Wow the ao3 curse is real
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@idksomethinggay
Wow the ao3 curse is real
Imagine the court of owls were more hands on with Dick Graysons training.
Maybe they noticed he was a prodigy from a young age. He picked up knife throwing, acrobatics, languages. They decide his time is wasted at Haley’s.
So they decide that he must spend a few months every year training directly with the court. Every time the circus starts it’s American leg of the tour they drop him off in Gotham.
It’s starts when he is 5. He trains with his great-grandfather, William Cobb and the other talons.
Cobb tells himself not to get attached. He knows his descendants are just hostages to keep him in loyal to the court. They are hostages or weapons. He stopped thinking of them as people because it hurt less. But now he has this energetic 5 year old. One that looks so much like the son the court took from him.
It’s not long before a plan to take out the court starts.
Dick is a natural performer. Loyal, but not mindless. Making progress in his training but not so much that court considers sending him on a mission yet. He acts intelligent, but not arrogant. He needs them to appreciate his mind so won’t consider turning him into a mindless killing machine. It’s a fine balance. He hates the days they send to the lab with the scientist. His grandfather (as he calls Cobb) racks his hands through his hair and sings him a lullaby until he falls asleep.
It’s not hard for Cobb to convince the other talons. Something about seeing someone so young going through what they have been through overrides their self preservation.
When Dick’s parent fall, the court take the opportunity to make his training full time.
A deal with league of assassins leaves the court with a new formula for making talons.
Dick dies at age 9. The new talon formula, with a pinch of pit water, leaves him just enough alive to age with all the other benefits.
For any talons not already part of the plan, that was the day their loyalty died.
At age 10 Dick was taken to see the Grandmaster to be given his first mission, to kill the Batman.
The Grandmaster was so excited to see Dick’s first kill, Dick wouldn’t disappoint.
He slit the Grandmasters throat.
Cobb took out the rest of the masters in the chamber. Their screams was the cue the rest of the talons were waiting for.
Cobb took Dick into his arms, resting his head on his shoulders, and promised he would never have to kill again.
Cobb showed up in the batcave an hour later with a sleeping 10 year old.
Some talons took deals with the Justice League. Therapy, new identities, a chance at a new life. Some defected to the league of assassins. All they have known was killing. If they happen to take all the assignments to kill human trafficking and other human scum no one commented.
Cobb and some others knew their fight wasn’t over. Knew their little Owlet would never be safe as long as other branches of the court existed.
That’s how a 10 year old, undead, Dick Grayson came to live at the manor. Getting visited by undead assassins on a regular basis.
Two ideas
1.
Dick’s adoption was approved of by the Court so Dick could get close to Bruce Wayne (who the Court was convinced was funding Batman).
Dick didn’t become Robin right away, he only put on his scaly bootie shorts after the Court of Owls falls, mainly because he wants to use his skills for good, that and he didn’t think the wet cat that was early Batman should patrol the city alone.
2.
No one else in the BatFam knows about Dick’s past (bar Bruce and Alfred of course). Somehow this knowledge also escapes the LoA, Slade and various other villain’s interested in Dick/Robin/Nightwing.
Like Cass, Dick swore he wouldn’t kill again and the real reason Batman gave Joker CPR after Nightwing beat him to death, was to break Dick out of his talon trance.
The rest of the bats only learn about Dick’s past when he takes an apparently fatal blow meant for one of his teammates/siblings. Everyone in the battle thinks he’s dead. The villain starts mocking the heroes and making his big “I’ve one and you suck/im inevitable/ego stroking” speech when suddenly the apparently dead Nightwing rises up from behind the baddie (is CoD obviously on display) and promptly uses his escrima sticks to send an electric shock straight through the baddies brain stem. Baddie feints/dies/etc and everyone just stares at the golden eyed zombie Nightwing, and wonder what the F just happened.
