peace is tough.

“Oh, now I definatley have to end this pointless charade.” Oswald said with an ugly sneer. He snapped his fingers, turning on his heels so his back was facing Dove. “Just do whatever. I have bigger fish to fry.” Penguin stated with a huff walking away as his goons swarmed the area between him and Dove. What was most important was his safety and wellbeing, especially if this girl was as good at fighting as she seemed. “It’s been a lovely chat, truly. Maybe this might help you learned not to stick your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

\

As he spoke about ending the pretenses, Dawn tensed up as she watched him carefully. As the goons made a wall between herself and the other, Dawn’s eyes searched around briefly. “Run!” She call out to the hostages as she charged forward, keeping the attention on herself. She wasn’t sure if she had took on this many before without back up but she was alone and she had to do it, even if it meant that only the hostages got out.

“I never said that.” Tara snapped speedily. Of course she hadn’t expected open arms upon her return, she expected the harshest of treatment. Knowing she deserved the treatment didn’t make it hurt any less. The pain made her want to lash out. Being angry was an easier way to protect herself then letting the sorrow in, letting the pain shrine through felt like a terrible idea. Protecting herself with anger was a better idea, it had to be. “I don’t expect open arms, don’t even want it.” A practiced lie. Not just to Dawn, but herself as well. She swallowed, trying to keep calm and wishing the subject matter hadn’t fallen onto her strength and powers. She was strong, but she was unstable. It was why Slade had– stop it stop it stop it, her mind screamed at her. “I don’t even know what you mean.” She insisted stubbornly, eyes refusing to meet Dawn’s. “Nothing weighs on me, I did what I always intended to do so-” So that should have been it. If only it actually was. 

\

“You didn’t have to. You would of stayed away otherwise.” Dawn responded as quick as Tara was to snap. Dawn never backed down from someone, even if she was outclassed, for better or worse. Tara was always her own person but she thought it was just her being a rebellious kid. Just like how she was. Like they all were but she took it to a dark place. “Then why have you come back, Tara?” Dawn question, folding her arms. At her statement, Dawn watched her before slowly nodding. “Then I feel sorry for you, Tara. All of the Titans come from a place of hurt to protect other people from those things. You could of done that too.” She slowly shook her head, disappointed. “You had a family and you threw it all away for what?” She asked before licking her lips. “I hope your happy with what you got in return because from where I am standing, I couldn’t imagine giving all that up with nothing to show for it.”

-

“Oh, thanks–” Peter laughed a little, shrugging his shoulders. “It’s not a big deal. Part of the job.” He gestured to the badge on his chest, a little proud smile touching his lips. The way he saw it, his job was to help people and to keep them safe. And with each person he helped, each person he kept safe, he made the city that much better. One person at a time, one day at a time. It was an arduous process, and it could definitely be dangerous – he knew every time he put on the uniform and stepped out of the GCPD, he could end up hurt or worse. 

But the balance was moments like this, where he helped a scared kid feel better. He hoped the little boy would be brave enough to talk now, and everyone involved could get the justice – or punishment – they deserved. “I’m Officer Keen,” he said, figuring he should introduce himself properly since he was on the job. He offered her another smile. “Do you need help with anything?”

\

Dawn looked down with a laugh of her own before she nodded. “I wished more cops did things like that.” She admitted as he pointed to the judge. She had dealt with a handful of corrupt officers in her time. It was never nice to know people that were supposed to be helping people using their position to hurt them.

As he introduced himself, Dawn stopped looking at the scene they were investigating. “I’m Dawn. I was just passing and I guess I got swept up in the mystery of it all.” She said as she looked back to the scene as he asked his question. “What happened here?” She might as well see if there was any way she could use Dove to help out in the situation.

Dawn was always so much more gentle then Tara knew what to do with. She knew how to handle stones and rocks in her path, thrown at her, but the soft touch of someone caring was utterly foreign of a concept to her. The soft touches were Dawn’s specialty though, and if Tara hadn’t seen it with her eyes she would never have known the dangerous things Dawn was capable of. She swallowed, the biting words not being unexpected but hurting all the same. “I see so when do you define long enough? Or were you looking more for ‘never’?” There was attitude in her tone, her only shield of armor when words came into play. “You really think they’d hurt me.” There was vulnerability there only for a moment, shock and fear. Hurt. Before Tara realized it revealed far too much and she twisted her own words. “You think that I’d let them?” She was strong, stronger then them? Maybe, maybe not. But she could protect herself, hold her own! But god she didn’t want to. 

