The rain was just beginning to stop as a long black car pulled up at the tall gate. But grey clouds still hung in the sky, casting an overall dreary feel around. Dick Grayson looked up from his book. The gate was made of rusted twisted iron with crumbling stone pillars on either side. The left pillar has half a plate reading, 'YNE MA.' The driver of the vehicle roll down his window and types in a code on the ancient intercom. With a strenuous creak, the gate swung open.

The once majestic driveway was filled with potholes, the grass surrounding the curve nothing but dirt, and all of the young trees stood withered and bare. The manor house itself stood like a cliff face, weathered and beaten down by the elements. A dark film shielded the windows, the roof was in poor condition, missing shingles. It badly needed a few coats of paint, or maybe just a wash.

Dick tried to conceal a grimace. He was grateful to even have a home, but the imposing, dark castle did not look the least bit welcoming. It looks like a crypt. He thought. If anyone died in here they could hold a funeral, then just leave the body in a guest room. The gruesome thought was quickly banished as the car stopped by the porch.

"Alright then Young Sir," Sniffed Alfred. He was the butler? Manservant? Best Friend? Parent? Dick wasn't exactly sure what his role to his guardian, Bruce Wayne, was. "Here we are. I daresay the place is a bit of an eyesore. I haven't been here in many years, not since Master Bruce was eight years old." He got out of the car and opened Dick's door. Dick stuffed his book into his knapsack, undid his seatbelt, and got out.

The boy shivered as a chill traveled down his spine. He couldn't say if it was the wind or the house. He turned as he heard the trunk open. Alfred grabbed the two suitcases and set them down on the cobblestone.

"I can get mine Alfred." Dick offered.

"No, no. I can get them, it's what Master Bruce pays me to do." Alfred picked up the two suitcases with ease. He gestured with his balding head to the smaller, more ragged of the two. "Besides, yours is exceptionally light. Did you only pack feathers?"

Dick smiled and shook his head. "I just don't have much. I mean, we didn't have loads of space in our trailer, so we couldn't keep much besides clothes and a few personal belongings."

"Then I shall manage just fine. Now I'll take these to our section of the manor and you may go explore. The current renters are… interesting, but perfectly safe. Just remember to be polite and don't bother them unnecessarily. I will be in our section," He grimaced at the grimy exterior, "dusting." He then walked up the porch, unlocked the door, and creaked it open.

Dick decided he wasn't ready to enter the haunted mansion just yet, so he decided to explore the grounds. He pulled on his yellow raincoat and trudged off. Most of the ground was soft and marshy, so he sunk slightly with each step. The boy was careful not to flick mud everywhere as he walked, he had a feeling Alfred wouldn't approve. He ventured past the immediate gardens and down a crumbling set of concrete steps.

He slid down a muddy incline along thorny brush. A long stick lay in the mud. He reached out and picked it up; tapping it along the path as he went along. Dick stopped when a small pebble rolled from the slop beside him.

A bush behind him rustled. He whipped around and waited. Nothing happened. Further over, another rustle sounded. Dick slowly crouched and picked up a rock, as another bush moved he threw the rock. A pained yowl came from the bush, causing Dick to break into a run. He pushed through dry vines and brambles, making his way further down the hill.

The wind began to pick up, causing his eyes to water. He nearly lost his footing in the slippery mud. Finally, he stopped at a stump, breathing hard. Blue eyes search the surrounding area.

MEERRROOOW! Something landed on his head. He began flailing. A black cat landed in front of him with an angry hiss, green eyes flashing.

"You scared me you furball!" He said. The cat merely licked a paw in response. "Huh, well if you'll excuse me." Dick began to walk away, tapping his stick on the ground once more. Tap, Tap, Tap, Thunk. He paused, the ground sounded hollow.

Just then more pebbles rolled down the cliff side, Dick looked up just as a bolt of lightning flashed. A figure stood above him with a long coat blowing in the wind and glowing eyes. Dick was too scared to scream as the figure sped down the cliff side towards him.

He snapped out of it and swung his stick; but the figure grabbed it and used it to pull Dick to the ground. The figure jumped onto the stump. He pulled off a pair of goggles and a hood, allowing flaming red hair to spike up. It was just a kid, he was probably barely older than Dick. He looked a lot less psychopathic with freckles and red hair.

He began swinging the stick. "I haven't seen you around before. You must be the Wayne ward. Is it true you're from the circus? I bet you were like an acrobat or something, you kept your balance creeping this mud. Can you do a backflip? Or swing from a trapeze?"

Dick pushed him off the stump. "Hey!"

"Do you always run around and scare people?!" Dick swiped back his stick.

"Dude," The red haired kid stood up, wiping the mud off himself. "What's your problem?"

"I don't like being stalked by psycho-runners, or their cats!"

The kid knelt down by the cat, who had been silently watching the encounter, and scratched its ears, causing it to purr. "It's not my cat, it's feral, I think. But when he stops by my house I'll feed him and in return he comes up to my window and brings me little dead things.."

"Why were you following me?" Dick demanded, driving his stick into the mud.

"I was just curious."

"Yes I used to be in the circus, yes I can do a backflip and swing from a trapeze."

"I'd be careful if I were you. You're standing on an old well, if you step too hard, you'll fall in!"

Dick jumped to the side, noticing the rusted panel partially obscured by mud. The red head snatched the smaller boy's stick and used it to maneuver the panel off the well's opening. Both boys leaned over and stared down the dark hole. Dick picked up his stick and tapped a side, causing echoes to travel down.

