IT IS MF BATFAM WEEK, Y'ALL!
#batfamweek2020
Day 1: Overprotectiveness | Meeting the Justice League | Meta-Human AU
......
It was easy to underestimate her. She wasn't superpowered like the others. She wasn't super human, with crazy strength or the ability to fly or a fire breathing freaking dragon. She wasn't able to shift and transform into literal shadows or able to manipulate physical matter. She was easy to overlook in favor of the boys, whose powers were offensive and fantastic and phenomenal.
She was easy to underestimate.
"Steph, get out of here!" Tim's voice bellowed over the battlefield, amplified by the raw power of his draconic vocal cords. His next breath was one of fire, frying to a crisp a section of dark little gremlin things.
God, they were everywhere.
Half the size of a human, completely shadowed in black with jaws full of snapping fangs and a particular thirst for blood. Whatever they were called -something in Ancient Demon Tongue because Ra's was just that special- they were endless.
Stephanie grabbed a rocky craig above her and pulled herself to her feet. Well, foot. One of the little gremlins had bitten her leg right down to the bone before one of Damian's swords flew across the field and into her hand, which she then used to cut the little beastie in half. It dissipated into smoke, but there were thousands more of them.
God, a summoner.
They just had to have a full out battle with a summoner of dark forces.
"Time to go, Steph," Dick hovered right above where she hobbled on one leg. He held a hand out, ready for her to take and he'd fly them both out of here. His massive wings gave one last flap before he dropped down before her, heavily, panting. He was just as exhausted as the others.
She narrowed his eyes at him, furious that he'd think she'd just run.
"Fuck. That," she hissed at him. If Dick was surprised by her foul language, he showed no sign of it. Instead he just sighed," Dami said the same thing when I tried to get him to come with me."
Damian's refusal had most likely been accompanied by a rock flying up and smacking Dick in the face.
But it wasn't right. It wasn't!
Yes, they were outnumbered. By like, a thousand. And they weren't at full strength; it would be really helpful right about now to have the Bat here who could posses the little shadow creatures with ease, or Jason with his super strength and the way he liked to punch the ground and create massive earthquakes that could take out hundreds at a time.
But there was four of them, and Steph was not about to abandon them. She was not!
"Take me to Tim," she growled at Dick, reaching up to grab his hand and letting him pick her up in his arms.
"Steph, you're injured-" he tried arguing with her, but quieted when she reached up and yanked a handful of the feathers dangling from his hair.
"Take. Me. To. Tim," she repeated.
Dick obliged.
Tim, being the target of Ra's fascination, was smack dab in the center of it all. From their height in the sky, Steph and Dick could see flares of fire as he unleashed flame after flame at the summoned demons. They were coming from every direction, sprinting over the burnt and rocky landscape, some of them ducking around Tim's fire and snapping -literally- at his heels.
He let out a hiss and flame-grilled the little demon.
They could see Ra's strategy. Outnumber Tim, tire him out until his fire was gone, and then... grab him.
"Drop me in," she commanded Dick.
"Steph, I can't," he tried arguing, getting more of his feathers pulled for his effort. "I hope you know what you're doing," he grumbled before diving down with all the speed of a falcon.
Steph hung on for dear life, clutching to Dick as he dipped and dived around the arrows trying to shoot him down. When he judged the height a fair enough one, he gave her one warning before his arms opened and she plummeted to the ground.
The earth was hot and rocky and steaming with literal heat, and the demon gremlins were everywhere. Tim was yelling at her, calling her mad and stupid, and she wondered if he even realized the corners of his mouth were smoking, a clear sign he was almost out of fire. "Just shut up!" she screamed at him and for once he freaking listened," I'm trying to save you, you stupid, overprotective lizard!"
With a growl -either for her or the situation- Tim twirled on his feet and let out a spiral column of red hot fire that earned them a wide berth. For a moment or two. "I told you to run!" he yelled at her in the brief lull," Steph, you could get killed!"
"And so could you!" she yelled right back," So just shut up for once and let me. protect. you!"
On the final word, her arms outretched on either side of her, palms faced outward, and a massive force field surrounded them both. It was purple and glorious and sizzled with pure power and wherever a little demon touched it they were blasted into a cloud of smoke.
Tim had never seen her make such a large one before. "Steph..." he stared at her in awe.
"Dick, get out of the fucking way!" Steph shouted through gritted teeth and saw a flash of blue as Dick shot off towards the horizon, Damian carried in his arms.
Then with a yell -of frustration, of anger, fueled by her very will to protect- she expanded the field. It grew, slowly then faster and faster exponentially, obliterating all that stood in its path, every single little shit demon. The screams of demonic fury turned into screams of fear as the gremlins scrambled away but in vain as the purple field enveloped them in seconds.
It was all over in matter of seconds -ten to be exact- and when Steph, exhausted and blood slowly dripping out of her nose, fell to the ground, the battlefield was bare. No demons. No danger. Just Dick flying high in the air, clutching Damian in his arms; Tim down on the ground, holding Steph gingerly in his arms and gently shushing her to sleep and rest.
It was just them, and no danger.
Finally safe.
("You are a protector, Stephanie," Batman's voice was growly but she could've sworn he sounded almost proud," That's what you are. And by gods, you are the best at it.")
