Shadow Boxing Part 2

==Misc==
Misc: Physio | Show and Tell (I | II) | Lecture | Bargain | Superboy
===(B) Physio===
Min does physio, Cass joins in, Damian sneers until Cass gives him a talking to
===(B) Lecture===
Jason and Min attend a lecture. 
(, , , , , maybe that one direction story?; "Min and Jason attend a lecture")
* find a pseudonym for Jason
* What’s the lecture even /on? 
So there's this talk at the university; he swings by the manor to drag Tim to it (he'd normally go alone but Ivy was at the last one and he needs a better excuse as to why he's there than 'I got lost') but there's no Tim, so Min offers to go with him. 
"If you tell anyone about this I /will shoot you." 
"If you try, my cousin will gut you." 
It's not as amusingly 'I don't want to be here' as that sister who kindly went with her brother to a one direction concert BUT when they get back waaaaay later than Jason intended, everyone wants to know where they were all afternoon!
===(N) Show and Tell===
(I | II)
Forbidden from bringing anything from his mother and unwilling to bring a pet (and smart enough not to bring anything vigilante-related), Damian (who's aboooout 10) grudgingly asks Min if she would mind being the subject of his presentation, but by 'Min' he means her leg with the bone graft and recent surgical work, but the two are unfortunately attached; Damian's class is delightfully grossed out and asks a zillion prying questions and Damian is /infinitely pleased his show and tell was the most talked (even tho he doesn't care what they think)
===(N) Bargain===
Min asks Long if she's a bargaining chip, Long assures her that she's not, more like ... a pebble in a pond
* maybe this can go in “Green Room” (“Interview”?) but it could also go later
===(B) Superboy===
Min and Superboy haven't met beyond Min falling off something / something collapses under her and she lands in his arms out of nowhere and they kinda blink at each other. (Which is how Min meets half the people she's going to meet; it's kinda a stock scene at this point '^_^ )
Sounds like time for a 'damsel in distress' joke of some sort XD I've been looking for opportunités for 'damsel in distress' jokes, as well as 'we have got to stop meeting like this' and 'just dropping in'
==Misc==
===(D; WiP) Green===
* Ra’s can comment Liu took longer to show up than he expected
* Discussions of what Liu’s really doing in Gotham can also happen 
Ra's finds the intruder behind a set of guards and two locked vault doors, none of whom with any record of any visitors. 
But, the control room had detected movement near the Pit and there they are, a shadow against the glow. 
Liu, by way of greeting, calls, "It's a terrible colour." 
Ra's stops across the room. "You never did like green."
Liu rocks away from the Pit, neither facing Ra's nor turning a blindspot to the glow. "You speak with such confidence." 
"I /was courting you as an heir." 
"If you think the world wouldn't accept a daughter in your stead, in what universe do you think it would accept me?"
"Your grandmother was less than impressed with the idea, as well." 
"You sent three assassins after her and then had the nerve to ask for a hostage." 
"I can see how she would get that impression." [action break]. "It was the way you looked at that camera. No fear, and not confidence but a /certainty that no matter what lay beyond the window you could handle. Such a look! from a /child!"
Liu has the same look now, but disarming it with a slight smile. 
"You've hardly changed--that look remains with you after all these years. But my, Liu, you've grown."
"It's a work in progress."
"And, as you have, your grandmother's influence over your fate wanes, I don't suppose you'd be willing to consider a mentorship?"
"You underestimate how far the High Dragon's influence extends."
"And you wouldn't dare test its strength."
"Yes, and–" Hands in pockets, stance carefree. "–anything you can do, Demon, I can do better."
"A partnership, then."
"This is as good as it gets." Smirks. "For you, at least."
"Cannot fault an old man for trying."
"I wouldn't dare."
"How kind." Shifts. "Not that I discourage your company, but is there a reason for this visit or are we just 'catching up'?"
"I've only seen pictures." Liu rocks back towards the Pit, leans a bit closer. "Never in person."
"And now you have."
"And now I have." Liu turns back around.
"I would be quite happy to play host if you would ask."
"This is more fun." Sways a bow. "Good evening."
"Good evening, Lulu."
