Post by Batman (Bruce Wayne) on Aug 5, 2015 2:42:50 GMT -5
The Serpent's Song
Story By: Batman and Spoiler
Heroes: Red Robin, Spoiler
Villains: Death Rattle, Fear
Exposition:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlTRcMowLkc
Gotham City, 1988…December 25th. The candles in Wayne manor were lit throughout the house positioned by every window in a colonial like tradition. Bruce Wayne sat upon the living room sofa staring at the framed picture of Thomas and Martha Wayne. “Merry Christmas, Mother and Father…” -He sniffled as he tried to swallow the pain of their deaths. It was then something he heard the crackling by the window…it sounded of rocks against plastic, swirling around the rattle that began to pique the curiosity of a young boy as he took steps closer towards a window where the rattling got louder. With little effort he opened the window to feel the cool air breeze against his face as the warm air was sucked out. The howl of the wind filled his ears with the faintest sound of a rattle, Bruce could feel his heart racing when a loud thump jolted him to life as the window swung up and slammed against the outside wall. With futility the young boy reached his short arm out grab the window and close it, but he had no success due to his small body. With determination he crawled onto the window sill and held onto the frame, reaching an arm out to grab the window with success. He felt the bitter cold chilling him when he heard a booming voice.- “Master Bruce!” Bruce jumped back to life as his attention shifted back to Alfred standing across the room in attention. “What are you doing? Mr. Thomas and Ms. Rachel are” “I…I opened the window and it blew-…” Alfred began approaching when a masked figured leapt from behind Bruce and wrapped their arms around him. The crackling of the rattle prompted Alfred to pause and search for the sign of a snake that the man may have had on them. “Let him go!” Alfred forced out staring down the man with the intensity of a protective father. The man would speak with amusement in a soft and meek tone. “The world spins upon the stars, rattle us do they not bite? They bite and we obey or death comes at the rising sun.” In a moment of confusion Alfred replied. “What?” And with that the masked man jumped out the window carrying Bruce Wayne with him…
Part One: Spoiled Youth
Gotham City, 2012…The loud 16 bit music scratchy and bleeped with musical enthusiasm as flashing lights and colorful animation of space were brought to life at the carnival grounds. Tim Drake’s hands gripped the ray gun and shot rampantly at the arcade screen in front of him while his best friend Ives joined in and shot as well. “I told you this is different than playing World of Warcraft!” were the words Ives let out. “So, you know that girl who sits beside you in 2nd period?” Tim nodded. “Yeah, Sandra…She seems nice.” “I want to ask her out. But she likes this weird kind of music…” “Katy Perry?” Were Tim’s words as he began stuffing quarters into the machine and pressing the start button. “Nothing like THAT…But like this satanic like crap. About praising God and life after death…” Tim furrowed his eyebrows and gave a half frown. “You do know there’s a difference between holy and satanic, right?” “Yeah, yeah, I know Tim…But its some kind of weird band called ‘Death Rattle’ and they sing about some weird stuff. She’s pretty into it, so I’m thinking I should at least TRY to hear it before assuming its crap.”
Tim shrugged. “If she likes it and you like her, why not?” were Tim’s words prompting Ives to grin and nod. “Yeah, maybe she’ll like my comic book collection too…Speaking of…Are you going to ask Christina out? I’m telling you, she totally likes you. I heard some of the girls talk about sitting next to you at lunch…” “Ives, I’m…not really that much into girls right now.” Ives would take a step back. “Are you gay?” Tim would lower the gun and look at Ives with a blush coming to his face. “No. I’m not gay. It’s just…there’s a lot on my mind…I don’t have time for girls and I don’t even know her.” “Christina? You two have been in the same classes for 2 years, how do you not know her?...Unless you’re talking about someone else?” Ives grinned and elbowed Tim. “Who is she? Is it that Spoiler girl?” Tim would press his lips firmly together in a brooding expression to take a vow of silence while Ives jumped up with laughter. “Ha! You like her! You should ask her out! I mean you two both have masks and costumes that you have in common, nowhere like me and Sandra.” Tim would growl. “Could you keep it down? I don’t want the WHOLE world knowing.” Ives nodded. “Sorry. So, you said she was blonde…Did she look like a kid from our school?” Tim shook his head. “There are a lot of girls who are blonde and go to our school…I can’t exactly ask ALL of them. Besides she might have a boyfriend anyway.”
It was amongst the crowds of people, cheerful laughter and amusement, clowns, and costumed gigantic animals made sounds and looked absurd. Parents and children, teenagers, and the lot walked from one ride to another. Sandra and Christina were walking together as Christina was checking her phone. “Oh my…You won’t believe this on Twitter, Game of Thro…” Sandra would interrupt Christina and wave for her towards the animal show. “Here it is. Death Rattle will be performing live! Lets go!” Sandra dragged Christina with both of them giggling some as they raced into the building marked with a large snake upon the sign ‘Death Rattle live’ were the words marked upon the sign. Electrical guitar and animals maneuvering and dancing in a Marilyn Manson like fashion as a lanky skinned man sung the lyrics in a raspy voice with black lipstick, bare chest and sweaty brown locks of hair falling to his shoulders. “Purify us with your sin; purify us with your bite. Welcome to the serpent’s garden little Eve. Stay until Dawn and forever we’ll be gone…” Christina would begin to feel uncomfortable as the crowd seemed to cheer at the psychotic theme of the band.
Christina stared for a moment when suddenly her eyes locked with Death Rattle’s singer and she could hear him speaking to her. ~Welcome Eve, taste my treat and you will be my sweet. We’re all damned here anyway, but I’d be damned with you any day. Take my sin and I will take you in. Let’s f*** for eternity, that’s how long sins last. If it’s true then I know it will be a blast with you.~ Christina felt suddenly warm and the urge to listen to everything this man had to say forcing the young girl to blush. The words seemed to be hypnotic and brought the girl into a trance. It would be minutes later that as the crowd left she and Sandra were among the many fans left behind to meet the band leader. Promptly Death Rattle’s eyes settled upon Christina and took her hand. “Please, kids if you’d all follow me…” He began to walk back stage where he reached to the staircase leading up to the stage itself. He revealed a trap door and grinned at the lot of eight kids. “Come on in…It’s where we hang out.” Death Rattle held Christina’s hand the entire time leading her into the basement with all of the teenagers, closing the door behind them. A rocker dude sat smoking before all of them. A cauldron of fog sat in the center of couches and pillows. “Have a seat kids.” Death Rattle nodded to the band member and took Christina into private quarters where they immediately began kissing; his hands groped her, her whines echoed as his hand reached out to the night stand to grab a knife. Her screams of pleasure would go ignored as the group of hypnotized teenagers was far too interested in drowning out the world with cigarettes, music, alcohol, and drugs…
Spoiler:
"Valentine is done
Here but now they're gone
Romeo and Juliet
Are together in eternity, Romeo and Juliet
Forty thousand men and women everyday, Like Romeo and Juliet
Forty thousand men and women everyday, Redefine happiness
Another forty thousand coming everyday, We can be like they are
Come on baby, don't fear the reaper
Baby take my hand, don't fear the reaper
We'll be able to fly, don't fear the reap…"
It cut out.
Stephanie pulled the earphones and looked at her iPod. She called it her iPod but neither she nor mom could have afforded Apple, and so she turned over the light pink Chinese made and unbranded MP3 player, with an air of disappointment.
“Dang! I only just charged it.” She tossed it into her bag in resignation and sighed, looking up at the rooftops and remembering how she had skimmed them with Red Robin. Hell, he probably had a Bat-iPod, a crooked smile crossed her face as she imagined how many gadgets something like that might have, before slipping into a frown as she remembered what she had tried to do, what he had talked her out of. G-d knew what he thought of her. Whether he thought of her trying to strangle Cluemaster or helping save the children in the museum. Whether he thought of her at all.
‘Probably safer walking without my ears all plugged up anyway’. A hand firmly clipped her round the back of her head, causing her hair to flap. “What the?” Stephanie’s hand balled into a fist almost instantly, as it had so many times at home.
“Quit your moping girl!” Latesha’s broad smile was suddenly in her face.
“Just thinking about crap.”
“Well let’s get your mind off that and have some fun, head over to the Mile maybe?” Latesha’s enthusiasm was always infectious.
“I don’t know” Stephanie shuffled her feet.
