bildungsromans | for watcheslanterns

No. Killing's the one line I'll never cross.

You'll understand that about me and the others.

[ Dick's resolve in his demeanor fails to wane, though he hopes his words continue to be reassuring. ]

Gothel and Ra's will get what's coming to them, and that means facing what they've done and living to deal with the consequences.

[ Ra's has a track record of escaping from Bruce and Dick's clutches, almost as much as he's escaped from death's. Gothel, on the other hand, might be a different and somewhat easier story. ]

Now... if I do mount a mission to apprehend Gothel, I've gotta ask.

Do you want to sit this one out, or would you rather come with?

[ Rapunzel is relieved at his response. She already feels as though she has one person's blood on her hands. She doesn't want to add to the count, no matter what a person might have done.

Dick's question surprises her though. She's spent so much time just trying to get away from Gothel that the idea of going after her had never occurred to her. For a brief moment, the thought terrifies her. She considers all the ways it could go wrong. She could be taken again. Dick could get hurt. She could falter and lose everything all over again.

And yet...

She doesn't think she will feel complete if she doesn't at least try. Dick is giving her the opportunity to do something about the evil things Rapunzel unknowingly let Gothel do. She knew, deep down, that it would be a mistake not to take it. ]

I'd like to go with you, if you don't think I'd be in the way.

Edited 2018-06-08 18:51 (UTC)

You've proven yourself in battle once. I think you can handle a little more, but...

[ He almost can't believe he's going to say this. ]

You can try on some armor in the cave. There might be an old costume you can borrow.

[ Secretly, he hopes this doesn't qualify as an invitation to join the ranks. Even if Rapunzel can hold her own when the going gets tough, she'll need the level of protection a kevlar-lined costume can afford. ]

Come on down.

[ With his glass still in hand, Dick heads for the grandfather clock and leads Rapunzel down the stairs to the central Batcave. ]

Don't expect a trip to the assassins until later tonight. Or hell, even tomorrow night if you need time to mentally prepare.

Whatever the case...

[ Dick leads Rapunzel to an elaborate set of cases along a wall, each case containing a costume suspended for display. There's a Batman costume Dick hasn't worn, older, darker, and charred. Other costumes, lacking cowls and somber colors, bore an 'R' symbol. One broke the mold for having a blue bird shape, but who knows what that's about?

One 'R' costume seems shaped for a female wearer, and it's in front of this costume where Dick stops. He opens the case and steps aside so Rapunzel has room to appraise it. ]

This belonged to a friend. Seeing as she now goes by Batgirl, I don't think she'll... bat an eye if you borrow this.

[ It's the old Robin suit of Stephanie Brown, with some upgrades in case she ever thought to reclaim the mantle. ]

[ Seeing the display of costumes brings the idea of what a museum might look like in Rapunzel's mind. It's like looking back on a history she knows nothing about, but it all feels terribly personal. She wonders what Dick is really thinking as he shows these displays. She wonders where the people who used to wear them are now. She's only met Alfred and Damian and there seem like there must be more people attached to these suits. Dick had spoken of his own loss and Rapunzel has to fight the impulse to ask more. She has a feeling that he would tell her if she did, but it didn't seem right. Not now, anyway.

Instead, she takes in the suit presented to her. She's not quite sure what to make of it. The whole idea of super heroes and vigilantes is still pretty alien to her. But it's obvious that there's protection in wearing something like this. And while she can obviously heal, not getting hurt in the first place would be preferable.

She runs her fingers over the 'R', then glances at Dick. ]

What does it stand for? It doesn't seem to follow the whole bat-theme...

Robin.

[ Well, since Dick's already in his Batsuit, he presses a few hidden buttons in one of his gauntlets to activate a holographic screen. From it, he projects images of himself as Robin and, later, as Nightwing - all pooled from archives in the Gotham Gazette. ]

When Bruce Wayne - the first Batman - took me in as his son, I was Robin. When I got older, I ditched the Christmas colors for something else.

