Batman Returns... Home

[Edited July 21, 2022]

After dinner, the team and their visiting consultant all went back to the arena area to watch Diana spar with the rest of the team. Everybody had their own strengths and weaknesses, which was to be expected. The problem seemed to be that their styles and levels of mastery varied wildly from one protege to the next. It was apparent to the demigod that these kids hadn't had a lot of organized training and they were suffering for it.

The fact that there was a different mentor for each hero and said mentors were rarely free from their own duties to spend time teaching and training with their sidekicks meant that these kids had to teach themselves most of what they knew. It was a miracle to Nico that more of these heroes didn't end up worm food. He had been trained in a number of different places, and by many different mentors himself and it had taken him a while to catch up to the other demigods when he started spending more time at camp. He couldn't imagine what the group training sessions must look like.

"This isn't much like what you're used to, is it?" Diana came up beside him as he watched Nightwing and Red Robin go at each other in the ring.

"You could say that," Ghost agreed with a grim smile.

"Where did you learn to fight, anyway?" Artemis approached him and handed him a water bottle-- though he had long since stopped sweating, "Hydrate or die-drate" She said in explanation when the son of Hades raised his eyebrow at her. He accepted the bottle.

"I've trained with a lot of different people, but most of what I know now comes from experience," Nico replied vaguely. He didn't want to give them anything that would make them more suspicious of him.

"Experience?" Artemis pressed. Luckily her attention was pulled away by a certain speedster who came up beside her and started talking about school or something of that nature.

"You had better escape while you have the chance," Diana murmured in his ear, "I'll see you back in Gotham, ok?" She returned to the side of the ring and Ghost retreated from the gym unnoticed. He returned to his room and finished the sketch he had started earlier. It took another couple of hours before it looked at least presentable, but he still wasn't happy with it. He would have to do a lot of touch-ups before he would feel comfortable showing anyone. By this time, it was getting really late.

Nico went to sleep that night ready to go back to the manor in the morning. It has been a long week and he was ready to relax. Of course, he hadn't gotten a chance because that night he had the most terrifying dream yet. Ok, it wasn't that scary. The dream wasn't scary in the way that most demigod nightmares were scary, but it was scary in the way that a monster encounter was scary.

It started in Yellowstone National park. The Hunters of Artemis had set up camp in the forested area. Thalia was pacing in front of the fireplace spitting curses that would put a sailor to shame. Her sisters were watching her in wide-eyed confusion, and Artemis herself was watching her lieutenant in concern.

"The boy knows how to take care of himself. I am sure he is fine," the goddess spoke up. Thalia didn't pause for a second.

"I already lost one cousin. I don't want to lose another." Thalia stopped for a moment, staring into the fire. The flames were reflected in her blue eyes. Artemis stood beside her, resting her hand on her' hunter's shoulder. What did that mean? What other cousin did she lose?

"I understand your pain," Artemis nodded. Thalia sank slowly to sit on the ground. She looked worried beyond her years.

"Can you not Iris message the boy?" Pheobe questioned from the other side of the fire.

Thalia shook her head, "If the dream was correct, he was taken by a mortal. I can't risk IMing him. Luckily, he was taken by a specific mortal. One of Gotham's worst villains. Deathstroke." Nico wanted to stick around a little longer and see just what Thalia planned to do, but the dream began fading to black. Then he became aware of someone shaking him and that he was still lying in bed. Time was passing.

Ghost shot up in bed very quickly, almost head-butting Nightwing in the process. He felt bad about almost giving them both a concussion, but he didn't have time to stop and apologize for it. He had to get back to the manor and hope that Thalia had the sense to head there before doing something brash. He didn't want to bet against the hunters, but Deathstroke was a force to be reckoned with and he would rather the two never meet. He doubted that all the hunters would make it out-- certainly not with their pride intact.

"Whoa there! What's wrong?" His older brother backed away from the side of his bed. For some reason, Ghost's mask was on his face, though he was pretty sure that he hadn't gone to sleep with it on. Nico threw off the covers and swung his legs over the edge of the bed-- grateful that he had slept in sweat pants since the mountain was quite cool. When Nico actually bothered to take a look around the room, he could see a few of the less hostile members of the team watching him. He vaguely hoped he wasn't talking in his sleep-- that would be embarrassing.

