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The fire breathing dragon made it the weirdest day Dick Grayson has ever had.
Someone opened portals to several different dimensions and now several cities are under attack from different villains. Dick was sure he even heard about a castle in Jump City.
Yay.
Blüdhaven was considered lucky, because there was no portal there.
Gotham was…not as lucky.
Dick let out a string of curse words as he and Jason dodged fire.
“I thought Firefly was bad! At least he didn’t want to eat us!” Dick said.
Duke shot light in the dragon’s eyes.
That distracted the dragon for a moment.
“We need to get it away from here.” Bruce yelled out.
Dick uses a lot of self control to not roll his eyes at the obvious statement.
He looked at the others.
They were hiding it well, especially Cass, but he could see exhaustion start to claw at them.
Stephanie landed beside him.
“Any luck?” Dick asked.
He expected Steph to have a sarcastic comment but she shook her head.
“Zatanna said the sword would work but I can’t get on its back.”
An idea popped into Dick’s head.
A very, very bad idea.
“Hey.” He said into the communication devices. “We need a distraction.”
He brought out his grappling hook, shot at a nearby rooftop, and offered her a hand.
Steph took his hand and he pressed a button.
They went flying as Duke put more light in the dragon’s eyes as Bruce and the others started attacking it from all sides, except for where Steph and Dick were coming from.
They landed on the dragon’s back and Steph stabbed the dragon.
Which, Dick will happily admit later, is really cool.
As the dragon falls, Dick and Steph get off the dragon.
“I would hate to be the guy who has to clean that up.” Duke said.
Dick chuckled but his foot got stuck on some car part.
Someone was coming over to help but he couldn’t look away from the dragon as it drew its last breath of fire towards him.
He heard Damian yell out, “Nightwing!”
Then he was in Titans Tower. Wally let go of him.
A million thoughts were rushing through his mind.
He turned to Wally, unsure of what to say.
Thank you. Take me back. How’s Central and Keystone?
Instead, stupidly, he asks, “Why are we here?”
Wally pulled down his cowl. “I don’t have a lot of time. I’ll tell the other Bats what’s going on, but—“
“We know what’s going on.”
Wally bites his lip and opened his mouth but is cut off by a voice Dick would recognize anywhere.
“Are you okay?” Donna asked. Roy and Garth were on either side of Donna.
“Wally saved me—thanks, by the way—but I’m a little confused on why we’re all here.”
Donna is unimpressed. “You didn’t tell him.”
“I was getting to that.” Wally defended.
Roy snorted. “Right.”
“You’re welcome to tell him.” Wally said.
“Tell me what?” Dick asked before an argument could break out.
The Titans love each other, but Dick knows from personal experience that also means they know exactly what buttons to push.
Donna spoke up. “We need you to—“
A voice yelling out “Uncle Dick!” was all the warning Dick got before he was being hugged tightly.
He hugged Lian back.
“Please tell my dad that we don’t need a babysitter.” She complained. “We can help!”
“It’s really dangerous—we?”
“Yeah. The others are downstairs. I’ll get them.”
“Lian.” Roy said. “You all are staying here and that’s final.”
Garth put a hand on Dick’s shoulder and spoke as Lian frowned. “We need you to watch them.”
“Everyone else is incredibly busy.” Wally added. “Linda is helping civilians.”
“I even saw Jade fighting something.” Roy said.
Dick took a breath. Okay.
“Blüdhaven is safe, and if anything one of my siblings or another Bat can swing over.” Dick started. “Speaking of…” Dick sent Wally a look.
The speedster was gone and back again in a moment.
“The Bats are all aware.”
Dick nodded and looked at Lian.
At this rate, she’s going to be taller than him by the time she’s seventeen.
She’s still frowning.
“We should tell the others we’re leaving.” Donna said.
Dick and the others walked to the living room.
Iris, Jai, Cerdian, and Robbie were all watching TV.
Dick could see that the kids were not happy about this situation.
“Hey.” Dick said. “Anything good on TV?”
