Fan Fiction ❯ The Sparrow's Burden ❯ Punishment ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

The Sparrow’s Burden

3

Sparrow was dressed in a manner that Robin didn’t find unexpected, considering
what he intended to do. On his head was a black bandanna wrapped around his entire
forehead, hair and the tops of his ears. From the knot came long tails that extended down
to the shoulder blades, which were covered by an amber-coloured leather jacket. He wore
a white undershirt for a top, which was pretty tight and gave a good indication of what he
looked like with no shirt at all. The black jeans just mildly obstructed the combat boots
that finished the uniform.

“What is it you want?” Robin shot, unable to stand the silence.

“Robin,” he said mockingly. “I know it’s been a while, but I thought you knew
me better than to have to ask.” Sparrow twirled his staff like a fan across his hip.

Robin took a step back. So, Sparrow had come to fight. At least he chose to do it
sportingly, he did not ambush him anymore than was necessary to confront Robin alone.
Like Robin, he had no combat related powers. But also like Robin, Sparrow was a
terribly effective fighter without them. He did have a supernatural ability, but it took a lot
of concentration and physical contact to use: Sparrow could read minds. By touch and
forceful eye contact, he could see and feel all the thoughts, memories and emotions of his
subject. In a matter of seconds, he could know everything there is to know about anyone
he wished.

“So Robin,” Sparrow said. “Going to call for backup? Are you going to have
your four teammates tilt another fair fight?” He reached behind his head and tightened
his knot. “Or will one of us be able to finally get some closure? If you beat me, you can
do whatever you want. Kill me or put me away, but your negligent vigilante ways have
met you here on this roof. What now? Run?”

A low snarl escaped Robin’s chest. Sparrow was nuts, but he had a sick and
twisted sense of honour. “This ends tonight, Sparrow.” He stepped ahead, holding the
his bow like a spear in front of him. “Let’s do it.”

Grinning at the the dare, Sparrow came at him like a shot. Robin met his charge
with a jump backwards, landing near the edge of the roof’s arch. Sparrow readjusted his
staff and aggressively advanced, knowing Robin was cornered. He brought his weapon
down in an attack, but hit only shingles. Robin had leapfrogged over him, and attempted
to strike from behind. The end of bo was met by the middle of Sparrow’s staff and
pushed aside. Sparrow counterattacked. Robin narrowly parried the blow.

Sparrow was fast, faster than Robin expected. He attacked overhand, bringing his
staff at an angle across Robin’s face. Robin jumped aside and brought his own weapon
atop of it, pinning Sparrow’s to the ground. Robin swung his lower body around from his
shoulders and used both feet to meet his rival’s head. It failed, he felt only air as Sparrow
shoulder-rolled away from the blow. Still holding onto his staff, Sparrow raised it from
underneath Robin’s weight, sending the boy tumbling backwards.

The fight wasn’t burning hot, yet. Out of a sense of sport, Sparrow allowed Robin
to get to his feet. “I’ll let you have that one,” said Robin. “Because I know you think I
deserve it.”

Sparrow was moving to re-engage but Robin was ready in an instant. “I said one.”
He side-stepped and performed a legsweep. Unfortunately, there were no legs to sweep.
Sparrow evaded by doing a no-hands cartwheel and safely bypassed Robin. The thud off
his staff against Robin’s back came before Sparrow even landed, and Robin fell onto one
knee. The impact only stunned him briefly, and Robin went into a front handspring to
escape Sparrow’s follow-up.

But Sparrow was upon Robin again, putting him on the defensive with several
more swings and kicks. Robin backflipped away and drove into his signature flying
roundhouse kick. Sparrow jumped to meet him in the air, and brought the blunt of his
staff into the astonished boy-wonder’s teeth. Robin came crashing down onto his back
with the chalky taste of enamel debris in his mouth. Sparrow landed next to him,
immediately bringing his foot to crush Robin’s ribcage. But Robin rolled away, using the
slant of the roof to speed up his momentum as he came to his feet. Sparrow was already
airborne, jumping in to strike again. Dazed, Robin reached into his belt and tossed four
bladed disks into the path of the fighter. As accuracte as they were, not one met Sparrows
body. Sparrow danced as he fell, blocking and avoiding all of the projectiles.

