Dick wouldn't call this luck. No, not at all.
He stared at the two kids, still in the same clothes as before and his brother who was wearing a red shirt and a pair of wonder woman themed pajama pants.
The two kids that everyone was looking for, the ones he came to warn his brother about, were staring at him from the open door of said brother's current living accommodations.
Now the question was not why these kids were hanging around Crime Alley where a known crime lord resides with the nice clothes they wore, indicating their financial status. No, the question burning on Dick's tongue was why in God's name were these two little deviants in the house of his precious (even if Jason would deny he was precious) younger brother's house.
Did Jason think these were some random alley kids in need of help? No, Dick was sure his brother would've come to the same conclusion as him as the condition these kids came in. For one, the girl's face looked fresh and plump. She had the minimal amount of makeup that most preteens' or young teens' parents would allow. The boy's skin, although a little pale, looked good and indicated he was well fed. They both looked relatively healthy although creepily similar for a brother and sister. Looking at their matching attire, the jacket pants and shoes, it was most definitely out of the price range of all the kids you could see trouncing around the back alleys around here. However, Dick quickly remembered that the kids did steal from the gallery several hours ago, so it wouldn't be out of left field to guess that these kids made a living using their meta powers to commit several crimes.
Another thing that bothered him about the blue eyed pair was the uncanny resemblance to Bruce. Not too much to him but just enough to make Dick stare at them in even more wonder. He had seen the baby pictures and also a few teen ones of his adoptive father and he knows damn well when he sees a Bruce variant walking around in the wild. The thought of Bruce having an army of unclaimed kids dispersed around the globe nearly made Dick nauseous. Don't get him wrong, he'd love to welcome new siblings but he was allowed to feel overwhelmed by the number of said siblings being welcomed into the fold. And what would this mean for the Bat clan? Would they have to find more ways to secure their identities or even…
"Are you gonna move or…?" the older of the pair asked with crossed arms, interrupting his thoughts and snapping Dick out of his own head.
"Oh! Ah, sorry. I came to see my brother," Dick said as he stepped aside, creating space for the kids to take their leave. The older boy took his leave but the younger girl stayed in her position, taking a chance to inspect Dick like he was a new species of recently discovered animal at the zoo.
"That's some good genes you got there," she said with a cocky smirk, her eyes still roaming around his body. Not hungrily but like she was some sort of scientist making observations.
"Ellie! Cut it out. Let's get going," the boy, who was now behind him, said to the lingering girl.
"Fine, fine. I was just admiring him. No need to get your panties in a twist," Ellie said before giving Dick one last smile and leaving the door to join the boy. "I swear Danny, you can be a spoilsport sometimes," the girl said with a decreasing volume as she and her companion walked away from the apartment. Dick turned his full attention to his brother who was now heading back into his living room.
"Hey hey hey!" Dick said as he chased his brother inside, not forgetting to close the door and lock it once he was fully in. He could hear Jason groan in response to his upcoming prodding.
"What do you want, dickhead?" Jason said, exasperatedly but Dick would not be deterred.
"Start talking. Who were those kids? What did they want with you, better still, what did you want with them?" Dick asked as he watched his scoundrel of a brother collapse himself on his semi dilapidated couch.
"Hmm. None of your damn business, bird brain," Jason replied with a middle finger. Dick moved even closer to Jason and stopped once he was towering over the man.
"Uh uh. I'm not letting this one go. Do you even know who those kids are?" Dick asked with his hands on his hips. Jason, realizing there was more to the interrogation than he had presumed, sat up and stared at the older man.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Jason asked with a frown.
"It means that pair of black haired menaces you were talking to are suspects in a case that's on the Bat fam's radar,"
"...What?"
"I was on my way to tell you about it and just so happened to meet you and our little criminals in the same place,"
"Fuck," Jason said, his hand sliding down the side of his face. Dick took the opportunity of his brother's displeasure to smack his legs off the couch and create room for himself to sit. Once he had taken position next to his brother, his attention landed on the two empty cups in the table in front of them.
"So, you were breaking bread with them, huh?" he said, attempting to hide his smile but failing terribly. Jason looked up and stared at Dick with a quirked up brow. Eventually, he looked forward, eyes on his turned off TV and his mind deep in some sort of contemplation.