“Don’t make me smack you in the head again.” Latesha hooked her arm in Stephanie’s and they began walking toward the Bus stop. “We’ll go see what rides they have. Go see what the fortune teller has to say about getting you away from the loser Dean, and then we’ll see if the Hall of Mirrors can put some curves on that skinny ass of yours.” –e-
Tim Drake: The cries from Christina would go louder within the basement but, the walls would prevent her cries of ecstasy to escape. Her head felt high as her mind raced joy even as a knife penetrated her bare chest and the puncturing hole popped her lungs with a joyful crackle that made Death Rattle grin with excitement. His accomplice would enter the room and lick his lips seeing the young girl dying. Death Rattle would dismissively wave her off of himself. “She’s yours, Fear.” Fear would approach Christina’s body and lick her arm to taste her and the salty flavor before picking up the girl and carrying her into the kitchen where he placed her into a large pot of boiling soup. Snickering as he went to work on fixing her up for dinner. Death Rattle would approach his followers and begin to wave his hands gently to all of them. “You all see this greatness? It’s our job to share with everyone our gift…Kids your age deserve to be treated as adults…Death Rattle is empowering to you. [c]
You take care of us, so we take care of you…Some of you will be selected to go out and tell others of our generosity. You may leave now…” Sandra stood up along with two other women and began leaving the room to head towards the carnival once again. It was as Sandra was walking through the amusement ground that Ives saw her and began smiling like an idiot, when Sandra’s eyes caught his she smiled back at him. Tim would shove Ives in the arm. “Dude!” Ives jumped and saw the screen covered in aliens with the Game over sign across it. “Ohh…man. I’m sorry I saw Sandra!” Ives bounced some on his heels. “Can I…Can I go and invite her over or um…should I follow her? She smiled at me…” Tim half frowned and then forced a smile. “Alright…I’ll just…um…Go play DDR over there. Don’t go too far, Ives. This is still Gotham City.” Ives nodded and gave Tim a hug. [c]
“Thanks bro. See you in a bit! I’ll tell you everything, I promise.” Ives bounced off on his heels to chase after Sandra while Tim placed his hands into his pair of blue jean shorts, his white shirt had red shoulders striped up to the neck. The sleeves were perhaps too small for his biceps as they displayed his muscles that weren’t typical of a geek, but looked comparable to a teenaged athlete. Stepping onto the DDR pad, Tim looked over the songs to decide what he wanted to dance to.
Spoiler: The bus ride over was sticky and unpleasant and smelly, a smell of cigarette butts, stale beer and urine, made worse by the stagnant air in the bus and the sweltering heat which seemed to close them in. Yet Latesha didn’t seem to mind, she babbled the whole journey about Don and Julius, about the cheerleaders, about how fake Kelly was and how she’d seen Kelly looking jealously at Stephanie’s natural blonde and fiddling with her own bottle blonde. So that Stephanie found herself carried away by her companion’s enthusiasm. It was hard not to, and even in the close and unpleasant bus, Latesha’s company made it worthwhile.
The sky was glowing even before the bus reached the Northern Mile and as the bus pulled up Latesha was dragging her out by the hand and towards the lights towards the turnstiles, Latesha soon had her purse out and was through the turnstiles in a moment looking back at Stephanie with expectation. Stephanie shrugged.
“Stephanie, I swear, you never have anything. I’ll spot you, but you owe me for this” and then Latesha was leaning back across the turnstile waving 10 spot in front of Stephanie’s nose and then tugging her almost hungrily through the gate. ”The Carnivale!”
“And combined unnatural museum” muttered Stephanie under her breath. But her Latesha was heedless and already dragging Stephanie deeper into the carnival, she couldn’t help but be swept along by her friend’s enthusiasm.
“Oh look Candy” And then Stephanie was dragged again until they found themselves in front of the Hall of Mirrors and Latesha was bobbing up and down as the mirrors distorted them. She looked across at Stephanie in her torn jeans and baggy plaid shirt and sighed. “Ain’t no magic mirror going to give you shape in those baggy pants and broke down lumberjack shirt.”
They turned their back on the Hall of Mirrors and looked at the building now front of them in front of them, marked by a huge snake and in jagged ‘spooky’ writing the words ‘Death Rattle Live”. Both the girls shuddered.
“Death Rattle?”
“Dean says they’re a cynically manufactured shock band” Stephanie looked back at her friend.
“Ugh you people and your ‘music’.” But Latesha was laughing again and the girls were running off towards the rides.
Tim Drake: It would be minutes and what would feel like gallons of sweat later that Tim would step off the DDR machine and begin walking with a tingling of numbness in his legs as he began walking into the crowd his shoulder would bump into someone else and fall towards Stephanie, his right arm would attempt to wrap around her while his left arm would grab hold of a nearby fence to stop them from falling onto the ground. If they did collide and stumble, Tim would be holding her dipped down like a royal ballroom dance where the man would dip his partner backwards and kiss her over his knee. The angle would’ve felt thrilling, scary, and perhaps awkward, but his strength would hold both of them up before Tim pushed to pick them both up right. “Ohh…I’m sorry, someone bumped into me.” [c]
Tim would stare at her face and instantly found her beautiful. Her blonde hair meant nothing to him in terms of the vigilante Spoiler, but the idea of meeting this girl here and now seemed like a strange dream he never knew he wanted. “My names Tim!” He interjected and gave her a smile, he knew how bumping into people was - it was fast paced, people were in a rush to go places and didn’t really care about the person they ran into, giving them a passing apology before moving on. Tim had felt such an attraction that he didn’t want that with this girl, she looked slightly older, maybe she was greatly older than him, but his blue eyes never left reading hers. He gave her a friendly smile. “I was ditched by my friend…would you mind if I tagged along with you?”
Spoiler: The Waltzer had left them dizzy, almost enough at times to make Stephanie want to barf, but she’d held onto her dinner and though they had started walking arm in arm, their slight unsteadiness had caused them to bump hips just a few too many times so that now she and Latesha walked slightly apart back towards the centre of the Carnival?
“Cotton Candy?” Latesha ventured?
And then there was a very firm bump and, already a little unsteady, Stephanie was suddenly teetering, tipping backwards, her back arched, only one foot on the floor as a firm arm wrapped around her waist and she found herself leaning back in a boy’s arms as his face, a handsome face with short spikey black hair leaned over her with what seemed to be a somewhat sheepish expression.
He was, it seemed, a little younger, maybe a grade below as she herself was young for her grade. Blue eyes, sharp and clear and inquisitive met her own, and though for a moment she felt as if she should be offended at what seemed to be his forwardness, for some reason she wasn’t.
“Uh sure you were.” But his hand really was clasping onto the fence ‘Hey I’m not that heavy!’ she thought for a moment. Maybe it was innocent. She allowed him to pull her upright. He was stronger than most of the boys their age, but as she regained her feet and readied to swing just in case he tried to cop a feel. He didn’t. “Well.. uh.. Hi Tim, I’m Stephanie, my friend’s..” she glanced across at Latesha who was already shaking her head. “Latesha... um join? … us?”
“Ixnay on the idkay!” Latesha muttered, her eyes shooting daggers.
There was something about him, her own eyes narrowed, something about his arm around her that felt… something. –e-
Tim Drake: He heard her name and gave another smile as he repeated it. “Stephanie, nice to meet you. I hope I’m not being too forward…It’s just my Dad gets worried if I’m alone...I know he’s not here but, there’s good reason right? This is Gotham City, not exactly the safest place in the world…” Tim would seem a bit naïve, but on the other hand he would seem knowledgeable of crime rates. “Have you guys gone on any rides or checked out the Arcade? I’m typically a gamer, I love video games and comic books…Uhh.” It would happen in a moment where a loud speaker would announce “Ten minutes until the next showing of Death Rattle live.” Tim would observe and comment to himself. “I guess I know where Ives will be in ten minutes…” Tim looked at Stephanie and Lateesha. “Do you guys like Concerts?” Tim watched for a moment as a baby dropped their stuffed animal and its parents kept walking. [c]
Tim scurried forward to grab it and then bounced on his feet with acrobatic agility holding his hand out to the parents. “Excuse me…Your baby dropped this from their coaster.” The movement would give Stephanie and Lateesha a decent view of Tim’s physique and backside.
Spoiler: Both girls reacted by a tensing, Latesha’s hand tightened on Stephanie’s arm as she stifled her giggle slightly less successfully that Stephanie did, hiding her face a moment in Stephanie’s hair. “Baby can’t go out without his daddy’s say so”. Stephanie subdued the sound but her face slipped into a lopsided smile. “Well Hi... Tim.” She lightly over-pronounced ‘Tim’ “No... it’s not the safest, are you sure you want two girls protecting you though?” Latesha to clutched her arm more tightly again. “Ohh a game… and .. comic books? We’ve been riding the rides, maybe you might like the Teacups?” Latesha couldn’t hold on any longer, a snort escaping her into Stephanie’s hair.
