Inheritance

[0nightwing0]

Who:  Dick, Joker, Tim, Roy, Bones, and Matt Murdock ..Possibly Stephanie Brown
Where: Training room and moving to the Medical Bay
When:  afternoon
Summary: Dick's going to take up the Mantle left behind by his mentor..whether he likes it or not.
Warnings: Blood, Gore, Violence...its Joker, you know its going to be graphic

Comments

[entro_pist]

Pulling the arrow free from his shoulder was more involved than he'd thought. He couldn't just give it a hard tug; he'd have to work it out little by little when the muscles weren't spasming so much. It would have to wait until later. For now he tightened his fingers around the arrow shaft and began to bend it.

He'd just finished snapping it off when he heard a thunk on the other side of the target. Without being able to see the arrow or its explosive attachment, it was momentarily puzzling why the archer would waste an arrow on a drone. His mind rapidly zeroed in on the only viable conclusion and, grabbing his pistol, the Joker bolted from his cover just before the charge detonated with a thunderous clap that blew off the drone's upper half.

There were at least a dozen or so identical fighting drones scattered evenly around the immediate area and the Joker weaved his way swiftly between them, laughing low in his throat and firing once again at the man in red as he moved. It turned out he still had a few rounds left in his clip but it locked empty just before he dove behind another drone. In those few short seconds, if Roy happened to catch sight of the Joker's face, he would have seen something more than murderous rage in his eyes. Something akin to amusement. Excitement. As if it were the little things like these that the Joker lived for.

After concealing himself, the Joker discarded his empty clip and pushed a new one-17 rounds-into the Glock with the heel of his hand. Then he chambered it with a hard, metallic click. If he could make it to the doors without an arrow lodged in his brain everything would be just peachy, especially if he could do it and kill someone on his way out. Next time he and Dick met, he would be sure to make things a little more private.

[niiroya]

Roy knew he had to get Dick to Bones as quickly as possible but with a gun toteing mad man still loose he couldn't risk a stray bullet hitting his friend and adding to his list of injuries. Knowing that Bruce wasn't going to let Joker get close to his master anytime soon, Red Arrow thought it as time to met with this guy face-to-face.

"This the best ya got?!" he yelled firing off another few arrows as the clown moved from drone to drone. "Gotta say I'm kinda flattered that you're too scared to get any closer!"

[lilbrownrobin]

It was hard to ignore the commotion coming from the training facility, so much for a relaxing recovery free from danger and action. Robin had donned her mask for a little training, hoping to catch Tim around or maybe that bastard, Jonathan Crane, but instead approached the entrance while the sound of gunshots and explosives filled the air.

Lovely.

Her ribs were still a bit of a discomfort but she was up for a game of save-the-citizen. Waiting for just the right moment audio-wise, Steph bided her time with her back to the wall beside the doors and her ear to the action. When it sounded like the owner of the gun was either reloading or just plain distracted, she kicked slipped into the room, sticking low to the ground and immediately heading towards cover.

Once safely behind some equipment crates, she surveyed the area and was shocked to see not one, but two masked heroes in a fight with some unkown foe. "Status report! Is everyone alright? Any civilians?"

Giving away her position by shouting was a rash and probably dangerous move, but rash was Stephanie's middle name. Besides, Batman wasn't around to chastise her for it later.

[niiroya]

"Okay, since when was there a female Robin?" Roy yelled, knowing that it wasn't really the time.

He now had to take Robin's safety into consideration as he thought about how to deal with Joker, another possible casulty was not something he wanted to deal with right now, not with Dick the way he was.

"Get Nightwing and Bruce out of here, they both need medical attention. You think you can handle that Girl Wonder?" That nickname didn't really sit well with him.

[little_wing003]

"It was a while ago, Red Arrow," Tim said, coming into the training arena. His staff was already out and at the ready, and he was reaching toward his belt for batarangs. There was... a lot of blood, but he couldn't think about that. Dick would be okay. Bones could handle this.

He had to, because Tim wasn't ready to accept the alternative.

[niiroya]

Seeing Tim sporting the yellow 'R' brought back memories, if he was half a foot shorter it would be Dick and him preparing to fight as the resembelance was uncanny.

"Guess I missed that memo. So you ready to do this, Robin?" Roy asked thankful to fianlly have some back up.

[entro_pist]

So, outnumbered was he? One of the newly arrived voices belonged to Stephanie Brown, but the other, though he recognized it, he couldn't place just yet. The Joker tucked the barrel of his Glock into the top of his pants, no longer in need of it. To make this situation work to his advantage, he needed something a bit more explosive, and he had just the thing.

"Aww, how nice of you to come join our party," the Joker said from his place of concealment. Then, he stepped out sideways into full view with both hands raised in front of him. But he didn't come out to wave the white flag; "...You know, we should all get together like this more often."

In his hand was a live grenade. Its pin was missing and the Joker's thumb was holding down the safety lever on the side to keep it from exploding. If anyone shot at him, they would run the risk of making him drop the grenade and release the lever. His eyes darted from face to face before alighting on Stephanie.

"Aaah, Robin. If I'dda known you were coming I would've prettied myself up a bit." He licked two gloved finger tips and daintily smoothed a few strands of hair out of his bloody, smeared face.

[lilbrownrobin]

"Since when is there a Red Arrow?" She retorted. She knew the Green Arrow, had met him before, and this was not him. There was a bit of a trust issue, you never know if it's an evil twin in a different colour costume, but he was dishing out orders and Nightwing, now that she got a good look at him, was in a really tight spot.

