[IC] Gotham Knights [CallMeChaotix & DrewVonAwesome]

[CallMeChaotix]

As he turned the motorcycle's engine off, he stared at the Wayne Manor. He wasn't sure if he'd be accepted in easily. After Bruce's death...he left for a while.

Dick Grayson sighed. It has been a year since Bruce Wayne, CEO of WayneTech aka Batman died. As hard as it was on himself, he could only imagine how hard it was on the rest of the family. He pulled off his motorcycle helmet, and got off of his motorcycle. He laid the helmet on the motorcycle, and walked off to the Manor entrance.

He knocked on the door, and waited a few minutes. One, two, three, four, five, he even counted how long it took. Then the door open to show Alfred's gloomy face, but as soon as Alfred saw Dick, his expression brightened.

"Master Dick, it has been so long!" Alfred said, smiling. Dick smiled himself.

"It's nice to see you, Alfred." Dick said, Alfred moved out of the doorway to let Dick in.

"I know it may be rude to ask, Master Dick. But why are you here?" Alfred asked.

Dick turned around to look at Alfred. "I'm going to stay in Gotham for a while to help clean up the trash, and spend some time with you and the family again." Dick said. Dick then walked to the piano in the main room, he hit a certain key. The bookshelf on the right side of the room started turning counter-clockwise.

The bookshelf turned fully, showing the entrance of the batcave.

"Oh man, it's good to be home."

[DrewVonAwesome]

It had been a while since Tim Drake came back to the Wayne manor, leaving behind the Teen Titans under Raven's leadership. Something they all understood the meaning behind as Bruce Wayne's death wasn't that long ago. Him and Oracle had since worked on Gotham City, but the place was like when you cleaned your car and it would rain almost immediately. As soon as one major problem was cleaned up seemingly another would hop in to fill the void, or seemingly overfill the void. It was tiring work even though Tim would never admit it.

"So we have just all that going on tonight? Weirdly calm in Gotham..." Tim noted scratching his chin, his mask off but his Red Robin costume on as he leaned back in the same chair Bruce would spend many a night studying criminals. Glancing up at the large monitor in the batcave as he grew more and more impatient waiting for something. "Well I think there might be things happening elsewhere, wither or not thats a good thing being debatable." Oracle, aka Barbara Gordon, said through a secure call line. "Speaking of things going on, I just noticed you're about to have company."

Tim raised an eyebrow at the news and started glancing around, eventually seeing Dick Grayson up at the entrance. Quickly Tim grinned as he held his hands up. "Dick! Buddy! What's going on man?" Tim proclaimed happily. He always had a deep respect for Dick, the original Robin had gone to bat for him when Bruce didn't trust Tim, and even personally gave Tim a supportive seal of approval. No matter what Tim realized what that meant, and had never forgotten about it. "What brings you to the cave of bats? I thought you were still working in Bludhaven..."

[CallMeChaotix]

Dick high fived his adopted brother, Tim Drake aka Red Robin. Dick smiled, he hasn't seen the batfamily in a while. Dick was grinning widely, Tim has always had Dick's back. Even as Bruce's sidekick, he always seemed to just, well, like Dick. They were the dynamic duo type. Dick then looked at the monitor.

"Sorry, I've been gone for ...forever." Dick said, he thought about how he neglected his family ever since Bruce had died. It wasn't fair to them, and now he felt selfish.

"I can't BELIEVE you actually kept the cave in good shape!" Dick joked, he patted Tim's shoulder, and looked around, smiling. The nostalgia was eating away at Dick, and fast. He ran over to the suit containers and looked at his old Robin suit. He then stared at the Batgirl suit that Babs use to wear...

Wait, Babs! Barbara, he hasn't spoke to her.

"Hey, uhm. Where's Barbara?" Dick asked, running back up to Tim.