Robbie turned with a smile and opened his mouth but Lian cut him off.
“He’s here to babysit us.”
The smile fell off Robbie’s face very quickly.
Irey gronaed. “We don’t need a babysitter!”
“We can help!” Jai added.
“I already tried that.” Lian said as she sat beside Irey.
“We already told you.” Donna said. “There’s fighting some rogues and then there’s fighting mythical creatures straight out of a book.”
The kids turned back to the TV.
“Do we have any idea who did this?” Dick whispered.
“Everyone is trying to figure that out but nothing so far.” Roy answered quietly.
“We better go.” Garth said.
They all said their goodbyes to the kids and Dick, who was suddenly reminded of something.
(Dick is nine and is sneaking out of his bedroom. It’s almost 10, meaning it’s almost time for the Dynamic Duo to make their appearance.
That would be the case if he wasn’t benched.
Still, he made it down to the Batcave.
“You should be in bed.” Bruce said—not looking away from the Bat computer.
“You should let me go out and help.” Dick countered.
“The Joker and Two-Face broke out. They’re too dangerous for you.”
“Come on, Bruce. You’ve been training me. I can take them.”
“The answer is no, Dick.”
Later that night, Dick will understand how dangerous Two-Face is.)
Dick shook himself out of his memories and sat down on a seat next to the couch.
Okay, Grayson. You can do this. You’ve led multiple teams and took care of Damian.
How hard can babysitting his nieces and nephews be?
“Uncle Dick?” Cerdian asked.
“Yup.” Dick answered.
“Why don't our parents trust us?”
Dick answered without hesitation. “They do trust you. It’s just too dangerous. Spoiler had to take out a dragon.”
Irey and Lian’s eyes both light up.
The two of them love all kinds of action and adventure. Dick probably shouldn’t have told them about a literal dragon.
They all turned back to the TV and Dick thought this would go pretty easily.
Of course, that’s when the power went out.
Dick sighed and then pulled a flashlight out from the drawer in the table by the couch and turned it on.
He took out one more flashlight and gave it to Lian, who turned it on.
“Okay. You all stay here, while I check out the power.”
They all nodded and Dick walked out of the living room to head downstairs to the basement.
The door opened with a loud noise and Dick put an object to stop the door from closing.
He walked down the stairs and found the power box.
Dick became suspicious when he saw it was burned completely but also had some glitter on it.
“Hello.” A voice said.
He didn’t hear any footsteps.
Dick held onto the flashlight and turned around.
Oh.
Oh, come on.
A fairy was flying in front of him.
The fairy had red hair, green skin, and a pink suit. The fairy’s wings were clear. The fairy was also wearing a too innocent expression for it to be genuine.
Dick needed to either get the kids out of here or get the fairy to leave.
“Hello.” The fairy repeated. “Do you want to be my friend?”
“Hi.” Dick said after a moment. “I would like to be your friend. Were you the one who turned off the power?”
The fairy nodded enthusiastically. “Yes!”
Dick nodded back, though with a more thoughtful but open demeanor. Best not to aggravate the fairy. “Why’d you do that?”
“So I could talk to the kids.” The fairy answered.
Dick fought very, very hard to not lose his open facial expression.
“Why do you want to talk to them?”
“Oh! I can’t tell you that.”
“Come on. We’re friends.” Dick gave the fairy a smile that he usually saved for galas.
It must’ve worked, because the fairy sighed. “Oh, okay. The leader wants them.”
Dick’s heart fell into his stomach.
“Well, they can’t go with you.” Dick hissed, losing all of his kindness.
The fairy shook her head. “I wasn’t asking.” She waved her hand and the door closed. “I’m taking them.”
“You have to get through me first.” Dick said, then hit the fairy with the flashlight.
The fairy groaned as she fell and Dick wasted no time running towards the stairs.
Something wrapped around his ankles and pulled, causing him to fall.
Dick turned to see a wand in the fairy’s hand and a spider web coming out of the wand.
Gross.
