*NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR* As y'all supposedly know I was planning on doing a big three part series starring the characters from the Batman universe. I'm still going to be working on it but I just thought that I'd write this small story to tide you guys and gals over until I'm done. Believe it or not I thought up this idea while I was in the bathtub (I shouldn't have told you that) and it also happened to pop into my head when I was having a really cool dream one night about me and my friend spaz being gargoyles and her cat Peanut could fly, and... ANYWAY,... this particular story is a somewhat continuation of the episode 'Robin's Reckoning - Part 2' from "The Adventures of Batman & Robin". Actually, it's more of an alternate ending; one that I thought up in my head and should have really happened in the cartoon to show better character interaction! So sit back and enjoy!!!
And the story begins... or should I say concludes or... whatever..
"No Robin, you mustn't let you emotions get the best of you!"
the Batman urged to his furious partner. Despite the fact that
he'd injured his knee while he infiltrated the hide-out of the
protection mob boss Tony Zucco, he was readying himself to pounce
the instant Robin did anything that would seriously injure Zucco,
or himself.
The young man turned sharply to face his mentor with a look of pure venom. "Stuff your advice, Batman; you and your stone, cold heart. You don't know how I feel, how could you -"
Robin stopped himself in mid-sentence, his eyes wide beneath his mask. He realized what he had said and he wished immediately that he could take it back. Here before him was his partner, his mentor, his friend. A man, just like himself, who had went through the pain, the suffering, the hellish nightmares over and over again when his parents died. The man was Bruce Wayne, who at a very young age, lost his parents when they were shot right in front of him as they were walking in an alley after an innocent night at the movies. Dick Grayson knew the pain that stayed with Bruce everyday of his life; the pain that drove him to adopt the guise of Batman, and Dick to be Robin. Tony Zucco, the man caught in Robin's vice-like grasp, cut the wire for the trapeze at Haley's circus, and Dick's parents fell to their deaths right in front of him. Ever since that fateful day he had vowed revenge on the man who had done this, the man whom he had at his mercy this very minute. Now, though, the young circus acrobat had other things on his mind then revenge.
Robin looked solemnly at his elder partner. "Batman, I...I didn't mean...... I'm sorry." he said in a near whisper. Turning back to the captive Zucco in his grasp he felt the rage boil up inside him. For a few long moments it seemed to Batman that his young partner was going to lose control over his feelings and murderously kill Zucco in cold blood.
Instead, remembering his mentors words, Robin threw Zucco away from the edge of the broken railing to land in the middle of the pier. With that last action, Robin turned his back to Batman, ran to the Batcycle parked awkwardly across the pier, and took off with a screech of tires.
The police arrived a few seconds later, but Batman didn't seem to notice them. He was left standing on the pier, with a cowering Zucco at his feet, watching as his young protege roared off into the night.
Commissioner Gordon of the GCPD walked up to Batman with a handful of officers at his side. The police handcuffed Zucco and led him to the police van where he was shoved inside. Before the door was shut, he vowed revenge on the Boy Wonder, saying that he would hunt him down and even the score when he got out of prison.
James Gordon and Batman stood in silence until the police van left the premises. "Well, old friend," the Commissioner said after a while, "it's been a long nine years, but we finally have him." Batman remained silent. All he could think about was the hurt look on his young ward's face as he drove off. Commissioner Gordon was starring at his friend and ally awkwardly. "You're especially quiet tonight. What's eating you?"
Batman shook himself out of his thoughts and turned his eyes to the Commissioner. "I'm sorry, Jim." he replied in an especially low voice. "I'm just thinking about... something."
James Gordon looked closely at his friend and saw that something was indeed troubling him, but he didn't bring the subject up again. With a final congratulatory word, the Commissioner parted ways with the Dark Knight, who was once again lost in his own thoughts concerning his partner.
Five minutes later found Batman entering the secret Batcave beneath Wayne Manor. As he parked the Batmobile in its own designated parking spot among a series of other high class vehicles, he took off his midnight blue cowl and cape and once again saw the world through the eyes of Bruce Wayne, boy billionaire.
"ALFRED!!" Bruce Wayne's voice rang out in the spacious cavern, vibrating the walls and high ceilings, thus causing the nightly inhabitants to screech in protest and fly deeper into the cave.
Bruce's visage was contorted into a mask of concern as he waited for his faithful butler and old friend to enter the dark realms deep beneath the manor.
A light suddenly appeared at the top of a set of stone steps carved into the rock. Then the image of a slim, grey-haired man in traditional uniform was seen descending the stairs in a hurried fashion.
"Alfred!" Bruce Wayne greeted his friend in a concerned manner. "Has Dick returned home yet?"
The proud British man tried to compose himself. "Master Bruce, it's good to see you home. In response to your inquiry yes Master Dick was here; but he didn't stay home for long!"
Bruce rubbed a gloved hand over his face. "Did he say where he was going or when he'll be getting back?"