"Oh please, I've had lunch with worse," Jason scoffed absentmindedly.
"Not the point," Dick replied with a headshake.
"I was getting them something to drink. They just wanted to have a talk with me about …. something," Jason replied while still facing forward.
"And that is?" Dick pressed and Jason finally looked his way only to roll his eyes at him.
"I need to think on it," Jason said before biting his lip.
"Think on what? They're the two kids from the gallery heist. Anything they said to you might be important for us and the case," Dick said with crossed arms. He could see Jason's muscles tense and his jaw clench tightly, however, Dick wasn't backing down from this. Rarely has a lead like this fallen on their laps in such a convenient manner.
"Give me a week," Jason finally replied after a few seconds.
"What?! No, a week is long after the beginning of the case. What could possibly be so important that…?" Dick paused and thought a bit more on it. What could possibly be so important for Jason to not at least give a little information on the matter with these kids? Could they be in trouble? At least, more trouble than the one they caused at the gallery? Wait, did Jason notice the kids' resemblance to Bruce?
"Is it something to do with… their parents?" Dick asked, cautiously.
"What? No. They want me to join something," Jason replied. Sitting back on his chair he eyed Dick suspiciously before asking. "Why are you asking about parents? What brought that up?"
"Hmm. Well, it's nothing for now," Dick said in a way to brush off the matter.
"Now who's keeping things to himself now," Jason said with a smirk but it held no amusement behind it.
"It's just a stray thought. Don't try to distract me. What exactly did those kids want you to join? Is it an MLM scheme? Are you being scammed? And let's be real, I'm not going to stop my inquiry till you tell me," Dick asked. Again, Jason went into some bit of contemplation before answering. Dick decided it was then he could deploy the special prodding technique used universally by most siblings. Poke-em-till-they-talk. His index went as fast as it could go, jabbing at Jason's side but the other man did not sit still and take it like a man.
"Some club of the dead," Jason blurted out after finally and successfully slapping Dick's hands away, his shoulders slumping in defeat. It seemed he had finally given in to Dick's pestering and the older man couldn't be any more pleased.
"Wait a minute. The dead?" Dick said, staying still as he processed what he just heard.
"Uh huh,"
"So they know… you died?"
"Yup,"
Dick just stared at the man in astonishment.
"How?" Dick asked, scooting closer to his sibling.
"I don't know. When you see 'em ask 'em," Jason replied. Dick stood up and began to pace. Jason took this as a chance to stretch his legs fully back on his couch.
"This is strange information," Dick said.
"Mmmhmm,"
"How exactly would they know about that?" Dick asked himself out loud.
"Hmmm,"
"We suspected that they were metas but this may be encroaching more on the occult territory," Dick said deductively.
"Oh,"
Dick stopped his pacing and looked at Jason. The other man met his stare and eyed him back.
"We have to tell B about this," Dick concluded.
"Do we have to?" Jason whined half-heartedly. He already knew Dick would tell the Big Bat about the kids sooner or later, so Dick guessed he wasn't surprised.
"Yes and he might have to bring in Constantine or at least a member of Justice League Dark," Dick said with a nod.
"Do we have to?" Jason said this time with a whine that sounded completely childish. Dick gave him a half-hearted glare. In turn, Jason replied with a tongue out. Dick lifted his brother's legs, sat back on the couch and laid the legs on his lap.
"Yup. This case could be more than we can handle. Better to be safe than sorry," Dick said, giving the legs he caught a pat.
"Uh huh," Jason replied, it seemed like he was deep in thought, his mind somewhere else.
"There's something else you're not telling me," Dick said, more of a statement than a question.
"Leave my house dickhead. I want to sleep," Jason said with a glare, brushing off Dick's last statement. Dick let him do so, for now at least.
"Oh no. You didn't come to the last family dinner, so I have lots of things to say to you," Dick said with a lilt to his voice. With a groan, Jason kicked his brother and that sparked an impromptu wrestling match for the brothers for that night.
Eventually, Dick left and Jason was left to ponder on the events that just happened that night.
Barbara guessed it was her turn to meet the new pair of meta delinquents in town. To her utmost surprise, they found her first and she began to wonder if she was lucky or something was about to go down in the library.
