« chapter xii: ONE-ON-ONE »
"You have to use your opponents weight against them. You're small, agile and you need to use that or you'll never win a fight." Bruce said as Tim pinned her to the ground yet again. "And you're not using your powers the way that you should." Dabria flipped Bruce off which almost made Tim laugh as he stood and held out his hand for her. Bruce didn't look amused though. Dabria took his hand and Tim pulled her up.
"How am I supposed to beat Tim when he has like fifty pounds of muscle on me."
"It can't be more than thirty." Bruce said and Tim frowned, feeling slightly self-conscious as Dabria looked him over.
"Well, it's like everyone keeps reminding me. I'm not like all of you. I haven't been training all my life to be a hero. I'll never be on par with any of you." Dabria hated this. It had been a month, an entire month since she had first put on her suit and gone out, discreetly, with the boys and Bruce hadn't let her out since. He told her he wouldn't allow her back out on patrol with them until he thought she was ready to take him on in a fight.
"That's pretty egotistical of you." Dabria had said with a frown. Bruce smirked lightly.
"I'm just trying to make sure that you are at your best."
"How will I know when I'm at my best?" Bruce had glanced over at Tim and Damian who were currently trying to kick each others asses.
"If you can pin one of them down in a fight. You'll be ready." That conversation had been a month ago and Dabria was tired of this bullshit. How was she supposed to beat Tim or Damian when they had been training for a better part of their lives? Even with her powers, Dabria was no match for them.
"You don't have to be on par with us Dabria. I'm trying to teach you how to use your opponent to your advantage, use your powers to your advantage. I'm trying to teach you how to outsmart us." Dabria pursed her lips.
"That will be harder than trying to get on your level. I'm sure you both know at least 100 ways to take me down in a fight. How am I supposed to outsmart that?" Dabria asked, wiping the sweat off her forehead.
"The people you'll be up against won't be like that."
"How do you know that?"
"Most villains in Gotham don't do well in hand to hand combat. Those that do, you will be able to outsmart easily."
"That's a lot of pressure for a girl that dropped out of middle school and never went to high school." Dabria said with a shake of her head, dark hair flying.
"You're smart in different ways Dabria and that's also something I've been meaning to talk to you about. I want you to get your GE." Dabria laughed.
"Bruce, as far as Gotham knows or cares, I'm dead." Dabria said, throwing her arms out a little. "And I want to keep it that way. What do I need a GE for anyways?"
"I don't want you running around and stealing food and clothes for the rest of your life. You can do so much more. You're capable of..." Tim could feel the air around Dabria get warmer. He stepped back a couple feet.
"Okay, enough." Dabria said, throwing up her hand. A blast of hot air came out of her palm. Tim could feel the heat coming off of her even though he was standing behind her. "I don't need a pep talk for every aspect of my life." Dabria's hands caught fire and she shook them out before running her hands through her sweaty hair. "I said I would train with you guys, become a caped crusader, but as for a secret identity, a normal life... That's not something that's in the books for me. I'm better off just living and dying as a hero. I'm not good for anything else."
"Dabria..." Tim said. She glared at him, fire in her eyes. Tim swallowed down the sentence.
"You guys can have your alter egos. I don't need that now that Adelaide is gone. I don't have to pretend to be normal anymore and I don't want to."
"You are normal Dabria." Bruce said.
"I'm sorry, how many other kids do you know that can create portals? Disappear on a whim? Catch fire?" Dabria demanded, her clothes beginning to singe a little.
"Several." Bruce said. Dabria rolled her eyes. "People with powers, mutations, beings from other planets, that's part of our everyday lives." Bruce said. "You are as normal as any of us."
"Well I've never felt normal. Nothing about my life has been normal." Dabria said with a frown.
"You cant blame yourself for what happened to your parents." Tim wished Bruce would shut up.
"Oh now we're in therapy are we!" Dabria shouted, throwing her hands up, the rubber soles of her shoes began to leave burned imprints on the concrete. "I can do whatever I want Bruce. It's like you keep saying. I'm eighteen. I'm not a prisoner. I can leave whenever I want." Dabria turned on her heel and began to head for the elevator.
"Ria." Tim said, as she walked past her. He almost reached out to touch her arm but she pulled back out of his reach.
"I'll burn you Drake. Leave me alone." She muttered. With that, she stepped into the elevator and was whisked away.
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Dabria had only been in Tim's room once, when she was snooping around, now she was standing outside his door, fist raised to knock. It was the middle of the night, he should be awake. Grinding her teeth, Dabria knocked on his door. "Tim, you in there?" There was a shuffle of movement and then the door opened. Tim was wearing a white shirt and flannel fleece pants. Dabria's pajamas were similar (or at least Barbra's pajamas were similar). Plain shirt and fleece bottoms.
"Dabria? What's up?" Dabria wasted no time.
"Fight me. One-on-one." Tim arched an eyebrow at her. "If I fall down, I'll get back up and we don't stop until I pin you or I die. Okay?"