A sour look, then the power swells brilliantly back to life, and Liu's gone. 
===(D) Windows===
Tim escorts Min back from an appointment and asks what happened. 
“Bone death from prolonged restricted blood flow.”
“How?”
“Fell out a window.” 
“How did you go that long without seeing a doctor?” 
“The hospital thought it must’ve happened sooner after I was kidnapped than later.” 
“That’s terrible! Were they caught?” 
“Sorta …? The police told me they were crucified and set on fire.” 
* The Batfam eventually concludes Long murdered the kidnappers despite her being in Taiwan
* Min eventually explains she was snatched at an intersection after leaving her after school job at the canteen in a police station. At some point over the next eight hours, they broken her lower leg so badly her foot and ankle bones were actually separated from the rest of her, a few ribs, and given her a concussion. Someone cleaned out a nearby dumpster, incapacitated the kidnappers, wrapped Min in bedding and tucked her in that dumpster, then crucified the kidnappers and then watched them burn to death. She’s having nightmares but the worst is when someone reaches for her from inside a vehicle. 
===(D) Joker===
"Oh, we talked." 
"You /talked? With the /Joker?" 
"There is no ~talking~ with the Joker! He's a psycho!" 
"And I'm a dragon." 
As if that explained everything. 
"That doesn't explain anything." 
Liu concedes. "We compromised." 
Again .... 
"He promised to lay low until the contract ran out and I promised not to set him on fire. And I broke his arm in six places."
===(B) Pizza=== 
The kids agree patrol is an awesome idea, tear off to get ready, and Alfred’s like, “no.” 
Long, however, is like, “Oh, patrol? What a lovely idea. Have fun!” 
Alfred protests 
Long says, “I’m sure they’ll be perfectly fine: all the big names are safely locked away, the crime rate’s lower than it’s been for years, and besides, I’m more than certain they’ll be sure nothing happens to my cousin.” And how she makes a smile look like a threat they’ll never know.
All the kids go on patrol (Min’s tucked in a sidecar with a ‘to mend’ Batman cape and a mask under her helmet). 
Jason whines there’re ninja following them then bugs Tim as to why there’re ninja following them; “Why should I know?” as he’s calling Ra’s: “Why’re there ninja following us?”
““Need I remind you, Timothy, what Shadow will do to you if any harm comes to Miss Yeung?””
“How would I know what Long’ll—”
Remembers Min saying, “—crucified them and set them on fire.” 
Croaks, “Oh.” 
""'Oh' indeed. The ninja /stay."" And the line goes dead. 
Tim suggests they all head to Barbara’s soon like now please but they can hear a brawl so off they go and it’s a couple goon squads who messed up a fear gas shipment and they’ve all been dosed; one canister gets away and bounce-bounce-bounces and rolls into the alley where the bike (and Min!) are parked—and it detonates. 
Cass flies over; the fear gas dissipates, and a ninja rapels down with Min and heads off when she’s safe with Cass. 
They collectively decide that now is an /excellent time to get pizza, only to argue about where to pick it up--if Min is going to have Gotham pizza, she should have Gotham's /best pizza at which point she points out she hasn't had /any Gotham pizza, so they split up and regroup at Barbara's with food from seven different restaurants. 
==Identity==
Identity: Shots Fired | Storytime | Cooperative | Library | Tic Tac | Changeling | Delivery | Fairytale | Dichotomy 
===(Dw) Shots Fired===
* originally started as Tim facing off but I can't remember how Liu arrived and when I went to write it they were hiding. I'm now thinking about Liu taking Tim out when he's about to walk into an underestimated situation.
* “Something which might add to this excellent skeleton is taking advantage of the fact Tim is one of the more highly-trained martial artists and detectives on the planet, despite his age. He'd be able to note all sorts of nigh-invisible physical cues from both the thugs and Liu (if any) and help the reader see and feel how badly Liu scares the thugs (and Tim).” 
A lot of them, a lot of guns, and exactly one Tim. 
Too long; didn't read, the odds are presently not in his favour. 
He swallows, heartbeat ramping up, posture collapsing–hide hide HIDE–what the hell?–skin crawling–
To his right, Liu greets softly, "Robin."