The fairy glared at him with all the anger of a being that was just hit with a flashlight.
“That hurt.” The fairy complained, then started to fly away towards the door.
Dick pulled his feet apart with all his strength and cut through the spider webs.
Dick got up and grabbed the fairy. The fairy bit him and he threw the fairy down once more.
He rushed up the stairs, ran through the door, then threw the door closed.
Dick got three steps away before the door exploded.
Dick doesn’t recommend upsetting a fairy. Despite popular belief, they aren’t very nice.
Dick had to be quick. The kids were always too curious for their own good and would come and see what the noise was.
He shined the light in the fairy’s eyes and ran to the other side of the room where the arts and crafts items lay forgotten.
Cerdian once tried to get everyone to do arts and crafts. It didn’t go nearly as badly as Dick thought it would.
It only ended with two fights—a new record.
The fairy clearly got better after the light ended and flew straight for Dick.
Dick waited. He had to time this perfectly.
He waited as he reached slowly for an empty Mason jar and then just when the fairy was about to bite him once more, he lifted up the jar and trapped the fairy and quickly sealed the lid.
The fairy immediately started to fight back but the jar was special. It had to withstand a Titan’s temper, so it had to be pretty strong.
The fairy started cursing at him in both languages he understood and ones he didn’t.
“Who’s your leader?” Dick demanded, getting straight to business.
The fairy made no motion to talk.
Dick frowned and after a moment, shook the jar then stopped.
The fairy groaned and cursed at him--once again in languages he understood and ones he did not.
“Who’s your leader?” Dick repeated his question and when it looked like the fairy would not say anything, he made a move to shake the jar again, but the fairy shook her head very fast.
Dick raised an eyebrow.
The fairy took a breath and said, “Our leader is Solar.”
Solar? Someone to do with the sun maybe.
Dick opened his mouth to ask another question when Irey ran to him at super speed. Dick held tightly to the jar, ready to tell her to go back upstairs when Dick noticed she looked distressed.
“Irey. What’s wrong?”
“Come quick.”
Dick did not have to be told twice. He put the jar on the arts and crafts table.
They rushed back to the living room to see a fight that was being lost. The kids were the ones losing.
There were trolls and, to make things seven times worse, Deathstroke was with them.
The enemy of Titans everywhere noticed him and called out to him, “Ah, Nightwing. I have been waiting.”
“Kids! Hiding places!” None of them listened. Lian and Cerdian were fighting the tallest trolls. Jai and Robbie were taking on the stronger looking ones. Irey is running circles around the last ones.
Dick sighed. Why are they not listening?
No time, Dick thought, as Deathstroke drew his sword and attacked. Dick met him in the middle.
Slade, being the terrible person he is, started to brag. “This is almost too easy! They were left alone by you. When you have to go back to your friends alone, it will destroy you!”
Dick was never one to back down from a challenge and met his sword with one of his weapons. “Someone else is making you do things.” He pushed on Slade’s sword with his weapon. “Do you ever make choices for yourself?”
Dick flipped out of the way as Deathstroke attempted to hit Dick’s head.
“I could say the same about you.”
Dick almost rolled his eyes. Here we go again. Dick quietly and quickly wonders if all his rogues and villains meet up and discuss how to annoy him best.
One of the trolls opens up a bag and throws it onto the ground. Deathstroke holds tightly onto Dick as the bag begins to open up and drag everything into it.
“Hold onto something!” Dick exclaimed.
He watched in horror as Cerdian was pushed in by the troll he was fighting. Jai fell next.
“Jai!” Dick heard Irey scream.
He had to go after them but he could not leave the other 3 to fight Slade, especially alone.
Deathstroke let go of him and fell freely into the bag.
Dick yelled, “No!” He could not protect Jai and Cerdian and Lian, Irey, and Robbie at the same time.
“Choices.” Slade yelled.
He could not see Deathstroke behind the mask but he would bet money Slade was smiling under his mask as he fell.
The trolls jumped after and the bag closed but before any of them could grab it, the bag disappeared in a flash of light.
