Post by Dean on Sept 20, 2015 0:34:18 GMT -5
Basic Information
Player Nickname: Dean
Profile URL:
Do you want other role players to give you feed back? Yeah
Which DCU Earth are you applying to?: Earth 1 and 4
Please link the URL to our rule page to confirm you have read them. justiceleaguerp.proboards.com/thread/316/dcu-rules-4th-annual-revision
Please link the URL to our activity policy to confirm you have read it. justiceleaguerp.proboards.com/thread/448/activity-policy-effective-july-2015
Character Origin: Nightwing Year 1 and pieces from New 52, possibly others as my knowledge of the character and field of research grows.
Face Claim's Name: (Peter Badenhop)
Name: Richard John “Dick” Grayson
Alias: Nightwing/Robin I/Batman
Race: Human
Age: 14-22
Birthday: March 21
Alignment: Lawful Good
Height: 5’10
Weight: 175
Hair: Black
Eyes: Blue
Physique: Lean, Defined, Athletic
Training: Martial Arts, Investigation, Interrogation, Stealth, Tactical Infiltration, Close Quarters Combat, Melee Combat, Acrobatics, Parkour, Weapons training.
Robin: Martial Arts: Aikido, Ninjitsu, Judo, Bo Staff, Escrima.
Nightwing: Martial Arts: Aikido, Ninjitsu, Judo, Jujitsu, Tang Soo Do, Wing chun, Shaolin Fist, Muay Thai, Police CRDT, Escrima, Bo Staff.
Equipment:
Robin: Robin Suit (Secret Compartments Bullet resistant fibers), Robin Mask (Night Vision,Infrared, Audio Visual Recording, Bat-computer.) Utility Belt, Robin gloves (Secret compartments), Batarangs, Escrima Sticks, Smoke pellets, Breathing Apparatus, Rubber Lips, Shark Repellent.
Nightwing: Nightwing suit (Secret compartments, Bullet Resistant fiber, Insulated, Gliding cape hidden at the armpit.), Nightwing mask (Night Vision, Infared, Audio Visual Recording, Bat-computer com-link) Utility belt, Nightwing Gauntlets (Taser attachment, 150,000 volts), Escrima Sticks, Grappling Gun, Wingdings, Smoke pellets, Breathing apparatus, Rubber Lips, Shark Repellent. (Dick the same suit for both Titans and Gotham.)
Escrima sticks / Bo staff: His preferred weaponry equipped with a vast field of attachments and different aspects depending on the situation, usually kept in the storage section of his Wing Cycle, he has one Stun staff he is able to split into two stunning Escrima sticks, another set of Escrima sticks with a rubber end for easy retrieval and trick shots.
Powers / Abilities
Master Acrobat - Dick grew up in the circus, his parents and were a pair of Trapeze artists known as the Flying Graysons, this training early on in life as well as Bruce’s teachings and his adventures in the streets of Gotham have kept him well versed in the art, able to navigate a city from rooftop to rooftop without ever needing to touch the ground, there are few others on Par with Dick’s agility, and none better.
Master Detective - Having Studied under the world’s greatest detective, Dick is able to process clues and crime scenes in ways few others can. His ability to follow evidence and make connections from one person to next aided him well in his fights alongside Batman as well as his time as a cop at Bludhaven PD.
Peak Human conditioning - A by product of his training with and without Batman, Dick’s cardio and strength levels are among that of Olympic level athletes allowing him to sprint for long distances and engage in strenuous physical activity for extended periods before showing signs of fatigue.
Expert Combatant - With the martial arts training he received under Bruce’s tutelage and his own experience, Dick soon became an excellent fighter, taking a mix of different styles and combining all of their best elements with his own acrobatics ability, he relies mostly on speed, but each hit packs a punch. It's stated by several people and Bruce himself, that while his technical skill is admirable, what really makes Dick stand out is his ability to improvise and keep his opponents guessing, even as Robin.
Body Language perception - Dick has been shown to be able to read people's body language fairly quickly, from knowing Batman to be Bruce Wayne the first time he saw the man up close, to being able to tell if a suspect is hiding something, his ability to take in his surroundings is almost second nature. This ability is not as developed as Cassandra Cain’s ability to read people's movements.
Leadership: As time went on with the Titan's, Robin and later Nightwing, became an excellent leader. With his own experience and Batman's teaching his ability to read a battlefield and rally the troops is highly respected.
Vehicle Expert (Motorcycles): Dick's own agility and ability to find his balance in almost any situation as well as years of experience on them has given him impressive control over handling motorized two wheel vehicles, even at top speeds. Grayson is extremely at home on a bike.
Gadgetry: In a world littered with Meta-humans, Dick's formidable skills are not always enough. Learned from Batman and taught by experience, Dick often uses improvised weaponry and support items to even the playing field, from distracting smoke pellets, to blinding Wingding flashbangs, Dick is a firm believer that he who fights fair, fights to lose.
Master Medic: Required training from both his time and Robin and his own intellectual pursuits, Dick is extremely capable of patching up himself and his teammates on and off the field, from field dressing a flesh wound, to setting a bone, to stitching a deep cut, he can do it all as well as any e.r. Dr.
Tactician: In his later years as Robin and carrying on to his time as Nightwing Dick is a master tactician, whether on the field of battle, a basketball game, his years of experience, ability to empathize with his opponents and see all sides allows him the ability to read nearly any battle and find the best avenue for attack.
Strategist: Dick has made many mistakes over the years, but from them one fact holds true, he always learns from them. With Bruce's help and his own dedicated study of his own mistakes, Dick is able to quickly see the most effective way to handle any problem as well as the best role for members of his team to play in accomplishing said goal.
Weapon Mastery: His own creativity, control of his body and watchful eye along with rigorous hours under Bruce's tutelage has combine to make Dick an expert with nearly any weapon he puts his hand on, while there are those that surpass his skill in certain specialized fields, he rarely finds himself outclassed when wielding a weapon.
Weapon Specialty: (Bo Staff, Escrima Sticks) At Bruce's insistence, Robin trained with staves at an early age in order to make up for what he lacked in physicality and strength, he achieved a quick mastery due to the weapons suitability to his fighting style as well as his inquisitive and creative mind. Once he matured and his speed and strength began to work as one, he began focusing his training with Escrima sticks, which allowed for more practicality in close quarters.
Disguise Master: Dick is able to blend into most any situation, his ability to read a crowd and learn what makes them tick gives him a hefty advantage in undercover work, his quick thinking also often allows for his cover identities to be near impossible to break.
Showmanship: Dick's earliest memories in life are of performing and putting on a good show, whether that meant 'almost missing' the grab to save one of his family from a death defying leap to 'pretending' to fall off the tight rope, people had to really believe you to feel the danger. Whether it's feigning weakness to draw an enemy close or selling a fight with a partner, Dick treats most situations like a show and always aims to amaze.
Weaknesses
Compassion: Dick cares for humanity, while he's not opposed to putting a beating on a criminal, he has been deceived by those playing the victim. Dick empathizes, his emotions guiding his actions, when he sees someone hurt, everything else is pushed aside and this can often distract him from the larger goal.
Inexperience and need to prove himself: While Robin is a very good soldier, as he grows his need to prove that he is more than a 'sidekick', this can often lead to rushed decisions and getting in over his head. This happens left often as he matures.
Emotional - While Dick is very good at what he does, he has never mastered the ability to put his emotions aside when dealing with villains, whether plagued by visions of his parents death, or reminded of old wounds he hadn’t let heal, a strike against Dick’s personal history can leave the crime fighter distracted and vulnerable and his love for action and willingness to show his skill can lead him into fool hardy or ill advised attacks.
Human - Dick is a human, and with the exception of precautions designed within his suit, is susceptible to the injuries, lifespan and vulnerabilities all humans share.