Tim desperately wants to scream. 
"I've asked my associate to shadow you."
Tim nods, trying to get his breathing under control. 
"If you give me a moment, I'll secure our exit." Bumps his shoulder and steps onto the floor. 
"Who the fuck–how'd you get in here?"
"Complicated and more complicated. Put down your weapons, please." 
Half the gang puts down their weapons. 
"Please put down your weapons." 
Everyone out their ring leader puts down their weapon. 
"Fuck off!" they shout and they fire off for shots across the space into Liu's chest. 
/He doesn't even flinch./
"What the fuck are you?" 
"I'm human, and you will put that on the floor."
They put it on the floor.
"You will wait quietly until the authorities arrive."
"I will wait quietly until the authorities arrive."
"Thank you."
>the police arrive /really quickly, and Tim maybe drags/pushes Liu to the EMT; Why does Tim drag Liu to the EMT? And why does Liu let him?; Tim drags Liu to the EMT because Liu was just shot four times in the chest and even with a vest, that isn’t good for a body and he’s still insanely jumpy. Liu lets him because there’re too many eyes on him to vanish, so he might as well get this over with and have the subject dropped<
===(D) Shadow Boxing===
>the first scene I wrote for this AU!<
Tim finds Long in the gym, dealing a sharp series of nerve strikes to an enemy only she can see. 
"Are you a meta?" 
"Excuse me?" 
"A meta. More than human?" 
"No."
"Are you human?" 
"Depends on who you ask." 
"I'm asking you." 
"True, but you have no way of knowing if our definitions of 'human' are the same and determining a baseline would take a rather long philosophical discussion. Try a different question." 
"What are you?" 
Long puts a hand on his head. 
"What're you doing?" 
"Checking how much brain matter you have." 
He jerks away--
The hand tightens. 
--stays put. 
Long rocks his head minutely. "You definitely have more than rocks in there. I doubt you'll figure it out, though." Lets him go, makes to leave. 
"You don't have to–I wasn't–I didn't mean to chase you away." 
Long dismisses this. "Partner isn't feeling it."
"Partner ...?" 
"Business partner." Long glances around, then up at the ceiling, then picks up a water bottle. 
"Are they–"
"How many shadows do I have?" 
"Uh, eight? Maybe ten?" 
"How many people would you say are here?"
"In this room?" Gut says ... "Two. You and me."
Long nods thoughtfully. "Come." Heads for the terrace and, once outside, plunks down remarkably gracelessly at the edge of the balcony. "Sit. I'll tell you a story."
He sits.
"Once upon a time, there was a terribly clever child, far too smart and capable for their own good."
He nods, though that last part didn't seem too bad ...?
"One day, a stranger approached the child with an impossible challenge. Over confident in their abilities, the child accepted the challenge and jumped at it unthinkingly–or at least without any more thought than they would usually spare."
About a zillion people would do the same, a number of which he knew personally. 
"As to whether it was the nature of the challenge or the child's hubris–a combination of both , really–each and every of the child's attempts to complete the challenge failed, each try more of a disaster than the last. 
Standard morality fare, that–
"The child refused to lose hope, to submit to desperation, to admit defeat–"
–Or not. 
"–and in the eleventh hour, when everything seemed lost, by some miracle all the pieces the child had struggled to assemble into something viable fell into place and resolved the challenge with time to spare."
"Is this a morality fable thing?"
Long laughs, loud in the quiet, then, "No." still smiling, "Though I suppose it could be."
"Something like, 'pride and over confidence does one well."
Long chuckles; "In fact, the stranger was so impressed with the child that they made available knowledge with which the child could achieve and even exceed their full potential."
He ....
Long’s legs swing absently as their owner stares up at the smoggy sky. 
"Did you sell your soul to the Devil?"
Long’s nose wrinkles as if that's an insult. "Of course not."
He most certainly does not give voice to his frustration, instead asking reasonably, "Then what are you?"
"Try reading sometime."
"What's that's supposed to mean?"
"Pick up a book."
"Any advice on which one?"
"Where would be the challenge in that?"
He glowers, and, "I was just asking about the 'signing your soul' thing."
