Chapter Text
Save Nightwing.
That note was a pain in his ass. Jason had done just about everything he could to figure out what it meant besides actually asking the other bats for help. And now...Jason growled in frustration as he brought his bike to a stop in the cave. Maybe he could ask in passing? Just name drop ‘Nightwing’ and see if it got anyone’s attention? Wouldn’t be too hard, he could play it off as need-to-know if no one recognized anything.
Cases that involved two or three members were rare but apparently, Two-Face was up to something that warranted all hands on deck. Jason would have probably ignored the call if not for the damn note.
Most everyone else was already there, Duke had already been briefed since he was working day shift and Cass would be flying in a few days, which was a shame, since, besides Steph, who didn’t look any happier to be there than him, she was the only other bat he could tolerate.
How they were all still talking after all these years was beyond him and maybe it was finally catching up to them. Over the last year, they had been drifting further and further apart. Not even Alfred’s family dinners were as effective as they used to be.
Speaking of Alfred. Jason didn't sensor his groan as he bit into the chicken salad stuffed pastry.
“Please come live with me, Alfie, I’ll give you whatever you want.”
He was politely declined but the man’s smile was deeply pleased as he turned to exit the cave, leaving Jason with a warm feeling.
Bruce was still droning on in his debrief opening when a ringing began echoing through the cave. Pulling out a silver cased phone, Bruce gave it a suspicious look before answering, “What?” After a beat, “Constantine,” Bruce growled, then his face twisted in irritation, “Is this a conference call?”
His frown deepened as he pulled the phone away from his ear and pressed the speaker button.
“...else is one the line?” a woman was asking.
Jason sat up. Was that Diana?
“High League members with a lot of connections,” John replied, “I need a wide net.”
“What’s happening?” Tim wondered stepping up next to Bruce.
“First things first,” John commanded, “anyone noticing anything off in their lives?”
There was a short pause before Clark asked, “Can you be more specific?”
“Missing time, not knowing why you’ve made certain decisions in the past that should have a clear explanation, anything not fitting together, strange notes showing up.”
With each thing added to the list, everyone in the group began to look more and more intent, because yes, something was off, wasn’t it? His thoughts never stayed on it for long and it wasn’t something that anyone was talking about, for some reason. At the last addition though, Jason stilled and Bruce immediately zeroed in on him.
“Perhaps,” B murmured.
“Did you do something, John?” Diana asked suspiciously, while Clark wondered, “What’s this about exactly?”
“Some odd things have happened to me in the last few weeks, the latest one being a note attached to my door, recognized the handwriting as belonging to the Phantom Stranger. Tried handling it myself but I don’t have enough information.”
Bruce hadn’t stopped looking at him yet, “What does the note say?”
“Find Nightwing.”
Jason almost gasped but was beat to it by someone else on the line.
“Nightwing?” Clark asked.
“You know what it is?”
“Yes, I-” Clark hesitated, “There’s a Kryptonian legend about a being called Nightwing.”
“So I’m looking for someone. That’s something at least,” John mussed.
“I got a note, too,” Jason finally said, hesitantly. This was definitely not how he was expecting to bring this up. “Attached to the window of a safehouse I didn’t know I was going to use until that night.” He let that sit for a second, “It said, Save Nightwing.”
“Hmm, so this is meant to be a group effort then,” Constantine mussed.
“What else, John?” Diana asked.
“Wait,” Bruce interrupted, “we need to meet in person. Unless there is more we need to be looking for?”
“Nothing that would change what to look out for.”
“Alright then. Hall of Justice, noon, eastern standard time. Does that work for everyone?”
There was an echoing of confirmation through the phone.
“Until then call contacts, see who else has been affected.”
Almost twelve hours later and one aggravatingly long lecture about telling Bruce absolutely everything that was going on in his life because he’s an unrepentant control freak, they were sitting in the Hall of Justice.
“A few weeks back,” Constantine began, “I left the House and completely forgot what I was meant to be doing.”