The noise of the announcement of Death Rattle’s next performance cut through the awkward exchange, did they like concerts? Latesha spoke up. “We like MUSIC, not sure that counts.” Looking at the tannoy from which the announcement of the latest performance had been made. Stephanie opened her mouth to agree, just as the child dropped their toy and she watched Tim scurry to retrieve it. ‘Sweet kid’.
Stephanie nodded towards his somewhat obviously displayed physique with a wry smile, to be greeted with a punch on the arm. “Stephanie…he’s a BABY! What’s wrong with you?” Stephanie whispered back. “G-d I’m not going to DO anything, I’ve got…” the word stuck in her throat a bit “Dean.” Latesha gagged at the sound of his name. “So you’re going to babysit him in there?” She rolled her eyes at Stephanie.
Stephanie leaned back “Maybe”.
“You’ve lost it girl!” Latesha shot back.
“Who says I had it?”
“You’re crazy enough to date Dean”
“He’s built… for a kid.”
Latesha collapsed onto Stephanie’s shoulder with an exaggerate sigh, her arms limp. “You’re killing me.”-e-
Tim Drake: Tim returned to Latesha and Steph with a bit of a pant. “Sorry about that…So did you guys want to ride the teacups or would you rather swing--” Tim would turn around and point towards a pendulum ride that was swinging and spinning over and over with people screaming from it. Tim would seem oblivious to the mean and teasing comments made about him, even the comments about his father. But it wasn’t that he was ignoring them completely, his attention was focused on Stephanie and she wasn’t the one making fun of him - sure she giggled and snickered but, he couldn’t hold a grudge against her for it as he thought her smile was forth a little bit of his humility and perhaps dignity. He knew his father was a proud veteran and nothing would take that away from Tim or his father. [c]
Tim began walking backwards in front of Steph and Latesha, allowing him to examine how much he was taller than both of them; only by a slight amount, which made Tim’s immature side proud until the realization. [R} If they were in heels, they would probably look like they’re a whole foot taller than me…Man…Why do girls get to wear heels? She’ll think I’m more impressive if I’m tall, but I can’t be tall if she wears heels. And I’m sure she’ll wear them eventually - princesses wear heels...Which reminds me of prom…Can I ask her out to prom? When is prom night? Oh gosh…why am I thinking like this?] “So what grade are you two in? I’m going to be a junior when classes start up again.” [R} What’s wrong with me?...Since meeting the Spoiler, I’ve been thinking about girls a lot…Is this what they do to boys? Some kind of brainwashing? I don’t feel like I’m brain washed.] [c]
[R} Maybe its something to do with the fact I’m not so alone…Hope that I won’t be like Batman…Old and without a girlfriend or a wife…Spoiler kind of spoiled the world for me…Gosh, I’m glad she wasn’t here to hear me think that…She’d probably think its cheesey…Heh, I think it’s cheesey. So what? I like Stephanie but, I also like Spoiler…And I hardly know EITHER of them! Argh! Why are girls so hard to understand? How does Bruce separate himself from Batman? Or does Batman separate himself from Bruce Wayne? How does Bruce have a girlfriend that Batman doesn’t care for? Or does Batman have a girlfriend that doesn’t know about Bruce Wayne? Can I have a relationship with Stephanie and Spoiler? Is that considered cheating? I don’t know, if Spoiler had someone and had me, I don’t think that would be fair. I would treat her better than anyone…She’s had a rough life, I can sense it.]
Spoiler: There was something endearing, something of the enthusiastic puppy dog about him. As he bounced around them like an excitable spaniel. Bless him, he hadn’t even noticed the suggestion of the teacups was teasing. He was walking backwards watching them, or as Stephanie began to realise more and more…watching her. She began to feel a heat on her cheeks. ‘Oh G-d am I blushing?’ She flicked her head as if to swish the hair from her face and took the opportunity to break eye contact looking up at the pendulum. It was swinging very high, and the screams of terror and laughter were very loud. She could feel his gaze still on her and Latesha’s hand tugging at her arm. “I think…” she waved her hand towards the pendulum.
Stephanie heard the “Tchoh!” sound as Latesha tugged even more firmly on her arm “We’re Seniors, kid.”
“Going to be.” Stephanie added. Hell, was what? At most a year younger than her, hell the way the year worked he could be 3 weeks younger and still a grade apart. He was already talker than them, and he was endearingly boy-scout chipper, so different from Dean. Latesha was right, what had she been thinking of. .. Dean? Sheesh! She glanced back again, he was still looking at her, kind of intently, and his eyes didn’t waver, just looking at hers, not drifting downwards. ‘What are you thinking Steph?’
She took a step decisively towards the pendulum, this time tugging Latesha along. “Come on kiddo… Let’s get high.” –e-
Tim Drake: He stopped in his tracks as Steph and Latesha would seem to move towards the ride, he waited for the two to pass by him before he followed next to Stephanie. “Seniors, that sounds pretty cool. Any plans for what you want to study or go into?” They would arrive in the line where a small line allowing them to get on where Tim would try to sit next to Steph, it was by his luck the seats were four across. “I hope you two aren’t afraid of heights.” Tim’s gaze shifted between the two of them, as he became conscious of how much he was looking at Stephanie and kind of ignoring Stephanie’s friend. Tim would then share his thoughts on a career. “I was thinking of going into chemistry or maybe business when I graduate…I kind of wanted to be a police officer, too…I think they would have me in the cyber division because I’m pretty good with computers.”
A sound off would cue into their ears “Preparing for launch!” and suddenly they would feel the ride rumble and they would begin sinking backwards, a handle bar and railing was locked them down in their seats along with their seat belts, Tim’s hand would be planted in front of him calmly gripping as his imagination carried him off; [R} Suddenly I know what its like to be a Flying Grayson, gripping a trapeze and swinging across the sky like a free kid…This was nothing like swinging from the rooftops of Gotham with Batman, but it was still fun and exhilarating.] The pendulum raised them to the top of the swing where they would be able to see the immediate area of the park high above everyone when the words spoke. “Blast off!” And the ride flipped forward as a gale of wind washed across their faces and Tim forced his eyes shut from the blast of wind.
[R} My mask would’ve been handy right about now!] He grinned as he felt his face being pushed by the G-force and eventually the ride balanced out as they continued to spin and swing. Tim’s hand would slowly make it’s way down the railing towards Stephanie’s hand as Tim clenched the bar for stability. The horrifying screams of the other passengers would make anyone think they were being murdered on the spot. Even Latesha was screaming…perhaps to antagonize Steph or Tim. It was during one of the swings Tim would spot Ives and Sandra below, with Ives screaming up at Tim. “TIM!!!” barely able to hear what his friend was saying he would smile and wave.
Spoiler: He was babbling, a stream of words, a strange mixture of nervousness and yet a lack of self awareness, Stephanie glanced at him again half expecting his hand on the arm that Latesha was not squeezing with increasing urgency “Gag me” she whispered in Stephanie’s ear “He’s a child and he’s a nerd”. Stephanie hadn’t thought about the future, about college or work. It was hard to think beyond the immediate necessities. The past was a place of thoughts and memories better not visited, there had never really a been a future just waiting for Arthur to get arrested or waiting for him to come back. She’d taken action to remove him, but what was that void going to be filled with? Mom filled it with pills. She fought to shake off the thought. ‘Cute kid, you’ve got lots of choices’ What did she have? She loved the gym squad, it was good to learn but she didn’t stand out at anything she wasn’t exceptional at anything. She was … just Steph.
And then there was that day at the museum, beside one of the capes, one of the Bat Family. If nothing else that was something she’d done with her life. Just once. When she did something worth a damn and proved that whatever daddy was... she wasn’t…and yet.. hand’t she tried..
