#This is Tim searching for a new identity all over again after ten years of being red robin one would think he already has an idea

[soulmate-game]

Bio Dad Bruce Wayne Month 2020

Day 1: Meeting for the first time

Not my best work, but decent. I hope you enjoy!

—*—*—*—*—*

Mari was intelligent. That much could not be disputed— and despite her dislike for the sciences in general, she was fully capable of comprehending them when she wanted to. She just usually didn’t care enough to try. But genetics? That was kinda cool. So, when she was ten years old and they began their short unit on it, she was obsessed. And by obsessed, she dove in head first. Like, the fact that her eye color didn’t match either of her parents or grandparents. How could she have blue eyes when none of them did? She delved in deeper and deeper until she uncovered a truth her parents hadn’t wanted her to figure out quite so soon.

She was adopted.

Mari never told her parents about her discovery, the epiphany only managing to sate her curiosity. Who needed blood relation when her parents loved her like real ones anyway? But as the years passed and certain life changes came up, she couldn’t help but feel intrigued by the mystery of where her DNA came from. The heroism thing had to have some root in genetics, right? Okay, so maybe she was just looking for someone to be mad at besides Master Fu. But still, could she be blamed?

So, when Marinette was thirteen years old, she traced her DNA back to her biological parents. And for a while, that was it. She had once again sated her curiosity. She didn’t need anything else. Her mother was dead, and she doubted her biological father knew a thing about her. So Marinette forgot about her discovery, or at least let it sink into the recesses of her brain. And there it stayed, until she was eighteen.

—* — * — * — * — *

It had to be one of the most accidentally dramatic days possible. Top floor of Wayne Enterprises, in one of Bruce’s massive conference rooms with every member of his large family in attendance. Even Kori and Mar’i were there, and Jason’s boyfriend Roy. Everyone was getting fairly restless, considering that Bruce had only informed a few of them (Read: just Dick, who was vibrating in his seat and not soothing anyone’s nerves) about what they were even all called in for. In their civilian identities, no less. It was very odd. Damian, not least of all, was sitting beside Bruce with his jaw clenched but eyes scanning the room in curiosity. He had come a long way from the surly ten year old, and he hadn’t even killed anyone in four years. He had well and truly become a Bat, and with that progress came the lessening of his old temper and brattiness.

Make note: lessening. Not erasure.

It wasn’t long, maybe ten or fifteen minutes of Bruce checking his phone and grinning secretively without answering anyone’s questions, before a businesslike tap-tap-tap sounded on the door to the conference room. Immediately, everything went silent. Kori, Tim, and Jason stopped trying to get Dick to say anything intelligible and went instead to just keeping the man in his seat at all. Bruce let out a rare, soft chuckle before raising his coffee mug to his lips. He called out:

“Come on in, miss MDC. We’re ready for our meeting,” before taking a long sip.

And as soon as the door opened all the way, admitting a short woman of asian descent with navy black hair brushing the bottom of her shoulder blades and piercing (familiar. Too familiar) deep blue eyes, he promptly choked. Trying his damndest not to get coffee everywhere, Bruce devolved into a coughing fit even as his eyes continued to flitter up to the figure just admitted into the room. The woman pretended not to notice his suffering, closing the door behind her and walking forward towards the side of the rectangular-set-up ring of tables that was closest to her and also unoccupied. She plopped a heavy bag down onto the table, reaching in and pulling out a large red and white polka-dotted journal from within, along with a black pen. But despite her businesslike movements and her silence, nobody missed the way that her far too familiar stunningly blue eyes twinkled in suppressed mirth. She didn’t seem surprised at all.

That was the last time Bruce was ever gonna let Tim do someone’s background check on his own. He should have at least looked at the file Tim had made, but of course not. Tim was capable, he trusted the boy with half of their entire family’s company. One background check on one highly reputable designer? Of course he could trust Tim.

Except apparently not. This is what Bruce got for keeping secrets.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng,” Bruce spoke once he got a handle of himself, pushing back his chair almost hurriedly and standing. Damian followed suit, laser focused on his father along with everyone else who knew just how out of character the older man was being just then. It was hard to fluster Bruce at all those days, let alone make him choke and hurry to stand. “I— Welcome to WE. I’m—“ Bruce was cut off by a soft chuckle.

“Bruce Wayne, my biological father and employer for the next few weeks. I know,” Marinette interrupted, sending a sly smile his way. “I had a feeling somebody didn’t actually tell you my name. I was planning on coming to Gotham later this year after I graduated Lycee and demanding to get to know you, but it looks like you did the hard work for me without even knowing. But,” her smile widened in good humor as she walked up closer to Bruce, holding her hand out for a shake. “I do have to say, now that I’ve seen you in person I feel a bit cheated. With how tall you are, you’d think I would have inherited at least a couple more inches.”

“Excuse me? Who do you think you are, claiming to be a Wayne?” Damian asked, tone sharp and his emerald eyes glaring straight towards her. Bruce just took Marinette’s hand, shaking it gently from surprise, but his foot gently kicked his son in the ankle.

“Damian,” Bruce said simply, the single name laced with warning as it came out of his mouth. He turned his attention back to the girl in front of him. “It is nice to finally meet you in person, Marinette. I admit, I did not know of our relation until a few years ago, and I wasn’t in the right mindset back then to welcome another child. Besides, I had it on good authority that your adoptive parents are more than wonderful to you.”

Marinette shrugged. “I don’t mind. I didn’t look into who my biological father was until I was thirteen, anyway. I don’t think things would have ended well if you had just shown up in Paris one day asking to be involved in my life. Enough of that though,” Marinette turned to the sixteen year old by Bruce’s side now stiffened and wide-mouthed. His entire expression, subdued as it was, still managed to clearly telegraph betrayal. And then those eyes locked on Marinettes, and the emerald simmered into something much more vile and acidic. Marinette was not perturbed, merely giving the younger boy a smile and holding out her hand for a shake.

“You must be my half-brother, Damian. I expected someone carved out of stone, with how the tabloids paint you as unfeeling and cold,” she joked. Damian glared harder. She raised an eyebrow. “You seem pretty heated and angry, like a hissing cat, to me. And by the way, I never claimed to be a Wayne. My last name is Dupain-Cheng, and I don’t plan on changing it anytime soon. Having the same blood relation as you does not mean I plan to throw away the name given to me by the ones who actually raised me. But, it does mean that I will get to know you one way or another. I’m not easy to get rid of, and I’ve always wanted a sibling or two.”

That was when the room couldn’t hold it any more; everyone bar the three in the center of the room burst out laughing. It wasn’t too raucous, confusion dampening the hysteria that usually would have taken over, but there was a good round of chuckles and laughter. When it settled down, Damian’s shoulders had slightly relaxed but he still hadn’t taken Marinette’s hand. Instead, he turned to his father again.

“Explain.” He demanded. Bruce sighed, his gaze connecting with Marinette’s own identical one. He searched her for any hesitation, but only got a flash of a bright smile in return. Bruce straightened his shoulders, clasping his hands behind his back and turning to face Damian and the rest of the room.

“I found out about Marinette shortly after Damian was… introduced to the family,” Bruce admitted, resisting the urge to glance at Marinette after the hedged mention of how he met Damian. “I decided to scour every resource I had to make sure I couldn’t be surprised by another biological child. And, lo and behold, I found out that I was right to do so. Her biological mother passed away in childbirth however, so she was adopted by a couple in Paris. I did not see any need to contact her at the time. A friend of mine did happen to be in Paris back then though, and hung around to make sure Marinette was being treated well before leaving again.”

“You sent a friend of yours to spy on me?” Marinette asked, but she just sounded thoroughly amused. “Geez. Now I know where I get it from. When I was thirteen, I had a bit of a bad habit of spying on my friends when I was worried instead of confronting them head on. It took a while to grow out of, and even now I can easily slip back into the habit if I’m not careful. But, as great as this reunion is, it isn’t what I’m being paid to be here for,” Her grin turned downright wicked as she snapped open her sketchbook and clicked her pen.

“I am MDC, the owner and CEO of the up and rising fashion label Spotted Designs, where every look will turn heads and ensure confidence. Monsieur Wayne,” her grin turned into a sly smirk when she said his name, which visibly made Bruce twitch. “Has hired me today to design all of you a new outfit for his gala in four months time, as well as a casual outfit of your own choosing should you want one. Before I get started, I would like to ask you to please sign your NDAs, which my assistant and best friend will bring in for you in a few minutes, before we conclude this meeting. I go by an alias for a reason, I value my privacy, and I would prefer it if word did not get out about my being MDC just yet. Being CEO of a business I started from scratch when I’m only eighteen right now will garner attention that I am not patient enough to deal with right now.”

The silence was near palpable until Jason huffed in amusement and remarked: “Yup. I can see the resemblance.”

“Resemblance?” Duke asked, leaning forward with an incredulous look on his face. “It’s like seeing a tiny, genderswapped, innocent copy of Damian. Is anyone else terrified right now?”

“Tt,” Damian tutted, letting a heavy breath out through his nose before shoving his hand forward. He didn’t look pleased, but neither did he look venomous or betrayed anymore. “Miss Dupain-Cheng. I am Damian Wayne, and I look forward to working with you.” He greeted as if the past few minutes hadn’t happened at all. Marinette beamed, letting out a short belt of delighted laughter before clasping his hand firmly with hers.

“My competence always wins people over,” she teased.

“Only if they don’t see you trip over empty air first,” a new voice joined in, lightly joining the teasing. It belonged to a tall, blond haired green eyed man that looked about the same age as Marinette herself. He came carrying a large two-foot stack of papers as easily as if he was only carrying one sheet. Closing the door behind him with his foot, he went around the large square of tables distributing NDAs to everyone who hadn’t already signed one. “Mari’s the clumsiest person I’ve ever seen, but I’ve also seen her hand sew a double sided ball gown with a layer of knife-resistant fabric in less than thirty hours and still threaten anyone to come near with a needle to the eye, so I’ve learned to just not take anything about her at face value anymore.”

“Oh shut up,” Marinette snapped back cheerfully, rolling her eyes. “This is my best friend, assistant, and business partner Adrien Agreste.”

“I deal with all the paperwork and spotlight that she doesn’t want to handle,” he agreed, nearly blinding everyone with his beaming smile. “Now. Please sign these NDAs, and you can experience Marinette’s skill firsthand.”

After papers were signed and Adrien left, Bruce tried to start another conversation with Marinette.

“So, when did you find out—“

“I’m going to start with taking all of your measurements, if you don’t mind. You first, Monsieur Wayne.”

Bruce blinked, not used to being interrupted. “Ah. We can do this tomorrow, I wasn’t expecting—“

“That’s not my fault, Monsieur Wayne. I came here knowing exactly who I was going to deal with, and you want me to make a quite frankly horrifying amount of clothing in a very short amount of time. Any designer lesser than me would be completely incapable of meeting your deadline. I plan on sticking to my schedule, which means that we are going to get everyone’s measurements and a baseline of the kind of designs you all want done today before the end of our scheduled appointment.”

“Marinette, I would really like to talk about—“

“Arms out. And take your suit jacket off, I can’t get an accurate measurement with it,” she once again interrupted, businesslike and efficient as she took her measuring tape and lined it up against various parts of his body, jotting down the results. She didn’t entertain any of his attempts at conversation in the meantime, instead using the dead time to grill Damian on what he wanted for his suit design.

And, like a partnership that never should have existed, Damian merely smirked and played along with her game. He answered her questions thoroughly but precisely, never allowing their father a chance to make actual conversation. Next thing the poor eldest Wayne knew, Marinette had already taken everyone’s measurements and almost an hour had passed. No less than ten pages of her notebook were already filled with neat lines of notes and numbers.

“You really take this whole thing seriously, don’t you?” Tim asked, in the middle of describing his ideal suit to Marinette. She hummed, grinning up at him mysteriously. As if she was in on a joke he hadn’t heard.

“Designing is my life, Monsieur Drake. This company is something I’ve been building from the ground up since I was thirteen, I’ve made my own clothes since I was ten. Of course I take it seriously. Now. I believe that is everything I need,” she stood up, asking a few last second questions as she gathered up her things. Seeing his chance, Brucie walked her to the door.

“Really, Marinette, I would like to talk to you more. Would you like to come to the Manor tonight, for dinner maybe?”

Marinette smirked, opening the door before Bruce could and turning her head to say over her shoulder: “Not tonight, but maybe tomorrow. Do me a favor though, and try not to get too injured on patrol. I need you all in good enough shape to stand while I do your initial fittings later this week. Gotham might need it’s vigilantes, but you will all regret it if you break a bone before I can fit my prototypes to you.”

Nobody was able to say a word before she closed the door behind her and continued briskly to the elevator. Bruce stood, dumbfounded. Tim, Jason, and Dick, after a moment, started cackling.

“Oh yeah. That’s Damian’s sister.”

“Tt. At least this proves it.”

Bruce, suddenly very exhausted, turned to his son while rubbing his forehead. “Proves what, Damian?”

His trademark razor sharp smirk overtook his face as Damian replied: “Your blood children really are much more competent and effective than the strays you took in.”

“Hey!”

—*—*—*—*—*

“You didn’t have a full conversation?” Adrien guessed, looking exactly like the cat who caught the canary. Marinette had her head in her hands, her entire face red.

“I didn't know how to have an actual conversation with them, Adrien! You should have seen it, Monsieur Wayne—“

“You can just say your father, you know.”

“—Wanted to talk about feelings. Emotions! Gooey, family stuff and probably sentimental things. In front of so many people, too. I panicked!”

“You panicked and went full Business Empress mode,” Adrien agreed, patting her back in both comfort and condescension. “It’s okay. You at least agreed to dinner tomorrow night.”

“Fuuuuuuuuuck, I diiiiiid. Quick, let’s come up with a way to fake my kidnapping.”

“No.”

“Damn.”

[tired-college-student-writing]

#WaynesAngel

The Maribat AU by @ozmav and @maribat-archive is all I can think about atm, so enjoy more of this

Summary- After Grayson posts a video on the wrong twitter, Damian feels like he should lose his social media privileges, and possibly his hand.

Part 1

Part 4

Part 5 (HERE)

This was a impusle write as I was trapped in a car for over 50 hours in three days. Please do not ask for another chapter. 

_________________________________________

Wayne’s Angel @FashionInGotham

Why is it weird that I’ve never met a Bat before? It’s not like Damian or the Waynes have ever seen Ladybug or Chat Noir or the Miraculous Team in Paris, and they’ve been in Paris a lot more than I’ve been in Gotham #confusion #AMERICAEXPLAIN

Jason Todd Lives @BestTodd

@FashionInGotham Whomst the Fuck is Ladybug and Chat Noir?? Also, Miraculous Team Sounds like some magical girl anime Cass watches

Call me Cass @CainYouBelieve

@FashionInGotham @BestTodd 🖕🏼

Wayne’s Angel @FashionInGotham

@FashionInGotham @BestTodd @CainYouBelieve They’re the Paris superheroes, they showed up almost five years ago to fight the little bitch of a villain, Hawkmoth and his stupid peacock assistant, Mayra.

Dick Grayson @AFlyingGrayson

@FashionInGotham @BestTodd @CainYouBelieve @ FashionInGotham WHAT?! Paris has heroes??

Wayne’s Angel @FasionInGotham

@FashionInGotham @BestTodd @CainYouBelieve @ FashionInGotham @AFlyingGrayson Oh yeah, I forgot that the mayor was trying to keep it a secret from the rest of the world #MyB But yeah Ladybug and Chat Noir have been there the longest but there’s also Abeille, Viperion, Ryuko, Pegasus, King Monkey, Bunnyx, and Badulf

Chloe raised an eyebrow at her friend as she saw the tweet thread that was quickly going viral, “You realize my dad is going to flip about this.”

“He deserves it,” Adrian pipped up from where he was painstakingly painting Kagami’s nails a deep burgundy.

The other teen heroes hummed in agreement as Chloe huffed.

“Well Yeah, but I was hoping to do it with a little extra flair than a twitter thread.”

Alix snorted as she finished up Kim’s banana yellow toes, drawing a crude smiley face on his big toe with bright blue, “She’s dating the youngest kid of the most influential family in the world and has like 100 million followers. Plus she called Hawkmoth a little bitch and it already has 90k likes. I call that flair.”

It was a surprise when Nathanial had had his freak out during his second battle,  against a Crimson Peacock event no less, and had called her Lady Marinette in front of the other temporary heroes, but had lead to many nights like the one they were having now. Onesies of each other’s heroes’ identities donned as they lounged around Chloe’s room, simply enjoying each other’s company after a long patrol. Chloe and Adrian had demanded they have a spa night, which is why everyone was either giving or receiving mani-pedis while they waited for their face masks to finish. It was nice, to have so much support outside of the masks, especially as they entered their final year in Lychee.  

Marinette rolled her eyes, “It’s only 98 million, Alix, and plus I figured four months after I made this account was long enough to make the slip up seem genuine. We need to catch Hawkmoth soon, or else this entire mess will get a lot more complex.”

They all frowned as they realized the truth behind her words. They were all facing hard decisions if they couldn’t pin the man down, not like they hadn’t already sacrificed so much to continue the battle. Max had already turned down graduating early and a full ride to MIT, citing his desire to graduate with his friends before moving across the globe. Luka had been invited to tour with Jagged, only to politely decline, telling the pouting rockstar that he wanted to do some soul finding first. Kim had given up a summer training camp with the French Olympic team. Alix had given up going on an expedition with her dad and brother, missing out on the chance to explore the dunes of Egypt. Marinette had turned down three internships at this point, one from Audrey Bourgeois, One from Raven Baxter, and lastly and most devastatingly, one from Edna Mode.

They needed to end this, before the overwhelming feeling of their futures slipping right between their fingers got them akumatized.

Tim Drake Offical @TJDrake

Seeing the demon spawn panic when he realized @FasionInGotham isn’t any safer from maniacs in Paris then she is in Gotham is strangely endearing and vaguely terrifying #whyismyfamilylikethis

Duke of Hazard @DoneWithTheRich

@TJDrake Like you and Barb aren’t frantically searching for anything you can find on the Miraculous Team and these weird-ass butterfly dude.

Call me Cass @CainYouBelieve

@TJDrake @DoneWithTheRich Bugout.com, It’s in French but informative.

Tim Drake Offical @TJDrake

@TJDrake @DoneWithTheRich @CainYouBelieve How did you find this before Barbs and me????

Call me Cass @CainYouBelieve

@TJDrake @DoneWithTheRich @CainYouBelieve @TJDrake Alfred.

The news swept up the story in an instant and suddenly the whole world was demanding to know what the Parisian Mayor had been thinking and why the Justice League hadn’t been involved.

It wasn’t long until the entire Miraculous Team was seated in front of the Louvre. Countless new agencies from around the world were present, eager to hear the story of the sickeningly young-looking heroes, but the one video that received the most views was the shaky camera videos that were uploaded to Marinette’s Twitter, as they shortened the two-hour-long Press conference into manageable clips that highlighted the most important points.

Wayne’s Angel @FasionInGotham

Full Lineup, Damn. Haven’t seen that since the last time we had a Scarlet Moth incident. For those who need context, this is like seeing the entire founding Justice League together to us Parisians.

The clip attached showed A panning shot as they introduced all of the heroes. Ladybug and Chat Noir sat in the center of the long table flanked by Vipirion, plucking his lyre absentmindedly, Abeille, glaring down her nose at the reporters, a beaming King Monkey waving excitedly, and an eerie serious Bunnyx sitting as still as a statue to their right, on their left was fierce-looking Ryuko looking ready to slice anyone who got too close, the calculating Pegasus, mumbling under his breath, and lastly the timid Badulf, struggling to keep his red bangs out of his eyes.

Wayne’s Angel @FasionInGotham

LMAO RYUKO #DRAGONQUEENSLAY

Don’t question Paris’ Heroes like that, they’re feisty.

The clip showed a British reporter demanding to know why the heroes hadn’t contacted the Justice League previously to gain their assistance in taking down the dangerous threat that was Hawkmoth.

You could Ladybug’s eye twitch at the condescending question, but before she could answer Ryuko leaned forward to the mic situated in front of her with a glint in her eyes.

“I apologize for my English,” She started, “I am not as versed in the language as some of my teammates. To answer your question on why we haven’t had the League’s help is because Green Lantern is a fuck.”

Silence filled the gathering before Chat, King Money and Bunnyx burst into giggles, the rest of the heroes struggling to keep a straight face. The media was staring at them dumbfounded until Ladybug finally leaned forward.

“I’m sorry for the outburst,” She started, lips still trying to twitch upwards, “But as Ryuko said we did ask for help. About five months into our heroship Chat and I received an answer from the League after trying for three months to contact them. The ‘help’ came in the form of Green Lantern coming and assessing the situation. Unfortunately for us, Hawkmoth is smart and when the neon green monstrosity of a hero flew in he laid low instead of attacking when a Leaguer was present. Without an attack and no physical damage present as one of my powers allows me to restore all damage done to Paris or its citizens, He decided we were powered children that were trying to get in the spotlight.”

“Getting lectured on wasting the League’s time and resources before he flew off really put a damper on us asking again,” Chat added in, toxic green eyes narrowed and laser-focused on the reporter, “So we handled it ourselves, gaining our own allies as we needed them. But please continue telling us how the League could have helped sooner if only we had asked for help.”

Clip after clip, ten of them total were uploaded into the thread. Explaining the worst battle the heroes had ever faced, the strength of their enemy, what the villain and his assistance could and would do, the worst attacks, the easiest wins, the ways that Ladybug and Chat chose their allies, but the last two clips seemed to get the largest reaction out of the audience, both at the press conference and the internet.

Wayne’s Angel @FashionInGotham

Not gonna lie, seeing my tormentors get put on blast by all of the Heroes is very vindictive #IsthatMean? #MaybeSo

“You’ve seemed to have shifted your support away from one local blog, to another over any official news agency,” One of the nicer reporters at the events said, “Is there a particular reason? And why the sudden shift two years ago?”

Chat’s face was strangely pinched, “Oh you mean why we switched from giving exclusives to the LadyBlog to BugOut? It’s quite simple. We go to the news sources we trust to take the information we are willing to give without worrying about ratings as their top priority. We tried going to Nadja Chamack at first, the local news anchor that we all hold a great deal of respect for, but the producers threatened her to get a ‘highly-rated’ interview. It led to her asking questions Ladybug and I thought were counterproductive to the reason we were invited to the interview and was trying to turn us into celebrities instead of allowing us to do the jobs we needed to. It was a similar reason we stopped going to Alya Cesaire, the Ladyblog editor.”

Ladybug took over here, “Miss Cesaire has the ability to be a very good journalist, but as her blog grew in popularity, so did her need for highly viewed content, this caused her to not only start posting more rumors and speculation than anything we’ve ever said but also to stop fact-checking with us things she heard. Even after talking to her about removing the content that was blatantly untrue and was told no due to the high ratings it had received we realized that we simply couldn’t work with her anymore.”

Abeille piped up in a low regal voice that was dripping with venom, “It really didn’t help that when we started interviewing with Aurora Beaureal from BugOut, shortly after my introduction, Miss Cesaire began a smear campaign against her, claiming she was faking her sources and videos publicly on her blog. Luckily we were able to shut that down quickly enough but it didn’t stop Miss. Cesaire from running into battle to distract us, and frankly, harass us for answers even after we told her no. It’s lead to more than one incident where she, other civilians, and even ourselves have been hurt.”

“Either way,” Chat took over again, “We want to support local news sources but only when they are willing to listen to our boundaries and work with us instead of trying to push issues.”

“Does that mean that info we found on the Ladyblog is not to be believed?” Another reporter called out.

“I would take anything after the first post about Lila Rossi with a grain of salt,” Ladybug said, only for King Monkey to snort and lean towards the mic.

“Yeah and if Lila Rossi is mentioned at all in the post just assume everything in that post is fake. Miss. Rossi is a known liar and problem for us.”

“Can you give us an example?”

Ladybug sighed before explaining, “The first time I heard of Miss. Rossi was an interview on the Ladyblog of her claiming to be my best friend. Now I very much value the secrecy I and my team have created for ourselves because it protects our friends and families, but even a lie about knowing me in such a public setting is dangerous because Hawkmoth and Mayra have proven that they aren’t above underhanded tactics to try and get the upper hand in our fights. I went looking for the girl to explain why she can’t say such things for her own safety, only to find her telling a boy that she possessed the Fox Miraculous in a public park. I will admit I called her out in a way that wasn’t very nice but either claim was enough to put her in danger, but both were painting a target on her back and it scared me that someone would do something to impress a boy. After that, she was akumatized for the first time and since then it has gotten even worse despite me apologizing the second I cured the Akuma. Some of her lies are enough to count as Slander if any of the celebrities she lied about knowing saw the posts, but no amount of persuasion seems to get her to stop.”  

Wayne’s Angel @FasioninGotham

Watching their powers without the looming threat of an Akuma/Amok is a blessing. They look so cool! #Love #Miraculous

The clip started with the heroes standing in front of the table, grouped differently than before. Off to one side King Monkey, Viperion and Bunnyx stood, Viperion holding a microphone.

“While we would love to an demonstrate our powers as requested,” He explained, “Our powers are not really good for demonstrations. Mine is known as Second Chance.”

He raised his hand and pulled the slider across his bracelet as he named it, a flash of pale teal light admitting from it, “When activated like I just did, it allows me to return to the point of activation at any time before I detransform in fifteen minutes as many times as I wish with only myself remembering the previous changes I have made.”

Without even acknowledging the startled whispers from the crowd, he handed the microphone to King Monkey, who offered a cheeky smile.

“So my power is called Uproar. It allows me to create a toy-like object that when it comes into contact with someone causes all of their abilities to malfunction.”

He goes to pull his staff from where it was strapped to his back only for Vipirion to stop him. A silent exchange passed between the pair before the taller hero nodded and handed the microphone off to Bunnyx.

“Viperion and I have a similar reason for our powers being hard to show off, only his is a little more versatile,” She started in a voice devoid of any emotion, swinging her pocket watch slightly, “I have the power Burrow. It allows me, and anyone I chose to take with me, access to a pocket dimension where I can travel to any point in time or space that I chose, past, present, or future. While you might see me fight during any battle I can make it to, my power is a last-ditch effort, as I would have to travel back in time to change the past if I do this assume the future is unsavable.”

The hush that falls over the crowd was quickly broken by Ryuko tapping her group’s microphone to draw attention to the opposite side of the stage where she stood with Abeille, Badulf, Pegasus, Chat, and Ladybug.

“I believe it’s best to not dwell on any one of our powers,” She told them, “Our powers are scary and knowing that they can be taken from us at any time and used for nefarious purposes keep all of us up at night, but we ask you to trust us to use them only for good.”

She waited a moment for the crowd o calm down before giving her own explanation, “My ability is known as the Three Dragons, the Water Dragon, the Wind Dragon, and the Lightning Dragon.”

She handed off the microphone to Pegasus, before calling forth the Wind Dragon and bursting into a group of clouds that swiftly blew around the stage before traveling over to the Louvre Pyramid and watching as the heroine reformed at the top, offering a small wave before the call for Water Dragon could be heard and a large dome of water formed over the entire courtyard.

