Centeral Gotham Hospital - 12:45 AM
The assassins lunged all at once.
Batman countered easily with a smoke bomb, and effectively disappearing. His training as a Talon was superior compared to these shadows.
A yell broke out, as the bat got a choke hold on one, and dragged him off from the others. The next attack was more out, and vicious. The hero leaped out, and grabbed ones shoulder, and popped it put of place. The shadow was soon tossed over the bats shoulder, and landed harshly agasint the floor.
He vanished, but was found this time.
A blade whistled as it sliced through the cloudy air. The dark figure ducked under, and rolled away from a kick. Then, side stepped from a jabbing blade. He punched his attackers face, before kicking his stomach, and causing the shadow to stumble back.
The shadow recovered, but had to time to act before the front of his clothing was grabbed, and he was body slammed to the floor.
The hero evaded two swinging swords. He swung a fist at the left, hitting one assailants stomach, before evading another sword. He effectively knocked one off their feet, and grabbed them before they landed, and threw the shadow into another.
Grabbing a shining blade that was aimed at him, he shoved it back into the weilder harshly. Twisting it caused the shadow to release his hold before breaking his arm. The blade was returned to him, by being shoved within his thigh, and pinning him agasint a wall with blood oozing down his leg.
The bat swung around, summer saluting over another attacker, and throwing a rang into their shoulder, and kicking their mid back and quickly bashed their head. The shadow fell with a thud.
Turning again, talon gauntlets met a katana. Both pushed agasint the other, combating for dominance. Using his enhanced strength, the bat pushed agasint the sword hard, and twisted his grip, and twisted the blade from the users hands.
Returning the weapon, as all assassins usually did, he shoved it in the shadows for arm, and let him fall.
Standing alone with the fallen shadows, the Batman walked away. His boots thumping dramatically. His care for stealth, all but thrown out the window. Exiting the lobby, he pushed the sturdy doors open, and made his way down the hall of seemingly endless patient rooms.
He grabbed a shadow that attacked from above, and shoved him into the ground, stomping his ribs roughly, and leaving him to his agony.
The bat kept going, throwing a minor explosive into the face of a shadow that was stepping out of a office. The enemy fell, coughing and wheezing, his face burned, despite the black fabric mask.
The Talon found a elevator, which was offline, and punched the door left side of the door. He dented greatly, and he grabbed the other side and pried it open. Removing the left side some as well, he looked up at the large shaft way.
He activated his grapple, and was lifted up. His cape flaring and ruffeling. The reel of the line kept going quickly, until it stopped and the hook that gripped a beam, detached and returned to the gun. The hero was suspended mid air for a second, before grabbing the same beam. His gloves sounded like nails agasint a chalk board when agasint metal as he pulled himself up.
He gazed around the top of the shaft he now stood in, and tossed a explosive toward the door. It went off, and the door had a hole in the center, sharp edges ready to cut any who touched.
Batman lept, and glided through with grace, and stayed crouched low in the middle of the new hall way. His golden eyes scanned the area, looking for any sign of danger. His enhanced vision caught a glimpse of three shifting assassins within the shadows.
He tossed a smoke pellet, and rushed toward them. One had attempted to leap away, but the bat grabbed his foot and slammed him in the wall. He heard the singing of a sword soaring to meet him, so he rolled to evade it. He whipped around, and lunged at the Shadow.
He used his gloves to block the sword swipes that became more panicked. Breaking the defense, Batman made a swipe on his opponents left side, and made a clean gash agasint them with the sharp talon gloves. The assassin gasped, but was cut off with a punch in the head, knocking him out.
Batman, aware of a sneak attack, swiped his legs under the attacker. Once they landed, he stomped their stomach, hearing a crack of ribs.
The hero just not noticed a sound of a helicopter, but closer then the police ones. The bat growled, and ran off from the scene. Another explosive was used to blast off the doors he was about to meet with. He emerged through the smoke, his cape adding a dramatic flare.
