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Batman: Eternal: Season 2, Episode 9 - Grayson

by Mockingchu

Mockingchu Batman finally sees Dick Grayson, and makes an attempt to catch up with him.
[Go read Green Arrow: Eternal by @Eeveechu151]
Batman stared down the man who stole the cases of drugs. He was tall, lean, and muscular. His suit was black and gray, with straps around his shoulders. Where the straps met, there was a light blue disc.
“Dick?”
The man punched Batman in the gut, and turned to flee. Batman gave chase. The man grabbed the disc off of his chest, and flung it at the ground in front of Batman. It emitted bolts of electricity, shocking Batman. Batman stumbled backwards, then flicked a Batarang into the disc. The disc shut down, but the man was already gone.
“Batman, you good?” Tim asked through the comms.
“Y- Yeah.”
“You sure? Because I heard you call out for Dick. Did you… see him?” Tim asked, hopefully, “Is he back?”
“I don’t know for sure, yet. I’ll try to find him,” Batman stated, activating his Detective Vision. He saw a heat signature fading quickly. The man.
Batman rushed outside, and grappled to the top of the church. He then leapt off, and began to glide towards the heat signature. Once he was directly over the man, he shot a grappling line down, into the man’s left arm. The man broke out screaming. Batman let himself fall, only spreading out his wings a few moment before slamming into the ground. Batman peered at the man, who now had a messy roll of black hair over his eyes. He brushed back the hair.
“It is you,” Batman gasped.
Dick Grayson quit screaming, and instead chose to tear the grapple hook out of his arm.
“The hell was that for?” Dick growled, covering the bleeding crater in his left arm.
“To catch up with you. I know you’re a righty,” Batman said.
“Did it ever occur to you that I didn’t want you to catch up with me?”
“It did. But I had to see you again. It’s been a while.”
“It’s been a while because I chose to put space between us,” Dick sighed, “I- I don’t blame you anymore. Barbara dying wasn’t your fault. It was that bastard Joe Chill. He’s taken so much from you, and now from me. It’s his fault, not yours.”
“So why stay away?” Batman asked.
“Because seeing you, or your symbol… I remember her.”
“That’s good. You should remember her. Forgetting her would be the worst outcome. Remember the good times you had,” Batman smiled.
“It’s easy to forget that you’re my adopted dad,” Dick admitted, “It’s times like these that help me to remember.”
Dick hugged Batman.
Batman hugged back.

“Dick!” Tim exclaimed, gleefully. He rushed over to embrace his friend/adopted brother.
Batman had brought Dick back to the Batcave to see Tim.
“Hey Tim,” Dick said.
“Why have you been hiding from us?” Tim complained.
“Not hiding,” Dick said, “Just… away.”
“Away where?” Tim asked.
“All over, really,” Dick admitted.
“What brought you back to Blüdhaven?” Bruce asked, finally out of his Batman garb.
Dick shrugged.
“It seemed to me like you were after the psychoactive drugs that Har Goyle was dealing. Why?” Bruce inquired.
“It’s really nothing.”
“Dick, you’re hiding something,” Bruce said.
“Look, I wasn’t after the drugs!” Dick exclaimed.
“Why were you in Blüdhaven?” Bruce asked.
“Bruce!” Dick whined.
“Answer me.”
“I’m searching for a killer by the name of Red Hood,” Dick sighed, defeated.
“So how did you come across Har Goyle and his drug deals?” Bruce asked.
“Red Hood targeted drug dealers and gang leaders primarily. Har is both. So I tracked Har. I happened to take interest in the drugs as well.”
“Dick, did you plan to use those?” Tim asked.
“Gah! Of course not!” Dick shot back.
“Why were you looking for this… Red Hood?” Bruce asked, while typing “RED HOOD” into the Batcomputer.
“Routine crime fighting,” Dick shrugged.
“It seems that Red Hood is a crimefighter in his own right,” Bruce said, reading articles about this character. It seemed that Red Hood was quite the marksman.
“He’s not the right kind of crimefighter. He’s a killer.”
“You just happened to hear about him? From these articles, it appears he operates on the down-low. The only sites that write about him are lesser known,” Bruce stated, “So I think there’s something you’re not telling us.”
“Fine,” Dick huffed, upset, “I’m on a mission.”
“A mission. Go on.”
“For an agency. I can’t tell you the name, or where it’s based out of,” Dick said.
“A.R.G.U.S.?” Bruce asked.
“What’s A.R.G.U.S.?” Dick responded.
“Nice try. Tell me the name of the agency you work for, or I won’t believe you. If you’re part of A.R.G.U.S., we have a lot to discuss.”
“Spyral. The agency I work for is Spyral.”
“And they sent you to apprehend Red Hood?” Bruce asked. Dick nodded.
“So you’re a super spy now?” Tim wondered, giddy.
“Agent 37,” Dick said.
“Why is Spyral interested in Red Hood?” Bruce asked.
“They think he might have a connection to life after death,” Dick stated.
“The Lazarus Pit?” Bruce asked, referencing the pool in which Ra’s al Ghul bathed in to stay alive. That is, until he was killed.
“Perhaps,” Dick said.
“I’ll come with you. We’re going to find the Red Hood,” Bruce said.
“What about me?” Tim piped up.
“You stay here. You’re acting as my Alfred,” Bruce instructed.
“Wait, Alfred’s not here? Did something happen to him?” Dick asked, worried.
“He took a break. Things were getting too stressful,” Bruce admitted.
“Are you going to suit up again?” Dick asked, “I mean, you just got out of it.”
Bruce sighed, and went to put on his suit.