Long manages to look somewhat pained. "You're wise to do so. I apologize."
"Thanks."
Distant traffic. 
"You're not the Devil–"
Long chokes on a swallow of water. 
"–are you?"
"Definitely not."
Ambient noise. 
Long looks out at the clock, usually too far away to see. "And with that, I must take my leave." Gets up to standing, smiles warmly. "Goodnight." 
The door shicks open. 
"Thanks, sleep well."
""Likewise.""
The door slides closed. 
The lights turn off. 
But still, it takes a long time for him to feel alone.
===(B) Theory===
Damian, up to date with Drake’s assignment, puts pieces together--because anything Tim works on Damian can solve faster~
===(Dw) Cooperative===
The second scene I wrote for this AU! 
* Probably needs tweaking since “Overlook” now exists
Having seen Min to her appointment, Tim wanders from the office and to a quiet, sunny park and makes himself comfortable on a bench. 
Which lasts longer than he expected but still comes to an end: 
His comm crackles a soft moment of static, then, ""Is something troubling you, Timothy?"" 
“Do I want to know why you’re asking?”
“”Doubtfully. I assume you’ll ask anyway?””
“Obviously. What makes you think I’m troubled?”
“”Besides your upbringing? Your mobile has remained stationary in an outdoor environment for an unprecedented length of time.”
"Oh, lucky me, the powerful Demon Head taking an interest in my well-being, how flattering—except its not, it’s really freaking creepy. Can’t a guy just hang out in a park once and awhile?"" 
""My apologies, Timothy, I seem to have forgotten your habit of stopping to smell the roses."" 
Were … were there /two insults in that? 
“Well you’re still being weird, so there.” 
""'Creepy' to some, ‘protective’ to others.""
“You tried to kill me; you don’t get to use ‘protective’.”
""You don’t have a choice in the matter. If you /are well, I must away, so unless you have any more questions …?""
"Right. [probably a better transition.] Weird question, what does 'pick up a book sometime' mean to you?" 
""Something old, I suppose.""
Tim files that away. 
Clouds scuttle by. 
"Long said that when I asked if she was a meta so ...." Sighs. "What is Long. Or Liu or whoever she is."
""Not a 'she' for starters.""
"That's ... progressive of you."
""That's habit, Timothy."" 
"Okay. So do you know anything? Is Long human?" 
""Changeling."" 
"Like fairies?" 
""From the Shadow themselves. I have my doubts, but it's the only thing on which anyone can agree.""
"What else?"
""Shadow’s modus operandi is too broad to be an avatar of entropy, death, or fear; too focused to be a trickster god, too cruel to be a death god, either, and while there do exist gods of fear, their descriptions are rather specific and Shadow doesn't resemble any of them.""
"You've put a lot of thought into this."
""We've been acquainted for some time.""
"How long?"
""Fifteen years or so. Their grandmother and I clashed briefly over territory.""
"You're being unusually helpful."
""I prefer you whole and hale, Detective."" 
"And look at the time, I have to run." 
""Timothy--""
"No, seriously, I actually have to go; I said I'd drive Min home, I'm late, Long’s going to kill me--"
""Shadow isn't going to kill you, Timothy, don't be ridiculous--""
"Still going, bye!"
.
As Tim's backing Min and her chair into the lift he asks, "Is Long human?"
She sits back, kinda sprawls. 
"You have no idea."
"Why would I?"
"You're cousins?"
"/Sixth cousins, and until five weeks ago we hadn't spent any time together since I was four." 
"So we're in the same boat."
"Isn't this a car?" 
Tim--
She's grinning. 
He huffs. 
"But yea. Except /I know better than to chase questions I don't want to know the answer to." 
"Would I be this stuck if I didn't want the answer?" 
She shrugs.
===(D) Library===
Movement–quiet, but movement nonetheless–catches the attention of the control room who in turn alerts Ra's of the intruder who then strides down to the library to find, as expected, a petit silhouette creeping around with a stack of ... some collection. 
 
"Detective, just what are you doing?"
Not even a jump. 
"Looking for something relevant."
"It's three in the morning."
"No time like the present!"
"You really don't sleep, do you."
