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Post by Batman on Apr 15, 2013 13:07:32 GMT -5
[February 23-Open to the Bat Family]
Calm, dark eyes regarded the solid stone, and towering edifice of Wayne Manor. A mirthless smile spread across Bruce Wayne's face as he ascended the front staircase, taking measured steps as he approached a place he'd never expected to see again. And yet, here he was, returning to a life he'd hoped he'd escaped. But Gotham still needed Batman. And to help Gotham, Batman needed Bruce Wayne.
While working with Alfred and Lucius to have himself resurrected, again, he'd learned that the Manor had become more lively since his disappearance, since the so-called 'Bat Family' had established their headquarters there. The mirthless smile turned into a full grin. He found it funny how Batman, not Bruce, was the one with the family.
Once he was inside, he paused in the foyer, and just looked around, lost in his memories, not really paying attention as Alfred set about getting things in order since he'd arrived, and having his few belongings he'd brought with him carried to the master bedroom.
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Damian Wayne
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Post by Damian Wayne on Apr 15, 2013 13:40:26 GMT -5
Damian had seen the figure outside the mansion, peering out a second level window from the west side of the massive building. He stood solemnly for a moment. Waiting and staring down with those unimpressed eyes he usually wore. But the ten year old moved locations before the man had even begun to move towards the front door.
The child had hidden himself in the shadows beside a suit of armor. Standing still, and in a black long sleeved shirt, Damian was hardly visible. He'd watched the man walk by, and was surprised when he saw the face. Bruce. That was Bruce. That was Bruce.
But it wasn't.
He wasn't Alfred. He wasn't nobody.
His father was dead. Damian knew that. His heart pace quickened, as his momentarily surprised face returned to something a little more grim, trying to piece together exactly what sort of diabolical plan was going on here. His conclusion?
This was a cleverly disguised impostor, come to deceive them all. Damian was silent when he finally did move, noiselessly taking a candlestick that was set down nearby in his fist.
He slipped up behind the fake Bruce quickly, without a sound, and swung the blunt candlestick at the man's back.
"IMPOSTOR!" he howled barbarically.
With the element of surprise of his side, Damian was fairly certain his blunt object would successfully give the man a good thump, and perhaps disable him for moments. But there was no telling who this stranger was, and what abilities they would have.
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Stephanie Brown "Batgirl"
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"Relax, Boy Virgin. You're not the guilty party. A couple of make-out sessions do not a baby make."
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Post by Stephanie Brown "Batgirl" on Apr 15, 2013 13:50:08 GMT -5
Bruises, scrapes, and but the knife wound to her leg had healed into a nice little scar, and since then there hadn't been any terrible wounds. She'd almost cracked a rib following a lead on the Joker the other night, trying to track down more intel on the gas he'd tried to use on Damian when the kid had gone at him alone - she'd ended up in a thick mob of clown masks, cackling like she was wearing last months style trend.
Bastards.
She'd have joined them in the jolly green giggle if not for the gas mask Babs was developing for all of them. Oracle was an indispensable part of why Stephanie was getting the hang of the Bat Family world. It was nice, having someone who actually wanted her on the team.
Stephanie was in the kitchen, trying to snag a couple of the sandwiches Alfred had made up on a platter for John when she heard Damian's wild howl. She paused, a sandwich in mouth an brow raised as she looked upward. Then she dropped the platter, threw aside the sandwich and ran. If some poor deluded idiot had broken into Wayne Manor noting how generally quiet it was at this point of day - the bats were definitely nocturnal now plenty of days - Damian would have them coated in pointy objects before they could beg for the cops.
His father's property seemed to be a note on contention for the kid.
She took the stairs two at a time, up to the top,cut through a sitting room to cut them off - door flinging open and Stephanie barreling out, rolling on her shoulder then landing in a crouch in front of whoever it was Damian had found. She hesitated, eyes narrowing then widening.
Bruce.
This man looked like Bruce. And Damian was going to slaughter him.
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Post by Batman on Apr 15, 2013 15:38:11 GMT -5
Bruce had started walking forward, moving at a leisurely pace, unaware of Damian's presence, taking in the idea of being home. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed it. But as he walked, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he felt something was out of place.