Before she could call for her last form the snake hero grabbed the microphone, “Lightning Dragon is a bad idea, Ryuko.”

The heroine didn’t even question him, instead, vaulting off of the pyramid, the crowed gasped only for her to effortlessly land next to Bunnyx in a crouch, brushing herself off as she rose and turned her gaze to the horse miraculous user, who quickly explained his power before calling forth Voyage.

His cry caused blue light to circle his arm and he sent it towards the top of the still-present water dome, with a controlled flick of his arm.

The heroes didn’t even blink as the crowd filled with cries as the Eiffel Tower fell through the portal, Ladybug’s yoyo whipping out to direct it’s decent, the entire courtyard shaking as the 10k ton structure landed.  

“I’m up next!” Chat called out with a large grin, while the reporters didn’t seem to know if they should pay attention to the moved monument or the hero. His explanation was short since they were many videos of him using it but that didn’t stop the international reporters from screaming as Cataclysm swirled around his hand eating away at the Eiffel Tower, leaving a pile of rust in the crater

“Is-Is this much property damage necessary?”

Abeille shrugged, “No, but once we get to Ladybug, it’ll make more sense. Either way my turn.”

An unpleasant chill went up the world’s spine as she demonstrated how she could freeze all voluntary movement of her target on Chat Noir, who was still as a statue the second her stinger touched him.

Ladybug quickly took the mic and began explaining her powers. The world watched in amazement at her pulling a red and black spotted camera from thin air before she launched it into the air with a cheer of “Miraculous Ladybug!”

Suddenly a glowing swarm of ladybugs formed and tore through the air, covering Chat Noir, releasing from Venom, before healing the crater and rust from nearby, dissolving the water dome in the same instance.

If there hadn’t been so many people present the world wouldn’t have believed that so much damage was just repaired in the span of ten seconds, but staring at the unimpressed Parisians around them the world finally seemed to grasp the reality of the situation.

These children were past what one would even expect from metas, from aliens and superhumans like they had seen around the world already. These were heroes that were harnessing the very forces that made up the universe and fighting them at the same time. Bunnyx wasn’t exaggerating when she mentioned that sometimes there would be apocalyptic endings to their fights.

Instead of letting the knowledge stew Badulf step forwarded, twisting the microphone as he explained his power of illusions for the reporters.

With a short tune on his flute suddenly the group of heroes was gone, All that remained was a Sign thanking them all for coming.  Even after the illusion faded the heroes were nowhere to be found, having used the final demonstration as the perfect cover to sneak away so that no one could follow them.  

Wayne’s Angel @FasionInGotham

I must say I was not expecting such an outpour of love for all of Our heroes but damn am I pleased by it. Ladybug is our big name but the others are honestly way underloved in Paris, especially Chat who’s been there since the beginning. #MiraculousTeam

Quick Poll Who’s your favorite, everyone? Mine’s Chat Noir

Ryuko (19%)

Abeille (12%)

Ladybug (14%)

Bunnyx (8%)

Viperion (12%)

Chat Noir (15%)

Pegasus (5%)

King Monkey (5%)

Badulf (10%)

Call me Cass @CainYouBelieve

@FashionInGotham I like Badulf, he’s the newest correct?

Wayne’s Angel @FashionInGotham

@FashionInGotham @CainYouBelieve Yup! He’s only been around for four months, but he’s a pretty great fox!

Tim Drake Official @TJDrake

Fun Fact: I just heard Alfred swear for the first time while watching the press conference and it was to call Hawkmoth and Mayra an arsehole FLOB and his fucking Slag.

Never been more terrified,

Based on the faces around me neither has any of the other Waynes #AlfredisTerrifying

Wayne’s Angel @FashionInGotham

Why am I the go to person for everything Mircualous Team? BugOut.com is a great source if you want more info.

Still Queen Bee @BuzzBuzz

@FashionInGotham Probably cause you're most famous Parsian? Or cause you were a miraculous user once?

Jason Todd Lives@BestTodd

@FashionInGotham @BuzzBuzz IM SORRY?? DID YOU JUST SAY MARIGOLD HAD ONE OF THOSE MAGIC FUCKING GEMS???

Wayne's Angel @FasionInGotham

@FashionInGotham @BuzzBuzz @BestTodd That didn't come up in the conference did it? A few of the old users of miraculous got outed as heros so LB doesn't call on them anymore, but keeps tabs on them since HM and Mayra will try and emotionally malipulate them into getting akumatized. A few of us bonded over it.

Still Queen Bee @BuzzBuzz

@FashionInGotham @BuzzBuzz @BestTodd @FashionInGotham Its common knowledge in Paris, Mari, me and our other friend @NotaModel all had miraculous at one point, but HawkBitch found out so we can't ever use a miraculous again sadly. I had the Bee, Mari had the Mouse and Ari had the Snake

Dick Grayson @AFlyingGrayson

Why is Damian staring at a wall and not responding? What broke him? #Help???

Dick Grayson @AFlyingGrayson

@AFlyingGrayson Nevermind #HecouldnthaveanormalGF? #HolyShitMari

Wayne's Angel @FasionInGotham

So I can no longer say I've never seen a Bat before, just saw Signal and Red Robin, I think???

Gonna be real tho, I was expecting to see them in Gotham, NOT PARIS #wtf #Whyaretheyhere????

Marinette had barely sent the tweet before her phone was ringing.

"Are you being serious?" Adrian asked, in lieu of a greeting, "At least two of the Batfam is here?"

"Yeah," She whispered a bit numbly, eyes still focused on the roof she had watched them disappear from mere moments ago. It was far enough away that if she had been a normal human she wouldn't have heard them, but she wasn't a normal human, "Hey Adrian, Don't tell the team what I'm about to say, okay?"

"Are you okay, bugaboo?"  

"Questionable," She didn't even bother rebuking the nickname, "I think I might be dating a Bat."

______________________________________

Taglist: @kceedraws @northernbluetongue @starry-bi-sky @mysteriouslyswimmingfan-blo-blog @lexysama @vincentvangoose @theatreandcomicfreak @vinerlover @calvin1394 @interobanginyourmom @imanerddealwith @aarushi-03 @rikku052 @fantasticfourintraining @clumsy-owl-4178 @two-faced-biatch @celestiacq @vgirl-10123 @peculiarlylostdreamer @tinybrie @treebrosha @sam-spectra @zalladane @teresarosiadeviluke2112 @7-sage-7 @blue-peach14 @nataladriana9 @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry @xxmadamjinxx @unabashedlyswimmingtimemachine @i-identify-as-a-mango @chloe-bourgeois-is-big-gay @vixen-uchiha @face-of-lazyness @lunar-wolf-warrior @derpingrainbow @drama-queen-supreme @vivilakitty @mystery-5-5 @synnesstra @ijustwannabecanadian @sharksharkbb @lysslovsanime @zazzlejazzle @corabeth11 @ur-average-reader @virgil-is-a-cutie @paradoxal-occurance @dur55 @this-is-vander @cowardlygaydinosaur @phantomneow12 @numbuh-7-knd @slytherinhquinn @celerystick045 @silvergold-swirl @dzcile @lordsmeldingtonthethird @asabella1224 @miraculous-simmer7 @god-is-dead-and-so-am-i @kuhakuanon @st0rmy-w1th1n @littleredrobinhoodlum @todaylillypads @screechingflapbiscuitpeach @a-complete-fool @urbanpineapplefarmer @woodland-queer @miraculousl4dybug @teresarosiadeviluke2112 @imanerddealwith @seraphichana @literalfantrash @zebrabaker @captainmac6 

[wordsfromthesol]

Replacement (2/2)

Pairing: Tim Drake x Reader Warnings:  Language, uh...drama? But happy ending obviously. Word Count: 1.7k Requested: @beebosclique​ A/N: This ended up being way more intense than I planned...my bad.

Part One

You woke up in the Batcave infirmary. Your hands immediately shot up to your face. An audible sigh of relief escaped your lips once you felt the fabric of your mask against your hand. The next sound you heard…not so great.

“WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED?!” Jason’s voice boomed.

Your eyes moved towards the sound, watching Jason’s figure hastily move towards your side. Once it registered that he was not in costume, you realized your identity may have been compromised after all. Before Jason could berate you further, another voice echoed through the room.

“This isn’t on her. Hell, she called me.”

“Because you were still a better option that Dick…” Jason’s voice mumbled.

“What…what happened?” Your voice finally croaked out.

“Right. Well when I got there some idiot had just shot you in midair. I took him out and brought you here.” Red Robin explained.

“Ravenger?”

“What?” Red Robin looked at you, brows furrowed.

“It’s that gang we busted up today Tim.” It took a minute for your brain to process what you had just done, but before you could explain Jason chimed in.

“Yeah, replacement here already knows who you are.”

“Your mask was in case any of the others came down…” Tim explained further once he noted the confusion in your eyes. Almost like he was summoned, Dick rounded the corner.

“I heard we had a guest.” Nightwing chimed. His head quickly jerked towards Jason, who was not in costume.

“We already know the whole…” Jason gestured towards you and then back at him. “Heard of the Ravengers, Nightwing?”

“Can’t say I have. They did this?”

“I think.” You muttered, trying to say as little as possible.

“I’ll run the guys prints.” Tim rose from your side, “Are you going to be okay?”

A faint smile spread across your face as you nodded up at him. A reaction that didn’t go unnoticed. Dick followed Tim out of the room, clearly elbowing him in the side. Jason was much more upfront.

“Uhm, what did I miss? When I said you might like him, I did not mean like that.”

“Jay, I’m way too hopped up on pain meds to understand you.”

Jason’s eyes narrowed, “I saw that look. I’m watching you.”

You welcomed sleep yet again, trying to ignore your brother’s words. You woke again a few hours later in a panic.

“Jake!” The memory of your promise came rushing to the front of your mind. You attempted to get up, only you were met with a gentle hand on your shoulder.

“It’s taken care of.” You heard Tim’s voice echo around.

“Wh – what do you mean?”

“His daughter, right? The kidney transplant?” You nodded as he rattled off the information. “I paid the hospital a few hours ago. Then called Jake to inform him that his daughter would receive the next available match.”

“What about…” the raspy words trailed off before you could finish the thought.

“He’s also got a few interviews for Wayne Enterprises in the next week. I’m sure we’ll find a fit for him somewhere.” Your hand went up, in search for his. You clasped it in yours and drifted back to sleep with a smile on your lips.

**

You had been staying at Tim’s apartment for a few days, you had tried staying at Jason’s. You only lasted a few hours before you were begging to go somewhere else. You were laying in the couch watching mindless tv when Tim collapsed into the chair next to you.

“What did you tell them this time?”

“Oh you’re on vacation with Marisa, didn’t you know?”

“I don’t even know a Marisa…”

“Yeah. That’s the point.”

“Why haven’t you told them?”

“Some speech about choices this weird person dressed in spandex gave really got to me.”

“Ha ha.”

“Eh, I figure you have a good reason. Though I would like to hear it…I trust you.”

“Why…?” Your voice almost sounded disgusted at the thought. Tim just shrugged, ignoring the question altogether. That just irked you more, so you continued. “I’ve never done anything to make you trust me. In fact, I resented you for…well for someone else’s choice.”

“Yeah you did.”

“So?”

“I got to hear why and I figured that if you could see past Robin, well you wouldn’t hate me.”

“Yeah, guess that speech kinda gave me away…” You trailed off, remembering the words that had previously escaped your lips.

“Your shoulder gave you away more.”

Your eyes went wide, recollecting the night’s events. “Is that why you went left?” A smirk grazed his features. “Why didn’t you just out me then?” You swatted at his shoulder with your good arm.

“I wanted you to trust me enough to tell me yourself.”

“I kinda ruined that, didn’t I?”

“Or your subconscious made the decision for you.”

“Hmm mm sure.” The sarcasm dripped from the words.

“Well then why are you here and not at Jason’s?” Tim shot back.

“That’s so not fair! He was treating me like some wounded deer!”

“What did you say to me…Oh right. Jason only pretends he doesn’t care.”

“He doesn’t know I’m here right?” You panicked, while Tim only laughed.

“Jason knows you’re safe, healing, and not allowed back in the field yet.”

“Hopefully he won’t turn into Dick and he’ll let me back in the field.”

“Heh, I think Jason knows he couldn’t stop you. I just wonder why Dick thinks he can.”

“Because my dearest brother thinks of me as the same 3-year old girl watching in awe as our parents fell to the ground. He sees me as his last connection to a normal life. As something he must protect.”

“There’s a difference between protecting and hindering…” Tim mumbled.

“When Dick learns that lesson, let me know.”

**

Another week had passed and honestly you were shocked that Dick hadn’t found suspected anything. You were also astonished at how well you and Tim were getting along. You couldn’t believe this was the same person that took the robin mantle from you almost ten years ago. Then again, I guess it wasn’t. He had become so much more in those years, but you refused to see it.

You walked out of your new bedroom, picking at the bandage at your abdomen. “Hey Tim, can you look at –” Your words were cut off by the sound of the door opening, both of you jumped up in a defensive stance. When Dick came bounding through the door, you quickly shuffled behind the kitchen counter, hiding any evidence of the gunshot wound.

“Alright where is my sister?!” Dick screamed across the room before his eyes settled on you. “Oh Y/N/N…you’re here. Why are…?” Dick glanced back and forth at you and Tim.

“Dick, you’re here!” Tim quickly pulled him to the couch, while swatting his other hand towards you. You quickly scurried back to your room, throwing on the baggiest shirt you could find, in an attempt to hide the bandage.

As you exited the room yet again, your eyes shot to the door, which was opening yet again. Jason barreled through, “Tim, where’s Y/N? I think Dick is – oh, hey Dick.” Jason’s eyes met yours, “Wait, Y/N’s been here the whole time!”

Both you and Tim broke out in laughter, “Yeah you didn’t look very hard.” You reasoned as you joined them in the living room.

“I didn’t think it would be that obvious…” Jason mumbled as he sat down.

“Are you wearing Tim’s shirt?” Dick’s brows furrowed in confusion.

“What?” You pretended to ignore the question.

“Are you –” Dick began again.

“Huh?” You cut him off yet again.

“Anyways so as I was just telling Dick,” Tim cut off the sibling antics, “That you were just getting overwhelmed at the Manor.”

“Overwhelmed? With what? What happened?” Dick immediately went into older brother mode.

“Dick, geez. Overwhelmed with everything. I need to figure out who I am and what I want to do without someone constantly watching over my shoulder.”

“Why did I become Robin…instead of Y/N?” Tim’s own thoughts burst from his lips. Everyone looked at him in awe, you even elbowed him in the side.

“Y/N doesn’t be a vigilante. Don’t be ridiculous.” Dick waved off the theory entirely.

Jason awkwardly cleared his throat and got up to leave. You grabbed his wrist and motioned back at the seat. “How do you know that?” Tim questioned before you had the chance.

“What do you mean? It’s…well…she…”

“I mean, you did train her, right?”

“Well some basics, but no more –”

“I, uhm, I did.” Jason reluctantly offered up the secret. Dick shot him a fiery glare.

“And I asked,” you had finally found your voice. “When Jason was killed, when dad went off the rails. I asked to be out there with you. With you both.”

“You weren’t serious?” Dick was starting to doubt his own memory.

“Of course I was. I just lost my brother, the one that actually believed in me. I wanted to prove to you…to myself…that I was worthy of that.” You felt Tim’s hand squeeze your own in reassurance. Thankfully, your words caused Jason to miss that moment of affection. He never understood how much of an impact his actions had on your life.

“I…” Dick’s eyes searched your own, for what, neither of you seemed to know. “I guess I wanted you to be joking, so that’s what I told myself. I just didn’t want to lose you too.”

“You already did, in a way. I can’t be myself with you. The person you know, it’s a façade. They don’t exist.”

“Heh, you’re Eclipse…aren’t you?” Dick’s mind was finally putting the pieces together as he rose from the chair. “I hope you give me the chance to get to know her.” A solemn expression graced his features as he walked out the door. Jason quickly got up to follow him.

“I’m still watching you.” He warned before chasing after his older brother.

Closing your eyes, you fell back into Tim’s chest as relief cascaded over you. “Thank you.” You mumbled as you felt Tim’s arms wrap around you before he pressed quick kiss on top of your head.

[mischiefandspirits]

Colony of Gotham (3/7)

The Colony of Gotham is an urban legend that is whispered about in the dangerous city. It’s said the Colony is a family of demons and spirits that stalk the night, hunting for the souls of the guilty.

When Bruce became Batman, he’d never intended to be mistaken for a demon. He was happy to lean into it, though, and as he gained his partners – as his family grew – they all followed suit.

First Part ~ Previous Part ~ Next Part

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Duke Thomas lost his parents when Joker unleashed a new version of Joker Venom onto a crowd. While most of the infected were rounded up to be cured, some disappeared, Duke’s parents among them. The boy was determined to find them, no matter what it took, which landed him in trouble with both his foster parents and the law. Even when he was labeled a delinquent, though, he continued to search.

Meanwhile, a similar search came to its end.

Harper Row’s hunting had eventually led to her crossing paths with Batman. Despite her fear, she refused to back down under his warnings until her brother Cullen was attacked by some of his classmates while she was away on one of her searches.

Bruce, having been keeping an eye on the woman, stepped in to ensure they got justice for the attack and, in the process, helped her get custody of Cullen so they could both be free of their abusive father. In the face of all these changes and with Batman’s promise to find the other killer, Harper agreed to stand down.

However, Cass would find him first by taking a bullet for him after her father sent men to attack Harper and Cullen to draw her out.

Having expected a monster like Orphan, not this small child who stared up at her with the most apologetic eyes, Harper immediately forgave the girl and worked with Bruce and Batman to clear Cass’s name and take the girl under her wing. It was hard as Cass didn’t understand any language but body, but Harper and Cullen were willing to put in the work. In an effort to help, Bruce brought the Rows into the fold and promised any aid they could require.

Cullen was fascinated, but also happy to keep to the normal side of life. Bruce may have secretly wondered why the other children he found himself faced with couldn't be that level headed.

Harper, on the other hand, was more taken in, but also wary of getting too involved now that she had two people relying on her care. She went out sometimes in all black body armor with a full face mask and short hooded cloak, but she stayed out of sight enough that Black Bat remained an unknown myth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A trip to Los Angeles had Tim declaring he was never going with Bruce on business trips ever again. The first two days had been nice enough, but then Bruce caught him pulling an all-nighter working on a case that he wasn’t supposed to be working on and banned him from coffee.

Which was how a half-awake, phone focused Tim found himself nearly stepping out in front of traffic. Thankfully someone not dead on their feet spotted him in time and she pulled him back onto the sidewalk. He tried to laugh it off as just being too focused on his phone. That failed when he turned to walk away and almost immediately walked into a newspaper rack. The girl insisted on walking him to his hotel. When he pointed out he was going to pick up something from his father, she declared she’d walk him there and back.

When he returned back to Gotham with a new number in his phone, he refused to look her up. No, she was just some random civilian. He didn’t care if Wonder Girl doesn’t even wear a mask! Obviously that was her! A hoodie doesn’t help hide anything, Cassie! You and Kon are terrible! How do you two even have secret identities? At least Superman had those stupid glasses!

No, she was an ordinary civilian.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Duke Thomas’s search eventually ended when he teamed up with Batman to free his parents and the other missing Joker Venom victims from the Court of Owls, his photokinetic vision helping them navigate the labyrinthine tunnels. Unfortunately the Court’s experiments paired with going so long without the antidote had left the victims catatonic. Even still, Duke was so grateful that he did what he could to help Batman with his cases in the future.

Bruce, giving in to the inevitable even if he was wary to have a meta vigilante in Gotham, brought Duke into the Colony. There was some debate over how he’d fit in until Duke made it known that he would prefer getting some actual training before he went into the field for real.

This doesn’t stop Tim and Bette from glaring eachother down over who got to move on from Robin first.

Cass suggested settling it with a Mario Kart race.

Tim won.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One day Jinny “Hex” Woodson got fed up with all her friends discussing their Gotham friends -- ones she was pretty sure none of them were even allowed to have since no one was even supposed to go to Gotham -- so she packed a bag and headed out to find her own Gotham friend.

She decided the place was alright enough. It was actually kind of nice that no one questioned her for having a pair of pistols holstered on her hips. Someone even tried to mug her despite them.

It was hilarious.

She was having trouble finding her new Gotham friend, though. At least until a kid fell off a fire escape she’d been passing under and into her arms.

It was fate.

Apparently the kid had been trying to take a picture of a bird (aka Tim was scouting for a stakeout) and the railing hadn’t been quite as sturdy as he’d thought (it had only let him balance on it in a crouch for two hours before giving way). It was then that he noticed her guns.

“You’re not going to shoot me, right?”

“Angel, you’re so skinny, you can't even see your shadow. I don’t need my guns to whup you.”

“Angel?”

“Because you fell from heaven.”

Tim was not amused. He was even less amused when she declared they were friends now. No, he doesn’t get an opinion on the matter. Should have thought about that before throwing himself at unsuspecting women. She doesn’t even swing that way, Angel.

Around the same time that it hit the Young Justice team that they were all friends with the same Gothamite, it also hit the Colony that Tim had somehow managed to befriend the entire team.

Except no, Tim affirmed that they befriended him. He had no input in this whatsoever, thank you very much. It was probably Kon’s fault, really. He had probably set it all up. Tim was definitely going to give Kon the cold shoulder.

At least until his badgering got too annoying.

The worst part was that Stephanie stole his phone to get Cassie’s number when she found out she and Tim had been flirting. She stated it was so Stephanie could defend his honor if she tried something, but he caught both her and Bette in a group chat with not only Cassie, but Kara Danvers aka Supergirl and Suzanne “Cissie” King-Jones aka Arrowette.

Apparently, they didn’t get to be teased since the girls actively sought out their super friends.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Talia al Ghul personally informed her that the Heir to the Demon was now living with his biological father Bruce Wayne so she would be wise to keep her distance from Gotham, sister or not, Cheshire knew she’d made the right call keeping her nose out of the Waynes’ business.

It didn’t occur to her that when Talia al Ghul had met Bruce Wayne over ten years earlier at a party and decided to spend the night with him, the woman believed he’d given up his training to settle down for a life of luxury and frivolities. Cheshire didn’t know Ra’s had only allowed Talia to keep the child that had been an accidental result because he’d seen Bruce’s promise and believed, if raised properly, the child could become what he thought Bruce hadn’t.

That Talia had only brought her son to his father because she had no other choice.

The Demon’s Daughter fled to Gotham with Damian after her father was killed by Slade Wilson. She had hoped that between Bruce’s former training and the shadowy Colony of Gotham, Damian would be safe until Wilson could be dealt with.

Damian did not get along with his siblings. He made an attempt to pick a fight with Tim that failed when Tim refused to fight a child. Cass tried to fight him in Tim’s place, but Harper told her no. Damian tried to stab Dick when he hugged him and Dick disarmed him before he could without releasing the hug. He picked a fight with Jason and got his butt handed to him. Damian snuck out to prove himself, picked a fight with Nightwing, and got his butt kicked. Damian tried his hand with Tim again and the older boy, annoyed, agreed then used knockout gas on him the moment the fight began. Dick tried to talk with Damian and they ended up fighting. Damian, of course, got his butt kicked.

Stephanie was standing on the sidelines the entire time, encouraging everything.

Soon enough the Colony noticed Slade holed up near Gotham and launched an attack. Due to the danger, Bruce pulled in everyone, leaving the Robins and Alfred to keep an eye on Damian, Duke, Cullen, and Cass in the manor while Catwoman took guard outside. When Damian found out about the attack and tried to go after Slade, Tim sent him in the opposite direction then followed after him in the suit he’d been designing for post-Robin while the others took shelter in the cave.

Tim knocked Damian out and dragged him back to the cave where they locked him in a cell, to Bruce’s annoyance. Damian woke up and realized his father was Batman when he overheard Bruce reveal that Talia was likely coming back for Damian now that Slade was taken down. He also heard the family’s argument over it. None of them wanted him to go with her, but in the end they agreed that it was Damian’s choice.

When she did come, Damian remembered what the others said about him having a choice and some things about family Dick had said when the two had had their private conversation. He decided to stay with them, citing that there were things his father could teach him that he couldn’t learn while helping his mother rebuild the League.

She was obviously annoyed and disappointed, but didn’t fight him on it.

It wasn’t easy. Damian still fought with all his brothers as well as Stephanie, though Duke did his best to keep out of it. The youngest Wayne tried to challenge Tim and Bette for his place as Robin, but Dick and Bruce were able to get him to agree to training instead with the reminder that he was lacking the theatrical and teamwork skills that the Colony utilized and were mandatory as Robin.

Bruce didn’t mention that he wanted more reassurance the boy wouldn’t step over the line before ever letting him near the field.

Damian was not impressed when he discovered his father’s relationship with Selina Kyle and made it well known.

She thought it was adorable.

Damian would never admit that the kitten she gifted him was what calmed him. He simply didn’t see the point in wasting any energy on outwardly disliking the woman when his father clearly wouldn’t be changing his mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Duke took Tim’s place as Robin, he made sure to keep his own contributions to the role quiet. Robin was a legacy while his meta abilities were not. Tim was not quite so subtle in his new role.

No one was sure where the name Corvid came from since the new bird didn’t speak in words, only trills. He wore an armored suit that was blue on the chest and arms and black on his sides with white detailing. His legs, hands, and feet were all black as well except for the blue splashes on the outside of his thighs. A white belt draped over his hips while black bandoliers crossed over his chest, a silver and black bird logo covering the cross. The bandoliers connected to his cowl, which was open at the top unlike the Bats’ which allowed his feather-like hair to fall down around his face. It was shoulder length and faded from black at the roots to blue at the tips, much like the wings that formed from his feathered cape.

They said he was a fallen star stolen away by the Colony. He soared soundlessly through the air on wings that never flapped, leaving behind a trail of blue light. He was more migratory than the others. Sometimes he flew above Batman and Robin, sometimes Batwoman and Red Hood, and sometimes Batgirl and Nightwing. A criminal could only hope they got the warning of seeing one of the others first or he’d have them in his talons hundreds of feet in the air before they even realized he was there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Time passed. Damian grew closer to the rest of the Colony under Dick’s instruction.

Jason and Kate bonded with him over their more aggressive styles (to Bruce’s consternation) while helping him learn ways to calm his temper.

Despite their rough start and continuing antagonism, Damian grew to respect Tim’s quick mind as he tutored him in strategy and the Colony’s language.

He also developed a respect that had nothing to do with fear -- not at all -- for Barbara after she repaid an insult he gave her by sharing with the entire family a video of him fawning over some stray kittens in the park. He never discovered how she got the footage as he had made sure there were no cameras in the vicinity before acting in such an undignified fashion. (It was Dick. He pouted for weeks when he realized the cute video he took of his adorable baby brother was used for such purposes.)

A similar kind of respect grew for Harper as he quickly learned to be noticeable when approaching her. She had far too much experience with bats and birds sneaking around and far too little concern over jabbing them with a stun gun in revenge, whether they meant to scare her or not.

He was not afraid to admit he was scared of Cass once he realized who she was, though. He knew her skills and knew she could take him down in seconds if it came to it.

