Crescent didn't bother Emiguel's words as she tightened the grip. The room was silent enough to allow the sound of Richard's whimper enter Aunt Misty's ears. Her face went dark as she clicked her tongue, her right hand went to hold her assailant's. "Little birdie, look away."

.

.

.

-Gotham's low-end residence-

Her tone was as serious as ever, so being a slightly still sane child, he complied. Shielding his eyes, he looked away.

"BAM!" The next thing Crescent felt was the ground. Out of reflex, she got up, but then staggered in surprise as Misty kicked her shin. Again. And again. And again. She grabbed Crescent's right hand and twisted it backwards, moving along her side and pinned it down. Crescent blinked as she struggled against her grip. She could've succeeded if it weren't for her rage.

Misty smacked her head up right, "Snap out of it Cres!" She shouted, making the other growled.

Richard bit his lips, wanting to help but couldn't. For a person to snap and act like that, it's almost impossible to bring them  back. He doesn't stand a chance. Crescent kept trashing against Misty's grip, whereas Misty shook her head. "Cres, come on... " She mumbled before then muttered a curse under her breath.

Then she hugged her, from behind of course.

"Listen," she whispered close, her grip tight, still not making a single opening. Crescent tried to pry her off as they both kneeled. "I'm trying to help him."

Crescent snorted sharply, ""Yeah right, you and your plans! When are you going to realise that this is real life? Not some game of narrative!"

"Look at me," Misty turned Crescent's body around, meeting her eyes. "Do you think that I'm playing? I'm trying to help. I could only do this much."

Crescent studied her and hissed, "Really now? Because here's an idea. Why not let him stay with me? Unlike this crook, I actually know how to raise kids!"

"Cres, this needs to be done."

"What needs to be done? Torturing him?! If he stays here, he'll relive that memory every single day! " She sneered with her teeth clenched tightly. Baring each other like a lone wolf.

"Well if he can't handle Emiguel, how will he stand against Zucco? Have you thought about that?!" Aunt Misty snapped, she lets go of Crescent and stood up. "Have you thought of what the boy wants?"

Silence.

Misty took a deep breath, and took out a hand for Crescent to take.

She stared at her with her mouth agape, eyes wide. Finally regaining her mind back,  she shook her head, and slapped Misty's hand away. Standing up on her own, she took a step back.

With her eyes aflame, she looked away, "Why?"

"Why?" Misty furrowed her eyebrows, "Why do you think he left?"

.

.

.

Emiguel went to grab some of his pain reliever pills as the rest sat on the ever so scattered chairs and couches. No one has said a word to answer Misty's question. No one needed to. Everyone already knew the answer. He ran away for  revenge. By all means presented, that act itself was the epitome of a lost cause. As he was blinded by both rage and lost for the time being.

Richard sat between the two women, his eyes avoiding them both. 'They knew,' he sighed as he twiddled his thumbs. 'Of course they knew,' his head sank deeper.

A soft thud and little clanks of glass hitting the table marked Emiguel's return. His rough features seemed to have softened just the slightest bit. Nevertheless still maintain his gruff expression. "Here's some painkillers, sorry for the slight roughhousing boss. She started it," he emphasized with a look before sitting back down.

Richard gulped as he stared at the glasses of water displayed.

First, he was thirsty.

Second, he could feel the pain from his previous brawl crawling back.

And third of all, he just needs something to do.

Crescent propped up her share of painkillers whilst downing the glass of water, her eyes shut tight and eyebrow furrowed. Emiguel followed suit, eyes landing on Richard before diverting it to something else.

Richard kept staring at the drinks.

Misty reached out her hand, grabbing a glass of water herself before stopping. Her eyes sparked for a moment as she gazed at the little bird etching with thirst, nodding to herself, she slid a glass of water at his general direction. Richard, blinked at this. He gave her a small smile and managed to muster up a small "Thank you,"

"No problem, anything for a suffering birdy."

Emiguel chirped in as he finishes off his water, "Not to be rude Boss, but why do you kept calling him little bird and birdy? It sounds weird... Sounds like a weird fetish to me."

