Talons, Birds And Bats

2

It had probably been half an hour since Richards appearance did a loud screech fill the silent air that had Batman going into a fighting stance and Richard stopping with a wine hands over his ears. More bird like noises sound that causes Richard to whimper slightly flinching and backing up when Batman touches him.

"Grandmaster knows Talon bad  help Batman" Richard says, Batman was struggling to understand the broken English through the haze of his mind. He peiced together enough to understand that the Owls were coming and knew that Richard was helping him. "Fast" Richard says and starts to run surprising Batman with his speed. Batman glances back seeing distant shows running towards them before following after Richard at a run. The boy slows down at each turn ensuring that Batman was still behind him before taking off again only to skid to a stop with a squark as a Owl drops down before Richard.

A sudden protective spike in his chest has Bruce moving grabbing Richard and tugging him back behind him raising his free arm to block the blade that had been about to cut Richards head off. Luckily he still had the arm guard on that arm so the blade doesn't cut into his arms. Richard lets out a screech and uses Batmans shoulder to attack the Owl from above swiping with the claws on his fingers. The Owl collapses lifeless on the ground, black blood coating Richards claws. Batman didn't have time to be shocked by the deadly attack as the Owl starts twitching. Richard turns and grabs onto Batman tugging him along as the Owl starts to sit up.

"Talons not die" Richard says pulling Batman along at a run, taking quick turns as more Owls appear down the tunnels, halls and rooms of the Labyrinth. The young boy pulls him into a dark room filled with coffins jumping up onto one and scaling the wall to a hidden trap door that even he wouldn't have noticed. Richard pushes the hidden door open and disappears through. Batman is quick to follow behind, a little slower with the climb without any of his gear. He emerges in an abandoned building finding Richard fighting against more of the Owls. The boy was impressive using his smaller size against the others, darting in with quick swipes, using the Owls as his own personal climbing equipment.

"Up!" Richard yells over to him causing Batman to instinctively look up finding a shattered sky window above him and more of the Owls in the rafters.

Richard cartwheels back over to him leaving behind a trail of dead or unconscious Owls, it was hard to tell. He jumps up using Batman to get higher swinging up into the rafters, Batman following along behind him using a nearby stack of rusted barrels to get the needed height. Together man and boy fight their way out, Richard at ease with the height swinging between rafters a dark shadow darting about around Batman.

They clamber out the window into rain, somewhere near Gotham harbour within what appears to be abandoned factories. Both were supporting a few cuts and scrapes, Batman much worse off after going nearly two weeks without food and water and having already sustained injuries, Richard didn't even seem to know he was hurt crouched by Batman. "Out now where?" He asks, apparently having no plan once he had gotten Batman outside the Labyrinth.

Batman didn't have to answer as a loud boom sounds nearby that has Richard flinching. Batman watches as the Bat Wing appears above them blocking out the rain, the ramp lowering. "Inside" he orders pulling Richard into the small plane watching as Owls scamper out the broken window below them. The Bat Wing takes off leaving the Owls behind with angered screeches.

Now that he was safe he turns to Richard crouching down in front of the boy who had yet to take his hands away from his ears staring down at the now closed ramp. "Richard" he says attempting to get the boys attention. "Talon" he tries again succeeding this time the boys golden eyes flickering to him.

"You can't go back to them Talon. It's not safe for you" Batman tries to explain. Richard blinks a few times.

"Not Talon now?" He asks in a small voice.

"No not Talon. Richard Grayson" Batman says watching the young boy before him. No he wasn't a boy not really, he was a highly trained brainwashed assassin.

"...Richard...not go back? Stay with Batman?" Richard asks hesitating on his own name.

"Yes you can stay with me" Bruce says with a soft smile pulling down the very tattered cowl. "I'm Bruce"

"Bruce. It loud" Richard says removing one hand to motion around them. Bruce nods slightly "I know, it's okay. Come on its quieter up here" he leads Richard up to the pilot seat. The engine noise is muffled once he closes the door. Bruce sits down in the seat letting out a sigh at the feel of the leather. "Sit Richard" he tells the boy who had been hovering beside him. He complies and goes to sit in the corner eyes wide and curious as he looks around.

Bruce smiles and hits the come button flinching at the worried tone of his butler comes through. "-uce? Master Bruce can you here me? Are you there?". Richard lets out a noise at the voice wildly looking around. "Shh, it's okay. Relax" he tells Richard who obediently startles back down in his corner. That was a bit worrying.

"I'm here Alfred" he says to his butler turing on the computer screens to actually see the butler. He looked much more disheveled than typical, more tired. "Oh Master Bruce, I have been so worried. Surveillance cameras spotted you and I imediantly sent the Bat Wing. Are you alright sir?" Alfred asks.

"Not really, it's alright. I'm bringing along a guest could you ready a room and prepare the infirmary?"

"Of course sir, should I call Dr. Thompson?"

"Not yet, I'll be home soon"

"Of course sir. I'm glad you are safe" Alfred cuts the camera off. Bruce lets out a sigh sinking back into his seat looking back at Richard who had found one of his spare capes and wrapped himself up in the material staring up at Bruce.

"You are safe now Richard. No more Court"

Richard relaxes in his little corner giving Bruce a small somewhat awkward looking lopsided smile. The first he'd seen.

It was going to take a long time for Richard to adjust to bring back within society to escape the brainwashing the Court had caused. Bruce was determined to let the boy be a boy again.

Bruce smiles back.