#Also also the fireproof Steph used

[foodsies4me]

My Dearest Gumdrop,

I have recently binged the entirety of trainee-verse. Your wonderful masterpiece gives me life. Then I started to read everything on AO3 account and must now humbly beg your opinion on a thought your amazing work has sparked. (And possibly a prompt….)

Got to thinking about tiny humans and milestones and the fact that Tiny Shadowhunters probably grow up tracing the runes on their parents’/guardians’ skin. And because All Things Angelic are Super Important, it’s a Big Thing when a tiny human draws their first rune while coloring/finger-painting/drawing-on-the-Institute-walls, on par with first steps, first words, first curse, etc….

And maybe this is something that Tiny Shadowhunters are told about, a bit like the Zhua Zhou fortune-telling ceremonies, First Runes are meant to say something about the Shadowhunter….

Cue a new Runes Master (or Clave teaching auditor) who does a little ‘Get To Know Me’ exercise with the Trainees, “Let’s all draw our First Runes and what Rune you wish to get after your Runing Ceremony. Then we’ll talk about them!”

…… Everyone draws ‘Deflect’ at least once, but they all have an unusually uniform hump at the bottom…..

(Someone we wouldn’t expect points out the Trainees are tracing the Rune in 3D as it dips over Alec’s collarbone).

My dearest Bean,

this prompt has had me feral for the days because of my stars is it adorable. Of course, Nephilim would have a ceremony like that because the seven runes they decide to draw, the runes they find themselves drawn to are supposed to be the runes that will guide their life as a shadowhunter. Some parents or institutes try to cheat by pushing their kids in a certain direction rune wise but that fails more often than it works.

I can just imagine an outsider’s POV (an OC or maybe Lydia to have her join the story) be confused how all of the trainees who grew up at the NYI have been drawing the same deflect rune with the same mistake for years: Max, Leo etc.

They don’t understand why until it’s Steph’s audit and she enters the room cradled in Alec’s arms and everyone sees her tracing Alec’s rune, shoulder blade bump included. Steph doesn’t notice the auditer(s) watching too busy chewing on her lips because she forgot all of her runes and she’s doing the audit alone because Rara is two years older than her and she needs to choose good runes and everything is being very scary and not fun.

The auditer (OC or Lydia) ends up hopelessly charmed and (if it’s Lydia) decides to move to the NYI because a Head that is so clearly adored by all of his trainees is a Head worth working for.

(Can you tell I’ve been thinking of nothing but this prompt since I got it? Because I have, seriously THIS IS SO CUTE I CAN’T.)

Also, Steph ends up drawing: the always-present deflect rune, a promise rune, a bridge rune, agape, angelic rune, fireproof and something the auditers can’t make out but Alec recognizes as her attempts at a familias rune.

Also also, because it hasn’t made its way into the series yet. Steph is Alec’s official, legal goddaughter not that he knows it because Steph’s mom bamboozled him and made him sign a godparent agreement with Izzy and Jace’s help without reading it. It’s an open secret in the institute and everyone is betting on when he finds out. Yes the trainees are also in on the secret and have been sworn to secrecy much to their absolute delight. Steph doesn’t know yet either because the chance of her spoiling is too big.

[abyssal-ali]

Imagine Dragons Worldbuilding

Inspired by @/salparadiselost's Dragon Batfam AU on ao3.

Feel free to take my ideas and use them with credit, whether it's simply for dragon lore or more specific dragon batfam!

So, the differences between @/salparadiselost ’s and my AUs: I was inspired by Sal but then I thought, “…but elemental/ATLA…” and my AU was born.

I kept Dick as an ice dragon and Jason as a fire/Phoenix but I changed the others.

Dick: Ice dragon | Jason: Fire dragon/Phoenix | Tim: Earth dragon | Damian: Water dragon | Cass: Air dragon | Bruce: Earth dragon | Steph: Wyvern | Duke: Wyvern

In this AU, not everyone is a dragon (shifter). Most people are human, some are wyvern shifters (dragon cousins), and a few are dragon shifters. The most common are:

Wyverns (~1/1000)

Earth Dragons (~1/100,000)

Ice Dragons (~1/250,000)

Water Dragons (~1/500,000)

Air Dragons (vulnerable, ~1/1,000,000)

Fire Dragons (endangered, ~1/10,000,000)

The Batfam all have specific hoards pertaining to their interests.

