…
Birth of Robin
Chapter 23
I Am Robin
…
|August 5th
|4:56 pm
Dick had been busy. Batman questioned everyone he could and, partially shocked by the vengeful vigilante appearing in daylight, answers were given quickly and willingly. Lots of people had seen a small, black-haired boy scurrying around, a dark slash across his eyes, and wearing a bright red vest over black clothes. Many people pointed him in the direction of an apartment building, where he found Zucco's bodyguard and right hand man. Broken, bloody, beaten, but alive. At first Batman thought it had all been Dick's handiwork, which horrified him. But he soon learned the building's residents had literally taken a stab at the man themselves. It was a big relief.
The only problem was, after scaring off the would-be murderers, Marco was still unconscious. Batman needed to know what the bodyguard had told Dick in order to find the boy, but that would be impossible in his current state. With few other options, Batman was forced to bring Marco to the Batcave, where he could revive him with smelling salts.
Batman didn't like how long it took them to get there. The Bat-cycle wasn't designed to take passengers, and he'd been forced to drive slower than normal to maintain reasonable balance with an unconscious body thrown across the back. It was a miracle the thug never fell off and rolled into traffic. As it was, Batman hoped Marco didn't have a concussion. He had been unconscious for a long time, which didn't bode well.
"Sir, did you find him?" Alfred asked, a worried twinge in his voice, as the Bat-cycle screeched to a halt.
"No," Batman huffed, dismounting the bike and dragging Marco towards the medical bay. Batman threw him up onto the pristine bed and tied him down with the cuffs reserved for fear toxin related incidents. He checked to make sure everything was secure before holding the strong smelling rock under Marco's nose. Marco jerked and grunted, slowly opening his eyes.
"What did you tell the boy?" Batman growled.
Marco blinked, eyes slowly widening as he realized just who was questioning him, and struggled for a moment against his restraints. He stopped when he realized it was useless.
"What did you say to the boy?" Batman repeated.
"Exactly… what he wanted to hear." Marco gasped, finally feeling the pain of his injuries. He was bleeding out, slowly. If he didn't get medical attention, he would probably die.
"And what is that?"
"Like I'll… tell… you."
Batman slammed his fist onto the metal table by the bed, making Marco flinch from the loud noise. He definitely had a concussion, but his memory seemed relatively intact. It was his personality that was a problem.
"You will tell me what you said," Batman said.
"No… I won't." Marco chuckled. A trickle of blood fell from the corner of his lip, and his laugh quickly turned into a hacking cough. "You can't… do anything to… me. You do nothing? I die. You do… something? I… die faster. It makes no difference."
"You'll find that it does," Batman threatened.
"It makes you angry… doesn't it? The kid… can do… what Batman can't. He's willing to."
"To do what?" Batman asked, although he already knew the answer.
"Let someone… die."
…
|6:02 pm
Dick hesitated at the edge of the massive field. It had taken him a while, a couple of hours in fact, to reach the worn out grounds. Traversing a city on foot wasn't easy. Especially when the buildings got too tall, and he was forced to the ground, slinking between shadows so normal people wouldn't notice him. There was one moment when he worried a little red headed girl had seen him, but she said nothing, and he'd moved on. He made the journey without stopping once, until now.
In all of Gotham, this was the only place for a circus to set up. The field was wide, at the edge of the city, and could probably fit up to three big tops. There were patches of dirt, worn down over decades of marching troupes and idle spectators stomping along the ground. Dusty paths cutting through the grass. Flanking it on one side were the tracks, where trains would park themselves. At Haley's, they always used the same set up. On the first set of tracks, were the storage trailers, to make moving gear back and forth easier. Depending on how much room there was, the animal trailers would be there was well. If the track wasn't lock enough, the animals were moved back one. The trailers for living were always on the last track to be used. When they stayed somewhere like Gotham, when three lines were required, Dick, Johnny, and the other circus kids would run along the rooves. But only the Graysons could manage the jump from one train of cars to the other.
On the other side of the field were the woods Marco spoke of, where Zucco would be making his escape. Dick didn't expect that to happen until darkness fell, and wanted to be waiting and ready for the mobster.
But first, he would have to step onto the field. Dick shuffled his feet in the grass, lifting one before setting it back down again. He never liked seeing an empty circus ground, it always looked wrong. Knowing his family had been here only months ago did nothing to help. Dick slid his shoe across the grass until he was toeing the dirt. He took a deep, shuddering breath, and stepped forwards.
Nothing happened.