“And?” Jason pressed, “That happens to everyone.”
“Not like this. I didn’t forget to pick up eggs at the market, my mind was a complete blank as to what I was doing. I went back inside and found books out that I didn’t remember reading, notes in my handwriting, fresh food on a plate. I could still taste it in my mouth. Something happened a month ago that seems to have affected everyone, including me, but only after I stepped out of the House.”
That was a worrying thought since the House of Mystery existed out of time.
Diana leaned back in her chair, “So, it protected you against something.”
“What were the books about?” Bruce asked.
John tilted his head, looking amused, “Fairies.”
Clark blinked, “Fairies?”
“The Fae to be exact. Mythology got some things wrong but what can you expect from stories from thousands of years ago? People back then wouldn’t have been able to comprehend what they were.”
“Will you get to the point?” Diana sighed.
“They’re interdimensional beings, existing out of our time and space. It never quite lines up. The stories about stumbling into their realm and losing decades or centuries? Being gone for days or years but no time has passed when they get back? Both true. Abducted by aliens?”
“Actually fairies?” Jason asked in disbelief.
“Some of them at least.”
“So you’re thinking all of these events are connected?” B asked.
“The Phantom Stranger tries not to get involved but he knows enough that if he's sending us notes, it's important and he’s going to be sending those notes to the right people,” John said, giving Jason a significant look.
“There’s only two.”
“So, far,” Diana amended, “we’re still inquiring around.”
John waved his hand, “It may be just those two because that’s all we’ll need to figure it out, at least enough to get us going.”
“Alright,” Diana offered, “we’re actually thinking that a legendary Kryptonian figure was what, captured by these fae and we need to go get them?”
John tilted his head back and forth, “Basically. But there’s more to it than just that, isn’t there?”
“Our reality has been tampered with,” B elaborated.
“Correct.”
“Nightwing is a symbol of rebirth,” Clark said, “building up from destruction, maybe we need them to fix whatever happened to us.”
“Based on what we’ve been given and the fact that I’ve been unable to summon Nightwing, I’d say the alterations center around them. l can try the summoning again now that I know it’s an actual person but if they are in fact a prisoner it, won’t do any good.”
This was so boring. Jason desperately wished someone else had gotten the note. He’d already contacted everyone he knew before coming to the Hall and now he couldn’t leave because he was seemingly more connected to this than anyone else. Yet all he could do was sit and listen to everyone split off into little groups and go over the same information. He really had nothing to add to this.
Why the hell did he even get that damn note?
“The event is very specific in who was affected,” B murmured, looking over their data, “The hero community has been asking civilians in their lives similar questions and so far no one has reported anything similar to what they’ve experienced themselves. It even varies among us, some are more affected than others.”
“Proximital involvement?” Clark wondered.
“Maybe, but it isn’t just one shared point in our histories; there are years between instances for some, at least in noticeable instances,” B turned to Clark, “How many times have we interacted over the years?”
“What?” Clark asked, surprised by the turn, “Too many to count.”
“What about you and Alfred?”
“Uh, not as many.”
“So your absence would affect him and me differently, wouldn’t it?”
“I suppose.”
“And if you didn’t remember me, but everything in your past stayed the same?”
Jason scooted his chair closer, now this was getting interesting.
Clark’s features hardened as he understood, “It would feel a lot like this, I imagine.”
Bruce nodded, “We actually know Nightwing. For some of us, years.”
“Why couldn’t the Stranger just put this in the notes?” Jason asked, annoyed, “‘The fairies made you forget someone, go rescue them’?”
John walked over, “He lives by rules. The fact that he’s gotten involved at all…”
“Yeah yeah, it's important. So we’re mounting a rescue mission?”
“Yes and no.”
Jason dropped his head onto the table. Something had better happen or he was leaving.
“I’m getting tired of the cryptics, John,” B growled, sounding just as frustrated.
“Based on what little you may know of the Fae, do you actually think you can just go into their realm and take something that belongs to them?”