Bruce: children, bat stuff, Grey Ghost merch

Babs is human, but hoards tech and info

Dick: gym/aerial/circus stuff, hero merch

Jason: books (specifically 1st editions) & weapons, specifically guns

Cass: hoodies, ballet memoirs, shoes (but specifically shoes…comfy ones, like converse and fuzzy slippers)

Steph: purple, funny tees

Tim: tech, info, coffee

Duke: puzzle books, rubix cubes, poetry books/his notebooks of poetry

Damian: animals, art, family members’ stuff

How I Picture the Dragons in my AU:

Ice: eastern dragon style, serpentine, has a headplate, spines along his back, fangs and claws, textured scales, smaller wingspan but can be extended with ice if needed (pls don’t question physics)

Colouring: typically light/icy/minty blues, whites (some greys [rarely darker than smoke grey], some crystalline)

Abilities: Flight, cryobreath, immunity to cold, ice/snow, etc

Fire: looks like your typical western dragon (think Kilgharrah from Merlin). Smooth scales, fangs & claws, some have horns; feathered wings–also largest wingspan

Colouring: reds, oranges, and yellows (a few whites & blues)

Abilities: Flight, pyrobreath, (some use heat to help them fly/catch an updraft), immune to heat/burns, (some are fireproof, even their feathers)

Water: eastern, serpentine, smooth scales for hydrodynamics, longest fangs and claws, a few spines, flowy wings (better as fins for swimming…fings??)

Colouring: darker/ocean blues, (some greens and blacks) often have sparkly accent scales

Abilities: excellent swimmers, able to fly but not long or far (they’re the literal chickens of the dragon world), hydrobreath, a type of sonar

Earth: think triceratops x wyvern/western dragon. Bumpy scales, leathery wings, short fangs and claws for digging, the thickest skin/armour.

Colouring: browns, red-browns, golds, greys/silvers

Abilities: flight, depending on the force/power can create tremors up to earthquakes, good sense of direction

Air: think archaeopteryx. Eastern, serpentine, 50/50 feathers & scales (the exposed scales are smooth for aerodynamics), claws & fangs, small wings

Colouring: VeRy light blues, whites, mauves, pastels (dark, black, etc [do you love the colour of the sky])

Abilities: excellent flyers, create large gusts of wind up to tiny tornadoes, vErY good senses to know what’s happening on the earth

Wyverns: smaller than most dragons, thus are better in smaller spaces, etc.

Colouring: typically duller colors, such as browns, greys, some greens and purples)

Subspecies:

Light and Shadow dragons are dragons that have the extra abilities of photo- and umbrakinesis, or manipulating light and shadows. (~1/275,000 either | ~1/1,000,000 both)

Light and Shadow dragons are actually a misnomer from the ancient ages, when they were thought to be a separate species. Light/Shadow dragons are subspecies of dragons, which means that any species of dragon (air, water, fire, earth, ice, or wyvern) could also have photo and/or umbrakinesis.

Phoenixes are a subspecies of Fire dragons (~1/100,000,000). They typically have unlimited lives/resurrections and will only stay dead when they truly desire to. Each time they are reborn (to the age they wish to be), another white feather grows in somewhere on their body.

Phoenixes can hypothetically also be a light/shadow dragon but there are no known records of one.

Rankings (for the nerds with us):

Largest➡️ Smallest Wingspan:

Fire

Earth

Ice

Water

Air (they use their power to help fly)

Wyvern

Largest ➡️Smallest Mass:

Fire

Earth

Water

Ice

Air

Wyvern

Longest➡️Shortest:

Water

Ice

Air

Fire

Earth

Wyvern

Other Random Funfacts:

In my AU, Bruce killed the Joker for Jason. Why did Jason not come home then? His dormant Phoenix gene was only triggered when he died so he accepted Talia’s offer to find other fire dragons and a Phoenix teacher, plus other human teachers to hone his skills while he was at it. (Don’t look too closely at my plotholes pockets, okay?)

Fire Dragons are the rarest because they were hunted almost to extinction in the Dark/Middle Ages. They were blamed for tragedies, as they were the most obvious with their abilities, as opposed to the blizzard-causing Ice Dragons’ fighting or the angry Earth Dragons’ quakes.