I love both of these. The angst is a+
people always ask “why doesn’t nightwing compete in the olympics?” like babe. he did. accidentally.
it started because bruce said “maybe go to college” and dick heard “develop a new personality and flee the country”. next thing anyone knows he’s in romania qualifying for men’s artistic gymnastics under a fake name. the funniest part is he’s the adopted son of one of the most photographed billionaires on earth. “who is this mysterious gymnast? 😍” would last approximately six minutes before anyone chronically online goes “?? isn't that??? richard grayson???”. (it is quite literally the worst-kept open secret in history). (the fake name didn’t last very long).
and still, everyone pretends it’s normal. like, yeah. of course the acrobat heir to the wayne empire ran away to do elite gymnastics on a global stage. that tracks.
except the olympic committee is sweating through their suits because how do you deal with someone who is
a global celebrity and established philanthropist
actually qualified athletically
also somehow immune to media training
because dick will just casually give post-routine interviews like: “i train about 6 hours a day, plus core, flexibility, patrol… uh, patrolling my thoughts :) mental patrol. positive patrol. yeah.” the press laughs because they think he’s joking. bruce is at home gripping the armrest and tearing out his hair
they try to put him through media prep because they want gotham to have SOME good press but dick just does not get the memo. like he genuinely believes he’s nailing it while saying things like: “yeah no, i don’t really get nervous. i just pretend i’m vaulting over a burning car haha.”
fans are making thirst edits, sports analysts are crying, and every commentator opens their segment with “yes, that richard grayson.”
and every time he does a routine, there’s always like one move that’s not illegal so much as “the FIG code of points literally does not know how to categorize that.” the judges just quietly agree to let it slide because there is no rule that says “the gymnast may not perform a vigilante-adjacent aerial manoeuvre.” and through all of it dick is genuinely just trying his best and being stupidly sincere and uncompetitive like “i’m just grateful to be here :)” while absolutely assassinating the scoreboard.
clark interviews him once for the olympics broadcast (good ol’ “family friend” nepotism) and is sweating the entire time because this is his most globally televised story yet like do not mention batman. do not mention acrobat double life. do not mention chasing a dude off a train last tuesday.
and dick just smiles like sunshine and says “i don’t really believe in limits. b says pain is temporary and so is death if you have the right connections” and clark nearly chokes on-air.
he wins medals, gives one to alfred, and spends the after-party dodging wealthy diplomats from subtly asking if he’d like to join the CIA
As far as I’m concerned this is canon.
I love the idea of Dick (and other Robins) fighting crime with adults and yet still believing very childish things.
Like give me a Robin that doesn’t know what taxes are but can explain the science behind dimension travel.
Give me a Robin that believes in Santa (We deal in magic and aliens every day, why would a man delivering presents be unusual).
Give me Robins trick or treating in the watch tower.
Give me Batman asking the flash to be the tooth fairy (because Robin will know if it’s Bruce).
I highly recommend Owl Song by Ghxst_Bird
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
It’s such a great series featuring talon Dick adopting street kid Jason. It’s 17 works (all one shots). It’s includes Tim low key getting adopted too. Jason and Dick speak in chirps. Bruce being a good dad (even if he fails a lot before he succeed). If you want to read it without spoilers, do so now. This is your warning…
Half-way through the series the author starts warning about the sad ending, about what we all know is coming. And I’m like wtf is coming? Am I missing something? It’s Jason death. This author spent 10+ stories setting up the most wholesome brotherly dynamic only to adapt Jason’s death. I’m not even done the whole series yet. I’m getting scared you guys. The last one I read had Dick Grayson from Canon get transported right after he got to Earth from his Titan trip. That version of Dick spent two weeks with Talon Dick and this version of Jason and it made him want to be closer to his Jason. Then it ends with Dick going home and hearing THE voicemail.
Ghxst_Bird is an emotional terrorist. Guys I know it’s going to be sad but I can’t stop myself from reading. It’s so good. I’m scared.
There are multiple points in canon where Dick was isolated from most of the batfam members, I think this is the prefect opportunity for older sibling lore drops.
Have Dick causally mention that he was Batman when Bane broke Bruce back (when Dick was only 14).