Women - Dick can be a bit of a flirt and even as a young man he had a habit of falling and falling fast. Due to this nature, he often times finds himself caring deeply and wrapped around the finger of the target of his attraction.
Collateral Damage Reduction - When fighting crime, Dick will abandon the fight allowing his target to regroup or escape if it means saving someone’s life. The more intelligent criminals often use this to their advantage, putting civilians in harm's way in order to distract him.
Cavalier - During his time as Robin and even in the early years of his time as Nightwing, Dick is known for not taking his duties or the situations he finds himself in seriously. It’s been stated that at times the jokes he makes are to keep himself from panicking, but even in times when panic isn’t the case, he can be found overestimating himself or underestimating his opponent.
Significant Relationships
Batman / Bruce Wayne - Mentor, Partner, Father figure (Earth 4, Specific.)
Robin: Dick looks up to Bruce in a lot of ways, who wouldn’t when a 14 year old finds out the man who adopted him is Batman? But more than that, he feels that Bruce understands, in the year before he became Robin, the nights he went out searching for the man that murdered his parents, Bruce never tried to stop him, the understanding, the feeling of watching your parents die right in front of you, it helped Dick in more ways than one to know that Bruce knew the pain as well, even if he never talked about it. Despite his laid back attitude at times, the training Bruce gave him, combat, Detective training, tactics, he took all of it in, here was a guy that cared when he didn’t have to, and he wasn’t going to let him down.
Nightwing: As he grew older, Dick began seeing that Bruce didn’t just care about protecting Gotham, he was consumed by it. This obsession and Dick’s efforts to show him there was more to life eventually lead to some bad blood between the Duo. While he still respects and cares for Bruce, he can’t help feeling that sometimes Bruce still sees him as the young boy he adopted all those years ago. At times it feels like his every move is questioned, everything he does could have been better and he often times wonders if, in all the years he worked with Bruce, if the man ever truly saw him as a partner. Over time Dick would come to see that Batman’s methods were effective for a reason, but he could never become as cold as Bruce seemed at times, so he began using more of Batman’s tactics without taking on Batman’s persona.
Batgirl / Oracle / Barbara Gordon - Friend, Partner, Romantic Interest
Robin: Dick and Barb are as close as friends can be. Their first meeting in costume sparked something in Robin, he found her to be a kindred spirit, another young crime fighter, they grew close over their years working together. He admired her rebellious streak and enjoyed their verbal judo, but through it all, he cared deeply for her, viewing her as another member of his family, even if she never laid off the pixie boots.
Nightwing: After his falling out with Bruce, Barb and Dick went through a bit of a rough patch, though the split had them working together solo more often, Dick found himself wondering at times where her loyalties lied. Understanding that she couldn’t bring herself to leave Batman alone, he eventually came to an understanding and their friendship renewed with vigor.
Alfred Pennyworth - Friend, Mentor.
Robin: Robin appreciated everything Alfred did, while it didn’t become apparent to Dick until later in life, Alfred never wanted Dick to pursue a life of crime fighting so young, he believed his youth should have been enjoyed, however, he understand the need to do something in the face of the loss of his parents. He may have not agreed with Dick’s path, he was never anything but supportive of his decisions and always there to lend an ear.
Nightwing: Once Dick struck out on his own, he and Alfred remained in contact, Alfred even taking initiative and presenting Dick with his upgraded Nightwing suit. Continuing to support him as he did when he was younger, Dick felt that Alfred accepted him as an adult and respected the man for allowing him to make his own choices and mistakes and being there to help pick up the pieces.
Jason Todd / Robin II (Earth 4, specific.)
Dick and Jason worked alongside each other briefly in between Dick’s time with the titans. Slightly jealous and feeling like he’d been replaced, the two clashed often, with Jason’s need to prove he was the better Robin, the two often competed with one another, which lead to some problems in the field. As time passed, Dick eventually came to accept Jason as Robin, realizing he couldn’t be the Boy Wonder forever, he passed his last Robin outfit on to Jason, a symbolic passing of the torch, before leaving to work with the Titans full time
Starfire - Teammate, Friend, Romantic Interest
Dick and Starfire became quick friends after the Teen Titans were created. She made it easy for Dick to feel comfortable in his new leadership role and her support on and off the field helped to keep him grounded in tough situations for which he will always be grateful.
Donna Troy - Teammate, Friend, Romantic Interest
Dick and Donna work well together, her abilities in battle are formidable and he feels she’s a great aspect to the team and very helpful in coming up with battle strategy. Though his advances are usually rebuffed and his pride chipped at little by little, Dick is quick to come to her aid and hopeful that their friendship will be a long lasting one.
Two Face - Enemy.
Two Face was both a hated rival and a real eye opener for Robin, his dual deathtrap that ended in the death of the district attorney and a beating he’ll never forget, Two Face unwittingly inspired Robin’s drive to be better, after the encounter, Dick began taking his outings with Batman more seriously and striving for the level of awareness his partner shows.
Catwoman - Villain , Ally, Confusing.
Possibly the biggest part of Bruce’s life that Dick doesn’t understand, Catwoman has been many things, an adversary and ally and Bruce’s on again off again girlfriend. At his young age Dick has a hard time wrapping his head around Bruce and how he can be in relationship with someone he doesn’t trust, or if he trusts her, how that’s possible. As helpful as she is at times, she can be just as distracting and Robin feels the play is always made in her favor. She’s a cat, but it’s a Tiger and it bites.
Superman, Clark Kent, Kal-el - Ally, Friend, Mentor, Role Model
As much as Dick admires Bruce's bravery dedication and mind for strategy, he admires Superman's relentless hope and compassionate nature. While their personalities couldn't be more different, Dick views both Batman and Superman as people to model himself after. Basing his logic, leading and fighting off of Bruce's teaching and his unyielding, ever present hope on that of the man of steel, a trusted confidant, Superman was the person Dick went to after leaving Wayne Manor and the name Robin behind.
Deathstroke: Villain
Deathstroke is both a point of pride and a matter of business for Dick, that someone on the Justige League's Watchlist squared off against the Teen Titan's multiple times, in Dick's mind, cements the arguments that they are not simply kid's playing at heroes, they are as much Heroes as the members of the league themselves. One of Dick's most difficult adversary's, he uses each opportunity he faces Deathstroke to learn a little more.
Beast Boy / Gar: Ally, Teammate, Friend
Gar and Dick have a lot in common and at the same time the differences in them are as numerous. Their immature and action oriented nature making them alike, Robin grows up a lot when the around Beast Boy, realizing that he is considered a leader among the Teen Titans he strives to be the adult when the time calls and the situation must be taken seriously, as much as Gar has supported his leadership, he has also allowed Dick to see a different side of himself.
Raven: Ally, Teammate, Friend
Raven and Dick have been through a lot, with her constant need to control her emotions, Dick sympathizes with her often, he stoic nature reminding him a lot of Batman. When things turned ugly for the magic user Dick was the first and one of the only to preach the Titan's understanding and patience with their ally and was integral in bringing her back into the fold.
Cyborg: Ally, Teammate, Friend
Robin is impressed with Cyborg's ability to prepare for any situation, the use of technology and gadgetry being a forte of Robin, his usefulness in the field has never been taken for granted and his loyalty to those close to him is admirable. Robin views his cybernetic friend as an imperative addition to the Teen Titans. Dick feels like he can speak honestly with Cyborg, even when the honesty is brutal, without him taking it the wrong way.
Poison Ivy: Villain, Ally
As elusive as she is deadly, Poison Ivy gave Batman and Robin many a sleepless night with her exploits in the name of mother nature. While Dick can agree that humans have abused the Earth he has a deep distaste for her methods of dealing with these injustices. Due to past experiences and the fact that Ivy's motivations lie only with herself, Dick is always extremely cautious when taking her on.
