The Two Assassins

The Story | 11

Wayne Manor - 3:40 AM

"Dick lived in the circus his whole life up until age seven. Him and his parents were trapeze artists. The best in the world. I used to look up to them, and I still do." Tim began.

"One day, when the circus was traveling and heading into Gotham for a show, they encountered the mob boss, Tony Zucco, and his brothers." He spat the name.

"Zucco wanted money, and in exchange, he would protect them. However, John Grayson, Dicks dad, stood up to Zucco, and declined his offer. Zucco began to threaten them, but Dick had already called the police, and Batman chased Zucco and his brothers off." Tim went on.

"The next morning, the show was to begin. This would have been Dicks first performance with his family. But before he got on, the trapeze snapped, and his parents fell to there deaths... no net to catch them." Tim said sadly as he gazed at the crackling fire.

"Dick had to watch his parents die. He saw them hit the ground... He saw their bodies. Eventually, he was drug off with a racist social worker." He growled. "Dick was considered a gypsy, and they were considered thieves and renegades to the poeple that took him."

"The woman said that all the orphanages were full, which could actually be true in Gotham. She sent Dick to Juvenile Detention Center." Tim stated.

He glanced at Damian. "Your aware of what that place is, right? Times ten since its Gotham." He asked. Which Damian nodded.

Tim gazed back to the fire. "Dick was beaten and bullied for his race. He was only seven, and could defend himself agasint teenagers. They insulted his family, mocked his parents. Made lies and false claims that they committed suicide to get away from him. He was only seven..."

"Bruce had been at the show, and saw what happened. He planned to adopt Dick, because he understood. He knew what it was like to see the ones you love, die right in front of you." Tim informed.

"However, before he could adopt Dickie, he went missing. Dicks great grandfather, William Cobb, a head Talon, had broke into the center and took Dick to the court." He said, glaring at the flames.

Tim sighed and continued. "Dick was said to be the 'Gray Son Of Gotham' or whatever. Destined to be the greatest Talon of all time, yada yada yada." Tim skipped through. "He doesn't prefer to be called by his last name, anymore. I'm surprised he allows you to..."

Tim then went to explain more. "Ever since the court, Dick has been confused about his family. We think that in the end, John and Mary had to give Dick to the court when he turned ten, but they died before then, so the court took him early."

"Dick was trained day and night, from seven, to age thirteen. So for six years, he was brutally beaten for punishments, and went under severe training that most enhanced adults died from." Tim supplied.

"He was also experimented on. They used serums to give him enhanced speed, vision, hearing, strength, and so on." Tim said. "That's when he got the golden eyes. It was when he was officially made a Talon. They did near final work on him."

"However, before they could turn him immortal, like other Talons and his grandfather, he had to make his first kill. Besides the ones for training. They sent him out with nothing but a owl feather and a dagger."

"Dick killed Tony Zucco that day, and left the feather on the mob bosses corpse. But Dick didn't get away in time, and was found by Batman." Tim went on.

"Bruce told me he had a hard time beating Dick, and still did after he became Nightwing. Bruce won though, and Dicks identity was revealed to him."

"Bruce said he had failed Dick, cause he couldn't get to him in time. He said the same about Jason." Tim stated sadly. "Anyway..." He sighed. "Bruce offered Dick help, but it was hard since Dick didn't trust him. So he took the cowl off, to show he ment no harm."

"Dick wanted away from the court. He was being controlled and his actions were not his own. He wad afraid. He didn't want to get punished again. But he went with Bruce." He paused.

"It was hard for a bit. Bruce told me about it. He said Dick called him grand master for a little while. He also said that it was hard to remove all the programming. Used to, if you ordered Dick to do something, by referring to him as 'Talon', he'd obey like a puppet."

"Dick has told me about the flash backs he used to... still does sometimes, actually... but he said that when he got flash backs, Bruce would always help him. It took a while before Bruce deemed him public ready, and longer before he deemed him hero ready."

"Dick still never recovered. Even when he became Nightwing, he didn't fully recover. Not because of his eyes, or enhanced senses, or the scares. But cause of the trauma. He was always afraid to slip, and Bruce was to. So the code word 'Shattered' came in."

"It was a code word ment for Dick if he ever snapped and slipped. He's only used it three times now." Tim supplied.

"Once, when Jason was killed, he took Jokers life, then Bruce revived him. That's why Jason and Dick are close. Jason had came in and been Dicks rock. Helped him keep his feet to the ground. Then, when Jason came back, he was mad at Bruce for replacing him, and not avenging him. He stuck with Dick though, cause he did avenge him, and Jason believed Dick was the only one who cared."

"Second, was when me and Bruce got took hostage from a gala. Dick had been in Bludhaven. He rescued us as Nightwing, but took the life of a gunmen that was about to shoot us."

"And now, he's slipped cause Pyg was threatening you." Tim finished sadly.

"Dicks being looked to for alot. To be the eldest, to be future Batman until you grow up and want it, to be leader, and now, to be the father." Tim stated, looking at Damian now.

"If the press knew about this, or saw him in this state, they'd take us away from here. That's why we make sure they know nothing about this but a load of crap. So make sure you keep it tight." He said, and Damian nodded.

Tim sighed again, running a hand through his hair. The Two sat in silence, until Damian broke it.

"He saved me."

"Huh?"

"Grayson saved me. Pyg was about to do a... operation on me while I was coherent. Nightwing stopped him. Pyg was going to make me a dollotron, and make me his puppet." Damian informed.

Tim shook his head. "That is sick, but that's also Gotham for you." He said sadly.

"You know, he really loves you, Kid. He's trying, to. He's trying to be better, and be a better mentor. He's seriously trying to be whatever you need." Tim told Damian.

Damian looked at the fire. ... "He's more than a mentor..." He mumbled.

Tim laughed a little. "Yeah, if we're all honest here, Dick is Jason's brother, and my mentor, and your-" Tim cut himself off.

Damian made a hum noise. Before he finished the sentence.

"Father."

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Being honest, I never expected this chapter to be so long. I just wanted it to contain Dicks past. In this story, I aim to have the chapters near 1,000 words. I didn't expect to get there on this one.

Oh well.

So what do you think about the story so far? Please, let me know!

~Legendary