"So you want me to babysit your super kids?" I laughed.
"Kind of. I want you to train them." Bruce sat at the computer, facing me. Jason was snickering behind me, probably thinking of a bunch of supers getting babysat.
"So you can go fight stuff with their parents?" I crossed my arms, finding this whole thing amusing.
"I always want you to distract them so they don't try and come with us. This is a fight that they don't need to be in." Bruce turns to the computer and typed something. "And I don't think training with you would hurt. Your fighting style is something they haven't fought with yet. It could be educational."
"Alright." I shrug. "When do I leave?"
"Soon. I assume you have your suit."
"Shit," I groan sarcastically. "I think I left it in my dorm since I was planning on this."
Bruce gave me a side eye glance and continued typing. "You can use the one you used before."
"Are you sure Dickie won't be pissed now that he's matching with someone?" Jason mocked.
"Won't be necessary. You and Dick will be coming with me." Bruce full screened a file. It had a bunch of teens with names and powers underneath. "These are the kids you will be training. Study up and I'll go get the suit."
"Haha," Jason laughed, "you get to watch the brats."
"I'm not watching you." I gave a glance over my shoulder as I look over the kids. There was a few that had powers close to people I had fought with in the past so it would be easy and correct their fighting into theirs.
"Wow, Doll. I'm hurt." Jason placed a hand over his heart.
"Whatever." I rolled my eyes. "I didn't know Wonder women had a successor."
"Yeah, Cassie. She's a good fighter, but needs more help with her powers." Jason leaned against the desk, looking at me.
"Hmh. Speaking of Cass, she's not on the list. Is she going with you?" I asked, scrolling down the page.
"Cass? Like our Cass? I hope not. She's probably just staying here and making cookies with Alfred." Jason smiled softly. As much as he fights with his siblings and says he doesn't like them, he is truly a big brother. He was probably more dangerous then most since he is willing to kill for people. Jason cares for his siblings a lot more then he would like to admit.
"I hope so." I continue looking at the file, trying to plan out specific training activities.
"Here." Batman gave me a folded suit and pointed to a changing room. I gave a thanks and walked away.
Quickly putting on the suit, I found there were slight changes. The stripe was thinner than last time and there was two sword sheaths on the back. Bruce had put a small knife holder in the belt. It felt more elastic around the shoulders in order to get the full slashing movement.
"Alright. We'll be leaving in five minutes. Damian and Tim will take you to the cave. Try not to spill too much about the mission, those kids are stubborn."
"I'll chain them down if I have to." I roll my eyes lightly. Although I was playing it off, I wasn't super confident about keeping the secret or the kids in.
"Wow, great babysitting skills. Makes me wonder how you've kept your job." Jason laughed.
I shook my head, not giving a response. Jason hands me a mask and disappears into a changing room. Put the mask on it suctions to my face and hugs the area around my face. I take riptide out of pen form and put it in one of the sheaths and grabbed a mortal sword that was closest to the style of riptide.
"Good luck babysitting." Jason came back in. He was in his suit and had his leather jacket on. His mask wasn't on and he was loading his magazines. "You want my good luck knife?"
"You have a good luck knife?" I snickered. Jason didn't seem like the person to have good luck charms, and only did it to mock people.
"Yeah." Jason shrugged nonchalantly, then pulled out a butterfly-knife.
"Woah." I gasp. "Do you know any tricks."
"Do you think I just carry around knife and not how to use it?" Jason looked offended.
"Well, do you?" I ask.
Jason smirks and starts with a basic opening. Then a fan following a double rollout. He did a few more tricks and looked up at me expecting. "Jason, stop showing off, we gotta go."
"Hey, Dick."
"Come on, golden Boy. It won't kill us to be two minutes late." Jason rolled his eyes, closed the knife and gave it to me. "Keep it for me, Doll."
"Shouldn't you keep the luck?" I asked.
Jason walked backwards and winked before going to meet Dick. I rolled my eyes and waited for Damian and Tim to come down. Fortunately, they came down fast and with little arguments. I put the knife that I had been flipping in my belt. "You guys ready to train?"
"You're training us?" Tim asked, finishing off the coffee in his hands.
"Yeah, how many coffee's have you had today?" I asked.
"Who are you? My mom?" He rolled his eyes and put the cup on the table in the back.
Damian stared at Tim, his hands were curling into fist. I put my hand on his shoulder. "No, but I am your babysitter, I won't hesitate to use that information in front of your friends."