Not that he really expected something to happen, but he wished. Maybe Haley's Circus would shimmer into view, like a mirage, only real. Or the big top would rise out of the ground, and with it all the smaller attractions. Or maybe he would wake up, and realize this had all been a dream. His family was safe, alive, and Tony Zucco was just a thing created for his nightmares.
But nothing happened.
He moved forwards, sticking to the dirt paths. Walking between what would have been the fortune teller's tent, and the strong man's stage. He passed the popcorn vendor and ducked behind the game stand, walking all the way around the largest circle of dirt until he reached the back. From there, a trodden path led towards the train tracks. Dick planted himself firmly in what would have been the big top's back entrance. He looked up, almost expecting to see the striped red and white roof, coloured spotlights dancing and swaying across it. His eyes trailed downwards, following what would have been the main support post, until they settled on the centre of the ring.
For a moment, he could see sand stained red. Then he blinked and it was gone. Dick shuddered, rubbing his arms and feeling Gotham's chill, even though it was still summer. He didn't cry.
Rubbing his knuckles, because hitting so many people without some kind of gloves or bindings really wasn't good, he turned away and headed towards Cloyster Woods. He found a likeable tree and scaled it, settling into a spot concealed enough that he wouldn't be seen from below, but he could still observe. The sun would be setting in a couple of hours. Until then, all he could do was wait.
...
Marco was right, Batman wasn't willing to let him die. The thug passed out without giving him any information, and Alfred called Leslie while Batman set out again. There was no guarantee Dick would even be in the Bowery anymore, but it was he didn't have any other leads, and it would be getting dark soon.
As he drove, Batman flicked on his radio interceptor, hacking onto the police frequency. Right around now was usually when crime starting picking up, in the measly hours between day and night when many criminals assumed Batman wouldn't be patrolling yet. Most of what he heard was idle chatter. A few minor incidents were mentioned, but nothing the police couldn't handle on their own.
Batman was about to shut the interceptor off, since it was proving to be more a hindrance than help, when something caught his attention.
"Any updates on that 10-66 called in earlier?"
"That's a negative. They were last seen by a patrol in the village."
"Can I get the description?"
"Three and a half feet, dark hair, bright vest. And there's something over his eyes. Have you found him?"
"Apparently not. Hell of a day, isn't it? When a damn kid is a suspicious person."
Batman had changed directions before the conversation was over. The police were obviously talking about Dick, but Gotham Village was on the other side of the city, nowhere near the Bowery. Not to mention more heavily populated. Batman was thankful the boy was no longer closing in on Crown Point, but he was still a long way from finding him. Too many things could happen between then and now. Whether it be something done too Dick, or something he could do and never take back.
…
|8:49 pm
For almost three hours Dick had been lying in wait. He'd grown restless frequently, leaping across the branches between trees and patrolling the circus grounds to occupy himself. But as soon as the sun fell below the horizon, he'd settled himself again and watched the clearing with wide owl eyes. He was just started to shift again, wondering if there was time for one more run through the trees, when a pair of headlights cut through the darkness.
The car drove into the middle of the circus grounds. The back door opened, and Dick leaned forwards in anticipation. Zucco stepped out and looked around. Dick seethed, almost tumbling out of his branch, but corrected his fall at the last minute to land crouching. He's shoes barely made a sound, not that Zucco would have noticed anyways. The mob boss was grabbing a suitcase from the trunk, and knocked on the back of the car once he was done. The vehicle pulled away, and Zucco headed towards the trees.
Dick scurried back up the nearest trunk seconds before Zucco stepped into the treeline where he'd been crouching moments ago. Zucco dropped his suitcase and leaned against the tree, scowling at the field. This was the moment Dick had been waiting for.
He walked out across the branch, purposefully knocking his heels against the bark. By the time Zucco looked up, he'd moved on to another tree, the only sign he'd ever been there a faint rustle in the leaves. Zucco kept his gaze locked on the branches for a moment before shaking his head. The moment he relaxed, Dick moved again.
"What the hell?" Zucco asked as his gaze snapped around. Dick continued to jump from tree to tree until Zucco was spinning around trying to find the source of the movement.
"Stupid bats!" The mobster shouted. Dick had his knees hooked around a branch and was dangling just behind Zucco when he spoke.
"Not a bat."
"Holy sh-!" Zucco spun around, but his shout was cut off as Dick grabbed the branch and swung down, kicking the mob boss in the face. Zucco lurched forwards, smacking into the tree, and Dick kicked off his back and flipped into the shadows.