Irey rushed to where the bag was and fell to the ground. “Jai? Cerdian?”
Dick internally sighed and sat beside her. “We will get them back.”
Lian glared at him as Irey started to let tears fall.
“Where were you?” Lian accused.
“I--”
“He had a fairy in a jar.” Irey answered.
Lian’s glare lost most of its heat but her frown stayed on her face.
Dick understood her.
She’s scared and confused. Dick understands that feeling better than most.
(Everything hurts. Two-Face did not go easy on Dick.
He groaned as he woke up.
Bruce saw him and frowned.
“That was beyond stupid.” Bruce hissed, letting go of his emotions for a moment.
“I was just trying to help---” Dick tried to explain but Bruce cut him off.
“You could have died!”
Dick paused. Bruce said nothing and left.
Dick wonders for the rest of the night if B ever makes mistakes.)
Dick took a breath then began. “I caught a fairy. We will get them back. That said, the next time I tell you to hide, you do it.”
“That’s not fair!” Robbie yelled.
“Deathstroke is too dangerous for you all.”
“We’re not little kids anymore. We can handle ourselves.” Lian argued.
Dick sighed. “I need to drop you off with Alfred--”
He was met with immediate arguments but one caught his ear.
“Our parents wanted you to watch us.” Lian whispered, all anger suddenly gone.
“I have to get them back but if I put you all in more danger--”
“Please, uncle Dick.” Irey said. “We’ll listen. We can help. We’ll listen, right?” She asked the other two kids, who nodded quickly.
Dick loved them. They are his nieces and nephews. He can not just---
His phone ringing cut off his thoughts.
Tim was calling him.
Dick answered. “Tim. What’s happening?”
“We’re planning but Alfred got hurt. Are you still needed there?”
Well. There goes that plan.
“Yes.” Dick answered.
“Okay. I’ll keep you updated.”
“Stay safe. Bye.”
“You, too. Bye.”
Tim hung up and Dick suddenly had three kids looking very hopeful.
Yay.
The first move is to figure out where the trolls and Slade took Jai and Cerdian.
The best way to do that? Talk to the fairy.
Dick took the three kids with him to the basement.
Robbie and Lian gasped at the sight of the fairy, who rolled her eyes in the jar.
When the fairy looked at the door, and most likely came to the conclusion that no one else was coming down the stairs, the fairy started laughing.
Irey glared at the fairy and rushed to the jar. “Where did the trolls take Jai and Cerdian?”
The fairy laughed but stopped when Irey shook the jar.
“Will everyone quit doing that?!” The fairy demanded.
“Can I have the jar?” Dick asked and Irey gave it to him. “If you want us to play nice, you have to help us out.”
Is this the best thing to teach the kids? Absolutely not, but they need the others back.
“I already told you! Our leader Solar wants them.”
“That does not answer where they are!” Lian exclaimed.
Robbie approached Dick and the fairy in the jar.
“What is your name?” Robbie asked.
The fairy paused. Then, “What?”
Robbie smiled a bit and the smile reminded Dick so much of Donna. “Your name?”
The fairy seemed to think about it for a moment. “My name is Wells.” She admitted.
“Hello Wells.” Robbie greeted the fairy. “My name is Robert but everyone calls me Robbie. Mom only calls me Robert when I am in trouble.”
“Oh.” The fairy said.
“Where are you from?”
“I do not remember. I was saved by Solar at a very young age.”
“Solar saved you?” Robbie wondered with an open and friendly expression.
The fairy nodded.
Dick put some pieces together. Saved at a young age?
“Is that what Solar does?” Dick asked, going back to his kind voice, but this time a bit more real. “Save young people?”
The fairy nodded, more happy. “He wants to help all young beings.”
Dick nodded. “Can you tell us how he does that?”
“He takes them to his castle.” The fairy answered.
Castle.
There is a castle at the edge of Jump City that was not there yesterday.
“The castle in Jump?” Robbie asked.
The fairy nodded with a smile.
“Okay, thank you.” Robbie said.