Tim froze, turning around. "You wouldn't."
"Try me." I narrow my eyes and start walking to the tubes. "Now come on, we don't wanna be late."
Damian follows behind and Tim rushes to catch up. The tube lights up and we get teleported to the cave. Well, the other cave. The AI voice announced our arrival and everyone looked up.
"Riptide?" Megan asked. "New suit?"
I shrugged. "Kind of."
"Who is this?" Gar looked over his shoulder from the couch.
"I'm your trainer for today." I smile wide.
"Just for today? What can you do that makes us better in just one day?" Cassie asks.
"Go suit up." I ignore the question. The training was just a distraction. But I was still hoping they would get something from this.
Now, there was only the original members and the two batboys. "You guys staying for training?"
"No, Batman has requested our presence." Kaldur informs.
"Ah, have fun." I wave as they walk into the tubes, disappearing with the light. I turn to Damian and Tim. "I'm surprised super boy in training isn't here."
Damian shrugged and Tim agrees before going to the kitchen. "Hey, Robin can you show me to the training room?"
Damian nodded and started walking. "Can I ask what you have in store for us?"
"Well, I'm mostly trying to get people to improve their powers. But I'll do one v one first."
"Including me?" Damian walks into the trading room. Which was big and spacious with a circular platform in the middle. "Why do you have to test me like those incompetent beings?"
"Robin, be nice. And plus I can see if you have improved since our last sparring match." I ruffle his hair and stand on the platform. They all come out around the same time. There was a few people that stood out. Like La'gaan and Stephanie. How did I not know about her until today? And why did I think that she could control bats, not that she was apart of the actual bay family? "Alright, so, I'm Riptide."
"Woah! I was wondering when you were going to show up. So crash!" Bart fist pumps the air.
I stood there for a second before carrying on. "Do a five minute warm-up. Whatever you normally do."
Watching as they warmed up, seeing what muscles the stretched and tried to match it up with close range or long range attacks. Once they were all done they stared at me expectingly. "Who wants to volunteer."
Damian raised his hand. I over looked that which made him growl, I was hoping to make that a teachable lesson later. "Static. How nice of you to volunteer."
He groaned and went up to the circle. We went to the opposite sides of the circle and he got ready. I was ready to grab my sword at any moment but I was just standing there waiting for him to make a move. "Don't hold back."
"Are you sure?" He scratched the back of his neck nervously.
"Just do it." I rolled my eyes.
Virgil sighed and ran at me. There was electricity in his hands and he shot lighting at me. I let it hit me, putting another foot behind me to brace myself. It stung but it wasn't enough to knock me off my feet. "Is that all you got?"
"You're insane." His eyes were wide.
I shrugged. "Maybe." I ran at him getting the mortal sword out and swung at him. The flat side of the blade hit his ribs, pushing him back. I kept slashing and pushing him back. His poor ribs. Virgil tried to get back and had I actually been fighting, I wouldn't have let him. But this time I did. Quickly getting his breathe, Virgil sends out a shot of electricity stronger then the last. I deflected it as much as I could with my sword.
I went after him one more time and swept his legs out from under him. He fell on his back and I put my sword at his throat. Virgil stares up at me, eyes wide. I put my sword in the stealth and offered him a hand. "Anyone knows what he needs to work on?"
The bat-kids raise their hands. I tried looking over the rest of them, trying to see if anyone else knew what was happening. "Bat-Girl."
"Static is more of a long range attacker, so when the opponent is a short range he is at a disadvantage. He should work on more short range attacks." She smiles at the end.
"Exactly." I nod at her and scan over the crowd. "Who's next?"
"You aren't tired at all?" Virgil asked. "I hit you pretty hard."
"Riptide becomes a very important hero and takes down a lot of bad villains with the help of red Hood." Bart says in awe. Then his eyes went wide with regret. "Oops, spoilers."
"Hmh." I didn't necessarily think that I would be a hero in the future, but I could honestly see myself doing it if Jason was with me. I asked again if anyone else wanted to go. Bart and Damian raise their hands. "Impulse."
"I've always wanted to fight you!" Bart almost squeals.
"We've barley even met." I joke. Bart laughs and gets into position. I figured it would be easier to fight him without a sword. It would give me a longer attack range but it would be harder to grab him.
Bart starts running around me, far enough for it not to become a vacuum. I sighed, why did I pick him? He was a lot faster than the Hermes kids. Taking a deep breathe in, trying to see if I could do one of those cool movie things where they catch the fist. Do my eyes have to be closed for that to work?