He was skeptical of both Stephanie and Bette, who he believed to be vapid, but Stephanie’s pranks were amusing when they weren’t directed at him and Bette introduced him to social media revolving around animal rights (and cute animal pictures).

Although he was rather dull, Cullen was by far the best person to be with while working on his newfound appreciation for drawing and painting, especially if the older boy was doing his own artwork for the webcomics he and Duke collaborated on.

While not being the most mentally or physically skilled, Duke was the most patient of the lot and could be trusted to keep his mouth shut so he was the one Damian went to when he needed assistance with homework (a rare occurrence, but the American schooling system was so different from his League tutors, to the point that sometimes they even seemed to contradict one another) or wanted to practice his Trillic.

Though he would never admit it out loud, Dick was Damian’s favorite of the lot. While he didn’t have Duke’s patience, he was just as considerate and confidential. When something happened, Dick was always willing to hear him out and talk him through it until he understood. Or at least was on the path to understanding. Dick did not share Jason’s anger, his father’s suspicion, Tim’s caution, or Duke’s anxiety. He had only sympathy. Damian knew his mother would consider Dick weak, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a year in Gotham came and went, Dick went to Duke and Bette. The three talked, eventually bringing in Harper as an idea began to blossom.

Robin had a sword. They said he got it from his shadow.

The only thing not pitch black on the Black Bat was the thin golden outline of the Bat’s symbol on their chest. Their face was featureless, not even possessing eyes like Batgirl. They never made a sound. If you saw Robin, then his shadow was behind you.

There was no time to run.

On the other hand, those who believed themselves safe during the day proved to be foolish.

Bright spirits had come to Gotham.

They wore metal armor and carried their wings on their chests. They came and went in flashes of light bright enough to stun.

Bluebird was their guide and donned armor of blue. Her voice echoed with the voices of lost souls and lightning danced across her form.

Lark was their prophet and donned armor of gold. He could see the past, present, and future and fought with the strength of ages past.

Hawkfire was their messenger and donned armor of red. She spoke with the voices of everyone she passed and her armor blazed with the heat of the sun.

Though they walked the day and seemed to be creatures of light, it was nothing but a trick. They were will-o'-wisps, false lights. They were birds.

The Colony had invaded the day.

With the three working together, Bette offered to turn Duke and Harper. The two accepted. Afterwards Harper sought out Cullen and Cass to offer them the same. She wasn’t surprised with Cass’s easy agreement, though Cullen’s was a little more shocking as he’d never shown any interest in the Colony’s nightlife. Quite the opposite, in fact. He simply shrugged and told her vampirism had nothing to do with the nightlife. It was just how their family worked.

He and Cass were greatly amused, but unsurprised when Harper, Bette, and Duke forgot to mention the latest turnings. They decided to keep their own mouths shut to see how long it would last, though he did confide in Alfred. Not that it was necessary as the man seemed to put it together himself the moment he saw Cullen.

It took three months for Bruce, Tim, and Barbara to figure it out for themselves, then an additional two for the rest to find out when Duke casually mentioned it during a family meeting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Damian blamed Tim when he found himself stuck in a room with Superman’s spawn Jonathan Kent while said superhero in disguise interviewed Damian’s father for the newspaper.

Clearly, Tim’s horrible curse had somehow rubbed off on Damian and the older boy would pay dearly once he returned home by way of Damian renaming all of Tim’s non-case related computer folders and creating a maze of invisible thread around his room.

At least the half-alien had good taste in video games. And his voice was nice enough that his incessant chatter was more like a soothing white noise than a nuisance. And Superman clearly would have trained Jon in discretion, even if not to Damian’s family’s standards.

For the record, the only reason Damian accepted Jon’s number was so that Dick would be so pleased Damian had finally acquired a friend that he wouldn’t allow the others to tease him over something that was clearly Tim’s fault to begin with. And when that plot fell through, he simply forgot to delete Jon’s number because he was busy expanding his revenge to include Jason and Stephanie.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harper, as Black Bat, wore Cass's Orphan suit from Young Justice. I wanted something a little more lowkey from what she normally wears since she's not really supposed to be spotted.

Tim's suit got the most reworking because I like and dislike elements from all his Red Robin suits. The end result is one with the body armor from his Young Justice (TV) Robin suit, but with the New 52 wings paired with the bandoliers, logo, and cowl from the original Red Robin suit. Except I left the cowl open on top like the ones Kid Flash and Impulse use. From there you replace the red with blue and the yellow with white. I honestly wish I was better at drawing so that I could give a visual of what I'm going for here.

Cass's Black Bat suit is her Batgirl one, just with her belt black instead.

Haper, Bette, and Duke wear Signal's armor as Bluebird, Hawkfire, and Lark, just in blue, red, and gold instead of yellow. The bat logo is also replaced with their individualized bird logos.

Vampires’ animal forms:

Duke: Cape wild dog

Harper: Maned wolf

Cullen: Crab-eating fox

Cass: Northern bat

[currentfandomkick]

Bio! Dad Strange Part 10, Mr. J finds Robin

Realized it might be easier to add titles so people know whats going on in these

Marinette was glad she had red hoodie, er, Jay back. He helped her escape her overprotective rouges, and aas the only one she could rant to about JL members without worrying about secret identities.

They may also be plotting to get their Hero Stalker out of the batfam—apparently Dick was a dick to Jason and chances of him changing with Tim were slim.

Speaking of, he didnt pick up lastnight and there havent been Robin sightings lately. Though, she is a but distracted trying to manage Jay’s murder rampages. Zsasz was helping with those and the Sirens pointed him to targets that deserved it, mostly traffickers and cartels.

The Council said that at this rate, he’d be her bodyguard or a new member. She didnt know what that meant for him besides staying beside her, when she worked as ‘Harley’s Niece’ (thank you puzzles for that) but otherwise she was kept away as Pixie Pop (too easy to id her) and Jill was just her father’s daughter taking to his patients and keeping certain Rogues from plotting mass murder (Uncle Jerome, Penguin, Riddler) or terrorist attacks (mostly Scarecrow but sometimes Ivy, Dent and Mr. Freeze)

But it bugged her, Robin being missing. She mentioned it to Rose, who said her flowers hadn’t seen him at all. As Tim or Robin.

She sent out a rouge and RKC search city-wide. Jay helps, as Red Hood (helmet was better but no, hood. Even though he isnt wearing one and is still in the awful outfit they met in).

Red Hood has managed to get a following on the streets and made a no kids rule for everything. All kids found were given to Uncle Oswald or his ‘son’ Marteen (late twenties) for recovery phsycially. Mentall Harley had her own picks for help on therapy, social and psychological sides.

The RKC was thriving since that system was installed.

But Robin was missing two days in. Mr. J was still back and too quiet and damnit!

Marinette skipped her treatments. Gotham is loud and she knows it but she has to do something. Jay is in his gear and she puts on her knock-Harley outfit and stocks up on knives, stungun, bolas and rubber bullet guns on her hips or legs.

She doesnt think about the fact that the red and black makes it look like her and Red Hood are trying to match with the the different red and black he’s wearing. Her makeup covers her face again—done up like a mime with a few contour tricks now.

She sneaks out and patrols on the rooftop, one of Robin’s usual routes. Maybe they just need to talk in person.

Then she catches something that sounds like her Hero Stalker when he was frustrated and tired and oh god that was screaming in there.

She moved. hit Rose’s tracker flower hard enough to leave a distress trail as she ran.

Jay ran after her, following her twists and turns.

She wished she skipped her treatments sooner. Could fly off to help but she hadnt and she cursed herself for this.

At 10 she found Mr. J torturing her friend in a warehouse.

“Stalker,” she whispered. Becuase that’s who he was first, the hero stalker that loved Batman and Robin (Robin-Jay, a small voice corrected her) for helping his city and were kind and caring and nice when his home was cold.

Robin and Mr. J didn’t hear. She knew that words were being said but she couldnt process them. Shock, Harley talked about that a lot after last summer.

A camera was recording. The sick fuck, he wanted to show this to someone.

She grabbed her bolas and threw them at Mr. J’s head.

He went down, hard. Jay handled him, but Marinette only cared about getting her friend off that table.

There was an oversized ray gun lointed at them while she fiddled witht he restraints, picking the locks.

She heard the whirling in it and kicked it in another direction.

It threw lightning. What the hell. What the hell—where was Batman. Why wasnt he keeping her friend safe. Why did he fail to keep Jay safe. Why—why does he get to put kids in danger?

Marinette felt sick. She got an exhausted Tim out and carried him.

She felt Harley run a hand through her hair as she refused to let her friend go.

She didnt know when the others got there, but they were.

Never alone, never go in alone. Always call the family and they will show. Never fight alone—the Council drilled this into her for years. Why was Hero Stalker-Robin alone? Did Batman forget how dangerous Gotham can be?

Zsasz was there with Jay, something Jay being “too nice” about needing to kill him painfully and permanently this time—“properly put him down this time.”

Her mind was a mess. She went to her Father on autopilot, carrying Tim over the rooftops. He clung to her. She’s ten and he’s twelve clinging to her as support. Where’s his team, his backup. Where’s Batman or Batgirl or Nightwing or the newb—Spoiler?

Why was Tim clinging to her and her team when his should be there. When his fights hers. Why were his enemies there and Batman—no, Bruce, his dad. Why wasn’t his Dad there for him. Why?

Father’s assisant helped fix Tim, their ability is to augment healing after Father puts them back together. Any attempt to move his mask was met by her breaking their wrist.

He had enough to worry about. No identity reveals on top of this nightmare, not on her watch.

She didn’t leave him that night. Refused to sleep too.

When he came to the next day, Jay was with a despondent Marinette.

“Going Kronos route,” Jay. Jay was tlaking about that monster. “He said I didnt have to see that.” Jayw as looking at her weird.

Marinette nodded, hoping it was the last time for real Jerimah would die. She lost track of how many times he’d been killed.

“Dad, he’s gotta be worried...” Tim, why the hell aren’t you thinking for yourself? Marinette wants to shake him, to keep him there and never let Bruce see him again.

Jay is debating it too, she can feel it. “I don’t know, he replaced me pretty quick.”

She wants to hit her brother. Becuase she knows he’s hurting but Jay can you chill for a but—he knew Hero Stalker befor ehe became Robin. He kenw what Tim’s life was like before Bruce. And Tim has been through enough, especially for now, hasn’t he?

“I, Ja—” so his first name started with a J. He was Jason Todd Wayne. Red Hoodie was Jason Todd Wayne and Robin and now James Smith. A lot of o’s until now, she noted (distract to aviod processing an overwhelming situation.)

“Its Red Hood. That kid died.”

“Hoodie...” she wanted to hug him or hit him or something. She doesn’t know. It hurts and doesnt at once.

Jay put an hand on her shoulder.

She knew he meant it. That Robin was killed by negilence from what he’d told her and she could peice together. The batfam picked Dick who left over him—a new Robin with no idea what was going on and how to Wayne and was being bullied by the rich kids and teachers in the ways that Jason couldn’t fight against. And when he finally lashed out—started being abit more violent—they put distance and then he went to find someone that might want him, his birth mother. That person sold him out to Mr. J. He died trying to protect his birth mom who wanted him dead.

She wanted cry but her eyes weren’t working. Still in shock then.

“I’m taking you back home if you want, but you have to stop being Robin like this. You can still do detective stuff but you need backup when you patrol or do a bust ir anything. You’re thirteen, not twenty.”

Tim didn’t make eyecontact. “I, he needs me.”

Marinette wanted to throttle Bruce. Badly.

“I get that.”

Harley only got better when Ivy stepped in. Jerome only recovers as long as Marinette keeps talking to him, the Sirens are slowly adopting him so she has more free time. Zsasz does what she says, and when she said no more taking hits unless they broke an RKC rule—attacking kids, abuse (any kind), murder that isn’t justifiable (see Dent for clarification), and active enablers of systematic abuse (dirty cops and their ‘albi’ partner, the false alibi givers too—Rose and Ivy’s plants were happy to testify the truth of anyone’s lcoation at any time).

Hell, if it wasnt for Frost and Ghoul and Puzzles, she doubted their fathers would even be considering backing off of crime. As it stands, Riddler is now running a youtube let’s play and working on game design as her and puzzles constant request. The other two were slowly moving off of crime and more into science again.

Her father would still be.. she didnt want to know how he’d escalate. But there were rumors of an alter around... she’d handle that tomorrow. Today was making sure Tim understood boundaries.

“But that doesnt mean you die for him. Do you hear me?”

Tim wasn’t looking at her then, looking at Jay instead.

“How are you even...”

“I dont talk about it.”

Tim nodded, slowly turning back to Marinette. “I, uh...”

Jay shook his head. “He wont get it pixie.”

“I,” Marinette sighed. Everything in her hurt and she didn’t know why. She wasnt injured. “He can try. Just, please Jay?”

Jay ruffled her hair. “Talk to him then you’re getting some z’s got it?”

Marinette nodded, feeling Jay leave. Probably to talk to Father about this. Maybe the Council.

“T—Robin.” He turned to her then. “Please, don’t die. If its life or death situation, please dont be the one to die. Don’t pull an idiot move and martyr yourself fighting a war. Focus on the causes, find the root issue and kick its butt. If anyone can, its you.”

Tim blinked slowly at her.

Marinette sighed. “Get some rest. Everyone knows if the touch your mask Jay’s got free reign.”

She went home and let Harley gove her Ivy’s knockout tea.

“Hun, how...”

“He doesn’t even realize how screwed up it is. I, he can’t becuase he came from such shit parents and...”

Harley raised an eyebrow at her word choice, and decided certain people would get a talk. Lter, when her neice didnt look like she couls blow up at any minute.

Marinette wanted to scream and kick and fight but thst won’t help her friend.

“...how bad.”

“His birth parents left him alone enough for him to stalk vilgantes and rogues and get pics. They didnt even notice.”

Harley took a deep breath. “I’m giving him a burner. If he’s in deep, he can message us. I can talk to him but we both know that not how Waynes work.”

Marinette rubbed her temples. She suspected Harley knew but... “Do they know?”

“Only me, Selina and Jerome for now. Ivy suspects. Want it to stay our secret?”

Marinette nodded.

Harley patted her head. “Get some sleep. You have a Bat to chew out tonight.”

—

Marinette walked Tim to Batman, escorted by Jerome and Harley.

Jerome was pissed, she noted.

“Batsy, care to explain why my neice and us were the ones to find your bird?”

Batman didn’t look good. His skin was tired. Hopefully from searching for his son, right?

Batman was silent.

Tim ran into his arms, crying.

Marinette could feel Jerome ready to punch Batman. She held him back.

“Give him a minute, please.”

Jerome narrowed his eyes, but nodded.

Batman idly noted the interaction. Apparently this girl... clown-mime? She had sway over Joker and Harley. And found his son.

He didnt know how to thank them, or what to do with that.

“Er, Mr. Batman?” The girl sounded different then. More than a tonal shift.

“I, you need to fix your team. This is the second time this happened to one of your sons.”

Batman tensed at that.

“It was Mr. J again. I, one of my uncles and my brother are handling him. This is the third summer he’s tried killing a kid.”

That had both looking at her. “He,” Marinette was smaller then, almost... scared.

Batman seemed to catch what she was trying to say.

“He kidnapped my girl here with hatter, killed Hatter infront kf her, and held her for a week while deciding how to kill her until she escaped and called us.”

Batman stared at Marinette then, something clicking enough to make him pale.

“He targets kids. The, the RKC are claiming jurisdiction on him and claiming his body to prevent future revivals,” Marinette got out, shaking slightly. She hated thinking about that week. It took day with the green crystals and week after to recover phsyically.

Batman didnt say anything, waiting for her to talk. Not the adults—he put together she’s incharge.

It was unnerving.

Tim was looking ar her too. They both knew she knew a lot. He wanted to see what she’d do with that knowledge.

She hated to dissapoint him, but Oswald and Marteen and Fish told her to make sure negotations go her way by any means necessary.

“I, Robin is either to be supervised or partnered during all patrols, put on a team somewhere else where he gets that support or be removed from fieldwork and he needs a new alias for his safety.”

Robin, not Tim, stiffened. “You’re not the boss of me!”

“If these conditions aren’t met, then i...”

Harley stepped forward then. “Then me or Jokes will blab about who’s under the mask. If its bad enough, then my mini-me will let out four other leaguer’s identities and their sidekicks. She’s pretty smart, even panicked when she found out i knew how much she knew.”

Marinette was paler under the makeup. She knew

This was the best plan for sucess but it made her feel sick.

Batman put Tim behind him.

“How does she—”

Marinette winced at the tone.

Batman froze at her reaction. He didnt like it when kids were scared of him.

She was shaking when she spoke. “Paterns and friends with their obsessions and me with mine and a few photoshop jokes and it just...” she trailed off, curling in in herself and eyes on the ground.

Bad move but she, she cant look at people right now. Maybe Jay but not the man who pushed her brother into a palce where he was vulenerable, not one who failed to get two of his sons away from Mr. J.

“You, you should have a meeting or something on secret identities becuase i have to keep a lot of them now. Becuase, becuase you guys are bad at them and blocking JL news did nothing to stop figuring out Arrow with his archery style and Superman’s only works with general disbelief and acting and Wonderwoman should vary how she carries herself or something and uh, yeah, Flash was more a senses thing and uh, i just...”

She was fiddling. With her ropes. When did she start doing that?

“I’ll talk to the league.” Batman was watching her carefully. Too carefully.

“Just, just think things through, okay? Tag team patrols if he stays and new costume—i made him by knowing him before... maybe a different role on the team? I, i don’t know just...”

Marientte squeezed the rope. Oh, those were tears starting up. “please keep him safe.”

She didnt see their reactions. She heard Jay coming over, in his helmet.

“Pixie, time to go.” It was Jay that lifted her up. She was lighter then? Did her worry screw with her treatment processing again? She didnt know. Or maybe she was just light to him?

She let him take her the long way, to the RKC.

She cried with Rose’s plants growing over her and Jay into him. Rose kept Ghoul from going to kill someone by getting him to help her make crepes for Marinette.

It was an absymal attempt. But it got her to laugh.

Frost gave her an ice sculpture and told them he’d be taking her to his summer classes in Central for a few.

—

The JL have a meeting. No one likes what Batman tells them.

“You’re telling us Harley Quinn—who took you down on her own twice—she has a neice that knows not only your team’s identities, but mine, Supes, Wonder Woman and Flash’s?” Arrow summized.

Batman sighed. “Yes.”

The League was silent for a moment.

Flash was the one to break it. “You wouldnt happen to have any pictures of Harley in casual clothing would you?”

Everyone turned to him, various looks of confusion, rage and disgust.

Batman put a picture of Harley with the Sirens up, one where she forgot her make-up during a ‘shopping spree’ in the Sirens early days.

“Yeah, i think she’s this girl, Jill i think, her aunt. The kid was wicked smart when i met her at the Flash muesum last year, and knew more than she should about acfive police cases. I think she’s our mystery girl, Pixie.”

“That’s what Red Hood was calling her before taking her away.”

The league burst into chaos then.

“We need to find her”

“Get the security feeds from the Flash muesum last summer.”

“Theyre deleted already.”

“Databases for american girls named variations of Jill born between XXXX and XXXX”

“Wait, alias, maybe?”

“Damnit!”

—

The Flash was patroling his city when she spotted her. Pixie. At central city university.

“Hey there kiddo.”

The girl jumped a bit, turning to see him. Earplugs. sensory issues?

“Uh, hello?” Th girl looked around, like she was expecting someone else. “Are you looking for someone?”

“Kind of. Maybe you can help?”

That got the girl’s attention, sitting up straighter and her eyes sharper. Definately the girl Batman said she was. He put his league comm on, hoping the others would hear.

“There’s this case I’m working on, but the lead scientist is stuck on. I heard from a certain reporter you’re pretty good at forensic science, think you can help with a bit of bio?”

Marinette blinked a few times, but nodded. “Kind of. Im not allowed in labs yet so i mostly just look at data and figure out what patterns fit it best. My father doesnt want me to get too involved with biology or medicine since mom has a science ban.”

Red flag. Restrictive learning is a red flag. Possible abusive or toxic home. Procede with caution.

“Well that’s good. Give me one sec, the lead on this isnt getting it done.”

flash came back in less than a second, holding a file. “Can you look this over and tell me what happened?”

“The kid was moved through multiple locations while injured. He, he couldnt fight back since there’s no defensive wounds, but restraint bruising, looks like metal since its uniform... i, mr. flash, they have a lot of injuries, but some are old and defensive so in bad fighting situations a lot too.”

Marinette handed him back the file.

“Thank you. The forensic guy is taking forever.”

That had the girl, Jill? Looking at him again, this time curious. He hoped the league turned on his camera to see her reactions. Get her into their database.

“Who is it?”

“Barry Allen.”

Marinette couldnt help it, Barry (not flash, Barry who is hiding being a meta and still speaking out) is her personal hero. Him and Harley, but still. “He’s really cool!”

Okay, she can’t hide her fangirl side.

Flash raised an eyebrow. “Not really. Always late, sloppy attire, testimonies are eh.”

Marinette was mad then—why cant Flash let his alter be amazing!

“He’s late becuase he’s known to stay up late working on other cases when he isnt paid to and doesnt have to. And appearances and organizational skills arent what matters—his expertise is and he’s one of best with getting everyone what they need in time for case-building. So what if his reports are hard to read sometimes? He explains it in personso everyone gets what happened, which is very important and a lot of people are super bad at. And—and he advocates for meta rights and for their ability and circumstances taken into consideration during sentencing—none of the others even try to remind people of that and that a lot of metas dont chose their powers and it gets overwhelming and scary and then one instictive reaction later and people get hurt when you didnt want to react at all.”

Flash felt something kick him in the chest then. The girl is meta. Ear plugs. Possibly hurt somone by accident.

“If its okay, can i ask what your ability is?”

Marinette froze. “I. If anyone finds out, I lose Maman and Papa and Father and everyone.”

Flash froze at that. “What do you mean you lose everyone.”

“I, I’m visiting family for the summer. I live in France.” She didnt want to say more than that for location. “Being meta there is bad. Automatic life sentence with no trial bad.”

Flash sat down, putting an arm around her. This, this was not what he was expecting.

“My powers get worse in the summer. If I slip here, most of my family can handle it. Nothing bad happens. If i slip at home with Maman and Papa, i... if anyone knew then i’d be taken away whether they wanted it or not.”

“Where would you end up?” He had to know how bad it was.

“Living zombie in correction centers. Then jail-jail when you’re 18 until you die... no trial. Being meta is a crime there. And, and mr. Allen doesnt think that way at all. He keep saying you need to contextualize power and abilities and intents and if you defend yourself and you’re meta you go jail...”

Flash stayed silent, letting her continue.

“Maman screamed a lot when i hit this stalker in france. He was following me and other kids from school with a bat, saying he’d teach us all lessons. We got away but he kept trying to get us. I snapped one time and he was mostly fine, nothing permanent but Maman was so angry at me for almost getting caught becuase it was on tape and i was a little kid and little kids run, they dont fight.

“My powers didnt show though—Father made a treatment to keep them from that. No one suspects stickers... but she’s still scared its enough for a rep to come and check me for meta abilities and that she’ll lose me again.

“Again?”

Marinette twisted at that. “I, uh, probably would be dead if Father didnt find a treatment for me as a baby. Its how i got my abilities, but if theyre ever neutralized completely, i’d be dead. So we have to curb them... Maman forgets i need them and almost threw out my supply once. She forgets that i’m not normal until things like a student stalker happen and i hit the guy with his bat and then she remembers and gets scared i’ll be taken and its just...”

Flash decided he was adopting her, somehow. Smart and powered and in need of help.

There would be an intervention in France soon.

“Sounds like a lot of pressure, especially for someone your age.”

Marinette didnt make eye contact. “I have to. If i dont then there’s a dot in the open and thats a possible pattern and someone might connect it to the ones i couldnt stop. And Father and me are good at connecting dots and finding possibilities.”

Flash wanted to scream at the League then, he ahd a feeling they only added to her stress.

“He, he says we’re hardwired to find patterns and possibilities. But i shouldnt catch as many as i do. My teachers keep saying i need to slow down and dial it back and stop catching on so fast and blurting things out but i just...”

Marinette was fiddling with her hair then, it was down enough to.

“Sounds like you’re a real smart kid.”

“Smart kids don’t get caught.” She needed to be smarter, untraceable.

Flash thought she meant the Justice League wasn’t smart. And if the girl was reluctant to let him bring them in just yet...

“Do you at least have someone you can talk to about this?”

“My Auntie Quinn and Rose. Rose doesnt like you though.”

“Oh? Who made her mad at us? Was is Arrow?” He already knew but he wanted to know why.

“Batman. He, uh gave her to someone who, and i quote, ‘should never be allowed to have a sentiment child that is not a plant’ when she was found by him. She’s younger than me but she looks older, and isnt allowed outside of her house.”

Flash heard a low thump from his comm. oh, Batman knew who it was alright.

“I, uh, do you need help with another case?”

Flash smiled at her. She needed a distraction from what she just said.

“Back in a flash!” Once he was back in starr labs he turned on his audio. “Who was it?”

“Poison Ivy’s daughter. Cadmus, not Ivy, created her apparently.”

Flash swore as he grabbed a differnt file. Potential speedster case he hadn’t gotten around to.

“Here ya go kiddo,” Flash grinned at her.

Marinette nodded her head and looked over the file.

“Something doesn’t add up... there!” She pointed at one of the photographs. “See?”

Flash leaned in to get a better look.

“It looks like the speedster marks but that would only work if the speedster was messing with spacetime continum! But there’s no evidence of that so Occam’s razor, its a lightning meta!”

Flash looked over the picture and it did add up. Especially the lack of certain streaking patterns.

“They were probably teleporting since theres no drag or streaks, just one epicenter,” Marinette continued.

Flash decided that the League would be visiting Paris, and he’d be personally fixing the meta policies. And that the girl, Jill, she’d be in the League. She lectured Batman and Robin on safety and seemed to be focused on helping them in their weaker spots as heroes... mainly identity maintenance. And she likes science and is good at it—perfect to add a science-centric member to the League as she grows up.

—

That’s the end of this summer. Next time we do marinette meeting Tikki and becoming Ladybug. That should take a few posts until we get back to gotham.

Let me know if you want a JL handling looking for Marinette as Princess (the kiddie kyptonian) and Jill (who Flash found and is presumed to be Harley’s neice). Im happy to if there’s interest.

Reminder, there will be many a miraculous swap and the Ladybug parts will diverge from cannon as 1) i changed a lot of characters, 2) charater dynamics are altered too and 3) i’m changing when students came in and how Adiren ended up in school.

Also, see my kwami posts for how the kwami are in this AU as they are not the same as cannon and it will be a bit obvious.