"No, sir. He neglected to tell me. Although something was obviously wrong with the young master when he returned home."
"Why do you say that, Alfred?"
Alfred paused before continuing. "Well, sir, he was moving in a sort of agitated way, as if he were tremendously upset about something, an event perhaps, that has happened recently." The butler let in a deep breath. "I'm very worried about him, Master Bruce. Something is troubling him deeply, and yet he won't share with me his problems."
Bruce was puzzled at this point. "How do you know he wouldn't talk to you? Did you ask him what was wrong?" he asked Alfred.
"Of course, sir! As soon as I heard a noise in the cave I came down and saw Master Dick. As I've told you before he was moving in a troubled and agitated sort of way, and when I tried to inquire as to what was going on, he told me that he didn't want to talk about it, whatever it was, and that he wanted to be left alone. Then he told me that he'd be going out and didn't know when or if he was ever going to return!" Now Alfred was becoming concerned. "You must find him, Master Bruce, before he hurts himself! In his state of mind there's no telling what he'd do!"
Bruce turned his back to Alfred and closed his eyes, his mind deep in thought. Thinking back to the years when he was suffering from the loss of his family, he tried to remember where he had gone to just get away from life in general, to escape the pain he knew he could have prevented. And then it came to him. Usually he had gone to the place where they were murdered, as he does every year with Dr. Leslie Thompkins on the anniversary of their deaths. Maybe, just maybe, his young ward had returned to the exact same place where the tragic incident with his parents occurred when the circus was in Gotham.
With his mind made up he decided that would be the proper way to search. Turning back to Alfred, who was quizzically staring at him, he said, "I know where Dick is. I'm going after him." Seeing the blank look on his old friend's face, he added, "I'll explain everything when I return." As an afterthought he added, "Don't worry, I'm sure he's fine." I hope, he added silently to himself, not wanting to concern Alfred further.
He reached behind his head to put his cowl on again, but stopped himself. No, he amended. This is a job for Bruce Wayne, his guardian, not Batman. With that decided, he mounted the carved stairs which led to Wayne Manor and humanity, Alfred following close behind.
On a lone dirt path, surrounded by dense bushes and foliage in need of pruning, walked a lone figure. The pebbled ground crunched beneath his feet as he slowly walked toward the abandoned lot of the Gotham fairgrounds. The bushes parted and he finally got a glimpse of the area. The pavement which loomed before him was still scattered with paper and confetti from the extravaganzas of previous years. A few homeless people were sleeping soundly on a few of the new benches constructed on the property, unaware of their nighttime guest.
Dick Grayson walked carefully over the hard pavement, the gentle wind blowing through his dark hair, his eyes glued to the ground, searching for a certain place. He'd memorized the exact place where the tragedy happened, and that was where he willed himself to go.
Thoughts jumbled together inside his head, forming into images of his early youth, as he walked. The happy times he had when he was with his parents and his friends at the circus. Dick sadly smiled at the memories, allowing them to pull him into his past life as a circus performer. He rubbed self-consciously at his cheek with his hand, leaving a thin trail of moisture behind.
As he neared the area he stopped, hearing a barely audible snap, as if a twig had been stepped on. Dick didn't even turn around, let alone raise his head.
Dick heard slow, even footsteps approach him. When they softly stopped directly behind him he said, "How did you find me?"
Bruce Wayne caught the flat tone to his young ward's statement. "You're just like me," he said finally, "Returning to the scene where it all happened; not afraid to let the memories come back to you."
Dick didn't answer. After a few silent minutes he resumed walking, Bruce following close behind.
"I'm really proud of you, today." Bruce said, trying to get some small conversation going between each other. "You did the right thing when you handled Zucco the way you did."
Dick still didn't say anything. He still continued walking.
Bruce grew tired of this. "Listen, Dick, I know what you're going through -"
Dick turned around sharply and starred at Bruce straight in the eyes. "Oh, really Bruce?" Dick's voice was shaking with suppressed emotion. "You know what I'm going through?" he challenged. "You were never forbidden to go after your demon! The source of your nightmares! I was!! By you!!!" Dick started shouting at his mentor. "HOW THE FRIGGIN' HELL DO YOU KNOW WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH?!?! YOU KNOW SHIT ABOUT WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH!!! ADMIT IT!!!!" Dick's angry outburst caused the homeless people to arouse from their dreamy sleep and leave their beds for another quieter part of Gotham.
Dick continued to yell out his feelings which he had kept buried within him. "NINE YEARS, BRUCE!! I'VE WAITED NINE LONG YEARS FOR THIS CHANCE TO COME!! AND YOU'VE PRACTICALLY TAKEN IT ALL AWAY FROM ME!! THIS WAS WHAT I'VE BEEN TRAINED TO DO!!... "
Bruce was silent as Dick continued to yell at him. Maybe he did deserve to be yelled at. As long as Dick was letting out his feelings then it didn't matter. "I... I didn't know that you felt this way." Bruce said at last when Dick quieted down to catch his breath.