"What are they doing in here? For that matter, what are you doing in here?" He asked in confusion as he moved to collect his back from his chair.

"I couldn't wake you up. They heard me talking to you and came to see what was up." Nightwing explained.

"Is it normal for you to sleep that heavily?" Kaldur'ahm asked from his place by the desk.

"It's starting to be." Ghost muttered to himself as he found his boots and started lacing them up.

"Why did you wake up so suddenly?" Miss Martian questioned. She was a couple of steps in from the doorway. I

"Because my cousin is going to kill me," the son of Hades replied, too overwhelmed to care about being nice. He didn't have time to answer a lot of questions at the moment, he had to get back to Gotham and keep Thalia from ripping his new home to shreds. He doubted Bruce would like all the publicity that would bring him.

"Just where do you think you're going? Deathstroke might still be looking for you." Red Robin spoke up from around the head of the bed. How Nico hadn't noticed him before was beyond him.

" It doesn't matter. If I don't go back, my cousin will hunt me down and she might just meet Deathstroke herself. That would not be a pleasant meeting, I can tell you than right now." Ghost packed the rest of his measly supplies into his backpack.

"Your cousin would take on Deathstroke?" Miss Martian frowned. She wouldn't be alone, but he didn't bother mentioning that. He didn't feel like having to pass off the Hunters of Artemis as a street gang again as he had with Bianca. He doubted having gang affiliations would help his reputation among the heroes.

"Not unless she thought he was threatening me." Nico shouldered his pack and tried to move past his brothers-- who were trying to keep him from leaving.

"Can't you just call her?" Tim asked. Had he forgotten about Demigods and tech or was this to appease the team?

"She doesn't have a phone."

"Heathen!" Artemis said jokingly. The consultant smirked at that, despite the danger he was in.

"I have to go and see her before she gets herself into trouble!" Ghost insisted, making his way towards the door.

"Wait! I'm coming with you. Deathstroke might still be looking for you," Nightwing reasoned. Ghost couldn't think of a good enough reason to decline, so he nodded hesitantly.

"Good, she's looking for him," Nico replied heading out the door and past Connor who was leaning on the wall.

"Your cousin is looking for Deathstroke? What is she planning on doing? Fighting him?" Artemis asked, having followed him out.

"Something like that," He agreed, " It appears that she got wind of the whole 'hostage' situation."

"How?" She frowned.

"Trust me, she has her ways."

"How do you know that she knows?" Connor asked suspiciously. Ghost eyed him with discomfort-- he must have been eavesdropping Anyone who didn't think that he was smart needed to think again. We made it out of the hall and into the huge living room area. The team was still following him, and he hated having the entourage.

"I have my ways," Ghost replied cryptically.

"You mean you have powers?" He pressed. Everyone stilled and Ghost considered his next words carefully.

"Not really, powers per see... I get premonitions. Prophetic dreams. It's not like I can control it." He lied. No reason to tell them anything freaky about himself when he didn't need to. Connor frowned but he dropped the questions. Nico almost breathed a sigh of relief, but he felt that that wouldn't help his case.

Nico said his goodbyes and headed through the Zeta tube and out into the nasty old phone booth, Dick right on his heels, now in his civvies. From there Nico shadow traveled the pair straight to the manor. They arrived in his bathroom-- from where he could hear rustling in his bedroom. He took off his mask and stuffed it in his backpack before creeping towards the open door. He soul searched and found that the entire hunt was spread throughout the manor. Family reunion time it is.

Nico motioned for Dick to stay where he was, hoping the boy didn't get sick. Most people threw up the first time they shadow traveled. The older boy did look a little green.

The demigod slowly crept out of the bathroom. Artemis herself was in his room, in her 18-year-old form. She was quite intimidating in this form. She was searching through his wardrobe as if he would be hiding in there.