@dast218 @ilovefluffbutsmutisalsogreat @weird-pale-blonde-person @emeraldpuffguide @mystery-5-5

[mydeardeath]

Ineluctable (4/4)

This was written almost two years after chaper 3 so it’s not quite the end I had first thought of. Not beta read, so sorry for the mistakes 

                                           ___________

Their search for Damian didn't last long. The following morning his name was all over the newspapers along with the word "Omega" written in capital letter. The title was simple but it was sure to sell. Tim had been stuck in traffic on his way to work when he had seen it. He had stopped in the middle of the road and gotten out, ignoring the cries and the honking to take one of the papers. The fact that Damian's true cast had been discovered was concerning enough on itself but that not what drew Tim's attention. There was more horrifying that Damian's secret being exposed to the whole world.

Ra's had Damian.

The paper showed a picture of Ra's Al Ghul, a "protective" arm slung around his grandson's shoulders. He had presented himself to the Hong Kong's authorities as a concerned grandfather looking out for his omega grandson who was traveling alone with an unmated alpha. Once he had been confirmed that Damian was indeed an Omega he had been put into Ra's care. Cassandra Cain, the unmated alpha that had been traveling with him had been put under arrest to be investigated as well as the whole Wayne family for not only lying about one's cast but also for failing to provide the "protection and education that all Omegas shall receive". Thus, until the investigation was completed, Damian Wayne would remain under his grandfather's care, who had been granted temporary guardianship. 

Ra's told himself appalled by Bruce Wayne's actions and swore he would bring proper care for the Omega. That would cause such a scandal. Bruce and Tim would have to step down from their position in WE. Their funds would probably be blocked during the investigation. But they would need a really good lawyer to win the trial. They were sure they would be one. Ra's had played it smart by making it public. They couldn't just go and retrieve Damian now. Tim felt stupid for not seeing it coming. Of course, Ra's would get involved. This was a golden opportunity.

Tim's hands were clenching hard on the papers and he was brought back to reality by the news-seller yelling at him about reading the papers without buying it. He tossed him a bill and got back into his car. There was no need to go to work today. He needed to get back at the manor before the police came looking for them. It was surprising they hadn't woke then up in the middle of the night. But relations weren't that good between the US and China. Small mercies.

***

Alfred was already opening the door as Tim's car pulled up in front of the Manor. His face was somber. He already knew, had probably heard the news when he was preparing breakfast for the rest of the family. So the others probably knew too.

Alfred led him to the living room. Bruce was standing in a corner of the room while Jason and Dick were sitting on a sofa, close but not quite touching. Dick had come back as soon as he had heard that Damian had disappeared and Jason was soon to follow. As an omega himself, he understood why Damian had kept secret about his cast. People coming from the dead weren't that weird nowadays with all the metas and aliens. Jason could have easily got his identity back. But he would be trapped again, never really free because of his caste. He was far better off with being officially dead.

None of them could hide their worry, not even Bruce. It was his younger son that was concerned after all. And this wasn't anything mission's related. He didn't want to admit it out loud before his sons, but he had doubts. He wasn't sure he could win this. Not his usual way of thinking, but he had no emergency plans for one of his sons being an Omega. He had never thought Damian was one. He was surprised Talia had lied about it. At first, it made sense. She wanted Damian to inherit her father's empire. So she couldn't have him be an Omega. But she could have easily sold him out once he had turned his back on her to stay with her father. She had disowned him. Yet, she remained silent about his true caste. No matter all she had done, she had protected their son from that. So despite all that had happened between them, he felt afraid of what Ra's might do to her for lying to him all of this time. She was not a good person but she didn't deserve to pay for protecting Damian. So Bruce would not only have to make sure that he got Damian back quickly but that Talia was safe as well.

Bruce remained silent for a few minutes after Tim had joined them. He didn't know where to start. He had no plans forming up in his mind. He was unable to come up with anything. He loved Gotham and his country but he knew its flaws. He knew how Omegas were regarded. There had been some progress in people's minds but laws were slow to follow. Omegas still needed a guardian even after hitting 18. They were always under someone's authority, may it be a parent or a mate. And regarding the law, Bruce had failed as a parent.

"So what's the plan, B?" Jason put him out of his thoughts.

Bruce had now the attention of his sons. They all had tried to think of something and were as lost as he was. They looked at him with various ranges of despair, waiting for him to spell out a plan of action. Anything to reassure. To show them that Damian wasn't lost to them, that they would get him back.

"I..." Bruce started, not knowing what to say to them.

At the same moment, Alfred came into the room followed by Jim Gordon.

"Commissioner," Bruce greeted him, straightening suddenly to face the newcomer.

"Misters Wayne," he replied, trying to smile at them but they could see he was tense.

"What bring you here, commissioner ?" Tim asked.

"Damian Wayne," Jim said simply to no one's surprise. "The state has chosen to press charges against your family for housing an undeclared Omega as well as registering said Omega as a Beta in front of the law."

It was clear in his tone that the man didn't like that more than they did. But he did not have any other choice than to enforce the law no matter how bad it was.

"We understand Commissioner, but I would like to point out that as Damian's father that the sole responsibility of..."

"There is no need for that, Bruce. Lying to a representative of the law would bring no good in our current situation."

"Tim..." Bruce tried to interject, no understanding what Tim was getting at.

"Truth is, Commissioner, that Damian is my mate, but as he was ten when he arrived in the family I couldn't bring myself to declare it. I ask them to say nothing until Damian was of age as I did not wish to be tied in this way to a child.”

They all froze at Tim's declaration. They had not expected him to declare Damian as his own. But they all could guess why he had done so. They had all come to the same conclusion: they would lose a trial. Bruce may be Damian's father but Ra's was also family. And he had law and public opinion on his side. Well, maybe that last wasn't entirely true. Omega's right defenders would side with Bruce, but the judges of Gotham were old and conservative folks. That wouldn't win them a trial. The only thing stronger than Ra's claim of guardianship over Damian was a mate claim. Tim claiming Damian as his Omega was the only way of getting him away from Ra's.  So, while they were all trying to think of some kind of plan, Tim had resigned himself to that. He knew it was for the best but he still felt bad for putting Damian in a situation he wouldn't like.

They all still had to follow the commissioner back to the station to give their statements. Well, with the exceptions of Jason, of course. He was still official dead so no charges were pressed against him. He watched them all walk out of the manor, including Alfred. He went straight to the job as the door closed. They all had some knowledge of laws but it wouldn't hurt to get back to the laws about Omega and pack's rights. And it made him felt at least a bit useful and kept him from going crazy while waiting for the others.

***

Damian stared blankly at the wall while Ra's servants busied themself preparing him. He had had no other choice but to follow his grandfather. He had waited until they were out of Hong Kong's authorities' view to try to escape. He was still pretty weak, his heat not quite over even if the worst had passed. But despite his weakened strength, he had put up quite the fight. That's it until his grandfather had pressed his teeth to his neck. Damian had gone slack, trying to put some distance between himself and the teeth.

"Keep fighting and I'll bite. You little Omega slut will be bond to me and you will never be able to be with anyone else." His grandfather had said. Damian had tried to relax his whole body and put his head down to show submission. The idea of being claimed his own grandfather completely disgusted him. He knew that the old man was capable of it. "If you try to escape again, I'll sell you off to the more offering." He had added while finally letting go of Damian.

After that Damian had made no other attempt at escaping. He wouldn't take the risk of being mated. Once you were bitten, your body would accept the person claiming. He had heard many stories of Omega getting claimed and then being stuck with their aggressor. But being claimed didn't force love so the bond often remained one-sided. Sometimes Alpha remained unclaimed but took several Omegas.

Truth is the bond could be broken with time and your body could accept somebody else. But few Omegas managed to get away long enough for that. And even when they managed it, if the claim had been made official then you were fucked. Officially, you would still belong to your first mate and the state would recognize no others (except if said mate was dead since an Omega 'needed' an Alpha to take care of them). Few Alphas would accept an Omega that had been bonded anyway. They would be regarded as outcasts. Most would end up selling their body on the street, the only place that accepted them.

That was not a fate Damian wished to share. So the boy laid still while the servants cleaned him. He didn't even move when they started waxing him. He showed absolutely no reaction when they pampered him to make him look like a "good omega". It went every instinct he had. But he couldn't risk angering his grandfather. He had no doubt that the man was preparing something for him but whatever it was, he was safe for now. Well, as safe as he could be in this place. The only thing he could do now was hope that his father would come to rescue him. He hated having to rely entirely on someone else, to have no control whatsoever over the situation. That's what he had tried to avoid most of his life.

But he could still have some sort of control. Once they had been done taking care of his skin, they had dressed him in traditional, covering most of his body. Unmated Omega shouldn't show too much to preserve their virtue. One of the servants had forgotten a needle, that Damian had discreetly hidden in his sleeve. It wasn't a knife but he could do the job in Damian's hand. Not to attack them and escape. No, there were far too many people and his clothing didn't allow much movement. But if it came to that, he'd rather take his own life than live as someone's bitch. Death would be better than be forever the slave of some Alpha Ra's had chosen for him.

***

Tim was released from the station three hours after they had been brought in. He hadn't seen the others since then. They had all been escorted to different interrogation rooms and the man that had questioned him had refused to tell him anything. The police officer had made a few snide comments about his failure as an Alpha for not mating his Omega. He had not seemed to understand what was the problem of Damian being 10 when they had met. Which was frankly disgusting. He would need to watch that one, Tim imagined he could be involved in some unsavory dealings.

He was escorted to his apartment by another officer, a Beta this time, that didn't utter a word to Tim until they reach their destination and informed him that he was not to leave the state while the investigation was still ongoing and to remain available for further questioning. Tim nodded and left the car under the watchful eyes of the officer. He walked calmly to the front door. Once it had shut behind him, he went straight to his own "cave". He turned on his computer and sent a message to the others, including Steph and Barbara. Less than a minute later, he received a response from the later. She added him to their discussion channel. They were already here. He must have been the last to be released.

"How did your interrogation went, Tim?" Bruce asked

"As well as you can imagine." Tim grimaced. I hadn't gone bad per se. He had said nothing that could compromise them much than they already were. He basically only had to bear their sexist remarks. "They wouldn't tell me what happened to Cass though."

"Cass is well. They're sending her back to America as we speak. Gotham won the right to have the trial even though she was arrested in Hong Kong. She will be authorized to remain with me at the Manor since she doesn't have an apartment of her own ('officially', it went unsaid)," Bruce informed him.

"What about Damian? They didn't tell me more either."

Bruce sighed, "Jim promised he would try to make sure he would be present to the trial. But we don't know if Ra's will aggry to it."

"He will" Tim was sure of it. "He wants his victory to be public. He's enjoying making us watch while we can do nothing."

"We are doing something" Jason spoke up for the first time since Tim had joined in.

"Are we? I don't remember coming up with a plan this morning. And since we all admitted that we lied, the trial will happen shortly from here. We won't have much time to prepare."

"We don't need to prepare. The only thing that will win us the fight is you. You claiming to be Damian's Alpha this morning is the best shot we have."

Tim was about to reply but Jason interrupted him.

"I know. I don't like it either. I'm an Omega, remember? I would never wish to be in Damian's position. But as much as I hate it, it's better than having Damian trap with Ra's." Jason paused. "You can't be much worse than the Alphas Ra's had in mind, Replacement." He joked half-heartedly. Tim gave him a small smile. But it didn't reach his eyes. He was feeling sick. He had still hoped that one of them would come with a better idea but they all remained silent after Jason had said his part.

As there was nothing else they could while they waited, Tim bid them goodbye and turned off his computer. He stared for a while after he had turned black. He was lost with what to do. He couldn't go to WE to distract himself with loads of paperwork and it was far too soon to go patrol. Which they wouldn't probably do for the next days anyway. They couldn't risk getting injured when they were supposed to stay at home and wait for the trial. Jason and Steph would have to do without him until it was over.

Tim was pulled out of his thoughts by his phone. He tried to ignore it but he kept ringing for five minutes straight. As it didn't seem it would stop soon, Tim resolved to take the call. He grimaced when he saw the name but still pressed the button.

"Hey Tam," he greeted her weakly.

"I heard about Damian," she went straight to the point.

"Yeah, it's..." complicated, fucked up? She had met Ra's so she already knew how bad the situation was.

"How are you feeling, Tim?" She asked, unexpectedly. He had thought she would talk about WE. It was her job after all.

"I might throw up soon," he answered honestly. "He's..."

"I'm sure he will be alright, Tim. You've beaten Ra's in the past. You'll do it once more" she tried to encourage him. And he could tell that she really believe it. It was sweet but she was wrong. He wouldn't be able to save Damian this time. But he didn't tell her that. He needed someone optimistic right now. It was refreshing when he felt like his entire world was falling apart. It's not just Damian that would be trapped if he had to claim him. He was the one who had said it, but it meant that he too would need to abandon the idea of finding someone. He wouldn't force a one-sided bond on Damian to go find someone else for himself as other Alphas did. They would be both condemned to never truly mate with anyone. So he kept talking to Tam and let her hopeful words wash over him.

***

Flashes assaulted him as soon as he got at out of the car. Journalists were yelling to try to get his attention, their words unintelligible. He hadn't spoken to anyone in over a week. The servants were not authorized to talk to him and Ra's had not come to see him since the first day. So he had spent the last days locked in a golden cage. He was treated like a prince. He had expected to be locked away in a cell. But the servants and the place they were staying at didn't look like it belonged to the league. Ra's probably wanted people to testify of how good he was treating the Omega and why he should keep taking care of him. Being suddenly crowded by so many people made him feel dizzy. But he took it upon himself to show no sign of distress. He wouldn't give his grandfather the pleasure of seeing him weak.

Ra's escorted him to the courtroom, a hand in his back as if to make sure he wouldn't try to run away. Which would be incredibly stupid in front of the journalists and police officers that had their eyes on him. Stupid and completely useless. Even if he managed to escape, he would be hunted down. He could hide, he didn't doubt that. They would maybe even forget about him in a decade or so. Damian could go live anywhere under a new identity. But Damian wasn't ready to give up his actual life. He was past wanting everyone to know he was the true son of Bruce Wayne. He had actually come to care about the family. Not just his father and Dick. But all of them. He couldn't imagine having to live without them all. Having to live all alone. That's why he had tried to antagonize them. Getting attached was a weakness. And here he was, unable to live them all behind. Ready to be treated like all known Omegas were treated, just to stay with them. He hated himself for that.

Once they entered the room, his eyes fell on his family. Bruce was seated beside Tim and Alfred while Dick was in the next row with Barbara and Cassandra. Steph was not officially part of the family and Jason was still supposed to be dead so they couldn't be there since the trial would happen in closed doors. Damian was thankful that reporters were not allowed inside. It was enough that his secret was now exposed to the whole world, no need to have them present while his fate was decided. They all turned to him when he entered and he could see that his father wanted to cross the room to meet him but they couldn't do that. He tried to smile at them, try to reassure them but he was pretty sure he failed to be convincing. But they were no better. The situation was hard for everyone. Damian wanted nothing more than for it to be over but dreaded what would come to the end at the same time.

Ra's led him to the opposite side of the room where Ra's lawyer was waiting for them. They started speaking to each other in low voices and Damian didn't bother trying to understand what they were saying. The trial would soon begin so whatever they had prepared didn't matter. He just had to hope that his father had thought of something.

Ten minutes after Damian had sitten down, the judge came in and the room fell silent. Ra's side started as they were the accusation. They repeated what they had already told the press about Damian being an Omega and being hidden by his father for years. They showed that Bruce Wayne had declared him to be a Beta and deliberately lied to the state. Ra's brought up evidence of the proper care he could provide for his grandson. None of what was said was a surprise. The only thing that was uncertain was the defense his father would come up with. But instead of his father standing up to talk, it was Tim that came forward. Damian's eyes opened wide. No. That couldn't be it. That wasn't happening. He tensed as soon as the other man started speaking. He could barely hear anything with all the blood rushing to his ear. He fell as if he could not breathe anymore. He knew very well what Tim must be saying. There was only one reason for him to speak up instead of his father. Had Damian been a bit less terrified of Tim claiming him, he could have enjoyed the look on Ra's face. The man had not seen that coming in the slightest. How could he have? Damian knew about Tim but still hadn't expected it to be brought up. He guessed he should have. They didn't have much to go with to win in court.

Damian finally calmed down when he noticed that Tim had stopped speaking. In fact, nobody else was saying anything. Tim was still standing but his eyes were fixed to the door, a look surprise on his face. Damian was as shocked when he turned to see what was happening. He couldn't believe she was here. He had thought she would remain in hiding in fear of Ra's wrath. But no, Talia Al Ghul was standing in the room, her head held high and her eyes unwavering. Damian felt like crying. He had barely spoken to his mother in years and yet she had come for him.

"Sorry to interrupt you like that but I was informed very belatedly of what was happening. Which I find shocking as Damian's mother." Talia spoke strongly, even daring to look right at her father. "I raised Damian in my father's home until he was 10. He presented under my care. I have the document that proved that I was the one to declare his caste. He was my choice and not his father's to do so. In fact, I never informed him of the truth."

"When you are saying your father's home, who are you talking about exactly, Mrs ?"

"I am Talia Al Ghul, daughter of Ra's Al Ghul."

She was convincing. How could she not be when she only said the truth. She had been living at her father's home. He just happened to no really be alive when he had presented. Not that Ra's could tell that to the judge. Plus, her presenting a document that showed she had been the one to declare Damian as a Beta brought up the question of the origin of the document Ra's had shown to the judge to incriminate Bruce. He didn't put him in a good position to have forced said document and lied in court. If the man hadn't intended to track Talia down before, he sure would now. Damian couldn't fathom why she would do such a thing.

The judge asked his mother a few more questions before the jury left the room to deliberate. He saw his father briefly take his mother's hand at the corner of his eyes, showing her his gratitude for going against Ra's to protect Damian. Ra's was throwing them murderous looks, failing to remain cool and hide his reactions.

After only 20 minutes of debate, the jury came back "After deliberation we came to the conclusion that Damian Wayne could not remain in his grandfather's care as we can not be sure of his honesty." Damian felt relieved at that but it was short-lived. "But we cannot either put him back in his mother or father's care as they both failed to bring him the education an Omega needs. We all agreed that he would be better with Timothy Drake, his mate. Once they have claimed each other, Damian Wayne his free to go home." Damian's eyes fell to the floor. He couldn't hold back his tears anymore but didn't want anyone to see. He tensed when hands grabbed him.

"It's me, Damian. Let's go take a little walk while arrangements are made," his mother muttered in his ears.

He let him guide him out of the room. They didn't go far and guards remain not too far from them to make sure they wouldn't flee. They sat down on a bench, his mother's hand still of him. For long they didn't say anything, his mother waiting for him to calm down.

"That's what I had been trying to avoid since you presented. I knew how my father would react. I know how he regards the like of us." She sighed.

"What? What do you mean, the "like of us"?" Damian was looking at his mother as if he was seeing for the first time. Could she be?

"Draw up your own conclusions Damian. I won't confirm anything." His mother had been really great at hiding that part of her. He guessed nobody had ever known (or lived after knowing) that she was an Omega.

"What will do now ?" He asked curious and worried.

"That not for you to worry, you will have enough of your own."

"Why ?" He finally asked what he truly wanted to know.

She looked straight at him "I resented you for choosing your father over me for a long time. But I spent my life fearing what Ra's would do to me if he knew. I have imagined so many things. And imagining you going through that. No, I couldn't do nothing. I guess we both failed to not get attached. But now if you don't mind, I would like to get a headstart on Ra's." He nodded while she got up.

"Mother," he called when she was leaving, "Thank you." And with that, she was gone.

He stayed alone on the bench until Dick came up to him with Barbara. His brother gave him a big hug and for once Damian didn't try to pull him off him but loosened in his arms. His mother's comforting hand had been nice but he had needed more. Dick didn't ask how he felt. He did not need to do that. He knew Damian and he wasn't stupid. He just tried to show Damian that he would be here for him. They were interrupted by the guards. It was time.

***

The ceremony was very formal. They mostly just signed paper. Then comes the bite. It feels weird touching Tim. He had avoided physical contact with Tim as much as possible over the year. The few times they had touched had not been intimate in any way, mostly to tend to injuries. And it's the first time they touch with Damian not wearing sent blockers. He doesn't count the time that brought them here considering he was completely out of it and doesn't remember it clearly. Damian had started trembling when Tim had lowered his head to bring his teeth to his neck and the man had stopped moving. Tim couldn't bring himself to do it when Damian was this distressed. So Damian had brought himself to do it first so it would be over quickly. He had put his hands on Tim's shoulders and the man had tipped his head to bare his neck. Damian didn't let himself time to think and just sank his teeth into the flesh. It barely lasted a second but Damian felt overwhelmed. His body was starting to respond to the Alpha in front of him. He bared his own neck, unable to control it. Tim's bite was just as brief as his own. And yet this act had sealed their union. They had claimed each other. Damian closed his eyes and let the Alpha pheromones washed over him to keep him calm. He didn't want to have a panic attack in front of everyone. Plus he better get used to it. It was his life now.

[violetsmoak]

Appetence [7/?]

AO3 Link:https://archiveofourown.org/works/20251420/chapters/47997634

Blanket Disclaimer

Summary: Red Robin is investigating the disappearance of a friend and stumbles into a spot of supernatural trouble. He doesn’t expect to be saved by Jason Todd, miraculously alive five years after his death and now with the inexplicable ability to commune with the dead. Meanwhile, when Jason returned to Gotham he meant to maintain a low profile and not get involved with Bat business. That was before he found out how hot his Replacement is.

Rating: PG-13 (rating may change later)

JayTimBingo Prompts This Chapter: N/A

First Chapter

Author’s Note(s): Apologies for the wait. As you may know I had an adventure with my dropbox wherein I backed up all my files because I had to restore my laptop, and all of the files ended up mixed up in the wrong folders and I've been tracking down files one by one for the past week. I hate technology. I mean, I guess I should be happy the files didn't get deleted, but it's still a pain in the ass to re-organize manually.

Beta Reader: I’ll get back to you on that.

________________________________________________________________

Tim stares at the business card in his hand long after Jason disappears, thumbing over the false name and phone number with a reverence once reserved for clandestinely captured photographs.

Victor Shelley, Paranormal Investigator.

He wonders if Jason was trying to be funny choosing that name. Given what Tim’s heard about him in the few instances where Dick or Alfred talk about him, and what he saw for himself in the past, he thinks it’s entirely likely.

God, Dick and Alfred.

He knows they’re going to be just as blindsided about this as Bruce when they find out.

If they find out.

Guilt flickers through him now at the promise he made to Jason.

Why the hell would he promise a man he doesn’t really know—a man he’s spent a grand total of an hour and twenty-three minutes in conversation with—that he won’t let his adopted father knows he’s not dead.

That he hasn’t been dead for years.

That he’s in Gotham right now.

Tim wishes he could say it was one hundred percent his shock at Jason being alive, but that would be lying to himself. His mind flashes back to Jason’s face, his slow smirk and the smooth, deep voice, and he swears, letting his head fall against the counter.

Apparently, I promised him because he’s pretty.

It’s a new feeling for Tim. He’s never been easily swayed by looks, but something about Jason is attractive enough to put him off-guard, or at least loosen his lips more than normal.

I thought I was over this…

“I know that face.”

Tim startles and glances up at the bartender—Trista—who he had forgotten was there. He’d forgotten he was sitting in a bar, to be honest.

“Judging by the ass on that man, I can guess what it’s about,” she continues in a wry tone. Then she’s sliding a shot of amber liquid toward him. “Here. To steady your nerves.”

Tim stares at the alcohol in numb confusion.

“That’s on the house, but only because he talked more with you tonight than I’ve seen him do with anyone since he got here,” she goes on. “We’ll both pretend I don’t know you’re underage.”

Tim is too flustered by everything she’s just said to do anything other than accept the shot under her knowing gaze. Then, he beats a hasty retreat from the bar as fast as humanly possible without it looking like he’s running away.

Distracted, he returns to his apartment in the Theater District, trying to parse the events of the night from an objective viewpoint. He’s not entirely sure he didn’t dream it all up, considering whatever that incubus did to him, and so he runs tox-screens on his blood and gives himself a full physical just to make sure.

Other than spikes in several hormone levels—adrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin—his results are normal. Nothing that would really alter his perceptions of reality, the way Scarecrow or Poison Ivy’s concoctions tend to do.

That confirmed, he should be able to leave the matter alone for now. There are more pressing matters to deal with—Dante’s continued disappearance being one of them.

But thoughts of Jason continue to assault Tim’s thoughts.

Something has been bothering him since his conversation with Jason, something he wondered before but couldn’t ask because Jason got skittish and made a run for it

How the hell did Constantine cross paths with Jason anyway?

Aside from his inexplicable presence in Gotham at some point in the past five years without attracting the attention of Batman, what would interest him in a teenaged John Doe with no identity or memory?

Sliding into the chair in front of the computer in the Nest, Tim calls up the autopsy report, even though he doesn’t really need to see it. He memorized it years ago. Still, if he’s going to investigate this, he needs concrete facts, not just his memory.

It’s not difficult to create a timeline of events, between Jason’s official death and now. Or to search a list of John Does at various hospitals in Gotham within the last five to ten years, whose condition upon admittance matches the description of Jason’s injuries at death.

He finds the information he’s looking for within twenty minutes.

As it turns out, things didn’t happen quite as neatly or quickly as Jason’s story suggested. His stay at Gotham General was a lot longer than he let on, and Tim’s stomach twists as he reads the medical reports.

Various physicians left their comments on the patient, a young man of about fifteen or sixteen, severely beaten and malnourished, picked up several miles from the hospital.

The file includes a mugshot of a heavily bandaged youth, head shaved from what records indicate were several procedures to repair brain bleeds, skull, and facial fractures. Bruises and swelling make his features almost unrecognizable, except to someone who has memorized pictures of that face since he was ten years old. Someone who knows the cut of that jaw and the color of those eyes, however bleary and vacant they are as they stare into the camera.

“God, Jason…”

Tim reads over the doctors’ notes that span the course of a year, cataloging how well the boy is healing considering the heavy damage he sustained, and how he would be considered a miracle patient but for the fact whatever happened to him caused significant brain damage.

Clear psychological damage, hearing voices, incapable of speech, easily upset.

On several occasions, the boy became unaccountably terrified, screaming and yelling and trying to claw out his own eyes. Sometimes it even became violent, and in his struggles, he put three doctors, a nurse and two orderlies in the emergency room.

I’m surprised it was only that many people. Considering his training, he could have done a lot more damage.

Eventually, he always had to be drugged and restrained.

Demonic possession, maybe?

It’s not the first thing Tim would think of, but if Constantine’s involved in all this, it would make sense. And coming back from the dead like Jason says he did, it had to have side effects.

Except, there’s no mention of anything superhuman or beyond the realm of possibility regarding Jason’s strength. Surely the doctors would have made note of anything beyond the abilities of a normal, scared teenager—especially in Gotham, where strange behavior was a sad norm.

No mention of anything resembling supernatural or metahuman abilities anywhere here.

Jason was eventually placed permanently in the psych ward and likely would have stayed there for the rest of his days, except the hospital’s budget was cut in his eighth month there. Space issues required moving patients to other hospitals, and—

“Oh, no. No-no-no, tell me they didn’t,” Tim murmurs, heart sinking as he scrolls down the page of the report, knowing exactly what he’s going to find.

They sent him to Arkham.