*I’ll probably never continue this fic, but if you have ideas, send them to me or write them yourself, as long as you tag me so I can see them too!*

Anyways, it’s never said, but Bruce is a Shadow-Earth Dragon and Cass is a Shadow-Air dragon. (While Jason was training he was taught some tricks to appear more shadow-like as well, making some theorists believe Red Hood may also be a Shadow-Fire Dragon.)

Steph is a brown wyvern and always wished she was purple, hence some of her obsession with the colour.

Duke is a LightShadow Wyvern, with both abilities. He is a reddish-brown in wyvern form.

As humans, ___ dragons are likely to:

Air: Take up a type of dancing or sport such as aerial silks or trapeze (less likely to be a pilot as they prefer to fly on their own terms & power)

Earth: Have heightened sensitivity to vibrations through the ground (better at distinguishing people’s strides/footsteps)

They’re also more likely to be business-savvy (possibly a side effect from sniffing out metals and rare earth elements as they dug tunnels in dragon form?)

Fire: Be immune to heat/burns (e.g. could pick up a skillet off the stove without a mark)

Have a higher body temperature (average is 3 degrees warmer than a human or other dragon species) (that strange person jogging in shorts and a tee in snowy January? Could be a Fire dragon shifter)*

Ice: Be immune to cold/snow/ice (e.g. Would Not Feeeze in a blizzard) (Winter is probably their favorite season) They’re the people who can hold a frozen lemonade r pint of ice cream without constantly switching hands because the other is freezing:/

Have a lower body temp than the average human/dragon shifter. (Usually between 3 and 5 degrees lower) As they are cooler, in human form they are likely to be more sluggish in the morning or after a long rest, much like a reptile.

Water: Take up swimming or another water-related sport/job

Be that person chugging 8 cups of water a day, minimum. It’s not more necessary than for other shifters/humans, they just like being around water. They also tend to live by bodies of water.

[mischiefandspirits]

Last Laugh (2 of 3)

“Oh, I noticed,” Red X said lowly, tossing the staff aside. “What that idiot was thinking letting Flamebird send you all the way across the country right after Batkid got blown up, I’ll never know.”

Robin flinched back at the accusation before his fists clenched at his sides. “Then you’ll be happy to know no one sent me here. It’s just where I ended up when Batman decided he didn’t want to work with me anymore and tossed me out.”

The story of how Dick ended up with the Titans in Batkid and Robin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jason once told Dick that he spent months after he’d come to the manor worrying he’d be dumped back onto the streets at any minute. As a result, he’d kept go-bags hidden around, ready to go at a moment’s notice in hopes that he’d have time to grab one before he was sent away. They each had water bottles and food stolen from the kitchen, bandages from the infirmary, a backup set of clothes, a good blanket, a knife, and some cash he’d save whenever Bruce would give him any.

The others had known about them, of course, but hadn’t said anything. Jason had only known because Bruce would sneak some extra cash into them and Selina would slip in things that could be useful on the streets that he hadn’t considered while Alfred had checked them every so often to refresh the food and make sure he wasn’t filling them with junk food.

Once he’d gotten more comfortable, he’d started giving them up. By the time Bruce had disappeared, all the bags Jason had hidden had been unpacked. He never let go of his need to be prepared, though. So in place of the bags, he had four briefcases. Bulletproof, fireproof, blast-proof, and with encrypted locks, they were filled with paperwork for Jason to use in case he ever needed to go on the run. Each had everything necessary for a fake identity, including corresponding bank account information. All were created outside the family’s influence just in case the reason he needed to lie low was mind control.

Dick had never seen what was inside the first two, didn’t even know where Jason had stashed them, but he knew the third had a file for Casey Jacob Dickinson. Only because the fourth held the file for Casey’s half-brother Ryan Emil Dickinson.

The latter is the one Dick took when he snuck into Jason’s room and pried up the loose floorboard hidden under the dresser in the closet. It was their special secret, something only they shared. Something Jason had trusted Dick and only Dick with.

“Thanks, Jay,” he said, replacing the floorboard. He pushed the dresser back into place then moved to leave, but paused when he spotted the brown jacket hanging by the door.

Dick had gotten it for Jason to match his own red Batkid hoodie. He’d accidentally gotten it in a larger size than Jason usually liked to wear, but that hadn’t stopped his brother from wearing it every time the two of them hung out with just each other.

