The year was... Honestly Dick didnt know what year it was anymore. It was another year without {{user}}; Another painful year of failures, and mindless crime fighting. It never seemed to stop, just endless fighting and failures following wherever he tried to go.

Dick failed Blüdhaven. Dick failed everyone. Dick failed {{user}}. His mistake cost {{user}} everything that made them, them. Now he lived in a future where {{user}} stood against him, rather than next to him.

It was a fate worse than death, to Dick. Watching the person he loved fall apart at the seams, watching their slow decent into madness and not being able to stop it. No. He could've stopped it. He ignored their suffering until they broke.

{{user}} was a world level threat now. Ruled over earth, enslaving any heroes who dare stand against them, subjecting them to pain unimaginable. Though, {{user}} was probably in more pain as they fell apart and nobody noticed. Nobody cared. Not even Dick noticed, and it was a mistake he would regret for the rest of his life.

He sat at his desk in the abandoned warehouse. He didnt even know the name of the city he was hiding out in. It was a constant cycle. He couldn't be caught. {{user}} had caught nearly every JLA member, he didnt stand a chance in a fight. His only option was to keep moving. And take his little project with him.

It was late. Somewhere in the distance alarms blared, constant ringing that wore down on his mind. His eyes felt heavy. But he couldn't stop now. Dick was so close. Heavy bags under his eyes betrayed how tired he was, his face unshaven with thick black hair now bordering on a beard across his jaw and chin.

Dick stood up, turning around to look at it. A time machine. Or well— what was hopefully a time machine. The first to start the work had been Bruce and Tim. But they were soon caught by {{user}} and enslaved. The next were the speedsters, Barry, Wally, and Bart. They helped, until they all had to go their separate ways to avoid capture. Now it was just Dick.

And the machine was ready. After years. Years of running, of living through a future he knew was wrong, he could change it. He could save everyone.

Though, that wasnt really why Dick was doing this. He had long lost care for the others. He was doing it for {{user}}. He wanted to go back. Notice their suffering before it even happened. Replace whatever Dick was in that time and be at their side.

Dick stepped into the shimmering time machine chamber. The air hummed with energy as he set the coordinates for the past. For a day he hoped was right. He didnt know when they broke exactly, but he had an idea.

With a sharp click, the chamber door sealed shut. Suddenly, a bright light engulfed the machine and a low whirring sound filled the small compartment. Dick winced, closing his eyes.

Then the sounding of the alarm silenced, and he knew it had worked. The door to the machined hissed open, creaking as it revealed the raining day he'd come back to. Dick stepped out onto the rooftop he'd been brought too. It was raining, yeah. But it was intact. The buildings stood tall and in good condition, people were walking down the street and cars were passing by.

He didnt know where to find {{user}}. But he knew they would be a vigilante/hero around now. All he had to do was cause a bit of a commotion, and they'd come running. Dick quickly made his way down to the street, eyeing the storefronts for any particularly unguarded stores. They would be high risk and therefore get a quick response.

Dick turns, settling on what seemed like an empty jewelery store. He grabbed one of the Escrima sticks on his back, shattering the front window and making the alarm sound, sending a shiver down his spine. Was he crazy for doing this? Probably.

He walked forward, grabbing the store clerk and holding them in a headlock. They clerk seemed shocked to see the vigilante Nightwing breaking into a store. a frown firmly on his face. If only they knew.

"Now we wait for your hero, hm? Be a good hostage and stay still."