If Tim was horrified before by the notion of Jason’s resurrection and his condition afterward, it’s nothing to how sick he feels to learn that his predecessor was sent to the cesspool that is Arkham Asylum.

He needs to turn away from his computer for a few seconds and breathe, close his eyes and concentrate on not hearing the lilting, singsong voice and tinny voice in his head.

Hush, little baby, don’t say a word, Mama’s gonna buy you a mockingbird.

Ever since his kidnapping, it’s the one place in Gotham Tim won’t venture—he’s not sure what would happen if he did. Whether he’d suffer a crippling attack of flashbacks, or march into the high security ward and slit the Joker’s throat with one of his birdarangs.

If Bruce realized Tim honestly can’t decide which would be the worse outcome, he knows he’d be benched for the rest of his life. He might not be Robin anymore, but the Family would find a way.

It’s fear of that more than anything else that helps him get a handle on his panic, tethers him back to reality better than anything else. Tim takes another series of deep, grounding breaths, before he feels confident enough to be able to get back to his research into Jason.

At least they didn’t put him anywhere near the Joker, it seems, he notices as he goes through the room assignments and Arkham floorplans. That’s about the only good thing about it, though.

Jason’s ward was for the non-communitive patients, the ones the experts considered untreatable. The ones that get forgotten about in the mayhem of the monthly outbreaks and pandemonium.

Tim’s stomach clenches tight again as he remembers incidents and dates over the years where Batman visited inmates at Arkham to interrogate them on the latest escapes or crimes happening in the city, or just to test the security there. Based on the location of Jason’s cell and Batman’s usual route, there are times when the two were only a floor apart

Tim’s heart aches for them both.

They were so close to each other! If only they’d known—!

And just as suddenly as Jason was transferred to Arkham, all records of him vanish. There’s no information about patient transfers or deaths or releases; instead, like many a nameless patient to be lost to the asylum over the years, he just vanishes.

People don’t just vanish. And in this case, I know he didn’t.

Tim goes on to cross-reference the potential dates of Jason’s disappearance with any visitors to the asylum. It doesn’t take much to identify the only visitor to the asylum for a span of weeks as a certain Chandler Ravenscar—names which another quick search link to aliases used by John Constantine in the past.

That brings Tim to a whole other avenue of research, refocusing him investigation on Constantine himself and his movements over the past years. He tends to keep to the UK, but every now and again travels to various mystical hotspots around the world.

There’s a backlog of security footage to weed through, occultist forums discussing the man and his exploits. Half of what’s written about him online is clearly conspiracy theories, a quarter of it related to some punk rock band called Mucous Membrane and something to do with the Reagan assassination. Those who have actually worked with him either seem too terrified or pissed off to say much about him.

Even harder is finding a video of the man; cameras and other surveillance devices appear to stop working around him. It’s even more of a challenge to catch a glimpse of the teenaged assistant that starts being mentioned several months after Jason’s disappearance from Arkham.

A chance freeze-frame from an airport in Beijing, however, is all Tim needs to confirm it’s Jason.

It’s hours later when Tim sits back, exhausted but now having at least a general timeline of what happened.

One thing is for damn sure—I can’t take this to Bruce.

The story is too painful, too unbelievable. If it doesn’t break him all over, it will have him lashing out at Tim for making up stories about a touchy subject. There’s enough tension between them both right now that he’s likely to question anything suspect Tim brings to him.

Or he would insist it was a trick, that someone had faked all of this. He wouldn’t take Tim’s word for it, would investigate himself, prepare himself for an interrogation when what Jason needs is to have a face to face with his adopted father and mentor.

And Jason’s story still has too many holes in it for Tim to tell it, begging more questions than answers.

Like why Constantine took you from Arkham in the first place. And also…there’s one other thing that doesn’t make sense.

Well, a lot of things don’t make sense, but this stands out.

Tim goes back to the hospital records, scanning for the section where he remembers reading the information.

John Doe’s injuries in the medical files are all consistent with those in Jason’s autopsy, with every scar and broken bone accounted for and described.

Except for an autopsy scar.

That would have been the first thing medical professionals remarked upon when Jason was admitted, but it’s not mentioned anywhere. Which must mean that somehow, Jason no longer has it.

So why did that heal and nothing else did? Could it have something to do with what brought him back?

There’s a sudden dull, clunk in the background and the slide of elevator doors, and Tim glances up to watch Stephanie Brown stride into his base of operations.

“I was on the way out and Babs sent me to check on you,” she tells him. “Apparently someone missed work today without calling in and isn’t answering their phone.”

Tim startles at that, glances at the clock in the corner of his screen and swears when he realizes she’s right. He was supposed to be at Wayne Enterprises an hour ago. When he glances at his cellphone, he sees twelve text messages and three missed calls from Lucius, Dick and Bruce.

“I didn’t even notice,” he groans. He was so caught up in finding out more about Jason that he lost track of time. He quickly taps out a group message reassuring them he’s fine and will be in soon.

“At least being flaky is characteristic of billionaire teenagers,” Steph says as she wanders over.

Tim quickly minimizes his search and swivels around in his seat to face her. “Why are you even awake this early?”

Given the way she spends her nights, Steph made a point of having all of her classes in the afternoon. She’s possibly less of a morning person than Tim is, to the point where even coffee doesn’t make her a little more human.

“Blame my new roommate,” she grumbles, and that earns a surprised look because it’s the first time he’s heard of this. “Right, I didn’t tell you, did I? So, a couple of weeks ago this cat shows up on the fire-escape outside my window. And I didn’t mean to feed it, but it looked so sad and pathetic and I had to, so now it won’t leave me alone. What am I supposed to do? I don’t have time to be a pet owner.”

“Cat’s don’t actually take that much care.”

“That’s what they want you to think. And then one cat becomes two, and two becomes three and the next thing I know, I’m going to be the crazy cat lady on the block,” Steph complains. “And not to cool, sexy, Selina kind of cat lady but the sad, single shut-in.”

“You could never be a shut-in. No four walls can keep your raw joie de vivre inside,” Tim says in a flat tone.

“You’re just saying that because you’re my boyfriend. Ex-boyfriend.” She frowns in confusion. “Are we in an on-again or an off-again right now? I forget.”

Tim remembers Jason’s cocky grin and muscular thighs and his mouth goes dry. “Off. Definitely off.”

Steph’s eyebrows disappear into her hairline. “That was weirdly assertive. Am I sensing a pretty girl behind that sentiment? Do I need to give a shovel talk?” Something occurs to her and she scowls. “It’s not that Lynx chick, is it? Trust me when I say that would be a bad idea.”

“There’s no girl,” Tim mumbles. “Trust me.”

“Okay,” she allows, slow and still somewhat dubious. “But you’d tell me, right? If you were seeing someone? Only so I don’t go crossing lines or causing jealous rage or something.”

“There’s nothing going on, yes I would tell you, can we please move on?” Tim huffs. “Tell me about your cat.”

“He’s not my cat.”

“You fed him, he’s your cat.”

“Stop changing the subject. You’re being evasive—there so is a girl.”

“There’s no girl!” Tim groans, half tempted to tug at his hair. “Who could look at another woman after being with you?”

“I don’t know whether to take that as a compliment or as an insinuation I was so horrible that I turned you off women for good,” Steph says, eyes narrowed in suspicion. A beat later, she tilts her head to one side as if something has occurred to her. “Wait. That’s it, isn’t it? It’s a guy. This someone’s a guy. You know you can tell me, right? That would totally be okay—would actually explain a lot, actually—you know, you liking guys—”

“One guy does not equate guys.”

“Oh my god! There is! There’s a guy!” Steph squeals. “Who is it? It’s that friend of yours, that went missing, isn’t it? Dante something? That’s why you’ve been so obsessed with finding him!”

“I’m determined to find him because he’s my friend,” Tim counters, a bit irritated. “The same way I’d be determined to find Ives or Bernard or anyone I cared about. And I’d be doing that right now if someone wasn’t distracting me.”

Two someones, but she doesn’t need to know about Jason’s role in it.

“And I’d believe that if you weren’t looking at me like you wanted to jump out of your skin. There’s something going on here, Ex-Boy Wonder.”

“There’s nothing going on.”

“Lies!”

“For something to be going on, you have to actually spend more than an hour with someone. You have to have known them for more than an hour.”

“Not if you have chemistry,” Steph points out. “Sometimes, it’s just like. Bang.” She grins. “And then you have to bang.”

Tim rolls his eyes.

“Do I need to give you the safe sex talk?” Steph asks with concern that’s only half teasing. “The gay-sex safe sex talk? Because to be honest, I don’t think I’d be able to do it with a straight face.”

“Steph, that was awful. As a former Robin, you should be ashamed.”

“And as a former Robin, you should be better at lying. So, spill. What’s going on?”

Tim studies her, chewing on his tongue; he knows she won’t let it go unless he gives her something. “Okay. Fine.”

“Hah! I knew it!”

“Not that. This is…something else,” he says. “Sort of.”

“Okay?”

“What would you do if…say you found out something really important to a person you care about. But you promised someone else you wouldn’t tell anyone about that something because of…reasons. Personal reasons.”

Steph crosses her arms. “Is this about me?”

“Not everything is about you.”

“Then it’s about Mystery Boy.”

“It’s not about—” Tim gives up, and then sighs, because it’s just easier to give her that one. “Fine. It’s Mystery Boy. He asked me not to say something that’s really important. I figure it’s because he wants to say himself in his own time. Except. Except it’s a huge thing.”

“Starbucks discontinuing pumpkin spice lattes’ huge, or ‘Hush trying to destroy B’ huge?”

“Closer to the second. Not dangerous like that,” he adds quickly when he sees her face. “It’s just…serious stuff that could hurt if it’s not handled the right way. Or if certain parties found out later and thought they were having stuff kept from them.”

“Well, now I’m curious…”

“I’m not telling you.”

“I know that. I’m just saying.” Steph sticks out her tongue at him, but then becomes contemplative. “I guess I’d keep my mouth shut. Or try to, at least. Stuff like that always tends to come out eventually. But if you’re worried it could hurt someone, maybe you can convince Mystery Boy it’s in his best interest to tell someone.”

“Yeah, that didn’t go over too well.”   

“Well, whatever you do, don’t get into your micromanaging, control-freak headspace,” she tells him. “That’s one of the things that torpedoed you and me, and if you want things to work out with this guy, you should respect his wishes.”

“I never said anything about wanting anything to work out with anyone,” Tim protests. “I just met the guy.”

“And somehow he got you to promise not to tell something that’s apparently really important. Which means you already value him somehow, and that only happens to you when you really like someone. Also, you might be able to straight-up bluff Batman or Ra’s al Ghul, but I know how you look when you like someone and don’t want anyone to know it.” There’s a beeping noise and Steph digs out her cellphone. “And with those pearls of wisdom, I have to get going. My mom found the cat and she’s having a conniption.”

She turns to leave, pauses once she enters the elevator and turns back around, jabbing a finger at him.

“Shower, eat, go to work, stop obsessing about stuff you can’t control—and don’t try to control stuff that’s not your business.”

Tim bristles. “Yes, Mother.”

“Oh, you did not just go there,” she growls as the elevator doors close and Tim grins until she’s gone.

He knows that Steph’s right, to a certain extent. This whole Jason thing isn’t his business—he was only ever an outside observer, a legacy after the fact. And even if it was his business, it’s not his predecessor’s sensibilities he should be protecting.

Ill-advised crush aside, he doesn’t have any connection loyalty to Jason Todd. He does owe Bruce—he should be going straight to him about this.

Except…

Except, Tim really doesn’t want to be added to the list of people who betrayed Jason’s trust. Especially given how fragile it is given their short acquaintance.

Tim groans and leans back against his chair, wishing for an easy solution. He’s usually able to figure out what to do, even when it comes down to the hard choices.

“Stop obsessing about stuff you can’t control—and don’t try to control stuff that’s not your business.”

Steph’s right.

He’ll do as Jason asked.

Or, at least he’ll give it a week.

If he hasn't figured out any other way to deal with the situation, he'll go to Bruce.

In the meantime—he has an investigation to get back to.

⁂⁂⁂

Next Chapter

[elliottwayne]

Elliott Wayne (Me): My Backstory

Backstory: 

1999: I was born to Bruce Wayne and Lilli Rose in the early morning of March 16th. While my parents had been in a relationship and my father knew my mother was pregnant, my mother broke up with him just before having me but ended up abandoning me in the hospital. My dad came and got me and immediately filed for full custody while the police searched for my mother. They never found her. As soon as dad was granted full custody of me he took off to tour the world, learning as many martial arts as possible. 2001: We returned to Gotham when I was two years old and dad became Batman.

2002: About a year later 12-year-old Richard Grayson came into my life, becoming my first big brother (though our relationship doesn't remain a sibling relationship in my older years) and the first Robin. Now, a small thing about me is that as a child I was a selective mute. For those who don't know selective mutism is a childhood anxiety disorder that is often accompanied by shyness or social anxiety. The reason I am giving this information is because Dick Grayson is the one who eventually helped me learn coping skills - or at least he tried to teach them as best he could to a three year old.

2004: The age of 5 is when I accidentally found out the Dick was Robin and dad was Batman. I had been looking for Dick to ask him to take me to get a late night glass of water and poor five-year-old me walked into Dick's room to see him in full Robin outfit. The next day I had followed Dick into the Batcave, fully learning the double life of my "big brother" and father.

2006: Back to my muteness, I eventually grew out of it but was diagnosed with ADHD when I was seven. When I was eight Dick and dad got into a pretty huge argument which led to Dick leaving Wayne Manor and eventually dropping the Robin Mantle and becoming Nightwing. That is also when Jason Todd came into my life, becoming my second big brother (and remaining my big brother). Jason and I quickly grew close, so close I even ended up taking on some of his personality traits, much to the teasing horror but real concern of my dad and Dick.

2007: Even though it was barely a year that Jason had been in my life when he died, eight year old me still felt his loss even if I didn't understand it yet. My dad, after that, spent a few years without a Robin but during those years I made a few changes to my life.

2009: When I was 10 I was finally told my mother's identity and why I didn't know her - how she abandoned me in the hospital.

2010: It was a full year later that I started "training" behind my father's back. If you're wondering if I was training to become a Robin, the answer is no, I just wanted to do what my big brothers and dad were doing.

2011: When I was 12 I started looking for my mother, to get answers and an explanation but my search ended up getting me kidnapped by the Joker, to this day I am still unsure of my mother's connection to the Joker. While I was being held hostage I learned of how Jason died, Joker had told me every detail of how he killed Robin and saying how Batman wasn't fast enough to save him. I was rescued by Batman but I admittedly started pushing my father away, even blaming him for my "big brother's" death.

2012: Now, I stated earlier that Dick and dad got into a huge argument that lead to Dick leaving but at the time 8 year old me didn't know that so skip to 13 year old me who -while secretly going through my father's things- found an email for Dick and I sent him an email asking what exactly happened between him and dad. All I got back were vague answers so I tracked him down and went to him, demanding answers and threatening to not go back home if I didn't get them. In hindsight that threat had no chance of working since Dick could have just called Alfred to come get me but, I got my answers anyway. The answers I got though, I just ended up pushing my dad away more. Little did I know, my dad had noticed. After being the biggest pain in the ass for Dick, I returned home and used my half-ass training to become Batkid.

I went out almost right away and got myself on Batman's and Nightwing's watch lists. At the same time that's also when Red Hood, Jason, decided to show up in Gotham. Red Hood also decided to test his speed and skills by chasing the Bat Family around Gotham City, that unfortunately included poor 13 year-old-me who was slowly starting to realize she was in over her head.

2013: A year later, still as Batkid, somehow not deterred by the red hooded lunatic, I made my first enemy, a girl about my age who called herself Psychic Flame, and trust me, the name suited her. This was also the year I started High School and the year Dick promised to keep in better contact with me, even arranging dates for us to get together and catch up. Also, Batman started to actually fully look into who Batkid was, my doom was upon me or at least it would be very soon.

2014: The next year I started 10th grade and was diagnosed with depression and generalized anxiety disorder but on a positive note, I made a new friend, Kasey Scott, a boy who was a year older than me. While I made one new friend I made four new enemies who are known as, Siren, Alexei Novikov, Biofever, and Cryowave - all of them scary as hell. I also started to understand a few things a little more and questioned others, one of the things I questioned were my growing feelings for Dick Grayson, the boy, or rather man at that point, who had taken a "big brother" role for me but now somehow felt like more. In an attempt to push away these feelings I started dating Kasey - stupid move, I know. Just as I did that, my dad found out I was Batkid and the lecture I got from dad...was (and still is) nothing compared to the other lectures I got from Alfred, Dick, and later on Jason. When dad was done lecturing me he sent me to Dick for him to start my training.

Before Dick started training me though he lectured me and then legit put me in a 'time out' corner in the Titan's tower. While with Dick and the titans though I got more than just hand-to-hand combat and weapons training. There was something I failed to mention when I began the telling of my life story, I was born a metahuman. My powers, in short, are supernatural empathy, light manipulation and generation, and entity bonding. While two of my powers I could only get guidance on, Starfire helped me learn how to use and control my light based power. I spent six months training with Dick and Starfire before I returned home for more training with my father.

2015: This next year is when Batman finally gets another Robin. 13 year old Tim Drake came into our lives trying to reunite Nightwing and Batman but Nightwing refused to take up the mantle of Robin again. I personally didn't blame him after seeing the life he had created for himself with the Titans. Seeing that reuniting Dick and my dad wasn't going to work Tim decided he'd become Robin. My dad was against this, whole-heartedly, until Tim helped him apprehend Two-Face. Not only did dad train Tim but I had assisted in his training as well. It wasn't long after that Joker reared his ugly clown head and kidnapped Tim's parents. While Batman, Robin, and I manage to track them down, unfortunately, none of us where fast enough to save them. Seeing Joker again though, the only thing that was running through my head was what he did to Jason, and I beat him the way he did Jason 8 years prior. After that catastrophe, dad adopted Tim and I had my first little brother. Dick also moved back to Gotham but stayed in his own place, and I remember he maybe came to the manor twice, to drop of Tim and I after we had gotten caught in a storm coming home from school. Also Red Hood left Gotham for a year - much to the gratefulness of my sanity.

2016: The next year, I gained a second little brother, this one biologically my little brother, well half little brother. Damian Wayne, future dubbed “Demon Spawn”. Ten year old Damian Wayne was dropped off at the door of Wayne Manor by his mother who asked dad to train him to curb his homicidal tendencies. When I met him and started talking to him, I immediately called him a "Little Precious Edge Lord" and let me tell you, it was worth it despite the glare I got. (I still occasionally call him that but now I mostly call him "Daybreak" because he’s always waking up in the super early AM). While Damian was getting accustomed to a new lifestyle and new rules he was also being trained by dad alongside me but, certain times I would train him alongside Tim.

This was also the year I put on a new suit and new mask and took on a new name, one I had earned from my technique of dealing with criminals; Silent Sleeper. This nickname comes from the fact I use a self-made crossbow with self-made, color-coded darts, the main dart being a sedative dart which inspired the "Sleeper" part of my new code name. The "Silent" part being inspired by the fact nobody knew I was there until one or more of their goons were on the floor/ground unconscious with a dart in their neck.

Also in this year, Red Hood had returned to Gotham, ready to "settle the score" or "the grudge" he had against Batman. Upon learning Red Hood had returned I went to my father, dreading the mental torment of Red Hood chasing me around Gotham City yet again. My father's response was not what I was expecting. He told me Red Hood was Jason, who had been revived. Two thoughts were going through my head at that time; 1) I have my favorite big brother back, 2) I'm going to fucking murder the son of a bitch myself. A few nights passed and I cornered Red Hood in a non-residential part of Gotham and began screaming at him. (I am told that was one of the most confusing and scary things Jason has ever experienced before I took off my mask). So, a very confused Red Hood demanded to know who the hell I was and how I knew his full name so in frustration I ripped off my mask. The second Jason processed what his eyes were showing him, that his "baby sister" was the Silent Sleeper, and that Nightwing had piped up telling him I had also been Batkid, that was when the screaming match truly started. It ended with Jason having a bloody nose and black eye and me having a major migraine.

On top of that drama I had decided to break up with Kasey, finally admitting to myself that I just didn't have true feelings for him. The break up ended up being mutual since he also didn't have true feelings for me, we agreed to just remain friends.

Oh, the best part of the year!? That was when Talia Al-Ghul decided to kidnap my father and I because she decided she wanted her son back, yeah that was fun. Dad and I were rescued after his mind got messed with and dear Talia tried to murder me. Damian then declared that he wanted nothing to do with his mother, and I just respected my little brother a great deal more after that. Dad then sent Damian to train and learn from monks, hoping it would help Damian with his anger and his violent tendencies.

To not be sarcastic, the truly best part of the year was when I decided to tell Dick how I really felt about him and learning he returned my feelings and we actually started our relationship. Dick also went back to the GCPD and Jason learned of what I did to the Joker...after he did it himself. Jay also began to try to repair his relationship with Dick, dad, Tim, and I, while trying to create one with Damian.... (The headaches...oh god the headaches).

2017: Jason was still working on repairing his relationships not just with us but with other people as well and I can tell you that he succeeded. Damian returned home, still Damian, sarcastic little edge lord, but a lot better at controlling his anger. Upon Damian's return Tim took the mantle of Red Robin while Damian became Robin and Dick gave Jason an old Nightwing suit. Jason took that Nightwing suit and wore it as a symbol that his relationship with the Bat Fam was being repaired and getting better. Dick had started to occasionally stay at Wayne Manor, even having his own study there and our relationship only grew stronger but obviously with its bumps and curves. One of my enemies, Alexei Novikov, returned to Gotham with a new drug that Nightwing ended up being hit with while on a patrol. Alexei kidnapped him and tried to hold him for ransom but just as he was making the ransom demand Red Hood, Red Robin, Robin, and myself all busted into his hideout and rescued Nightwing. Alexei had armed a self-destruct system, we got out but Alexei didn't....at least I hope, we never found a body or any barbequed remains and people in Gotham don't like to stay dead as if #Revived is the number one trend in the world.

Also this year was the year I turned 18 - long story short I stole the Batmobile and almost got grounded for three months until dad realized how old I was...but I did get my Sleeperbike taken away. The Justice league also approached me for the first time and Dick for the second time, we both declined. I preferred (and still do) being a "solo" act and Dick wanted to stick to looking after the Young Justice team while also technically being a solo act.

2018: Jason had moved back into the manor since his relationships were mostly repaired to be in good graces with all of us and once again considered part of the Bat Family. The major conflict of this year, for me personally, was when Siren kidnapped Red Hood purely just to get in my head and piss of The Silent Sleeper, who was now more commonly known as "SS". I rescued Red Hood but Siren managed to slip away to god only knows where. Then, after a mission had seemed to go sideways Red Robin went MIA, or so I had thought. In reality the mission was intended to look like a failure so Red Robin could go dark. When Red Robin returned home I called a family meeting and made all "my boys" (including my dad) promise me that if a mission or assignment is meant to look a certain way, to tell me before we go on the mission or assignment.

Well, that's been my life up until now! I will be giving updates, I mean, if you all are curious that is! Lots of love, stay safe, your friendly neighborhood, Silent Sleeper.

P.S: I don't care if I stole that from Spider-Man, dude is cool!

Admin: Backstory is still a minor WIP as I am still working on putting in Barbara, Cassandra, and Stephanie.