“I thought Nightwing was a prisoner?” Jason asked.
“Same thing. If they can’t be summoned then the Fae have power over them. Brute force isn’t going to work here.”
“That’s debatable. Enough of the League show up-“
“Too many interlopers and you will seriously piss them off,” John countered, “I’m not telling anyone to just go home, keeping backup on standby would be smart but everyone can’t go.”
Clark stepped forward, “I’m going. Nightwing is a Kryptonian legend, so I have a clear connection to this.”
“Fair enough,” John allowed, “Just remember you’re as susceptible to magic as anyone else.”
“Will you be able to offer us any protection?” Clark asked.
John tilted his head, “Iffy, but I’m not going.”
B’s eyes narrowed, “Why not?”
“‘Find Nightwing’, said my note. I wager I only got it because I had the right information.”
“You’d wager?”
“Our magics are different, I’ll be more help staying here and opening a portal for the group to come back.”
“Wouldn’t you be able to do that there?”
John huffed, “Listen, this is difficult enough to explain because there is no proper comparison but our magics don’t mix. If my magic were a rainbow all they’d have ta do is turn off the lights and I’m stuck, aren’t I?
“Their magic is that much stronger than yours?”
“No, see, you’re not getting it. Don’t argue semantics, just go along with this alright? I can’t make a rainbow in the dark and they can’t make a shadow when there’s only light. Put them on my turf and they’d be at a disadvantage as well, wouldn’t they? I’ve got to stay in the light to make a rainbow to get you out of their realm. If you do end up with Nightwing, I wouldn’t trust them to help you leave.”
There was a short pause before B nodded, “Understood.”
Jason sighed, “‘Save Nightwing’, so I guess I’m going.”
“Makes even more sense than Supes going,” John gave a low chuckle, “the Fey are going to hate you.”
“What?” That was not something Jason had been expecting, “Why?”
“As I said, their magic’s different than most, ancient to the universe and very law-bound. You, well, you’re a spit in the face to the laws of nature aren’t you?”
“What, so because of the Lazarus Pit they-“
“No, no, the Pit is a poor attempt at true immortality, the most they’ll do is look down their noses at it. No, the Pit only gave you back your mind, didn’t it? Not your life. You broke the law without consequence. It’ll be interesting to see how they interact with you. Might give us an advantage.”
“I’m going as well,” B added.
Jason reflexively felt a wave of irritation, “Worried I’m going to screw it up?”
“Yeah, yeah,” John interrupted before Bruce could respond, “No one cares for your issues right now. Unless anyone else is volunteering then you three are it, best to stick with a number of power.”
Everything moved more quickly after that. With the time difference they didn’t know how long they would be gone; could be a second, could be longer. Contingencies were set up, Oracle and Red Robin were on standby in the clocktower and cave, Batgirl and Robin refused to leave so they joined the more immediate backup in Mt. Justice.
“Some basic rules. Don’t eat anything. I don’t care how hungry or thirsty you get, you eat anything and they have power over you and I can’t bring you back. Two, don’t listen to their music. This one’s a bit more tricky, you may not even realize you’re listening to it, maybe you just started watching them dance and it seeps into your brain. Keep an eye on each other.”
“So, don’t watch them dance either,” B put in.
“Probably best not to. Remember why you're there. They’ll try to distract or trick you.”
Jason nodded, “Pretend we’re dealing with the Riddler then.”
“Hm, not a bad start. Three, big one though, don’t give them your name.” He looked specifically at Clark and Jason, “Shouldn’t be too difficult if you’re all going in under your alias’. They’re slippery, though, they may already know it, doesn’t matter, just don’t give it to them. Doesn’t matter if you see a vision of a loved one, don’t respond.”
“Hey,” Jason interrupted, motioning to B, “Why aren’t you saying this to him?”
“I’ve given up trying to make him listen. Besides,” he turned to B, “I have no idea what your true name is, so what am I supposed to tell you?”