The wind was harsh, due to the helicopter. No noise could be heard except for it's roar. Talia, and the two Shadows that had assisted her in taking Robin, were heading toward the helicopter. Robin was binded, blind folded, and gaged.
Batman quickly threw, with great accuracy, explosives. Once they met with the machine, they went off. Talia, and the shadows were thrown back with the force of the blast. The chopper was left in pieces, and is remains fell from the sky, still on fire.
Talia scrambled up, in shock. Her assassins stayed down, either dead or blacked out. She turned to the shadowed hero, full of ice. "Why do you presist!?" She shouted. "This cannot be some petty thing of honoring my beloved. What does the boy matter to you!?"
It was a quiestion the second Batman often asked himself, never quiet sure. Robin observed, his gag ripped off, along with the blind fold. His mask was singed, as was his cape from the explosion.
Batman's teeth were barred, and eyes narrowed with golden hate, and malice. His fists clenched, causing the gauntlets to scratch agasint one another harshly. His next spoken words were sharp, and full of venom. Along with it, sincerity.
"Give me back my son."
The tension was heavy, and both Batman and Talia were ready to spring, and engage in a battle to the death. The hero spared a glance at the one he claimed as his son, and saw behind the mask. Behind it, was trust. The boys eyes showed undying trust.
Talia raised her katana, about to lunge, until a command from her father stopped her cold.
"Enough."
Ra's Al Ghul, Talia's father, and Damian's grandfather, appeared from seemingly nowhere. He was accompanied by two high ranking shadows, who flanked his left, and right. The man gazed steadily at his daughter, who lowered her blade.
"What madness is this, Talia?" He asked, gesturing to the chaos around them. Police sirens, helicopters, screams, cries, and crackling fire. Talia faltered, before standing her ground. "Forgive me, father, but you have said yourself that Gotham is filth, and needed to burn. To be purged!"
Ra's raised his hand to silence her. "Yes, there was a time of such sayings." He admitted. "However, it has been proven by the Batman, that there is hope yet for this wretched city. It is his burden." He tilted his head downward slightly.
"But what you have done today, Talia, is dishonorable." He stated firmly. "You hold the wounded, and ill hostage, and slaughter them. They have committed no crimes, but are victims of it." He said evenly.
Talia gritted her teeth, momentarily. "Father, they are weak-"
"They are human. Not all can be immortal, like you and I." Ra's easily countered. "You have shamed me, and our throne." He growled. Talia stood stiff, and wide eyed. "Father!" She shouted. "I am restoring it's blood line to proper-"
"Damian is where he belongs." Ra's interrupted, with another raising of his hand. "Return home, daughter." He ordered. He turned away, just as a helicopter rose at the edge of the roof. All yells would be in vain now, due to its sound.
Talia gripped her blade tightly, and followed after her father. Her eyes flashed with fury, as she raised her katana over him. As she went to commit the blow, she was stopped when she began to choke.
Metallic blood reached her mouth, seeping over he bottom lip. She looked down, and saw a dagger embedded into her stomach. Blood dripped down from the wound, soaking her uniform with its darkness. Her father's hand held the handle of the blade loosely. "Child..." He whispered, sounding as if he were insulting her.
She began to fall until a shadow caught her, and carried her on board the helicopter. Ra's looked back at Batman, and nodded, before stepping on.
The hero turned, and jogged over to his partner who lied on the ground, watchful. The sound of the helicopter faded as he cut the binds off Robin's hands, and ankles. Once finished, Damian, not Robin, hugged Dick Grayson, not Batman.
"Thank you."
Dick wrapped his arms around the boy, and burried his nose into the black hair. "I'm not-" he paused, cautious. "I'm not trying to replace Bruce..." He stated. "I just... I'm winging it." He summed up with a airy laugh.
Damian nodded agasint the olders chest. "I know." He responded. "I'm okay with this... your a acceptable father." He laughed a little, tired.
Dick snorted a laugh. "Good to know." He said with a smile.
"Let's call it a night. I want some cookies."
"Tt."