Some instinct took over, Bruce Wayne vanishing as Batman surged to the fore. Damian's shout gave him the warning he needed to respond to the attack. He dropped to the floor, leg sweeping out to trip his assailant. His planed followup faltered when he saw who had been trying to sneak up on him. At the same time, he noticed Stephanie, springing out to confront him.
"I see you're already making yourself at home, Master Wayne," Alfred said, snidely hiding a smirk at Bruce's welcoming. He, too, had been close enough to hear Damian's howl.
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Damian Wayne
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Post by Damian Wayne on Apr 15, 2013 23:23:52 GMT -5
Damian was surprised when the stroke with the candlestick went wide and swished into the air without harming the stranger. However, he was more surprised when he realized the enemy had dropped, and felt contact to his own legs. He'd successfully knocked Damian off his feet, and the ten year old tumbled onto his back. He grunted when his shoulders thumped against the hard floor, and glared up at the man.
Stephanie was there. And now Alfred. The butler seemed amused but... not alarmed to see Bruce. Or rather, supposed Bruce. Quickly, Damian shifted his weight, and leaped back up, frowning defiantly as he squinted at the impostor.
Damian hardly looked impressed. Then again, when did he ever? But there was a particular anger in the way his lower jaw was jutted out, fists balled up as he appeared to be deciding on whether or not to attack again. The candlestick had been left on the ground where he'd fallen with it.
"I thought you were taller." he snarled at Bruce, eyes still narrowed.
Though it didn't sound like Damian was entirely ready to believe that it was really Bruce, hardly making an effort to hide the skepticism in his tone.
-TT-
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Stephanie Brown "Batgirl"
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"Relax, Boy Virgin. You're not the guilty party. A couple of make-out sessions do not a baby make."
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Post by Stephanie Brown "Batgirl" on Apr 15, 2013 23:53:10 GMT -5
She couldn't decide what was worse: Bruce was dead, and some freak had him down perfectly enough to trick Alfred, or that Bruce was alive, and he and he lied to them all this time. Had chosen a holiday over Gotham, over the Bat Family. Bruce could be a stubborn headed downright jerk if he thought it was to protect people. But who other than him did it help going away?
Either way she was pissed. Moving up beside Damian she eyed the man before her darkly, glancing behind at Alfred. "Bruce is dead. You're supposed to be dead. So you better have a damn good reason for the hell we've gone through. Cause lately, I've become a punch first ask questions later kind of girl. And him?"
She gestured to her younger compatriot, who she could see was far from relaxed and assured. "He's a stabber."
Drawing herself up, Stephanie folded her arms and stared demandingly. She had the shadow of a bruise along her jaw, and her forearm was wrapped from a shallow knife slash. They all had been through more than was right for people their age - especially Damian, ten years old and grappling with Gotham's most sadistically lethal. The girl before Bruce was different than the cheerful on who had died and returned. Perhaps she should have understood him making the choices he had, but she didn't. There had been another person to take her place, she had been expendable. Hell, more than expendable, she had been a liability.
He was the God damned Batman. He was supposed to be better than the person who slinks off into their happily ever after.
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Post by Batman on Apr 16, 2013 21:22:13 GMT -5
A cynical half-smile crossed Bruce's face as he took in the expressions on both Damian and Stephanie's faces. It was obvious that Alfred was going to let him deal with this whole mess. And it was a mess. He stood straight, looking them both in the eye as he did so. At least they were willing to give him a chance to talk.
"No, I can't give a good reason for all you've been through. But, maybe, you can understand why I left. Bane came very close to breaking Batman. For a while, he'd succeeded. He made me realize that I wasn't going to be able to do this forever," he said, rubbing the motorized brace that supported his knee. While his knees were both in poor shape, they weren't the only thing wrong with his body, not by far. "And, I let myself hope that Gotham might not need me anymore. Might be on its way to recovering. That I might finally have a chance at a normal life."
He sighed, then let the smile fade from his face as the anger he harbored deep inside surfaced. Anger at the injustices of life, anger at the criminals who destroyed lives without care, anger that the people of Gotham lived in fear of going out at night. He closed his eyes and clamped down on that anger with every ounce of will he possessed. "But I realized that Gotham still needs Batman. Even more than Batman needs Bruce Wayne."
It was past time he admitted it to himself. Bruce was the mask, not Batman.