[DrewVonAwesome]

Tim watched on as Dick was revisiting everything in the old cave. He knew Dick had been gone a while but he was a bit surprised he hadn't been back in what was sounding like a long time. Barbara on the other end of the speaker though had gone very quiet as Tim knew he was about to be put into an awkward situation.

"Right here Dick... right here." Barbara's voice came through the speaker, a slightly depressed sigh breathing out as Tim gestured to the speaker. "Well ever since uh... 'that' happened, Bruce bought Barbara a place up in the old clock tower downtown and the best computer system money could buy. She's been working as Oracle ever since." Tim noted.

"Yeah, I basically run every kind of hacking and bioinformatics that any superhero that asks needs. I've been able to do some good work." Barbara's tone was hard to really judge. A mix of happy to hear Dick again, disappointed in him for being gone, other emotions that made Tim uncomfortable.

"It is good to hear you're back though, we need more sane people around here again." Oracle said.

[CallMeChaotix]

"Oh.." Dick thought, "Oracle's a cool codename, Babs." Dick then took off his blue hoodie. He ran down to the training platform.

"Let's see if I still got it." Dick said, a hologram of a thug appeared, and Dick instantly roundhouse kicked the simulated thug in the head. He then grabbed the thug by the shoulders, and kneed him, again, and again, and again, and...again. He then grabbed the thug and put him in a chokehold, the slammed him into the platform. Dick got up, but apparently so did the thug, the thug clucked Dick in the back of the head.

"Nng!" Dick stumbled, then got uppercutted. The pain was the same old, same old. It hurt like hell, he might've even bit his tongue from the uppercut. Bullshit. Dick thought, he couldn't have gotten that rusty. Dick fell on his ass, and held his jaw.

He frowned, "The...hell? I'm rusty..." Dick sighed, then just laid on the platform, panting. That was a total bad idea for him. Okay, so maybe he is a little rusty around the edges, that can be fixed. But his mind's not in the game, even himself could notice that. Is he able to be a hero again.

Dick sighed. "Screw me..." He said, getting up. He rubbed his chin. He leaned on the dinosaur statue. Dick never understood why Batman had that dinosaur. Maybe that represented that Bruce had a little humor. Huh, Dick has never felt so shitty in his life. Dick licked his lips.

He then realized why his mind was off the game. He needed to see Barbara again. She's probably so pissed at him for leaving her when she needed him the most. God, Dick was so selfish. Even as Robin, he still was kind of jerkish.

[DrewVonAwesome]

Tim stood in complete disbelief over what he just watched Dick do, or rather couldn't do. The Dick Grayson he knew would turn a one on one fight with some thug into a acrobatic performance. Here though it was less acrobatic and more just straight up sad. Tim had to resist with every fiber of his being to not facepalm in front of Dick.

“...Was it as bad as it sounded?” Barbara asked.

“More so...” Tim muttered.

Tim got up and walked over to where Dick had taken a seat after getting humiliated by a hologram. “Hey listen, I don't want to make this situation worse but... there is something else serious you need to realize.” Tim noted. “After, what happened to Bruce happened. Jason Todd lost whatever marbles he had left and is now running around the city as Batman. Problem is his still just as dangerous, worst yet... Damien is with him.” Tim didn't want Dick to feel even worst, but at this rate he knew Dick needed to know just how bad things had gotten.

[CallMeChaotix]

Dick's eyes widened, "What!?" Dick got up, and walked to the training simulation platform again. If Jason was up to no good, with a very lethal Damian...There's no telling how many that version of the 'dynamic duo' would kill. Dick turned it the difficulty to high.

"I gotta train pronto, then!" Dick looked at a big thug now. Dick gritted his teeth, he jumped on the thug's back, the thug shook around, but he couldn't throw Dick off. Dick wrapped his legs around the thugs neck, and pulled him down! They both hit the platform, except the thug was unconscious. Dick panted, and got up, holding his side.

He always knew Jason was well, a lethal dick. Jason always was rogue, it's time he was put in his place. And corrupting Damian was worse. Dick knew that in the shape he was in, he'd have to train every morning, every afternoon, every night, every dawn. Every day.