""It's a turmulous relationship.""
"'Tumultuous'?"
"Yea, that."
"Not that your company is unwelcome, but why here, exactly?"
"You said 'something old', so–" Waves a hand at the small-ish library. 
"I can't be your only source of old books."
He disappears behind a shelf. ""You're my only source of old books I haven't looked at yet.""
A very deep sigh. "Timothy, I have lived for centuries; I have hundreds of thousands of books. This ... this is a mere /splinter of my collection. The chances of you finding–do you even know what you seek?"
""Nope."" Shuffling. ""Figure I'll just read anything relevant.""
"That may number more tomes than you can read in a lifetime. / That number may be in the hundreds."
An arm sticks from the stacks. 
""Can I borrow this?""
"What is it?"
Arm retreats. 
""Something about the moon.""
"Is it arcane?"
Pages ruffle. 
""Nothing weird in the first pages.""
"It's yours."
""Awesome!""
"Do you intend to leave anytime soon?"
""Doubt it!""
"Very well; put anything you unshelf on the table–do /not think you remember where it lives–and, come the dawn, if you remain, I will have to consider your stay permanent."
Absently, ""You got it."" 
===(N) Tic Tac===
Liu comes to Red Robin’s rescue (again).
===*Changeling===
Changeling: Tim asks Liu about changelings
* smiles of knives and shattered glass, broken promises
* changeable nature: sunlight through the mist of a waterfall (delicate? sparkling?), the word "ephemeral" 
===(N) Delivery===
A week or so after 'Cooperative', Tim receives a package. Inside is a copy of Ra's investigation into Long (complete with annotated photos, articles, and photocopies of any relevant material from books), as well as a book on trickster gods. Tim's looking at a photo of a preteen looking levelly out a window directly (twelve year old in a pink ruffle-y dress with fluffy hair) at the camera, a sign in Arabic in a different window when out of nowhere, Long plucks the photo from his hand and laments the fluffy hair
===(B) Cat===
Cass decides Min is ‘hers’; when asked why she likes her so much, Cass explains that she’s harmless, “like a cat”. Min meows. 
Probably want to work this into something else
===(Bw) "Fairytale"===
(working title; may be too spoilery): Damian presents his theory to Long. If he /does come up with fairytale and doesn’t offer it here, then this should go earlier and be replaced
Damian approaching Long, giving a summary of detective fiction, and finishing with that 'whatever's left, no matter how unlikely, is the answer.' 
'Which is?' 
'You're a princess from a fairytale.' >he's the only one who doesn't flee at the idea< 
'Which fairytale?'
 
'My research is inconclusive.' 
'Bring me a fairytale, then we'll talk.'
===(B) Dichotomy===
Turns out Bruce Wayne and Batman are the same person. In Min’s defence, she's getting over a concussion.
>How does Min deal with the dichotomy between Bruce Wayne and Batman (if she knows they're they same person)? Someone's going to have to tell her--so far as I've seen, she just thinks Mr Wayne is very kind to host all these vigilantes and renovate his basement for them. I'm curious as to if ever she even meets batman (tho I'm sure she does). Like she only goes on 'patrol' once (in "Pizza") and she’s also getting over a concussion; perhaps<
.
'I wonder what kind of tax break hosting vigilantes is ... is it charitable? Must be. This is waaaay too much nonsense without a tax break. Unless he's just that eccentric? But he's so grounded?' 
"What're–" 
">SQUEAK<" 
"Sorry! You look like you're trying to solve world peace or something!" 
"Tax breaks!" 
"Come again?" 
"Er, I was wondering if sponsoring vigilantes counted as a charitable donation or something--I mean, I was wondering why Mr Wayne, um, you guys keep getting hurt and replacing your stuff--" 
"Are you talking about the adoption thing?" 
"No--er, sort of? Does he adopt your civilian identity as well as your vigilante side?" 
"What're you talking about?" 
Min takes a deep breath. "It seems very generous to operate a crime fighting group out of his basement as well as donating to the regular police." 
"Do you mean you're wondering why Bruce is sponsoring a bunch of vigilantes?" 
Min nods. 
"Will you excuse me for a minute?"
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