“If we just keep tabs on Har Goyle, we’ll find Red Hood,” Dick assured.
Dick and Batman were crouched outside of the brick building that Har had found refuge in.
“Dick, we’ve been at this for hours. Har’s just been sitting around, and Red Hood is no where to be-”
Shots rang out.
Dick rushed to the wooden door on their left, and bashed it in. A man with a red head was standing over the dead body of Har Goyle. He held a smoking pistol in his hand. A brown trenchcoat covered his body.
Dick pulled out a gun, and fired at the Red Hood. Red Hood dove out of the way, behind a table.
“Dick! You know what I’ve said about guns!” Batman scolded.
“Your Batmobile has guns,” Dick countered.
Batman got up, and entered the room as well. He stood behind Dick.
“We’re having a long talk after all of this is over,” Batman sighed.
“Red Hood, we know you’re here. Give up,” Dick ordered.
Batman began to approach the desk.
Suddenly, Red Hood dropped from the ceiling above Dick. He struck Dick on top of the head, than strode towards Batman. Batman and Red Hood sparred for a while. As soon as Batman would have an opportunity to land a finishing blow, Red Hood would anticipate it. The same was true for the opposite. There was no end in sight. Instead of beating Red Hood with strength, Batman won with endurance. Red Hood ran out of energy. Batman fell to his knees moments after. Red Hood was an exceptional fighter.
“Your guns, hand them over,” Batman requested.
“In your dreams,” Red Hood said. His voice was husky, as if his throat had been charred.
“Don’t make me…” Batman began.
Red Hood aimed his pistol at the small space where Batman’s chest plate ended, and the armor on his arm began. He fired a few bullets into the chink. In Batman’s exhausted state, it was enough to knock him out.
As Batman was fading out of consciousness, he heard Red Hood mutter something.
“Serves you right, selfish bastard.”

