Fic: "Meeting of Minds" by kyrdwyn (PG-13)
Title: Meeting of Miinds
Author: kyrdwyn
Rating: PG-13
Series: Beloved
Fandom: Batman (comics)
Pairings/Characters: Tim Drake, Jason Todd, Talia al Ghul, Slade Wilson, the Justice League, Midnighter, Apollo.
Summary: The League of Assassins and the Justice League finally meet to address their mutual problem.
Warnings: AU. Dark AU.
Beta: None
Previous Parts: Beloved | Confusion | Revelation | Conversation | Dead Man's Memories | Maternal Devotion | Protégé | Exposure | Retaliation | Rescue
Tim and Slade spent three days working on Tim's balance and perception, so Tim could start back into the katas he'd been doing for years - the ones he'd learned in karate class and the ones he'd learned from Bruce and other teachers. He also had to learn to compensate for the giant blind spot that was his right side. He wasn't up to where he wanted to be by the time the two Leagues met to determine a plan for the removal of the Batman. But it would have to do. Time was running out.
Tim entered the meeting room at Slade's side, dressed in all black, Dragon's cape around his neck, the hood pulled up. He was starting to understand why Damian liked having the hood on his Robin cape. Draped properly, it let Tim hide the eyepatch he now wore - a gift from Slade, brand new, fitted exactly to him. He was still getting used to the feel of it. Idly, he wondered what the Slade Wilson in his universe would say about Tim's new accessory.
Jason and Talia approached them as they entered, Talia cupping Tim's cheek in her hand. "It is good to see you, Dragon. We will avenge this."
"He will pay," Jason growled.
Before Tim could respond, Superman approached the group. "We're ready," he said, nodding at them.
Talia turned to face him. "We are coming."
The Justice League in this world was different than his. No Batman, first of all. Wonder Woman stood next to Dr. Mid-Nite by the meeting table. Beyond them, Guy Gardner, in Green Lantern uniform, stood next to Aquaman and the Flash. Booster Gold, Blue Beetle (Ted Kord? It was his uniform, not Jaime's), Rip Hunter, and Booster's robot partner Skeets were by the windows, talking animatedly. Roy Harper, in Arsenal uniform, stood along the back wall next to Troia, Tempest, Beast Boy, Starfire, Raven, and Cyborg. None of them looked happy. Tim wondered why they were here, unless the Titans had insisted on being present because of Dick. In the far corner stood two men Tim didn't recognize, one with longish white hair and a white and yellow costume, the other in all black, with cowl, arms crossed over his chest and scowling at everyone.
Superman led them to the table. "This is Talia al Ghul, head of the League of Assassins, and her associates."
"We know who they are," Aquaman said scornfully. "They are seeking to kill the Batman and they want our help."
"The Batman needs to be stopped," Wonder Woman said.
"Why?" the guy in black leather in the corner asked. "He's killing bastard scum in Gotham. What's the problem with that?"
"He killed my father. He's corrupting my son," Talia said. "He rules Gotham with an iron fist, and those who do not follow his rule are severely punished."
"Still not seeing the issue here."
"We cannot allow him to have free reign in Gotham," Dr. Mid-Nite, Luthor, said. "Whether or not you join us. Same with the Titans," he added.
"If Raptor needs to be put down, we want in," Arsenal said. "He was our teammate. Our friend."
Skeets had drifted over and was hovering near Tim. Tim turned to look at Skeets. "May I help you?"
"Your energy signature matches that of a disturbance Dr. Hunter observed two months ago. It does not match the energy signature of this universe."
Everyone looked at Tim. He glanced at Talia and Jason. Rip Hunter walked closer. "You're not from this universe."
"No, I'm not the Dragon from this universe," Tim said.
"Then who are you?" Gardner growled.
Talia put a hand on Tim's shoulder. "He is the Dragon from another universe, one who has generously agreed to use his knowledge of the Batman obtained in that universe to assist us."
Tim looked up and met Superman's eyes. "My name is Timothy Drake. Where I come from, the Batman is my adopted father, and my mentor. I was the third Robin, after our version of the man now called Raptor and another young man."
"So, the Batman took your eye, and you aren't even the right Dragon?" the white haired man in the corner asked.
"Thought he was taking Dragon's eye for the second time. The first time he took it, our world's Dragon was eleven years old and his crime was following around Batman and Raptor like a star struck child," Slade spit out.
The entire league stared at them. "Wait, you didn't take Dragon's eye originally?" Superman asked Slade.
Slade growled. "Dragon was my son. If I could have given him his eye back at the expense of my own, I would."
Even Jason and Talia looked at Slade with surprise. Tim suspected that Slade had never said that out loud before. He idly wondered if Slade had ever said that to his Timothy. If he had, it wasn't a memory Tim had inherited.
Judging by the expression on Slade's face, Tim wondered if Slade had ever realized he felt that way about his Timothy.
"I think," Wonder Woman said, stepping forward and putting a hand on Superman's arm. "That you had better start at the beginning."
"What beginning?" Talia asked.
"The League of Assassins involvement with Batman," Wonder Woman replied. "And we will tell you of the Justice League's involvement with him. And then we will decide what needs to done."
Talia nodded at Wonder Woman. "Fair enough."
Wonder Woman gestured to the table, large enough to fit all of them. Tim took a seat between Jason and Slade, looking around at people who were allies, friends, and enemies in his world. He ducked his head, closing his good eye, suddenly tired of this universe, of these people who were and weren't the people he knew. He just wanted to go home.