Tony Zucco: Villain
An under boss in Sal Maroni's crime family, Tony 'Boss' Zucco is as responsible for Dick's transformation as Dick and Bruce. His decision to intimidate the owner of Haley's circus by orchestrating the death of Robin's parents is the force that drive's dick to stop innocent people for being caught in the crossfire. The first target of the Dynamic Duo, Boss Zucco is currently in a coma at Gotham General following events of his first encounter with Batman and Robin.
Tim Drake / Robin III/ Red Robin
The third Robin to come under Bruce's tutelage, Dick respects Tim and views him often times as a younger brother. Their bond is a strong one and Dick was honored when he took up his former mantle as leader of the new teen titans, while their skill sets and methods slightly differ, Dick comes to see Tim as an equal.
Stephanie Brown / Spoiler / Robin IV / Batgirl III
Dick wasn't sure she was ready when she took up the position of Robin under Bruce's tutelage, in the beginning working together, he found himself watching her closely, mistakes were made, by her and every other Robin that came before. Though he was never sure he'd ever fully stop worrying about her, he came to accept that even if she didn't have the natural skills, her dedication and strength of will made her as much a part of the Bat family as any other member.
Cassandra Cain / Batgirl II / Black Bat
Dick and Cassandra are a complicated story, while Dick cannot deny her skill and her ability to work beside those in the bat family and having partnered with her before, she makes him wary. A world class fighter if there had ever been one, her disconnection from her emotions gives him pause.
Damian Wayne / Robin V / Red Bird
Bruce's biological son and Dick's fifth replacement, while a lot of things about Damian remind him of himself, the boy definitely has a killer instinct that makes him wary. When Dick is appointed as Batman in Bruce's absence, he keeps Damian on as Robin to keep an eye on him and their bond grows. He feels for the boy, already so much like his father, Dick hopes that some day he can help the boy find some semblance of a normal life outside of his duties as Robin.
Character Time Line (Earth 1)
Robin Year 1 (2008)
-Dick’s parents die
-Becomes the adopted ward of Bruce Wayne
-Sneaks out at night searching for Tony Zucco
-Recognizes Batman as Bruce Wayne
-Begins training with Bruce
Robin Year 2 (2009)
-Rushes to aid Batman / first time in the field
-Becomes officially becomes Robin
-Works alongside Batman and Superman
Robin Year 3 (2010)
-Begins considering forming his own team
-Takes on more responsibility around Gotham while Batman is working with Justice League
-Begins working more closely with Batgirl
Robin Year 4 (2011)
-Helps to form the Teen Titans
-Begins splitting his time between Gotham and the Teen Titans
-Begins being stretched thin by Bruce’s demanding hours and his responsibilities to the titans
-is fired as Robin.
Nightwing Year 1 (2012)
-Briefly visits the circus he grew up in
-Takes on the mantle of Nightwing
-Inherits the circus from its dying owner
-Meets and battles Saiko
-Tries to uncover the mystery of Haley’s circus.
Audition post
Shock, disbelief, anger, sadness, relief, hatred, to feel all of these things at once, it seemed impossible, if he felt anything else, he was going to explode. The road moved swiftly beneath his bike, he hadn’t been paying attention to it, not to the sound of the engine or the relaxing vibration of the seat beneath him, nothing made sense. He knew Gotham had been getting the short end of the stick, the Teen Titans were a team, they’d taken out some heavy hitters under his guidance and it felt good to be a leader. He hadn’t seen Batman in a few weeks sure, but how could he, of all people, not understand? Gotham wasn’t the only town with trouble, big trouble existed everywhere and more than that, Dick could do something about it. Still, he knew, Gotham was his home, it was where it all began, his parents death, Alfred, Batman, Robin, it was more than a hobby, it was a part of who he was. It felt like half of him had been ripped out, once pleasant memories now rife with feelings of things that were lost to him. How could he? How could the man he aspired to be, the man who’d taught him everything he knew just wipe his hands and call it done? It wasn’t fair, it was cruel and it was pointless. They say anger has a way of blinding you, to be fair, it has a way of deafening you too, so much so that Dick didn’t see or hear the car, whose lane he’d approached in his distracted state, blaring its horn in warning.
“Oh, Sh…” He leaned hard to his left, the bike turning with him just in time to avoid the other car, but not without its own consequences, his weight shifted on uneven ground, the bike went over. Reflex and training kicked in, allowing him to push himself off enough that the bike didn’t pin him, but a hard roll in the adjacent terrain would be a long felt reminder of the need to pay attention. Pushing himself to his feet, he made his way over toward the downed cycle, lifting it and setting the kickstand to inspect the damage, mostly cosmetic - it still ran well enough that he could get it to a nearby auto shop. Grateful for that at least, he checked his own injuries, some road rash, a few pieces of grit and gravel embedded in his skin, nothing serious, no concussion. His eyes turned to the sign he’d nearly hit avoiding the oncoming car, a simple white street sign that read “Wayne Manor 2 miles” with an arrow indicating direction.
The longer he stared at the sign, the more his disbelief mounted. He was testing him, it was another stupid test, to see if he could handle losing it all, it had to be. Before he knew what he was doing, he’d kicked the middle of the signpost, bending the beam that supported it in half neatly. He knew better, it was over, simple as that, Robin was gone, and he was just Richard John “Dick” Grayson, citizen of Gotham. Whatever, it didn’t matter, the past was the past and crying over it never solved anything. Mounting his motorcycle once more, he made his way carefully into the city of Gotham and found an auto shop that was still open. “Gonna need till tomorrow afternoon at least, parts place don’t open till then.” Dick nodded, stuffing his hands into his once pristine leather jacket and making the walk toward the nearest motel, his fingers running over the small stack of Batarangs he kept tucked inside, the last pieces of home.
He was two blocks into his trek when he heard it, the screams of a woman from an alley across the street, late night, no cars around, perfect time for those who worked nights to get taken for all they had. “Help me! Someone, please!” Instinct took over, he was sprinting without having to tell his body to, the mouth of the alley darkened by his shadow. “Hey, leave her alone!” That’s when he heard it, laughter, not from the two men standing over the woman that was screaming, but from the woman herself. “Told you, he’s the white knight type if I ever seen one, and judging by that watch, he’s rich too.” Gotham, he should have known, even the victims were criminals. The larger of the two men approached chuckling slightly, his leaner counterpart close behind. “Wrong alley rich boy.” Five men stepped from the shadows, two wielding pipes, another a switchblade, the rest wearing gold old fashioned brass knuckles.
“Wrong mark, Chuckles.” There was no playfulness in his voice, it was anger, absolute and unfiltered, this was just what he needed. He struck first, throwing his elbow backward and crushing the nose of the man to his left, cartilage and flesh crushed under the impact of the blow. Dick followed the motion, taking the assailant by the arm and spinning him toward the five that rushed from the front. With their path impeded, they went around, letting their wounded comrade hit the concrete hard. Dick was close a sprinting start before he leaped into the air, somersaulting and planting both feet into the back of the man furthest behind, his switchblade shattering against the cement. A shoulder roll back to his feet, two batarangs came to his hand and were released simultaneously, each striking the wrist of a man wielding one of the pipes. Two painful exclamations before a swift knee to the nose took the first one down. He felt his ribs give under pressure immediately after, the brass knuckles of the remaining man digging in and scraping away flesh. He took a deep breath and covered his side, the man drew back again and Dick let him have hit, the heel of his foot directly under his chin. Four down, three to go. The largest of the men had finally managed to change direction, attempting to subdue Dick with a tight bear hug, squeezing the air from his chest. “Get him boys!” Two of the men rushed forward, the other still nursing what was sure to be a broken wrist. Dick brought his knees to his chest, his head forward, kicking out hard against the two assailants while at the same time throwing his head back to crush the man holding him's nose. He heard the breath leave the other two men, a direct kick to the solar plexus, their diaphragms partially paralyzed, they weren’t catching their breath any time soon. The man holding him fell backwards, allowing Dick to break free in time to see the last man standing running for his life. He turned just in time to catch the woman who’d been playing victim’s hand before it delivered a wild slap. “Please! I had to do it, they, they’d have killed me if I didn’t!” Dick stared at her, all the hard anger that had been building burning behind his eyes. “Beat it, now.” He released her and she took the advice, high heels clacking all the way down the street.