Dick turned the difficulty to extremely high, and now he was looking at a even bulkier thug. He ran at the thug, and threw his fist right into his face! The thug stumbled then kicked Dick in the gut. Dick grunted, he then grabbed the thug's arm and...

*SNAP*

The thug screamed, his arm was now dislocated. Dick then bicycle kicked the thug down. Dick was even more tired. He was out of shape, he needed to get back in the game.

Dick kept fighting the simulations, seemingly getting a little better. But he was tiring himself, and taking hard hits in the process.

At one point, Dick grabbed a thug and kneed him in the chest. He then front-flipped over the thug and turned around. The thug turned around, dazed. Dick did a split in the air, his foot slammed into the thug's face. The thug fell over, knocked out.

Dick fell on the ground, tired. He held his head, gritting his teeth once more. He should've never allowed himself to get this rusty.

"What the hell has happened to me...? Tim, I need a mentor right now, badly.."

[DrewVonAwesome]

Tim grasped his hair watching on worried completely now for Dick's well being since his long time friend and ally just looked sad fighting. Sure he beat the virtual goon, but it was hard to watch and again Dick looked out of it. Needing to get him help Tim ran over as Dick fell over. Putting a hand onto Dick's shoulder, Tim rubbed it to be supportive. "Look Dick we need to take this one step at a time. You can get back into it in no time I know it."

Tim helped Dick back up, "Maybe we should worry about that later, for now we need to start figuring out how we're going to handle all this." Tim suggested to Dick helping him into a nice seat. "You just got back after all."

[CallMeChaotix]

"Yeah...you're right." Dick rubbed his temples. Then got his head back to the problem. Jason Todd being Batman should never, ever, ever happen. Dick thought. Jason has really lost it, huh. Well, it was time for Dick to stop being the selfish guy he was for the past year, and help. Dick got up, out of the chair and walked to the batcomputer.

"What do we know about Jason and his whereabouts?" Dick said, he pulled his blue hoodie back on. Then scratched his chin, huh? ...Is that stubble on his chin!? What!? Dick realized he had let himself go more than he thought.

"I need to visit Barbara to have a...chat. Then I'm good. Dick said. He brushed his messy black hair out of his face, then walked to the entrance.

Dick walked out. Heading to the clocktower.

Oracle's HQ

Dick walked in, and tapped the wall in case Barbara didn't know he was in the room. "Hey.." He said. Well, that was the only thing he could think of. He ditched her, and he now regretted it. The Batfamily, is well, his family.

The clocktower was rather, normal looking. Besides the gigantic computer in front of Babs. It was a rather interesting place for a hideout. No one would ever think to look here.

"Babs..I'm so sorry..." He said, walking over to her.

[DrewVonAwesome]

Barbara heard him but couldn't be bothered to turn around. Instead the room for a moment was only filled with the sound of mechanical keyboard clatter. Barbara's face only visible through the haze of a large computer monitor. "Black Canary you're looking for a silver Corvette, license plate number 184 DSP. Should be within your location... hold on." Barbara slid off the headset contemplating what she was going to say to the guy who ran away when she needed him most. She couldn't quite decide what her emotions over time of what had happened she should go on. The sadness, the anger....

"Hey..." She finally let out, slowly turning around in her wheelchair and looking over at Dick. "Nice of you to finally show up..." Barbara just let it blurt out of her mouth and she sighed. "No sorry I shouldn't be saying that should I?"

[CallMeChaotix]

Dick winced from the last comment a little. He then punched himself in the face hard, and nearly fell on the floor. "Mmph! Gah...well,that's for me being a selfish punk..." Dick sputtered, he then held his nose.

"Go ahead. Yell at me, let out what you have to let out..I deserve it." Dick said. He stared at her, with a sad expression. He was angry at himself. Dick let go of his nose, and saw there was a little blood in his hands. He sighed, then looked down at thee floorboards.