I became Nightwing.

But when an intergalactic threat was on the horizon, and Bruce answered the call... he gave up his life to save the world.

So now, to honor his memory, I've become Batman.

[ Rapunzel probably didn't ask for a lecture, but... too much has happened for Dick to just gloss over, what with all he's already shown her. ]

Rest assured, Bruce's old suit represents the only casualty. Everyone's okay.

[ Jason's a different story. But Jason... is complicated. ]

Just don't tell Damian about this. [ Now, Dick cracks a small grin. ] He's very protective of the 'Robin' title.

[ Rapunzel looks away from the suit as Dick tells his story. She hadn't expected him to tell her something so intimate when she asked about the letter. It's obvious though that his strange vocation went a lot deeper than just trying to do some good in the world.

She studies him, her eyes bright. She reaches out and places a hand on Dick's arm. It's a small, silly gesture for something that happened, she didn't know how long ago. But instinct tells her to comfort him in some way. They're still close to strangers, but he's already done so much for her. Shouldn't she be able to do something for him? ]

I'm so sorry. [ Dick cracks a joke, but Rapunzel can't help but think that there's a deeper hurt that he's holding back. ]

You must miss him.

He was a dark and haunted man.

And the world's only gotten darker without him.

[ He wants to acknowledge Rapunzel's condolences, but the moment - the opportunity, he feels - slips away far too soon. ]

Go ahead and try on the suit. I'll just... be at the Batcomputer.

[ As his way of saying he'll give her some privacy.

He leaps over the railing to glide towards the Batcomputer, which rests at the very heart of the Batcave. ]

[ It's impossible not to notices how Dick glosses over the subject, but Rapunzel supposes he has a right to. He doesn't owe her anything personal like that, and she shouldn't pry.

Still, curiosity burns within her as she watches Dick retreat towards the computer. She sighs slightly as she figures out the suit. Her borrowed dress slips to the floor and she steps out of it. The air is cool down here, and she shivers. She peeks over her shoulder at Dick, but it's clear that he isn't peeking. She blushes, wondering what she's thinking, then quickly changes into the suit. It's tight against her skin, far more fitted than anything she's worn before. It isn't a perfect match for her, but it would do.

She tugs at her hair, pulling out any strands caught in the neck of the suit. She looks in the glass in front of her, squinting at what she can see of her reflection. It's strange to see, not just because of the suit, but because she hasn't really taken a good look at herself in some time. She shakes her head and walks away from the display case, towards Dick. She can't linger on thoughts of how much she has changed. ]

So...how do I look?

[ She tries to sound a little playful, but really she just sounds nervous. ]

[ Dick would slap himself in the face if he let his jaw drop at the sight. Luckily, he's got more self-control than that. He also senses Rapunzel's nervousness (how could he not when she makes it so obvious?), and is quick to tell her the truth. ]

Stunning.

[ Hearing himself, he might actually be smiling the most he's ever smiled in front of Rapunzel. Either the Robin aesthetic just makes anyone look better, or... Rapunzel simply looks that wonderful in that costume. He looks away before a lingering stare creates unwarranted awkwardness, and instead rises from his seat, fiddling with the smart device on his gauntlet to seem preoccupied with something - as if Rapunzel doesn't have his complete attention. ]

It really, um... suits you.

[ He paces towards a bridge to the hangar, where the Batwing's parked. As he walks, he gestures at a nearby staircase for Rapunzel to take to catch up to him. ]

I've uploaded the case file on Gothel and all the intel you need to our cloud server. You should be able to access it from your seat in the Batwing, and from your wrist computer.

[ It should be on Rapunzel's left gauntlet the way there's one on Dick's. ]

Sources tell me she's in Siberia, under the League of Assasins' protection. She and Ra's are anticipating us... but I know you want your closure.

