person, because that was an accident. We can work on things, one step. Trust me."

Slade moved quickly as Bruce side stepped, even if he wasn't aware of Slade's presence. Slade's hand clenched the boy's shoulder. ~ If you listen to him now, you'll only ensure a wrath much greater, apprentice…. ~

Dick gasped, pulling away from that hand in front of him. "Collar me. I'm not fighting you without it."

Slade nodded, approving the boy's method as he waited in the corner. A flashback became his sight to see as Dick fumbled with picture and fragments. And a voice as a hand came out to catch him.

/

~ Renegade, don't get sloppy. Know your stance! ~

~I'm trying…! ~ The boy was him, but his face, everything was stained in black oil as a robot sliced his shirt. ~ It will kill you. I won't be the one to bring you back during a solo operation. Think, boy. Try HARDER. ~

The strange image of himself was ruthless as it slipped away, grabbing a knife and setting it into the robot's torso with a growl. Leaping, he bashed not its skull, wounding a so-called red eye.

The flicker danced in his vision. Gears churned, his m…this person, was walking towards him.

~ Sloppy. Again. Control your anger, ir stand back and let me demonstrate. ~ The soldier of a man sliced the thing up, no motion so swift. So subtle as not a drop spilled. ~ You may be a weapon, my soldier, yet you are nothing else. Clean-up here, come join me after you do... ~ The man tossed the bot the same blade as the false robo – replacement of a person bled black oil into the floor. A dirty, dirty deed undone by a master swordsman.

~ Nothing else, right…~ The boy wiped his face as the oily gunk spread, stinging cuts, boiling him allies as Dick gasped and returned to his reality once more.

"Collar." Dick grunted. "Please, need it."

/

He stayed with it, yet Bruce had known all along that it would be the case. He had Jason design a smaller version of that inhibitor collar that was to act like a placebo. Even Slade wondered if he should question this method, yet said nothing. He didn't care if any bones were broken. Dick was unbeatable and even the bat was worried there, shaking in his slippers at what he had committed to. Slade just wanted to see if the boy would realize that stance soon. That Bruce was as willing to die as his parents ever did in trying to live.

The kid would come to, so he watched. And stayed clearly in decision of what cane next.

Dick attacked first, foolish. His eye crinkled disappointedly, Bruce side swept and grabbed the kid's foot, however –

Dick rimmed the other into the bat's knee, hopping back when Jason tried to call back out from the side lines.

"What was that?? It hit you!" Dick panted, pointing at the boy's obviously broken cap. Bruce got up, like it wasn't damaged. Slade gawked.

It wasn't, he'd figured out how to trip the trap in other ways.

"This armor can deflect any blow, even if you try too hard. I'm not going to let you leave without gaining control of it. Come at me, again."

Dick was not sure what would happen, yet his body moved as Slade shoved him back into the ring.

~ Do as he says. Renegade.~ The man purred. ~ Dance for the king of this castle, washed - up performer or not. ~

Shaking his head, he swung out, the boy's body moving without knowing who was –

Dick felt it lift as he kicked again, the toe getting Bruce's forearm as it was deflected. "You're not aiming straight. Is your ghost getting upset?"

Slade pulled out of the boy, snarling at them both. ~ Don't let him see you bleeding either.~ Slade went back to his corner, Dick stuffed into the mat as the fight ended with bruises, no bones shattered.

That. Was…

"He showed up, I saw you dancing like a crazy man out there, Dickie." Jason hopped down from his seat and brought Dick a water bottle. "Get washed off, d –

"Shut up! What was that?? You said the collar…you lied, you let yourself get hurt. This city needs you, they don't want a monster!" Dick ran, dropping the bottle as he fled the room. Or tried to. The door was locked electronically. "Let me go! I can't do this!"

"But it worked." Bruce picked up the bottle, walking over to the boy. Slade wanted to trip him. Act like some jealous pussy - cat on the floor, starting a fight with the dog or one of its own kind.

Mangy bastard.

Even if only Dick could see the territorial ghost from the corner of the room, he his knowing it. Todd was more perceptive. Even more than Bruce, who hid his other trick from both. He could, because he never came ill prepared to any fight worth knowing.

"He's not going to hurt you. I'll teach you how to stop the attacks. How to push back. That man fid do many things I won't even bring up, yet I didn't watch out for you like your parents. Like you needed Bruce Wayne to do. There's still time, Dick. See yourself in a new life here, maybe as…my son again. You are never far from being not just a ward." He smiled a little. Slade felt this as a sneaky way to get Dick down a peg.

He was wrong as the boy wrenched at the lock, the door handle as it shook and burst under his grip. The door deactivated and Slade followed the kid to the hall, a hand on his shoulder and brimming with praise.

~ That's my boy. Ready to go find out what you are?~

"Yes." Dick swallowed. "And to meet you, face to face. Whoever you are…"

Bruce swung round the corner and ran over, yet Slade had the kid in hand as his head dipped and Dick blocked the attack. Forcing Bruce to fall into Jason. "You don't care. I'm only here to stay out of their way. The ones who really matter. The Robin HE stole from me…my mother's name, and you…you treated me like an IDIOT!" Dick shouted, Slade seeing the kid fail to hold it all in, proud that he was releasing his frustrations – yet they had to go. Before the gate closed

Before time ran out to release his curse for good.

"You're not walking out that door." Bruce stood up, not wavering as the skin tight guards he wore under his gi had protected him. Jason as well. He was unharmed as Dick bit his lip, letting the phantom guide his steps.

"There was no reason to keep me here. You should have told me, you all lied, kept me from knowing what I did…I remember. I remember what…what I was supposed to be, but failed at that too. I can't be a hero, a regular human anymore…I don't know who else –

~ You know, now get moving. Renegade.~ Slade whispered, the words on Dick's tongue spoke as Bruce moved like a viper. "Stop!!"

"Renegade….you…were, Sir? Sir? You, you cane back, S –

"No!" Jason threw what looked to be a throwing star as Bruce watched his older son clutch his arm and gasp. "You….I hate…hate you! Hate you all!! You think I'm bad? He's no better than this, this…Renegade!" Dick took off in a sprint down to the next floor, he didn't stop as Alfred was shoved to the side. His eyes seeking out what looked tonbe "seeing double," yet that wasn't all. It was that mask, the mask of a two toned freak in the mirror that had taken him out before!

"The spell is wearing thin, Master Bruce. I'll contact the watchtower. What of –

"Watch over the manor. Jason. You're staying here."

"What???" The kid shouted from diwn the steps. "I'm not gonna let this happen a second time. You saw that freak, he's been there the whole time, waiting for –

"INSIDE." Bruce shut the door to the entrance as Jason watched a lock down put his fears to escape, UP greatly. He ran past the butler to the cave. The clock, the bust. All inaccessible.

"SHIT! SHIT!!" Jason rimmed a fist into the wall, watching the paper crinkle. "Dick, he's gonna lose my brother….again!"

Jason got into lotus position abd had no clue why he'd do it at all. Raven, he had to try. To remember that mantra…

"AZARATH….METRION….ZINTHOS!"

/

SO, THIS IS INSANE BUT WAIT TILL YOU SEE! FINDOUT! SLADE DIDN'T REMEMBER ONE LAST THREAT TO HIS PLANS. WON'T TELL YOU…FIND OUT!

Find out!