Fic: The Raven And The Nightingale Book III: Cherry Blossoms (19/22)
Title: The Raven And The Nightingale Book III: Cherry Blossoms (19/22)
Author: BradyGirl_12
Pairings/Characters (this chapter): Bruce/Dick, David Fairchild, Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore, Lana Lang, Pamela Isley, Victor/Nora, Patrick/Donna
Genres: Angst, AU, Drama, Historical, Mystery, Romance
Rating (this chapter): G
Warnings (this chapter): None
Spoilers: None
General Summary: Bruce and Dick get caught up in political intrigue during a business trip to Washington City.
Chapter Summary: Lionel makes his move on Arbor Day.
Date Of Completion: May 6, 2020
Date Of Posting: June 4, 2022
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, DC does, more’s the pity.
Word Count: 1012
Feedback welcome and appreciated.
Author’s Note: The entire series can be found here.
XIX
ARBOR DAY
What is better
Than to plant a tree?
They give us shade
While we drink lemonade
And clear the air
That we breathe.
Emma Wilkins
“Trees”
1902 C.E.
“Welcome, my friends. Those who appreciate Nature know how important this day is.”
David Fairchild stood at the podium on the temporary stage in the park adjacent to the Tidal Basin. A good-sized crowd stood in front of the stage while others sat at picnic tables farther back. Eliza Scidmore stood close by the stage, ready to give her speech when called upon.
Bruce and Dick were at the edge of the crowd, and Dick waved to Lana Lang. Pamela Isley and the scientists were also in the crowd, and Bruce noted that Victor Fries was there with his wife Nora.
The crowd applauded Fairchild, who introduced Eliza. She stepped up on the stage and took the podium.
“Thank you, Mr. Fairchild. Ladies and gentlemen, Happy Arbor Day!” The crowd cheered and applauded. “I see a field of cherries!” Laughter and more applause. She gestured toward the Tidal Basin. “All along the water’s edge.”
Patrick and Donna came close to Bruce and Dick as they edged around the crowd. Eliza’s speech was a rousing celebration of Nature and captivated the crowd. The speech lasted about fifteen minutes but no one’s attention wandered.
“Are you with me?” Eliza cried, pumping her fist.
“Yes!” shouted the crowd.
“For Mother Nature!” said Eliza.
“A field of cherries as far as the eye can see!” shouted Pamela.
“She’s a good speechifier,” Patrick said.
“Top-notch,” said Bruce. “Is anyone at the lab?”
“Not a soul,” Patrick said cheerfully. “They needed this little excursion. Dr. Fries was arguing with one of his assistants this morning. What does giftgas mean?”
Dick frowned. “It means ‘poison gas’ in German.”
“Oops.”
“Is that what they’re working on?” Bruce asked, appalled.
“It would count as a weapon of war.”
Bruce looked at Donna. “Don’t repeat this to anyone.”
“I promise.” She looked shaken, which Bruce could sympathize with.
“Patrick, are your men working today?” Bruce asked.
“I promise.” She looked shaken, which Bruce could sympathize with.
“Patrick, are your men working today?” Bruce asked.
“Yes. I’m going to the site after the tree-planting."
“Go now.”
“Why?”
“I’ll explain on the way.”
“All right.”
“Donna, keep an eye on the scientists. Don’t let them go back to the lab,” Bruce instructed.
“How can I stop them?”
“Ask that redhead to help you,” said Dick as he followed Bruce and Patrick. “Her name’s Lana Lang.”
Donna huffed and crossed her arms.
& & & & & &
Bruce and Dick knew they had no time to change into the Raven and the Nightingale or even their burglar outfits, so they resolved to stop what was happening as Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson.
”What do you think is going on?” Patrick asked.
“There could be a robbery going on. I hope I’m wrong,” Bruce said.
“Robbery?”
“Yes, you mentioned Fries and his assistant arguing over poison gas. Whether the good doctor approves or not, someone else may be interested in the notes.”
“Lionel Luthor.”
Bruce and Dick looked at each other. Bruce said, “You’re a smart man, Patrick.”
He grinned. “Of course.” Dick gave him a thumbs-up. “So, what’s your plan?”
“We use stealth, as much as we can in broad daylight.”
Patrick urged the carriage horse to go faster. “Shouldn’t you have told Donna to call the police?” he asked Dick.
“Not in this case.”