Uh. “You know who he is.”
“I know his civilian identity,” John clarifies, “But which one is his true name?”
Jason looked between the two before it finally hit, “Are you serious B?” he scoffed, “What am I saying, it makes perfect sense.“
John handed B a stone with a hole in the center, “Speak into this and I’ll bring you back.”
At B’s nod, John began chanting, the power in his words growing until a pinpoint of light grew into a portal.
Jason’s chest tightened and he quickly stepped through before he could lose his nerve. The smart thing would have been to let at least Clark through first, he was far more indestructible.
Luckily, though...Woah. He blinked up into the bright canopy. What the hell? Everything was in sharp focus. Each leaf standing out and iridescent. The ground thrummed as if it had a heartbeat. He bent over and fought to control his stomach.
“Breathe,” he heard, as he became aware of a hand on his back.
Jason pushed down his frustration, B didn’t seem to be affected at all. Jason should have brought his helmet, it might have been able to filter some of this...whatever he was experiencing.
“I don’t think we should stay here very long,” Clark said, sounding unnerved, mending some of Jason’s pride. “Come on, this way.”
They didn’t bother questioning him taking the lead, he was obviously hearing something.
They were in some kind of weird-ass forest. The trees shimmered as if they were made of metal. Jeez! Jason kept his eyes on the path, he couldn’t deal with the overstimulation of everything. It was too much.
Uh. Jason frowned at the path. Where did that even come from? It wasn’t a path, so much as dead ground. Everything around them was almost vibrating with energy, except for the ground they were walking on. Glancing behind them, he could see that it looked even more lifeless.
The thrumming grew until they turned around a large tree and found themselves surrounded. Literally. The tree was somehow replaced by a mass of moshing beings, moving with some silent beat.
“Superman!” B yelled, making Jason turn in time to watch him smack Clark in the face before covering his ears.
Clark startled, looking disoriented.
“Really?” B snapped, “Focus your hearing somewhere else. Neither of us can stop you if you decide to join them.”
Hearing? What were they hearing? Unlike his sight, his hearing felt muffled, like he had headphones on.
They continued forward, the mass of, apparently, fae, parted for them, some actually going so far as to hiss as they retreated.
Jason wondered how much mythology actually centered around these things. He was sure he’d seen a few with fangs and he really didn’t want to be dealing with vampires.
It was hard not to be distracted by the pulse of the crowd as they moved with the silent music, his heart had begun beating with it as well. Was that the pull? He wasn’t feeling inclined to join them.
The fae themselves were hard to describe, their skin varying from the earth tones he was familiar with, to any other color on the spectrum and they were, for the most part, very androgynous. Was that the default for them, just confusingly pretty?
Jason blinked. Well, that one was definitely a female, those were some of the biggest breasts he’d ever seen...and there were six of them. Wait, was she a wolf?
He turned his head to look again and his vision hazed, the thrum fading until he could only feel it against his skin.
Black and tan and blue.
He was the only one Jason could see clearly, everything about him a sharp contrast as he moved with the blurred beings surrounding him.
“Jason.”
He was suddenly pulled around, meeting B’s gaze, “Don’t listen-”
“I wasn’t,” Jason snapped, pulling away. Was he? “There was-” he turned again but the haze had lifted and the man was gone...or wasn’t ever there. He shook his head. It had felt more like a dream or a memory.
The crowd finally parted to a large opening, the branches now reaching high into the air, up along a cliff face of polished marble. Wide steps led up to a throne. At least it had the feeling of one, it was really just a pile of strategically placed pillows, but the fae sitting comfortably on them reeked of power. They were completely white, bordering on translucent, skin, hair, clothes, it didn’t matter. The overlap was going to give Jason a headache if he looked at them too long. The being’s crown actually looked like it was made of carved bone, as did the rest of the copious jewelry adorning their body.
Their entire appearance made the tanned man laying across their lap stand out all the more. Jason almost stopped short.
