The Batmobile was incredibly fast. Just as Robin and Batman exchanged a brief conversation in the car, the Batmobile had already left the outskirts of Gotham and was heading towards a remote mountain owned by Wayne Manor. The artificial lake split in two before the Batmobile even approached. With a burst of flame from its rear, the suddenly accelerated Batmobile arced gracefully through the air, landing steadily on a rising platform in the middle.
As the platform lowered the Batmobile, the separated lake rejoined, its water level completely undiminished. In the deep underground Batcave, Alfred Pennyworth, the butler who had served the Wayne family for three generations, was already waiting with casual clothes for his masters.
"Good evening, Master Bruce, Master Damian. It seems your work went well."
As an elder who had watched Bruce Wayne grow up, Alfred could tell what had happened between Bruce and Damian just from the atmosphere.
"Thanks, Alfred." Taking the towel Alfred handed him, Batman, Bruce Wayne, merely removed his mask and walked straight to his Bat-computer. He still had many things to deal with.
Damian, having taken off his uniform, walked towards the training room. It was only two in the morning, and he had plenty of time; there was no reason to sleep so early.
"Alfred, take Damian to rest."
"I don't need rest!" Damian roared at Bruce.
"You have school tomorrow."
"What can those teachers teach me?!"
"Order, self-control, respect."
The calm, emotionless reply left Damian speechless. Alfred, having received Bruce's command, stood behind Damian, ready to escort him upstairs. Damian looked at Alfred, snorted, and followed him up to the surface of Wayne Manor.
He could speak loudly to Bruce Wayne because, since his birth, Bruce, his biological father, had never fulfilled any paternal responsibilities. So when he was brought before Bruce, Bruce's indifferent attitude only made him despise this man who, both biologically and ethically, should be called his father, even though he was praised by his mother and grandfather as the smartest and strongest human in the world.
But for Alfred, the old man who cared for him like a grandson, Damian could not make any rebellious moves. Alfred took Damian upstairs, while Bruce sat in front of his computer, typing away, entering all the found profiles of abducted girls and beginning a search.
"What exactly do you want, Cobblepot? Tell me." Resting his hand on his chin, Bruce watched the computer's search process, muttering softly.
In the early morning, Butler Alfred carried breakfast, prepared by the servants, to Damian's room and gently knocked on the door. "Master Damian, you should have come down for breakfast fifteen minutes ago. Master Damian?"
After two knocks went unanswered, Alfred, sensing something was wrong, pushed open the door and found the bed already empty. Feeling the now cold comforter, Alfred knew the situation was serious.
"Master Bruce, Master Damian has left."
"I know. He also took Robin's uniform." Bruce, still in his battle suit, looked at the empty glass display where Robin's uniform should have been.
"Where would he go?"
"Blüdhaven. He'll go after the culprit."
Bruce understood perfectly what his estranged son would do. He understood it too well, so he had to stop Damian from doing what he was about to do. "Alfred, cancel my board meeting today. I need to go to Blüdhaven."
"Perhaps I should call Master Dick."
"What did you say?" Bruce, still in his battle suit, was about to activate the Batwing to fly directly to Blüdhaven, but Alfred's words stopped him in his tracks.
"Master Dick was the first Robin you trained. As someone who has experienced your training, perhaps he and Master Damian will have more in common."
"You don't understand how dangerous Damian is, Alfred."
"But you also don't understand how to be a true father, Master Bruce. You only see Master Damian's dangerousness, but you haven't considered why Master Damian acts this way. Sometimes, all parents and children need is a conversation. Perhaps you could try that, Master Bruce."
"I'm going to call Master Dick now. And you still have to attend today's board meeting. Don't forget how all your current equipment is supported, Master Wayne." With that, Alfred calmly walked away. Bruce, after a few seconds of silence, went straight up to Wayne Manor, changed into a suit, adjusted his demeanor, and drove a Rolls-Royce Phantom towards the Wayne Tower downtown.
In Blüdhaven, Dick's pocket vibrated as he was reviewing a case. Seeing the familiar name on the screen, Dick quickly ran to an secluded spot before answering the phone.
"Yes, Alfred." After answering the phone, Dick listened as Alfred on the other end explained the entire situation. Dick's brows furrowed, and he finally said, "I'll handle it, Alfred. Don't worry, I'll make that kid go back obediently."
After ending the call, Dick cursed under his breath. He couldn't escape Batman's shadow, even though he was in another city. "Damn Batman! Fuxxk!"
Blüdhaven ~ January 2, 04:45 ~
The car is speeding like a bullet train and the batarangs suddenly strike the car's tire and detonate. Sending the car flips and make it stop by colliding the electric pole which break down near the car. Looking at the car, which was almost in pieces, Damian couldn't help but mourn for the guys inside. This luck, it was beyond saving.
Damian was about to walk over to see if the unlucky person inside the car was dead or alive when a Batarang embedded itself in front of him. A figure, about two heads taller than him, descended from the sky and landed on the car roof, looking at him. Nightwing, who had landed, glanced at Damian who is about to fight him and said, "Haven't you caused enough trouble, Robin?!"
"Who the hell are you?!"
"My name is Nightwing, the first Robin."
"So, you're that Dick Grayson who chose to leave?" Damian crossed his arms and said disdainfully.
Dick's brows furrowed when he heard Damian directly reveal his name.
Although Alfred had told him on the phone that Batman's biological son was difficult to handle, and he had even complained about Batman on the phone, who always warned him to take safety precautions, yet when it came to his own son, it was a direct slap in the face.
This child, apart from his eyes and brows resembling Bruce, had absolutely nothing else to commend him.
"I think we need to talk about keeping our identities secret when we're out on patrol," Dick said, frowning and suddenly looks towards the edge of the building.
"I don't think I need you to educate me, coward," Damian said, swatting Dick's hand away, then directly walked past Dick, preparing to leave.
Grabbing Damian's shoulder, Dick said in a very displeased tone, "We need to have a good talk, Robin!"
"Alright, let's talk," Damian said with a smile, then directly delivered a side kick to Dick.
Dick dodged, swinging his staff at Damian, who also raised his long sword to meet the attack.
The two fought for about ten minutes.
Finally, Damian, caught off guard, was tied up by Dick with a rope from his staff in an extremely humiliating position and hung on a lamppost, at the cost of Dick being cut about ten times by Damian.
"Hey, Alfred, it's me, Dick.
"Yes, the kid was found, and I gave him a good lesson.....Hmm, he listened, but I'll need a few more days before I send him back, you don't mind, do you?"
Leaning against the curb, Dick pulled out a phone from who knows where and called Alfred, who was in Gotham. After glancing at Damian, who was still struggling on the lamppost, Dick hung up the phone and yelled out while looking at the nearby building.
"How long are you going to watch?"
And then, a voice—calm, heavy with memory—cut through the night.
"Long time no see. You are still doing well."
From the shadows, the air shimmered like glass cracking. A ripple bent the light itself until it peeled open, and a figure stepped forward. His armor was sleek, jet-black, lined with faint translucent currents that seemed to devour light rather than reflect it.
Ryotaro. Kamen Rider W Invisible form.
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