Found Family

Dead?

Nico's (POV)

I shadow-traveled to the alley where the noise seemed to come from and spotted Batman with what seemed to be two older teens and a younger one. I didn't have time to look at them any longer as the minotaur jumped to attack me. I easily dodged the first attack it tried to throw at me. I ran to create some distance between us, took off my ring, and turned it into my sword. I lunged towards the ankle of the minotaur as fast as I could and slashed the ankle of the minotaur which just roared in pain in response. As I tried to slash the other anke the minotaur managed to grab me from my hoodie lifting me off the ground.

I thrashed around trying to loosen its grip on me but instead, it wrapped its hands around me squeezing the air out of me. I was about to pass out when the minotaur screamed and let me go. I fell onto the floor in my stomach knocking out any air I had left. As soon as I composed myself, I gasped for air and turned around. When I turned around I saw Batman and Nightwing staring at me. "Are you ok Nico? What are you doing here?" asked Batman kneeling beside me with Nightwing. " I'm Fine" I growled as I got up and went to retrieve my sword that rested about 5 feet away from me. "Whatever your name's, move out my way!" I screamed at the two vigilantes who were trying to attack the minotaur. I know they had heard me since they looked back at me but they continued to attack without relent.

"Hey Batman, could you please tell them to come back and stop attacking?" I asked Batman nicely. I wanted to get into this fight and I could feel my instinct taking over with each passing second but the two vigilantes ahead of me were making it impossible for me to jump in.

Thankfully Batman screamed out "Red Hood, Robin come back we should regroup anyway". Red Hood and Robin? That Red Hood specifically has this death aura around him. He was dead but alive. "Batman, if we stop then this monster will attack again in Nightwings direction and this kid, no matter how much he believes he can, can't defeat it." Red Hood replied.

"It wont attack Nightwing, I'm the target so as long as you get him away from me he will be fine! And I am more than capable of defeating it,i've faced worse! " I said back annoyed.

"What worse could a citizen like you see, your only 13-14 years old, and you're new here right? If so you've lived better childhoods than any of us!" Red Hood shot back at me.

"Believe what you want to believe but I'm the only one here that has a weapon that works against the monster here so if you two want to keep your heads on your bodies you will move out my way!" I was so mad that the shadows started to gather around my feet. Red Hood and Robin moved out of the way staring at me with a shocked expression. The moment I turned around to see Batman and Nightwing staring at me the Minotaur decided to attack. I jump over its hand that tried to attack me rolling foward onto my feet.  "Seriously, I'm so done with this' I say as I jump onto the minotaur's back and will my sword to dig into it's back. The minotaur let out a earth-shaking growl as it turned into a golden powder.  When the minotaur disintegrated I fell to the ground on my feet feeling satisfied and relieved when Batman who was still supporting Nightwing decided to question me.

"Nico, mind explaining what happened and why you aren't home?" Batman asked me in an annoyed voice. "You can't disappear and walk around the street alone!".  "First I don't see why that's your problem and second how do you know I have a home? As far as I know you last met me when I was living on the streets," I answered. "Well Nico, I am good friends with Mr. Wayne so he told me about his new adopted son and I'm sure that Bruce won't enjoy the news that his son sneaked out." Nico sat down hanging his head forward "They shouldn't get mad at me since they did the samething.  The whole family sneaked out including Bruce tonight. I was just looking for them. "

"I guess that makes sense but what was this whole monster thing about" Batman asked me in a careful tone. "Easy I saw a monster and fought it off like i've done my whole life. It would have ended much earlier if those two didn't stand in my way " I said as I pointed to both Robin and Redhood.