"Dabria...." Tim said, surprised.
"I want to hear you say yes Tim. I'll accept nothing less." Dabria said, crossing her arms over her chest. "So?" Tim sighed.
"You don't have to prove yourself. You're a good fighter you know. You know more than I did when I first started training."
"But I don't know enough clearly. Why else won't Bruce let me out?"
"It's not you okay he's just... He doesn't want to take chances or... Make mistakes."
"So I'm a mistake now."
"No!" Tim exclaimed. "That's not what I'm saying. He just... He wants you to be prepared. He doesn't want to have to worry about you while we're out there."
"He doesn't have to worry about me." Tim wanted to tell her about Jason, wanted to tell her about Bruce's past mistakes but he didn't feel that was right. That was family stuff.
"Dabria..."
"Are you going to fight me or should I wake up Damian. I'm sure he'd be willing to kick the shit out of me." Tim sighed heavily. "Tim?"
"Fine, let's do this."
"Ten minutes. Meet me downstairs." Tim sighed as he watched Dabria walk away.
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Dabria was standing in the middle of the training circle wearing Barbra's old activewear pants. Tim recognized them because they were Barbra's favorite before they no longer fit her. Her hair was tied back and instead of just a loose t-shirt like she usually wears, Dabria was only wearing her black sports bra as she twirled a bo staff in her hands. Dabria turned when she heard Tim behind her.
"You're late." Dabria said, tossing him his bo staff.
"Am I?"
"Yes but we have all night." If Jason was here, he would have made some sort of sexual joke and Tim hated that that was the first thing that crossed his mind. He needed to stop hanging around Jason so much. Tim twirled his bo staff around slowly.
"Are you sure about this Dabria?" She got down into a fighting stance, her hands were wrapped up Tim was just realizing.
"Positive Batbrat."
"I'm not using this against you." Tim said, tossing his bo staff aside. Dabria shrugged.
"Your loss. I'm going to use my powers."
"I can still take you." Tim said and Dabria laughed as he slowly matched her stance.
"I thought Damian was the cocky one."
"You haven't seen Jason in a fight yet." Dabria grinned.
"Stop stalling Tim. Fight me." Tim smirked, shaking his head lightly. Dabria disappeared but Tim didn't need to see her exactly to know where she was. Dabria grit her teeth as Tim blocked her first punch and grabbed her left arm. She twisted his arm around and kneed him in the chest so he would let go but it didn't faze him. So she did the next best thing. She burst into flames.
Tim felt the temperature raise and let go of her quickly as she reappeared, encased in fire. "You trying to fry me?"
"I said I would use my powers Tim. Come on, it's practice for you too. Not everyone is just some weirdo in a costume out there."
"So I'm a weirdo in a costume now?" Tim asked as they circled one another.
"You're a weirdo even if you didn't dress up like a bird." Dabria moved in to attack again. Usually, it takes a couple of minutes for Tim to get the best of her but Dabria has always felt like he was holding back in training sessions where Bruce was watching. "You already know how to take me down so do it." Dabria said as she ducked Tim's punch and kicked him in the back.
"Dabria why do we have to do this?"
"Because you agreed to it. Now take me down!" Dabria shouted at him. Tim ground his teeth, grabbed Dabria's arm, wrenched it behind her back and pushed her down to her knees. If he pulled up or twisted harder, he would break her arm. Tim let go of her and Dabria winced as she rubbed at her shoulder.
"Shit.." She hissed out.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Dabria said, slowly getting to her feet. "I need you to stop taking it easy on me just because I'm a girl and just because I'm new."
"That's not it." Tim said.
"Then what is it?" Dabria demanded.
"I just... I don't want to hurt you. I don't hold back with Bruce or Damian or anyone else because they can take it. But with you..."
"You think I'm weak then." Tim scoffed.
"Dabria, you're not listening to me."
"Let's go again."
"Dabria."
"Shut up and fight me." Dabria demanded. "We don't stop until I beat you. Say it." Tim clenched his hands into fists and looked away from her. "Say it Timothy!"
"We don't stop until you beat me."
"Good."
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Tim watched Dabria spit blood out onto the concrete and he winced as she sat up on the mat. Her skin was covered in bruises. Her knuckles were bloodied and now her lip was busted. "Dabria, you don't have to keep doing this." Tim said, holding his hand so he could help her out. She pushed it back, wiped at the blood flowing from her busted lip and shook out her shoulders as she stood.
"You tired or something? Let's go again." All Dabria had done was fall over and over and over again.
"Dabria.."
"I don't want to hear it Tim. You agreed to go until I pin you."
"Dabria.."
"And I haven't pinned you yet and if you hold back on me.."
"I know, I know, you'll wake up Damian because he won't hold back." Tim said with a sigh, running one hand through his sweaty hair. "Why didn't you ask him in the first place."