"Hit me if you want to." He said. Probably something he shouldn't have said, she's an ex-Batgirl. Even though she's crippled, she could pack a mean punch. Dick honestly didn't know what to say. He looked at her, then back at the computer. He then looked back at her, and knew exactly to say.

"I ditched you, the Batfamily for my own reasons, I don't expect you to forgive me. I don't expect you to love me anymore either. I just want you to know...I'm...sorry." He stood there. He braced for impact, knowing the rage she had. She probably had a lot to say right now. Dick wiped his nose, again. And was ready to be punched just in case.

[DrewVonAwesome]

Barbara cringed watching Dick punch himself in the face. Wondering if this was what other people go through with ex-boyfriends.

"Oracle I just heard something on your end are you okay?" Black Canary just came in through her headset reminding her that she was still connected.

"Uh no uh... Dick Grayson just showed up and punched himself in the face." Barbara just stated mildly stunned.

"...come again?"

"Look just let me know what happens, I'll call back in a moment." Barbara rolled up over to Dick and looked at him for a moment before shrugging. Casually punching him in the groin and admittedly feeling a bit better about whats was going on.

[CallMeChaotix]

Dick watched as Babs said that she would call Black Canary back. She then punched him in the crotch.

Dick yelped, instantly grabbing his groin and fell on the ground. Let's be honest here, even Superman would be doing this if Wonder Woman punched him in the groin. "...I deserve that.." He said, while breathing sharply. It kind of reminded him of that Family Guy episode when Peter hit his shin and was like 'Sssssk! Aaaaah.." Dick slowly got up.

"Anything else?" He asked, surprisingly in a casual manner, there was a hint of sadness and pain, emotional and physical pain.

Dick leaned on the wall, stunned from the groin punch, and still the punch to the face earlier. He held his nose, and held his crotch. He sighed painfully. And slumped down on the wall.

[DrewVonAwesome]

"Uh no... no I think you get it..." Barbara said sounding more concerned than anything else. "Just, I think you get it. Running away and letting everything go to Hell. I think you've beaten yourself up about it enough." Saying that Barbara realized how deep what she just said was. She wheeled over to Dick and put a hand to his head. Gently letting her fingers slide through his black hair like it did back when they were an item.

"You can feel sorry for yourself, as warranted as it may be. But right now I would much rather see the Dick Grayson I loved who kicked ass and had something snarky to say while doing so. Not the sorry, punching self, whatever the hell this is in front of me Dick Grayson." Barbara told him. "Gotham needs you, Tim needs you, Hell I need you. So get up and please don't punch yourself or let me punch you in the dick again Dick."

[CallMeChaotix]

Dick was stunned to hear this. But then again, like Tim, Babs was right. He has been letting all that guilt eat away at him for too long. He turned from a lean to more of a straightened sitting position. He smirked, then got up. Rubbed his nose for the last time. He patted Barbara on her arm, then looked down at her. "Thanks for the pep talk, 'Oracle'." He said Oracle in a sarcastic manner. He walked to the door, then looked back at the woman he once loved, still loved. But, to be honest he didn't think it would be the right time to try to get back in a relationship with a girl that he ditched for the past year.

" Oh and, Babs? Seriously, thank you.."He said, with a serious voice.. His original costume, when he started his first year as Nightwing was ripped up from a previous encounter with his old rival, Deathstroke, so he was going to need to make a new, and improved one. Dick walked out of the door, he feels like he has released a lot of bad energy out of himself, and all it took was to be forgiven by his former lover. He headed out of the clocktower. He hopped back on his motorcycle, and equipped his helmet back on. He drove off, heading back to the Wayne Manor.

[DrewVonAwesome]

After changing back out of his Red Robin costume Tim was getting ready for bed hoping Dick's first meeting with Barbara was going well. While he knew if Dick ever came back he'd have a lot to answer for, he just didn't realize just how severe things would get. Still he could only hope for the best for now. As he had his underwear on, sighing comfortably slipping into the covers of his bed. Alfred came in time with a small bowl of tomato soup with rice in it and a grilled cheese sandwich on sourdough bread.