It was the man from the crowd.
But, no, it couldn’t be him, he’d just seen him and he looked different now somehow. More naked perhaps?
He was stretched out on his stomach, facing away, his legs splayed over the pillows, one leg bent and bare, the other somewhat covered by a bright blue swash of fabric that was really only covering his ass, secured around him by a golden ring at his hip. His upper body...well, a deep midnight blue seemed to be pained around his arms to his shoulder blades, with...Jason couldn’t tell from this distance, veins? The same bright blue as the fabric.
The fae on the throne was treating the man like anyone would a cat in their lap, with his hands scratching through the raven locks and across his back.
They waited a moment for some type of acknowledgment but Jason couldn’t tell if they were purposefully being ignored or if the being was actually unaware of their presence.
Clark moved forward, “We come seeking Nightwing.”
The fae didn’t even glance their way but breathed a very put upon sigh.
Jason felt a hum in the air as he watched a haze move next to the thrown and solidify into another Fae, this in light yellow shift with a low back, probably made that way to make room for their short, mohawked, red hair, growing from their head and back.
Jason frowned when he noticed both Bruce and Clark startle.
“You were commanded to end this.” the throned fae said...maybe? Their mouths weren’t lining up.
“And I, of course, obeyed. There is no reason for them to be here.”
B growled next to him and Clark sighed, “Can’t make it out either?”
“It sounds like gibberish.”
Something was happening. Something Jason shouldn’t be aware of. Might give us an advantage, John had said. Jason instinctively shut his mouth tight.
“I tire of this abomination, its presence overturns the amusement of your game. Let this be the last.”
The standing fae bowed and the throne blurred, stretching up and away from the group, but going off the others’ reactions, they must have simply disappeared from their perspective.
The remaining fae turned to them, eyeing them in disdain, “Persistent mortals.”
“We’ve come here for Nightwing,” Clark repeated.
The fae slowly straightened, gaze turning critical as it moved over them, lingering noticeably longer on Jason.
“Nightwing?” they wondered, “Not,” they glanced again toward Jason, “someone else?”
Shit, they’d messed up somehow. Revealed a poor hand or something because Jason could see the gears turning and if they didn’t catch up they were going to get screwed. But they had nothing to work with beyond the name Nightwing.
The fae’s fingers folded neatly in front of him, “Unfortunately that is not possible. As an immortal, Nightwing abides in our halls, now and forever.”
“They shouldn’t be here. Nightwing is a symbol of renewal and rebirth, by keeping them here you’re preventing this.”
The fae smiled wide, glancing once again at Jason.
Why the hell did he keep doing that? What were they missing?
“It is puzzling how difficult it is to chip away at you,” the fae said, studying Jason openly now, “yet,” he leaned closer, “there is nothing in there this time, is there?”
He could feel the irritation coming off of B in waves. Yeah, he was just as aware that they were losing whatever game this was.
“Why are you here then?” The fae wondered, “How?”
B stepped forward, “All that matters is that we are here for what is ours and we won’t leave without them.”
“Truly?”
“Ours before yours.”
“Always trying to be the clever one. But that’s not how this works.”
“It’s a game,” Jason interrupted, “Why are we allowed here if not for your…” Jason stared the fae down, “amusement?”
The fae’s expression sharpened unnaturally, spitting out, “Abomination.”
“I’ve been called worse.”
As he spoke B stepped sideways, partially shielding him, “If this is a game, what are the rules?”
“You’re sure you wish to play?”
“Yes.”
“Very well. You must determine how to free Nightwing of his immortality.”
Him. Okay, Nightwing was a dude.
“If you are able to do this within one phase of your moon, then you may keep him-“
“Free of your hold.”
“Yes,” the fae nodded, “But if you fail, then you and anyone else will cease your attempts to free Nightwing, forever leaving him here.”
What the hell kind of deal was that? Would everyone not here actually be bound by it?
“A moon phase? How long is that?” Clark asked.