"Because I'd rather be taken down by someone bigger than me. So square up Timothy Drake." Tim laughed a little and shook his head before pulling his shirt up and over his head and tossing it to the side. He didn't like seeing it covered in blood, hers and his. Tim was pretty sure she had given him a black eye too. Dabria was frowning at him, fists raised. "Are you trying to distract me?"
"What?" Tim asked, confused. Dabria ground her teeth.
"Never mind. I forgot how dumb boys are." Dabria moved in and kicked him in the chest but Tim grabbed her ankle and would have made her flip and fall onto the ground except Dabria created a portal and fell straight through it before somersaulting back onto the mat behind him. She had gotten good at that. He punched her in the ribs and she winced before ducking his next punch, faking right and then moving left to punch him in the gut.
Tim ducked her next kick and then punched her in between the shoulder blades. Dabria stumbled but turned back around swiftly before Tim could punch her in the face again. She dodged his fake out punch and disappeared. Tim blocked her as she tried to knee him in the groin. He tried to sideswipe her with a kick but all he hit was air. Dabria reappeared right before she did a spin hook kick to his chest. Tim nearly fell backwards as she charged him again.
She elbowed him in the face and then punched him in the ribs before he slammed his elbow down onto her back and she fell to her knees. "Dabria." Tim said, concerned. She swung one leg out though and knocked his legs out from under him.
"Keep. Going." Dabria said through her teeth. There was a cut by her eyebrow that was bleeding now. She tried to punch him in the face while he was down but Tim rolled out of the way and the two of them bounced back up. Tim could see the fire in her eyes. She was more determined than ever to beat him. Dabria attacked again, Tim blocking several punches with his arms. Tim punched her in the stomach and she nearly kicked him in the head.
As Tim tried to punch her in the gut, Dabria grit her teeth, ducked and grabbed his arm with both hands, pulling hard as she wrenched it behind his back. She only let go when she kicked him in the side, leaving him gasping for air as he nearly collapsed to the ground. Tim stumbled and Dabria punched him at the back of the knees. He fell to the ground and when he rolled over, Dabria put her knee to his chest, her fist raised to punch him in the face
Tim and Dabria just stared at one another, breathing hard, both of them bleeding from busted lips now. Tim reached out to wipe at the blood running down the side of her face and Dabria winced as she slowly loosened up. "You win." Tim said softly.
"Yeah, it only took three hours." Dabria said as she slowly got off his chest and stood up, finally feeling the ache and burn all over her body. Dabria held his hand out to him.
"You did good." Tim said as he took her hand, standing with her help. "Does that hurt?" Tim asked, touching her temple lightly.
"Ow, yes, jesus Tim." Dabria said, putting her hand over his and meaning to pull it away from her face but she locked eyes with him and paused. Even with the beginnings of a black eye, he still looked pretty cute. "Too bad Bruce didn't see any of that." Dabria said, unable to think of anything better to say.
"Oh, he saw." Came a voice from the far end of the room. Time and Dabria dropped their hands. In the doorway stood a smug little Damian and a very disappointed Bruce Wayne. How long had they been there?
"What are you kids doing?" Bruce demanded.
"I beat him." Dabria said, stepping off the mat and wiping at the blood on her chin. "You have to have cameras in here or something to vouch for that. Can I finally go out with you guys." Bruce clenched his jaw.
"This isn't simply about beating Tim, Dabria."
"You said if I could beat him then I would be strong enough, that I would be good enough." Dabria snapped at him. "I beat him! What's the big deal?" Dabria shouted.
"You're reckless Dabria! You challenged Tim to a fight you could barely win and you still can't seem to take your powers seriously in training."
"If I wasn't serious I wouldn't be here!" Dabria snapped at him. The room began to smell like burning rubber.
"You need to control your emotions otherwise you could get yourself or one of us killed out there. You could hurt other people." Bruce insisted.
"I beat him!" Dabria shouted. The room began to fill with smoke, Damian and Tim began to cough. "Can't that be enough for now! Why are you keeping me locked up in here?" Dabria demanded.
"Because I won't let you endanger yourself or anyone else out there until you stop letting your temper and your stubbornness get the best of you."
"Well fuck you and fuck your cape Bruce." Dabria dropped through the ground, creating a portal under her feet that she disappeared through as Damian and Tim tried to stamp out the fires she had started. Bruce clenched his jaw.
"Bruce why are you being like this?" Tim demanded. "She did good. I'm assuming you've been watching for a while."
"She needs to learn when to give up, when to stop fighting. Some things just aren't worth pursuing if you're going to end up hurt." Bruce said. "I don't want something to happen to her like it did to Jason. I don't want to fail with another..." Bruce stopped.
"You didn't fail Jason, dad." Tim said.
"Didn't I though?" Bruce asked. Damian and Tim shared a look and Bruce turned away. "Get some sleep boys. We'll talk in the morning." With that, Bruce walked away.
A/N:
The picture is Tim's aesthetic!!