Have everything with the court of owls happen when Bruce is lost in time (so only Afred, Damian and Steph know) or during early Jason as Robin days (so only Jason, Bruce and Alfred know).
Only the Original Titans know about Dick time as Renegade.
Killing the joker? Only Tim, Bruce and Alfred know.
The lore drops would be iconic.
Tim: Damian you should talk to Cass, I’m sure she would understand what it’s like being raised as a weapon and being trained by assassins.
Damian: Drake why would I talk to Cass when I can speak to Richard.
Jason: What are you talking about Dickface was never trained by assassins.
Tim: Dick!
Dick (coming into the batcave): Yeah what’s up guys.
Jason: Demon brat here seems to think you were trained by assassins.
Dick: He’s right. Which time were you talking about.
Tim: What.
Jason: I’m sorry which time?
Dick: Technically I was raised since birth to be an assassin for the court of owls. But my training was pretty light. Mostly acrobatics, learning languages, throwing knives, lock picking, escaping bindings, contortion, endurance… you know basic skills anyone would learn growing up at a circus. I guess the plan was for training proper to start when I was 16. But you know Bruce ended up taking me in. Through funnily enough when I was around 16 Slade Wilson infected the Teen Titans with nano boys that would kill them if I didn’t do what he said. He trained me for a few weeks, made me steal a few things for him and fight my team. Obviously I escaped. The Court of owls came back for me couple years ago when Bruce was lost in time. They tried to turn me into an undead assassin. It didn’t take. Steph and Damian got me out pretty quick.
Tim:
Jason:
Damian: You act like this is new knowledge.
Dick (shrugs): Want to have some lunch Dami?
(Yes I’m smashing together canons, and messing with the timeline)
Lady Gotham + Dick Grayson has Wings Part 3
Dick got used to compartmentalizing his life. Robin got to be free. He got to crack jobs, fly, beat up criminals.
Dick Grayson had to keep his wings retracted (even if it started to hurt after a few hours). He had to sit still for hours at school. Dick Grayson had to go to gala and deal with rich people making passive aggressive. Dick Grayson had to practice his English until he spoke it prefect. (No one seemed to care that he had mastered 16 languages already).
On nights where he was grounded from patrol, where Robin wasn’t allowed to fly, Lady Gotham would comfort him. She would hold him like his mother used to. She would run her fingers through his hair, sing to him. He would let his wings out knowing she would protect him.
“You can’t keep living like this” she would say.
“I know” he would answer. Then changed nothing.
Lady Gotham + Dick Grayson wing AU part 2
Robin had wings. Dick did not. This was a distinction that Dick slowly came to understand.
Obviously he understood that if Dick Grayson had a pair of wing and Robin had a pair of wings people would put two and two together (even in a place as weird as Gotham).
Robin was allowed to patrol with his wings out. He was allowed to glide between roof tops. If he was lucky, and it was a slow night, Batman would let him fly for a few minutes. As long as it was where he could see him.
When they returned to the Batcave Robin was allowed to have his wings out. In fact Batman encouraged him to stretch his wings like you would any other muscle.
Then they would change out of their costumes and the wings had to go away.
Robin had wings. Dick didn’t.
It didn’t matter how many times he asked, Bruce always had a reason.
“In case someone comes over” (like you wouldn’t know the second they passed the gate)
“If someone looks through the window, you know we are in the public eye” (if they get through our security, we have bigger problems)
“You wouldn’t want Alfred to have to clean up your feathers would you?” (I don’t shed that much thank you)
“You have a long wingspan and we have a lot of breakables” (I break things either way)
“Your clothes don’t have wing holes like your Robin suit does” (Well whose fault is that?)
It didn’t matter that the closest neighbor was miles away, Dick was never allowed outside with his wings.
Dick wasn’t even allowed to sleep with his wings out. Apparently he was shedding too much and now even his room wasn’t safe.
Robin had wings. Dick did not.
Lady Gotham + Dick Grayson has wings
Lady Gotham (personification of Gotham, a goddess who protects those within her limits), gives her power to all her citizens. That is why Gothamites aren’t quite human, how they can survive smog, polluted water, rouges.