"Who the hell are you?" Zucco yelled. He lunged for his suitcase, ready to get out of there, when something flew from the trees and sliced the back of his hand. Zucco's eyes widened at the sight of the batarang, and he took off into the trees, his pursuer hot on his heels.
Dick continued to dart in and out between the trees, Wilson's knife held firmly in his hands. Zucco, being stronger and with longer strides, was much faster, but Dick's nimble acrobatics and sense of balance kept him from stumbling over tree roots, unlike the older man. He would leap forwards, arms outstretched, and slice whatever he could reach with the powerful blade. Legs, back, shoulders. Whatever was closest.
Zucco failed to notice a fallen log and caught his foot. Dick took advantage of that to quickly rush ahead. He grabbed a narrow tree, knowing full well this would tear his palms to shreds, and kicked off the ground. He swung around and let go, flying feet first into Zucco's chest. The mobster shouted in pain as he dropped backwards, his head narrowly missing a sharp rock, while Dick somersaulted and bounced back to his feet.
"I'll pay you!" Zucco begged, rolling onto his stomach and watching the trees. "Anything you want, I'll give it to you!"
"You took all I wanted," Dick growled as he finally let Zucco see him. The mobster froze.
"You're a kid," he said dumbly.
Dick didn't bother answering, just glared at him. Waiting for him to beg for his life.
"I hid from the cops, I hid from Batman, and a fucking kid finds me?" Zucco sounded hysterical, and despite Dick's momentary sense of pride, that wasn't what he wanted to hear. He marched forwards and kicked Zucco in the face.
"A fucking kid, just a kid," Zucco whispered in a raspy voice, repeating it over and over again as his wide eyes stared at nothing. "I'll give you anything, whatever you want!"
"I want you dead!" Dick screamed, bringing his foot up. Before he could stomp down on Zucco's neck a shadowed figure leapt at them and tore them apart. Dick immediately started struggling, straining against Batman's hold.
"Lemme go!" Dick shouted. "Lemme go! Lasa-ma sa plec! El le-a ucis! Vreau să-l mort, am să-l omor!" [Let me go! He killed them! I want him dead, I'll kill him!] Dick squirmed, and kicking, and stabbed at Batman with his knife, but the vigilante wouldn't let go.
"Richard!" Batman shouted, and Dick fell silent, but he didn't stop trying to wriggle out of his grip. There was a moment where neither of them spoke, and the only sound was Zucco rambling to himself about cops and kids.
"You don't want to do this," Batman said.
"I do! Am să-l omor!"
"No, you don't!" Batman stated firmly.
"Lasa-ma sa plec," Dick repeated weakly. His struggles slowed, and Batman let him go. Dick dropped to his knees inches from Zucco, red faced and wearing an ugly expression. He started to reach out and was stopped by Batman grabbing his shoulder. The reaction was instant. Dick cried out as if in pain and tried to scramble away, but Batman held him in place. Dick whimpered and scratched at the gauntlet. He only stopped when Batman's hand moved from his shoulder to the top of his head.
Dick sniffed, trembling fingers clutching at his shirt, as he remembered how only bad people grabbed you like that. People like Dean, and Jeremy, and Zucco. Slowly Batman knelt down and started rolling up Dick's sleeve, revealing old cigarette burns and other scars gained through extensive abuse. Dick weakly tried to pull his sleeve back down. He hated those scars.
"You don't want to be like them," Batman said softly, almost sadly. Dick stiffened, then started trembling and pulled his knees close to his chest.
"Lasa-ma sa plec," he whispered, hiccupping as he held back his sobs. Dick glared at Zucco, reduced to a pathetic, whimpering mass all because he couldn't understand how one kid had managed to find him. And he had. Dick had found the mobster all on his own. No help from Batman – not really, his files hardly counted – or Wilson. He remembered how good it felt, to actually be doing something. Stopping criminals. Maybe he could do that again. He could stop more families from being ruined like his.
"Maybe… I could be like you, Bruce," Dick said, and he really wasn't asking, because it was going to happen no matter what.
Batman for his part hardly reacted to learning Dick knew his secret identity. The boy had only confirmed his suspicions. Exactly how he found out would be a question for later.
"You want to be like me?" Batman asked. Honestly, he thought that was a terrible idea. No one should be like him, Dick shouldn't be worse than him. But he could help.
Dick nodded, rubbing his eyes and smearing his face paint even more. Half his face was covered in dark smudges, and Batman almost chuckled. Almost.