As he watched the Gotham PD place the men under arrest from his spot among the rooftops, it hit him. He couldn’t be Robin anymore, that time in his life was over, but he wasn’t done fighting, he couldn’t be. As long as the city needed him, he’d be there, standing up against injustice, he had to be. Now that he knew what he had to do, the easy part was all that was left, he had to figure out who he was, and what life outside of the Boy Wonder was going to be like.
Robin
It was cold, the nights in Gotham usually were, but with the adrenaline of the hunt and the thrill of the next strike, young Robin seldom noticed. As he followed his mentor across the rooftops, whether by grapple gun or his own acrobatic creativity, he was still puzzling over the events of the day. School had been its usual, with Dick applying his efforts between passing his classes and catching the eye of the girl that sat two seats behind and one seat left of him, then home for his ‘extra curricular’ studies. This was split between chess with Alfred, in which Dick was constantly beaten, training with Bruce, developing his hand to hand and stave precision, obstacle courses to keep him limber and case study. Usually case study involved a case that had been solved and detailed reports of the connections the detectives had made, Dick found it fascinating and devoured the work, latching on to as many tips and tricks as he could. This week however, was strange, Bruce had first assigned a list of names, followed by several studies on ancient warrior tribes, gangland tactics and battlefield strategy as it related to gaining efficient territory. Dick read the suggested works before Bruce moved back to the list. “You have an hour with the bat-computer, find and memorize as much information as you can, then join me for our usual patrol.”
Dick had done just that, 30 or so names, all found dead within the last week, each with some loose affiliation to some connected crime boss or another. Then, the patrol, Batman and Robin made quick work of an illegal casino in the narrows, interrogated two members of Two-Face’s lower echelon before calling Gordon with a tip on a ‘massage parlor’ and now they found themselves staring at the Gotham city shipyard from atop a nearby storage warehouse. “Bruce, I’m so bored, what are we doing?” Robin was using the sloped roof to stay in cover, burning off excess energy by training with his bo staff. A low grunt emitted from Batman’s throat. “Code names only in the field, Robin, you know better.” Dick huffed. “This place is dead, no one’s listening” Batman turned, his eyes locking with Robin’s while he remained silent. Robin lowered the staff. “Right, assume someone is always listening, I got it.” Bruce stared for a moment longer before turning back to watch the empty shipyard. “Why are we here, Robin?” It was a strange question, Batman knew full well why they were here, the boy canted his head to the side, moving to join his mentor in a crouched position, slightly behind the edge of the warehouse, where the shadows were deepest. “Because Two Face’s sleazebag twin bozos said there was a weapons shipment coming in tonight.” Batman nodded. “And?” Another strange follow up, Robin thought for a moment. “Two Face with more guns makes him more dangerous, so, we’re gonna take 'em off the street!” Batman nodded, slightly. “And?” At this point Robin was getting frustrated, he’d given two perfectly acceptable answers, why was Bruce pushing? Unless Robin was missing something, a clue, subtle, but he was sure of it. First rule of any riddle, everything is connected. He thought back to the Casino, it wasn’t owned by just anyone, it was Oswald Cobblepot, Bruce had mentioned it on their way there, no direct connection, but the police had barriers to stop them from finding out things, Batman didn’t.
From Penguin to Two Face, the massage parlor, also a front, also owned by Penguin, but they’d found Two Faces men there. Then it hit him, the list. While there were many connections, several names were linked directly to both Penguin and Two Face, whether through lower level gangs that had been absorbed, or those working directly for one of the two, the reading material, Penguin had a choke hold on Gotham’s illegal back alley operations, Two Face had the same hold on its gun trade, Penguin had more men, but Two Face had better fire power, the dots had been right there. “Two Face is looking to expand his territory, he started by attacking Penguins lowest rung, sending a message, Penguin struck back, and now the bodies are piling up! We could be looking at a full on gang war soon!” Robin thought he saw a hint of a smile on Bruce’s lips, there one instant, gone the next, and the Batman had returned. “Do you remember your chess games with Ace?” Another question out of the blue, Bruce knew he did, he made him remember them, recite his grave defeats move for move each time. Dick had improved greatly in a short amount of time, but Alfred still managed to win in the end. “Of course I do, but did you hear what I sa…” “How does he beat you?” He considered the question, running his hand through his hair before grinning. “Easily?” He jested, receiving a stern look that could only mean ‘Take this seriously’ A sigh left his lips and he went back through each game, studying Alfred’s plays and his owns. “Most times, he chips away at my pawns, opens up a big lane I have to close, then when I bring the big guns out and go after him, he finds a way to trap my king behind my own defenses.”
“He manipulates you. He takes out your weakest pieces, then leaves his strongest vulnerable, you see that vulnerability and when you take it, you’re trapped.” Robin shrugged, boyish pride rising to his temper briefly. “Yeah, so? He’s way old and he’s been playing a lot longer!” “You’re missing the question, Robin, what does Ace beating you and us being here have in common?” “Wha..? Pft! Nothing! Chess is just a game, this…” Another click, the ancient tribal readings, often times the only factor that stopped one tribe from attacking another was neither was sure which tribe would win, rather than risk defeat, the most successful tribes would employ guerrilla tactics in order to weaken their target, before hitting them full force. “Penguin’s businesses are ran by Penguin’s men, which we took down tonight, Two Face’s power is in his guns, which we’re gonna take down. We’re gonna put both of them in a situation where neither is sure they can win an all out war! So, we’re Ace! Oh, man, that’s genius! Hey, how long till I start thinking of stuff like that?” “It’ll come, now control yourself, we’re still working.” When the shipment arrived, the plan went off without a hitch, with Two Face’s need for duality in all things, the shipment had been split in two, one delivered by boat, the other by van, the boat delivery was to be picked up by Van and carried to one safe house, the van delivery, picked up by boat and taken to another. With all eight of Two Face’s men and each crate of weapons safely in the hands of GCPD, with Batman’s patented tracker placed on each one, the dynamic duo soon made their way back to the Bat cave.
“Good job, tonight Robin, you did well.” Alfred, as always, was waiting when they arrived. “Ah, a successful patrol then, Master Richard?” Robin leapt from his seat in the Bat mobile, staff in hand. “Oh, yeah, you should have seen it! I was all ‘Where are you going, Twofus?’ Ha.” His fully story came complete with an acrobatic shadow display of him dispatching two of the thugs, solo while Bruce rounded up the stragglers and those that attempted to flee. “A riveting tale as always, Young Master, I’ve taken the liberty of preparing your night clothes, school will come at its regular time tomorrow and I don’t want to hear your usual morning complaints.” Bruce, having already begun removing his own uniform nodded. “He’s right, its been a long night.” Dick, however, had other plans. “How about this, I promise to be up -before- Alfred calls me in the morning, and Alfred and I get one last game of Chess, before bed?” Alfred raised a brow, turning to Bruce, who shrugged. “Seems fair, but up includes dressed.” Robin nodded. “Deal!” A mere half hour later, it seemed history was doomed to repeat itself as Alfred sat across from him. “I believe that’s check, Master Richard.” Dick’s face fell as he stared at the board. “Aw man, I thought I really had this one…” Alfred smiled politely. “You certainly put up a good show.” Robin’s eyes raised from the board before him, his fingers moving to his bishop. “So, did you, Alfie, nothing to be ashamed of.” His fingers moved from his bishop, as his knight took Alfred’s rook and Dick smirked slyly. “Checkmate!”