The fairy seemed confused.
“It is a term---”
“I know what thank you means, I studied many languages. I am just surprised.”
Dick nodded. “Are there traps set to keep people out?”
“Of course.” The fairy said simply.
“Right. Can you please come with us? Help us?”
The fairy seemed hesitant but glanced at Robbie and nodded. “I agree.”
They got ready and got a lot of weapons.
Dick gave Robbie the jar, and they all got in the Titan car.
This reminded Dick of the first time he truly understood Donna.
(The Teen Titans have their first person to get information from.
It was not going well.
Nobody could get through to the man.
Dick was ready to rush back in there and start threatening when Donna put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.
“Let me try again.” Donna said.
Dick nodded.
The boys watched as Donna did something none of them thought to do.
She went into the room and talked to him.
She got the information in ten minutes.
“Sometimes,” She later says, “Amazons need to be as kind as they are strong.”)
Dick supposed he forgot that idea.
Dick checked to make sure everyone was wearing their seatbelts and started to drive to the edge of the city.
The first trap came in the form of a pack of unicorns trying to chase them off the road.
“Release me.” Wells said. “I shall get them away.”
Robbie looked towards Dick, who nodded.
His nephew took off the jar and rolled down the window and let Wells fly away.
They watched as Wells flew in the eyes of the unicorns, sending them—
“Don’t look!” Dick called out and he saw everyone turn back out of the corner of his eye.
Good.
The kids don’t need to see a pack of unicorns fall off a cliff.
Wells came back into the window and sat on the jar.
Dick drove faster and thankfully so because as soon as he did, a new dragon— that is different from the one he and his family fought—came into the view of the driver’s mirror.
Dick is honestly too old for this.
He drove into different lanes and roads but the dragon followed.
“The dragon is getting closer!” Robbie yelled out.
“I can see that!” Dick yelled as he forced the car away from the fire the dragon shot at the car.
Dick moved to push the red button that Vic put in the car when they needed to go really fast.
“You can’t push the red button!” Lian called out. “All the movies say not to do that!”
“I think we’ll be okay.” Dick, once again, moved to push it when the dragon came close enough to hit the car and knock them around.
The car stopped and the dragon surrounded them.
“Uncle Dick! What do we do?!” Irey wondered.
The dragon’s eye came in front and opened its mouth.
“Everyone close their eyes.” Dick hit the blue button and a protection feature surrounded the outside of the car.
“Thank you so much, Vic.” Dick whispered.
The dragon unleashed fire and stopped.
The car was still standing and now it’s moving straight for the dragon’s stomach, who’s eyes widened.
Dick really hopes the kids’ eyes are closed.
He’s going to be cleaning the car after this. When they survive this.
“You can open your eyes now.” Dick called out.
Dick and the kids finally made it to the castle.
They reached a bridge that is over water.
“Dick.” A voice called out. “Come to us.”
The voice…that’s not possible. The voice sounded just like his mom.
“Come home, son.” A voice like his dad said.
Logically, Dick knows this is the work of sirens that are probably in the water.
Logic isn’t winning this fight.
Dick is fighting against getting out of the car very hard when he hears a voice.
“Mom?” Lian said from the back.
Dick shook his head. “Sirens. Everyone, cover your ears.”
He made sure they all covered their ears then started driving.
Robbie accidentally dropped the jar and moved his hands to pick it up.
“Robbie! Don’t!”
Too late, Robbie’s eyes went blank and with his strength, pulled off his seat belt, threw the car open, got out, and jumped into the water.
The girls screamed.
“Stay in the car.” Dick said and went after Robbie.
He jumped into the water and saw the sirens take Robbie away.
Dick moved to follow but he was surrounded and started to lose his breath.
He lost consciousness, feeling like a failure.
Dick woke up by being slapped in the face. He was tied up with a tie.
Slade is wearing his mask but he held himself easily.
Dick did the best idea that came to his mind. He spat in Slade’s face.
Slade punched him in the stomach.
