Family night: caboodle
Batfamweek 2018
I do not own batman
It all started with Jason and Tim.
Yesterday while Tim and Jason were patrolling they were playfully arguing which one of them was better. They were fooling around and challenged each other. Who could jump the farthest? Who could take the most bad guys out with only hand to hand combat? But they were a little bit reckless and one broke their arm and the other their leg so they had to rest and couldn't patrol the night. Alfred was mad at them and so was Bruce. Though Alfred was also happy that Tim and Jason got along. But because of that Tim and Jason are right now sitting in the cave while the others are patrolling and Alfred is upstairs cleaning.
''I still think I won.'' Jason says to Tim.
''And I can give you a whole PowerPoint why that is not true.'' Tim replies.
''How about we prove it once and for all?'' Jason suggest.
''Alfred would kill us if we make our injuries worse, we have to stay put.'' Tim comments.
''Yeah but there are a lot of other games we can use to decide.'' Jason counters.
Tim thinks for a moment. ''You mean like board games?'' He raises an eyebrow.
''Yes!''Jason announces.
''Hm...'' Tim says in thought. ''We could do monopoly.''
''No way.'' Jason refuses. '' I always get stuck in the prison and I am not playing something where you can use your strategizing or analytic powers. ''
Tim raises an eyebrow. ''Strategizing or analytic powers?'' He can't hide his snort.
''Well you always win at monopoly and at stratego no matter what I do.''
''Then what game do you want to do?''
''Let me think. We could play game of the goose.''
''Do we even have that one?'' Tim asks.
''We can find out.'' Jason says and they slowly make their way up the manor towards the room where they have stored all the board games. After a long time of searching they still didn't find it. Turned out they didn't have it. They did however find a game that was very similar so they decided to go with that one. They take the game back to the living room the family most frequently uses. While they are setting the game up Alfred walks towards them. He wanted to check up on them but didn't find them in the cave but in the living room instead.
'' Caboodle, now that brings back memories.'' Alfred smiles fondly.
''Yeah we wanted to play a board game but Jason shot monopoly down and we couldn't find game of the goose.'' Tim says.
''I bought this game when I visited the Netherlands a long time ago. I had a friend of mine translate the rules.'' Alfred explains.
''You can join us if you want.'' Jason offers.
''I still have some cleaning to do but when I'm done I will take you up on that offer.'' Alfred replies and then goes back to his cleaning. Tim and Jason have set the game up. Now they only have to chose a game piece and they can start playing. The game pieces are the half of ball with a smiling face drawn on them and they come in different colours. Of course they both want the colour red.
''Red is my colour, my alter ego is named Red Hoof after all.''
''And mine is Red Robin.'' Tim returns.
''So? I had the name Red Hood earlier.''
Tim sighs. ''Fine I will take the green one then but only because I know if I don't we will never start this game.''
''Wow it has already been over an hour.'' Jason comments as he looks at the clock.
Both of them roll the dice, the one who gets the highest number may begin. That is Tim.
The first time Tim rolls the dice it lands on two.
''Wow that is a great start.'' Jason says with sarcasm. Tim rolls his eyes and gives the dice to Jason. Jason throws 5. He smiles as he moves his game piece on the board to number 5 but Tim smiles back at him and shoves the paper with instruction into Jason's face.
''You landed on number 5.'' Tim points on the board where a chicken is painted on the board at space number 5. At space number 3 and 4 there are eggs drawn.
''Miss chicken runs from time to time, go back to two because you lost all your eggs. '' Tim says with a smile. ''You have to go back to number two.''
''Are you kidding me?'' Jason says.
''Of to a great start.'' Tim snickers.
In the end Tim wins the game. Both of them got send back multiple times or had to wait a turns. Not one of them ever landed on a space that allowed them to move forwards instead they were mostly send backwards. But in the end Tim was just a turn faster to reaching the end than Jason and thus won.