"Hello, you are Barbara? Jason's friend, correct?" a young man who looked oddly familiar had come up to her, a younger girl behind him in tow, once they spotted her as they entered the library. Jason? So, Jason was already in contact with the kids. Maybe he didn't know about their recent escapade or maybe he did but he didn't care.
The boy wore full black, a hoodie, some sweatpants and generic sneakers while the young girl wore a light blue turtleneck with gray denim jeans and some top quality sneakers. The boy wore black studs as jewelry while the girl opted for a pair of diamond studs, they looked like real diamonds. Why would someone knowledgeably walk around these parts of Gotham with those kinds of earrings? Well, it was clear they weren't Gotham natives, maybe they would have to learn the hard way.
However, Barbara had a suspicion that this was the pair of metas everyone's been looking for from their appearance, so maybe the natives of Gotham are gonna learn something from the pair. They really did look alike and their piercing blue eyes were as intense as Dick had described to her. She wondered if she should call someone now or maybe play this one by ear for the moment.
"Yes, that's me. How do you know Jason?" Barbara said, putting on one of her best polite smiles.
"We met him a while ago. He directed us to this library and thus, to you. He said we should find the redhead with glasses," the boy said with a warm smile. Barbara could tell from the boy's demeanor that she had some sort of softening effect on him. Maybe it was because he had a thing for redheads. She really hoped it wasn't the wheelchair. You'd be surprised by the number of people with that train of thought at hand.
"Oh. That's nice of him. Are you new to Gotham?" Barbara asked as she began opening her drawer.
"Yes. I think that's obvious," the boy replied, rubbing his arm in a nervous manner. Barbara could see the younger girl shift behind him.
"What are your names?" Barbara asked. She pulled out two packets and grabbed two sticky notes, assigning each one to each packet. She grabbed a pen, hovering it as she waited for the pair to answer. The boy looked to the younger girl for some sort of assurance and she replied with a thumbs up and a smile.
"I'm Danny and this is Ellie, my younger sister," Danny replied. She smiled to herself for this was absolute confirmation that the pair before her were the ones everyone was looking for. Barbara wrote each name on each sticky note on a packet then handed it to them. With twin confused looks, they collected them from her.
"Welcome to Gotham. Although I don't know what brought you here in the first place, these packets would be great in getting you started here," she said cheerfully.
"Thank you," Ellie said with a warm smile. Danny was busy interrogating the inside of the brown packet he received.
"Can we use the computers here?" Danny asked once he was done with his inspection.
"Sure. Are your parents here with you at the moment?" Barbara said as she looked around.
"Oh no. We're emancipated," the boy said quickly while scratching the back of his head. It was an obvious lie but Barbara was willing to go on with it.
"Oh! I see. Do you have some ID on you or something? I can start you on your library card," she asked carefully. She hoped no form of worry seeped into her voice when she asked the pair.
"Oh, we didn't bring any ID with us right now. We weren't sure we would need them for the time being," Ellie replied, beating her brother to the punch.
"I see," Barbara said before turning her attention to her computer and began typing. She connected to a computer closeby, generated an access code for and wrote it down on a sticky note. Once she handed the note to the boy, she pointed to the computer in question nearby. "You see that computer at the edge nearby?" the pair looked and nodded. She tapped the note still in the boy's hand and continued. "This would get you access to it. You can log in as a guest but hopefully you can bring in your ID next time and I can get you started on a library card properly," she finished. The kids nodded at her happily and excitedly made their way to said computer.
Of course, Barbara had backdoor access, so she could see what the kids were up to while they used the desktop.
While the kids logged in, Barbara pulled out her phone and texted the Bat Chat.
Overlord came online.
Overlord: Guess who I spotted at the library?
TheBloodSon came online.
TeletubiesSun came online.
MrFlex came online.
SpoilerAlert came online.
Ninjago came online.
BBB came online.
Shotgun came online.
TheBloodSon: Can't you just tell us and skip the charades?
Overlord: No
Overlord: Guess
TeletubiesSun: Who? Don't tell me it's the joker or some shi
Overlord: Eww no
SpoilerAlert: that's some bad juju there. We need cleansing
Ninjago: *see no evil* *hear no evil* *speak no evil*
MrFlex: let's not mention that name in this chat while we don't have to
TeletubiesSun: sorry bout dat *sad cat face*
TheBloodSon: So who is it, Oracle?