Dick answered with another heated response. "You're DAMN RIGHT I feel this way." He took another a deep breath to try to calm down his built-up rage. "Why, Bruce?" he demanded. "Why did you do this to me? Were you afraid that I'd let my emotions get the better of me?" He didn't wait for an answer. "You're right." he said in a quiet voice. "That's the reason you didn't bring me along, wasn't it. You knew I'd take it to personally." Dick lowered his head to stare back down at the dirty ground, his anger subsiding within him, looking ashamed from all the things he had said to his guardian.
Bruce looked down at his surrogate son, seeing the boy he'd befriended years ago. "No, Dick. That's not the reason I didn't bring you with me." He paused to make sure his feelings were in check. Dick continued to stare at the ground, but he listened to every word with an open mind. "That's not the reason at all."
The older man walked a few paces away from Dick, contemplating the words to come. Finally he spoke, in a way that showed his true feelings. "Zucco had taken so much from you,... caused you so much pain. I... " he stammered. "I couldn't stand the thought that he might,... " Bruce looked at his ward as he finished speaking, "take you too."
With these last words spoken Dick's face contorted into a mask of grief and tears started to stream from his eyes. Bruce looked on, unsure of what his next actions should be, the sounds of Dick's crying echoing in his ears.
His mind wandered back to the time when Dick was found alone in his room and within they had a heart to heart talk where Bruce confided in him what had happened to his parents from so long ago. He remembered what he had done to confront the young boy. Pushing that thought back into his subconscious, he approached the grieving Dick Grayson and put his arms around him in a warm and gentle embrace. To Bruce this seemed like the right thing to do under the given circumstances. Just being there for him was the best thing he could give to his ward.
Fifteen minutes had passed in the near silent fairground, with only a few choked gasps emitting from Dick Grayson's throat. He was feeling a lot better now than he had all night. I guess I just needed to let out my feelings, he thought as he felt the comfort of the arms of his fatherly figure.
When Dick had quieted down some, Bruce took his arms from around him. Putting one around Dick's shoulders, Bruce gave him a gentle punch on the arm. "So how 'bout we go home, eh Dick?" he asked in a comforting tone. "I'm sure Alfred is worried about us by now. And we both know how he worries." he added with touch of what was supposed to be light-hearted humour.
Dick managed a weak smile to the remark, as Bruce led him to a parked convertible on the other side of the bushes.
"Wait," Dick said, stopping.
Bruce halted in his tracks. "What's wrong, Dick?" he asked, with concern evident in his voice.
His ward was silent for a moment. Then he spoke up in answer to Bruce's question. "I... I just feel like walking home tonight... just to give me time to clear my head and think about everything that's been happening lately... "
His guardian understood perfectly. He didn't have to give him any answer. The two silently approached the dirt path and started their journey home.
"So, how's the knee?" Dick Grayson blurted out suddenly.
While all this was happening, in Gotham State Penitentiary Tony Zucco was serving time behind iron bars. His sentence: life, with no eligibility for parole.
It was dinner time for the inmates and all but Zucco were eating. All night, since the moment he was captured by, what he called 'a freak in pyjamas', he was vowing revenge on the Boy Wonder.
"If it wasn't for him I would have killed that cowl-headed creep!" Zucco was muttering to himself over and over again in the mess hall, as he starred dismissively at the soggy vegetables piled on his plate. "Just wait until I get out of this hell-hole. I'll make him wish that he wasn't even born!"
"Shut yer trap or I'll make ya wear the main course," one of the inmates who sat near him threatened. He pointed a cheap plastic knife at Zucco. "How can the rest of us concentrate on our chow with ya flabbin' yer mouth back and forth like that! Yer given us a headache!"
Zucco looked at him in a look of pure rage. "Don't you EVER talk to me like that!" he yelled and threw a punch which connected to the inmate's jaw. The thug still had a piece of food in his mouth and he immediately started choking as soon as the punch hit. "And besides, I wasn't talking to you!" To make his point clear Zucco stood up and, in a loud voice, shouted, "I WASN'T TALKING TO ANY OF YOU!!"
The guards came over to the table as soon as they saw the inmate start choking. They physically restrained Zucco, pushing him towards the cell blocks.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" one of the guards demanded to Zucco. "This ain't no damn circus here! Now behave or you'll never be allowed in the hall again!" They pushed the murderer into his cell and locked the door.
Zucco gripped the bars and looked out at the almost empty corridor. "Just you wait 'till I get outta this dump! No one messes with Tony Zucco and gets away with it! NO ONE!!"
The guards just laughed at him and walked back to the mess hall to help the others watch the hungry inmates.
Tony stood staring after the retreating guards. "No one messes with Tony Zucco," he repeated to himself as he drew a rough sketch of a bird on the cell wall. He laughed maliciously to himself as he drew a line through it.....
Next: Demons
(Yes, there is going to be more! I love writing this stuff!)