Lady Gotham fuels the people and the people fuel her. She gives extra power to her campions.
To the Batman she gave control over the shadows. He can disappear into shadows and teleport between them, but only within the limits of Gotham.
When Robin joined, Lady Gotham wanted him to be able to fly. Her intention was to give him a pair of shadow wings. But something went wrong. Maybe Dick hadn’t spent enough time in Gotham yet, maybe he was too “human”, maybe he was too light for become one with the shadows.
The wings became physical. It started with a fever, then pain in his throat and back. Soon he was bed ridden. Lady Gotham sat with him the whole time, running her finger through his hair and singing his lullabies in her ancient language.
When his fever finally broke he had a pair of red wings and a new set of vocal cords. It took him months to learn how to talk again. He learned how to retract the wings (inside his back). He learned how to rebalance and fight again.
It was hard but Dick was happy. He could fly. Really fly.
Bruce was not. He refused Lady Gotham’s gift. Refused to speak to her again. Told her to stay away from his boy. He would protect Gotham, but not for her. Never again.
I just finished Robin, Batgirl and Nightwing Year one.
I love the detail that Dick’s original mask wraps around his head (opposed to the stick on domino masks used later).
It makes sense at that when creating the Robin suit Batman would base the mask off of what he knows (the batsuit cowl). It wouldn’t be until later that they would find/make an adhesive strong enough to keep the mask on.
When you get to Nightwing Year one, both Dick and Jason are wearing the stick on mask.
I feel like teen titans (cartoon) Robin makes so much more sense if he had a history with the Court of Owls.
Why is he so violent/strong? Because he was trained to be a weapon.
Why did him and Batman have such a huge falling out? Well maybe Dick took a life before escaping the Court. Maybe he chose to kill one of his masters.
Dick doesn’t feel bad about taking a life. Batman is constantly talking about the burden of killing, how it damages your soul, you can’t come back from that. And all Dick hears is that his dad thinks he is a monster.
Dick’s conflict with Slade is deepened. Know when Slade says Dick is just like him, that he likes the violence it hits so much harder.
When Slade tried to turn him into a weapon it reminded Dick of the Court and his training.
I’m reading Nothing Enters Without Invitation by Les_Ismore and it is so freakin funny.
At one point Robin (Dick) explodes the building he is in with the joker and Harley.
Harley asks “Puddin?”
Robin responds “probably”
I was in a mr sub and laughed so loud I think I scared the poor employee.
Seriously this whole fic is great it’s just Dick Grayson being a menace to society and tolling the league of assassins.
Okay so I know Jason being at the league at the same time as Damian is circling around the fandom. I agree it’s a cute idea but I raise you Talia getting empty nest syndrome and she just keeps stealing Bruce’s kids.
It’s starts with Dick. Talia and Bruce are together when Dick is taken in. It looks better on adoption paperwork if you are a couple not a single parent so Talia signs the paperwork too. Bruce and Talia have a falling out and Talia loses custody.
Talia misses her little boy. (Even if she does visit him, he is an adult now). Then Jason dies and Talia finds him wondering Gotham.
She takes him to the league. Maybe rants a little too much about her ex. But Jason seems to like to complain about Bruce so she figures no harm done. He too leaves, becomes the Red Hood.
Then she is missing have a kid at home again. She is proud of her oldest taking on his own city, and her youngest leaving heads on drug dealer door steps. She has some of Bruce’s DNA left over from when they were dating (maybe a blood bag meant for emergencies). She has a pretty good lab.
Soon Damian is born. He dad wanted him to be “useful” so she aged him up to 7 but otherwise raised him as normal as possible.
When he is 10 she realizes he isn’t safe at the league and sends him to Bruce.
Imagine Talia breaking into the manor and insisting she is there to see her “sons” on a regular basis.
Imagine Damian not knowing about Dick’s adoption until he comes across a photos of him and his mom in front of the court house.