Running his thumb over the red robin patch on the shoulder, Dick stared at the jacket for a moment before pulling it off the hanger.

They wouldn’t miss it. No one had been in the room in over a month.

Case in hand and jacket slung over his shoulder, he snuck back to his room. He opened the case and pulled out the file. He slipped the ID and debit card into his wallet before putting the file into the lockbox. He carefully folded the jacket and set it into the case along with the small photo album Selina had helped him put together. It held pictures of everyone in the family, including the photo Tim had given him of himself, his parents, Damian, Jon, Duke, Tim, Steph, Jason, Babs, and Cass from that night.

It was the only picture he had of his parents, thanks to the people who ran Gotham Juvenile Detention losing almost everything he’d taken with him from the circus. He had another copy on his nightstand back at the house he, Damian, and Jon shared -- had shared -- in Somerset. The family he’d lost side by side with the family he’d gained. It made him sad every time he saw it, but it was still his favorite.

Except now they were both families he’d lost.

At least if Bruce gets his way.

Dick slammed the case closed and stuck it into the duffle bag next to the lockbox. He locked the box then piled in the clothes he’d already gathered. He tossed his wallet into the bag then zipped it up and shoved it back under the bed.

One last thing to do.

He was halfway to the closest cave entrance when he bumped into Bruce and Selina.

“Hey there, songbird,” Selina greeted.

“Hey.”

“Dinner’s almost ready,” Bruce said and reached out to ruffle his hair.

Dick stepped away before he could, then walked past them. “Not hungry.”

“He heard the news, then?”

“Hm.”

“I’ll talk to him.”

“I will. I’m the one he’s mad at.”

Dick stomped into the library, ignoring his tail.

“Dick, let’s talk.”

“I don’t want to talk to you.”

“I know you’re upset, but -”

“Then leave me alone.”

“Please just let m-”

“I get it,” Dick snapped, spinning to face the man. “You got what you wanted. You didn’t want Damian to -” To foster him, to bring him into Bruce’s home, to try and make a place for him in the family. He’d heard enough snippets of the arguments Damian and Bruce had had when Bruce came back. He’d always thought Bruce thought Damian was the problem, that he didn’t trust Damian with Dick and planned to take Dick in himself. He’d also thought Bruce had finally accepted that Damian was keeping Dick. Had he been wrong on both counts?

Or had Dick’s actions ruined everything?

“Why couldn’t you just leave us alone?”

“Dick,” Bruce sighed. He knelt in front of Dick and set his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “I just want what’s best for you.”

“Anything to get what you want,” Dick snorted and pushed the hand off so he could turn away before Bruce could see his tears.

“Dick, wait.”

A hand caught his wrist and Dick…

He was losing his family again. Jason was dead. Bruce had taken Robin. Damian was sending him back. His only hope was that the others would fight for him, but would they?

If they didn’t, he’d be alone.

Again.

And it would be his fault this time.

But it would also be because…

Dick spun around and hit Bruce right in the jaw.

Then he ran.

Tim and Jason had both long outgrown the small vent hidden above a tall bookshelf in the far corner of the library and Dick had never needed to use it, but it still swung easily on the hinges the second Batkid had installed after discovering the hidden nook.

He climbed through and let the vent swing silently shut behind him. He crawled down the shaft until he reached a similar vent. He dropped down into a thin, dusty hallway. Down the hall, around a corner, then down another hall was a small door halfway up the wall. A makeshift ladder led up to it and a hidden lever opened it, revealing Bruce’s study.

Dick dropped out of the hidden passage, letting the door swing shut behind him to meld unnoticeably with the rest of the wall. He twisted the hands of the grandfather clock on the opposite wall and disappeared down into the cave, heading for the vehicle bay.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dick left while the others were all patrolling and Alfred was taking a break. He used a bike that he’d removed the tracker from and kept all his devices off. He went to a hotel in the Bowery that he knew was shady enough to look the other way when a fourteen-year-old rented a room on his own, but not shady enough to take advantage of it.

He gave it a week, then two, before sneaking onto a roof in Coventry on a night he knew Oracle wouldn’t be working. He turned on the comm he’d brought and listened in. For the most part, everything was just the usual reporting in. However, things changed just before one.

“I’m moving in. Going dark,” Batman said.