Robin didn’t have time to gasp, he didn’t have time to think before the sole of
Sparrow’s boot found his chest in a stifling blow. He got knocked backwards so far, he
just stopped short of falling off the ledge. He attempted to regain his footing, but could
not focus past the feeling of his lungs being put through a trash compactor. Sparrow
hoisted him up by the collar, looking him in the eye as he brought his fist across his face.
Robin gave an intense grunt as his neck snapped to the side. Another blow, to the
stomach, and he couldn’t tell if he had been punched or kicked. The boy attempted to
raise his hands to meet the onslaught, but now lost all strength in his limbs. How many
blows followed, Robin lost count. He began to drift out of consciousness after every one,
only to be brought back as another met his body.

The savageness would stop with a thunderous finale. With one hand grabbing his
victim’s throat, Sparrow tossed Robin overhand into the stained-glass window. The
panes shattered but the frame kept him from going all the way through and falling. Robin
felt as though he were hanging in the air. At that moment, he had enough time to count
the hundreds of shards of glass that now stuck in his back before he hit the ground. Had a
portion of the window impaled him? Robin soon discovered not as the roof rushed to
meet him, his head falling atop his forearms and refusing to budge. He couldn’t breathe,
he couldn’t see, all of his senses were rushing from him.

Robin was on his feet with the strength he had left. He raised his leg to walk, but
his balance disappeared. He lowered himself to his knees. Robin was not going
anywhere. His head slumped to his chest in defeat.

Sparrow stepped into his sight, staff in hand. With a twist at it’s midsection,
sharpened prongs appeared on either end. Robin could just barely make out Sparrow
draw up the spear for the final strike. Defeated, Robin took what he knew to be his final
breath as Sparrow brought down the spear.

It didn’t land. A dark cloak encompassed Sparrow and blocked his path to Robin.
Robin could not focus on the mysterious newcomer as they darted back and forth, now
locked in a tight battle.

He fell onto his front, accepting there was nothing more he could do. Now
knowing Sparrow’s abilities, Robin acceded to the fact that only one person could
possibly match him in combat, the one who now fought in his stead. Just before falling
from consciousness, Robin strained to see if Bruce would win the fight.

*

She did not want to be right. For the first time in her life, Raven prayed. She
prayed she was wrong about what she knew as she rocketed through the air. The
buildings of downtown were little more than a greyish blur as she closed in on Robin’s
signal. The tones on her tracer were growing more rapid as she frantically searched for
her leader.

The beeping frequented until was now a high-pitched whistle. There, in the heart
of downtown she spotted a large church, probably built during colonial times. Atop were
two figures, one stood tall, holding a large pike above his head, the other was on his
knees just like--.

“Robin! Hold on!” She yelled. Raven gave everything she had left to her speed,
and pointed herself towards the armed fighter. She moved so quickly, she did not have
time to even conjure up any telekinetic forces before making contact. Rivalling that of a
small missile, she crashed into the man, sending him hurling away from his victim and
nearly off the building. Raven placed herself between Robin and him, immediately
calling her powers to strike again. “Azrah Metrion Zinthos!” From behind him, the
concrete cross that erected from the peak of the church broke off and slammed into the
man’s back. He fell onto his front and spit out a tooth.

“Who are you?” Raven barked. She hoped now that this lunatic saw that Robin
had backup, he would think about surrender. But to do that, she had to be sure this
wasn’t some kind of programmed android. He had to be something special to do that
kind of damage to Robin, and Raven was not sure how she could possibly take this guy
down by herself.

The young man came to his feet, still holding his spear. “The name’s Sparrow,
pretty lady.” He bowed slightly as he said that, and Raven knew this was no machine.
“I’ll be happy to grant my evening to you just as soon as I wrap up here.”

Raven snorted defiantly, knowing this guy was not going to surrender either.
“Sparrow, huh? That makes one bird name too many.”

Sparrow laughed as he seemed to curiously inspect his lance. “I take it you’re
Raven?” Raven didn’t say anything, just continued to look for a sign of attack. “I figured
this runt wouldn’t have the guts to take me by himself.” For a moment, remorse splashed
itself across his face. “You should know I didn’t want to hurt anybody else, but don’t
think I’m not ready to.” His compassion was quickly pushed aside as his agenda
returned. “I promise this won’t hurt for long!”

The spear came flying at Raven’s face, as accurately as a laser. Fortunately,
because Sparrow found it necessary to boast, she was already focused and held it mid-air
half a meter from where she stood. Manipulating her control some more, she raised her
own body several meters off the roof, and sent the spear flying back at it’s owner with
even greater force. Sparrow jumped out of it’s path, and it impaled itself in an apartment
several blocks away. He rushed towards Raven. She was confident he could not hit her
this high, but Robin was still passed out on the roof. There was no telling what Sparrow
would do to him.