"I can handle anything you throw at me, big boy. Don't let my femenine charms throw you off." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm as she said the last part. Proving herself to these men of the cowl was really getting old. Was Batman the only one that really trusted her?

There was one other masked man that did, and he had entered right on cue. "Robin!" Steph called, obviously elated to know that Crane hadn't gotten to him. With Tim here, she knew it was safe to leave Mr. Doubtful alone with ... The Joker? Oh for the love of...

Just as Steph was about to rush to Nightwing's aid, The Joker appeared with that grenade in his hand. Perfect timing. She stopped dead in her tracks with a look of disgust (and maybe just a hint of fear) on her face. She hadn't forgotten the last time they'd met. He fought dirty.

"Don't feel compelled to gussy up on my account." She said in a dry tone.

[0nightwing0]

Dick kept his mouth shut, he was going slightly confused from the bloodloss. His hand was pressed firmly to the cut to his neck that had been left after joker pulled away to fast,to stop the bleeding that had started. He gritted his teeth but Bruce refused to move from his chest. He knew in his primitive mind that the danger had not passed.

" Just go.." he growled trying to force the dog off his chest but giving into the dizzy spell that followed he layed back down.

[niiroya]

"Can we save the introduction for later? We've got a crazed man mad toting an explosive, our leader is down and everything has got slightly more complicated with two Robin's showing up." Roy took a deep breath before he continued.

"Wing-nut, just keep doing what you're doing. Bat-boy, hopefully you know how to handle this guy and Robin get to Nightwing and Bruce."

Having spent more time as a hero than the sidekicks probably had added together, Roy really didn't want to be argued with as he tried to think of a way to disarm Joker without getting the six of them blown to pieces.

[entro_pist]

"Crazed and mad? Do I look mad to you? Hmm?" The Joker's attention had shifted back to Roy. His tongue sought into the corners of his mouth for the edges of his scars as he turned his head from side to side, deliberately showing off his Chelsea grin. The white paint on his face was just a ghost of its former color but the red pigment decorating his mutilated flesh was still rather prominent. "Now, I don't know about you, Cupid, but usually when people are mad, they aren't smiling quite so much."

Disarming the Joker might not have been a viable option right then, but making it out of here alive certainly was. Under the Joker's terms, of course. And those terms were simple. Making his intentions known, he slid a foot toward the nearest exit and smoothly shifted his weight in the same direction, pivoting slightly to keep everyone in the room within his sight. If nobody moved, he would start to back his way out peacefully.

Fear had no part in what drove his actions. He wasn't afraid of being blown to bits or of being beaten three-quarters to death by a gang of vigilantes. However, if they caught him, they would surely send him off to Arkham and have him locked up in isolation again. It wasn't that he feared being strapped into a straight jacket and thrown into a padded cell, especially when he had the skills necessary for escape. If he were sent to the real Arkham Asylum back in the real Gotham, he'd have enough patience to choreograph a breakout. But the very notion of being detained for any length of time in a fake Arkham Asylum by fake orderlies and fake doctors and fake guards and fake fake FAKES! That was absolutely unacceptable.

"Well, isn't this a predicament," he said with an extra crisp snap of his tongue. "Let a crazed criminal loose on the world and keep dear Nightykins from bleeding to death orrr... play a little game of Hot Potato. You know me, I just love games where everyone has a blast." He lifted three fingers off the hand grenade and gave them a little wiggle, eyes shining with malicious glee. Which would it be?

[niiroya]

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

Roy drew an arrow from the red quiver on his back as aimed it at the painted up man before any of the Robins could say anything, but he knows better than to let it fly even if it would hit it's mark.

"If you don't want that thing blowing up in your face, Chuckles I'd get out of here now. Us Arrows don't miss."

[lilbrownrobin]

Steph stared frantically from the grenade-wielding Joker to the arrow-wielding Roy before letting her gaze settle on the severely injured Nightwing. Any looks she had for Tim would have to wait until his 'brother' was taken care of.

She got into a readied stance with intent to sprint and slide to Nightwing as soon as the Joker was away from him and get him to safety. Dick had taught her, not long ago, that it wasn't always imperative to catch the villain and lock him up. Lives were more important.

[0nightwing0]

" Robin..don't..not yet" Dick ordered, his lips stained red as blood leaked from his sinuses into his mouth. The punch had ruptured his cheekbone and the knife had cut down to bone and all the way through cheek tissue, only half way down the cheek thankfully. The bleeding wasn't fatal but it wasn't somthing that could be left for a long time without things getting progressively more complicated. The wound on his neck however that he was grasping was bleeding faster than he expected and he gripped his throat with one hand to put pressure on it.

Bruce Remained on his Master's chest, determined not to get off until the threat passed. He was a loyal beast, and he had proven to be one that day.

[little_wing003]

Tim was poised, too, ready to go help Nightwing as soon as the Joker was clear. "She's just trying to help, Nightwing," he said, watching him and the Joker closely. Dick looked... bad. Really bad.

And there was nothing he could do until they got the damned grenade out of the picture.

[entro_pist]

The Joker's eyes remained fixed on the little brood of birdbats and on Red Arrow. His hand was still wrapped tight around the grenade but he wasn't afraid to let go. It looked like none of them were going to make any sudden advances so he backed his way toward the exit, grinning.

"I can see things have become a bit of a family matter. Lovely seeing you both again," he nodded at Dick and Stephanie. Then his gaze leapt to the youngest Boy Wonder.

"You too, Timmy."

The Joker smirked wickedly. When the doors behind him rolled open automatically, he slipped away into the corridor beyond.