“Uncle Dick!” A voice called out.
Dick looked up and saw Jai in some glass cell. Cerdian was in a cell made with fire. Robbie was in a cell made of something Dick doesn’t recognize.
The girls are not here.
“Solar is paying you, Deathstroke?” Dick asked.
“Ha! I don’t need him. I am getting revenge on the Titans. When I find the other two brats, it’s over.” Slade started to walk away. “I’ve never been one to go on and on. You’ll have to excuse me. I have some people to find.”
He left and Dick turned to the boys. “Are you all okay?”
They all nodded.
Lighting crackled and soon Irey was standing in front of them with Lian on her back.
Lian got off of Irey’s back.
Okay. Dick can work with this.
He got out of the tie and started to move to Cerdian. The fire surrounding the cell burned but saw a bucket nearby.
Dick turned to Irey. “Did you see any water? Other than the entrance?”
Irey nodded and took the bucket. Then she ran off. In a moment, she was back and threw the water in the bucket on the fire.
The fire went out.
Dick picked the lock.
“Where did you find the water?” Cerdian asked.
“Some random person is not going to have a warm bath.” Irey shrugged.
Dick held the bucket. “Jai. Turn away from the front and cover your head.”
Jai did what Dick said and Dick threw the bucket.
It broke.
Irey hugged her twin, who hugged her back.
Finally, Robbie spoke up, “I tried punching. It doesn’t work.”
“I think I can help.”
Wells came into the room with a giant key.
Dick opened the door with the key. “Thank you.”
Wells shrugged but Dick saw the kindness in her eyes.
“What do we do now?” Jai asked.
“I think we’re about to find out.” Dick said as a man in all yellow came into the room. He had a lot of mythical creatures with him.
The man glared at Dick.
“Kill him. Spare the young.”
Well.
Wells and the kids fought the creatures and Dick moved to fight someone who is most likely Solar.
“Why don’t you fight me yourself?” Dick taunted.
“I am Solar!” The man yelled. “Nothing is below me.”
He tried to punch Dick but the other man avoided.
He doesn’t have any powers, Dick realized.
Solar and Dick fought and Dick saw the creatures fall.
“NO!” Solar yelled. He tried to hit Lian but Dick pulled him back and forced him to the ground.
“How do we stop this?” Dick demanded.
“I am saving them! Only lightning can stop me now.”
Dick realizes Solar thinks he’s doing something right.
“What are you talking about?” Dick asked.
“I am saving them.”
“Because nobody saved you.” Dick said.
Solar’s face took on a painful expression. “Please. I want to save them.”
“Irey.” Dick called.
“Yeah?”
“I need you to throw lightning at this man.”
A moment of silence. Then.
“What?!” Irey demanded. “That could kill—“
“I need you to trust me.” Dick said.
The man stayed silent but he still looked so sad.
Irey started running in circles.
Dick turned to Solar. “Be better.”
Irey threw the lightning.
The castle disappeared almost immediately when the lightning hit.
Solar was suddenly in clothes from decades ago.
Dick helped him up.
Dick saw Slade run towards them when he was struck by lightning.
Everyone looked to see Wally standing over Deathstroke.
Soon, a lot of the Titans were there—including the other members of the original members of the Titans.
“Hey guys.” Dick waved.
Deathstroke was collected and the man, Solar, was taken to be helped by STAR Labs.
Wally and Linda came and hugged the twins tightly.
Roy and Jade were both checking on Lian, who was promising them she was fine.
Donna and Garth hugged their kids.
Wells was flying off to the side. Dick approached her.
“He’s from Earth.” Wells said.
“He is.”
“What do I do now?”
“Be better?” Dick offered.
Wells smiled and flew away.
Dick smiled and talked to the other Titans, giving Kory a hug—promising to get lunch now that she’s back on Earth.
“How did the babysitting go?” She asked.
Dick looked back at the families within the family of Titans. “It went better than I thought it would.”
He was smiling for a whole 30 seconds before he heard Vic yell out, “What happened to my car?!”