Her phrase was delivered again, and two stone Gargoyles hurled themselves
toward the swiftly moving Sparrow. In an incredible display of agility, he lept on top of
one, then the other, using them as stepping stones to launch himself up to the hovering
sorceress. “Holy--!” Raven’s stunned remark was cut off as his hands grabbed each side
of her face and hauled her crashing to the church. She managed to stay on her feet, but he
had not let go. He was peering into her eyes and forcing her to look back at him.

“I always enjoy sharing thoughts with a beautiful girl.” Raven began to feel
herself deteriorate. She tried to pull away, tried to hit him, but her mind was not hers
anymore. She began to tell him things, things that she never told anyone, things she had
not even realised herself yet. Inside her, emotions swelled and ebbed violently, trying to
deal with the change he mind was going through. Every hope, every fear, every demon in
her was being shared with this madman, and the scream could be heard for miles.

Out of the chaos that devoured her, Raven realised it was not her screaming.
Sparrow was in tremendous agony, trying desperately to pull his hands away. “Get off!
Please get off me! Get your mind out!” But the two were locked, as though caught in an
electrical current. Try as she did, Raven could not pull away.

The impact of a sonic blast brought Raven back to herself and sent Sparrow flying
from her sight. Raven looked to a nearby building and saw the Cyborg holstering his
smoking arm-cannon. Starfire and a hawk-formed Beast Boy flew overhead and landed
on the church, followed by Cyborg. “Raven,” he appealed to her. “Are you okay?”

Raven was still shaking. Her mouth had gone completely dry. “I don’t . . . I feel
like--”

“Robin!” Starfire’s cry for the unconscious boy overflowed with sorrow and
worry. Raven watched her land next to him and begin to check his vitals.

She was exhausted, but Raven asked Cyborg; “I didn’t tell anybody where I was
going.” She realised then what she should have done, but they would have slowed her
down, and she was not sure what exactly she was racing to stop.

“Star saw you fly off,” Cyborg smiled. “I told her not to worry, but you know
Starfire.”

Raven let out a low giggle. “Yeah, I know Starfire.” She turned to see Starfire
holding the limp body of Robin in her arms.

“It was a fortunate assumption to follow you.” Starfire said, not turning her
attention from Robin. “Robin will be all right,” she nodded with anxiety. “But it would
be wise to take him home. He will need much time to mend.”

“Guys,” Beast Boy’s voice broke through the silence of gathering Robin for
travel. “I think you all should see this.”

Cyborg helped Raven up, throwing her tiny arm over his gigantic shoulders and
helping her to walk, even though he could easily carry her. As they moved towards where
Beast Boy hovered, Raven felt something, something she had felt before, but not this
apparent: She was grateful. She always knew the other Titans cared for her, but now she
felt it too. Raven looked over to Cyborg, and he met her. There was a light smile, one
which would be considered slightly beyond that of gratitude. Cyborg politely smiled back
and nodded assent.

The two came to the side of Beast Boy, who stood over the twitching body of
Sparrow. He was conscious, but curled up into a fetal position with his hands covering
his ears. Raven could just make out a few words that stammered out. “No . . . I can’t . . .
get them out . . . please . . . no.” Seeing him now, after once seeing him so strong, Raven
filled with remorse. She lowered her head to her hands, ashamed at what she had done to
the boy.


*Sparrow: Sparrow may be the only rival to Robins’ agility and fighting ability. In fact,
combined with his above average strength, he poses a serious threat to the Titan’s
superiority. Sparrow has no combat-related powers beyond training and a lust for
vengeance, but possesses telepathic abilities that are somewhat difficult to use. His
weapon of choice is a long titanium-fiberglas staff which carries a few surprises.

Standing fairly tall, with a pale complexion resulting from being so reclusive, Sparrow is
an odd-looking teenager. He is in excellent shape, and has a nose slightly larger than
what would be considered attractive. Sparrow fights with his hair bound under a black
headscarf, with a reddish-brown leather jacket, white muscle shirt, and black jeans.

Sparrow has an all-consuming vendetta against Robin. He feels Robin’s crime-fighting
tactics contributed to his family losing their lives, and has already taken several lives to
avenge them. Although he wants revenge, he has a strong sense of honour, and refuses to
ambush Robin if he is unready to fight. Sparrow will not harm parties he believes are
innocent, but sees the other Titans as an obstacle, and would not hesitate to eliminate
them to get a shot at their leader.

*As you may have guessed, Sparrow is an original character I created for this story. His
physical description closely reflects my own. (I’m actually a fairly dedicated athlete and
gymnast, and my nose is a little on the big side). His wardrobe, weaponry, and even
persona are based on a hitman character I played in a theatre production.*