“Got it, B-man,” Batgirl chirped. After a moment, in a more somber voice, she said, “So…”

Black Bat groaned and Orphan said, “No.”

“You don’t even know what I was going to ask!”

“We haven’t heard anything, and we’re not getting involved,” Black Bat said shortly.

“Not our place,” Orphan agreed.

“I know that! I was just wondering if Flamebird’s changed his mind,” Batgirl huffed.

“It’s for the best,” Orphan said after a moment.

“I get that,” Batgirl sighed. “I’m just going to miss the kid. I already miss him, and I know Oracle and Pup do too.”

“We all feel that way, but… I feel bad that he’s losing Robin, but he needs to get away from all this. After everything that’s happened… Flamebird’s right,” Black Bat said softly.

“Robin will be better off there, no matter how much we miss him,” Orphan insisted.

“Yeah, yeah. Have you guys gotten any leads on where he could -”

Dick didn’t hear the rest of Batgirl’s question as he yanked out the comm and smashed it on the ground.

He’d thought… He’d hoped…

But they agreed with Bruce. They agreed with sending him away. They weren’t going to talk Damian around.

Dick pressed his face into his knees and screamed.

He couldn’t stay in Gotham. The Bats would eventually find him, and now he knew that’d be a one-way ticket back to juvie.

He left the hotel in the morning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Robin had been hesitant to stay with the others. There was no way the Bats hadn’t noticed his involvement in the invasion that had brought their team together. It was better for him to move on as soon as possible

He really hadn't wanted to, though.

They had been an amazing team and had quickly become friends. He also knew they would understand his past if he told them since Wonder Girl was an outcast among most Amazons as a result of her Brazilian heritage, Impulse was dealing with the fact her father was currently lost in the Speed Force, Virus was still trying to reconnect with his people now that he’s free from the Mawlix, and Nightstar had run away from home to get away from her absentee mother’s shadow.

That was the only reason he stayed as long as he had while they began to put together their base using the remains of Virus’s ship.

He was working up to telling the team he had to leave when he stumbled upon Impulse and Wonder Girl talking in the common area.

“It’s a shame, really,” Impulse sighed, clutching a magazine.

“Boohoo,” Wonder Girl snorted, not looking up from her book.

“I’m serious.”

“He’s one boy, and not even a worthwhile one from what I’ve seen.”

“Speedy said White Arrow and Silver Canary have met him, though, and he’s super sweet.” The speedster shoved the magazine towards her face. “Plus, just look at him!”

Wonder Girl shoved it away, rolling her eyes.

“What’s going on?” Robin asked hesitantly.

“Impulse is crying because some famous pretty boy is going away to boarding school.”

The speedster shot her a look then turned sad eyes on Robin. “It’s Richard Grayson!”

Ice shot down Robin’s spine. “What?”

“Yeah, the Waynes are shipping him off to some school overseas,” she said, waving the magazine towards him and he took it. “The family wouldn’t say where since they wanted…”

Robin fell back on his training to keep his face blank and his hands steady as he scanned through the article.

They knew where he was, and they were covering it up. They had come up with a grand lie about him going to school in England to explain his absence.

They weren’t coming for him.

“Poor guy,” he said, closing the magazine and handing it back.

“See, Robin gets it!” he heard Impulse say as he turned and left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Small Easter Eggs: The briefcase from Teen Titans episode "Revved Up" and Dick punching Bruce from The New Batman Adventures episode "Old Wounds".

[abyssal-ali]

Author's Notes and Worldbuilding (pt. 1) ahead!! (If anything is unclear, please ask!)

So, the differences between @salparadiselost 's and my AUs: I was inspired by Sal but then I thought, "...but elemental/ATLA..." and my AU was born.

I kept Dick as an ice dragon and Jason as a fire/Phoenix but I changed the others.

Dick: Ice dragon | Jason: Fire dragon/Phoenix | Tim: Earth dragon | Damian: Water dragon | Cass: Air dragon | Bruce: Earth dragon | Steph: Wyvern | Duke: Wyvern

In this AU, not everyone is a dragon (shifter). Most people are human, some are wyvern shifters (dragon cousins), and a few are dragon shifters. The most common are:

Wyverns (~1/1000)

Earth Dragons (~1/100,000)

Ice Dragons (~1/250,000)

Water Dragons (~1/500,000)

Air Dragons (vulnerable, ~1/1,000,000)

Fire Dragons (endangered, ~1/10,000,000)

The Batfam all have specific hoards pertaining to their interests.