“Listen, Patrick, you’ve got to keep this under your hat,” Bruce said.
“Okay,” Patrick said, touching his homburg.
The horse was a fast one, and they reached the area where the labs were located in good time. Patrick parked the rig down the road and the three men walked through the woods.
“Looks okay,” Patrick observed as they stood at the edge of the woods and looked at the house.
“Let’s check it out,” Bruce said.
They quietly went around to the back of the house. Dick tried the kitchen door. It was unlocked.
All three men went on alert. The scientists would have locked up. They entered the kitchen and listened for sounds of intruders.
A thump sounded from upstairs. Bruce pantomimed that he and Dick would go upstairs and Patrick check downstairs. It was unlikely anyone was down here on the first floor, but they needed to know in case. Patrick nodded and the men separated at the foot of the stairs with Bruce and Dick climbing the steps.
The duo checked out the hall. The doors to the bedrooms were open, and they saw shadows moving in the room at the end of the hall. Bruce indicated they go down the hall, each hugging a wall. They heard drawers being open and shut. Bruce was on the side of the hall where the room was located and carefully looked around the doorway.
Inside the room two men dressed in the dungarees and denim shirts of construction workers were searching it. They were burly men, possibly real construction workers or just dressed as such.
Bruce had brought a cane to the Arbor Day gathering and used it to whack one of the men across the back while Dick kicked the second man in the backs of his knees. Both men yelled in pain. Bruce’s opponent turned with a growl and swung at Bruce. Dick’s man crumpled and tried to get up but Dick was on him and they rolled around on the floor.
Bruce and his man exchanged punches, Bruce slamming against the wall when the robber got in a good punch. Dick punched his man out cold and turned to help his partner.
Patrick dashed in and let a punch fly, sending Bruce’s man stumbling against the dresser, rattling the mirror. Before the thug had the chance to fight back, Patrick was on him. Blows were exchanged and Bruce plowed in. He and Patrick subdued their man.
“Where’d you learn to fight like that?” Bruce panted.
“Are you kidding? I grew up in the South End of Boston. There’s a bar brawl every night and twice on Saturday.”
Dick gave Patrick the thumbs-up again and all three men grinned.
This entry has been cross-posted from Dreamwidth. Comment on either entry as you wish. :)
This chapter can also be read on AO3.
Author: BradyGirl_12
Pairings/Characters (this chapter): Bruce/Dick, David Fairchild, Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore, Lana Lang, Pamela Isley, Victor/Nora, Patrick/Donna
Genres: Angst, AU, Drama, Historical, Mystery, Romance
Rating (this chapter): G
Warnings (this chapter): None
Spoilers: None
General Summary: Bruce and Dick get caught up in political intrigue during a business trip to Washington City.
Chapter Summary: Lionel makes his move on Arbor Day.
Date Of Completion: May 6, 2020
Date Of Posting: June 4, 2022
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, DC does, more’s the pity.
Word Count: 1012
Feedback welcome and appreciated.
Author’s Note: The entire series can be found here.
XIX
ARBOR DAY
What is better
Than to plant a tree?
They give us shade
While we drink lemonade
And clear the air
That we breathe.
Emma Wilkins
“Trees”
1902 C.E.
“Welcome, my friends. Those who appreciate Nature know how important this day is.”
David Fairchild stood at the podium on the temporary stage in the park adjacent to the Tidal Basin. A good-sized crowd stood in front of the stage while others sat at picnic tables farther back. Eliza Scidmore stood close by the stage, ready to give her speech when called upon.
Bruce and Dick were at the edge of the crowd, and Dick waved to Lana Lang. Pamela Isley and the scientists were also in the crowd, and Bruce noted that Victor Fries was there with his wife Nora.
The crowd applauded Fairchild, who introduced Eliza. She stepped up on the stage and took the podium.
“Thank you, Mr. Fairchild. Ladies and gentlemen, Happy Arbor Day!” The crowd cheered and applauded. “I see a field of cherries!” Laughter and more applause. She gestured toward the Tidal Basin. “All along the water’s edge.”
Patrick and Donna came close to Bruce and Dick as they edged around the crowd. Eliza’s speech was a rousing celebration of Nature and captivated the crowd. The speech lasted about fifteen minutes but no one’s attention wandered.
“Are you with me?” Eliza cried, pumping her fist.
“Yes!” shouted the crowd.
“For Mother Nature!” said Eliza.