And then they were launched, and there was an exhilaration, like swinging and climbing in the museum with Red Robin, not the same but enough of the breathless feeling. She looked at his hand near hers on the bar. An inch perhaps and yet in a way a mile. Just a little boy. –e-
Tim Drake: The wind would blow and wash against their face as locks of Stephanie’s hair would brush across Tim’s face giving him a scent of her hair; not quite the same scent of Spoiler’s whose hair was dampened by the sweat of her anxiety and fear of failure. With the breeze he could barely pick up her scent, but when he did, a smile formed upon his lips. Ever oblivious to the social norms or the fact she saw him as a kid. It was only a minute or two later the ride came to an end and Tim’s hand didn’t make it to touching Stephanie’s unfortunately. Perhaps there was enough adventure or enough crushing in the moment. “Tim!” were the words from Ives as he waved for Tim’s attention. Tim’s blue gaze would fall upon his friend that wore a red shirt with white circle and a yellow lightning bolt struck through it. Ives hair was a bit spiky and short cut, behind him was Sandra who was making eyes at Tim from behind Ives’ back, she would seemingly ignore Latesha and Stephanie. [c]
Tim’s eyes shifted between the two as Ives wanted his attention and Sandra was…acting weird. [R} Why is she looking at me like that? I sit next to her in class and she doesn’t usually look at me like that.] “Tim! We’re going to see Death Rattle, you should come with us.” Tim paused and looked to Stephanie and Latesha. “Oh, well I-I…Stephanie and Latesha, this is my best friend Ives. Would you guys like to go with us to see the concert? I don’t want to abandon my friend…not that I don’t concern you a friend.” Tim’s hand reached out to grab Stephanie’s for a brief moment and then released it as he took a few more steps towards Ives.
Spoiler: Latesha was smiling even as she screamed and it made Stephanie smile too, and then it was all over, like all things seemed to be, a rush and then the quiet after and then the long wait. “He was reaching for your hand.” Her friend whispered to her, Stephanie could tell she was a little irritated at the intrusion, but even with the teasing she was careful not to be deliberately hurtful to the boy. “I know”. “Geez Steph are you becoming a cradle snatcher?” She spoke just enough to tease Stephanie without humiliating the boy in front of his friends.
Stephanie and Latesha looked at the new arrivals. “What are we opening a creche?” Latesha spoke a bit louder. But they both nodded in greeting to Ives and Sandra. The girl looked strange, glassy eyed. ‘High?’ Stephanie wondered? It was like the emptiness she had seen in her mother’s eyes and yet different. She nodded .
“La, there’s something wrong with that girl.” Latesha looked at her pointedly , but her expression relaxed rapidly, glancing back at them, she could see it too. “I don’t think these two will do anything to her.”
“No, It’s not them I’m worried about. But in there?” Stephanie nodded towards the Death Rattle poster. Latesh sighed, “OK, but you owe me… even more now. Ohmigod he just held your hand. Damnit Steph! Who knew you were a cougar?” Stephanie shoved her away playfully and then followed after Tim and his friends. “Sheesh... babysitting at a shock rock concert.” The two girls smiled at each other. “I’ll make it up to you” –e-
Tim Drake: Tim was far too concerned about making everyone happy to pay attention to Steph and Latesha’s whispering between each other or whatever Sandra was whispering to Ives. As they made their way towards the concert they would see think fog gush from the floor to appear mystic and strange. [R} Oh gosh…I hope they don’t suck…I’ll be forever known as the boy that took Stephanie to a crappy band…What would Bruce do? Take her to an Opera? Does Stephanie like opera? I think she would maybe like Gilbert and Sullivan. She seems like the nice kind of girl who likes to laugh.] Inside the concert room it was a place that semi-rounded with an audience seating curved around the room towards the stage that encompassed an entire section of the room. Fog littered the floor; whispers from the speakers across the room would seep into their ears…or was it really their ears?
{What lies beneath? What secrets do you hide? Tell me [Stephanie|Tim] What are your dreams? What would you sell your soul for?} They would all feel their eyes becoming a bit heavy when Ives looked at Tim to nudge him. “Hey, here’s ten bucks, can you get me a cherry coke? I don’t want to lose time with…you know?” Tim gave a half smile and nodded taking the money and standing up from his seat. He looked at Steph, Latesha, and Sandra. “Do any of you want anything?” Sandra then spoke up. “A hot dog…” Her words meant to be laced with seduction that seemed to pass over Tim’s head completely. Even Ives missed it, but Ives was also confused. “I thought you weren’t hungry for anything.” “I changed my mind.” Tim nodded. “Okay, so Cherry coke, Hotdog…” Tim looked at Steph and Latesha. “I’m going to get myself a cherry coke too, so I might need an extra hand.”
Death Rattle and Fear would spy upon the audience; Fear would spy upon Latesha and Stephanie and speak to his partner. “Mm…the Blonde one looks delicious…” Death Rattle would shake his head and point to Sandra. “She’s served her purpose…The blonde one can replace her…Sing to her when we start.” Fear would scurry about the back stage and begin to change his appearance by focusing on the entire audience…The figure of a hunched back and scrawny creature of a man would transform into a muscular Ted Nugent like rockstar Death Rattle would toy with his knife before sliding it into his thigh sheath to appear all the more rockstar-esque and badass to the young teenaged mind.
Spoiler: "You better, because this is going to to be a gallon sized bottle of suck.” Latesha laughed as they stumbled into the darkened auditorium. “You people are weird… first you listen to this pseudo norse metal crap… and then you SIT to do it.” Stephanie shrugged in response “You know its not my thing.” “Yeah you’re all jangly guitars, whiny boys or Adele mooing.” Latesha nudged her elbow but Stephanie’s response was reduced to sticking out her tongue. “Let the shouting commence”.
But it didn’t, fog rolled in and a quite rustling or whispering and a tiredness, quite unexpected settled over them. Stephanie’s eyes felt heavy and looking across at Latesha she could see her friend’s head starting to loll. She tretched her eyes wide trying to stay awake. ‘I don’t know, to not be like dad? TO be worth a damn?’ Whay was she thinking that? She was jostled as Tim got up beside her. “What? Yeah?” Stephanie looked at Latesha who seemed like she might actually be about to snore. Unlikely to last in the row that was about to happen. “Yeah I’ll give you a hand” She struggled from her seat, her limbs surpisingly heavy, and stumbling she grabbed ahold of Tim’s forearm “Where are we going?”. -e-
Tim Drake: What is underneath? I guess it’s the fact I’m really living my dreams. I’m Robin working alongside Batman! I’m not just living my dream; I’m living the dream of every American boy across the nation. I feel pretty good about that too.] Tim watched as Stephanie shot to awareness, but it was clear they were both pretty tired as their body movements were lazy, Tim was used to fighting fatigue - nights spent wanting to sleep as Batman pushed him to fight the urges - claimed that gasses and nerve agents would make him too helpless if he wasn’t prepared. Not that Tim believed him, it seemed logical though. Tim knew he should’ve gotten better sleep, so maybe some soda would wake him up. It was then Tim felt Stephanie grab his forearm and he froze with his lip quivering as she would stumble towards him. [R} My concept of relationship pace needs some work…If this were a movie we would probably be kissing right now…Oh gosh, is my life like a movie?]
Tim cleared his throat and would slide down the aisle pulling Stephanie with him. “I saw a snack stand outside only down the path…Like 20 feet or so.” As they went out of the concert building the fatigue would suddenly fade as sunlight struck their faces. Tim’s hand would hold onto Stephanie’s as she held his arm. He would feel extremely warm on the back of his shoulders as fear crept upon him. {Go back inside…Your friends will understand if you don’t want to miss the show. If you kiss her she will hate you…} Fear’s voice crept into Tim’s mind causing the Boy Wonder unmasked to wonder where the voice was coming from…it sounded like himself, but they were thoughts that didn’t seem like his own. It was then Tim realized he was just standing in front of the building holding Stephanie for who knows how long before Tim smiled at Steph and began walking towards the cart that he saw. “Sorry, I’m…I was up late studying and…I should’ve gotten more sleep.”
Stephanie would hear in her mind {Death Rattle is good…It’s not bad. Tim is good, and Tim likes Death Rattle…So you should like Death Rattle.} But as they ventured further away from the building the thoughts faded a lingering sense of doubt would fall on them.
Spoiler: She stumbled hard against him, clutching to his arm, her shoulder against his, he was surprisingly strong and so she let herself be led from the auditorium. Shaking her head to try to lose the drowsiness that seemed to have overtaken her. Her feet felt like lead and the call of the nice comfy seat was hard to ignore. “You sure you need help? I could do with sitting down a bit.”
They stepped out into the day, the heavy tiredness still on her and the alley seemed to extend in front of her like one of those crash zooms that crappy moves used to show shock. “20 feet, you said?” She shook her head again, the sunlight causing her to squinch up her eyes. ‘What use are you? Go back inside before you mess it up, you’ll probably just spill everything on him. Go back in and stay out of everyone’s way.’ She shook her head again. Well those were common enough thoughts, nothing new there.