Overlord: Robin, I love you but don't make me repeat myself.
TheBloodSon: Tch.
SpoilerAlert: Aww. Lemme take a crack at it
SpoilerAlert: is it one of B's exes?
TheBloodSon: Of course not. Why would Oracle waste our time with such proclivities in this official channel? Such matters should be had in the family chat.
TeletubiesSun: if u think about it, this is a family chat in a way.
MrFlex: yh. he's right
SpoilerAlert: he is
Ninjago: ️*pointing up* *thumbs up*
TeletubiesSun: *smirk*
TheBloodSon: Can we get back on topic?
MrFlex: TheBloodSon aren't u supposed to be in class? why're u on ur phone right now?
TheBloodSon went offline.
SpoilerAlert: gottem *laughing face*
TeletubiesSun: *laughing face*
Ninjago: *laughing face*
BigBrains came online.
MrFlex: Ok, glasses. Tell us who u see. We're all mostly busy to guess
BBB: Tell us please, Oracle.
Overlord: fine
Overlord: it's cuz u asked nicely, B.
BBB: *smiling face*
Overlord: it's the two suspects from that gallery heist yesterday
SpoilerAlert: and I oop
Ninjago: backup needed?
Overlord: none for now but it would be nice if one of you came in as standby
MrFlex: deadnlivin
MrFlex: deadnlivin
MrFlex: deadnlivin
BigBrains: why are you at-ing hood like this, wing? Got something ur not telling us?
SpoilerAlert: it is suspicious
deadnlivin came online.
deadnlivin: yh. Why am I being bugged
MrFlex: read chat.
deadnlivin went offline
MrFlex: I'm not letting him go that easy
BigBrains: want me to hack his helmet?
MrFlex: please do. He needs to answer for his sins in this chat
BigBrains: *rubs fingers and initiates task with delight*
SpoilerAlert: oh plz, don't be so dramatic
Ninjago: *nerd face*
BigBrains: You wound me, batgirl.
Her attention was pulled away by a notification in her computer popping up and Barbara put her phone down to look at what the kids were browsing.
The searches were like:
Gotham, where is it?
Who is Bruce Wayne?
Bruce Wayne theories
Gotham's vigilantes
Batman
Is Batman a furry?
Is Batman and Bruce Wayne a thing?
Batman identity theories
Justice League
Aliens
Other known planets
Martian manhunter
Superman
What is a Darkseid?
Ectoplasm
People who came back from the dead
Barbara blinked rapidly as she scanned through the list of searches. What the hell was going on with those two? She compiled the list and sent it to her phone. She looked back into the chat and read the messages.
deadnlivin came online
deadnlivin: fine! I'm here
MrFlex: are you gonna fess up or should I?
deadnlivin: give me time to think. I'll be at the cave tonight. Alright?
MrFlex: *lookup face*
MrFlex: better be. U don't tell then I will
BigBrains: things just got interesting
SpoilerAlert: ikr. Let it be night already *excited face*
Ninjago: *moon face* *moon face* *moon face*
BBB: we'll be glad to have you, son
deadnlivin: don't push it B
BBB: sorry *sad face*
MrFlex: deadnlivin U BE NICE TO B
SpoilerAlert: deadnlivin yeah!
Ninjago: *oni mask* *oni mask* *oni mask*
deadnlivin went offline
Barbara shook her head and began typing again.
Overlord: guys. I got something. Here's a list of searches the kids made.
She sent the list to the chat. While the chat looked at what she sent, she took the chance to look over at the kids. They looked deep into conversation. Ellie pressed up into Danny as he scrolled down through their searches. It would've been adorable if she didn't already know that these two were wanted criminals. Scratch that, they still looked like a pair of adorable siblings, nevertheless.
Suddenly, her screen turned into a bright neon green causing Barbara to nearly jump up in her seat. She looked over at the kids but it looked like nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, Danny seemed to be typing like normal at the desktop, Barbara couldn't see what exactly was wrong with her computer. She took a picture of her pc and sent it to the chat.
Overlord: my screen just went like this
SpoilerAlert: talk about green screen of death lol
BBB: does it have anything to do with the kids?
Overlord: I think so
MrFlex: r u OK Oracle?