Bruce: children, bat stuff, Grey Ghost merch

Babs is human, but hoards tech and info

Dick: gym/aerial/circus stuff, hero merch

Jason: books (specifically 1st editions) & weapons, specifically guns

Cass: hoodies, ballet memoirs, shoes (but specifically shoes...comfy ones, like converse and fuzzy slippers)

Steph: purple, funny tees

Tim: tech, info, coffee

Duke: puzzle books, rubix cubes, poetry books/his notebooks of poetry

Damian: animals, art, family members' stuff

How I Picture the Dragons in my AU:

Ice: eastern dragon style, serpentine, has a headplate, spines along his back, fangs and claws, textured scales, smaller wingspan but can be extended with ice if needed (pls don't question physics)

Colouring: typically light/icy/minty blues, whites (some greys [rarely darker than smoke grey], some crystalline)

Abilities: Flight, cryobreath, immunity to cold, ice/snow, etc

Fire: looks like your typical western dragon (think Kilgarrah from Merlin). Smooth scales, fangs & claws, some have horns; feathered wings--also largest wingspan

Colouring: reds, oranges, and yellows (a few whites & blues)

Abilities: Flight, pyrobreath, (some use heat to help them fly/catch an updraft), immune to heat/burns, (some are fireproof, even their feathers)

Water: eastern, serpentine, smooth scales for hydrodynamics, longest fangs and claws, a few spines, flowy wings (better as fins for swimming...fings??)

Colouring: darker/ocean blues, (some greens and blacks) often have sparkly accent scales

Abilities: excellent swimmers, able to fly but not long or far (they're the literal chickens of the dragon world), hydrobreath, a type of sonar

Earth: think triceratops x wyvern/western dragon. Bumpy scales, leathery wings, short fangs and claws for digging, the thickest skin/armour.

Colouring: browns, red-browns, golds, greys/silvers

Abilities: flight, depending on the force/power can create tremors up to earthquakes, good sense of direction

Air: think archaeopteryx. Eastern, serpentine, 50/50 feathers & scales (the exposed scales are smooth for aerodynamics), claws & fangs, small wings

Colouring: VeRy light blues, whites, mauves, pastels (dark, black, etc [do you love the colour of the sky])

Abilities: excellent flyers, create large gusts of wind up to tiny tornadoes, vErY good senses to know what's happening on the earth

Wyverns: smaller than most dragons, thus are better in smaller spaces, etc.

Colouring: typically duller colors, such as browns, greys, some greens and purples)

Subspecies:

Light and Shadow dragons are dragons that have the extra abilities of photo- and umbrakinesis, or manipulating light and shadows. (~1/275,000 either | ~1/1,000,000 both)

Light and Shadow dragons are actually a misnomer from the ancient ages, when they were thought to be a separate species. Light/Shadow dragons are subspecies of dragons, which means that any species of dragon (air, water, fire, earth, ice, or wyvern) could also have photo and/or umbrakinesis.

Phoenixes are a subspecies of Fire dragons (~1/100,000,000). They typically have unlimited lives/resurrections and will only stay dead when they truly desire to. Each time they are reborn (to the age they wish to be), another white feather grows in somewhere on their body.

Phoenixes can hypothetically also be a light/shadow dragon but there are no known records of one.

Rankings (for the nerds with us):

Largest➡️ Smallest Wingspan:

Fire

Earth

Ice

Water

Air (they use their power to help fly)

Wyvern

Largest ➡️Smallest Mass:

Fire

Earth

Water

Ice

Air

Wyvern

Longest➡️Shortest:

Water

Ice

Air

Fire

Earth

Wyvern

Other Random Funfacts:

In my AU, Bruce killed the Joker for Jason. Why did Jason not come home then? His dormant Phoenix gene was only triggered when he died so he accepted Talia's offer to find other fire dragons and a Phoenix teacher, plus other human teachers to hone his skills while he was at it. (Don't look too closely at my plotholes pockets, okay?)

Fire Dragons are the rarest because they were hunted almost to extinction in the Dark/Middle Ages. They were blamed for tragedies, as they were the most obvious with their abilities, as opposed to the blizzard-causing Ice Dragons' fighting or the angry Earth Dragons' quakes.