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Damian Wayne
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Post by Damian Wayne on Apr 17, 2013 14:54:46 GMT -5
Damian still looked to be a long ways off of accepting this Bruce. Still unconvinced the ten year old heaved a sigh, and turned his unimpressed glare elsewhere. It was likely he'd be just as skeptical if this were his father anyways. Damian had a lot of pent up anger inside him, anger that had been told to grow, not subside. It was supposed to aid him.
Eventually he looked to Bruce again, popped an eyebrow and looking to Stephanie for a brief moment. Alfred was very clearly convinced it was Bruce. Damian needed to know more. As it was, he seemed only able to focus on how Bruce was referring to himself in the third person.
"You're a freak."
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Stephanie Brown "Batgirl"
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Post by Stephanie Brown "Batgirl" on Apr 17, 2013 15:26:06 GMT -5
"There's a difference between accepting your not able to do this forever, and dumping all your responsibilities, Bruce." She said his name harshly, glowering. Some part of her had accepted it was him - no one could be as admirable or as thick as Bruce Wayne. She'd learned a lot from him, and in that time grown to know the multifaceted face of Batman.
But to leave them like that... She'd always known Bruce was capable of doing terrible things, but he'd always chosen not to. A dark knight, but still a knight.
There was nothing honorable in leaving a group of young adults and children to do the work. She didn't care if he was tired, or that he deserved freedom. What about what all of them deserved?
"Gotham might not need you?" She hissed. "Blake has been busting his ass trying to fill your shoes, Babs is stuck in a wheel chair, I'm the best person we kind find to fill the Batgirl role, Tim had to come back from wherever the hell he was, and you son? Your ten year old son had to face the Joker a few weeks back. Alone. You think because Bane was gone we all didn't need you? Jesus Christ Bruce - we're supposed to be your family!"
Stephanie knew what it was like to sacrifice for the city of Gotham. Her father was dead, she'd been tortured, she'd hurt the boy she'd loved, she had dropped out of university now to try and keep the criminals from swallowing up Gotham, and her mother wasn't speaking to her and had kicked her out so she had to live here.
The way she saw it, she didn't have a future any more beyond this. The idea that Bruce decided to make one for himself went against everything she hero worshiped him for. He'd told her she wasn't ready when she'd decided to become Robin. Looks like she wasn't the one everyone had to worry about in the end.
Stephanie glanced at Damian, who announced Bruce fairly plainly. She couldn't imagine how he was keeping a lid on everything. She felt like she was going to rip herself to shreds with all this rage and pain. Damian hardly even cared. This kid was tougher than her. Another thing she blamed Bruce for.
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Post by John Blake "Nightwing" on Apr 21, 2013 22:41:39 GMT -5
His eyes flickered in the darkness as the youth rose from the shadows of the Wayne master bedroom. The rummaging and the shuffling about was disturbing him, even in such a large house. So he had risen, hair a mess, a healing bruise from the swift fist of a criminal on his cheek. Squinting as the light flickered in the distance, John began to grow steadily concerned. The sounds seemed hostile and aflame. He blinked a few times before moving towards the doorway, hearing the end of Stephanie's speech.
"Blake has been busting his ass trying to fill your shoes, Babs is stuck in a wheel chair, I'm the best person we kind find to fill the Batgirl role, Tim had to come back from wherever the hell he was, and you son? Your ten year old son had to face the Joker a few weeks back. Alone. You think because Bane was gone we all didn't need you? Jesus Christ Bruce - we're supposed to be your family!"
"Bruce?" It couldn't be. He couldn't be alive.
He leaned on the doorway, eyes narrowed towards the male standing there in front of Stephanie and Damien. Damien. The poor youth looked as uncaring as ever. His lips parted as he entered the glow of the room. His hands crossed over his bare chest, hugging his arms from the chill.
"Well," he said with a sigh, "I'm not...really sure what to say..."
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Post by Batman on Apr 22, 2013 12:31:32 GMT -5
Bruce just let the angry words wash around him. He knew very well what they had been through. Batman hadn't been able to not keep an eye on Gotham, despite what Bruce might have wanted. And now, it seemed like Batman had been right. Leaving Gotham had been the wrong decision. His 'death' hadn't had the same effect on the city as the death of his parents. He snorted softly at Damian's accusation.