"Err, my lady?" Nico said, unsure of what the best way to approach her would be. At once, every bow in the room was armed and raised and pointed directly at the son of Hades. He lifted his hands in surrender and eyed the nearest hunter, hoping she wouldn't lose her grip and turn him into a pincushion.

"Where did you come from, boy?" Artemis asked as she lowered her bow.

"I landed in my bathroom." He jerked his thumb to the open door. Artemis curled her lip at the thought.

"Thalia had a dream that you were in grave danger." Artemis stared at him accusingly like it was his fault for escaping death.

"I was, milady. That was two days ago." Nico lowered his hands, seeing as they probably weren't going to shoot him. They were going to let Thalia shoot him when she finally heard that he was here.

"I see," She replied shortly, "Pheobe, go and fetch Thalia."

"Yes, m'lady." The huntress disappeared down the hall. Nico hoped that he wouldn't get lost in the labyrinth of hallways. He had gotten lost a few times since he began staying here.

"My adoptive brother is in my bathroom right now too. He knows everything and is under oath and all that. I just wanted to make sure you didn't shoot him." He told the man-hating goddess.

"Very well. Come out of there, boy." Artemis called. Dick slowly came out of his bathroom and eyed the group in front of him. He didn't say a word, instead opting to observe. The girls eyed him right back.

"You might want to stand back," Artemis warned Dick. Nico supposed that anywhere within ten feet of his younger brother was the danger zone.

"Why?" He was genuinely confused.

"Nico!" A scream from somewhere in the manor answered his question.

"God's help me," Nico muttered under his breath. Richard wordlessly distanced himself from the younger boy. Nico looked around the room, trying to see if there was anywhere he could hide. He knew there was no point, but he couldn't help it. He had just survived a life or death situation a few days ago and he wasn't all that anxious to be in another one so soon. When you grow up a Demigod, you get into the habit of fight or flight responses.

Down the hall, Nico could hear someone pounding up the stairs. By the sound of it, they were taking them two by two. Hopefully, she would need a second to catch her breath in which he could explain himself. He wasn't putting much stock in that possibility though. She was an immortal huntress now, maybe that excused you from cardio.

Seconds later, two sets of footsteps were coming down the hall towards us. Nico shifted in his place, re-thinking coming here in person. If he hadn't been to the mountain before, and he didn't think that she was after Slade, he would have IMed her. Then he would have avoided her wrath.

Moments later, Thalia used the door frame to swing herself sharply into the room. She surveyed the gathered people before her eyes landed on her cousin who waved meekly and tried for a small smile.

"Hey, Thalia... how's it going?"

"What the actual Hades Nico!? Last I knew, you were kidnapped by some dude in a mask." She was seething. In her anger she had taken several steps toward the smaller boy, backing him up against the bookshelf behind him. He put his hands up in both surrender and to protect his face. He didn't mention the fact that he had also been wearing a mask. Since she did not bring it up, perhaps the mist kept her from seeing it. Perhaps he had somehow gained Hecate's favor? The gods weren't always very nice unless they needed something, though.

"That was two days ago. If I had known that you saw that, I would have Iris messaged you immediately."

"You have 10 minutes to tell me everything. Sisters, my lady, could you leave us? You too, boy." Thalia requested. The hunters and Richard left the room and closed the door behind them. Nico was thankful that Thalia had not been rude when she had referred to Richard as 'boy'. He had done nothing to them.

"Thank you, for coming to look for me. I appreciate it." Nico said once everyone had left.

"What are cousins for? Now, spill." So he did. Nico told her everything that had happened after he got into the storm drain. He used the dream excuse to explain why he had been there. He also left out certain things, like Slade using him for ransom and the fact that he had almost had his eye gouged out. Nico also left out the team and where he had gone after the whole thing. She seemed satisfied with his answers.

"You've been busy, huh Nico?" Thalia whistled appreciatively and Nico nodded in agreement. She didn't even know half of it. She didn't even know half of the stuff he was involved in on the Greek side. She didn't know anything about the vigilante gig or the Roman camp either.

"Yeah, you could say that."