*I'll probably never continue this fic, but if you have ideas, send them to me or write them yourself, as long as you tag me so I can see them too!*

Anyways, it's never said, but Bruce is a Shadow-Earth Dragon and Cass is a Shadow-Air dragon. (While Jason was training he was taught some tricks to appear more shadow-like as well, making some theorists believe Red Hood may also be a Shadow-Fire Dragon.)

Steph is a brown wyvern and always wished she was purple, hence some of her obsession with the colour.

Duke is a LightShadow Wyvern, with both abilities. He is a reddish-brown in wyvern form.

Imagine Dragons

(Dragon Batfam, inspired by @/salparadiselost's dragon au on ao3)

Requested by @chrysanthemum9484

(Yes I know the title is cliché. Will I change it? Not unless you give me a better one;)

A/N to follow, explaining my differences between Sal's AU and my AU, and my hcs and lore :)

The dragonet crouched in the corner silently, watching the much larger ice dragon tear through the guards like they were grass, freezing them in place and taking them out with ruthless efficiency. In a minute the ice dragon was snarling, crouched in front of the other dragon, and the fight began with tooth and claw and spike. The ice dragon's crystal blue scales turned to pointed spikes and the headplate thickened and barbed. It didn't take long for the ancient dragon to be subdued, his flesh ripped and bleeding.

"I see you've come for the Robin," wheezed the old dragon with a wet chuckle.

"Where is he?" demanded the other.

"We've prepared a welcoming for his return," chuckled Ra's al Ghul sinisterly.

The ice dragon spun and flashed to the courtyard, darting between guards and ninja to reach the human lying by the gate. The dragonet's tail twitched nervously as the dragon approached the human. It picked him up in a claw, then unfurled its icy-delicate wings and took off, swooping low to grab the terrified dragonet in its other claw. Once they were out of sight of the mountain fortress, the dragon tossed the dragonet up so that he landed on its wide back. The human followed.

"Hold him tight," the dragon commanded, but neither knew whom the dragon was ordering. They held onto each other for extra security; the ride was a little bumpy in spots, as air currents blew and birds were avoided by the dragon's graceful flight path.

When the sun was completely behind the horizon the dragon ducked into a cave and settled down in a comfortable circular lump. The dragonet and the human slid off its back onto the chilly stone floor. The human was unconscious from exhaustion, so the dragonet hid him in a warm corner, then faced the dragon, attempting to mask his trepidation with boldness.

"Why did you take us?"

"I can't leave you there. I admit I came for Ra's, but I gained some Intel while I waited and you two are a bonus." The dragon moved to look at the sleeping human and the dragonet stepped in between the two.

"You can't eat him. I won't let you," he said bravely, though his voice trembled. Curse his babyhood--no matter how intimidating he attempted to be, it never worked. He was so small compared to the ice dragon. Realistically, it could eat both of them and there was not a thing either could do to stop it.

"Why can't I?" Purred the dragon amusedly.

"Because he is my brother! I will fight you if you lay a claw on him." The dragonet puffed its needle-like spines up like a cat it's tail.

The dragon smirked. "Quite the temper you have, hatchling. Protective...do you have a name?"

The dragonet raised his head proudly. "I am Damian al Ghul, heir to the al Ghul and Wayne hoards, son of Talia al Ghul and the Bat of Gotham, Bruce Wayne."

The dragon huffed and wrapped its tail around Damian. "What do you know of your father?"

"He is the protector of Gotham, his city. He has admirable intellect and fighting prowess, as he was worthy to mate with my mother and has the respect of my grandfather."

"How do you know that?" Asked the dragon.

"My mother told me a little and my brother tells me stories sometimes when he is with me in between teachers. He was adopted by my father and thus has first-hand accounts."

"I'm your other brother, Dick Grayson, of the Wayne hoard. At the roost is our 3rd brother, Tim. How is Jason alive? I didn't know either of you were alive until I was casing the League. How old are you, by the way?"

"I am 8 years of age. Akhi was found by Ummi, wandering the streets of Gotham, and she let him use the Pit to restore his mind and heal his injuries. For the past three years he has been training around the globe with the best teachers."

"I'll ask him about that later," Dick decided, and curled into a ball even more, coaxing Damian into the crook of his tail.

