Nightwing had fallen asleep.
A bad move,and a dangerous move,considering he was in a dark place that could be filled with ninjas without his knowledge........But he hadnt gotten any sleep....under his own free will....in days.
A light bursts through the darkness,waking him up.His throat hurts....and hes beginning to get five-o-clock shadow.
Ubu walks in....but without Ra's behind him.
"The master requests your presence."
"W...Why?"
Ubu smiles.
"You shall see.....Detective."
Nightwing HATED that.He would've said something,had he been in the right condition.The fact is,he was tired,hungry,and confused.
Ubu unlocked his shackles,and pointed a sword at his throat.
"Get up."
Nightwing would've used a batarang to disarm him......only upon getting up....He noticed his gloves were removed.Not only that,but his billy clubs and Bat-knives from his boots were gone.
He was completley unarmed.
Nightwing would've kicked the gun out of Ubus hands aswell....but he was too tired and hungry.So,instead.....He raised his hands,and followed Ubu,who was walking backwards,making sure Nightwing didnt try anything stupid.
After what seemed like a minute of walking,they arrived at the throne room door.Ubu walked behind Nightwing,with his sword still held high.....ushering him into the room.
Ra's sat on his throne,obviously in meditation.As soon as Nightwing and Ubu entered,Ra's stopped.
"Ah....Your awake.Now we can discuss the matter at hand."
The matter at hand?
What was that?
Nightwing wondered this as Ubu ushered him in front of Ra's throne.
"Kneel before him."
Nightwing looked back.
"Go to hell."
Ubu became angry.He made a gesture that indicated he was going to hit Nightwing.......but Ra's,for some reason,stopped him.
"If the Detective does not wish to bow before me,He does not need to be pressured into doing so."
Ubu recoiled.
"Leave us....I must speak with the Detective....privately."
Again,with the "Detective" name.Why the hell cant he just call him "Nightwing" or "Dick Grayson"?
Hell....He wouldnt have minded "Bird Boy"......
Ubu bowed,and left the room.
"What do you want with me?"
"The discussion is not what I want.....but what you want."
Nightwing raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"Tell me....Detective.....what do YOU desire?"
Nightwing knew he wasnt going to respond to that....but he thought about it.He honestly didnt know.Of course....there was
one thing.....but he wasnt going to say it.
"I have everything I need......."
Nightwings face became angry.
"....except freedom."
Ra's smiled.
"Surely there must be something else...."
Nightwing just stared at him.There was nothing else.
"Well....if you cant provide me with an answer,then maybe I can answer for you."
Nightwing raised his eyebrow again.
"And what,exactly,is that supposed to mean?"
"Power."
Nightwings eyes widened.Ra's had done some pretty cruel things in his lifetime....but did he honestly think Nightwing was THAT stupid?
"I know what your up to...."
Nightwing stepped closer.
"....it isnt going to work."
Ra's frowned.
"And what is that?"
"Your offering me the same chance you offered Batman.You want me to be your successor......to lead the league of shadows."
Ra's smiled.
"He has taught you well.Perhaps.....too well."
"So it IS that....isnt it?"
"Yes."
Nightwing folded his arms.
"Why,Ra's?Why drag me all the way out here when you KNOW Im going to refuse?"
"Because you are different from your mentor."
"Well....at least we agree on something..."
Ra's stood.
"While I do admit that bringing you out here was.....foolish....in a way,I must admit....there is another part to this."
"And that is?"
"If you dont accept my offer.....I shall destroy Gotham."
Nightwing was stunned.Not at the plan....but at the level of it.It was....predictable.Clearly,something happened to Ra's when he came back from the dead.
"Your kidding right?This is the exact same crap you've thrown at Batman ever since you two met.What the hell make you think you'll suceed this time?"
Ra's smiled....evilly,this time.
"Because the explosives that I would use to destroy Gotham....are under the Gotham Clocktower."
Nightwings eyes widened.....perhaps even more than when he first saw Ra's as being alive.
"Barbara.."
Ra's looked at Nightwing.He KNEW about her....it was obvious.
"Exactly.I knew of your relationship with her,and if I were to sway you......I knew I had to find your weakness."
Nightwing gritted his teeth.He was getting angrier by the second.
"If you hurt her.....I SWEAR I'll..."
"You'll do what,Detective?You,like your mentor,do not kill.You can not do anything to harm me....."
Ra's pulled out a remote control,and hit a button.The monitors for which Ra's used to watch over his Castle all projected one picture:
"....But I can do anything...and EVERYTHING to hurt YOU."
That was an insult to injury.The picture displayed a private moment....and no doubt one of Ra's ninjas snapped it without any goddamn permission.
Nightwing,at this point,had had enough.
It was one thing to threaten Nightwing...and to threaten Gotham.....but that crossed the line.
He was ready to lash out at Ra's,full force,and rip his eyes out of his sockets.But....he couldnt.
It wasnt because he was too weak to.....it was because if he HAD done that,Ra's would've won.
He wasnt about to become a murderer,like Ti...
Nightwing stopped thinking that.That particular matter was still debatable.
"So.....What is your decision,Detective?"
Nightwing made a fist,but quickly calmed down.He wasnt happy.....but he knew if he made one wrong move,Ra's would destroy Gotham with a push of a button.
"...Can I at least think about it?"
Ra's frowned....but then smiled.
"As you wish....but remember.....you shall not get any food or water UNTIL you've made a decision."
Dammit....He HAD to do that,didnt he?
Ra's had threatened the person he cared for the most......and the city he had protected for so long....he had even KIDNAPPED him.....and now he was starving him.
The bastard....
Ra's snapped his fingers,and within a mere second,Ubu re-entered.
"Yes,master?"
"Take him back to the dungeon.Let him collect his thoughts."
"Yes master."
Ubu grabbed Nightwing and pushed him back toward the door,still holding that damned sword of his.
As Nightwing was led back to his cell.....He realised how much was at stake.Everything.....EVERYONE he ever cared for was going to be blown to bits all because of him......and even if the bomb didnt destroy every bit of Gotham.....it was definatley going to destroy the person he cared for most.
This wasnt going to be an easy decision.
OOC:Just so you all know,Ra's is bluffing.
So,of course.....he wont really destroy Gotham.....so no one needs to worry.
Nightwing,however,doesnt know that.He knows Ra's has the power to do it,so he fully believes him.