"Very well." She sighed, adopting the older way of speaking that many of the older hunters still used, "have you heard anything on Percy?" She settled down on his couch. Nico sat on the edge of his bed, facing her.

"Nothing. I was going to consult Grover and see what he could tell me, but I didn't get a chance to. Any idea where Grover is?" He figured that if anyone knew the whereabouts of the new lord of the wild, it would be Artemis.

"I think he was going to meet Gleeson Hedge in one of the forest preserves. He requested Grover's assistance. I haven't heard from him in a while. Chiron would know, you should ask him." Thalia supplied. It amazed him how old and how young his cousin seemed simultaneously. Her speech and temperament were like a teen's but her confidence and the way she takes control of a situation resemble someone much older. He didn't know If he would ever truly understand her. Probably not, since she is immortal and regular demigods don't live that long. She will be here long after he was dust.

Not long after that, the hunters all came back in to collect Thalia. Thalia gave her cousin a hug and a punch in the arm before she headed out. They were going to check the midwestern region of the country for Percy next. He rather hoped that he would be there. Once they had all left, Dick and Nico sparred in the gym for a while, waiting for the other boys to come back. They were all due back at the cave by 3 pm. That way, they could all tidy up a little bit and make sure that Alfred doesn't have to do a whole lot of work when he gets back. That wouldn't be fair of them.

At exactly 2:59 pm, Damian came through the Zeta tube, and Tim was hot on his heels. Jason would be using one of the disguised zeta tubes around the city to get here, so he would probably be a little late. Well, he would probably be late because he didn't care about punctuality, to be honest. While they were waiting, an image started shimmering before him. Nico caught a glimpse of blond hair before it winked back out.

"What was that?" Tim asked. Nico frowned at the space where the IM had been and shrugged.

"I'm not sure, it seems like someone at camp is trying to get a hold of me."

"Batman installed some kind of magic disrupter down here, do you think that is the reason that they couldn't get through?"

"Are those any different than magic dampeners? Because I know he isn't using those anymore," Nico frowned. He knew that Bruce had deactivated the dampeners once he'd realized what kind of negative effects they'd had on Nico's powers. Had Bruce created magic disrupters now to make it harder to use magic in the cave or was his brother's knowledge out of date?

"I'm not sure. If it isn't magic dampeners, then I'm not sure what could be causing the disruptions with your Iris Message." Dick frowned in consideration.

"I don't know either. I'll go up to the manor and see if they can reach me then, " Nico said, already heading towards the catwalk.

"Ok, Bruce will be back soon though so try not to wander off on any missions or anything." Dick teased. The younger boy gave him a sloppy salute before heading back up to the study. Almost as soon as Nico stepped through the door an Iris Message popped up in front of him. Annabeth was crouched down and it looked like there was a brick wall behind her.

"Hey, Nico! I've been trying to get in contact with you! What's going on?" She said accusingly like it was his plan to keep her waiting.

"Sorry, I was in an IM dead zone."

"IM dead zone? Is that even a thing? Never mind-- tell me later. What do you know about Egyptian mythology?" She asked glancing around, doing a standard surveillance check.

"Uhh... they weigh souls on a scale against the feather of truth and any soul deemed unworthy is eaten by Ammit the devourer. Uh... their death god is called Anubis. Uh... has the head of a jackal..." He started listing off random things that he knew since he wasn't sure what she wanted from him.

"No, I mean... do they exist?" She was looking at him with some kind of foreign seriousness. Her face looked like what he would expect from someone who had just asked how to disarm a nuke.

"I... I don't know. The Greek Pantheon exists, I guess the others could too?" Nico said in a non-committal way. It wasn't like he could tell her that the Romans existed. 

"That's what I was afraid of. Do you know, did the Egyptian gods have demigods?" She asked.

"No, I think they were more... parasites than parents..." he replied after considering her question. The Egyptians always believed that their pharaohs possessed the spirit of one of the gods in their bodies. If the Egyptian gods still existed, it would make sense that the same rules would apply.

"Ok, thanks, Nico. You've been a great help." Annabeth said before cutting through the message.

"Nico?" He could hear the deep voice from behind the secret door. Batman had returned.

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