Bruce woke up in the Batcave. Dick was next to him. Both of them were tied together around a support beam that shot up from the floor.
“Dick?” Bruce asked, prodding his old sidekick.
“Broo?” Dick responded, still dazed.
“Dick, what the hell happened?” Bruce inquired.
“Helena?” Dick asked, happy as a toddler on Christmas. Bruce wasn’t aware of anyone named Helena. Maybe she was another agent of Spyral.
“Not Helena. What the hell happened?” Bruce asked again.
Dick didn’t reply. He had blacked out again. In a few quick moments, Bruce’s memory returned. Red Hood. He had been bested by Red Hood. Bested by what seemed like a wannabe hero. Except that this “wannabe hero” predicted Bruce’s next move, and knew the chinks in his armor. Red Hood also somehow knew how to remove Bruce’s cowl. And how to enter the Batcave. Other than Alfred, Dick, and Tim, no one alive knew all of those things.
No one alive.
Dick had said something about Red Hood being tied to the Lazarus Pit. Life after death. So maybe Red Hood wasn’t alive after all.
“Jason,” Bruce said, out loud.
“That quickly?” Red Hood asked, stepping out from behind a corner. He lifted the red helmet that encased his head up. Underneath the mask was a horrid sight. The skin around Jason’s mouth was gone completely, revealing singed muscle and seared bone. What little skin was left around Jason’s eyes was charred black. However, Jason’s green eyes somehow held their hue. They sparkled as if emeralds had embedded themselves into Jason’s skull.
“You died,” Bruce said, his voice fleeting.
“You let me go after Joker alone. He may have put the grenade in my mouth, but it was you who sentenced me to death,” Jason growled.
“Jason, I had to protect my identity. Hugo Strange would have-”
“Because of your selfishness, both Mayor Torrence and I died that night,” Jason spat.
“But you’re here now,” Bruce said.
“No thanks to you,” Jason said, “I have your wife to thank for my life.”
“Talia.”
“She watched me ever since you took me under your wing. She decided that I had the potential to become something powerful. An assassin. When I died, she took me to the Lazarus Pit, and brought me into the League of Assassins.”
“The League doesn’t use guns,” Bruce noted.
“You thought I stayed with those creeps?” Jason scoffed, “I got out of that hellhole as soon as I could survive on my own. I came back to Blüdhaven when Dick up and vanished. I’ll do what you and him never could. I’ll put an end to these crooks.”
“Jason, this isn’t you,” Bruce said.
“It is me. You just don’t want it to be. You, Dick, and that newbie Tim all think you’re some sort of god. Too good to do what’s necessary. Well I’m not,” Jason said.
Suddenly, Tim stumbled over from the Batcomputer.
“How’d you get out?” Jason wondered.
“I’m no newbie,” Tim spat.
“Take a look at this, Bruce,” Jason mused, “Robins, past and present. Dick vanished for a year. I died. Tim, well, Tim, you haven’t had anything terrible happen… yet.”
“Tam,” Tim sighed.
“Ah. Perfect. See, Bruce, everyone that you bring into your crusade ends up crushed. Me. Dick. Tim. Barbara. That weird Penguin dude who patrolled with you for a while. You’re dangerous,” Jason said.
Bruce was silent.
“Bruce, don’t listen to this jackass,” Tim said, approaching Bruce, “Tam was my fault. You had nothing to do with that. If anything, you’ve made my life so much better. Without your guidance, I’d be a high-school dropout. Now I’m an MIT graduate who saves the world from time to time.”
“The world?” Jason chuckled, “Is that what Bruce tells you? Bruce cares about Gotham, and Gotham only. He’s never saved the world.”
“Look, I get that he hasn’t saved the world. Those are my words. But he doesn’t just care about Gotham. He visited Star City and Austin just this year. He told me.”
“Don’t let him kill you like he killed me,” Jason warned.
“Jason,” Dick moaned, slowly waking up.
Jason turned to Dick, and his expression softened. He sighed, put on his mask, and exited the Batcave. No one stopped him.

“He’s alive,” Dick said, bewildered, “But he’s dead.”
“Dick, I know it’s a lot to take in,” Bruce sighed.
“If he’s alive… Barbara can be saved!” Dick exclaimed.
“There’s nothing of Barbara left to save,” Bruce said flatly. Barbara had been blown to bits.
“There has to be some way. I’ll ask Tiger back at Spyral. Surely he can work with someone to find a way,” Dick said, hopefully.
“Dick, it’s time to stop dwelling on the past and start preparing for the future. Maybe come back to Blüdhaven. Be Nightwing again,” Bruce suggested.
“I’m not ready to let Barbara go,” Dick said, “You have to understand.”
“Just, think about it,” Bruce pleaded.
Dick said nothing. Instead, he handed Bruce the suitcase full of the drugs Har had been dealing with. The hallucinogens that made you see your greatest fears.
“Thanks, Dick,” Bruce smiled.
Dick hugged Bruce, and left.
Tim passed Dick on the stairs, coming down into the Batcave.
“What now?” Tim asked, slurping from a noodle bowl.
“We have the drugs. We’ll analyze them,” Bruce said.
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