''I want a rematch this wasn't fair.'' Jason complains.
Tim shrugs. ''Sure.'' He is enjoying himself after all and doesn't mind playing again. They were just planning on starting again when a voice calls out to them.
''What are you guys doing?'' Duke asks them as he makes his way towards them out of uniform. Cass and Stephanie are not far behind him and also make their way towards them.
''We are playing a board game, what are you guys doing here?'' Tim asks. ''Already done with patrol?''
''I just wanted to see how my boyfriend is doing.'' Stephanie replies as she sits next to Tim on the couch. '' Cass joined me.'' Cassandra sits on the arm rest of the chair Jason is sitting in.
''What about you Duke?'' Jason asks.
''It was a slow night, nothing really happened so we got send back early. Dick, Damian and Barbara are also already back. They can be here any minute.''
''Do you guys want to join us?'' Tim asks.
''Sure.'' Stephanie and Duke reply and Cass nods.
''All right choose a colour.'' Tim says as he hands them the small bag with game pieces.
''I want purple.'' Stephanie says. ''that is my colour after all.''
''Then I will take yellow. If no one minds.'' Duke asks.
''Black.'' Is what Cassandra says as she takes the black one.
''Ooh!'' Stephanie exclaims surprised. ''They have little smiling faces drawn on them, cute!''
''Yes Yes very cute can we start playing now?'' Jason grumbles.
''Hmm why so eager?'' Stephanie responds.
''Because I need to beat him.'' Jason answers as he points to Tim.
Just when the order of who may go throw the dice first was decided they are interrupted by Dick, Damian and Barbara who make their way towards them.
''What are you guys up to?'' Dick asks.
''Game.'' Cassandra responds.
''You guys are having family bonding time without me?'' Dick gasps and pretends he is hurts as he puts his hand on his chest. Everyone rolls their eyes.
''You cannot play you always have the most luck.'' Stephanie accuses him.
''If you want to join hurry up and chose a game piece we are starting.'' Jason says.
''I will take the blue one then.'' Dick states and takes a cushion from the couch and sits on the floor. Barbara sits next to him and Damian hovers behind him.
''You don't want to play with us little D?''
''Why should I? It is a waste of my time.'' Damian states.
''Are you afraid you're going to lose?'' Stephanie challenges him.
''No.'' Damian snarled.
''Then play.'' Stephanie teased.
''Fine.'' Damian sits down next to Dick and eyes the remaining game pieces.
''Where is the red one?'' he inquires.
''I have that one.'' Jason smirks as Damian gives him an annoyed expression. ''All the nice colours are taken.''He says as he eyes the Red, green, yellow and black game pieces that make up the colour scheme of robin.
''You can have my blue one.'' Dick proposes but Damian scowls. Cass decides to give him her black one and takes the brown one for herself. Damian mutters a soft thank you and Cass gives a soft smile.
''I also wanted Red.'' Barbara complains playfully. ''It is the colour of my hair after all. The colour of my current costume is also not there anymore such is the colour of my old one.'' She eyes the Red, purple and black game pieces one by one.
''Mine.'' Exclaim Jason and Stephanie at the same time while hiding their game piece from Barbara's sight and Damian does the same while scowling at her. Barbara lets out a laugh.
''You should take the orange one your hair is more orange than red after all.'' Jason noted.
''Yes you should do that.'' Stephanie agrees.
''Okay okay. I will go with orange then.'' Barbara takes the orange one and the game begins.
''Are you kidding me?'' Jason protested. '' Why do I always get stuck in the prisons?'' He moves his game piece to the space with a cat behind a fence on it and the number 29 on it. Someone has to pass him to free him.
It is now Stephanie's turn to throw.
''Don't worry Jason I will save you.'' She exclaims only to throw 3, landing herself also in prison.
''Stephanie!'' Jason groans.
''Oops.'' She responds but then looks at Tim. Tim sighs and rolls the dice only to also and up in jail.