[ She relaxes slightly at Dick's response. She hadn't really been sure what to expect, but she's glad that he seems confident in his decision to lend her the suit. It was an important sort of gift, and she didn't want to let it go to waste. She wouldn't exactly say she feels comfortable in it yet, but she could do what she needed to. ]

Thank you.

[ He voice is soft, and her cheeks do feel warm, but she ignores that particular reaction to his compliment. Instead, she makes her way to the jet and settles into the passenger seat. Her eyes focus on the glowing screen, taking in the content of the files. She's surprised by very little of it now. Every terrible thing Gothel had done in her past made all too much sense to her now. ]

So we won't be able to take them by surprise. Do you have some kind of plan?

Plan? This is the plan.

[ He knows that sounds a bit silly, so-- ]

For once, it's as simple as coming to them, arresting your mother, and incapacitating Ra's Al Ghul.

[ And by that, he means kill Ra's, with the understanding that he'll come back via Lazarus Pit. ]

They might hurt you if it means they can keep you, but they definitely won't hurt you badly.

They need you. Your hair has all the benefits of the Lazarus Pits, and none of the side effects.

They're probably willing to kill me to get to you. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they went out of their way to--

[ Just then, a kunai pierces the Batwing's windshield, never quite passing through to successfully stab Dick in the head. ]

Well.

Should've guessed they'd come to us.

[ Dick opens the cockpit and vaults out, gliding into a horde of assassins that had just emerged from the Batcave's depths. They'd clearly just gotten here. ]

Stay close to me!

[ Rapunzel jumps in her seat as the kunai hits against the windshield. She's shocked for a moment, but quickly leaps into action after Dick. She's running mostly on instinct again, but it's kept her alive before, it will continue to do so. Having the new suit gives her an added sense of security, an armor she never had before.

She grips her hair in her hands, ready to use it as needed as she follows close to Dick. Taking a moment to asses the scene, all she can hear at first is the beating of her heart. She isn't used to fights like this, but she can't let that hold her back. ]

Do we have a plan now?

[ With a flick of her wrist she snaps her hair in the direction of one of the assassins. She pulls them close, then whips them back out at their partners, knocking a few over. ]

Just thinking it might be a good idea.

Sometimes, improvisation is key.

[ Dick elbows an assassin in the face before throwing them over his shoulder and kicking them into another assassin. ]

Like in jazz.

[ He vaults over an assassin that had charged at him, just before unsheathing two eskrima sticks and parrying the strikes of several more opponents.

Just before another assassin can grab Rapunzel from behind (even with the mask, it's pretty obvious it's her), a stray eskrima stick collides with the assassin's face.

After Rapunzel and Dick take on their shares of enemies, only for several more to emerge from the shadows, Dick appears at Rapunzel's side. ]

The plan is to hold your own. I know Ra's Al Ghul's angle.

This isn't an attack so much as it's... an invitation.

[ Rapunzel shrugs. Dick knows more about fighting than she did, so all she could do was rely on his advice. Besides, she seems to be doing a fair enough job as she pulls another assassin towards the wall with a heavy slam. ]

If only they knew we were planing on visiting anyway.

[ Strange, how in the midst of severe violence, she somehow manages a quip. Maybe something about being with people again, about being free, is bringing back some of the joy she once had.

Eventually, though, they were down to the last assassin. They both stood evenly apart from him. ]

Do you want to take this?

You do the honors.

[ Part of him also wanted to say he's punched enough assassins for one day, but he relents. ]

You've got a lot of potential, you know that?

[ He speaks as if the remaining assassin is no longer a threat, which - shortly - becomes the case, thanks to Rapunzel. ]

With the right training, you'd make a fine vigilante.

[ Might as well keep the momentum up, in terms of quips and their general rapport. Rapunzel might never stop being angry at Gothel and Ra's, but she can at least remain in high spirits fighting alongside Dick. Something - especially about being free - to keep her centered. ]

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