She smiled back at him , their faces close, close enough she could feel his breath on her skin. Just a few moments ‘Cute kid, he likes that Death Rattle’ then he turned and they were walking hand in hand towards the cart, it cut through the thought like beams of sunlight through holes in the dark clouds. “Oh yes, yeah I.. didn’t sleep too well either… hayfever.. probably… or maybe just all that smoke.” –e-
Story By: Batman and Spoiler
Heroes: Red Robin, Spoiler
Villains: Death Rattle, Fear
Exposition:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlTRcMowLkc
Gotham City, 1988…December 25th. The candles in Wayne manor were lit throughout the house positioned by every window in a colonial like tradition. Bruce Wayne sat upon the living room sofa staring at the framed picture of Thomas and Martha Wayne. “Merry Christmas, Mother and Father…” -He sniffled as he tried to swallow the pain of their deaths. It was then something he heard the crackling by the window…it sounded of rocks against plastic, swirling around the rattle that began to pique the curiosity of a young boy as he took steps closer towards a window where the rattling got louder. With little effort he opened the window to feel the cool air breeze against his face as the warm air was sucked out. The howl of the wind filled his ears with the faintest sound of a rattle, Bruce could feel his heart racing when a loud thump jolted him to life as the window swung up and slammed against the outside wall. With futility the young boy reached his short arm out grab the window and close it, but he had no success due to his small body. With determination he crawled onto the window sill and held onto the frame, reaching an arm out to grab the window with success. He felt the bitter cold chilling him when he heard a booming voice.- “Master Bruce!” Bruce jumped back to life as his attention shifted back to Alfred standing across the room in attention. “What are you doing? Mr. Thomas and Ms. Rachel are” “I…I opened the window and it blew-…” Alfred began approaching when a masked figured leapt from behind Bruce and wrapped their arms around him. The crackling of the rattle prompted Alfred to pause and search for the sign of a snake that the man may have had on them. “Let him go!” Alfred forced out staring down the man with the intensity of a protective father. The man would speak with amusement in a soft and meek tone. “The world spins upon the stars, rattle us do they not bite? They bite and we obey or death comes at the rising sun.” In a moment of confusion Alfred replied. “What?” And with that the masked man jumped out the window carrying Bruce Wayne with him…
Part One: Spoiled Youth
Gotham City, 2012…The loud 16 bit music scratchy and bleeped with musical enthusiasm as flashing lights and colorful animation of space were brought to life at the carnival grounds. Tim Drake’s hands gripped the ray gun and shot rampantly at the arcade screen in front of him while his best friend Ives joined in and shot as well. “I told you this is different than playing World of Warcraft!” were the words Ives let out. “So, you know that girl who sits beside you in 2nd period?” Tim nodded. “Yeah, Sandra…She seems nice.” “I want to ask her out. But she likes this weird kind of music…” “Katy Perry?” Were Tim’s words as he began stuffing quarters into the machine and pressing the start button. “Nothing like THAT…But like this satanic like crap. About praising God and life after death…” Tim furrowed his eyebrows and gave a half frown. “You do know there’s a difference between holy and satanic, right?” “Yeah, yeah, I know Tim…But its some kind of weird band called ‘Death Rattle’ and they sing about some weird stuff. She’s pretty into it, so I’m thinking I should at least TRY to hear it before assuming its crap.”
Tim shrugged. “If she likes it and you like her, why not?” were Tim’s words prompting Ives to grin and nod. “Yeah, maybe she’ll like my comic book collection too…Speaking of…Are you going to ask Christina out? I’m telling you, she totally likes you. I heard some of the girls talk about sitting next to you at lunch…” “Ives, I’m…not really that much into girls right now.” Ives would take a step back. “Are you gay?” Tim would lower the gun and look at Ives with a blush coming to his face. “No. I’m not gay. It’s just…there’s a lot on my mind…I don’t have time for girls and I don’t even know her.” “Christina? You two have been in the same classes for 2 years, how do you not know her?...Unless you’re talking about someone else?” Ives grinned and elbowed Tim. “Who is she? Is it that Spoiler girl?” Tim would press his lips firmly together in a brooding expression to take a vow of silence while Ives jumped up with laughter. “Ha! You like her! You should ask her out! I mean you two both have masks and costumes that you have in common, nowhere like me and Sandra.” Tim would growl. “Could you keep it down? I don’t want the WHOLE world knowing.” Ives nodded. “Sorry. So, you said she was blonde…Did she look like a kid from our school?” Tim shook his head. “There are a lot of girls who are blonde and go to our school…I can’t exactly ask ALL of them. Besides she might have a boyfriend anyway.”
It was amongst the crowds of people, cheerful laughter and amusement, clowns, and costumed gigantic animals made sounds and looked absurd. Parents and children, teenagers, and the lot walked from one ride to another. Sandra and Christina were walking together as Christina was checking her phone. “Oh my…You won’t believe this on Twitter, Game of Thro…” Sandra would interrupt Christina and wave for her towards the animal show. “Here it is. Death Rattle will be performing live! Lets go!” Sandra dragged Christina with both of them giggling some as they raced into the building marked with a large snake upon the sign ‘Death Rattle live’ were the words marked upon the sign. Electrical guitar and animals maneuvering and dancing in a Marilyn Manson like fashion as a lanky skinned man sung the lyrics in a raspy voice with black lipstick, bare chest and sweaty brown locks of hair falling to his shoulders. “Purify us with your sin; purify us with your bite. Welcome to the serpent’s garden little Eve. Stay until Dawn and forever we’ll be gone…” Christina would begin to feel uncomfortable as the crowd seemed to cheer at the psychotic theme of the band.
Christina stared for a moment when suddenly her eyes locked with Death Rattle’s singer and she could hear him speaking to her. ~Welcome Eve, taste my treat and you will be my sweet. We’re all damned here anyway, but I’d be damned with you any day. Take my sin and I will take you in. Let’s f*** for eternity, that’s how long sins last. If it’s true then I know it will be a blast with you.~ Christina felt suddenly warm and the urge to listen to everything this man had to say forcing the young girl to blush. The words seemed to be hypnotic and brought the girl into a trance. It would be minutes later that as the crowd left she and Sandra were among the many fans left behind to meet the band leader. Promptly Death Rattle’s eyes settled upon Christina and took her hand. “Please, kids if you’d all follow me…” He began to walk back stage where he reached to the staircase leading up to the stage itself. He revealed a trap door and grinned at the lot of eight kids. “Come on in…It’s where we hang out.” Death Rattle held Christina’s hand the entire time leading her into the basement with all of the teenagers, closing the door behind them. A rocker dude sat smoking before all of them. A cauldron of fog sat in the center of couches and pillows. “Have a seat kids.” Death Rattle nodded to the band member and took Christina into private quarters where they immediately began kissing; his hands groped her, her whines echoed as his hand reached out to the night stand to grab a knife. Her screams of pleasure would go ignored as the group of hypnotized teenagers was far too interested in drowning out the world with cigarettes, music, alcohol, and drugs…
Spoiler:
"Valentine is done
Here but now they're gone
Romeo and Juliet
Are together in eternity, Romeo and Juliet
Forty thousand men and women everyday, Like Romeo and Juliet
Forty thousand men and women everyday, Redefine happiness
Another forty thousand coming everyday, We can be like they are
Come on baby, don't fear the reaper
Baby take my hand, don't fear the reaper
We'll be able to fly, don't fear the reap…"
It cut out.
Stephanie pulled the earphones and looked at her iPod. She called it her iPod but neither she nor mom could have afforded Apple, and so she turned over the light pink Chinese made and unbranded MP3 player, with an air of disappointment.
“Dang! I only just charged it.” She tossed it into her bag in resignation and sighed, looking up at the rooftops and remembering how she had skimmed them with Red Robin. Hell, he probably had a Bat-iPod, a crooked smile crossed her face as she imagined how many gadgets something like that might have, before slipping into a frown as she remembered what she had tried to do, what he had talked her out of. G-d knew what he thought of her. Whether he thought of her trying to strangle Cluemaster or helping save the children in the museum. Whether he thought of her at all.
‘Probably safer walking without my ears all plugged up anyway’. A hand firmly clipped her round the back of her head, causing her hair to flap. “What the?” Stephanie’s hand balled into a fist almost instantly, as it had so many times at home.
“Quit your moping girl!” Latesha’s broad smile was suddenly in her face.
“Just thinking about crap.”
“Well let’s get your mind off that and have some fun, head over to the Mile maybe?” Latesha’s enthusiasm was always infectious.
“I don’t know” Stephanie shuffled her feet.