"A freak? Then what better place to be than here? In Gotham?" he asked. He then looked straight at Stephanie. "Do you think I don't know what you're going through? I went through the exact same thing, and now, I had to watch from a distance as the people I care about most in this world struggled to carry on the fight that I never should have abandoned. Coming back from the dead is NOT an easy thing to do. Not for Bruce Wayne."
He looked up at John, the man who'd stepped up to take his place after he'd disappeared. "Why not start with angry accusations? Seems to be all the rage these days," he said, a hint of anger in his voice. He hadn't expected to be welcomed home with open arms, but this was getting out of hand. Gotham was in worse condition than before, and the 'Bat Family' seemed intent on coming after HIM.
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Post by John Blake "Nightwing" on Apr 24, 2013 11:50:47 GMT -5
"Easy," John said, "Settle down, Batman. Nobody's here to fight you. These guys just want an explanation, that's all." His voice was calm but beneath his chest blazed anger and confusion. What had he been doing this whole time? Was he hiding in the shadows? Was he on vacation on some remote island somewhere? His head dipped as he heard the Batman starting to grow frustrated. Who could blame him? Having Stephanie and Damien fighting you would take a lot out of anyone.
He pushed back on his bare feet, eyes fluttering towards the man who was the Batman. "What made you come back?" He whispered.
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Post by Batman on Apr 24, 2013 22:00:06 GMT -5
For a moment, Batman's cold eyes stared at John, measuring him. Judging his words. Then the moment passed, and Bruce just shook his head slightly. He didn't want to try to explain everything. Not right now. Not when he had Stephanie and Damian ready to tear into him. But, he knew they deserved an answer.
"I came back because Gotham still needs Batman," he said, his voice calm, even if he didn't feel calm. He knew Gotham needed Batman, but did Batman need Bruce Wayne? For now, he decided Bruce Wayne was still needed to fund Batman's endeavors. For now. "Maybe Gotham will always need Batman."
And for the foreseeable future, he'd be sticking around. At least until he found someone who could actually be Batman. Someone besides Bruce Wayne.
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Damian Wayne
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Post by Damian Wayne on Apr 25, 2013 1:51:00 GMT -5
Damian looked to Bruce after glancing at Stephanie. He felt nothing. Literally, the ten year old felt nothing, save for a chilling raise of his brow. He looked skeptical and annoyed as always. They were all angry. Dick was... well in a passive somber sort of state. Perhaps effected by his lack of sleep. Stephanie was worked up. Figures. Being a girl and all.
But Damian? He stood with his arms crossed, looking unimpressed as ever.
"Gotham suffers just fine without Batman too." he remarked. He was ten. And still, Damian managed to be the darkest thing in the Bat Cave.
"There's a reason the better part of the mansion is accessible without you." he stated in a matter of fact tone. If he received any questionable glances he'd add "The Better-Cave."
As if how he referred to the Bat Cave was the most concerning thing about Damian.
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Stephanie Brown "Batgirl"
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Post by Stephanie Brown "Batgirl" on May 3, 2013 21:09:21 GMT -5
"You didn't have to watch from a distance." Stephanie growled under her breath. "You chose to."
She was no less angry, not remotely. But the presence of Blake placated strangely. She'd been tangling with him plenty, but she'd earned a new respect for him in the past months. If he could keep a lid on himself, she knew she needed to reign herself in. The mention of being back from the dead stung though. Something in the way he said 'Bruce Wayne', as if she'd just dropped onto the streets without a glitch when she got back. As if she was so insignificant, no one had noticed her coming or going. She was still convinced she'd suffered some hearing damage from her mother's raging when she showed up at the door.
Stephanie looked at Damian again as he spoke up. The kid could be eerie alright.
Part of her wanted to walk off, grab her things and go. In fact she intended to. She didn't imagine Bruce would want her staying here, considering the tirade she'd just loosed. But she didn't leave. Not yet. "Not good enough." She struggled to keep her voice flat. It was the best she could do that wasn't screaming. "Gotham needed Batman the night after he died. Well, left. Why now, because of Bane? You planning on another explosive exit after he's gone? Alfred shouldn't have to do all the work of setting up your room if your taking off again."
She was hurt. Really hurt. But for some reason she couldn't peg for herself, she wanted to know how long Bruce was going to be there. Maybe to defend herself against hope. She wasn't sure she'd believe whatever time he gave her, but she wanted to hear him say it all the same.
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