\

Dawn looked away briefly as Tara asked her to define what she meant. “Something like that.” She replied. She wasn’t sure if she meant it or not but the team barely survived what had happened back then. She couldn’t let that happen again to them. “You don’t get to walk in and out of people’s lives and expect people to welcome you back with open arms.” Dawn told her firmly as it seemed the other had an attitude about the whole thing. At her question, Dawn’s expression softened. “I’d like to think not but I can’t speak for everyone.” Dawn answered honestly. “I’m not going to pretend that I can beat you alone, Tara. I’m not going to try because I know what happened weighs on you. I’d like to think it does otherwise there is nothing left.”

@risingdove

Dove. She’d always been someone wonderful. Kind to the younger members of their team, respectful to everyone else. Also a badass. Dawn was an inspiration to Tara. Someone who she also betrayed along with the rest of them. Her friends, her mentors, her… Garfield. She betrayed them all. Tara didn’t even know how to look the other woman in the eyes after all that had happened. It would be easier if they were in gear, Tara could just have the earth swallow her up then. “It’s been a while.” They were the only words she could muster.

\

Dawn froze almost in whatever task she was in the middle of as she saw Tara. Her breath hitched in her throat and it was like she was in pain. She had been an advocate for the young girl and stood by her when those began to accuse her of not being their ally. So when things didn’t exactly turn out the way it did and her friends were hurt because of it, Dawn felt foolish, defending a wolf in the den. “Not long enough.” Dawn told her firmly. She had let her family down by not believing them before. She didn’t want to make that mistake again. Not to let them be hurt like that again. “Your lucky it is me and not Hank or anyone else for that matter.” She looked to the other girl for a moment, her expression not angry but more so hurt. 

“I have many career paths, all of which are going to be endangered by your stupidity!” Oswald said, stomping his cane on the ground as he spoke. His entire plan was quickly unravelling; something that was supposed to be his big return to the criminal underworld. Of course it was his luck that some do-gooder had to stumble upon it by sheer coincidence. He felt his entire face heat up as one of his goons was easily taken out. “Why didn’t you just move out of the way!” He said, turning to yell at the prone hired help. Zsasz would have never gotten hit. “Lucky shot. I can assure you That will be the only one you get.” Oswald replied, a good handful of goons coming out behind the girl. “Now how about you tell me your name, and how you got here before it gets ugly. Well, uglier than it already has been.”

\

As he raised his voice at her, Dawn raised her hand to him. “You can still turn away from this. It isn’t too late.” Dawn advised. She learned to fight because she had to learn to defend herself, not because she wanted to inflict harm. However, Dawn was willing to harm the other if it meant to defend herself or, more importantly, protect others who couldn’t defend themselves. “Because you would of shot me. I know that Gotham doesn’t let people just run. If it wasn’t me, it would of been one of them.” She nodded her head towards the hostages. Hearing the footsteps behind her, Dawn sighed under her breath as she looked to the ground. “I’m Dove and tell your men to stand down before anyone else gets hurt.”

“Yes that sounds reasonable.” This person didn’t seem to be screaming in horror at her just yet, that was a good start. Typically Rita was unable to hide the brunt of her deformed face when it began to melt, maybe the woman hadn’t seen the full extent yet. Or maybe she was kind. Either way Rita was happy to be led away from peering eyes. “Thank you.” She said, her voice a quiver as she continued attempting to shield herself. 

\

Dawn nodded as the other woman said that would be a reasonable thing to do. “We can do whatever you need to do.” She assured her. She didn’t know who or perhaps what this woman was but she knew when someone was distressed and needed help and no one here was willing to step in. Maybe she was a fool but it was her job to try. As she thanked her, Dawn stopped and stood in front of her, placing both hands on her shoulders. “I don’t have powers but I have I have been around people who struggle with them. Breathe with me.” Dawn kept her tone soft as she took in a deep breath and held it for a moment before exhaling, encouraging the other to imitate her.

@fallengothamstarters·

The kid wouldn’t stop crying – it was getting to the point where his face was going red, his breath hitching in his throat. He’d been a witness to a robbery at a convenience store, the only other witness being the store clerk who was now lying in a hospital bed. Other cops had tried to get the kid’s statement, and had given up. Now it was Peter’s turn. “Hey, buddy,” he said softly. “I got something for y – oh, I guess I lost it.” The little boy’s tears had already slackened, his expression more puzzled now. “Lost what?” Peter frowned slightly. “Well, I got you a candy bar from the vending machine, but I must have – oh, wait!” 