Pain shot through my ribs as I was knocked back a few feet. Clutching my ribs, I stand up from my kneeling position. Damn, that hurt. I try to watch with my eyes, seeing if they could keep up with him. Another punch was sent to my other ribs. I groaned as I stood up. I have to trust my instincts, feel the air.
I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I quickly went to the left, as Bart sent a punch to my jaw. Grabbing as arm as fast as I could. Thank the fucking gods. I could feel Bart start to pull away right before, so it basically just luck that I caught. Or really bad writing.
Keeping my hands on his fist, I start turning. Moving one hand to his bicep, I pull his weight forward. Pulling him over my shoulder, he landed on his back, just like Virgil. Thanks, Annie, for those flipping lessons. My ribs ached in protest, but I held him still.
Batts eyes were wide. "That was so crash!"
I sat back and let him go. Damian glared at him as Bart walked back to the line. Rolling my eyes, I'll just make sure I don't pair those two up together. "That was really good, I don't really have many comments on that besides work on long range. Maybe try and do that one lighting trick the flash does."
Bart tilted his head. "Which one?"
"Where he grabs lighting from behind him and throws it."
"Oh! That'd be so crash!" The speedster clenched his fist in front of his face.
I called everyone up one by one, testing them to their limits. With Blue Beatle, which was probably a horrible idea but thankfully worked out, I put both the scarab and Jamie into a tense position and pissed them off. Testing Jamie's control and scarabs ability to listen. I also found something I needed to work on with that one, having Dick's ability to jump around with no build up. Garfield was fun to fight since it reminded me of Frank, as well as La'gaan who found out halfway who I was and didn't want to fight anymore. I didn't really test the Tim and Damian since they were probably used to different training and I basically knew their abilities. The only reason I caught against Stephanie was to see if she was as skilled as I hoped she was, which she was. After that, I grouped them up in pairs of two, telling them to fight short range then switch halfway through.
"Wonder Girl." I called forward. She seemed a bit nervous but walked up. Since there was an odd number Cassie was alone. I didn't do a one v one with her since I wanted to train with her by herself. I remembered what Jason had told me and wanted to spend a lot of time together.
"Is there a reason I didn't get spared with by myself?"
"You are now. And you get to train with me." I smiled. Got into fighting position and pulled my sword out. "Lucky you."
"Yay." Stephanie lightly rolled her eyes an got into fighting position as well.
For the first time today, I charged first. Which took her off guard. She brought her wrist together to block the blow. Dropping down, I swing my leg to knock out her knee. Cassie hovers about the ground and flies at me. This is probably the fight I was looking forward to the most since it was nice to train against someone who could fly again and I wanted to help improve her powers. She grabs me by the shoulders and flings me backwards almost like a judo flip. I land in a crouch stance, skidding backwards from the force. Since she was still flying, I wouldn't have the upper hand, literally, if I attacked. Cassie was more of a close range attacker which meant the sword was the best option, besides my powers. But that might come into play later.
Cassie throws her rope around me, bringing me out of my thoughts. Surprising, I know. I could feel myself beginning to spin so I dug my feet into the ground, grabbed the rope and tugged her forward. She flew forward and the rope around me loosened. I grabbed her by the shirt and kicked her back. Taking my sword, I keep slashing. She kept blocking but it was becoming slow and sloppy. I then quickly stabbed forwards, obviously not far enough to actually penetrate the skin, but enough to prove a point. But surprisingly Cassie caught the blade in her palms. Her fingers weren't touching the edges but she had my sword locked in her grip. She quickly forced it to one side, ripping it from my grip, and wielding the weapon herself.
I smiled, now that she had a weapon that I trained against for basically all of my life I could stop holding back as much. I quickly grabbed riptide and started slashing and stabbing. Cassie was having a hard time keeping up. I stopped for a second, giving her time to swing. I easily blocked and kept my sword still. "Use your powers as well. You don't have to choose between powers and weapons. They can help each other and make you stronger."
"Easy for you to say!" She gasped out. "You don't have any powers."
I raised my eyebrows. Smirking, I realize that I haven't even used my powers yet. I've been relying on my weapons. Time to take my own advice. I felt the water in the air, pulling it around me. Cassie's eyes went wide. I added water to my blade, making me have strength and willpower added to it. The water rushed around me, filling me with power and adding more slashes and I spun.
