Batman & Robin And Me .:rewritten:.

XXIII. Geese & The Visitor

IT WAS AN ABSOLUTELY beautiful day. In Gotham, the fact that it was summer didn't seem to make a whit of difference in the air. Here, it was warm and lazy. The sun beamed down on me as I swung gently on the rusty swings.

"Honk!'

I scowled at the swarm of geese that was waddling toward me, apparently assuming I possessed some hidden stash of bread. Geese are stupid, loud, ugly, and they poop everywhere.

"Shoo. Pests." I told them, swinging with more gusto in hopes that they would be discouraged. They weren't.

Holding my boots out of their reach, I did my best impression of a Batglare.

"Honk!" The biggest one, probably the leader, declared. I swung harder.

Not too far away, a few children giggled at my misfortune. I stopped swinging long enough to shoot them a pleading look, but it was a mistake. Instantly, the geese had crowded around me so tightly that the only way I could start swinging again would be to kick them. They watched me with what seemed to be triumph, confident in their status as park pets.

"Don't look so smug." I told them. "I just might kick you."

Suddenly, a low hum shook the air, and both geese and I looked around nervously.

A swirling, undulating portal appeared a few inches from me, and I choked back a scream. For a ridiculous moment, I thought it was Dick come back to fetch me, but the person stepped through and I knew I was wrong. The hair was the same shade and the boy was about the same height, but he wasn't nearly as broad-shouldered or handsome.

"What do you want?" I wearily asked.

Jasper looked around warily. Nobody had seen. "I'm here to--are those geese?"

I sighed, trying to appear mature and unruffled. "Yes. What do you want, Jasper?"

"Chronos. My name's Chronos." He kicked one of the geese, and they all flew off in a rush of wings, landing on the pond a few meters away.

"Sure, buddy. What are you doing here?" I knew I should be worried that a super-powered criminal was mere feet from me, but I was too worn out to care.

He gave one more furtive glance around for prying eyes before he leaned in. "I've got a message for you. From the Joker."

My eyes snapped open. "What?"

"He played me a couple of big ones to come here and tell you. So here's the message."

He handed me a small video recorder. I took it, warily.

I turned it on, and then looked up. Jasper was leaning in to watch. "Do you mind?" I asked, annoyed. He gave me a sheepish smile.

"Can I see it, please? I never get to do anything exciting. It's always 'hey, Jasper do this' and 'hey, Jasper do that'. Nobody appreciates me."

"That's because you're an idiot who uses his power for petty crime instead of good." I informed him. "But fine. Just stay quiet."

We both turned our attention back to the video.

The Joker's sickly, white face appeared on camera. He was smiling. As usual.

"Hello there, Girl Wonder. A little birdie told me that you're still alive. Congradulations, I rarely fail in finishing off my victims. Consider yourself special."