Player Nickname: Dean
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Do you want other role players to give you feed back? Yeah
Which DCU Earth are you applying to?: Earth 1 and 4
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Character Origin: Nightwing Year 1 and pieces from New 52, possibly others as my knowledge of the character and field of research grows.
Face Claim's Name: (Peter Badenhop)
Name: Richard John “Dick” Grayson
Alias: Nightwing/Robin I/Batman
Race: Human
Age: 14-22
Birthday: March 21
Alignment: Lawful Good
Height: 5’10
Weight: 175
Hair: Black
Eyes: Blue
Physique: Lean, Defined, Athletic
Training: Martial Arts, Investigation, Interrogation, Stealth, Tactical Infiltration, Close Quarters Combat, Melee Combat, Acrobatics, Parkour, Weapons training.
Robin: Martial Arts: Aikido, Ninjitsu, Judo, Bo Staff, Escrima.
Nightwing: Martial Arts: Aikido, Ninjitsu, Judo, Jujitsu, Tang Soo Do, Wing chun, Shaolin Fist, Muay Thai, Police CRDT, Escrima, Bo Staff.
Equipment:
Robin: Robin Suit (Secret Compartments Bullet resistant fibers), Robin Mask (Night Vision,Infrared, Audio Visual Recording, Bat-computer.) Utility Belt, Robin gloves (Secret compartments), Batarangs, Escrima Sticks, Smoke pellets, Breathing Apparatus, Rubber Lips, Shark Repellent.
Nightwing: Nightwing suit (Secret compartments, Bullet Resistant fiber, Insulated, Gliding cape hidden at the armpit.), Nightwing mask (Night Vision, Infared, Audio Visual Recording, Bat-computer com-link) Utility belt, Nightwing Gauntlets (Taser attachment, 150,000 volts), Escrima Sticks, Grappling Gun, Wingdings, Smoke pellets, Breathing apparatus, Rubber Lips, Shark Repellent. (Dick the same suit for both Titans and Gotham.)
Escrima sticks / Bo staff: His preferred weaponry equipped with a vast field of attachments and different aspects depending on the situation, usually kept in the storage section of his Wing Cycle, he has one Stun staff he is able to split into two stunning Escrima sticks, another set of Escrima sticks with a rubber end for easy retrieval and trick shots.
Powers / Abilities
Master Acrobat - Dick grew up in the circus, his parents and were a pair of Trapeze artists known as the Flying Graysons, this training early on in life as well as Bruce’s teachings and his adventures in the streets of Gotham have kept him well versed in the art, able to navigate a city from rooftop to rooftop without ever needing to touch the ground, there are few others on Par with Dick’s agility, and none better.
Master Detective - Having Studied under the world’s greatest detective, Dick is able to process clues and crime scenes in ways few others can. His ability to follow evidence and make connections from one person to next aided him well in his fights alongside Batman as well as his time as a cop at Bludhaven PD.
Peak Human conditioning - A by product of his training with and without Batman, Dick’s cardio and strength levels are among that of Olympic level athletes allowing him to sprint for long distances and engage in strenuous physical activity for extended periods before showing signs of fatigue.
Expert Combatant - With the martial arts training he received under Bruce’s tutelage and his own experience, Dick soon became an excellent fighter, taking a mix of different styles and combining all of their best elements with his own acrobatics ability, he relies mostly on speed, but each hit packs a punch. It's stated by several people and Bruce himself, that while his technical skill is admirable, what really makes Dick stand out is his ability to improvise and keep his opponents guessing, even as Robin.
Body Language perception - Dick has been shown to be able to read people's body language fairly quickly, from knowing Batman to be Bruce Wayne the first time he saw the man up close, to being able to tell if a suspect is hiding something, his ability to take in his surroundings is almost second nature. This ability is not as developed as Cassandra Cain’s ability to read people's movements.
Leadership: As time went on with the Titan's, Robin and later Nightwing, became an excellent leader. With his own experience and Batman's teaching his ability to read a battlefield and rally the troops is highly respected.
Vehicle Expert (Motorcycles): Dick's own agility and ability to find his balance in almost any situation as well as years of experience on them has given him impressive control over handling motorized two wheel vehicles, even at top speeds. Grayson is extremely at home on a bike.
Gadgetry: In a world littered with Meta-humans, Dick's formidable skills are not always enough. Learned from Batman and taught by experience, Dick often uses improvised weaponry and support items to even the playing field, from distracting smoke pellets, to blinding Wingding flashbangs, Dick is a firm believer that he who fights fair, fights to lose.
Master Medic: Required training from both his time and Robin and his own intellectual pursuits, Dick is extremely capable of patching up himself and his teammates on and off the field, from field dressing a flesh wound, to setting a bone, to stitching a deep cut, he can do it all as well as any e.r. Dr.
Tactician: In his later years as Robin and carrying on to his time as Nightwing Dick is a master tactician, whether on the field of battle, a basketball game, his years of experience, ability to empathize with his opponents and see all sides allows him the ability to read nearly any battle and find the best avenue for attack.
Strategist: Dick has made many mistakes over the years, but from them one fact holds true, he always learns from them. With Bruce's help and his own dedicated study of his own mistakes, Dick is able to quickly see the most effective way to handle any problem as well as the best role for members of his team to play in accomplishing said goal.
Weapon Mastery: His own creativity, control of his body and watchful eye along with rigorous hours under Bruce's tutelage has combine to make Dick an expert with nearly any weapon he puts his hand on, while there are those that surpass his skill in certain specialized fields, he rarely finds himself outclassed when wielding a weapon.
Weapon Specialty: (Bo Staff, Escrima Sticks) At Bruce's insistence, Robin trained with staves at an early age in order to make up for what he lacked in physicality and strength, he achieved a quick mastery due to the weapons suitability to his fighting style as well as his inquisitive and creative mind. Once he matured and his speed and strength began to work as one, he began focusing his training with Escrima sticks, which allowed for more practicality in close quarters.
Disguise Master: Dick is able to blend into most any situation, his ability to read a crowd and learn what makes them tick gives him a hefty advantage in undercover work, his quick thinking also often allows for his cover identities to be near impossible to break.
Showmanship: Dick's earliest memories in life are of performing and putting on a good show, whether that meant 'almost missing' the grab to save one of his family from a death defying leap to 'pretending' to fall off the tight rope, people had to really believe you to feel the danger. Whether it's feigning weakness to draw an enemy close or selling a fight with a partner, Dick treats most situations like a show and always aims to amaze.
Weaknesses
Compassion: Dick cares for humanity, while he's not opposed to putting a beating on a criminal, he has been deceived by those playing the victim. Dick empathizes, his emotions guiding his actions, when he sees someone hurt, everything else is pushed aside and this can often distract him from the larger goal.
Inexperience and need to prove himself: While Robin is a very good soldier, as he grows his need to prove that he is more than a 'sidekick', this can often lead to rushed decisions and getting in over his head. This happens left often as he matures.
Emotional - While Dick is very good at what he does, he has never mastered the ability to put his emotions aside when dealing with villains, whether plagued by visions of his parents death, or reminded of old wounds he hadn’t let heal, a strike against Dick’s personal history can leave the crime fighter distracted and vulnerable and his love for action and willingness to show his skill can lead him into fool hardy or ill advised attacks.
Human - Dick is a human, and with the exception of precautions designed within his suit, is susceptible to the injuries, lifespan and vulnerabilities all humans share.
Women - Dick can be a bit of a flirt and even as a young man he had a habit of falling and falling fast. Due to this nature, he often times finds himself caring deeply and wrapped around the finger of the target of his attraction.