''Are you kidding me? How is this possible?''Jason complains.
''You're useless.'' Stephanie scolds her boyfriend.
''Ha services you right.'' Damian remarks who had already moved pass the prison, just like Dick, Barbara and Cass.
''Dukeee. Save us!'' Stephanie yells.
''I will do my best.'' And true to his word Duke throws the right number and passes the prison and thus frees everyone who is now allowed to move their piece again when it is their turn to throw the dice. Sadly Jason still has no luck. He has the worst luck. He constantly gets moved back either by landing on the mouse who goes back for the cheese or the fish with a key in its mouth and gets moved back to the space with the keyhole drawn on it.
''Why?'' Jason pleads.
''You always have the worse Luck I can't get why you decided to want to play this game that is mostly bases around luck or good throwing abilities. '' Tim replies.
The game continues and Dick does have luck and is allowed to move a few spaces ahead though he only rolls low numbers so he doesn't make it very far, very fast. Damian is almost at the end but then lands on the head of a cow. Jason and Tim start grinning.
''What?'' Damian raises an eyebrow confused.
The two of them sing the instructions.
''Koosje cow is going crazy, she runs the wrong way going back to one.''
''You have to go back to number 1.'' They laugh.
''That is a lie! You make that up.'' Damian accuses them.
''Sorry little D.'' Dick begins. ''But it is the truth you can look at the rules for yourself.'' Damian takes the paper from him and then growls in frustration, he does however let Dick remove his piece to number one.
''This game is stupid.''
''Don't be like that you still have a chance and we can play another round.'' Dick tries to cheer Damian up but he remains sulking.
In the end Barbara reaches the last space as first but has to throw one to get het game piece in the drawn woods so that she wins the game. Sadly after four turns she is still stuck and Cass does throw the right number so that she finishes the game first and is the winner. Barbara is 2th, Dick 3th and Duke 4th.
''That was fun.'' Dick comments as he stretches his legs.
''I want revenge!'' Jason says. ''Let's play another round.''
''Yes!'' Stephanie agrees and Damian nods firmly.
''You lads starting up a new round?'' Alfred asks as he walks towards them with food and something to drink.
''Yes.'' They answer him.
''While I am done with cleaning so would you mind if I joined you?''
''Ofcourse you can join us Alfred.'' Everyone exclaimed and they made space so that Alfred could sit on the other chair across from the one Jason is sitting in. Alfred takes the white game piece. He then turns his attention towards the entrance of the living room where Bruce walks into the room finally done with patrol.
''Master Bruce.'' Alfred begins. ''Perfect timing you should join us.''
''Uhm.'' Bruce says confused as he tries to figure out why everyone is there but he then notices the game and looks at his children's expectant faces. ''Sure.''
He also sits on the ground next to Damian and takes the only game piece left, a pink one and smiles as he watches his family being together.
Author's note
Wow this really is much longer than I expected, I hope you enjoy it. This was written for the batfamweek 2018. It is my first time writing something for a week so I was Pretty excited. If you are wondering Alfred won the third round.
About the game. I have a game at home that I really like so of course I wanted to write about that game. I thought that game was named Game of the goose. But when I had almost finished writing this and went to check the game rules I found out it wasn't the game of goose at all but something very similar. My mind was blown because me and my family have always been calling it game of the goose. Now the game this fanfic is based on is (for all I know) only released in my country. But since I really like this game and I was almost already finished with writing this fanfic I decided to just go with it. This game is in my own language so I had to translate the game rules. But if you land your game piece on a space with a specific number you have to read the game rules where in there are little rhymes that tell you if you have to wait a turn, may move forward, have to move backwards or have to jump while others sing a song. The game is called : beestenboel in my own language so I hope I translated it correctly in English. The literal translation would be like beast mess. If you have any questions ask them. Also Selina doesn't appear in this because honestly I forgot about her.