He reached behind the kid’s ear, slipping the candy bar free from where it had been hidden in his sleeve with a flick of his wrist. “Here it is!” He held it up. “Wow, how’d you fit this back there? You’ll have to show me sometime.” The little boy giggled through his tears. By the time Peter had shown him a few more tricks – walking a quarter across his knuckles, tearing a business card to pieces before ‘putting it back together’, making a pen disappear – the little boy had stopped crying completely. He was finally able to take the kid’s statement, only to look up to realize someone had been watching. “Oh, hey,” he said, with a little laugh. “Do you need something?”

\

Dawn had been visiting the other people who were still recovering what had happened after the fear gas event. A lot of people got hurt, whether that was being intoxicated by the gas or being victims of those who were under its effects. It was a busy night to put it that way but she knew everyone had their own lives to lead. She just had to make sure things were settling down. It was the least she could do. 

Heading back, her eyes caught the crime scene or the aftermath. Dawn approached carefully, not wanting to interfere but perhaps it was the vigilante in her. She stopped as she watched the gentleman perform a trick with a young child. As he continued to the distract the child, Dawn almost missed that she had seem to be caught. Her eyes switched between the two others before shaking her head with an embarrassed laugh. “I’m sorry, I just...” She shook her head again before looking to the other. “What you did with the kid was really nice.”

“Please do look away, there is nothing to concern yourself with here.” Rita exclaimed, trying her very best to conceal her (currently melting) face. / @fallengothamstarters·

Dawn didn’t mean to intrude but as she saw the women seemingly upset, she glanced over at her. She knew she wasn’t in costume but she could already feel that urge to run over to her. As her face seemed to start...was she melting? Dawn glanced around quickly as she ran hurried to the side of the woman. “Hey, how about we get somewhere else, huh?” Dawn advised softly, instinctively wrapping an arm around the other.

Pam arched an eyebrow. “Why would I help a species that has done nothing but destroy the planet while benefiting from that slaughter?” she said. “And in any case, I never took up a profession that dedicated itself to protecting and serving. That’s the police. Nor do I have an infinite amount of wealth at my disposal. That’s Bruce Wayne. Why should it become my job simply because they’re shirking theirs?” Pam shrugged, and roots lifted from the ground underneath her, carrying her up and fashioning themselves into a throne, so she could sit as she towered over Dawn. “Fairly well, thank you.”

\

“Because people make mistakes and they are trying.” Dawn stated firmly. She had seen the darkness of people and their sickness but she had to hold onto something, anything, that made this worthwhile. “Because judging others isn’t exactly bringing the result anyone wants.” Dawn countered as she stood up straight. Her line of thinking reminded her of Hank and how forthright he could be. As the roots formed a throne, as if to assert her superiority, Dawn shook her head in a disapproving manner. “Maybe you don’t care about people but there isn’t going too much left to care about for anyone or anything if this continues.” Dawn turned on her heel. “Good luck out there.”

“Nevermind that. I doesn’t matter, because now-” Oswald cut himself off, whacking the flor with his cane. “It’s ruined. It’s-” He breathed out heavily. These overly-thought out plans were never his cup of tea. Just walk up to the person and shoot them. 

But there was information he wanted to draw out of a certain person with an infallible heart of gold, and holding people hostage seemed to be the perfect way to ensnare him, but alas. Too many do-gooders in Gotham. “This does not fair well for you, i’m afraid. I don’t like when people ruin my plans.” The lackey behind him started pulling out a weapon, hopefully to take care of this girl for good.

\

Dawn watched the other person carefully. Though Hank and some of the other Titans just liked to charge into a fight with someone who looked normal, Dawn wasn’t so impulsive. She had to know what she was dealing with before she charged in mindlessly. “Maybe you should pick a new career path than traps.” She advised, her eyes searching around the other behind the dark lenses. Hearing the slight click of metal from behind her, Dawn swiftly turned, shifting herself so her cape turned with her at full force, slicing the leg of the culprit. “I also don’t like people pulling weapons on me. Stand down.”

“Guilty.” He said with a small smile. He pulled the gas mask out for behind his back, dangling it in the air like it was a piece of steak. There didn’t seem to be an active leaks in this building, but it was good to have close by. He’s already been affected by it once, which was one time too many. “You must be new around here if this is surprising.” Oswald continued, a smirk on his face. “Gotham is a hellhole. This shouldn’t be a shock to anybody here.”

“Unfortunately, this trap was set up for someone else. Which means you’ve gotten yourself into quite the predicament.”

\

Dawn was on edge on the way he seemed so adjusted to the madness around them. Just because she seemed grounded in it didn’t mean she was thriving in it. She just wanted to try and fix something. Anything. As he mentioned the trap being set for someone else, Dawn pursed her lips, adjusting the goggles slightly. “And what trap is that exactly?” She asked, cutting straight to the point. What the hell had she gotten herself into?