[spitfcre-a]

* for @vicebuilt !!

sawyer rosen timeline breakdown.

end of season three to beginning of season five. considered as ‘preseason involvement’ for sawyer. *covers sawyer aged between fourteen and sixteen.

sawyer is resurrected by an archangel named thiel. she wakes up in the middle of nowhere and eventually stumbles out onto a highway where she is found by a police officer and assumed to be a missing person.

sawyer is taken to a nearby hospital after there are no records of her found at the station. she spends the next six months at the hospital where she is cared for by professionals after being diagnosed with suspected amnesia.

sawyer is adopted by drew rosen and eva holmes, she is moved into their family home in pine hollow, west virginia. she starts school at pine hollow high, she’s bullied often but otherwise and her life is good and normal for two years.

season five. *covers sawyer from age sixteen to seventeen.

sawyer is living a normal life. she’s attacked by an angel after skipping school and is saved by the winchesters and castiel who have been tracking high spikes of angel activity in the area.

sawyer is then taught how to defend herself with magic and combat skills by her adoptive mother / aunt should the angel return. as well as being under castiel and the winchesters protection while they work to find out why sawyer is being targeted in the first place.

when the attempts on her life continue, sawyer is temporarily taken out of school, having previously been kept away from the action to keep her safe. 

towards the end of the season sawyer meets matthew wells, a vampire who she befriends despite being warned against by her hunting friends 

pre-season six. verse set between year long gap between season five & season six. *covers sawyer from age seventeen to eighteen.

sawyer is still reeling from the death of her adoptive father drew, for the few months since his passing and after the averting of the apocalypse, sawyer returns to school but is soon kicked out when she causes a fight between herself and another girl, this being one of the same who had bullied her when she was younger. 

sawyer is then sent to another school in the next town over at flatwoods high and for the most part is quiet and withdrawn. showing no interest in school or anything else, including wanting to find her birth parents.

matthew wells re-enters her life as a friend which quickly develops into something more, becoming sawyer’s first boyfriend, their relationship having many ups and downs with matt’s behaviour, playboy reputation and his identity as a vampire 

season six. *covers sawyer from age eighteen to nineteen.

sawyer starts attending college at virginia state university where she studies music theory & performance, moving into a dorm and living on campus with the rest of the other students. 

the winchesters come back into her life when she is once again targeted by angels, sam and dean teach then sawyer how to become a hunter and defend herself further as they try to get to the bottom of the reasons for the attacks

when her relationship with matt, a bad boy vampire, comes to light, sawyer ends the relationship to commit to training with the winchesters to become a hunter

sawyer trains with the boys, attends cases with them and generally looks for leads into who her biological family might be but with little luck

sawyer also has a brief romantic engagement with miles moon, a good, pure-blooded werewolf

season seven. *covers sawyer from age nineteen to twenty.

sawyer continues to hunt alongside the boys even after facing heavy losses including castiel and bobby singer. sawyer also tries to continue juggling her college life alongside hunting and the continued search for her family. 

sawyer also meets and dates a male witch, rudi perkins who eventually falls into a bad crowd of witches and leaves sawyer to become a part of their group, with rudi leaving town for sawyer to never see him again

its during this time that sawyer finds what looks like a solid lead on her birth parents, following the lead to find cal hawkins and eleanor everton, a couple who fake being her parents in exchange for money from a yet undiscovered figure. the lie comes out eventually and sawyer is left heartbroken.

post season seven / pre-season eight. verse set between year long gap between season seven & season eight. *covers sawyer from age twenty to twenty-one.

sawyer is left alone in the absence of the winchester’s once more. she returns to her college life while searching for a way to bring back dean and castiel from purgatory but gets mostly nowhere and without help from sam now settled with amelia.

sawyer then meets tim odell, a hunter who she works with and subsequently falls in love with. the pair have a close relationship for the duration of the year, splitting her time between college and tim, letting things like searching for dean or her birth family fall by the wayside. 

when things start to move too fast sawyer ducks out of the relationship just in time for sam and dean to come back into her lives once again.

season eight. *covers sawyer from age twenty-one to twenty-two.

using the winchesters coming back as an excuse to escape her relationship from the previous year that was becoming too serious for her, sawyer returns to hunting alongside continuing to attend college in west virgina. 

fighting against the feeling that she made a mistake with leaving tim but unable to take it back, as well as a consistent series of hunts going wrong, sawyer develops a more devil may care attitude to hunting, taking more and more risks that begin to endanger her life. 

after walking in on her adoptive mother eva kissing another man, even after several years of her adoptive father drew being dead, sawyer reacts badly to the apparent news of her ‘mother’ moving on, sawyer becomes moody and uncooperative with eva and eventually extends her bad attitude to everyone else around her.

the season ends with sawyer being killed by the same angel who had made previous attempts on her life, the winchester’s finding her body and bringing her back to the bunker only for her body to later vanish without a trace.

season nine. *covers sawyer from age twenty-two to twenty-three. 

sawyer awakes in heaven to see castiel lose his grace and be sent down to earth with the rest of the fallen angels, leaving her alone with metatron who had been hiding her body for months. she is tasked by metatron to find an angel named thiel in exchange for returning castiel’s grace to him.

sawyer accepts the mission and finds herself on earth where she is attacked by fallen angels and is found and rescued by thiel, who reveals her identity and sawyer’s heritage as a winchester, convincing sawyer to accept her destiny as thiel’s true vessel in return for getting justice on those who had lied to her, who sawyer is made to believe includes the winchesters. 

sawyer spends the next eight months trapped with thiel until her family help her break free. when dean is killed by thiel as punishment, sawyer sells her soul to a demon, who turns out to be a night of hell, named proserpine. sawyer exchanges the use of her body as proserpine’s meat suit in return for dean’s life. 

the season ends with sawyer being set free from proserpine but is forced to cut her own throat with the demon still inside her. sawyer survives the injury with help from eva’s magic but is left hideously scarred by the incident. 

season ten. *covers sawyer from age twenty-three to twenty-four.

sawyer struggles to deal with her guilt following the events of the previous season but tries to return to her normal life all the same, managing to convince the dean at her college to let her comeback after a year of being away thanks to thiel. its during this particularly bad spiral that sawyer engages in casual sex with strangers to combat her guilt and is also where she meets gavin miller. 

it takes some time, but eventually sawyer comes to terms with her actions. its during this time that she meets and starts a casual relationship with a hunter named clay cross.

sawyer graduates college in time to help with dean’s continued spiral downwards from the mark of cain, and is there with castiel, crowley and rowena when she ultimately traps the three of them and runs off with the book.

for sawyer, the season ends with crowley smoking out of his vessel and leaving her to be attacked by a controlled castiel.

season eleven. *covers sawyer from age twenty-four to twenty-five.

sawyer finds herself miles away from danger in thiel’s mansion, the archangel having crawled out of purgatory to claim sawyer for her vessel once more, when sawyer naturally refuses, thiel subjects sawyer to mental and physical torture.

thiel poses as sawyer around her family and friends when she has to, helping her to keep sawyer locked up with the added aid of her personal witch tessa davis, without anyone suspecting a thing. this continues for the entire summer until thiel is caught out and the winchester’s rescue sawyer.

sawyer then comes face to face with an old flame from her past, tim. finding him to have been similarly tortured by thiel in an effort to get sawyer’s attention and continues to target sawyer’s loved ones to pressure her into saying yes.

meanwhile sawyer and tim start to rekindle their romance, all while sawyer tries to keep him at arms length to save him from thiel. its during this time that sawyer also meets lina sutton, dani sutton’s sister, when thiel seeks to manipulate her as well. 

season twelve. *covers sawyer from age twenty-five to twenty-six.

thiel is still at large and sawyer is still fighting her feelings for tim. lucifer also makes a comeback and then there’s added complication of the british men of letters and sawyer coming face to face with her newly resurrected, biological mother mary.

having previously left tim in the last season sawyer finds herself coming to tim’s aid following the discovery of his daughter, vee marlowe. 

with pressures from thiel, the british men of letters, tensions between herself and mary reaching breaking point and the winchesters working with the organisation, sawyer eventually runs off to try and find a way to kill thiel alone. sawyer eventually returns to west virginia. 

when tim asks for her help, with sawyer returning to find him attack her from thiel getting inside his head, the pair fight and eventually sawyer brings him down.

thiel and sawyer then fight with thiel gaining the upper hand and precedes to choke sawyer out. sawyer manages to beg for tim’s mind to be healed in return for sawyer becoming her vessel and while her back is tuned sawyer shoots with an archangel blade melted down into a bullet. 

season thirteen. *covers sawyer from age twenty-six to twenty-seven.

sawyer finally commits to a relationship with tim, moving into his home along with vee. the three being the perfect happy family. with tim working odd jobs across town, vee going to school and sawyer assisting friends on cases.

 their bliss is short lived when sawyer is kidnapped by an organisation of bounty hunters, who typically sell hunters to monsters for money. 

sawyer is eventually rescued but in coming back from her time held hostage by the group endeavours to help one of its members cut ties from the group, gavin. this being gavin miller from her past, now trying to help him escape the leader of the organisation and his dad, curtis miller. 

her efforts are mostly rejected by gavin and bring her to constant disagreement among her friends. when gavin discovers that curtis was responsible his brother’s death, andrew miller and so convinces sawyer to help him try and take his father down. with their plan going horribly wrong the season ends with gavin and sawyer made the target of curtis and his men.

season fourteen. *covers sawyer from twenty-seven to twenty-eight.

coming soon. 

[bsmallvoice]

Code Black

For Camsthisky’s #batfamcontentwar

Code Black

ff.net|AO3

Present Time

It was movie night, and, after completely their homework, all four boys were curled up in the armchairs with strawberry milkshakes, popcorn, and blankets. Damian had curled up on his side facing the movie screen with his head near Dick, who was occasionally petting the child's hair. Jason was to Dick's left and Tim slumped to Jason's left. After much arguing, they had finally agreed on a Pixar film with respect to the fact they had a six year old in the room who had forgotten most of the gore he'd seen as a kid and had never been out as Robin.

Naturally, putting on the Incredibles in a room full of heroes led to a lot of crap-shooting. 

The boys commented on everything from fighting style to good points and "how the hell did he miss that? The guy was monologuing!" and "Well, at least she had her sh*t together. Seriously, the dude's surrounded by people with superpowers and there's no inhibitor collars, and he's giving up!? What an idiot!"

"Jason, stop cursing."

"Oh come. I heard worse than this when I was Dami's age."

"Still…"

It was about midway through the attack on the city before the Incredibles got there, when it happened. They couldn't make out what Alfred said, but they very clearly heard the four gun shots that rang out midway through his sentence. Dick and Jason froze, listening, while Damian and Tim jolted upright.

"What was that?" Tim asked quietly. Jason raised the remote to pause the movie, but Dick reached out and stopped him, shaking his head. The two eldest had a silent conversation in Batspeak, and then slowly shrunk down in their seats and down to the floor. Dick picked up Damian and Jason dragged Tim out of his seat. They kept low and crept to the door. Dick looked both ways and then ushered his brothers across the hall into the study quickly. They streaked across and took the lift down to the Batcave. He was about to follow with Damian when he saw a large shadow fall across the hallway, moving closer in his direction.

Dick quickly ducked back into the theatre, and ducked behind the seats. He was moving quickly and quietly in the direction of the other door when his senses went haywire. He hit the ground just before a spray of bullets ripped through the chairs where they had been sitting less than five minutes before. Damian's squeak was covered by the hailfire. Dick breathed deeply to stave off a panic attack and waited for the spray to stop. As he waited, he carefully untangled Damian. The kid looked terrified. Dick gave him a small kiss and, with a look that he hoped conveyed instructions to stay safe, slid the scared child beneath the ottoman.

The second he heard the gun click empty, Dick leapt up and jumped the chairs to attack their assailant.

Unfortunately, he forgot a few key facts. One, he had no clue who was attacking them. Two, he had no weapons. Three, he was in pajamas, and thus had no protection. He realized these key things when he found himself dangling by his wrist face to face with the man Batman had been actively hunting the past few weeks. Dick felt the blood leave his face. As the man grinned lecherously, he remembered that if they hadn't heard the gunshots he and his three brothers would be dead at the minute, and pulled his free arm back to punch the man in the face.

Two hours earlier

It was new moon, and the stars were difficult to see with the city's light pollution. On top of that, thick clouds were scattered across the sky. The air felt charged, full of static waiting to be brushed against, and the smell from the streets was unusually strong. There was an ominous feeling, as if the city's inhabitants were collectively holding their breath.

It was nights like these that made Batman on edge. He preferred to leave Robin at home on nights like these and with the rumors circulating the newest criminal, he felt extra thankful Alfred was around to protect them. Luckily, none of them had argued, all excited about the biweekly movie night Dick and Damian had established upon returning home. Bruce had left them in Dick and Damian's room finishing up their homework so they could start the movie soon. Damian, having already finished, was sitting on Dick's lap as the teen finished up an English essay. Jason was doing math on the other desk, while Tim read Sherlock, having also already finished his homework for the evening, and probably for the next week as well.

The newest criminal was a serial killer who had a thing against Batman, like so many did. He targeted single fathers with young children, and the media had dubbed him "Double Trip", because he often both shot his victims and slit their throats, occasionally using additional methods on the children. The man had, at several of the crime scenes, written messages for Batman in the blood of his victims. The latest one had disturbed Batman the most. "1, 2, 3, 4, how many more, Batman?' But there had only been three known attacks.

A tip had placed the criminal's base of operations at a classic abandoned warehouse near the docks. Batman landed softly on the roof of the building and retracted his grapple. There had been no patrol of guards or anything of the like. All signs indicated that the murderer was working alone, but there was no guarantee. Batman carefully removed a panel from the skylight on the roof and slipped onto a catwalk. He stalked through the shadows of the building searching. He found a computer with evidence of the previous murders, and a scrap book about the murders, and called in Commissioner Gordon.

Shortly after he finished the call, Batman heard a scuttle behind him and froze. He slowly turned around and found himself facing Double Trip's neck. Seven feet tall, the man was a goliath, thick muscles stretched taunt everywhere. He looked a bit like Bane when Bane was juiced up except with real muscles. He wore a dark shirt with a thick biker jacket, jeans, waterproof laced boots, sleek racing googles, and a gas mask.

That should have been his hint, but for some reason, probably the number of villains that wore gas masks who didn't have anything to do with gas, Batman did not pull out his gas mask and put it on. Double Trip was a tougher fighter than Batman had expected, and got a couple lucky gunshots in. The fight lasted five minutes before the gas really started to affect Batman. The first sign was a stumble, minor, but it led to Double Trip catching his cape. Batman quickly detached it. The dodges were getting closer and closer and then a knife dropped on Batman's head. Hard. And he sucked in a huge breath of some hallucinogen.

He couldn't see. Everything blurred into many different colors and, while he could feel the phantom limbs, his struggles were feeble. With his last presence of mind, he pressed the emergency signal on his belt. The whirl disappeared as the world darkened and faded.

30 minutes earlier, about ten minutes after Batman passed out.

GCPD stormed the abandoned warehouse where Double Trip was rumored to be located, followed closely by Batgirl who had arrived at the same time. When they entered, they found the demon holding a limp Batman up with one hand. The other hand was on the edge of Batman's cowl. Batman was bleeding from several bullet wounds and knife slashes, although luckily, his throat hadn't been slashed.

"FREEZE! Drop the Bat!" The serial killer turned to face them. A low chuckle filled the air.

Double Trip removed his free hand from Batman's cowl and opened it. A moment later smoke filled the air and a body, Batman, came flying at the coughing police officers.

When the smoke cleared, Double Trip was gone. Commissioner Gordon cursed, and contacted the outside forces. A response came. Double Trip had shot one of the other officers and stole their car. He was gone.

Gordon cursed again. Batgirl, meanwhile, was examining Batman.

"He's alive," she said. There were several sighs of relief. "I need to get him to medical attention though. Did anyone happen to see where the Batmobile was parked?"

There were several nos. "Can't you call it like Batman does?"

Batgirl shook her head. "That option was… temporarily… disabled." She chose her words carefully, inwardly cursing Robin's recent joyride that got the privilege taken away. "It's still available for the bikes, but the Batmobile would be easier." She shook her head again, and called the bike, getting up and supporting Batman. The commissioner got his more tech-smart officers started on trying to track the missing car.

"Robin." One of the officers realized. "Where's Robin? Double Trip goes after both parents and kids."

"He's not out tonight." The officers helped her secure Batman to the bike with enough room for her to squeeze in front and drive. As they were finishing up, Batman's cowl slipped. Not enough to show anything related to his true identity, thankfully, but it shouldn't have done that.

"It's loose." Batgirl muttered. "Why is it loose? It shouldn't be loose, unless…" Her eyes widened behind the mask. Her hand flew up to her ear. "Batgirl to Robin. Come in, Robin!"

"Got it." A police officer said. "He's making a beeline for the outskirts of Gotham." Batgirl glanced in the man's direction.

"Batgirl to A, come in A!"

"Yin, Bennett, go with Batgirl and get Batman to a nondescript hospital. Guard him and make sure they don't remove his mask. Patton, get Merkel to a hospital as well. Montoya, Bullock, Anderson, with me, we're following Double Trip. The rest of you, stay on alert. If word gets out Batman is in the hospital, the city will go to hell. Stop all the crimes you can."

Yin went over to Batgirl as Bennett ran to grab a car. The girl was still desperately trying to contact Robin or any other member of the Batfamily.

"We're giving you an escort to the hospital, to protect Batman from identity peeks. Do you have a safe doctor to go to."

Batgirl looked at them, hesitantly. "You'll keep it a secret."

"Of course. And Bennett will as well."

"Alright." She let her hand drop from her earpiece. "Let's go. The faster we get him to a doctor, the faster I can check on Robin." She slipped onto her bike, and took off, hearing the car start up and follow her.

"Where are they?" Tim asked, as Jason ran around grabbing weapons and medical supplies. The teen had already changed into his Robin outfit. Jason stopped and sighed.

"I don't know, but if they're not down here by now, they were probably spotted. Dick won't risk bringing the shooter down here. You know how he is." He put his mask on. "Pull up the house security footage. I need to see where they are and if the entrance is clear."

Tim nodded, and quickly pulled it up. Jason leaned over his shoulder, searching the screen as he shoved a communicator in his ear. He adjusted it to include the police frequency, and then scowled.

"The police know Double Trip is here. They're on their way. Should be here in ten."

Tim gasped as he spotted the screen Dick was in. "We don't have that much time. He's killing Dick!" Jason gripped Tim's shoulder. "The entrance is clear. I'm going up to help. Make it look like I came in another way. Try to contact Batman or Batgirl. Tell me if you see Damian, and, unless someone makes it down here, DON'T. LEAVE. THE. CAVE."

"Okay." Tim mumbled.

Jason gave his shoulder one last squeeze than took off up the stairs.

Dick pulled weakly at Double Trip's arm, trying to loosen the iron grip the monster had around his neck. It was tight, cutting into his air, but not fully, leaving him with the suffocating feeling without the ability to pass out. He had tried kicking the man, but his socked feet had no real effect on the goliath, even when Dick kicked him in the groin.

The living room was a disaster. After Dick had punched Logarithm in the face, he had broken free of the initial grip and proceeded to throw everything he could reach at the man. He'd been careful to draw the man away from the ottoman where he'd hidden Damian, as well as making sure none of the milkshakes landed in that area. Running low on things to throw, he had lashed out with a sweeping kick to knock Double Trip down. It had worked, and Double Trip had fallen onto the glass, but Dick had gain several cuts on his leg in the process. The monster stood up bleeding in several places, the smirk the man had earlier fading into a scowl. Dick stayed in a crouch, waiting for Double Trip to make the first move. The man had reached forward, and Dick had gone under and attempted to throw the man.

Double Trip grabbed the back of Dick's pajama shirt with his other hand and yanked to throw the kid off balance. Dick tried to slip out of it, but Double Trip grabbed Dick's arm and twisted it behind his back, halting the effort with the shirt halfway over Dick's head. Dick cried out, and then bit down on his cry and jerked his arm out of Double Trip's grip. He slipped the rest of the way out of his shirt, and turned to face his opponent.

Dick was confused to see an amused smile on the man as Double Trip threw the shirt away. Unnerved, he took a single step back, and yelped as his foot landed on the base of one of the milkshake glasses. The base rolled under his foot, throwing off his balance for a second before he managed to shift his foot directly onto the broken glass next to it. He went down hard onto more broken glass, barely managing to keep his head and neck upright, away from the ground. Double Trip moved quickly, scooping the boy up with his left arm around the boy's neck.

Which brought them to now, with Dick tugging furtively at Double Trip's arm, while the man reached his right arm back and pulled out a knife. The man didn't say a word, although the grin grew, as he swiped at Dick's arms with the knife. The deep cuts that appeared served as a warning, and Dick pulled them down. The arm around Dick's neck tightened slightly, and Dick jerked his arms upwards. Double Trip knocked them aside, and touched the tip of the knife to Dick's bare chest above his heart. Dick jerked again as the man pressed the knife down and dragged it about four inches down.

"HEY!" Dick felt his heart plummet to his feet as he heard Jason's shout. He tried his hardest to look to his right where it had come from, but the grip around his neck kept him from turning his head. A low, menacing chuckle filled the air. "Drop him." Robin demanded.

Rather than dropping Dick, Double Trip looked back at his captive, placed the knife near the top of the cut and started carving a semicircle. Dick gave a gurgled cry.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!"

Double Trip took a quick step backwards and Dick felt a batarang pierce his right upper arm. He gave another gurgled cry, the closest thing to a scream he could get. The knife turned to draw a line at a 45 degree angle from where the semicircle intersected the original line. An 'R'? Double Trip was drawing an R? Why?

"Shit." Robin muttered. There were running footsteps, and Dick suddenly felt himself falling. He sucked in breath as he landed on the glass again. Trying desperately to get his breath, he glanced up at the fight above him. Robin flipped off of Double Trip to land next to his brother, leaving a beeping batbomb behind. He winced when the glass dug into his gloved hand, before he landed on his feet next to Dick.

"Who threw the milkshakes?" Dick flushed even as his breath evened out. Maybe that hadn't been the best idea… "Never mind." Robin hissed. "Where's Damian? I need you to go downstairs the first opening you get." Dick nodded. At that moment, the bomb exploded and Double Trip went down with the force of the explosion.

"He's under the ottoman." Dick whispered.

"Get him and go. I'll be right behind you." Robin pulled out some smoke bombs. Dick took that as he cue to go grab the youngest and leapt to the ottoman. He quickly pulled Damian out and started for the elevator. Double Trip was recovering when they neared him, but Robin struck the man in the head with a bo staff, and threw down a smoke bomb. Dick made it to the elevator and quickly entered the security codes to open the elevator. He looked back for Robin.

"Robin, hurry!" He called. Robin came sprinting out of the smoke cloud and slid into the elevator, narrowly dodging three bullets as he came. Dick pressed the button that closed the door while Damian hit the one that would bring them downstairs. The wall panel started to close, but not before four bullets impacted the back of the elevator. Dick cried out as one passed through his shoulder.

The door closed, and the elevator dropped. Above them, they heard the sound of sirens.

"GOTHAM PD! PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR!"

Tim watched the cameras with not a small bit of fear. Jason, Dick, and Damian were almost to the elevator, but the police had just arrived and there was a chance they would spot the elevator going down. Wayne Manor was compromised, especially with Alfred down, and the Batcave might be right behind it, if the way Double Trip was shooting at the elevator, and then the wood panel that hid the elevator shaft was any indication. As soon as Robin had gone up to help, Tim had set about downloading everything on the batcomputer onto multiple, color coded flash drives. Villain profiles on the blue one. Heroes on the black one. Case files on the yellow and green. Everything else on the red one. The download was about 50% complete, but would take at least another ten minutes.

He knew he should have focused on contacting Batgirl or Batman, but the police radio had mentioned Batman was down, and if the Commissioner was on the case and put two and two together about Batgirl… It would take her too long to get here anyways. The police had a huge head start on her.

"Batgirl to Batcave. Come in Batcave. Please work…" Hearing Barbara's voice from the consul, Tim practically leapt for the mic.

"Batgirl?" He asked.

"Robin! Is that you?"

"Umm. Well, this is Rob 3." Jason chose that moment to come out of the elevator supporting a limping older brother.

"Is that Batgirl?"

Tim nodded.

"Rob 3. I've been trying to contact you guys for the last half hour. Double Trip is on the way to your house, followed by the police."

Jason snorted. "Lock down the cave and then fill her in, Tim. We need to keep both Double Trip and the police out of here. Hopefully, they'll think it's a bunker, rather than the Batcave." Tim quickly typed in the lockdown codes, and listened as the Cave started to secure itself. Nobody would get in or out unless the proper codes were entered except through a small tunnel that only the birds, Batman, and Alfred knew about. It was too small for Batman and Alfred to fit through, and Jason would be pushing it. It was meant as an escape route and wound down the mountain for miles, with several hatches to out so they were unlikely to get caved in, all the way to the edge of the city nearest the Zeta Tubes. Even that was only an out. It couldn't be opened from the outside.

"We know about Double Trip, Batgirl." Tim said. "We've been a little busy."

"Busy? Are you all alright?"

"We are, but Alfred's not. He had four bullet wounds to the chest. I think he's… He hasn't moved, Babs, he hasn't moved."

"O-okay. I'm almost to the Manor. What do you want me to do?"

"Keep them away from the Cave. Jason's helping Dick now, and then, I don't know what we're doing."

"Is the cave locked down?" Jason called from the infirmary.

"Yeah!" Tim called back.

"Alright. I can do that. I'm pulling up now. Keep me posted." Batgirl said.

Tim glanced at the download. 75% complete. "Damian, I need you to stay here and watch the comms. You're Rob Four. If you need to respond to someone, press this button and say 'This is Rob Four.' Then repeat the person's name. Say go, and let go of the button so they can respond."

"I know how to use a comm unit." Damian scowled.

"I know. But it makes me feel better to be sure. I'm going to go check on Dick and Jason and then grab us both something to change into. Unless Jay needs help. If he does, I'll help and then grab us both something to change into."

"Okay."

"Shout if you need us."

Tim hurried to the medical section. Jason pulled a glass shard out of Dick's back just as Tim entered. Dick had a breathing mask on, oxygen steadily flowing. Several cuts on his chest were bleeding to blur the pattern there and there were bandages tied tightly around his forearms. There was a pad taped over the bullet wound on Dick's shoulder, but it wasn't under as much pressure as it should be due to all the glass shards. "How's it going?" Tim asked. Jason shook his head.

"He's lost too much blood. Having trouble staying up." Jason replied. "Get me some O negative from the blood bank."

"On it." Tim said. Tim yanked on a pair of gloves, and then ran and grabbed a bag of O negative and an IV stand with needle, dragging it over to his brother. "Here." He said.

"Sweet." Jason said. "Here." He handed the tools he'd been using to get the glass out and the tray he'd been putting the glass on to Tim. "Take these and keep working on getting the glass out while I set him up." Jason found a vein above the major cuts on Dick's arm, the one that hadn't been shot, and inserted the needle. He got the drip set up and activated it. He glanced up worriedly when Dick didn't even flinch, and saw that the teen's eyes were glazed over.

"Shit. He's gone into shock. We might need another bag if this one doesn't help."

"Do we have time for two bags?" Tim asked. "The police will try to break in here before long. Batgirl won't be able to hold them off long if they start to suspect they're looking for the Batcave."

"We'll be okay, Tim. The cave's defenses are built to withstand Superman and at least half the League at once while on lockdown. It might not be completely foolproof due to the unexplored tunnels, but it should keep the police out for a while." Jason grabbed another set of tools and started pulling glass out of Dick's leg. There wasn't much that had stuck in the cuts, so he figured he'd be able to clean and bandage it quickly and stop blood leakage from that part at least.

"If you say so." Tim said sullenly. They worked in silence for a couple minutes.

"TIM!" Damian called. Tim pulled out the shard he'd been working on, and glanced up as Jason.

"Go." Jason jerked his head towards Damian. Tim slipped the gloves off and hurried over to his little brother.

"What is it Damian?"

"Two things. One, your download is complete. Two, there's a helicopter above the house and the police are examining the elevator shaft. I think they're almost through the wood panel. Batgirl is arguing with them." He said.

"Shit." Tim muttered. He quickly checked that the flash drives were successfully encoded, setting the password to something long, complicated, and different for each drive. He disconnected the flash drives, and strung them all onto necklaces. "Here." He said, pulling the yellow and green ones over Damian's head. He pulled the other three over his head. "JASON!" He shouted.

"WHAT?" Jason shouted back. Tim ran over to poke his head into the medical center.

"I put everything from the computer onto drives. Should I delete everything on the main computer?"

"You're sure you got everything?"

"Pretty sure."

"Pretty sure?"

"Like 95%."

"Alright. Then do it. Anything you didn't get is probably better off destroyed than in the wrong hands."

"On it."

"What should I do?" Damian asked, gripping the two flash drives around his neck.

"Do you know where the Birdie Escape Tunnel is?"

"Yeah. Dick showed it to me."

"Go grab a utility belt from the gear area and as much money as you can. Pull out a flashlight. Then go to the tunnel, and get the door open. Go inside and start down the tunnel. We'll be right behind you."

Damian looked up at him hesitantly, searching his face. Apparently seeing something there that comforted him. The boy's expression turned to determined. He gave a brief nod and scurried off. Tim finished starting the deletion sequence. He also activated a sequence to destroy all classified information in the cave. Classified as in possibly able to give away the identity of other superheroes. Checking the timing and giving a nervous glance to the elevator, Tim rushed off to the weapons area where Damian was pulling on his boots. Tim knelt down beside the kid and quickly tied the laces. He quickly shoved his own boots on. Tim grabbed three grab bags, set up for an emergency like this, and shoved extra weapons and a bunch of cash into the bag. He slung one over his shoulders and held the other two in his hands. He gestured towards the tunnel, and started running towards it. Damian trotted after him, a kid-sized grab bag already slung over his shoulders along with a utility belt.

Jason met him by the tunnel, supporting a dizzy, but thankfully conscious Dick. They both had boots on. The barely teenager had already opened the door. He took two of the grab bags, giving one to Dick.

"Damian first. Then Tim. Then Dick. I'll take up the back." His brothers nodded, seeing no point in arguing. On a normal day, Dick might have, but he was in no condition to right now. Damian clicked on the flashlight, and crawled into the tunnel. Tim quickly followed. He heard Dick clumsily follow him in. The door clanged shut behind them, and he heard beeps as Jason set up an electronic lock. "Go." He hissed. The two younger boys nodded, and took off down the tunnel.

[uniquequotesonlife]

10 Best Movies of 2019 (So Far)

With the summer movie season winding down, we look back at the top 10 films cinema has had to offer this far into 2019.