Misty's face went blank before she doubled over, her light and high noted laughter filled the ever so tensed up room. This went on for a few seconds before she shook her head, "For God's sake Emiguel, I don't have a fetish! It just popped into my head because of his old nickname," she paused for a moment. Face turning very much unreadable,  "Are you trying to provoke me into beating your arse? Because I don't have the time."

Emiguel shook his head violently, he have had his fair share of his arse being handed to him before by yours truly. It wasn't nice, and the outcome was nowhere near pretty. Now, when he say he didn't want to, he meant he REALLY can't stand another beating. Three weeks of hospital is enough for his own record. Once in a lifetime thing. Not now, nor ever again.

Misty clapped her hands, "Then it's settled. You, Richard, is going to stay here until you learn how to handle yourself."

"What if he does it again?"Richard quickly cut in, his face paled as the image of the woman's demise rolled into his brain once more. It was quick. It was bloody. And it was his fault. His hands flinched as the thought passes on.

Crescent took the boy's hand and held it tight, giving him a simphatetic smile, "I'll make sure he doesn't." She narrowed her eyes at Emiguel's direction, "He won't hurt anyone ever again."

Soon enough, a sharp breath pierced the room, "That's what she said...." Emiguel's small retort was as clear and cold as ice. Bouncing across the room.

The two exchanged a glance as Misty rolled her eyes, "Would you just act like a decent adult already? I'll make sure she does her job on keeping you at bay."

She stood up and patted the dust off of her clothing, "Well, I really should be going now."

Crescent and Emiguel raised a brow,"Already?/Finally!" They looked at each other again and proceeded to glare for the millionths time.

"When are you going to come back?" Richard's voice wavered as he look into her wenged tone eyes.

Misty bit the tip of her lips as she looked back at Richard with guilt. Her eyebrows scrunched slightly for a moment as a subtle frown crept behind her mask. "I'm afraid I won't come back at all. This..." She gestured the room and the boy, " It's a one time thing. I can't visit, nor ever see you again."

To that, Richard grimaced, "You're actually leaving me with them? I..." He paused, " I barely know them!"

Misty narrowed her eyes, "And you think you have any idea just what kind of person I am? We've only met two days ago!" She interjected, crouching down to level up with him. She put her hands over his shoulder and sighed.

"Look little bird, this is usually the part where people get emotional. I understand you're in a wreck, but-"

Her words was postponed as Richard pulled her to a tight embrace. "You can't leave me. You can't."

"I need to go, Richard," she continued.

"No." His hands trembled as he gripped her cloak, just like before.

"Richard, I promise things will get better. You'll avenge your parents. You'll do good."

"Aunt Misty, let me stay with you. You could beat everyone back at the warehouse, you're better than Crescent, you're Emiguel's boss!" He wailed, hands holding the cloak tighter as if it was even possible. His knuckles turning white.

She grabbed his hands and removed them from her cloak, albeit he resisted,"But then you won't learn to how to survive" Misty sighed, her breath heavy as she hugged him back just a little.

"You won't know how to face your fear,"  she ruffled his raven hair gently, "You won't get revenge on what Zucco did."

Richard buried his head to her chest and sobbed, his tears came down like streams of rivers, changing Misty's cloak colour darker by a few. "Don't you want that?"

"I do," Richard whispered, barely heard. "But I don't know if I'll ever be good enough."

"You'll be more than enough Richard." She let go of him and brushed her hand to wipe away the tears.

"What's the lesson you've learned when you've met Emiguel?"

"Huh?"

"What's the lesson you've learned when you've first met Emiguel?" Aunt Misty repeated, a hand still on his face.

Richard thought for a moment, "the world isn't fair?"

She smiled, her eyes closing. "That's right. And it will never be."

Richard stared in confusion before blacking out, a sharp pain drawing from his neck.

.

.

.

(A/N): And there goes aunt Misty! I'm going to miss her a lot. Not really. Ha. I don't know anymore. After this, begins Richard's training! A lot of Emiguel being a jerk and an arse, a lot of change in Richard's personality, and a couple snippets of Crescent being an overprotective mother bear.

I really didn't plan on making Misty's appearance this long. I was supposed to just make her come and place him into Emiguel's  house with a note.

But eh, I liked how it turned out.