"See? It's so deep they say if you look up you could see stars in the middle of the day!"

Dick relaxed. "Huh." The cat wandered closer and rubbed at his legs.

The older boy glanced towards the manor. "I'm surprised Ol' Wayne moved back in. My uncle manages the place for him. Wayne didn't mention he was coming back."

"What do you mean?"

The other boy's eyes darted to the side. "Um, not supposed to talk about it!" He pulled off a red glove. "I'm Wally, Wally West."

Dick grinned. "Wally?"

"Short for Wallace, not my idea of course. What did you get saddled with?"

"I didn't get saddled with anything! It's Dick."

"What? Dick?"

"Dick Grayson. Or Richard if I'm in trouble."

"Man, can't believe you balked at my name with a name like Dick! Ha! A name like that could lead someone to have expectations…"

A glare formed on Dick's face. His mood matched the darkening clouds above. Suddenly a voice carried over the wind. "WALLACE!"

"I think someone's calling you, Wally!"

Wally looked confused, "Huh? I didn't hear anything."

"No, someone was definitely calling you!"

A dinner bell clanged. "WALLACE!"

Wally's face paled. "Oh… Uncle Barry." He pulled on his glove and adjusted his goggles. "Well it was great meeting you, Dick the Acrobat." He began to walk away, but turned and held up his hands. "But next time, I'd wear gloves!"

Dick's forehead wrinkled. "Why?"

Wally gestured to his stick. "Your stick there, it's poison oak." He then broke into a fast run, quickly vanishing out of sight.

"Uuuh!" Dick tossed the stick back into the mud. He began to wipe his hands on his pants. The cat seemed to give him a pitying glance. He stuck his tongue out at it. The feline sniffed and pranced through the mud after the runner. The rain was beginning to pick up, Dick then started his trek back to the dark manor.

The next morning the rain was still falling. Dick was watching from the kitchen window, he absently mindedly scratched at his hands, which were now red and irritated.

Alfred was busy wiping down the counters and cabinets with disinfecting wipes. Dick didn't think he'd stopped scrubbing since they got here. The elderly man was still immaculately dressed in black dress pants, white shirt rolled up to his elbows, and bow tie, despite all the cleaning.

"I almost fell down a well yesterday Alfred."

"Uh huh."

"I could have died!"

"That's nice young sir."

Dick continued scratching at his hands. "Could I go outside? It's great weather for exploring!"

"I'm afraid not young master. Rain makes mud, and mud makes a mess." Alfred said, he was now mopping.

"But I want to get out and move around! Isn't that why we moved here?"

"That and Master Bruce was ready to return. He is now also closer to his central business in Gotham." Alfred replied.

"I don't know why he'd come back here. It's creepy."

"It was his childhood home." Alfred said. He paused to readjust his sleeve. "Now I do believe you have some unpacking to finish. Quite a bit of it."

"That sounds exciting." Dick murmured sarcastically. He turned from the window and began to leave to the room.

"Master Dick, a boy left this on the porch for you." Dick paused. Alfred walked to a counter and picked up something wrapped in newspaper. Dick came over and took it, it had a note attached to the front.

'Hey Dickie, look what I found in my uncle's trunk, look familiar? –Wally'

Dick unwrapped a doll with black yarn hair and bright blue button eyes, the exact same shade of his own. The doll was also in a gymnast's uniform, similar to his family's design.

It looks a lot like me… That's creepy… and weird. He thought.

"What is his name Master Dick?" Alfred asked. He was scrubbing the windows now.

"Wally. And I'm a boy! What would I do with a doll?!" Dick left the kitchen, carrying his mini-me. As he walked across the creaking floors he heard a voice coming from behind one of the heavy doors. Bruce got in late and he's already up and working? He wasn't even aware his guardian was awake. He hadn't come in the kitchen or living room at all that morning, not even for a quick 'hello'. The door creaked as Dick pushed it open.

The study was filled with boxes, a desk, swivel chair, and laptop were the only pieces of furniture.

"Hiya Bruce!" The dark haired man didn't look up from his laptop. His back was to the boy as he tapped away. "Did you have a good trip?" Still no acknowledgement. He gave a cough.

Bruce glanced up and saw the boy's reflection in the computer screen. "Oh, hello Richard." He spun his chair around. His gaze shifted to the doll. "And miniature Richard? You never told me you had a sibling."

"Could I go outside and explore?"

Bruce looked out the window on the far wall, the only light source currently in the room. "It looks like it's raining pretty hard…"

"It's just rain!" Dick protested.

Bruce swung around to face him again. "What did the boss say?"

Dick stood straight as he could and said in a mocking British accent, "Don't even think about it Richard Grayson!"

That got a slight chuckle from the older man. He returned to his computer screen. "Then no, you may not."

Dick groaned. Now what? He started to swing from the study door, trying to get it to creak louder. This persisted for about fourteen seconds before Bruce whipped around again. "You know this house is over one hundred and fifty years old."

"So?"

"Explore it! When I was a kid my best adventures occurred in here! There's plenty to do…" He grabbed a notepad and pen from the box on his desk. "Go and count the doors and windows. Or list all the red things you can find!" He tossed the items to the boy. "But I need to work." Once again he turned to his computer.

Dick slumped slightly, but left the study, closing the door behind him.