Starling Wing - Arrow & Rising Robin Crossover Fanfic

Chapter IX: Betrayal

Richard stumbled his way over the rooftops, doing his best to keep up with the Green Arrow's pace. The Green Arrow wasn't too far ahead, but the man did move fast. His agility was no match for Richard's, though. Richard was just as fast. After all, he was a Flying Grayson.

Richard took steady breaths as he leaped across building gaps, making his way towards the Green Arrow. He watched for the trail of a green blur that the archer created as he ran. Richard watched the movement his his legs as the archer ran, & the swing of his arms. He carried the bow with one hand, & his quiver on his bag bounced ever so slightly, but none of his arrows ever fell out. The hood continued to keep the archer's head covered, concealing his identity.

Richard reached down for his utility belt & grabbed a small winglet. He flicked it at the Green Arrow, & as it flew towards his legs, the winglet bursted, wrapping thin wire around his legs. The Green Arrow tripped on his footing & fell onto his chest, struggling to get up.

Richard ran towards the Green Arrow fast, before he could break free. Richard grabbed the archer by the neck & threw several punches at the man. The Green Arrow swung a fist at Richard, but Richard bent back, dodging the fist. The Green Arrow fell onto his back & sighed. "Who the hell are you?" he gasped, catching his breath.

Richard panted, wiping sweat from his brow. "Nightwing," he breathed.

The Green Arrow turned to Richard. "Where did you come from?"

Richard chuckled, shaking his head. "That's not how we're doing things, Green Arrow. Not tonight. Tonight, you're answering MY questions."

"This is my city," the Green Arrow grunted. "You answer to me."

Richard removed an escrima stick from his back & stabbed it by the Green Arrow's head, slamming it into the gravel on the rooftop. Electric sparks spread across the rocks, creating static. "You are in absolutely no position to ask any questions."

The Green Arrow eyed the stick, then glanced up at Richard. "You're not from around here. Your gear, your fighting technique. The way you look at me. You're not from here."

Richard grinned. "Nice work, Detective. You definitely cracked that case." Richard stood up & paced around the Green Arrow. "Where I'm from, vigilantes are a normal thing."

The Green Arrow nodded. "Yeah, I'm finding more & more every day."

Richard took a deep breath. "With the responsibility of being a vigilante, there comes risks." The Green Arrow glanced up at Richard, keeping quiet. He was either actually interested in where he was going with the discussion, or he was attempting to make a plan to escape captivity. Richard continued. "People in the suit die. Not every night. Most nights, we're safe. Most nights, we get lucky. But some of us pay the price of putting our life on the line every night for the sake of the city. You'd know about that, right, Arrow?"

The Green Arrow sighed. "Yes. I...I've lost people who I brought into my line of work."

Richard knelt down beside the Green Arrow, eyeing his face intensely. "Laurel Lance. I heard that story. It's truly tragic. Same happened to Roy Harper too, right?"

The Green Arrow suddenly turned to face Richard. "What did you say?" he grunted in his deep voice.

Richard scoffed. "Roy Harper, the alleged Arrow vigilante that was apprehended by the SCPD two years ago, then murdered in a federal prison. Although you & I both know that that wasn't what happened, right? I mean, after all, I did just call you by the Arrow, & you didn't seem to be able to distinguish the difference between the Arrow & the Green Arrow."

The Green Arrow kept quiet. Richard laughed softly. "You know," Richard started, "I think it's so funny that the whole city hasn't once considered that the Arrow was never Roy Harper. I mean, how the hell does the city lose a green archer vigilante, then a few months later, gains an almost identical archer vigilante, only to find him placing an adjective in front of his name, & no one questions that? Or maybe the whole city had a small inkling of a theory that the Arrow & the Green Arrow were one & the same, but no one wanted to think about the man who was arrested in the name of the Arrow. No one wanted to think about how a man gave up everything in his life, just so someone else could continue to suit up as Robin Hood, only to then lose ANOTHER partner in combat."

"Enough," the Green Arrow growled.

Richard slammed his escrima stick into the Green Arrow's chest, shocking the man. He kept the stick on the man's chest for a good few seconds, waiting for the archer's pained grunts shift into cries of pain. The archer kept his composure, despite suffering the electrocution. The Green Arrow had a high tolerance for pain. Richard spat in the Green Arrow's face. "That was for Roy Harper."

Richard stood up & was about to walk away when he heard a faint whisper. "You knew Roy?" the Green Arrow asked.

Richard turned back to the Green Arrow & shot him a pained glance. "Once upon a time, yeah."

The Green Arrow nodded softly. He sighed deeply. "He was a good man. He...he had that fire in him, the one inside each of us who want to make a difference & do some good. Roy was one of the strongest, most selfless men I had ever known." The Green Arrow shook his head. "And then he sacrificed everything for me."

Richard felt his stomach flip upside down. He had just admitted to what he did to Roy. "Why did you let him do that? You betrayed him!"

"I didn't!" the Green Arrow growled. "I...I didn't know what he was doing. I thought he really did die in prison. But...he faked his death, making the man under the hood dead, but allowing a chance for another hero to arise. He...he wanted me to keep doing what I've been doing, but under a new name. A new idea, a new beacon of hope."

Richard let the words sink in. He thought to what the city had endured over the last few years. There definitely was enough hell in this city to require a hero, Richard couldn't deny that. RIchard sighed. "It's just...Roy gave up everything. I just don't think it was worth it."

The Green Arrow looked up at Richard. "You'd do the same for the person who made you the man you are today, wouldn't you?"

Richard thought of Bruce, & all that he had done to him, emotionally & psychologically. He thought of the pain Bruce put him through, & the damage that was done to Barbara, & Jason, & pretty soon Tim may break down as well. But when the time came, would he give up everything for Bruce?

"I don't think I would," Richard breathed. "Not for him."

The Green Arrow eyed Richard for a moment, reading his facial expressions. "Nightwing," the Arrow said softly, "would it make any difference if i told you that Arsenal was alright?"

Richard bit his lip. "I know he is," he grunted. Richard ripped off his black face mask from his eyes & stared at the Green Arrow, revealing himself. "But if you ever find him again, tell him Dick was looking for him."

Richard turned to walk away once more, but heard the Green Arrow call out to him. "Richard Grayson?"

Richard spun on his heel, turning back to the Green Arrow. The archer lifted his hood up from over his head, revealing his short dirty blonde hair & scruffy beard. His dark green face mask was still over his face, but he slowly removed it from the bridge of his nose, revealing who he was. Richard gasped when he recognized the man.

Oliver Queen cleared his throat. "Do you mind untying the Mayor's legs, please?"