“Defiantly been a heck of a day...” Tim said aloud, drooling a little in his mouth over the late dinner. “Yes, with Master Grayson returning I'm praying things can perhaps get more under control in the city.” Alfred noted in his usual hard to gauge emotionally voice. Tim frowned a bit after stuffing some grilled cheese into his mouth. “Hey I've been helping!” Tim whined. “Of course you have Master Drake...” Alfred's condescension was clear as Tim just shot him a look. Though he quickly let it go, seeing Alfred response with a smirk of amusement at the young man's reaction.

Ever since Bruce passed away Tim inherited the fortunes and Wayne Industries Bruce had to his name. Though Tim gave the company's ownership to the very capable hands of Lucius Fox, Tim has been able to live comfortably using the money to continue keeping thing in the manor taken care of for not just Alfred, but really more for Bruce. Tim wasn't sure how the afterlife worked personally, but he'd rather not have to tell Bruce he left the manor to rot if he ran into him in the after life. Plus, Tim just couldn't bring himself to do that to Bruce's legacy. Bruce Wayne saved him when he knew no one else would've given a damn about him.

Finishing his small meal Tim finished his glass of chocolate milk and leaned back in bed as Alfred pulled the small tray away. Tim thinking for a moment before looking over, “Did you think Dick would ever come back?” Tim asked, Alfred paused as he was leaving the room, looking back at him. “Of course.”

The answer got Tim's interest, “What makes you say that?” Tim asked.

“Dick's situation, and attitude reminded me of another young man. Who thought he lost everything and ran away. Eventually understanding that his purpose was not in running, but fighting for what he believed in. That young man, you knew him... it was Bruce Wayne.” Alfred paused, letting his words seep into Tim's mind before Alfred continued on again leaving so Tim could go to bed. “Good night master Drake.”

“Good night Alfred...”

As Alfred left for the night, Tim thought about what Alfred said for a moment. “Yeah I can see the resemblance. Maybe not personality wise though.” Tim mumbled to himself before going to bed.

[CallMeChaotix]

Dick walked through the door of the Wayne Manor, surprisingly that encounter with Barbara went well. He closed the door behind him, outside he noticed Alfred had left for the night. Dick yawned loudly and intentionally to let Tim know he was here. It was pouring outside now, not that it mattered, but Dick always seemed to count the raindrops outside of the window. Dick pulled off his leather jacket and hanged it on the coat hanger. He walked to the room he always slept in whenever he came to the Manor. He pulled his blue shirt off, and started unbuckling his belt. He threw it down, and stepped out of his pants.

Dick pulled on his pajamas, and sat on the bed, watching TV. "...Uuugh..." He was so tired, but he didn't feel like going to sleep. His brother, well, Tim was probably asleep by now. Dick pulled the covers over his lower body. He sighed, and started to close his eyes.
For once in a long time, he felt comfortable sleeping. It's great to be back with his family, he just wished he would've come back when...No, he shouldn't think like that.

He fell asleep, snoring like a bear in hibernation. Man, he really needed this. He needed a lot of things ever since he left Gotham.

He woke up that morning, and looked around. The TV was still on, apparently. Dick yawned, and got out of the bed. He walked down the stairs to the kitchen to see Alfred making breakfast.

"Good morning, Master Grayson." Alfred said, while cooking bacon, and waffles were in the toaster. This looked like it was going to be a nice breakfast.

"Morning, Alfred." Dick smiled. Alfred didn't really pay attention to Dick's smiled. Alfred was like that. Sometimes, Alfred's personality annoyed Dick, but how was he going say that to the man that practically raised him since Bruce was distant?

"I can help you with the cooking."