The summer movie season of 2019 is over. While the heat continues to swelter, and school by and large remains out, the final weekend of new Hollywood blockbuster extravaganzas has sped off the scene like a getaway car. And given the box office receipts for most of the studio tentpoles this year, we imagine the whole industry is ready to put the summer behind them. Be that as it may, cinema remains strong, hence why we think is the perfect time to look back on the year so far. While many others like to take stock of the movie calendar at the literal halfway mark that occurs at the end of June, we prefer letting the biggest moviegoing season to wrap up and only start reflecting during the deep breath before film festivals like TIFF and Telluride kick off the awards season. Indeed, you’ll see below that this July and August have been unusually fruitful. Looking back at the first seven-plus months of 2019 reveals that, for whatever box office hand-wringing, it’s already been a promising time for new voices making an impact and legendary auteurs communicating with the changing filmmaking landscape. So without further ado, please join us in celebrating the top 10 movies of 2019. So far.

10. The Peanut Butter Falcon

Tall tales and the myths they build can be stronger than any river current in the American South. Many of the best works of fiction from that part of the country embrace such grandiosity, and The Peanut Butter Falcon is no exception. An infinitely sweet film populated with outsized personalities, directors Tyler Nilson and Mike Schwartz’s transcendentalist adventure was one of the biggest surprises out of SXSW earlier this year, and months later it still radiates an authentic breezy charm. Very much a modern day Huckleberry Finn for those labeled as disabled or special needs, the film crafts its own legend around Zak (Zack Gottsagen), a young man with Down Syndrome that society wishes to forget. Save for Eleanor (Dakota Johnson), his concerned doctor at the retirement home the state abandoned him in, no one really cares when Zak escapes to chase his dream of becoming a professional wrestler. Yet a dispiriting prologue gives way to the loveliest journey as Zak befriends Tyler (Shia LaBeouf) and hitches a ride with the good ol’ boy on a raft floating down the North Carolina Outer Banks. It’s a movie happily supplied with homespun love and wonderfully textured characters, including all three leads, among whom LaBeouf proves nigh unrecognizable as the reluctant Good Samaritan by way of Mark Twain’s St. Petersburg.

9. Luce

The best movies provoke discussion, and few this year will be as challenging as the conversations borne by director Julius Onah and screenwriter J.C. Lee’s Luce. A film based on Lee’s own play, the movie interrogates the idea of the American Dream and wonders if even when it comes true, how much of that is a manipulation by those who espouse skepticism of it. The film is about a star athlete and valedictorian named Luce (Kelvin Harrison Jr.). Actually, Luce was just what his parents (Naomi Watts and Tim Roth) made up after they adopted him from a war-torn African nation, unable to pronounce his birth name. Even so, he very much is their son and not only the apple of their eye, but that of his whole school. Perhaps this is why his teacher, Ms. Harriet Wilson (Octavia Spencer), holds him to a different standard than his other African American peers. It’s a story about a school-sized tinderbox of good intentions that threatens to ignite after Harriet finds illegal fireworks in Luce’s locker, all of which bubbles with the tension of a thriller even as it plays like a truth-searching drama. Luce is a Rorschach Test for both the characters and audiences to examine their own racial biases, and the hypocrisy of expectations. Nevertheless, the film exceeds ours.

8. Avengers: Endgame

It would be easy in more cynical circles to shrug off Avengers: Endgame as the ultimate fan service movie, and in fact it is. But after 11 years of world-building, and the even more impressive franchise-building occurring outside of its continuity, Marvel Studios’ 22nd installment is the grandest of commercial and long-form narrative achievements. By making a series finale to all the movies that came before it, including the cliffhanger in Avengers: Infinity War, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and his legion of collaborators, most notably directors Joe and Anthony Russo, and Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr., find the rare quality that most eludes traditional television storytellers: a fully satisfying ending. At three hours, Avengers: Endgame rises above almost anything else Marvel has ever produced and acts as a pseudo-manifesto for the studio. While many of the parts are lesser than the whole, the tight storytelling and tonal consistency over nearly two dozen films pays off with the kind of multi-tiered catharsis and spectacle that drives global moviegoers into theaters by the tens of millions. Not since the days of Cecil B. DeMille has there been an epic so brimming with familiar faces, but unlike the overstuffed Infinity War, this showmanship is wrapped in a bow of gracefulness. This is the ultimate Marvel Studios movie. With a renewal of the charisma and humanity Downey first brought to this enterprise, there is a creative spark shining bright here… and that leaves open the question of how Marvel can possibly repeat this high-note, both in terms of heart and gross, ever again.

7. Toy Story 4

Toy Story 4 didn't need to be made. The ending of 2010’s Toy Story 3 was the perfect conclusion to a saga that began the day a child named Andy first played with a cowboy doll called Woody. Yet we’re so glad that Toy Story 4 exists, as Pixar discovered a soulful epilogue to the characters who first made the studio the preeminent animation house of the 21st century. Essentially a coda to an already finished yarn, Pixar’s elegant solution to being required to return to the childhood daydream of Woody and Buzz Lightyear is to permanently wrap-up their shared journey in the most adult of ways. On the surface, this is another story about Woody (Tom Hanks) trying to teach a wayward toy its purpose, in this case a do-it-yourself Frankenstein’s Monster named Forky (Tony Hale). But Toy Story 4 raises a much more interesting question about what would make Woody want to move on with his life as a lost toy? Experiencing something akin to a midlife crisis when he crosses paths with old flame Bo Peep (Annie Potts), Woody is asked to change his perspective of what life is meant to be after reaching a certain age, just as a post-John Lasseter Pixar discovers a new and hopefully more inclusive identity. This movie does, after all, finally give Bo Peep depth and a humanity as heart-rending as anything to do with the cowboy that has a snake in his boot. Not bad for characters made of cloth and porcelain.

6. Midsommar

If you ever wanted a movie to burn down your toxic relationship, Midsommar is gasoline that comes with already lit flames. As Ari Aster’s heartfelt explanation of why some people do not belong together, this Swedish set film turns cult-based horror on its head and reverses everything you might expect from the director of Hereditary. Bringing horror out into the sunshine, Midsommar presents a world that is as shadowless as it is pitiless. Taking place almost entirely during the July rituals of an obscure (and fictional) Pagan commune, the film provides a set of antagonists who might kill you with kindness while displaying an egalitarian empathy as foreign to modern (and selfish) American traditions as their deadlier customs. This creates a striking backdrop to a potent allegory about why Florence Pugh’s Dani and Jack Reynor’s Christian really should have broken up long ago. Pugh is especially haunting as a young woman who’s in a state of perpetual trauma after hanging on to a worn-out band aid in need of tearing for six months. Her harrowing epiphany adds an insidious persuasiveness to cruel machinations that turn cooing Millennial intellectuals into horror’s new dumb American red meat. And the fumes produced by their roasting are quite beautiful, indeed.

5. The Farewell

Another film about the shock incurred by contrasting cultures, The Farewell is also a gorgeously realized portrait of a woman who feels drawn yet alienated by both sides of her identity. But whatever confusion she might experience is supplanted by an absolute love for her grandmother and the connection that elder represents to an ever-fading past. Writer-director Lulu Wang’s incredibly personal drama is equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking, all while never once making a single false step in its unusual path through grief—one that must be made in total silence. The Farewell centers on Awkwafina’s Billi, a 30-year-old New Yorker who was born in China and was only six when her parents moved to the States, leaving a vague impression of an idyllic childhood with her grandmother Nai Nai (Shuzhen Zhou). However, what exactly this feeling of severed identity means to Billi comes to the surface when Nai Nai is diagnosed with lung cancer… something that her family will not tell her of because in China, it is the family’s emotional burden to carry the knowledge of a seeming death sentence. Believing she only is suffering from a cold, Nai Nai is thrilled that her adult children from America and Japan are returning home for a wedding that is in reality a pretense for everyone to say goodbye—although not Billi. Her parents think she’ll crack and admit this pantomime. Thus she must crash her grandmother’s own living wake. Billi’s saddened homecoming is constantly juxtaposed by her grandmother’s glowing delight to have a full house again. Occupying the space between tragedy and joy, Billi’s Western apprehension to Chinese custom and her longing to reconnect with it, Wang finds a canvas to paint every shade of anguish and exhilaration offered by nostalgia and an unfamiliar heritage. Awkwafina also confirms she is a star on the rise by carrying this intimate tragi-comedy with a role that requires her to speak in English, in Chinese, and most impressively not at all, while still saying everything.

4. Us

Jordan Peele follows up his directorial debut with another horror movie that will be dissected and debated for a long time to come. More ambitious than Get Out, and arguably the most vividly photographed chiller in ages, Us is bigger but still razor-focused on its subject. A massive allegory about class warfare turning storybook supernatural, Peele imagines a conflict between the haves and have-nots in American society while noting that, at the heart of the matter, they’re the same exact type of people. With a deft touch and sense of humor that is as refreshing as it was in Get Out, Peele introduces audiences to the Wilson family, who have seemingly everything but are still envious of keeping up with the proverbial (white) Joneses. For patriarch Gabe (Winston Duke), this can be accepted as a point of obliviousness, but Lupita Nyong’o’s Adelaide cannot feign such innocence as she has seen the face of want and hunger—it was her own—and she left it to rot. Yet it rises for her again when “Red,” her doppelganger she once spied in a funhouse mirror, comes home with equally twisted doubles of her family. It is a tour de force showcase for Nyong’o, who gives an Oscar-worthy turn as both Adelaide and Red. Us provides a juicy parable as rich as the best Twilight Zone storytelling by Rod Serling that inspired it. The end might overreach, but the breadth of its vision and arm remains an inspiration.

3. The Last Black Man in San Francisco

You cannot hate a place unless you love it. This is a paradox that Joe Talbot and Jimmie Fails’ The Last Black Man in San Francisco posits with illuminating insight. An epic poem for the modern age of gentrification, this is a movie that focuses on a Bay City whose skyrocketing real estate has pushed the faces and hands that built its skyline to the fringes. It’s a fact of life encapsulated by an opening image of a young black girl going to school by the edge of saltwater so poisonous that city employees will only venture there in hazmat suits. Pushed literally to the edge of society, Jimmie Fails—a character played by the man who has lived this life and wrote the story down—dreams of reclaiming what was once his family’s birthright: a Victorian home in the Golden Gate area that his grandfather claims to have built with his own hands. It is now owned by a privileged middle aged white couple, yet when they enter into an inheritance dispute with relatives, an opportunity opens up for Jimmie and his best friend Montgomery (Jonathan Majors) to move in as squatters. This is a lyrical love letter to cities that no longer exist, and landscapes that once allowed dignity for those who toiled in them. Obviously it is Jimmie’s personal life story, but it is the insights of Montgomery, Emile Mosseri’s mournful score, and Adam Newport-Berra’s surreal camera setups that elevate Last Man’s song and verse into a celestial elegy. One which provides as much hope as it does despair.

2. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

The arrival of a new Quentin Tarantino movie always comes with debate and some degree of controversy. But when the smoke clears, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood will be remembered as one of his very best. A film that demands multiple viewings, Once Upon a Time is the rare major studio movie that requires you to meet it on its own terms, a sad fact Tarantino is aware of and deconstructs with a surprising degree of wistful melancholy. An obvious love letter to the long-gone Hollywood of the 1960s, which by ’69 saw the studio system in its death throes, the movie is also a commentary of our own cultural moment where auteurs pursuing massive original ideas, like Tarantino, and movie stars not defined by what cape they’ve worn on screen, like Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt, are almost a thing of the past. Tarantino’s elegiac meditation is as much about his and movie stars’ own setting sun as it is the Hollywood movies he grew up on, but it is also an unimaginably ambitious and celebratory film that dismisses plot and audience expectations that have been flattened by a decade of formula. Here is a film that revels in just chilling out with morally ambiguous characters while also offering a vessel that connects the past and present via giddy historical revisionist madness. Starring DiCaprio and Pitt as fading TV star Rick Dalton and his stuntman Cliff Booth, the film champions the intangible alchemy between charisma and cinema, providing both with their best material in years. Pitt may, in fact, have never been better than as the smiling cowboy whose high noon is with a counterculture that is burying his and Rick’s livelihoods. Their journeys, meanwhile, are paralleled by the rise of a new star named Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) and the youthful change she represents. The importance of Sharon, and her subtly interconnected world, is determined by how much you know of her going in. For those who do, she is more than just the idol of her age; she is the soul of Tarantino’s sweetest movie, both in terms of its ‘60s setting and its desire to divorce a lifetime of light from the specter of Charles Manson’s half-century of darkness. Unlike Tarantino’s last three pictures, this isn’t about revenge; it’s a bedtime yarn dreaming of salvation for Hollywood, for culture, and for a legacy that can live on past 26 years.

1. Booksmart

Despite her celebrity, Olivia Wilde has always seemed a little underrated as an actor. That should change going forward as Wilde also announces herself as a major directorial talent with Booksmart. A pitch-perfect comedy that writes a teen anthem for the next generation, Booksmart proves that the cinematic R-rated comedy is not dead, and further it can only get better as it invites new diverse voices to reconfigure the form. Among those voices accompanying Wilde are screenwriters like Susanna Fogel and Katie Silberman, and a fresh-faced cast that is more than game to refocus the coming-of-age narrative on the type of nerdy young women who previously might’ve been lucky to be in the fuzzy background, if included at all. Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein make a banquet out of protagonists Amy and Molly, two Type A’s who are Ivy League-bound and think the perfect night before graduation is watching Ken Burns documentaries. But upon realizing that all the supposed flakes they wrote off in their senior class are also headed toward bright futures after four years of partying, Molly will make up for missing out by dragging Amy on an odyssey toward the perfect Gen-Z high school party. So there you have it, the 10 best movies of the year so far. Agree? Disagree? Did we leave something off? Let us know in the comment section below! Sourcehttps://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/282640/best-movies-2019 Read the full article

[sleepychai]

Love in the Shadows - Tim Drake x Reader

Please enjoy this story and give me feedback to help me with improving this story and give me motivation to write this. 

I will be adding quite a few OC’s in this story and to save you the troubles of finding a name to suit that person, I will give you a name to refer to them as differently. 

If your name is the same as the OC’s, please use the name Jennifer Burns. If not then please ignore and continue reading the OC’s as their names.

This story is set in the new 52

If you wish to be tagged, please ask me and I shall tag you whenever I update.

Info

Name: (Y/n) (L/n)

Age: 16

Alias: Shadow

Powers: Manipulation of Shadows

In a relationship with Tim Drake

Speaks Spanish, Italian and English

This chapter is more of a backstory. I will hopefully have chapter two out soon. 

Chapter 1 

Fear. Depression. Insecure. 

The three emotions I’ve been battling since I was ten. Normal people would overcome these emotions and continue on with their happy lives. But that’s not my case. 

My name, is (Y/n) (L/n). I’m 16 years old. I was born in Valencia in Spain but I eventually moved to Gotham City. I can speak fluently, in three languages, Spanish, Italian and English. I am a vigilante known as Shadow. 

You’d expect me to be this dark creature that moves within the shadows. You’re half correct. You see, I can control the shadows. I can control the movement of shadows, become a shadow, touch the shadows. I can use them offensively or defensively. I can create objects with them and carry things with them. 

You’d think that I have full control over my powers. But I don’t. Not unless I take a specifically made pill.

Let me start from the beginning.

I was nine years old. I lived with my parents, Kate and Alex (L/n). I had a normal life, I was happy, confident and my family was fairly wealthy. 

One day I was playing in my backyard when this black thing in the ground started to come to me. They eventually surround me. It would only come to me then that they were shadows. The shadows slowly started rising up from the ground. I started getting scared. 

My Mom and Dad would run out to me, calling my name. I reached out to them, tears streaming down my face. But the shadows seemed to have followed my hands. 

Without any warning or hesitation, the shadows charged at my parents. In a split second, my parents were lying dead on the ground, pools of blood forming underneath them. 

My heart stopped for 3 seconds, enough time to realise what I had done. The shadows disappeared as I ran to my parents’ bodies, screaming and crying. A few minutes later, police along with Star Labs would turn up and drag me away from their body. 

That's when the real pain started.

For two years I would be experimented on. Torturous experiments were performed daily, I would never get a break from them. 

During the two years, I met this woman named Naomi Olsen. She wasn’t like the rest. She cared for me, healed me, showed me sympathy. She was my safe haven, my escape from the experiments.

After the two years, they decided to relocate me to Star City to perform more ‘tests’ on me. I would be placed in a highly secured tank. When the plane landed I was loaded onto one of the three black vans waiting there. 

On the way to Star City Star Labs, I noticed that the traffic sounds started reducing. I was scared, thinking that I would be arriving at Star Labs soon. When the van stopped, the doors to the van opened and my tank was unlocked.

I stepped out and found Naomi talking to a few armed men. She ran to me, gave me a bag and told me to run. I was reluctant to go. I didn't want to leave her, I didn’t want to leave the only person who made me feel safe. But I had too.

Three more years would be spent running away from Star Labs. They would chase me across Europe. I never spent more than a few days in a state before Star Labs would locate me again. 

Several near misses would be made, but I’d always have to use my shadows to escape. I picked up new abilities such as teleporting, night vision (which made my eyes turn red) and faster health and energy regeneration. I would never know why I gained those abilities but I never questioned them. 

I eventually ended up in Gotham City. I walked around dark alleyways and abandoned buildings searching for any supplies that I could use. On my second night at Gotham, I encountered two men in an alleyway. I tried to walk past them but they threw me into a wall, trapping me between it and them. 

I begged them to stay back, not wanting to have to hurt them using my shadows. They wouldn’t listen. They just stepped closer to me and tried to touch me in places. Places I didn’t want them to touch.

All I did was grab their hand. And that’s all it took. 

Shadows started to consume the men, making them scream in fear and agony. I gasp as tears prick my eyes. After a few seconds of fear consuming my body, I wave my hands. The shadows immediately disappeared from the men.

The men didn’t take a moments hesitation and ran away screaming ‘monster’. 

I broke down crying, collapsing onto the ground. I cried. Tears streaming down my face endlessly. I was scared of what I was. Scared of my powers. Scared of myself. 

I stayed like that for a few minutes, until they came. 

Batman and Nightwing.

As soon as I saw them, I pushed myself to the back of the alley, begging for them to leave. I was afraid that I would hurt them unintentionally.

They tried to calm me down by talking to me, but I just curled myself into a ball. I was shivering by that stage. Not only by fear but by the cold. 

They seemed to have gotten closer to me without my realisation. When Nightwing touched my arm, I flinched in fear. But when I looked up at him, all I saw was sympathy and kindness. Something that I’ve been desperate for from my escape from Star Labs. 

They told me that they could help me control my powers and take care of me. I was skeptical at first but soon decided to accept their offer. 

Batman gave me this bracelet that kept my powers in check and they both led me to the Batmobile. 

They revealed their secret identities and told me that they knew about my past. At this point, I was really scared. I didn’t have much knowledge about vigilantes but I knew that they liked to keep their identity a secret and for two of them to reveal their identities to me, started to panic me a bit. 

I didn’t talk on the way to the Batcave, I was too scared to. Instead I just hugged me knees and tried to breathe calmly.

When we arrived, Bruce and Dick helped me out of the car and led me to an upstairs part of the cave where there seemed to be medical equipment sprawled out on various tables. 

There was a woman there as well, smiling at me with a smile that I would never forget.

I ran towards Naomi and hugged her tightly, crying in her arms. Naomi returned the gesture. She then told me about this pill she’s been working on. It would help me have more control of my powers.

I took the pill and it worked. I was able to control my shadows. Bruce offered to adopt me and train me to become a vigilante, using my powers for good. I accepted his offer, obviously.

A few hours after that, I met Tim. A few months after that, We became a couple.

I was scared about falling in love because I thought that I would hurt him, but something about him made me want to be with him. 

I’ve always had depression, no matter how much Tim tries to help me. Sometimes I cut myself. Tim doesn’t know and he never will. 

The shadows that I control have been a curse to me. No matter how hard I try, I never seem to gain full control of my powers. I’ve never accepted them and I never will. My powers were the cause of my parents’ death, they give me my nightmares and my anxiety attacks. 

They never stop haunting me. And they never will.

I’ll never be free from the depressing shadows that loom over me.

I’ll never be free.

[warninggraphiccontent]

12 June 2020

Tangfastic

Audrey Tang, Taiwanese digital minister, was fizzing with energy and insight when I interviewed her for the IfG this week.

We covered how Taiwan has kept its coronavirus cases astonishingly low (partly through quarantine and 'digital fences'), how it has fought misinformation, its innovative work on digital government and public engagement in general, and the most poetic job description you'll ever encounter.

Watch the whole thing here, and read/watch much more here.

In other news:

On the subject of job descriptions, a good selection of jobs this week. MoJ's Sam Tazzyman - you may remember him from an excellent Data Bites presentation - and the ESRC asked me to highlight theirs, while Full Fact also have an excellent opportunity - you'll find them all at the end of the Meta data section below. And an irregular reminder that if you're looking for data/digital jobs, Jukesie's newsletter is still the best place to look.

On the subject of Data Bites (any excuse), the next one will be at 6pm on Wednesday 1 July, supported by ADR UK. It's a great line up - full details shortly. Catch up on previous ones in the meantime.

Honestly, what is it with the completely unnecessary secrecy? The government is storing up serious problems for itself when it comes to earning trust in how it's using our data.

It was a bright cool day in June, and Nineteen Eighty-Four was celebrating 71 years since it was first published.

There are some good #BlackLivesMatter-related links from FiveThirtyEight below. But you should read this first.

See you next week

Gavin

Today's links:

Tips, tech, etc

Employees must be consulted on technologies monitoring the return to work (Computer Weekly)

MPs and their offices during lockdown - how we've helped (Parliamentary Digital Service)

Ten tips for facilitating online workshops (NPC)

Elephant safaris: organising meetings that help us grasp complexity (Geoff Mulgan)

Graphic content

Viral content: cases

How the Coronavirus Compares With 100 Years of Deadly Events* (New York Times, via Marcus)

Coronavirus Map: Tracking the Global Outbreak (New York Times)

Coronavirus cases are surging in Latin America* (The Economist)

Is the world making progress against the pandemic? We built the chart to answer this question (Our World in Data)

This chart compares the outbreaks of coronavirus in four parts of Wales (David James)

Coronavirus: Looking for R is about the geography as well as the maths* (The Times)

Brazil stops releasing Covid-19 death toll and wipes data from official site (The Guardian)

As coronavirus cases rise nationwide, public health experts urge caution* (Washington Post)

Viral content: consequences

Business impact of coronavirus, analysis over time, UK (ONS)

How to avoid the virus as the world reopens (FT)

What to Make of the Rebound in the U.S. Jobs Report* (New York Times)

The Economic Pain That the Unemployment Rate Leaves Out* (New York Times)

EUROPEAN SOLIDARITY TRACKER (ECFR)

That CNBC chart (CNBC, via everyone)

Psychopathic charts, lines that should be bars, and picking cherries (Alberto Cairo)

GDP monthly estimate, UK: April 2020 (ONS)

UK’s virus recovery lags behind European peers* (FT)

#BlackLivesMatter

#StolenSeriesbyAB (Adrian Brandon)

How Public Opinion Has Moved on Black Lives Matter* (The Upshot)

US boardrooms fail to reflect country’s demographics* (FT)

Protests spread over police shootings. Police promised reforms. Every year, they still shoot and kill nearly 1,000 people.* (Washington Post)

Charts that Count: how badly are African Americans affected by police brutality?* (FT)

Do You Know How Divided White And Black Americans Are On Racism? (FiveThirtyEight - but also, read this)

Why would you want to honour this? (Mona Chalabi)

BME deaths in custody, 1991-2014 (Institute of Race Relations)

Coronavirus fuels black America’s sense of injustice (FT)

George Floyd is remembered around the world* (The Economist)

Experience the sights and sounds of a historic protest in the nation’s capital* (Washington Post)

Patterns Of Death In The South Still Show The Outlines Of Slavery (FiveThirtyEight, April 2017)

Extensive Data Shows Punishing Reach of Racism for Black Boys* (New York Times, March 2018)

US politics

What to remember about polls as Trump continues to disparage — and invent — them* (Washington Post, via Marcus)

Forecasting the US elections* (The Economist)

Will protests help Donald Trump as they did Richard Nixon in 1968?* (The Economist)

Everything else

Services and Brexit (UK in a Changing Europe)

Ministerial directions (Oliver for IfG - being updated today)

A virtual parliament was well equipped to make progress on the government’s legislative agenda (Alice/Hannah for IfG)

A U.S. Secret Weapon in A.I.: Chinese Talent* (New York Times)

A study names firms who buy products from areas with deforestation* (The Economist)

Explore connected papers in a visual graph (Connected Papers)

A national aggregator for current and historical planning information (UK PlanIt)

#dataviz

A journalist’s introduction to network analysis (Paul Bradshaw)

How We Accidentally Wrote Our Most Popular Story Yet and What We Learnt in the Process (NZZ)

Meta data

Viral content: trace-y island

Boris Johnson’s patience wears thin over tracing app* (FT)

Coronavirus: Ministers consider NHS contact-tracing app rethink (BBC News)

NHS Covid-19 data store doc raises questions about link to contact tracing app (NS Tech)

Under pressure, UK government releases NHS COVID data deals with big tech (openDemocracy)

Revealed: Trump backer’s spy firm lobbied Gove, Hancock before winning key NHS contract (openDemocracy)

No, coronavirus apps don’t need 60% adoption to be effective* (MIT Technology Review)

Matt Hancock says the Test and Trace system is on its way to being “world class” Is that justified? I've spent the day trying to find out (Rowland Manthorpe)

Babylon Health admits GP app suffered a data breach (BBC News)

DHSC 'satisfied' after investigating Serco contract tracers data breach (Civil Service World)

Most data sent to Greater Manchester by national test and trace system 'was so rubbish it had to be returned' (Manchester Evening News)

Coronavirus: Police planning their own contact tracing system over concerns about government's version (Sky News)

Viral content: everything else

How Taiwan became a coronavirus success story: in conversation with Audrey Tang (IfG)

Struck (again) by how much lack of data on social care made this crisis hard to respond to (NAO via Graham)

Brazil reports 679 new coronavirus deaths amid controversy over data (Reuters)

How geospatial data is supporting the UK’s response to the coronavirus pandemic (Geospatial Commission)

DVLA and HMRC – working together during the coronavirus pandemic (DVLA)

Using detailed, frequently updated health data in a secure database, providing up to date information about patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic (DECOVID)

What data and digital stuff have you seen working really WELL during Covid? (Ben Goldacre)

Overload in the time of Covid (The Occasional Informationist)

Volte face?

