Parade of a Thousand Birds

Chapter Fourteen: Kidnapped

A/N
Hello everyone! Just completely winging these next two chapters. Sorry if things get wonky, it will eventually go back full circle (eventually being the key word) right now I'm playing around with plots and a few twists to help keep your interest and it is literally giving the headache of a lifetime. It doesn't help that I am on like two hours of sleep (thank you daylight savings!) I will post the next chapter probably tomorrow, so you won't be waiting long. Thanks for reading!
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Just as Dick expected, the drive to school was horrible. No words were spoken, and the tension could be cut with a knife.

On three occasions, Bruce opened his mouth to say something, but he just closed it again.

Dick stared at his hands and played with his thumbs, praying to whoever was listening, for no red lights.

When they reached Gotham Academy, Dick opened the door. "Uh...Thanks for the ride." Student's gathered near the entrance, curiosity getting the better of them. One of the life problems of being a ward to a well known billionaire.

Bruce cleared his throat awkwardly/ "Have a good day at school. See you when you get home."

Another awkward pause.

"Uh..right. See you then.." Dickclosed the door and Bruce drove off, leaving the poor little bird to fend off the stares on his own.

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Class was boring, Second hour was just beginning and robin already wanted to impale his head with a batarang. The boy groaned and rested his head on the table. "100 ways to torture someone, chapter one: listening to your english teacher." All he wanted to do was sleep, but the fear of his past catching him in his dreams frightened him.

"You were created to kill"

Dick slammed his head against the table, "Shut up!"

The room grew quiet, and all eyes were on Dick. The boy's face reddened slightly and muttered an apology before standing up and excusing himself from the class, saying he was not feeling too well and needed to get some air.

Lunch went by, and Richard ate by himself, He watched a blonde girl chatting with a group and smiled a bit. Artemis.

He was about to stand up and go mess with her, but his own voice echoed through his skull.

"Poison."

It made the teen freeze, his feet would not move. Before long he started laughing to himself and shaking his head, forcing himself to walk over to the blonde.

"Why hello there" Robin said, grinning at the obvious confusion of the blonde.

"Uh, do I know you?"

"Nope." Dick grinned, popping the 'p'. At least that's one good thing about keeping your identity a secret, you get to troll the everlasting crap out of your teammates. That made Dick's mood improve at least a little today. Thanks Artemis.

"Well...I should get going to class then..." The archer frowned a bit before slipping away from the boy she probably thought was insane.

Well,she probably was not far off from that. Dick smiled and waved goodbye before wandering the halls, not in the mood to go to his class on time.

By the time Richard got to math, the room was incredibly quiet , which Dick would have welcomed completely if this was not a classroom that was filled with teens. Something was off. DIck looked around to see that no one was in the classroom.

Then there was a laugh, and then there was someone who came up from behind, wrapping their arms around Dick. "Looks like we caught ourselves a rich brat!"

Dick gagged a bit, his attacker smelled like twelve month old roadkill. He kicked a bit and squirmed, trying to break free. If he were to use real self defence, is cover would have been blown, and Robin could not do that no matter the circumstances.This was not the first time that the young ward of Bruce Wayne has been kidnapped, and Dick learned that his best choice of action was to play helpless school boy.

"Awe, that isn't very polite to kick, boy~" Another laugh "After all we are going on a little field trip, so we must be on our best behaviour.

Being in the circus, one would think young DIck would have a tolerance for clowns. He most certainly did not. "How about you let me go? I don't do clown cars."

"Oh, we have a jokester? Brilliant!" The joker gleamed, tugging the boy along. "I bet you have the best laugh. But that will have to wait for your daddy, boy." Robin was shoved into the back seat of the car, which smelled of cigarette smoke.Dick looked around to see not only the joker but Harley Quinn and The riddler at the wheel."Can you at least open a window? Don't want to kill the hostage before you even get the ransom." The boy grumbled a bit, not in the mood to be bait.

"Rather cheeky, aren't we, Harley, be a dear and muzzle the boy."

"Sure thing Pudden'"

Richard grinned , moving away slightly so he could get another word in. "Riddle me this" Dick commented "What is green and red, but not in the christmas season?"

The riddler looked back in confusion, surprised that the boy was even brave enough to talk. Wham! Robin kicked the Riddler right in the nose, causing it to bleed. The riddler soon sped off into the streets of gotham, heading to who knows where with the kidnapped Richard.

"If you were wondering, it was you." Robin knew he was pushing his luck, but the thrill was eating at him. How much danger could he put himself into before they snap. How many verbal slaps does it take to to get under the skin of a villain, let's find out "What's a bunch of supervillains want to do with a well known child ward? Did you run out of 'make up' money?" one "Or perhaps you you are finally going to get those roots done" a two- "Or some much needed mouthwash." three---

The Joker now had a blade to his throat. "I am not in the mood for your games ,boy." The joker hissed, pressing the blade to Dick's throat. The boy grinned, his body itching for a fight.

"Wanna hear a joke?" The boy grinned against the cold metal of the blade, which caused the Joker to falter.

The Joker gave a small grunt of acknowledgement, almost appreciating the young boy's daring recklessness. "Alright Dickie, I will hear your joke, the car ride was boring anyway."

The boy chuckled, the villains started at the turn of events and the car stopped, the air growing cold between them. Complete silence.

" What bone do you snap to keep a clown from laughing?"

The joker frowned, obviously not knowing the catchline to the joke.

"The humerus."