Collateral Damage Reduction - When fighting crime, Dick will abandon the fight allowing his target to regroup or escape if it means saving someone’s life. The more intelligent criminals often use this to their advantage, putting civilians in harm's way in order to distract him.
Cavalier - During his time as Robin and even in the early years of his time as Nightwing, Dick is known for not taking his duties or the situations he finds himself in seriously. It’s been stated that at times the jokes he makes are to keep himself from panicking, but even in times when panic isn’t the case, he can be found overestimating himself or underestimating his opponent.
Significant Relationships
Batman / Bruce Wayne - Mentor, Partner, Father figure (Earth 4, Specific.)
Robin: Dick looks up to Bruce in a lot of ways, who wouldn’t when a 14 year old finds out the man who adopted him is Batman? But more than that, he feels that Bruce understands, in the year before he became Robin, the nights he went out searching for the man that murdered his parents, Bruce never tried to stop him, the understanding, the feeling of watching your parents die right in front of you, it helped Dick in more ways than one to know that Bruce knew the pain as well, even if he never talked about it. Despite his laid back attitude at times, the training Bruce gave him, combat, Detective training, tactics, he took all of it in, here was a guy that cared when he didn’t have to, and he wasn’t going to let him down.
Nightwing: As he grew older, Dick began seeing that Bruce didn’t just care about protecting Gotham, he was consumed by it. This obsession and Dick’s efforts to show him there was more to life eventually lead to some bad blood between the Duo. While he still respects and cares for Bruce, he can’t help feeling that sometimes Bruce still sees him as the young boy he adopted all those years ago. At times it feels like his every move is questioned, everything he does could have been better and he often times wonders if, in all the years he worked with Bruce, if the man ever truly saw him as a partner. Over time Dick would come to see that Batman’s methods were effective for a reason, but he could never become as cold as Bruce seemed at times, so he began using more of Batman’s tactics without taking on Batman’s persona.
Batgirl / Oracle / Barbara Gordon - Friend, Partner, Romantic Interest
Robin: Dick and Barb are as close as friends can be. Their first meeting in costume sparked something in Robin, he found her to be a kindred spirit, another young crime fighter, they grew close over their years working together. He admired her rebellious streak and enjoyed their verbal judo, but through it all, he cared deeply for her, viewing her as another member of his family, even if she never laid off the pixie boots.
Nightwing: After his falling out with Bruce, Barb and Dick went through a bit of a rough patch, though the split had them working together solo more often, Dick found himself wondering at times where her loyalties lied. Understanding that she couldn’t bring herself to leave Batman alone, he eventually came to an understanding and their friendship renewed with vigor.
Alfred Pennyworth - Friend, Mentor.
Robin: Robin appreciated everything Alfred did, while it didn’t become apparent to Dick until later in life, Alfred never wanted Dick to pursue a life of crime fighting so young, he believed his youth should have been enjoyed, however, he understand the need to do something in the face of the loss of his parents. He may have not agreed with Dick’s path, he was never anything but supportive of his decisions and always there to lend an ear.
Nightwing: Once Dick struck out on his own, he and Alfred remained in contact, Alfred even taking initiative and presenting Dick with his upgraded Nightwing suit. Continuing to support him as he did when he was younger, Dick felt that Alfred accepted him as an adult and respected the man for allowing him to make his own choices and mistakes and being there to help pick up the pieces.
Jason Todd / Robin II (Earth 4, specific.)
Dick and Jason worked alongside each other briefly in between Dick’s time with the titans. Slightly jealous and feeling like he’d been replaced, the two clashed often, with Jason’s need to prove he was the better Robin, the two often competed with one another, which lead to some problems in the field. As time passed, Dick eventually came to accept Jason as Robin, realizing he couldn’t be the Boy Wonder forever, he passed his last Robin outfit on to Jason, a symbolic passing of the torch, before leaving to work with the Titans full time
Starfire - Teammate, Friend, Romantic Interest
Dick and Starfire became quick friends after the Teen Titans were created. She made it easy for Dick to feel comfortable in his new leadership role and her support on and off the field helped to keep him grounded in tough situations for which he will always be grateful.
Donna Troy - Teammate, Friend, Romantic Interest
Dick and Donna work well together, her abilities in battle are formidable and he feels she’s a great aspect to the team and very helpful in coming up with battle strategy. Though his advances are usually rebuffed and his pride chipped at little by little, Dick is quick to come to her aid and hopeful that their friendship will be a long lasting one.
Two Face - Enemy.
Two Face was both a hated rival and a real eye opener for Robin, his dual deathtrap that ended in the death of the district attorney and a beating he’ll never forget, Two Face unwittingly inspired Robin’s drive to be better, after the encounter, Dick began taking his outings with Batman more seriously and striving for the level of awareness his partner shows.
Catwoman - Villain , Ally, Confusing.
Possibly the biggest part of Bruce’s life that Dick doesn’t understand, Catwoman has been many things, an adversary and ally and Bruce’s on again off again girlfriend. At his young age Dick has a hard time wrapping his head around Bruce and how he can be in relationship with someone he doesn’t trust, or if he trusts her, how that’s possible. As helpful as she is at times, she can be just as distracting and Robin feels the play is always made in her favor. She’s a cat, but it’s a Tiger and it bites.
Superman, Clark Kent, Kal-el - Ally, Friend, Mentor, Role Model
As much as Dick admires Bruce's bravery dedication and mind for strategy, he admires Superman's relentless hope and compassionate nature. While their personalities couldn't be more different, Dick views both Batman and Superman as people to model himself after. Basing his logic, leading and fighting off of Bruce's teaching and his unyielding, ever present hope on that of the man of steel, a trusted confidant, Superman was the person Dick went to after leaving Wayne Manor and the name Robin behind.
Deathstroke: Villain
Deathstroke is both a point of pride and a matter of business for Dick, that someone on the Justige League's Watchlist squared off against the Teen Titan's multiple times, in Dick's mind, cements the arguments that they are not simply kid's playing at heroes, they are as much Heroes as the members of the league themselves. One of Dick's most difficult adversary's, he uses each opportunity he faces Deathstroke to learn a little more.
Beast Boy / Gar: Ally, Teammate, Friend
Gar and Dick have a lot in common and at the same time the differences in them are as numerous. Their immature and action oriented nature making them alike, Robin grows up a lot when the around Beast Boy, realizing that he is considered a leader among the Teen Titans he strives to be the adult when the time calls and the situation must be taken seriously, as much as Gar has supported his leadership, he has also allowed Dick to see a different side of himself.
Raven: Ally, Teammate, Friend
Raven and Dick have been through a lot, with her constant need to control her emotions, Dick sympathizes with her often, he stoic nature reminding him a lot of Batman. When things turned ugly for the magic user Dick was the first and one of the only to preach the Titan's understanding and patience with their ally and was integral in bringing her back into the fold.
Cyborg: Ally, Teammate, Friend
Robin is impressed with Cyborg's ability to prepare for any situation, the use of technology and gadgetry being a forte of Robin, his usefulness in the field has never been taken for granted and his loyalty to those close to him is admirable. Robin views his cybernetic friend as an imperative addition to the Teen Titans. Dick feels like he can speak honestly with Cyborg, even when the honesty is brutal, without him taking it the wrong way.
Poison Ivy: Villain, Ally
As elusive as she is deadly, Poison Ivy gave Batman and Robin many a sleepless night with her exploits in the name of mother nature. While Dick can agree that humans have abused the Earth he has a deep distaste for her methods of dealing with these injustices. Due to past experiences and the fact that Ivy's motivations lie only with herself, Dick is always extremely cautious when taking her on.