IBM will no longer offer, develop, or research facial recognition technology (The Verge)

Although... (Olivia Solon)

We are implementing a one-year moratorium on police use of Rekognition (Amazon)

Microsoft won't sell police its facial recognition technology, following similar moves by Amazon and IBM* (Washington Post)

Identity parade

Meet the Identity and Attributes Exchange – GDS’s future for digital identity after Verify (Computer Weekly)

Digital Identity: The Missing Piece of the Government’s Exit Strategy (Institute for Global Change)

AI

Academics call on nations to work together on A.I. and ensure it benefits all of humanity (CNBC)

Microsoft's robot editor confuses mixed-race Little Mix singers (The Guardian, via Alice and Tim)

The ‘dark matter’ of visual data can help AI understand images like humans (The Next Web)

Big tech

Oral evidence: Online Harms and Disinformation - YouTube, Google, Facebook, Twitter (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Sub-Committee on Online Harms and Disinformation)

Google got rich from your data. DuckDuckGo is fighting back* (Wired)

Wendy Liu: “Silicon Valley didn’t create the pandemic, but they’re profiting from it”* (New Statesman)

Everything else

New advice to help councils fight procurement fraud (MHCLG)

Liz Truss launches future trade strategy for UK tech industry (DIT/DCMS)

How data-driven democracy both helps and hinders politics (LSE British Politics and Policy)

Data firms pitch profiling tools at UK councils* (FT)

A Moment of Change: Challenges and Opportunities When Covering Hate Speech and Mis/Disinformation (MIT Media Lab)

Rendering Knowledge (Dave Snowden - old, but resurfaced via Glyn)

Selected Readings on Open Data Legislation and Policy (Open Data Policy Lab)

Storytelling with data podcast

Introducing the GOV.UK Data Labs (GDS - see also relevant Data Bites)

Best practice guidance and tools for geospatial data managers (Geospatial Commission - Owen's take)

Opportunities

EVENT: Launch of the UK's Geospatial Strategy (Geospatial Commission)

EVENT: Data, the Global South and the NHS: risks from new digital trade rules (Trade Justice Movement)

EVENT: Data, power, and the pandemic (Benchmark Initiative)

JOB: Head of Policy and Advocacy (Full Fact)

JOBS: Senior Data Engineer in the Data & Analytical Services Directorate and Lead Data Engineer in the Data & Analytical Services Directorate (MoJ)

JOB: Head of Data and Search (UK Parliament Digital Service)

JOBS: Citizens Advice is hiring into our technology team (James Plunkett)

JOB: Director, DDaT Function Strategy (GDS)

JOB: Deputy Director for Public Policy (ESRC)

And finally...

A behind-the-scenes glimpse into the making of our @instituteforgov charts (Cath/Alice)

Animal Crossing’s massive popularity has made it less like paradise and more like Wall Street* (Washington Post)

The #opendata on every vineyard in France and which AOC wine grows in it (Tom Forth)

[violetsystems]

#personal

I didn’t end up hearing anything else about the missing package.  I spent most of that morning at the gym thinking about how I would react.  Standing outside in the cold at six in the morning in front of my house talking to somebody you don’t know is intimidating enough.  Plotting to kick a gang off a block is another thing entirely.  Which is what it sounded like half asleep on my way to work and my regular gym routine.  If anyone has learned anything about my real life in Chicago at this point from these blogs, it’s that people try to get me to react to all sorts of crazy things.  It doesn’t help that I’m a highly cerebral and genuine person when it comes to approaching life.  I’ve also been fairly transparent with my approach to my online identity.  I work in IT.  I also work at an art school.  I’m also unique in my own personal ethics, beliefs and creative pursuits.  I have my own life and I live it with accountability.  I think after all this time particularly in this space I believe people know that to be true about me.  There are many things I’ve come to understand about life.  Self expression on the internet is part of who I am.  I’ve been online for years.  Before I even became involved with music I was making zines and getting suspended from high school because of it.  I distributed it in the local record store when I lived in the suburbs.  I didn’t grow up in the city but I commuted to a Christian school that was a mix of kids from all over.  Some parents found one of the younger kids I rode the bus with had one of my zines.  He picked it up at a record store.  It wasn’t explicit at all.  But there were elements of the occult and horror involved.  Mostly drawn and written by local artists and poets I connected with.  Real spooky shit.  They took it to the board and tried to get me expelled.  It was only when my English teacher came to my defense that I got off with an in school suspension.  They lock you in this little room and you think about what you’ve done.  Years later I’m an adult with a blog.  It sounds like a Saturday Night Live sketch.  Locked in another tiny little room.  If it becomes one, we’ll all know where they stole it from.  That is if the site doesn’t shut down tomorrow.  Which if anyone was careful enough to actually read the community alerts they would know that isn’t true. Just like they’d know I’ve left all of my content up since I made this URL my main back in 2010.  You can tell how sad and lonely I was back then.  And yet some things never change about me.  There’s enough of a narrative here over time that people trust that’s ok for me.  That narrative is part of a community of people who have grown to know and respect each other over time.  One like at a time.

So when it comes to defense and reality, December 17th is a sobering date for some people.  If we are talking about the health of the community and the platform in my eyes, nothing is ever perfect.  In the last four months, I’ve connected with a lot more fashion resources here.  Years ago I came to Tumblr to research fashion and Asian culture.  I think my lens has narrowed over the years particularly how it relates to fetishism and objectification.  It helped that I was exposed to real texts and work through this website that challenged my views of these things.  I’ve seen a lot of good resources go dark.  There was a url called cottonblanc that used to transcribe Caroline Evans’ “Fashion at the Edge” word for word.  She teaches at Central Saint Martins and frames everything in the philosophy of Walter Benjamin.   I went out and bought a copy.  I would read whole chapters on Margiela and Mcqueen over and over.  Then one day the url deleted.  And a time and an era definitely passed for me.  But I carried that torch forward with what I learned and evolved with it.  I’ve been wearing Undercover for years.  Nobody knew what it was.  Everyone thought I was the police.  Maybe that’s why all the landlords ask me to solve their problems at six in the morning before I go to the gym.  Some DJ in Vancouver told my friend they knew me not through my music but because I bought an Undercover jacket one hour before they could get to it.  Truthfully I copped my first piece from a reseller on tumblr years ago.  A streetwear and DJ friend who ran the Tokyo Marathon and later passed away introduced me to Gyakusou.  It was a time I was trying to find myself again.  I had just ended a ten year relationship with a girl I really loved at the time.  Sometimes I feel like I’ve only recently recovered.  But I’ve been living another layer of that aesthetic since the summer.  And it has woven itself into the very fabric of the internet like a virus spreading out in a William Gibson novel.  It’s places like these where I’ve been in my element.  It’s a different kind of search engine for me.  Albeit an emotional one.  Which is why I can understand a lot of the concerns especially when it comes to censorship of art.  Which is why I think many of us have to understand that art in itself is a refuge.  And where you draw the line in America is a tricky subject.  

Safety seems the most logical but isn’t always evenly distributed.  Art is a safe space where these things can flourish.  That’s the utopian ideal for sure.  There’s entire schools dedicated to where you draw that line.  And there’s entire narratives that get drowned out for the sake of convenience and lack of care, time or attention.  I’ve written my experiences and frustrations here for longer than I can imagine.  They’ve grown more formatted over time.  It’s true I write these to maintain the fact that I am a human being.  There are reasons why I post the things I do.  I work in an environment where it is crucial that I understand things like microaggresions and triggers.  I’m sensitive to that.  I can’t say I always agree that people are sensitive to mine.  I don’t know that I need that really.  This community in particular and how it spans out into the real world and other platforms has always had my back.  There’s voices on this platform that I trust far more than any semi important name you can throw at me.  People I trust that trust me.  There’s a mutual respect there that goes unspoken.  And that follows me around sometimes.  A reputation.  Of someone that has tried playing by the rules and kept score.  Other people out there keep saying they’re winning.  Do you know how many times people have passed me over because someone else told them I was a loser?  The joke is that it’s all right here.  Exactly how many battles I’ve won.  Exactly how many challenges I’ve learned are worth my time.  Exactly how much I’ve put into the culture here and stood up for it.  When you ask me what I’m most proud of about my time here it’s that people have come to understand me genuinely.  None of what I’ve gone through is fair at all these last few years.  And yet I’ve stood my ground on many things out of principle.  I do believe American culture is overtly too sexual and not sensual and sensitive enough.  I do believe there’s a way you can present your desires without being creepy about it.  And I do believe this platform probably wasn’t becoming a safe place for that.  As of December 17th, despite some extremely flawed and gender heavy wording it will be.  The good news is that art will be there on the front lines to challenge that.  Which means people like me aren’t going anywhere.  Except maybe to New York to visit a little more often next year.  <3 Tim

[kurniawan05-blog]

The Nucleus Platform As Solution of Secured End-to-end Technology

The ecosystem of cryptocurrency is recently driven a critical number of examination from regulatory around the whole world, that is some of them controlled by the nonregulated original of ICO (Initial Coin Offerings). Additionally, there are several broad and reputable ICOs, just likely other existing platforms that created only for discretion investors of unsuspecting cryptocurrency of their fund.

The cryptocurrency complex nature subsidizes several investors to find the more natural way of conducting profit that does not insist them to work by knowledge of the fundamental principles of blockchain platform technology or the way it represents essential theoretical and practical study orderly to improve marketing strategies.

High sector investment schedule typically offer investors to payment currency into a directed account that conducts interest on a routine basis. The ICO ecosystem has currently spawned a different on this idea, providing investors the change to deposit in those blockchain platforms before it goes active. Those ICOs named itself lending platforms.

It is equitably clear that any practical and useful plan cannot be improved, but it does not limit those investors in gambling with their luck with colossal sector investment agenda or other technology platforms that guarantee incredibly high recurs with bit effort. In several cases, the platforms are secure complex Ponzi schemes.

Loaning platforms have nothing to do with p2p cryptocurrency renting but prefer to recent investors with the change to rent crypto to the blockchain platform in behavior that is usefully similar to HYIP.

Since HYIP is known as a risky matter, there is still a part of them do send returns on a reliable basis. While assessing loaning ICOs, it is principal to recall that it is crucially likely HYIPs, also convey the same endanger.

By take inside at the Bot of Bitcoin Growth, as an up-to-date loaning ICO that guarantees investors the first real bright volatility marketing bot. Here also will check out Bitcoin Growth ICO also find what it provides to assist you to decide whether it deserves investing in.

The ICO for your Next Digital Investment

If you are stalking any cryptocurrency information you maybe well-known with the ICO term. ICO is a way to offer commercial investment for the companies of start-up. The old methods to get fund for new businesses by implementing for rents to significant investors and banks has judged ineffective. By utilizing ICO, you may have the extraordinary money to optimize the company’s development. It must be known to get a company with high ICO value should have a well idea for the people charge funds for organizations.

Likely ordinary startup company, the platform should have a document of the whitepaper that composing the work objectives and background, whose the members are also how many minimum funds are required, the coins provided, the project schedule and agenda. The document of whitepaper will be utilized to execute ICO. For commercial fundraising to get the expected target, the document white paper should be published in transparent detail.

The ICO timeline should be defined to ease the public to purchase ICO. Additionally, the money submitted during the ICO sale will be counted. At the whitepaper document also should decide the solution to be taken when the needed payment doesn’t get the minimum value. Besides, investment disbursement after the investment number beats the minimum point should also be described in detail.

The ICO sells their coins to investors completed with return within the orderly investment investors don’t control about the works provided. ICO also named the crowd sales because primarily the funds submitted at the transaction end is a donation. Or you can say that the ICO is likely to crowdfunding that provides startup storage for functional project funds. For any reasons, you should not ignore awareness when you are joining ICO sale.

Now is the Day to Decide your Own ICO Investment

Before deciding on any chosen ICO, you should know what the ICO you will invest is. Being selective for any Ico sale you will select is a must. It is because almost entire startup company determine to utilize ICO for relieving of getting first work funds. The thing you should notice to invest in ICO is as follow :

You should understand the information about the platform team that works the business. By knowing the founder’s information, you also realize its credibility and capabilities. Never put any investment to ICO sale who keep info about the platform concept.

You must read and study the whitepapers document that created by startup platform. You should also be aware of the promising of future platform company progress. Never let your self wrongly offer investment to a company with an unknown purpose.

While the ICO sale period is running, you must give attention to the minimum to maximum payment consistency. Think again to offer ICO to any company that irregularly in deciding the resources required for project growth.

One of the vital matter in determining to invest or not in the business legality. You should make sure the provided strategy is not opposed to the law.

You must assure that the company founders identities positively confirmed. The record of any experience by everyone has worked with the project is very significant to the project successful.

By understanding those things discussed before, now you ready to decide the right investment for ICO. One of the ICO sales that you must consider is Nucleus Vision. Here the profoundly evident whitepapers to understand: https://nucleus.vision/mini-whitepaper.pdf?v=1.2.9.

  Meet Nucleus Vision as High Recommended Option

The Nucleus is a platform that works with the Internet of Things technology, so it is also known as IoT company, which allows any omnichannel appointment run also contextualized communication for the practical retail shop to their customers. Nucleus’s IoT focused on customer ID solution opens the IoT true ability by supporting dynamic connections between things, applications, services and people. In the first Phase, Nucleus will give their attention on offline retail, and in the second phase of physical security continued with Phase 3 for interconnected devices.

The nucleus is building a complete-stack solution to record dark invisible information, through its single sensor technology. The Nucleus is establishing a safety blockchain based data link for Ids marked; Nucleus designs to shelter users privacy, while searching intelligence utilizing neural types, and combine Nucleus ATOM tokens, to build the most significant world loyalty bonuses link.

In Nucleus phase one, Nucleus is individualizing the offline retail marketing experience for some 2.6 trillion walk-in users through 91 million physical shops, globally. Considering retail, sensor technology of Nucleus has to reach platforms in the physical security sector and linking global devices.

Ran by 23 member team from India to San Francisco, it is entirely experienced in the yield of IoT, RF technologies, the blockchain, and retail.

The nucleus Vision is one of Technology utilize IoT obligatory to make a verification for the users that meet the seller. IoT is a method to connect with things around us by a system like an internet provider. The IoT idea was early invented by Kevin Ashton.

The IoT utilization offers a plenty of promising that can be integrated from several sectors. For example, an original application is in a freezer that can notice the food and beverages owner ability and what requirements to be faced. Technology development with primary IoT indeed needs significant help from the customers for the reach of all human activities.

As a digital company that survived and keep developed for over three years, Nucleus Vision provides a technology of end-to-end solutions that offer information through a blockchain-based sensor technology also real-time sensors. So far, successfully improved resolution by Nucleus got IoT sensor in number 19. The whole sensor is positioned on ten companies that assist the information network for user ID even user information as appropriate.

The Nucleus purpose is to offer a space for the online and offline global retail. In guiding the Nucleus Vision platform to the business, the platform has been assisted by critical investors like Reliance Capital and Tim Draper. Nucleus platform has also initiated collaboration with Reliance Communications, Idea Cellular, and Vodafone. Nucleus platform provides a network with high-rate protection to make you more comfortable to operate the application. For further information about this exciting platform, please visit https://nucleus.vision/.

  The Advantage of Provided Nucleus

As a blockchain platform that builds with revolution, evidently, Nucleus Vision has designed creative concept to ease all user. Creative ideas made by Nucleus have a good influence on the retail market.

Here is the facilitation you can reach from Nucleus :

Enables retail to operate in a customer-oriented suburban neighborhood.

Utilizing smart sensors, analysts and blockchains will bring you high loyalty customers.

The nucleus of IoT provides customer understanding with the capability to stalk users visits through a small passage.

Solutions of IoT technology served Nucleus has supplied with a top security system

Nucleus security system can identify likely threats also intruders on the data transmission to parties over the network.

With a conveniences variety mainly makes customers more assured to deposit in the platform. The advantage served will make that easier for customers to transact. The idea of collaborating the offline and online retail is exceptionally worth many thumbs up.

The Nucleus Security System

A significant matter in an environment is about the security system work inside the atmosphere. As well as any network provided by any platform, it will be considered bit useless if utilizing a low-security system.  So the security system that used there becomes the early benchmark for customers deciding a platform to work with.

The IoT solution has early completed to the security systems strength pressed on industry even housing. The different sector has not utilized smart solutions to control the client’s security and privacy. With the comprehensive security technology update, Nucleus platform is one of the highly secure platforms.

High-security setup on a platform that provides cryptocurrency and blockchain must be known. That is because none joined in the platform. The entire user information and transaction info will be saved within the blockchain. In case there is a confidential record leak, it can make some parties suffer either customers or retailers.

Nucleus operates IOL as their intelligent sensor. The IOL sensor is one of what needed in Nucleus platform as a more extensive commercial, industrial and residential security system. It works by recognizing any potential intruders and threats in the order. After that, the information earlier will be safely transformed into any authority for more action like blocking.

Way of IoT System Works on The Platform of Nucleus

The idea provided by Nucleus is contemplated to ease both customers and sellers in trading. Here are the Nucleus system flow offered to you as users :

After a customer accesses retail, the retailer gives bonus to customers as nCash tokens.

After a customer buys a trading at the retail worktable, the purchaser will grass loyalty values as nCash as good.

By giving bonuses nCash tokens, the resellers may ask necessary info from users even accept authorization from platform’s customers to get such information.

Distributors can exchange customer info with the other retailers that offer info about customers also provide nCash tokens for those informers.

Companion retailers can transform information about data of customer in the retail by sending the nCash token to their customer.

All parties of Nucleus platform may receive nCash token transforms belonged to customers. Additionally, customers also allow doing any transactions to whole retailers associated with Nucleus.

  Executive Summary of Nucleus Vision Platform

Nucleus has created the global first IOT-powered contactless recognition system (more than blockchain), in creating the most significant world loyalty application utilizing cryptocurrency. IoT of Nucleus solution allows local labels around the world to develop and apply a customer-oriented trading experience that purchases information from online and in-person channels.

The platform utilizes sensors, the blockchain, intelligent analytics and data to build independent solutions that obtain customer loyalty. Nucleus’s IoT serves intuition into customer conduct that not recently allow retailers, for example, the permission to stalk customer visits, to passages also browsed paths taken in-shop, favorite brands and products, and expected future customer action in-store.

It designed to helps build a private customer experience that offers to higher customer satisfaction. By using this blockchain-powered technology, Nucleus platform works to link the online and offline world seamlessly. Within the process, it aims to increase the retail store experience for about 2.6 trillion customers that recorded visit over 91 million physical stores for total, all in real time.

Here the Announcement Thread link: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2455575.

Posted by : kurniawan05

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=1187741

[sentrava]

What’s On in Copenhagen: October 2017

Hygge is great and all, but it’s no excuse to stay indoors all autumn long. Don that scarf and look alive people, this month is full of fun things to see and do. The city has a mix of gigs, exhibitions, food and drink events, flea markets and reams of other stuff.

Here’s all the unmissable Copenhagen events in October:

Sunday 1st October

Stefansgade Loppemarked

It’s the last Stefansgade flea of the “summer” season kids, so make the most of it. There’ll be the usual bargains, coffee carts and food trucks for the ideal slow Sunday stroll around Nørrebro.

    Monday 2nd October

Pin-up Fit

Ever fancied yourself as a Bettie Page type? This fun 50s style workout will get your whole body energised with bumps ‘n’ grinds, hip shimmies and shoulder shimmies! It’s an all-female class and all ages from 13+ are welcome.

    Tuesday 3rd October

Observation Evening at Tycho Brahe Planetarium

There’s a starry-eyed suprise this month at Tycho Brahe Planetarium where you can observe the night sky guided by an astrophysicist all for free!

    Wednesday 4th October

Tommy Hilfiger & Calvin Klein stock sale

Some great discounts at Papirhallen on these two all-American brands, including sales on men’s and women’s clothes, jeans, kids’s clothes, underwear and accessory bits.

    Thursday 5th October – Saturday 7th October

“The Water” Exhibition at The Underground Cisterns

Explore Copenhagen’s subterranean reservoir lit with a sea of lanterns as part of the Reflektor Light Festival. The exhibition was created by the Japanese architect Sambuichi. There’s sake by the glass, and a Japanese boat, tarai-bune, drifting on the underground lake. It’s even a full moon!

    Thursday 5th October – Sunday 8th October

Won Hundred Stock Sale

Get up to 80% discount on Danish fashion brand Won Hundred and nail that classic, low-key Scandinavian look in the process.

    Friday 6th October – Sunday 8th October

HÖST Nordic Literature Festival

New for this year, HÖST literature festival — taking place at Johan Borup’s High School — celebrates Nordic writers over three days with a mix of debates, workshops and even community singing! Listen to speakers including Tomas Espedal, Adam Holm, Jonas Hassen Khemiri, Helga Flatland and Lone Aburas.

    Saturday 7th October

Obscura Vertigo Light workshop

If you were lucky enough to see Obscura Vertigo’s light installation, The Wave, on Copenhagen’s waterfront you’ll know how stunning the display was. Now us mere mortals can learn the seemingly magical craft behind these installations at REFLEKTOR Light Festival’s free workshop and discover how these works of art come to life!

    Sunday 8th October – 11th October

Shoptalk Europe

This four day conference celebrates all things innovative in retail and ecommerce, so it’s ideal if you are thinking of starting your own business or are already a business owner. With talks from leaders in the field like Simona Scarpaleggia, CEO of IKEA and Tim Kendall, President of Pinterest, you can learn useful tips for your own business.

    Tuesday 10th October – 13 October

Body landscapes festival 2nd week workshop

Two artists, Ramen who is half Afghan, half Austrian and Yong is Korean but is based in Denmark, examine themselves from a transnational perspective, exploring their identity through their performance and a series of workshops.

    Wednesday 11th October

Hip Hop Quiz

Think you know your Tupac from your Snoop? Then grab your crew and come test your knowledge at Absalon’s quiz night.

    Thursday 12th October

Karen Blixen – Storyteller at Cinemateket

This documentary follows the famed Danish author on her trip to the US in 1959 where she regailed her readers with stories of Africa and Rungstedlund. The poet Thorkild Bjørnvig, literature professor Aage Henriksen and even Louisiana’s founder Knud W. Jensen make an appearance as well. The film is in Danish.

    Friday 13th October

Denmark’s Biggest Tapas Event

Torvehallerne’s Tapas evening is ideal for diners on a budget. Sample from 50 different tiny (but mighty tasty) dishes ranging beween 10-35kr. Fill those little tummies up!

    Culture Night

An evening packed full with reams of arts and culture where the city comes alive with people bustling about from activty to activity. All kinds of institutions will be opening up their doors to the public that evening, including DR, UN City and the Danish parliament. There’s loads going on so check out the full programme here.

Find out what Culture Night is all about here!

    Saturday 14th October – sunday 15th October

Fleamarket at Forum

Come and explore this h-u-g-e market at Forum over the weekend where there’ll be everything from antiques, retro bits and other deals to be had. Entrance is 40kr.

    Sunday 15th October

Danish on a Sunday: The Soldier And Jenny

This Danish classic film from 1947 traces the love story of two tortured souls. Jenny, a young woman who remains unsure of her fate as she awaits trial. And Robert, a man similiarly trying to shake free from his dark past and begin again. Jenny and the Soldier is one of the ten films in Denmark’s cultural canon and is undoubtedly a must-see.

    Tuesday 17th October

Codher Pop-up Programming vol. 13

Whether you’re a beginner or just looking to improve your existing coding skills, this free workshop run by Codher is such a fun way to learn and meet other enthuisiasts. Get inspired and share that knowledge with other women!

    Thursday 19th October – 22 October

Envii Stock Sale

You can forget about saving for Xmas because there’s up to 80% from chic high street brand, Envii. When the bargain calls, we can only follow…

    Friday 20th October

Death Becomes Her at Huset’s Biograf

Robert Zemeckis’ 1992 comedy is a cult classic starring two Hollywood greats, Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn, as nitpicky friends desperate to fight the aging process. One a faded actress, the other a shinking violet. Soon, with the help of some “alternative assistance! both women figure out how to cheat death itself, but not without some hilarious and very painful repurcussions.

    Saturday 21st October

Ásgeir at DR Concert House

The Concert House will be filled with the haunting dulcet tones of Icelandic singer-songwriter, Ásgeir, this month. Fresh from the release of his follow-up album, Afterglow, Ásgeir and his band are back in Copenhagen, one of the cities they love most.

    Sunday 22nd October

Astrid S at Lille Vega

The seriously catchy, bubble-gum pop beats of Norwegian singer Astrid S are coming to Vega. She’s already worked with the likes of Katy Perry so expect great things from this rising singer-songstress.

    Tuesday 24th October

Emma Holten: The New Feminism

What does discrimination in Denmark look like? Feminist and activis, Emma Holten is hosting a discussion aiming to unpack the layers of inequality that are still prevalent today. The talk will be in Danish.

    Thursday 26th October

Lecture: Recycling textile into furniture

Design school KADK are running a lecture on upcycling old textile materials into furniture pieces. Speakers Wickie Meier, CEO of Really, and Lea Nordström, Technical Manager of Kvadrat, will discuss design and the circle economy.

    Sunday 29th October

Virtual Reality at Huset’s Biograf

Get a glimpse of unfamiliar reality at Huset when guests can try out old-school VR headgear, followed up by David Cronenberg’s 1999 gamer-movie masterpiece eXistenZ.

    Monday 30th October

Texas at Amager Bio

Scottish rockers led by Sharleen Spiteri play hits from their new album Jump On Board and hopefully some old favorites too.

    Tuesday 31st October

MURA MASA at Store Vega

Electronic Guernsey-born producer MURA MASA is only 21 but already worked with the likes of A$AP Rocky and Stormzy. And after releasing his debut album in July, he is now on the up up.

    Ongoing in October

Crossing Borders at SMK

Artists have always crossed vast distances looking for something undiscovered and original, and on occasion, sometimes for just pure adventure. A selection of works from greats of the European art world between 1300 to 1800 focussing on those that went in search of their inspiration. Highlights include: Andrea Mantegna, Peter Paul Rubens, Corbelius Norbertus Gijsbrechts and Rembrandt van Rijn and much more.

  Micheal Kvium Circus Europe at Arken

Visual Danish artist Michael Kvium is setting up his circus of the absurd at Arken. The exhibition centres around the European identity and community in a time governed by xenophobia, fear and tension. Kvium takes the political and social scenes of life in contemporary Europe and places it under the big top for all of us to gawk at.

      Stanley Kubrick – The Exhibition

The Kunstforening GL STRAND presents the first exhibition of its kind in the Nordics, an exclusive look into Kubrick’s visionary workroom. Constructed from movie excerpts, interviews with Kubrick himself and colleagues, as well as old archive material, get a glimpse into the movie master at work.

      Marina Abramović “The Cleaner” at Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

The first major retrospective of Abramović’s work in Europe, Louisiana is showcasing 100 pieces of the critically acclaimed performance artist spanning over five decades. “The Cleaner” exhibition includes her early concept sketches, paintings, and depictions of some of the artist’s live performances, including her partnership with Ulay. It immersive, though-provoking, at times disturbing, and a must-see.

      Masterpieces. From Degas to Hammershøi at Ordrupgaard

A wonderful opportunity to experience the works of some of the greats from Ordrupgaard’s Danish and French collection, including Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Auguste Rodin, Paul Gauguin, Vilhelm Hammershøi and several others.

There will also be the opportunity to view the galleries extensive collection of pastels, rarely exhibited previously. These include Degas’s ballerinas in the rehearsal room and portraits by Renoir and Manet of life in Paris.

  Don’t forget: all the 2017 Holidays & Flag Days are here.

If you’re a business or organisation that would like us to add your event to next month’s calendar, please contact us at hello [@] scandinaviastandard [dot] com. Thank you!

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  What’s On in Copenhagen: October 2017 published first on http://ift.tt/2gOZF1v