“A field of cherries as far as the eye can see!” shouted Pamela.
“She’s a good speechifier,” Patrick said.
“Top-notch,” said Bruce. “Is anyone at the lab?”
“Not a soul,” Patrick said cheerfully. “They needed this little excursion. Dr. Fries was arguing with one of his assistants this morning. What does giftgas mean?”
Dick frowned. “It means ‘poison gas’ in German.”
“Oops.”
“Is that what they’re working on?” Bruce asked, appalled.
“It would count as a weapon of war.”
Bruce looked at Donna. “Don’t repeat this to anyone.”
“I promise.” She looked shaken, which Bruce could sympathize with.
“Patrick, are your men working today?” Bruce asked.
“I promise.” She looked shaken, which Bruce could sympathize with.
“Patrick, are your men working today?” Bruce asked.
“Yes. I’m going to the site after the tree-planting."
“Go now.”
“Why?”
“I’ll explain on the way.”
“All right.”
“Donna, keep an eye on the scientists. Don’t let them go back to the lab,” Bruce instructed.
“How can I stop them?”
“Ask that redhead to help you,” said Dick as he followed Bruce and Patrick. “Her name’s Lana Lang.”
Donna huffed and crossed her arms.
& & & & & &
Bruce and Dick knew they had no time to change into the Raven and the Nightingale or even their burglar outfits, so they resolved to stop what was happening as Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson.
”What do you think is going on?” Patrick asked.
“There could be a robbery going on. I hope I’m wrong,” Bruce said.
“Robbery?”
“Yes, you mentioned Fries and his assistant arguing over poison gas. Whether the good doctor approves or not, someone else may be interested in the notes.”
“Lionel Luthor.”
Bruce and Dick looked at each other. Bruce said, “You’re a smart man, Patrick.”
He grinned. “Of course.” Dick gave him a thumbs-up. “So, what’s your plan?”
“We use stealth, as much as we can in broad daylight.”
Patrick urged the carriage horse to go faster. “Shouldn’t you have told Donna to call the police?” he asked Dick.
“Not in this case.”
“Listen, Patrick, you’ve got to keep this under your hat,” Bruce said.
“Okay,” Patrick said, touching his homburg.
The horse was a fast one, and they reached the area where the labs were located in good time. Patrick parked the rig down the road and the three men walked through the woods.
“Looks okay,” Patrick observed as they stood at the edge of the woods and looked at the house.
“Let’s check it out,” Bruce said.
They quietly went around to the back of the house. Dick tried the kitchen door. It was unlocked.
All three men went on alert. The scientists would have locked up. They entered the kitchen and listened for sounds of intruders.
A thump sounded from upstairs. Bruce pantomimed that he and Dick would go upstairs and Patrick check downstairs. It was unlikely anyone was down here on the first floor, but they needed to know in case. Patrick nodded and the men separated at the foot of the stairs with Bruce and Dick climbing the steps.
The duo checked out the hall. The doors to the bedrooms were open, and they saw shadows moving in the room at the end of the hall. Bruce indicated they go down the hall, each hugging a wall. They heard drawers being open and shut. Bruce was on the side of the hall where the room was located and carefully looked around the doorway.
Inside the room two men dressed in the dungarees and denim shirts of construction workers were searching it. They were burly men, possibly real construction workers or just dressed as such.
Bruce had brought a cane to the Arbor Day gathering and used it to whack one of the men across the back while Dick kicked the second man in the backs of his knees. Both men yelled in pain. Bruce’s opponent turned with a growl and swung at Bruce. Dick’s man crumpled and tried to get up but Dick was on him and they rolled around on the floor.
Bruce and his man exchanged punches, Bruce slamming against the wall when the robber got in a good punch. Dick punched his man out cold and turned to help his partner.
Patrick dashed in and let a punch fly, sending Bruce’s man stumbling against the dresser, rattling the mirror. Before the thug had the chance to fight back, Patrick was on him. Blows were exchanged and Bruce plowed in. He and Patrick subdued their man.
“Where’d you learn to fight like that?” Bruce panted.
“Are you kidding? I grew up in the South End of Boston. There’s a bar brawl every night and twice on Saturday.”
Dick gave Patrick the thumbs-up again and all three men grinned.
This entry has been cross-posted from Dreamwidth. Comment on either entry as you wish. :)
This chapter can also be read on AO3.