{●>|<●}

Jason awoke, yawning as Dick nuzzled him. Sleepily patting the dragon's muzzle, he mumbled, "'s too early, Dickybird. Go 'way." He realized Dick should not be nuzzling him and sat bolt upright. "...Oww...my head..." he glared at the dragon, who was now licking Damian. Dami was here too?

"What in skies, Dick?! Why are you here?"

The dragon kept licking unconcernedly, nudging the dragonet to move. "Got a surprise when I spied on the League before I retaliated for them stealing Timmy's spleen. Imagine my surprise when I saw two brothers, one who's been alive for four years and one I never knew existed!"

Jason wiggled his way out of Dick's tail and stretched as Dick continued. "And you were collapsing in the middle of ninja and fell unconscious till now and...I kidnapped Damian before I knew he was my brother, because the League's no place for a dragonet."

"Please tell me you got all your hugs out before I woke up," interrupted Jason.

"Um, yes? No. Never! Climb on so we can head back home already. B and Alfie'll be so happy you're alive, and so will Tim- you're his idol- and Steph and Cass'll be thrilled too..."

"B needs to work on switching his hoarding from children to something easier, like Bat-paraphanalia or money or...oh wait. He needs to work on his hoarding tendencies, period."

Dick laughed, happy that his Little Wing was back, and boosted a sleepy Damian up to Jason. "Hold on tight, Jaybird; I've gotten faster!"

/>•|•<\

Tim raced through the Manor to find Bruce, finally locating the man in his office. "Bruce, Dick is back, and someone's with him!"

Bruce and Tim headed out to the garden, where the black-and-blue dragon was sitting. In front of him was a small dragonet, with dark green scales and a smattering of gold-tipped ones across his chest, tail, and legs glinting in the dying sun's rays. Baby fangs and a few blunted spikes stood straight, revealing the hatchling's nervousness at being introduced to a new hoard.

"Dick! You're back safe!" Tim bounced over to greet his brother, while Bruce looked him over.

"I'm glad you're alright, chum. Who's this?"

"Meet Damian Wayne al Ghul," sang Dick cheerily.

Tim looked between Bruce and the dragonet.

"His dam is Talia, so I rescued him from the League. Timmy, I kicked Ra's tail for your spleen. No more organ-ectomies."

"You are my son?" Rumbled Bruce, checking Damian out thoroughly.

"Yes, Father. I hope to do you proud as a member of your hoard."

Bruce tilted his head. "No need to be so formal, Damian. We're all family here. You are a waterdragon, are you not? You are too slim to be an earthdragon like Tim and myself."

"Yes, Father. My fins have not grown in, yet. I apologize that I am not an earthdragon like you."

"Why are you apologizing for something you have no control over? It doesn't matter to me which species you are. I love all my children equally, no matter which species they are; dragon, human, whatever their abilities."

Tim observed Damian glance up at that, to gauge Bruce's sincerity, and felt sorry for the dragonet. Disappointing a parent because of something you can't do anything about? He got that.

"I also found another brother in the League," spoke up Dick.

From the shadows around Dick walked one very alive Jason Todd.

Tim's jaw dropped.

"Hey, B. Miss me?" Smirked Tim's childhood idol.

"Jaylad?" Whispered Bruce, then he was hugging his un-desceased son fiercely. "How? When?"

Tim compared this Jason to Robin-Jason. This-Jason had a white streak in his black curls, a greenish tint to his once-blue eyes (Lazarus Pit, his mind supplied), was much taller and beefier than malnourished Robin-Jason, and was even bigger than Bruce himself. He seemed sharper, more dangerous, and deadly...but then he smiled at Damian and Tim saw the Robin-Jason in that smile, hopeful and loving and full of happiness.

"You know how I'm the only human one of you?" Jason stepped back. "Surprise!"

He transformed into a hulking, majestic red dragon with black-tipped scales and a white diamond of feathers on his left wing. Bulkier than the others' serpentine (Dick, Cass, Damian) and armoured (Bruce, Tim) forms, he was the largest species of dragon-- an endangered Phoenix. With his razor-sharp claws, fangs, and spines bristling, his flames sparking the dusk, he was an incredibly formidable sight.

"You're a dragon, too?" Asked everyone at once, in awe of the sight.

Jason nodded. "Turns out I don't stay dead long, so don't bury me next time I die, 'kay? Dirt is such a pain to dig, especially when you're underneath it."