"I'd prefer not, Master Grayson. I've never seen you as the cooking type." Alfred said, with a grin. Dick chuckled. It was really, REALLY great to be home.

He walked off into his room, grabbed his phone and and sent Barbara a voicemail "Hey, Babs. Just trying to see if you're okay, call me back." He turned his phone back off and laid on the bed, waiting for breakfast to be ready.

[DrewVonAwesome]

Tim came down the stairs in a loose looking cotton robe and trying to make sense of his messed up hair as he yawned. He was never much of a morning person even before becoming a crusader in the night. Still he knew when a good breakfast when he smelled it. Plus he could hear that Dick was back, hopefully Barbara didn't mangle him too hard for what he did.

When he stepped into the kitchen he smiled seeing Alfred preparing breakfast. "Hey Alfred, did Dick make it back from getting wrecked by Barbara?" Tim joked as he slipped into the refrigerator. Pulling out an energy drink which he started sipping on, Alfred had gotten onto him about it in the past but has long since conceded defeat. Tim just preferred it over coffee, and it made for a handy thing to have on hand when the night justice runs would start slipping into the wee hours of the morning.

"I suppose so, his back in his room." Alfred noted as he started pulling toast out of the toaster. Tim nodded and with another drink of his wake up juice took off to find Dick. Who he found quickly, "Well good to see Barbara decided to let you live." Tim joked as he came in. "So..." Tim started as he took a seat near Dick's bed. "Obviously we need to get you back in ass-kicking form." Tim noted, gesturing with his pointing, his hand wrapped around the cold beverage can. "I mean you probably know yourself better than I ever would. What do you propose we do about your years of being a couch potato slacker?" Tim asked giving Dick a teasing grin.

[CallMeChaotix]

"Huh...I think I'm a little better." Dick looked at his brother, Tim. He yawned again, and brushed his hair into a more tamed place. "And I think I just need a little training." He got up, and grabbed Tim's hand. He was leading them to the Batcave.

"I have to show you something, Tim. I worked on something last night, I had a hard time sleeping." Dick said, he opened the batcave door by hitting a single key on the piano near it. Last night, he woke up at midnight and thought of something: He was going to need a new Nightwing suit.

With the help of Barbara's advice on tech, Dick made armor. "I think you're gonna like it." Dick was grinning widely, he walked to the container in the middle of a small platform that was connected to the main one of the Batcave. It was covered by metal. Dick laid his hand on a fingerprint scanner. After a few beeps, a female robotic voice said Welcome, Dick Grayson. The metal cover slowly went downward revealing the new and improved Nightwing suit.

The suit had the main Nightwing design, with the stripes going down the arms to the fingertips and the bird as the emblem on the suit, except it was armored. It had a silver belt, with a bat-symbol on it. The belt held a lot of gadgets, there was a few smoke grenades strapped on the belt. a lot of pockets holding things like explosive gel, a small grappling hook, and a lot of a birdarangs. The mask was in it's usual gothic style, and the escrima sticks seemed different than just plain old sticks. A blue glow was coming from the tip of the escrima sticks on each end.

It was ready for crime fighting.

"What do you think?" Dick looked back at Tim, smiling.

[DrewVonAwesome]

Tim was a bit mentally hazed to really be much of a critic on superhero fashion. Still he gave Dick a polite golf clap. "Quite nice I have to say." Tim said nodding his approval. "Love the blue on black, and the escrima sticks have a lovely hue on them!" Tim at this point was more joking with the fashion consultant role. Still it was great seeing Dick suited up again, it gave Tim a sense of hope he hasn't had for a while.

"Seriously though, this really is a thing now." Tim said wishing he had better words to use for the occasion but at this point it was just the actual thing he was looking at, the very thing he was feeling about it, that was great. "I mean you sure you're going to be good to go with this? Last night you looked very un-Dick like." Tim, again realizing he was ever the wordsmith, was worried about Dick's mindset going forward since frankly, being a superhero wasn't at all like riding a bicycle.