Overlord: yh I'm good. Just a bit shocked
BigBrains: I think I should head over and take a look myself
BBB: no, let nightwing handle it. U still have a board meeting to attend with me
BigBrains: but B… *sad face*
BBB: Nightwing, take Batgirl with you
Ninjago: *Thumbs up* *Thumbs up* *Thumbs up*
BigBrains: B! *crying face*
SpoilerAlert: lol *laughing face*
TeletubiesSun: I got a class now guys, see u later
SpoilerAlert: see ya signal
TeletubiesSun: *waving hand*
TeletubiesSun went offline
Barbara shook her head with amusement and decided to access the library cameras from her phone. She got the ones facing the kids, however, they were super fuzzy but not as bad as the ones at the gallery a few hours ago. Still, she could barely tell what the kids were doing from most of the angles. Deciding to just work with it, she sent some snippets to the chat and waited for their response.
MrFlex: We'll be there in five mins
BBB: approach with caution
Overlord: should I inform the commissioner?
BBB: yes but make sure no police come in contact with them for now. We don't know what more these kids are capable of. The police may not be equipped to handle them at the moment.
BBB: Hopefully, we have some some of extraction plan once we fully understand the situation
Overlord: got it, B
BBB: *thumbs up*
SpoilerAlert: alright. I'm logging off. Got somethin to do right now
BBB: goodbye, Spoiler.
SpoilerAlert: goodbye, B.
SpoilerAlert went offline
Barbara looked up on her screen and it soon flickered back to normal. Looking over to the kids, it seemed like the kids were done doing whatever they were doing. Barbara hoped she could keep them busy till Dick and Cass came around. Fortunately, the kids seemed to be more interested in reading the 'Welcome to Gotham packets' she'd given them. She had never been more grateful that she had those made for newcomers to the city. Luckily, those rogue attack warnings and protocols would keep them busy till the others got there.
Finally, Dick and Cass arrived, waving and smiling at Barbara as she gestured to the kids at the computer with her head. Cass took the chance to slip between the shelves close to the kids while Dick sat at a computer behind them.
Nothing happened for a while. In fact, the kids seemed to be more interested in their packets than even using the pc in front of them. After a little while, they packed up on packets and began to have some sort of discussion. Barbara felt her phone vibrate. She took a look at it and opened the chat again.
MrFlex: they're talking about recruitment models
BigBrains: huh? They want to form a gang or something?
Ninjago: ️*crossed hands*
MrFlex: she's right
MrFlex: seems like it's more elite a club
MrFlex: they've gone quieter, I can barely hear them now
MrFlex: Ninjago can you read their lips from where u are?
Ninjago: ️*crossed hands*
MrFlex: *sighing face*
Eventually, the pair of kids stood up from their computer and made their way to the exit not before waving Barbara goodbye. Ellie, waving more enthusiastically than her brother before they left the library. Dick and Cass took this as their cue to trail behind them, incognito. Well, at least, the kids didn't do anything showy while they were at the library though Barbara was a bit disappointed that there was no action to witness. After sighing in relief, Barbara decided she could let the others handle the kids for now. She locked her computer, wheeled out her wheelchair from under her desk and made her way to one of the private offices in the library.
Once inside one of said offices, she locked the door and pulled out her phone to call her dad but before she could even tap his contact, her old man beat her to it.
"Hello, dad. I was just about to call you," Barbara said after she answered the call.
"Oh honey. This is kinda urgent at the moment. I wanted to ask you first before I ask you know who," her dad said and if it were anyone else, they wouldn't have noticed that her dad seemed anxious about something.
"What is this about? Is something wrong?"
"Yes. Yes. Something's wrong. It's about those meta kids involved with the robbery yesterday," her dad replied, frazzled than before.
"I was gonna contact you about them too. What about them?" Barbara asked.
"Barbie, we have a problem," her dad answered with a dead tired tone.
If Ra's al Ghul rolled his eyes any more than he'd already done so, he was sure he would lose an eyeball. Or even both if he was being honest.
There, Felix Faust was, running his mouth about his fantasy about ruling the world again and Ra's was contemplating on whether or not he should have dropped the hit made on this madman a couple of years ago. The man was going off tangent from what he clearly came here for, originally. His daughter, Talia, stood to his side, hiding her emotions perfectly behind a stoic expression but he could tell that she too was approaching her last straw. Just when Ra's was beginning to call back his guards back into this meeting place and kindly escort the raving madman out, he composed himself quickly and decided to get to the point.