“Don’t make me smack you in the head again.” Latesha hooked her arm in Stephanie’s and they began walking toward the Bus stop. “We’ll go see what rides they have. Go see what the fortune teller has to say about getting you away from the loser Dean, and then we’ll see if the Hall of Mirrors can put some curves on that skinny ass of yours.” –e-
Tim Drake: The cries from Christina would go louder within the basement but, the walls would prevent her cries of ecstasy to escape. Her head felt high as her mind raced joy even as a knife penetrated her bare chest and the puncturing hole popped her lungs with a joyful crackle that made Death Rattle grin with excitement. His accomplice would enter the room and lick his lips seeing the young girl dying. Death Rattle would dismissively wave her off of himself. “She’s yours, Fear.” Fear would approach Christina’s body and lick her arm to taste her and the salty flavor before picking up the girl and carrying her into the kitchen where he placed her into a large pot of boiling soup. Snickering as he went to work on fixing her up for dinner. Death Rattle would approach his followers and begin to wave his hands gently to all of them. “You all see this greatness? It’s our job to share with everyone our gift…Kids your age deserve to be treated as adults…Death Rattle is empowering to you. [c]
You take care of us, so we take care of you…Some of you will be selected to go out and tell others of our generosity. You may leave now…” Sandra stood up along with two other women and began leaving the room to head towards the carnival once again. It was as Sandra was walking through the amusement ground that Ives saw her and began smiling like an idiot, when Sandra’s eyes caught his she smiled back at him. Tim would shove Ives in the arm. “Dude!” Ives jumped and saw the screen covered in aliens with the Game over sign across it. “Ohh…man. I’m sorry I saw Sandra!” Ives bounced some on his heels. “Can I…Can I go and invite her over or um…should I follow her? She smiled at me…” Tim half frowned and then forced a smile. “Alright…I’ll just…um…Go play DDR over there. Don’t go too far, Ives. This is still Gotham City.” Ives nodded and gave Tim a hug. [c]
“Thanks bro. See you in a bit! I’ll tell you everything, I promise.” Ives bounced off on his heels to chase after Sandra while Tim placed his hands into his pair of blue jean shorts, his white shirt had red shoulders striped up to the neck. The sleeves were perhaps too small for his biceps as they displayed his muscles that weren’t typical of a geek, but looked comparable to a teenaged athlete. Stepping onto the DDR pad, Tim looked over the songs to decide what he wanted to dance to.
Spoiler: The bus ride over was sticky and unpleasant and smelly, a smell of cigarette butts, stale beer and urine, made worse by the stagnant air in the bus and the sweltering heat which seemed to close them in. Yet Latesha didn’t seem to mind, she babbled the whole journey about Don and Julius, about the cheerleaders, about how fake Kelly was and how she’d seen Kelly looking jealously at Stephanie’s natural blonde and fiddling with her own bottle blonde. So that Stephanie found herself carried away by her companion’s enthusiasm. It was hard not to, and even in the close and unpleasant bus, Latesha’s company made it worthwhile.
The sky was glowing even before the bus reached the Northern Mile and as the bus pulled up Latesha was dragging her out by the hand and towards the lights towards the turnstiles, Latesha soon had her purse out and was through the turnstiles in a moment looking back at Stephanie with expectation. Stephanie shrugged.
“Stephanie, I swear, you never have anything. I’ll spot you, but you owe me for this” and then Latesha was leaning back across the turnstile waving 10 spot in front of Stephanie’s nose and then tugging her almost hungrily through the gate. ”The Carnivale!”
“And combined unnatural museum” muttered Stephanie under her breath. But her Latesha was heedless and already dragging Stephanie deeper into the carnival, she couldn’t help but be swept along by her friend’s enthusiasm.
“Oh look Candy” And then Stephanie was dragged again until they found themselves in front of the Hall of Mirrors and Latesha was bobbing up and down as the mirrors distorted them. She looked across at Stephanie in her torn jeans and baggy plaid shirt and sighed. “Ain’t no magic mirror going to give you shape in those baggy pants and broke down lumberjack shirt.”
They turned their back on the Hall of Mirrors and looked at the building now front of them in front of them, marked by a huge snake and in jagged ‘spooky’ writing the words ‘Death Rattle Live”. Both the girls shuddered.
“Death Rattle?”
“Dean says they’re a cynically manufactured shock band” Stephanie looked back at her friend.
“Ugh you people and your ‘music’.” But Latesha was laughing again and the girls were running off towards the rides.
Tim Drake: It would be minutes and what would feel like gallons of sweat later that Tim would step off the DDR machine and begin walking with a tingling of numbness in his legs as he began walking into the crowd his shoulder would bump into someone else and fall towards Stephanie, his right arm would attempt to wrap around her while his left arm would grab hold of a nearby fence to stop them from falling onto the ground. If they did collide and stumble, Tim would be holding her dipped down like a royal ballroom dance where the man would dip his partner backwards and kiss her over his knee. The angle would’ve felt thrilling, scary, and perhaps awkward, but his strength would hold both of them up before Tim pushed to pick them both up right. “Ohh…I’m sorry, someone bumped into me.” [c]
Tim would stare at her face and instantly found her beautiful. Her blonde hair meant nothing to him in terms of the vigilante Spoiler, but the idea of meeting this girl here and now seemed like a strange dream he never knew he wanted. “My names Tim!” He interjected and gave her a smile, he knew how bumping into people was - it was fast paced, people were in a rush to go places and didn’t really care about the person they ran into, giving them a passing apology before moving on. Tim had felt such an attraction that he didn’t want that with this girl, she looked slightly older, maybe she was greatly older than him, but his blue eyes never left reading hers. He gave her a friendly smile. “I was ditched by my friend…would you mind if I tagged along with you?”
Spoiler: The Waltzer had left them dizzy, almost enough at times to make Stephanie want to barf, but she’d held onto her dinner and though they had started walking arm in arm, their slight unsteadiness had caused them to bump hips just a few too many times so that now she and Latesha walked slightly apart back towards the centre of the Carnival?
“Cotton Candy?” Latesha ventured?
And then there was a very firm bump and, already a little unsteady, Stephanie was suddenly teetering, tipping backwards, her back arched, only one foot on the floor as a firm arm wrapped around her waist and she found herself leaning back in a boy’s arms as his face, a handsome face with short spikey black hair leaned over her with what seemed to be a somewhat sheepish expression.
He was, it seemed, a little younger, maybe a grade below as she herself was young for her grade. Blue eyes, sharp and clear and inquisitive met her own, and though for a moment she felt as if she should be offended at what seemed to be his forwardness, for some reason she wasn’t.
“Uh sure you were.” But his hand really was clasping onto the fence ‘Hey I’m not that heavy!’ she thought for a moment. Maybe it was innocent. She allowed him to pull her upright. He was stronger than most of the boys their age, but as she regained her feet and readied to swing just in case he tried to cop a feel. He didn’t. “Well.. uh.. Hi Tim, I’m Stephanie, my friend’s..” she glanced across at Latesha who was already shaking her head. “Latesha... um join? … us?”
“Ixnay on the idkay!” Latesha muttered, her eyes shooting daggers.
There was something about him, her own eyes narrowed, something about his arm around her that felt… something. –e-
Tim Drake: He heard her name and gave another smile as he repeated it. “Stephanie, nice to meet you. I hope I’m not being too forward…It’s just my Dad gets worried if I’m alone...I know he’s not here but, there’s good reason right? This is Gotham City, not exactly the safest place in the world…” Tim would seem a bit naïve, but on the other hand he would seem knowledgeable of crime rates. “Have you guys gone on any rides or checked out the Arcade? I’m typically a gamer, I love video games and comic books…Uhh.” It would happen in a moment where a loud speaker would announce “Ten minutes until the next showing of Death Rattle live.” Tim would observe and comment to himself. “I guess I know where Ives will be in ten minutes…” Tim looked at Stephanie and Lateesha. “Do you guys like Concerts?” Tim watched for a moment as a baby dropped their stuffed animal and its parents kept walking. [c]
Tim scurried forward to grab it and then bounced on his feet with acrobatic agility holding his hand out to the parents. “Excuse me…Your baby dropped this from their coaster.” The movement would give Stephanie and Lateesha a decent view of Tim’s physique and backside.
Spoiler: Both girls reacted by a tensing, Latesha’s hand tightened on Stephanie’s arm as she stifled her giggle slightly less successfully that Stephanie did, hiding her face a moment in Stephanie’s hair. “Baby can’t go out without his daddy’s say so”. Stephanie subdued the sound but her face slipped into a lopsided smile. “Well Hi... Tim.” She lightly over-pronounced ‘Tim’ “No... it’s not the safest, are you sure you want two girls protecting you though?” Latesha to clutched her arm more tightly again. “Ohh a game… and .. comic books? We’ve been riding the rides, maybe you might like the Teacups?” Latesha couldn’t hold on any longer, a snort escaping her into Stephanie’s hair.