Imagine Damian coming to the manor wearing a hoodie Jason left at the league
Imagine the court of owls were more hands on with Dick Graysons training.
Maybe they noticed he was a prodigy from a young age. He picked up knife throwing, acrobatics, languages. They decide his time is wasted at Haley’s.
So they decide that he must spend a few months every year training directly with the court. Every time the circus starts it’s American leg of the tour they drop him off in Gotham.
It’s starts when he is 5. He trains with his great-grandfather, William Cobb and the other talons.
Cobb tells himself not to get attached. He knows his descendants are just hostages to keep him in loyal to the court. They are hostages or weapons. He stopped thinking of them as people because it hurt less. But now he has this energetic 5 year old. One that looks so much like the son the court took from him.
It’s not long before a plan to take out the court starts.
Dick is a natural performer. Loyal, but not mindless. Making progress in his training but not so much that court considers sending him on a mission yet. He acts intelligent, but not arrogant. He needs them to appreciate his mind so won’t consider turning him into a mindless killing machine. It’s a fine balance. He hates the days they send to the lab with the scientist. His grandfather (as he calls Cobb) racks his hands through his hair and sings him a lullaby until he falls asleep.
It’s not hard for Cobb to convince the other talons. Something about seeing someone so young going through what they have been through overrides their self preservation.
When Dick’s parent fall, the court take the opportunity to make his training full time.
A deal with league of assassins leaves the court with a new formula for making talons.
Dick dies at age 9. The new talon formula, with a pinch of pit water, leaves him just enough alive to age with all the other benefits.
For any talons not already part of the plan, that was the day their loyalty died.
At age 10 Dick was taken to see the Grandmaster to be given his first mission, to kill the Batman.
The Grandmaster was so excited to see Dick’s first kill, Dick wouldn’t disappoint.
He slit the Grandmasters throat.
Cobb took out the rest of the masters in the chamber. Their screams was the cue the rest of the talons were waiting for.
Cobb took Dick into his arms, resting his head on his shoulders, and promised he would never have to kill again.
Cobb showed up in the batcave an hour later with a sleeping 10 year old.
Some talons took deals with the Justice League. Therapy, new identities, a chance at a new life. Some defected to the league of assassins. All they have known was killing. If they happen to take all the assignments to kill human trafficking and other human scum no one commented.
Cobb and some others knew their fight wasn’t over. Knew their little Owlet would never be safe as long as other branches of the court existed.
That’s how a 10 year old, undead, Dick Grayson came to live at the manor. Getting visited by undead assassins on a regular basis.
Duke grew up in a Gotham where Bruce has already taken in a truck load of kids.
Bruce’s adoption problem is probably a common joke.
“I’m so broke, think I look young enough for Bruce to adopt me?”
“I hear Bruce Wayne is coming to your school, make sure to hide anyone with black hair and blue eyes.”
“It’s official he has taken in someone without blue eyes, no one is safe!”
This joke is particularly passed back and forth between high schoolers. Then Duke’s parents get hit with joker toxins and his friends don’t hear from him for a few weeks. When they do they ask where he is living.
Duke puts on a shit eating grin and tells them
“Wayne manor”
Duke is such an interesting character because he grew up in a Gotham with all of the other vigilantes.
He probably grew up hearing jokes about Bruce Wayne adopted adoption problem. There has been a Robin for as long as he can remember.
When he joins the family he has a distance and hindsight that the others don’t have. He hears all the former Robins joking about their deaths and refuses to be lumped in as a Robin. He decides to patrol during the day. He ends up as a meta (unintentionally but still).
I like Duke as a character because he is able to learn from all the past batfam members and create a new path.
I’ve been reading so much fics the same authors that sometimes I forget that what is cannon, fannon and what is just this one persons very specific take on a character.
I’m not complaining but why can I tell whose fic I’m reading by “Tim” being misspelled “Tom” or M’gann and the Young Justice being bullies. If it involves Daisy Johnson and a crossover you would have never thought of then it’s Rhinomouse (somehow they are always amazing).