Tony Zucco: Villain
An under boss in Sal Maroni's crime family, Tony 'Boss' Zucco is as responsible for Dick's transformation as Dick and Bruce. His decision to intimidate the owner of Haley's circus by orchestrating the death of Robin's parents is the force that drive's dick to stop innocent people for being caught in the crossfire. The first target of the Dynamic Duo, Boss Zucco is currently in a coma at Gotham General following events of his first encounter with Batman and Robin.
Tim Drake / Robin III/ Red Robin
The third Robin to come under Bruce's tutelage, Dick respects Tim and views him often times as a younger brother. Their bond is a strong one and Dick was honored when he took up his former mantle as leader of the new teen titans, while their skill sets and methods slightly differ, Dick comes to see Tim as an equal.
Stephanie Brown / Spoiler / Robin IV / Batgirl III
Dick wasn't sure she was ready when she took up the position of Robin under Bruce's tutelage, in the beginning working together, he found himself watching her closely, mistakes were made, by her and every other Robin that came before. Though he was never sure he'd ever fully stop worrying about her, he came to accept that even if she didn't have the natural skills, her dedication and strength of will made her as much a part of the Bat family as any other member.
Cassandra Cain / Batgirl II / Black Bat
Dick and Cassandra are a complicated story, while Dick cannot deny her skill and her ability to work beside those in the bat family and having partnered with her before, she makes him wary. A world class fighter if there had ever been one, her disconnection from her emotions gives him pause.
Damian Wayne / Robin V / Red Bird
Bruce's biological son and Dick's fifth replacement, while a lot of things about Damian remind him of himself, the boy definitely has a killer instinct that makes him wary. When Dick is appointed as Batman in Bruce's absence, he keeps Damian on as Robin to keep an eye on him and their bond grows. He feels for the boy, already so much like his father, Dick hopes that some day he can help the boy find some semblance of a normal life outside of his duties as Robin.
Character Time Line (Earth 1)
Robin Year 1 (2008)
-Dick’s parents die
-Becomes the adopted ward of Bruce Wayne
-Sneaks out at night searching for Tony Zucco
-Recognizes Batman as Bruce Wayne
-Begins training with Bruce
Robin Year 2 (2009)
-Rushes to aid Batman / first time in the field
-Becomes officially becomes Robin
-Works alongside Batman and Superman
Robin Year 3 (2010)
-Begins considering forming his own team
-Takes on more responsibility around Gotham while Batman is working with Justice League
-Begins working more closely with Batgirl
Robin Year 4 (2011)
-Helps to form the Teen Titans
-Begins splitting his time between Gotham and the Teen Titans
-Begins being stretched thin by Bruce’s demanding hours and his responsibilities to the titans
-is fired as Robin.
Nightwing Year 1 (2012)
-Briefly visits the circus he grew up in
-Takes on the mantle of Nightwing
-Inherits the circus from its dying owner
-Meets and battles Saiko
-Tries to uncover the mystery of Haley’s circus.
Audition post
Shock, disbelief, anger, sadness, relief, hatred, to feel all of these things at once, it seemed impossible, if he felt anything else, he was going to explode. The road moved swiftly beneath his bike, he hadn’t been paying attention to it, not to the sound of the engine or the relaxing vibration of the seat beneath him, nothing made sense. He knew Gotham had been getting the short end of the stick, the Teen Titans were a team, they’d taken out some heavy hitters under his guidance and it felt good to be a leader. He hadn’t seen Batman in a few weeks sure, but how could he, of all people, not understand? Gotham wasn’t the only town with trouble, big trouble existed everywhere and more than that, Dick could do something about it. Still, he knew, Gotham was his home, it was where it all began, his parents death, Alfred, Batman, Robin, it was more than a hobby, it was a part of who he was. It felt like half of him had been ripped out, once pleasant memories now rife with feelings of things that were lost to him. How could he? How could the man he aspired to be, the man who’d taught him everything he knew just wipe his hands and call it done? It wasn’t fair, it was cruel and it was pointless. They say anger has a way of blinding you, to be fair, it has a way of deafening you too, so much so that Dick didn’t see or hear the car, whose lane he’d approached in his distracted state, blaring its horn in warning.
“Oh, Sh…” He leaned hard to his left, the bike turning with him just in time to avoid the other car, but not without its own consequences, his weight shifted on uneven ground, the bike went over. Reflex and training kicked in, allowing him to push himself off enough that the bike didn’t pin him, but a hard roll in the adjacent terrain would be a long felt reminder of the need to pay attention. Pushing himself to his feet, he made his way over toward the downed cycle, lifting it and setting the kickstand to inspect the damage, mostly cosmetic - it still ran well enough that he could get it to a nearby auto shop. Grateful for that at least, he checked his own injuries, some road rash, a few pieces of grit and gravel embedded in his skin, nothing serious, no concussion. His eyes turned to the sign he’d nearly hit avoiding the oncoming car, a simple white street sign that read “Wayne Manor 2 miles” with an arrow indicating direction.
The longer he stared at the sign, the more his disbelief mounted. He was testing him, it was another stupid test, to see if he could handle losing it all, it had to be. Before he knew what he was doing, he’d kicked the middle of the signpost, bending the beam that supported it in half neatly. He knew better, it was over, simple as that, Robin was gone, and he was just Richard John “Dick” Grayson, citizen of Gotham. Whatever, it didn’t matter, the past was the past and crying over it never solved anything. Mounting his motorcycle once more, he made his way carefully into the city of Gotham and found an auto shop that was still open. “Gonna need till tomorrow afternoon at least, parts place don’t open till then.” Dick nodded, stuffing his hands into his once pristine leather jacket and making the walk toward the nearest motel, his fingers running over the small stack of Batarangs he kept tucked inside, the last pieces of home.
He was two blocks into his trek when he heard it, the screams of a woman from an alley across the street, late night, no cars around, perfect time for those who worked nights to get taken for all they had. “Help me! Someone, please!” Instinct took over, he was sprinting without having to tell his body to, the mouth of the alley darkened by his shadow. “Hey, leave her alone!” That’s when he heard it, laughter, not from the two men standing over the woman that was screaming, but from the woman herself. “Told you, he’s the white knight type if I ever seen one, and judging by that watch, he’s rich too.” Gotham, he should have known, even the victims were criminals. The larger of the two men approached chuckling slightly, his leaner counterpart close behind. “Wrong alley rich boy.” Five men stepped from the shadows, two wielding pipes, another a switchblade, the rest wearing gold old fashioned brass knuckles.
“Wrong mark, Chuckles.” There was no playfulness in his voice, it was anger, absolute and unfiltered, this was just what he needed. He struck first, throwing his elbow backward and crushing the nose of the man to his left, cartilage and flesh crushed under the impact of the blow. Dick followed the motion, taking the assailant by the arm and spinning him toward the five that rushed from the front. With their path impeded, they went around, letting their wounded comrade hit the concrete hard. Dick was close a sprinting start before he leaped into the air, somersaulting and planting both feet into the back of the man furthest behind, his switchblade shattering against the cement. A shoulder roll back to his feet, two batarangs came to his hand and were released simultaneously, each striking the wrist of a man wielding one of the pipes. Two painful exclamations before a swift knee to the nose took the first one down. He felt his ribs give under pressure immediately after, the brass knuckles of the remaining man digging in and scraping away flesh. He took a deep breath and covered his side, the man drew back again and Dick let him have hit, the heel of his foot directly under his chin. Four down, three to go. The largest of the men had finally managed to change direction, attempting to subdue Dick with a tight bear hug, squeezing the air from his chest. “Get him boys!” Two of the men rushed forward, the other still nursing what was sure to be a broken wrist. Dick brought his knees to his chest, his head forward, kicking out hard against the two assailants while at the same time throwing his head back to crush the man holding him's nose. He heard the breath leave the other two men, a direct kick to the solar plexus, their diaphragms partially paralyzed, they weren’t catching their breath any time soon. The man holding him fell backwards, allowing Dick to break free in time to see the last man standing running for his life. He turned just in time to catch the woman who’d been playing victim’s hand before it delivered a wild slap. “Please! I had to do it, they, they’d have killed me if I didn’t!” Dick stared at her, all the hard anger that had been building burning behind his eyes. “Beat it, now.” He released her and she took the advice, high heels clacking all the way down the street.