The noise of the announcement of Death Rattle’s next performance cut through the awkward exchange, did they like concerts? Latesha spoke up. “We like MUSIC, not sure that counts.” Looking at the tannoy from which the announcement of the latest performance had been made. Stephanie opened her mouth to agree, just as the child dropped their toy and she watched Tim scurry to retrieve it. ‘Sweet kid’.
Stephanie nodded towards his somewhat obviously displayed physique with a wry smile, to be greeted with a punch on the arm. “Stephanie…he’s a BABY! What’s wrong with you?” Stephanie whispered back. “G-d I’m not going to DO anything, I’ve got…” the word stuck in her throat a bit “Dean.” Latesha gagged at the sound of his name. “So you’re going to babysit him in there?” She rolled her eyes at Stephanie.
Stephanie leaned back “Maybe”.
“You’ve lost it girl!” Latesha shot back.
“Who says I had it?”
“You’re crazy enough to date Dean”
“He’s built… for a kid.”
Latesha collapsed onto Stephanie’s shoulder with an exaggerate sigh, her arms limp. “You’re killing me.”-e-
Tim Drake: Tim returned to Latesha and Steph with a bit of a pant. “Sorry about that…So did you guys want to ride the teacups or would you rather swing--” Tim would turn around and point towards a pendulum ride that was swinging and spinning over and over with people screaming from it. Tim would seem oblivious to the mean and teasing comments made about him, even the comments about his father. But it wasn’t that he was ignoring them completely, his attention was focused on Stephanie and she wasn’t the one making fun of him - sure she giggled and snickered but, he couldn’t hold a grudge against her for it as he thought her smile was forth a little bit of his humility and perhaps dignity. He knew his father was a proud veteran and nothing would take that away from Tim or his father. [c]
Tim began walking backwards in front of Steph and Latesha, allowing him to examine how much he was taller than both of them; only by a slight amount, which made Tim’s immature side proud until the realization. [R} If they were in heels, they would probably look like they’re a whole foot taller than me…Man…Why do girls get to wear heels? She’ll think I’m more impressive if I’m tall, but I can’t be tall if she wears heels. And I’m sure she’ll wear them eventually - princesses wear heels...Which reminds me of prom…Can I ask her out to prom? When is prom night? Oh gosh…why am I thinking like this?] “So what grade are you two in? I’m going to be a junior when classes start up again.” [R} What’s wrong with me?...Since meeting the Spoiler, I’ve been thinking about girls a lot…Is this what they do to boys? Some kind of brainwashing? I don’t feel like I’m brain washed.] [c]
[R} Maybe its something to do with the fact I’m not so alone…Hope that I won’t be like Batman…Old and without a girlfriend or a wife…Spoiler kind of spoiled the world for me…Gosh, I’m glad she wasn’t here to hear me think that…She’d probably think its cheesey…Heh, I think it’s cheesey. So what? I like Stephanie but, I also like Spoiler…And I hardly know EITHER of them! Argh! Why are girls so hard to understand? How does Bruce separate himself from Batman? Or does Batman separate himself from Bruce Wayne? How does Bruce have a girlfriend that Batman doesn’t care for? Or does Batman have a girlfriend that doesn’t know about Bruce Wayne? Can I have a relationship with Stephanie and Spoiler? Is that considered cheating? I don’t know, if Spoiler had someone and had me, I don’t think that would be fair. I would treat her better than anyone…She’s had a rough life, I can sense it.]
Spoiler: There was something endearing, something of the enthusiastic puppy dog about him. As he bounced around them like an excitable spaniel. Bless him, he hadn’t even noticed the suggestion of the teacups was teasing. He was walking backwards watching them, or as Stephanie began to realise more and more…watching her. She began to feel a heat on her cheeks. ‘Oh G-d am I blushing?’ She flicked her head as if to swish the hair from her face and took the opportunity to break eye contact looking up at the pendulum. It was swinging very high, and the screams of terror and laughter were very loud. She could feel his gaze still on her and Latesha’s hand tugging at her arm. “I think…” she waved her hand towards the pendulum.
Stephanie heard the “Tchoh!” sound as Latesha tugged even more firmly on her arm “We’re Seniors, kid.”
“Going to be.” Stephanie added. Hell, was what? At most a year younger than her, hell the way the year worked he could be 3 weeks younger and still a grade apart. He was already talker than them, and he was endearingly boy-scout chipper, so different from Dean. Latesha was right, what had she been thinking of. .. Dean? Sheesh! She glanced back again, he was still looking at her, kind of intently, and his eyes didn’t waver, just looking at hers, not drifting downwards. ‘What are you thinking Steph?’
She took a step decisively towards the pendulum, this time tugging Latesha along. “Come on kiddo… Let’s get high.” –e-
Tim Drake: He stopped in his tracks as Steph and Latesha would seem to move towards the ride, he waited for the two to pass by him before he followed next to Stephanie. “Seniors, that sounds pretty cool. Any plans for what you want to study or go into?” They would arrive in the line where a small line allowing them to get on where Tim would try to sit next to Steph, it was by his luck the seats were four across. “I hope you two aren’t afraid of heights.” Tim’s gaze shifted between the two of them, as he became conscious of how much he was looking at Stephanie and kind of ignoring Stephanie’s friend. Tim would then share his thoughts on a career. “I was thinking of going into chemistry or maybe business when I graduate…I kind of wanted to be a police officer, too…I think they would have me in the cyber division because I’m pretty good with computers.”
A sound off would cue into their ears “Preparing for launch!” and suddenly they would feel the ride rumble and they would begin sinking backwards, a handle bar and railing was locked them down in their seats along with their seat belts, Tim’s hand would be planted in front of him calmly gripping as his imagination carried him off; [R} Suddenly I know what its like to be a Flying Grayson, gripping a trapeze and swinging across the sky like a free kid…This was nothing like swinging from the rooftops of Gotham with Batman, but it was still fun and exhilarating.] The pendulum raised them to the top of the swing where they would be able to see the immediate area of the park high above everyone when the words spoke. “Blast off!” And the ride flipped forward as a gale of wind washed across their faces and Tim forced his eyes shut from the blast of wind.
[R} My mask would’ve been handy right about now!] He grinned as he felt his face being pushed by the G-force and eventually the ride balanced out as they continued to spin and swing. Tim’s hand would slowly make it’s way down the railing towards Stephanie’s hand as Tim clenched the bar for stability. The horrifying screams of the other passengers would make anyone think they were being murdered on the spot. Even Latesha was screaming…perhaps to antagonize Steph or Tim. It was during one of the swings Tim would spot Ives and Sandra below, with Ives screaming up at Tim. “TIM!!!” barely able to hear what his friend was saying he would smile and wave.
Spoiler: He was babbling, a stream of words, a strange mixture of nervousness and yet a lack of self awareness, Stephanie glanced at him again half expecting his hand on the arm that Latesha was not squeezing with increasing urgency “Gag me” she whispered in Stephanie’s ear “He’s a child and he’s a nerd”. Stephanie hadn’t thought about the future, about college or work. It was hard to think beyond the immediate necessities. The past was a place of thoughts and memories better not visited, there had never really a been a future just waiting for Arthur to get arrested or waiting for him to come back. She’d taken action to remove him, but what was that void going to be filled with? Mom filled it with pills. She fought to shake off the thought. ‘Cute kid, you’ve got lots of choices’ What did she have? She loved the gym squad, it was good to learn but she didn’t stand out at anything she wasn’t exceptional at anything. She was … just Steph.
And then there was that day at the museum, beside one of the capes, one of the Bat Family. If nothing else that was something she’d done with her life. Just once. When she did something worth a damn and proved that whatever daddy was... she wasn’t…and yet.. hand’t she tried..
And then they were launched, and there was an exhilaration, like swinging and climbing in the museum with Red Robin, not the same but enough of the breathless feeling. She looked at his hand near hers on the bar. An inch perhaps and yet in a way a mile. Just a little boy. –e-
Tim Drake: The wind would blow and wash against their face as locks of Stephanie’s hair would brush across Tim’s face giving him a scent of her hair; not quite the same scent of Spoiler’s whose hair was dampened by the sweat of her anxiety and fear of failure. With the breeze he could barely pick up her scent, but when he did, a smile formed upon his lips. Ever oblivious to the social norms or the fact she saw him as a kid. It was only a minute or two later the ride came to an end and Tim’s hand didn’t make it to touching Stephanie’s unfortunately. Perhaps there was enough adventure or enough crushing in the moment. “Tim!” were the words from Ives as he waved for Tim’s attention. Tim’s blue gaze would fall upon his friend that wore a red shirt with white circle and a yellow lightning bolt struck through it. Ives hair was a bit spiky and short cut, behind him was Sandra who was making eyes at Tim from behind Ives’ back, she would seemingly ignore Latesha and Stephanie. [c]
Tim’s eyes shifted between the two as Ives wanted his attention and Sandra was…acting weird. [R} Why is she looking at me like that? I sit next to her in class and she doesn’t usually look at me like that.] “Tim! We’re going to see Death Rattle, you should come with us.” Tim paused and looked to Stephanie and Latesha. “Oh, well I-I…Stephanie and Latesha, this is my best friend Ives. Would you guys like to go with us to see the concert? I don’t want to abandon my friend…not that I don’t concern you a friend.” Tim’s hand reached out to grab Stephanie’s for a brief moment and then released it as he took a few more steps towards Ives.