Cassie flew up and used the gravity to add force and come at me with slashing and swiping motions. I stepped out of the way and hit her back. It was kind of obvious that the sword was not her strong suit and thankfully she figured it out as well. She threw the sword she was using to the side and came at me with her fist. She was still flying in the air and used her bracelets as defense.
She landed in good punch on me and almost shocked herself. Cassie kept sending punches, hitting almost every time. She had found her confidence and her rhythm. My ribs were not getting a break together. She send a right hook and got my jaw. I stumbled back and shook my head. When I looked up, Cassie was sending one my punch straight to my cheek. The force knocked me down on my back and made my vision blurry. Now I had to reply simply on my senses.
I rolled to the side as Cassie's punch go sent into the ground. She growled with pain. My vision was coming back so I could vaguely seen her coming at me again. Taking my sword, I swing it in an arch, making her stop. I quickly swing my sword, back towards her, almost hitting her neck. The flat side was an inch from hitting it. We both deemed the spar was over and relaxed. "You alright?"
"You can control water?" Cassie fell to her knees, eyes fluttering in tiredness.
I offered her a hand and used the water on the floor to heal the light bruises on her and take some of the tiredness away. I shrugged, the drain of my powers finally hitting. "A little."
Bart came running up to us. "Oh that is so crash! The way you just pulled a power move and started controlling the water!"
Damian came up to me, standing by my side. "Did you see my fight with Logan? It was quite an easy take down. Maybe I spar with you, now?"
"It was not easy for you!" Gar complained, "It took you at least ten minutes."
I smiled, knowing that I challenge most of them. "Alright, I think that concludes today's training. Just continue working on short and long range attacks. Hit the showers."
"Wonder Girl." I call out before she left.
"Did I do something wrong?"
I shook my head. "No, I just didn't get a change to debrief you before we got interrupted. You did a really good job switching between offense and defensive very easily and that was really impressive. But next time don't take someone's weapon who has a lot of experience with and you had very little. It is best to do what you have trained to do, then to do something that might put the other person at an advantage. And work on using your powers and fighting with a weapon. Your powers aren't used for defense and your normal attacks are used for offense."
Cassie nods. "Thanks."
"For what?"
"The talk, the pushing and the training." She shrugged. Not knowing what exactly she was grateful for.
"Of course. And remember, the more things that you are skilled in, the more advantages you have over people. Like learn to fight people in the sky, that would have been a big disadvantage to me." I smile and hold my hand out for a fist bump. "But very good work today. Not many people last that against me. As you could tell from your teammates."
She blushed at the compliment and walked out. Gods, I wanted to take a nap. But there was still a little bit before Bruce said he would be back. I will just grab a bottle of water and put in a movie. Easy peasy.
The kids came back in from the showers having new clothes and smelt a lot better. "Alright guys, team bonding. You guys get to watch a movie."
"How is that team bonding?" Stephanie asked.
"Do you want actual team bonding?" I asked. "That includes fighting against me and trying to form a plan."
The team immediately said no all together. Damian grumbled something about being able to take me. I rolled my eyes as they picked a movie. Thankfully it was nothing boring was I was able to stay up and make sure they didn't leave. Which was weird since only half the team was here since they were the youngest. The rest of the night was groggy and uneventful until Batman showed up.
Jason and Nightwing was there, too. Batman told the kids to go home and get some rest since the movie was done and they were just talking. Bruce turned to me. "Is this what you have been doing this whole time?"
"No, we actually trained and I think I made a breakthrough with Wonder Girl. She had a problem with using her powers and fighting at the same time and I think I helped with that."
"Yeah, she actually wasn't half bad." Tim agreed.
"Whatever, your just upset 'cause I didn't spar with you." I rolled my eyes. Damian huffed at the thought of him not being able to spar.
"You look tired, Doll." Jason said, sitting on the couch next to me.
"Yeah, she spared against Sandsmark and used her powers." Damian informed.
"Yeah, she was actually able to hit me. And holy shit, I forgot she had super strength." I laugh softly. I'm actually pretty sure my ribs were bruised. "Also, what's up with the speed kid, can he tell the future?"
"Kind of." Jason shrugged. "He came from the future and couldn't go back."
"Huh." Maybe it was just part of my life to fight. I mean, as long as I can still get the pollution down in oceans I'll be fine.
3872 words
2/6/22
Holy shit, I can't write fight scenes and that is basically all this chapter was so sorry about that.
Anything y'all wanna see?
Pieces Angels and Stay Safe