"First thing about being like me? Zucco has to live." Batman stood, bringing Dick with him. Zucco barely responded as he was bound and thrown over Batman's shoulder. As they headed back to the clearing, Dick continued to rub his face, until Batman passed him a canister of water. Dick poured some water into his hands and splashed it over his face, wiping away the face paint and tear tracks on his sleeves. The canister was empty when he passed it back. They were nearing the edge of the trees when Dick remembered something.
"He was waiting, for a friend," Dick said.
…
|9:53 pm
"Where the hell is he?" The man parked on the dirt path, affectionately nicknamed Chainsaw by his friends, hissed as he tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. He was supposed to pick up Zucco a little after nine, but the Gotham gangster wasn't there when he arrived. He decided to wait, knowing he could be breaking a profitable deal if he got impatient and left too soon. But this was pushing it.
"Come on," Chainsaw muttered. He hated Gotham. Batman was scary as hell, and the only reason he agreed to come was because the circus grounds were well out of the way. But with the clouds obscuring the moon and stars, even this was terrifying.
"Probably suck your blood and eat your bones," he mused, because no one believed Batman was human. There was a loud thud and Chainsaw jumped in his seat, quelling what surely would have been a very manly cry of fright. A square lump was on the ground in front of the car, a suitcase.
"Finally!" He started the car and rolled down the window. "Tony, hurry up! We're burning nightlight!"
With his headlights dimmed, he could only see a pair of dark, unmoving boots.
"Stop bein' so dramatic!" Chainsaw called. There was another thump, and Tony Zucco himself was lying beside the suitcase, bound and unconscious. "Shit!"
He turned his headlights on bright and shrieked at the sight of Batman. "Oh, hell no!"
"Hello!"
Chainsaw shrieked again as a joyful voice chirped in his ear. He whipped around, pressing his body against the door, and saw a kid wearing a red vest with faded smudges all over his face.
"Who are you?" Chainsaw asked.
"I don't know," the kid said, and there was something disturbing about how serious he sounded. "But we know who you are."
Chainsaw had briefly forgotten Batman, but was quickly reminded when a fist slammed into his door window. Chainsaw wasn't an idiot. He knew there was no way he'd get out of this one, especially not since Tony was already caught.
"I give!" He yelped, raising his hands in surrender.
"Oh. Can they do that?" The kid asked, leaning across Chainsaw and looking at Batman.
"Yes, they can."
"Oh." The boy pouted and leaned back as Chainsaw was hauled out of the car.
"Seriously, who are you?" He asked again.
"I. Don't. Know." The boy reiterated. He had a thick accent the criminal couldn't place, but it didn't sound like anything you'd find in Gotham. "Wait! Yes I do!"
The kid clambered out of the car, somersaulting from the seat instead of simple stepping out like anyone else would. He walked up to Chainsaw and stuck out his hand. After checking that Batman wouldn't deck him for it, Chainsaw shook it.
"Nice to meet you." The kid grinned. "I'm Robin!"
…
Yay! Story arc done. You guys finally got to see Robin being a little chipper at the end there. He's not totally happy yet. That's mostly just excess excitement at the prospect of being a vigilante. He still has a long way to go.
I realized that I've totally reversed Batman and Robin's roles. Batman is the one getting attached first, while Robin is all aloof :P But they will eventually get to be as close as they are in the show.
Grayson4life: That's good to hear, considering my schedule has been very hectic as of late. Not to mention Comicon is coming up, and I need to finish pulling together my costume.
xSapphirexRosesxFanx: So… technically Batman did hold him. It just wasn't really a hug. But real hugs will come soon in the next story arc!
Aquarica: So savage. I had a lot of fun writing that paragraph
KaliAnn: Look at that! He does still have emotions! They're just very, very, very subdued :( But no worries, happy Dick Grayson will show up next arc!
Firelass19: I was so excited when that idea came to me, to write it like that. I'm glad you liked it
HatethePlater-NevertheGame: Thank you! I'm so glad you like it. I'm so mad they keep bumping up the age that Dick starts. The way they're doing it, I feel like he's probably not even the first sidekick anymore. I agree with you 100%, it's so upsetting.
End of story arc:
Birth of Robin
Next story arc:
Teach a Bird to Fight
I will be taking a very brief (emphasis on brief, hopefully not even a month) hiatus to organize the timeline for the next arc, as well as read through this one and make any edits that need to be done. But my schedule is a little busy right now anyways, so the next update probably would have been delayed no matter what :( sorry!
Also, I was so tempted to have Dick go up to Zucco and say "My name is Dick Grayson. You killed my family. Prepare to die!" A cyber-ly delicious internet cookie to anyone who gets the reference.
'See' you next time!