Spoiler: Latesha was smiling even as she screamed and it made Stephanie smile too, and then it was all over, like all things seemed to be, a rush and then the quiet after and then the long wait. “He was reaching for your hand.” Her friend whispered to her, Stephanie could tell she was a little irritated at the intrusion, but even with the teasing she was careful not to be deliberately hurtful to the boy. “I know”. “Geez Steph are you becoming a cradle snatcher?” She spoke just enough to tease Stephanie without humiliating the boy in front of his friends.
Stephanie and Latesha looked at the new arrivals. “What are we opening a creche?” Latesha spoke a bit louder. But they both nodded in greeting to Ives and Sandra. The girl looked strange, glassy eyed. ‘High?’ Stephanie wondered? It was like the emptiness she had seen in her mother’s eyes and yet different. She nodded .
“La, there’s something wrong with that girl.” Latesha looked at her pointedly , but her expression relaxed rapidly, glancing back at them, she could see it too. “I don’t think these two will do anything to her.”
“No, It’s not them I’m worried about. But in there?” Stephanie nodded towards the Death Rattle poster. Latesh sighed, “OK, but you owe me… even more now. Ohmigod he just held your hand. Damnit Steph! Who knew you were a cougar?” Stephanie shoved her away playfully and then followed after Tim and his friends. “Sheesh... babysitting at a shock rock concert.” The two girls smiled at each other. “I’ll make it up to you” –e-
Tim Drake: Tim was far too concerned about making everyone happy to pay attention to Steph and Latesha’s whispering between each other or whatever Sandra was whispering to Ives. As they made their way towards the concert they would see think fog gush from the floor to appear mystic and strange. [R} Oh gosh…I hope they don’t suck…I’ll be forever known as the boy that took Stephanie to a crappy band…What would Bruce do? Take her to an Opera? Does Stephanie like opera? I think she would maybe like Gilbert and Sullivan. She seems like the nice kind of girl who likes to laugh.] Inside the concert room it was a place that semi-rounded with an audience seating curved around the room towards the stage that encompassed an entire section of the room. Fog littered the floor; whispers from the speakers across the room would seep into their ears…or was it really their ears?
{What lies beneath? What secrets do you hide? Tell me [Stephanie|Tim] What are your dreams? What would you sell your soul for?} They would all feel their eyes becoming a bit heavy when Ives looked at Tim to nudge him. “Hey, here’s ten bucks, can you get me a cherry coke? I don’t want to lose time with…you know?” Tim gave a half smile and nodded taking the money and standing up from his seat. He looked at Steph, Latesha, and Sandra. “Do any of you want anything?” Sandra then spoke up. “A hot dog…” Her words meant to be laced with seduction that seemed to pass over Tim’s head completely. Even Ives missed it, but Ives was also confused. “I thought you weren’t hungry for anything.” “I changed my mind.” Tim nodded. “Okay, so Cherry coke, Hotdog…” Tim looked at Steph and Latesha. “I’m going to get myself a cherry coke too, so I might need an extra hand.”
Death Rattle and Fear would spy upon the audience; Fear would spy upon Latesha and Stephanie and speak to his partner. “Mm…the Blonde one looks delicious…” Death Rattle would shake his head and point to Sandra. “She’s served her purpose…The blonde one can replace her…Sing to her when we start.” Fear would scurry about the back stage and begin to change his appearance by focusing on the entire audience…The figure of a hunched back and scrawny creature of a man would transform into a muscular Ted Nugent like rockstar Death Rattle would toy with his knife before sliding it into his thigh sheath to appear all the more rockstar-esque and badass to the young teenaged mind.
Spoiler: "You better, because this is going to to be a gallon sized bottle of suck.” Latesha laughed as they stumbled into the darkened auditorium. “You people are weird… first you listen to this pseudo norse metal crap… and then you SIT to do it.” Stephanie shrugged in response “You know its not my thing.” “Yeah you’re all jangly guitars, whiny boys or Adele mooing.” Latesha nudged her elbow but Stephanie’s response was reduced to sticking out her tongue. “Let the shouting commence”.
But it didn’t, fog rolled in and a quite rustling or whispering and a tiredness, quite unexpected settled over them. Stephanie’s eyes felt heavy and looking across at Latesha she could see her friend’s head starting to loll. She tretched her eyes wide trying to stay awake. ‘I don’t know, to not be like dad? TO be worth a damn?’ Whay was she thinking that? She was jostled as Tim got up beside her. “What? Yeah?” Stephanie looked at Latesha who seemed like she might actually be about to snore. Unlikely to last in the row that was about to happen. “Yeah I’ll give you a hand” She struggled from her seat, her limbs surpisingly heavy, and stumbling she grabbed ahold of Tim’s forearm “Where are we going?”. -e-
Tim Drake: What is underneath? I guess it’s the fact I’m really living my dreams. I’m Robin working alongside Batman! I’m not just living my dream; I’m living the dream of every American boy across the nation. I feel pretty good about that too.] Tim watched as Stephanie shot to awareness, but it was clear they were both pretty tired as their body movements were lazy, Tim was used to fighting fatigue - nights spent wanting to sleep as Batman pushed him to fight the urges - claimed that gasses and nerve agents would make him too helpless if he wasn’t prepared. Not that Tim believed him, it seemed logical though. Tim knew he should’ve gotten better sleep, so maybe some soda would wake him up. It was then Tim felt Stephanie grab his forearm and he froze with his lip quivering as she would stumble towards him. [R} My concept of relationship pace needs some work…If this were a movie we would probably be kissing right now…Oh gosh, is my life like a movie?]
Tim cleared his throat and would slide down the aisle pulling Stephanie with him. “I saw a snack stand outside only down the path…Like 20 feet or so.” As they went out of the concert building the fatigue would suddenly fade as sunlight struck their faces. Tim’s hand would hold onto Stephanie’s as she held his arm. He would feel extremely warm on the back of his shoulders as fear crept upon him. {Go back inside…Your friends will understand if you don’t want to miss the show. If you kiss her she will hate you…} Fear’s voice crept into Tim’s mind causing the Boy Wonder unmasked to wonder where the voice was coming from…it sounded like himself, but they were thoughts that didn’t seem like his own. It was then Tim realized he was just standing in front of the building holding Stephanie for who knows how long before Tim smiled at Steph and began walking towards the cart that he saw. “Sorry, I’m…I was up late studying and…I should’ve gotten more sleep.”
Stephanie would hear in her mind {Death Rattle is good…It’s not bad. Tim is good, and Tim likes Death Rattle…So you should like Death Rattle.} But as they ventured further away from the building the thoughts faded a lingering sense of doubt would fall on them.
Spoiler: She stumbled hard against him, clutching to his arm, her shoulder against his, he was surprisingly strong and so she let herself be led from the auditorium. Shaking her head to try to lose the drowsiness that seemed to have overtaken her. Her feet felt like lead and the call of the nice comfy seat was hard to ignore. “You sure you need help? I could do with sitting down a bit.”
They stepped out into the day, the heavy tiredness still on her and the alley seemed to extend in front of her like one of those crash zooms that crappy moves used to show shock. “20 feet, you said?” She shook her head again, the sunlight causing her to squinch up her eyes. ‘What use are you? Go back inside before you mess it up, you’ll probably just spill everything on him. Go back in and stay out of everyone’s way.’ She shook her head again. Well those were common enough thoughts, nothing new there.
She smiled back at him , their faces close, close enough she could feel his breath on her skin. Just a few moments ‘Cute kid, he likes that Death Rattle’ then he turned and they were walking hand in hand towards the cart, it cut through the thought like beams of sunlight through holes in the dark clouds. “Oh yes, yeah I.. didn’t sleep too well either… hayfever.. probably… or maybe just all that smoke.” –e-