“About three and a half days,” B mussed.
“That’s all?” Jason demanded, “How are we supposed to do that?”
“These are the rules,” the fae said, far too amused for Jason’s liking, “Accept them or leave now.”
“We don’t have time to discuss this?” B growled.
The fae’s wide smile was unnerving, reminding him too much of the Joker, “Accept now and try or I shall count it as a failure and expel you forever.”
The extra-long pause did nothing to intimidate the fae and Jason could practically hear B grinding his teeth, “Fine. We accept.”
“Wonderful!” The fae raised their hands dramatically, “A final entertainment and the abomination shall be gone!”
Jason startled at the cheers from the mass behind them. Seriously, what the hell? How did that suddenly become about him?
The fae lowered their hands lowered but then stretched one out to their side expectantly.
The air blurred again and Jason looked up in time to see a figure descending from the cliff. Nope, not just anyone, the man from the fae’s lap. His arms were bare, the midnight blue now stretched out behind him as wings, tearing through space, revealing a starlit sky.
Nightwing. Huh. Clark had filled them in on the full legend, Jason just didn’t think his appearance would be so literal.
Nightwing took the fae’s hand as he landed, the wings blending back into his arms.
And holy hell, this was definitely a dude. A really hot dude. Minimal androgeny here. He knew the fae were supposed to be attractive, in theory, but still, this guy was putting them to shame. It didn’t matter how ridiculous his outfit was, just that swash of fabric and gold around his hips.
Jason knew he was obviously staring but...was that a gold chain hanging from nipple rings?! Even the black eyes were more ethereal than unnerving, the bright blue of the iris’ standing out.
“We begin again, pet,” the fae murmured, kissing Nightwing’s hand.
The man blinked and the black in his eyes was gone, awareness spreading. His lips immediately twisted in disgust as he pulled his hand free and stepped back.
His expression didn’t change much when he turned to the trio, only shifting to frustration then exasperation before settling on a...sad fondness?
“It’s good to see you.”
As much as it contradicted his expression, he seemed to be telling the truth.
Jason wasn’t sure what he had been expecting when they found Nightwing, maybe some kind of magical confirmation? But there was nothing and neither B or Clark seemed to recognize the man either.
“We’ve come to an agreement,” B began, only to have Nightwing interrupt.
“A moon phase, yeah, we’ll want to head back now, the time started as soon as you agreed.”
The fae didn’t look the least bit put out at having Nightwing point this out, just continued to smile at them.
“Be sure to enjoy yourself, pet, this will be the last attempt.”
“Really,” Nightwing asked, mocking in his tone, “That’s what you said last time.”
The fae’s smile didn’t waver, “Yes, but the bat has now agreed to it.”
Nightwing’s expression closed with a snap, “Of course he did,” and he very obviously didn’t look at B as he moved down the steps to them, and instead looked to Jason, “Let’s get out of here. You’ve got the coin or stone to call them, Jay?”
Really, Jason was usually more on the ball than this but this entire situation felt like one big game of catch up and Jason just wasn’t catching up. Why did he get the note? Because the fae despised him? But then why was Nightwing looking at him like that when Superman was standing right there?
“Jay?” Nightwing asked, his hand coming up to Jason’s shoulder but stopping short when Jason tensed.
“Oh dear, pet, did I forget to mention?” the fae laughed, “They came for Nightwing.”
They were staring at each other, so Jason saw the moment that something broke in his eyes, broke so deeply that he couldn’t seem to cover it up.
His breathing began hitching, looking at each of the trio in turn, his features cycling through confusion and pain before it simply...stopped. His face was blank as he straightened, snapping out, “Will someone call whoever is waiting on the other side so we can get the hell out of here?”
Jason didn’t look but he heard B shift and, “Now, John.”
The portal opened in front of them, its presence soothing Jason’s senses.
Nightwing almost didn’t wait for it to open fully before he went through.
Yeah, Jason couldn’t help but agree as he followed. Screw this place.