He was afraid he never would.
Next: Breakdown
Author: kyrdwyn
Rating: PG-13
Series: Beloved
Fandom: Batman (comics)
Pairings/Characters: Tim Drake, Jason Todd, Talia al Ghul, Slade Wilson, the Justice League, Midnighter, Apollo.
Summary: The League of Assassins and the Justice League finally meet to address their mutual problem.
Warnings: AU. Dark AU.
Beta: None
Previous Parts: Beloved | Confusion | Revelation | Conversation | Dead Man's Memories | Maternal Devotion | Protégé | Exposure | Retaliation | Rescue
Tim and Slade spent three days working on Tim's balance and perception, so Tim could start back into the katas he'd been doing for years - the ones he'd learned in karate class and the ones he'd learned from Bruce and other teachers. He also had to learn to compensate for the giant blind spot that was his right side. He wasn't up to where he wanted to be by the time the two Leagues met to determine a plan for the removal of the Batman. But it would have to do. Time was running out.
Tim entered the meeting room at Slade's side, dressed in all black, Dragon's cape around his neck, the hood pulled up. He was starting to understand why Damian liked having the hood on his Robin cape. Draped properly, it let Tim hide the eyepatch he now wore - a gift from Slade, brand new, fitted exactly to him. He was still getting used to the feel of it. Idly, he wondered what the Slade Wilson in his universe would say about Tim's new accessory.
Jason and Talia approached them as they entered, Talia cupping Tim's cheek in her hand. "It is good to see you, Dragon. We will avenge this."
"He will pay," Jason growled.
Before Tim could respond, Superman approached the group. "We're ready," he said, nodding at them.
Talia turned to face him. "We are coming."
The Justice League in this world was different than his. No Batman, first of all. Wonder Woman stood next to Dr. Mid-Nite by the meeting table. Beyond them, Guy Gardner, in Green Lantern uniform, stood next to Aquaman and the Flash. Booster Gold, Blue Beetle (Ted Kord? It was his uniform, not Jaime's), Rip Hunter, and Booster's robot partner Skeets were by the windows, talking animatedly. Roy Harper, in Arsenal uniform, stood along the back wall next to Troia, Tempest, Beast Boy, Starfire, Raven, and Cyborg. None of them looked happy. Tim wondered why they were here, unless the Titans had insisted on being present because of Dick. In the far corner stood two men Tim didn't recognize, one with longish white hair and a white and yellow costume, the other in all black, with cowl, arms crossed over his chest and scowling at everyone.
Superman led them to the table. "This is Talia al Ghul, head of the League of Assassins, and her associates."
"We know who they are," Aquaman said scornfully. "They are seeking to kill the Batman and they want our help."
"The Batman needs to be stopped," Wonder Woman said.
"Why?" the guy in black leather in the corner asked. "He's killing bastard scum in Gotham. What's the problem with that?"
"He killed my father. He's corrupting my son," Talia said. "He rules Gotham with an iron fist, and those who do not follow his rule are severely punished."
"Still not seeing the issue here."
"We cannot allow him to have free reign in Gotham," Dr. Mid-Nite, Luthor, said. "Whether or not you join us. Same with the Titans," he added.
"If Raptor needs to be put down, we want in," Arsenal said. "He was our teammate. Our friend."
Skeets had drifted over and was hovering near Tim. Tim turned to look at Skeets. "May I help you?"
"Your energy signature matches that of a disturbance Dr. Hunter observed two months ago. It does not match the energy signature of this universe."
Everyone looked at Tim. He glanced at Talia and Jason. Rip Hunter walked closer. "You're not from this universe."
"No, I'm not the Dragon from this universe," Tim said.
"Then who are you?" Gardner growled.
Talia put a hand on Tim's shoulder. "He is the Dragon from another universe, one who has generously agreed to use his knowledge of the Batman obtained in that universe to assist us."
Tim looked up and met Superman's eyes. "My name is Timothy Drake. Where I come from, the Batman is my adopted father, and my mentor. I was the third Robin, after our version of the man now called Raptor and another young man."
"So, the Batman took your eye, and you aren't even the right Dragon?" the white haired man in the corner asked.
"Thought he was taking Dragon's eye for the second time. The first time he took it, our world's Dragon was eleven years old and his crime was following around Batman and Raptor like a star struck child," Slade spit out.
The entire league stared at them. "Wait, you didn't take Dragon's eye originally?" Superman asked Slade.
Slade growled. "Dragon was my son. If I could have given him his eye back at the expense of my own, I would."
Even Jason and Talia looked at Slade with surprise. Tim suspected that Slade had never said that out loud before. He idly wondered if Slade had ever said that to his Timothy. If he had, it wasn't a memory Tim had inherited.
Judging by the expression on Slade's face, Tim wondered if Slade had ever realized he felt that way about his Timothy.
"I think," Wonder Woman said, stepping forward and putting a hand on Superman's arm. "That you had better start at the beginning."
"What beginning?" Talia asked.
"The League of Assassins involvement with Batman," Wonder Woman replied. "And we will tell you of the Justice League's involvement with him. And then we will decide what needs to done."
Talia nodded at Wonder Woman. "Fair enough."
Wonder Woman gestured to the table, large enough to fit all of them. Tim took a seat between Jason and Slade, looking around at people who were allies, friends, and enemies in his world. He ducked his head, closing his good eye, suddenly tired of this universe, of these people who were and weren't the people he knew. He just wanted to go home.
He was afraid he never would.
Next: Breakdown