"Ok, stop!" the Demon Head said, a hand up in place to make the command clear. The immortal sorcerer quickly shut his trap and stared at him in bewilderment. "Speak on why you are actually here,"
"Well. No need to be so rude," Faust said with a scoff. Lord, this man had the guts to look offended when he was the one who barged into the Demon's Head's home without an invitation or summon.
"Hurry. Up. My patience is thinning," Ra's said with an impatient tone, he could feel his daughter shift slightly beside him. She too was beginning to twitch with discomfort.
"Ugh fine! I am here because I require something that only you can provide to me," Faust started and when Ra's raised a brow, he continued. "Something… green," he began to rub his palms together with an irritating smile plastered across his face.
"Surely, you do not need some from my particular share of the substance. I know that your kind have particular ways of finding other Lazurus pit deposits across the earth," Ra's said as he leaned back a bit more on his chair. The sorcerer waved at this statement with his hand, scoffing at it to the other man's displeasure.
"Yes, yes. I have already done that. However, I need a big sample and one that has aged for more than a century you see. It's easy to track one down but to find one that's aged as well as fine wine is more than difficult," Faust explained.
"Ah, I see. So why didn't you just take a sample without my permission? Don't you have the ability to perform such a task," Ra's said, causing the sorcerer to bristle in his spot.
"You know damn well why. I don't know how you did it but somehow there's a strong spell put across yours. So, obviously, I need permission from you to get it," Faust said with annoyance.
"Ah, yes. Remind me later, my daughter, to pay that fascinating magician extra when we cross paths again," Ra's said with amusement as he looked at his daughter. Her lips twitched upwards in a smile before she nodded.
"Of course. I will, Baba," she replied with her own amusement laced in her voice. The sorcerer clapped and they both turned to see the man trying his best to keep his smile up and his annoyance at the situation down.
"Oh yes. You were two steps ahead. Whatever. So, will you please grant me a sample of the deathly waters you have here with you? I do promise to trade with you for something that I know would be important to you," Faust said. Ra's raised an eyebrow to that.
"Do tell me what exactly this important thing is," Ra's said with feigned disinterest although they both know the sorcerer could see through it.
"I would but I do need my sample first before I depart with this precious information," Faust said haughtily, like he was under the impression he had the upper hand.
"Oh? Well, I thought I, the owner of the Lazarus pits, in the location that you barged into and failed to steal from, had something very precious and important to you?" Ra's said with a bored tone making Faust shift uncomfortably while biting his lower lip. "Oh, and don't try to do anything funny with your mystic arts. After all, we don't know what might happen with that spell over my pit of you should choose to do anything to me, or my daughter before you get your sample,"
After a while of the Duo Al Ghul vs impotent sorcerer staredown, Faust shoulders slumped, giving a sigh of defeat as he truly understood his place in the negotiation.
"Fine! I have heard, from my sources, that two beings of death have found their way into this realm and are now in Gotham," Faust spat out, barely biting back any vitriol he had for his situation.
"Beings of death?" Ra's asked as he placed a hand under his chin. His shameful grandson and his father were in Gotham at the moment and he wondered if he should go investigate this matter under their noses. Though, this may not be worth the hassle as he could attend to other matters and not waste his resources with such measures.
"More like death defying beings. One of my golems stationed in Gotham city came across them and I was able to grasp that they were two powerful beings in the form of children that were in a state between life and death. One was hiding their aura mostly which could mean they were more powerful than detected and the other appeared to have some magical prowess. That one destroyed my golem when she took notice of it," Faust explained further to him.
Now Ra's was way more interested in that. Two powerful beings of death, present in one place and in the city of his grandson, his father and his band of orphaned avians or rodents. There might be something going on that he may want to get to the bottom of. And who's to say that if he did come across these beings and found a way to get on their good side, he may be rewarded with something desirable for his efforts. He may even learn the actual secrets to immortality. Maybe he would not need to go dipping into the pits every couple of years or so.
"Describe the forms they have taken to me," Ra's said with a commanding tone.
