Hey, everyone! I have had absolutely no idea how to continue any of my ongoing fics so I am officially on some more hiatus! So, this fic is going to be pure improv, so sorry if it seems a bit rushed. For now, this is a one shot, but I may continue it if... well, thats for you to decide! And AnotherOneBitesTheDust... yes, I do remember the dreadful days when my penname was captainstartreker
It was the weekend. People loved the weekend... but these weren't normal people. No, the Bats dreaded the weekend. Why? Because there was nothing on the weekends. Crime rates are actually lower, meetings are invisible, and there isn't any work or school. So this is what causes Dick, Tim, and Damian to be in the library, looking for blackmail.
"Anyhting?" Says Dick from the ladder. Damian frowns at the section he was assigned. It was filled with classic books (all antique), cook books, craft books, DIY guides, and A Parents Guide to Understanding the Twenty-First Century... all sixty eight books, including the scientific ones on why grandparents cant understand modern technology, in all of its studious glory.
Suddenly, a cough and a slam emmenates in the library. Tim beams triumphantly. "I found something!" Dick does a triple flip off the ladder, he and Damian rushing to Tim, surrounding a table with a thin book on it. It had burn marks, and looked like it could disintegrate at any moment. "It was in the dark corner." Says Tim. Dick takes a good look at the book, huffs in disapproval, before walking away.
"I'm going to get Jason. He said he'd join us in our exploration. I'll be back in a minute... and dont disintegrate that ancient thing." The eldest mini-Wayne leaves the great kibrary, and Tim and Damian stare down at the book.
"Drake... I command you to open the book." Tim looks at him incredulously.
"No! It looks older than the Cave! I am not going to responsible for it breaking!"
"You found it, so I expect you to uphold the responsibily you bestowed upon youself, or therefore be forever unredeemanle in my eyes, and have a painful execution when I am officially not a minor, Timothy." Tim groans. He knows Damian will uphold whatever he said. And this book isnt that important if it is covered with a bullet proof layer of dust. Suddenly, the library doors open again, and Dick and Jason saunter in.
"Jason!" cries out Tim. "Open this." Damian looks angry for a moment, before agreeing. Todd should have the responsibility of shattering the book. Jason raises an eyebrow, blowing a strand of white hair out of his eyes. His green-blue eyes stare at them.
"What now?"
"Open this." Says Damian. And then he recited the same threat he told Tim. Red Hood rolls his eyes, before walking over, Dick bouncing along behind him.
"Whats sk great about this anyway? It looks ancient." Jason wiles a hand kver the cover, gathering dust on his hands, and then wipes said hands on his pants. A black eyebrow raises on his pale face. "Well, its sturdier than it looks." Jason takes the book with two hands and opens it to a random page, seeting it down on the table, the four looking at the picture that was split vertically amingst the entire plain, so it had to be turned vertically.
A pale faced, scrawny boy stood in a red shirt and an oversize dark blue denim jacket. His nose and cheeks were sprayed with freckles, and the corners of his lips were slightly upturned in a stained smile. His neck had purple bruises poking out above the shirt, as well as some cuts on his cheeks, amd a bruise ona high cheekbone. He had wary, blue eyes, and dark red hair, which had a few messy locks. Damian spoke up first.
"Who is this?"
"Alfred?" Offers Tim, but then he shakes his head. "No, this ohotograoh is in high quality cover... it not Alfred."
"And Pennyworth had black hair, if Ive heard father correctly." Says Damian curtly. Meanwhile, Dick is leaning over the picture, his eyes blinking and scanning every minisculiar detail. In the meantime, Jason had stayed quiete, slowly backing up, his face growing increasingly pale.
"Why donwe have this picture? This kid looks abused, judging from his stance and physical appearance." Says Tim. "Its probably a random case file photo."
"No." Says Dick, slowly turning around to look at a certain wayward bird. "I think its-"
"Thats... me." Says Jason. Tim and Damian try to maintain a straight face.
"Really, Todd? You dont have to try to a failed comedian like Grayson!"
"Hey! Im a great comedian." Rebuttles Dick. "I just think of my material from a different perspective."
"Np, that is me." Says Jason. "I'm a redhead. My hairs just gotten way too dark, thats why. And the freckles? I need sunlight for that, I haven't had a lot of it lately." He lays a fingure kn the licture, wryly smiling. "Bruce gave me that jacket when he found me. I was trying to steal the Batmobiles wheels. He took me to the cave, and gave me a jacket to try to stay warm." Damian and Tim were trying to not believe him, but Dick persuaded them
"I remember yelling at you for being a souless redhead for taking Robins mantle when I left." Says Dick quietly. "Im sorry, bout that... I was angry."
"Understandable." Says Jason. He becomes more quiet. "And, yah...I was abused, as a kid. Guess Dami's not the odd-one-out anymore." No wonder Jason was the most relictant out of them all to engage in physical contact not relative to when their fighting. Suddenly, Dick closes the book.
"That was all in the past, Jaybird- freckles and all. This is who you are now, a helmeted, badass vigilante with a kill count of a proud eighty-three." Jaskn smirks.
"Dont let the oldman hear you say that, bro." Dick smiles, pulling Jason into a hug. He stiffens, befkre returning it. Befkre long, Tim and Damian join in. Tim looks up at a secret camera and winks.
Meanwhile...
Bruce smiles at his compiter screen. He had layed Tim a lot lf gourme black coffee beans to get him to not lo9 at and choose that soecific book when Bruce gives him the audio signal through the comms. He saw and heard all... and made all happen. He's the goddamn Batman and a father, a flrmidible foe... bit not as much as the great Alfred, he thinks. He finishes recording the ten minute scene.
Meanwhile...
Alfred finishes taking his secknd video. The first was of Master Bruce bribing Master Tim, and the second was from the secret camera Alfred had in Bruce's office. The video was a video of Bruce watching a video of what hallened in the last ten minutes in the library. "The game is on" says Alfred.
Meanwhile...
"Got it?" Whispers Dick to Jason. Jaskn nods. They just had a video completed , which comprised of a video of Bruce bribing Tim, a video of Bruce watching the last ten minutes in the library, and a third video of a video of Alfred watching the video of Bruce watching the video of the last ten minutes in the library.