As he watched the Gotham PD place the men under arrest from his spot among the rooftops, it hit him. He couldn’t be Robin anymore, that time in his life was over, but he wasn’t done fighting, he couldn’t be. As long as the city needed him, he’d be there, standing up against injustice, he had to be. Now that he knew what he had to do, the easy part was all that was left, he had to figure out who he was, and what life outside of the Boy Wonder was going to be like.
Robin
It was cold, the nights in Gotham usually were, but with the adrenaline of the hunt and the thrill of the next strike, young Robin seldom noticed. As he followed his mentor across the rooftops, whether by grapple gun or his own acrobatic creativity, he was still puzzling over the events of the day. School had been its usual, with Dick applying his efforts between passing his classes and catching the eye of the girl that sat two seats behind and one seat left of him, then home for his ‘extra curricular’ studies. This was split between chess with Alfred, in which Dick was constantly beaten, training with Bruce, developing his hand to hand and stave precision, obstacle courses to keep him limber and case study. Usually case study involved a case that had been solved and detailed reports of the connections the detectives had made, Dick found it fascinating and devoured the work, latching on to as many tips and tricks as he could. This week however, was strange, Bruce had first assigned a list of names, followed by several studies on ancient warrior tribes, gangland tactics and battlefield strategy as it related to gaining efficient territory. Dick read the suggested works before Bruce moved back to the list. “You have an hour with the bat-computer, find and memorize as much information as you can, then join me for our usual patrol.”
Dick had done just that, 30 or so names, all found dead within the last week, each with some loose affiliation to some connected crime boss or another. Then, the patrol, Batman and Robin made quick work of an illegal casino in the narrows, interrogated two members of Two-Face’s lower echelon before calling Gordon with a tip on a ‘massage parlor’ and now they found themselves staring at the Gotham city shipyard from atop a nearby storage warehouse. “Bruce, I’m so bored, what are we doing?” Robin was using the sloped roof to stay in cover, burning off excess energy by training with his bo staff. A low grunt emitted from Batman’s throat. “Code names only in the field, Robin, you know better.” Dick huffed. “This place is dead, no one’s listening” Batman turned, his eyes locking with Robin’s while he remained silent. Robin lowered the staff. “Right, assume someone is always listening, I got it.” Bruce stared for a moment longer before turning back to watch the empty shipyard. “Why are we here, Robin?” It was a strange question, Batman knew full well why they were here, the boy canted his head to the side, moving to join his mentor in a crouched position, slightly behind the edge of the warehouse, where the shadows were deepest. “Because Two Face’s sleazebag twin bozos said there was a weapons shipment coming in tonight.” Batman nodded. “And?” Another strange follow up, Robin thought for a moment. “Two Face with more guns makes him more dangerous, so, we’re gonna take 'em off the street!” Batman nodded, slightly. “And?” At this point Robin was getting frustrated, he’d given two perfectly acceptable answers, why was Bruce pushing? Unless Robin was missing something, a clue, subtle, but he was sure of it. First rule of any riddle, everything is connected. He thought back to the Casino, it wasn’t owned by just anyone, it was Oswald Cobblepot, Bruce had mentioned it on their way there, no direct connection, but the police had barriers to stop them from finding out things, Batman didn’t.
From Penguin to Two Face, the massage parlor, also a front, also owned by Penguin, but they’d found Two Faces men there. Then it hit him, the list. While there were many connections, several names were linked directly to both Penguin and Two Face, whether through lower level gangs that had been absorbed, or those working directly for one of the two, the reading material, Penguin had a choke hold on Gotham’s illegal back alley operations, Two Face had the same hold on its gun trade, Penguin had more men, but Two Face had better fire power, the dots had been right there. “Two Face is looking to expand his territory, he started by attacking Penguins lowest rung, sending a message, Penguin struck back, and now the bodies are piling up! We could be looking at a full on gang war soon!” Robin thought he saw a hint of a smile on Bruce’s lips, there one instant, gone the next, and the Batman had returned. “Do you remember your chess games with Ace?” Another question out of the blue, Bruce knew he did, he made him remember them, recite his grave defeats move for move each time. Dick had improved greatly in a short amount of time, but Alfred still managed to win in the end. “Of course I do, but did you hear what I sa…” “How does he beat you?” He considered the question, running his hand through his hair before grinning. “Easily?” He jested, receiving a stern look that could only mean ‘Take this seriously’ A sigh left his lips and he went back through each game, studying Alfred’s plays and his owns. “Most times, he chips away at my pawns, opens up a big lane I have to close, then when I bring the big guns out and go after him, he finds a way to trap my king behind my own defenses.”
“He manipulates you. He takes out your weakest pieces, then leaves his strongest vulnerable, you see that vulnerability and when you take it, you’re trapped.” Robin shrugged, boyish pride rising to his temper briefly. “Yeah, so? He’s way old and he’s been playing a lot longer!” “You’re missing the question, Robin, what does Ace beating you and us being here have in common?” “Wha..? Pft! Nothing! Chess is just a game, this…” Another click, the ancient tribal readings, often times the only factor that stopped one tribe from attacking another was neither was sure which tribe would win, rather than risk defeat, the most successful tribes would employ guerrilla tactics in order to weaken their target, before hitting them full force. “Penguin’s businesses are ran by Penguin’s men, which we took down tonight, Two Face’s power is in his guns, which we’re gonna take down. We’re gonna put both of them in a situation where neither is sure they can win an all out war! So, we’re Ace! Oh, man, that’s genius! Hey, how long till I start thinking of stuff like that?” “It’ll come, now control yourself, we’re still working.” When the shipment arrived, the plan went off without a hitch, with Two Face’s need for duality in all things, the shipment had been split in two, one delivered by boat, the other by van, the boat delivery was to be picked up by Van and carried to one safe house, the van delivery, picked up by boat and taken to another. With all eight of Two Face’s men and each crate of weapons safely in the hands of GCPD, with Batman’s patented tracker placed on each one, the dynamic duo soon made their way back to the Bat cave.
“Good job, tonight Robin, you did well.” Alfred, as always, was waiting when they arrived. “Ah, a successful patrol then, Master Richard?” Robin leapt from his seat in the Bat mobile, staff in hand. “Oh, yeah, you should have seen it! I was all ‘Where are you going, Twofus?’ Ha.” His fully story came complete with an acrobatic shadow display of him dispatching two of the thugs, solo while Bruce rounded up the stragglers and those that attempted to flee. “A riveting tale as always, Young Master, I’ve taken the liberty of preparing your night clothes, school will come at its regular time tomorrow and I don’t want to hear your usual morning complaints.” Bruce, having already begun removing his own uniform nodded. “He’s right, its been a long night.” Dick, however, had other plans. “How about this, I promise to be up -before- Alfred calls me in the morning, and Alfred and I get one last game of Chess, before bed?” Alfred raised a brow, turning to Bruce, who shrugged. “Seems fair, but up includes dressed.” Robin nodded. “Deal!” A mere half hour later, it seemed history was doomed to repeat itself as Alfred sat across from him. “I believe that’s check, Master Richard.” Dick’s face fell as he stared at the board. “Aw man, I thought I really had this one…” Alfred smiled politely. “You certainly put up a good show.” Robin’s eyes raised from the board before him, his fingers moving to his bishop. “So, did you, Alfie, nothing to be ashamed of.” His fingers moved from his bishop, as his knight took Alfred’s rook and Dick smirked slyly. “Checkmate!”