"I would but I think I have given you something adequate for now. I would like for you to show me your own good faith by handing me exactly what I asked for. I mean, if you still want more information," Faust said in a sly voice and Ra's was once again tempted to roll his eyes.
"Fine. My dear, go get him what he needs," Ra's said to his daughter.
"I will be quick, father," Talia said with a bow before beginning her walk out of the room. Before she passed beside Faust, she shot him a dirty look, clicked her tongue and sauntered her way completely to the door.
After a couple minutes and a few awkward looks and shrugs from Faust, Talia returned with a jar of bright green liquid in her hands. Before anyone could say anything, Faust snatched it from her hands and smiled at the jar greedily, the light of the substance illuminated his face further in a toxic green glow. Talia huffed and returned to her position at her father's side.
"So, the description?" Ra's said, snatching the sorcerer's attention from his prize.
"Ah yes. Black hair, blue eyes. They both look alike. They kind of look like one of those Bruce Wayne kids or something. The boy is about fifteen or sixteen while the girl looks to be about thirteen or fourteen," Faust said before returning his attention back to the container cradled in his arms.
Ra's finally gave up and rolled his eyes.
"Good. Now leave," he commanded and waved his hand, motioning for the sorcerer to leave. The sorcerer absentmindedly nodded and with a wave of his hand, he was gone in purple smoke.
"Very dramatic," Talia said flatly.
"Very, indeed," Ra's answered with little enthusiasm just as his daughter.
"Do you think we should indulge in this information he provided to us or do you believe it's a dud? Maybe one of his foolish schemes for world domination," Talia asked her father, turning her whole body to face him. He rubbed his chin before giving her an answer.
"We will indulge a bit. Have our contacts in Gotham on the lookout for anything supernatural. Make sure they report every little thing to me. Whatever silly crime or rogue happens I want to know. If some random rat sneezes in some random alleyway, I want to know about it, am I clear?" Ra's al Ghul asked with his command.
"Yes. I understand your command, father," Talia before her father waved a hand in dismissal at her. She took her leave but just when she was about to make her exit, Ra's spoke again to her. "And do not make any contact with our little wayward Robin on this matter for the time being. We don't want him to catch wind of us. Most especially that delusional but effective father of his. We don't want any of them in our business,"
His daughter stood at the door in silence but Ra's could tell that she was not happy with this command.
Weakness.
He cared not for that. As long as his word was followed properly this time, he would not pay mind to her behavior for now. At least, the mother knew had to act way better than the foolish son. After Talia had taken her leave, Ra's al Ghul was left to think about how he would approach these beings of death if the information was true, of course.
The thought of gaining true immortality was very much an enticing thing, of course.
Gotham's night was as cold and as foggy as any other night that came before.
A dark mist roamed through the streets, unnoticeable even to the most discerning of eyes. Taking the form of a woman in a dark dress and a big dark black hat, the figure took her spot on a barely illuminated rooftop. Her gaze was upon her city, taking on the view of the night like she did every other that came before. She was aware of two particular oddities that have been in her city for some time now.
Yes, they did come into her city not too long ago but she knew that it was necessary for whatever goal they had to accomplish. She would not interfere with their shenanigans, even though they have entered one of her knight's haunt without permission. It was fine, her red knight seemed to be accepting of the pair and it seemed that they were going to bond in a way no one would've ever expected, not even the parties involved themselves. However, her knights were weary and she couldn't decide on whether to aid them or the new pair. She decided to sit still for now.
She could feel the core of the young kids call out to her to meet but she wasn't ready to see them now. She knew it wasn't right to refuse the call of royalty but she still had not been ready ever since…
Well, that's another story for another day.
She was more curious about other activities the royal pair would get into while they stayed in her domain. She wished she could join them sooner but again… she wasn't ready yet.
She watched as her knights stalked the night during their patrol, safely under her protection and she couldn't help but smile at the view. It wasn't new to her but it was always a welcomed sight to see. Sometimes, they needed her help for their work but most days, especially nowadays, they were good on their own without her assistance. This was one of those nights.
It didn't matter though, she would always keep watch. It had been a couple years since her last major interference but now she was content to never do such a thing again.
As she looked up at the moonless sky that night, she wondered what she should do next. Well, it didn't matter. As long as this city stood, she would do anything for it, no matter what. Even if any unexpected circumstances find their way into her city.