-

Pam raised an eyebrow. “Oh, I don’t know, perhaps the billionaire in residence?” she said. “Bruce Wayne makes an awful lot of noise about how much he loves Gotham and wants to make it a better place, and yet I’m quite sure we have the most understaffed and underfunded police forces in the world.” She shrugged. “Or there will be plenty left if I let them destory themselves like the junkyard dogs they are, and I can do whatever I like.”

\

Dawn watched her for a moment. “Yet you have all this power but you choose not to help. That reason may be different but that makes you the thing you judge.” Dawn told her sternly. As she claimed that she would destroy the world for herself, Dawn didn’t flinch. “How is that working out for you?” She asked simply.

“Beats me.” Oswald said from his place behind the masked woman. The guards were easy enough to find in Gotham, and masked goons didn’t required hazard pay. The hostages were an unfortunate byproduct of trying to lure a certain do-gooder to his grasps. He got a do-gooder, but not the one he was looking for.  His scrunched his nose in displeasure as he glared towards the hostages. “You can go. You’ve served your purpose well.” 

“I suppose a healthy dosage of fear toxin was what was compelling those guards to act like that.” Oswald said, stepping forward with his cane hitting the ground beside him with every step. “Nasty stuff. Though I can’t be for certain.” Though, he was quite certain. He was in on this plan as much as those guys busting down the walls in Arkham. His only mission right now was distraction.

\

Dawn glanced over to the other who spoke. “Purpose?” Dawn repeated. Why would he use such a word? Was this some sort of set up for him? She didn’t even know who he was but Gotham was a new playground for a lot of crazy and Dawn even found herself struggling to keep up on who was friend or foe. She just wanted to do what was right. Well, you know what they say about all good deeds lead to somewhere not so nice. This seemed to be turning into one of those moments.

“So I’ve heard.” She said as she watched him carefully behind the goggles. “But you seem to be unaffected.”

.

“Eagle girl? It sounds so much more fitting and yet so much more terrifying than dove, maybe because dove is the symbol for peace while eagle gives a bit more power.” Rose chuckled at the other; she was glad for her ease of costume and name that followed, granted there were plenty others before her to take on this Ravager title but shed more than made it her own now. “Just a bit, either that or maybe we just want to add a little spice to life.” She teased after all they all took up their mask custard life without much thought, everyone fought against evil in different ways here in Gotham that much was certain. “I have to admit, you have a certain hope I’m not quite sure I’ll ever have. There will always be evil in this world, and sometimes I think standing against it, isn’t enough people still die…” She explained before looking at the other nodding her head “true we come from all around and try our hand at making the world a bit better.” She mused before smirking softly  “in other words you’re addicted to us and could never part, I suppose it’s good having a partner to keep one grounded.”

\

“It isn’t supposed to be scary.” She laughed. “I don’t think I can be scary.” She added on before glancing to Rose. “But everyone deserves peace, no matter how fleeting. It is what we all want. Whether it is in the world or within ourselves.” She said softly. “I am just willing to kick people in the teeth to make peace.” She chuckled at the end of her sentence. As Rose spoke about not having the hope she did, Dawn stopped for a moment and turned to face her fully. “Maybe it isn’t enough. Maybe it will never be enough. We go out here and we fight and we try. It is our job to try.” She explained softly as to why she remained hopeful as she placed a hand on the other’s shoulder. “We can’t win every fight but standing up alone is enough.” Dawn smiled kindly. “Now your pushing your luck.” She winked as she let the other go.

.

Pietro looked at the other for a moment. It was nice to meet others within Gotham who were just as crazy as him when it came down to it. “Pretty much, but from what I hear everyone here is a little crazy so I’m sure we fit in just fine” he mused looking at the other he knew pain and grief he felt it many times throughout his life. “Wow really? I mean I’m sure I could use the help, not many people like to go into any type of situation alone” He mused taking the earpiece happily before smiling softly “Just tell them The beautiful Dove should have my back, if you ever need me too I’m pretty quick at racing to your location so feel free to call me.” he teased

\

Dawn nodded with a laugh as she looked over at him. “Yeah, takes a lot of guts to dress up stupid and save the city huh.” She nudged his arm lightly, since they were all rocking the same boat here. “I know everyone has their people but the world is an awful place and I think having as many people watch your back as possible, it can’t hurt.” Perhaps it was slightly bleak but she believed there was something on the other side of all of this. At his words, Dawn laughed under her breath, nothing less than flattered. “Just look after yourself out there.” She said softly before she launched the grapple gun, taking off into the night sky.