Foolish Mask (DC/Persona)
Chapter 1: From One Circus To Another
ARC 1: Shock
-Wednesday-
-April 14th, 2010-
-Afternoon
'Home is where the heart is'
Dick had never put much stock or thought into that saying, he just took it as it was at face value. But it certainly explained the hollow and empty feeling that filled his chest as he cleared out his train cabin.
It was a tiny little room, with all the size and accommodations of a jail cell, but it was his. It had been his birthday present from he turned thirteen, he could still remember the his parents' faces as they and Jack gave him the key. Wide, bright, and eyes crinkling as he cheered over his new slice of independence.
Despite his newfound privacy, he was rarely alone in his little room, the other circus kids becoming constant guest as they all but declared it their new hangout. He didn't mind, not even when his parents kept barging in with their constant and frequent visits with barely a knock on the door.
But, over the last few days, he could barely find it in himself to look at the room much less stay in it. Too many memories filled that room. If he hadn't had to grab his things he probably would never have opened that door again, but there he was.
He moved across the room as fast as he could, like a hurricane he swept by and left shelves bare as he stuffed his duffle bags full. He was in the process of cramming some more clothes in when there was a knock at on the door.
"Hey, kid… Almost done?" Jack Haley asked, looking as out of place as could be. As a former clown and current Ringmaster, Dick was used to everything about the man, from his voice to his clothes, to be bright and bombastic. Muted colors and somber tones just didn't suit the man.
"Not yet," Dick said with a shake of his head, "I just started."
"Just started?" Jack repeated, not bothering to hide his surprise as he took a step into the room and looked around, "Kid, you went to pack up hours ago. What's taking you so long?"
Dick paused, a hand filled with socks freezing mid-air as the question was asked. Not for long, one couldn't even call it a seconds worth of hesitation, but it was enough. Jack Haley was good at reading people, could read them like they were the morning paper, and knew Dick well enough to guess what happened.
"Aw, damn it, Dick. You should have asked. Someone would have at least gone with ya." He said, placing a hand on the teen's shoulder.
He didn't turn to look at the man but he didn't shake him off either."I just needed to grab something. It's not a big deal."
It was a framed news article to be exact, the one from his first show. A picture of him flying through the air as he was thrown from his father to his mother's waiting arms with a title that boldly read "The Grayson Apple Doesn't Fall From the Tree".
Only it did.
They fell, they fell hard. The two urns in their cabin we're proof of that. The whole tree had toppled over and he was left with the sound of a twisting crunch that wouldn't leave his ear. It had been over a week since the incident and he could still hear the sound of them hitting the ground. It just kept replaying, a constant loop that was often times accompanied by the sight of red seeping goo.
Jack was having none of that, turning the teen around to look him in the eye and keeping mighty hands on his shoulders. "You listen to me Richard Grayson, it is a big deal. Your parents died for God's sake and you're trying to deal with it on your own. We're here for you Dick."
"Is that why you're getting rid of me?" He demanded, blue eyes fierce as he tried and failed to shrug off Jack's grip. "Selling me some old guy is you being there for me!?"
"Nobody is selling anybody!" Jack snapped, "And no one's getting rid of you. It's just… It's just this place ain't doing you no good, Dickie." Jack said averting his gaze for the briefest of seconds, grudgingly saying the words, "You haven't been sleeping or eating right since it happened, don't deny it. We've all noticed, even little Raya noticed."
Dick was the one to look away this time.
"Look, I get it. You've been living not even a hundred feet from where it happened. That would mess anyone up." He said, not unkindly, "And it's not going to do you any good to stay here while the police investigate everything."
Dick gritted his teeth, "They don't need to investigate! They KNOW who did it! I told them!"
"And they're looking for that Zucco guy." Jack said placatingly, raising a hand in a soothing gesture, "But, until then, they want you here, the court ordered it and we can't do nothing about that, and the rest of us got to go to the next city otherwise the Circus might not make it through the year. We'll lose our home... Might be for the best. You need some space and time to recover, being here ain't going to help you."
"But I don't want to go." He said, "This is my home too."
"And it always will be kid." Jack said, pulling him into a hug, "As long as I'm here this will always be your home. And once you turn eighteen I'll gladly hire you. But right now you're a kid that needs a place to stay that won't mess you up, and Wayne is offering that."
"And a bunch of money," Dick said, ending the hug, accusation in his eyes.
"I'm not going to deny that. Rumors spread and they got truth in them." Jack said, crossing his arms. "But it ain't cause I'm selling you to him, so get that stupid thought out your head. I looked into the guy and I think he just gets where we're coming from, you at least, and wants to help."
"He gets me?" Dick scoffed but Jack didn't so much as flinch. He only shrugged.
"It's his business but I'm sure he'll tell you. It's not exactly a secret." Jack took a minute. "Look, if he tries anything you call me right away and me and the boys will come and get you. But if I've got the right read on this guy he just wants to help and already promised to look after you right. Already got you enrolled in the best school in town and everything."
"Mr. Murphy is a great teacher."
"He is but his name doesn't open the doors to the Ivy leagues like Gotham Academy can."
They stood in silence for a minute, Dick still holding a handful of socks. "So, did you just came in here to check on me or…"
"Eh, that Wayne guy's butler is here but he can wait as long as it takes for you to get your stuff sorted."
"He sent his butler?"
"And a pretty fancy car too." Jack said with a nod, "Rich guys I guess. Now do you need help packing or are you fine on your own?"
"I, no. I'm good. Just give me a few minutes."
"Alright, I'll be waiting right outside."
Not ten minutes later the two of them were walking off the train, each with a duffle bag over their shoulder, and were walking towards the fancy black car that seemed to be gaining a fair sized crowd of circus folk. Though, despite the various gazes that ranged from curious to hostile, the man standing by the car door remained unflapped.
He wore a crisp black suit with white gloves clasped in front of him and grey hair hidden under a drivers cap. Despite his obvious advancing age his posture was perfect, his back as straight as his immaculately kept pencil mustache. And while he didn't give the crowd of carnies a second glance his gaze zoomed in on the approaching figures, sharp eyes turning kind as they got closer.
"Ah, Master Grayson I presume." His British accent taking Dick by surprise, despite the stereotype.
"Uh, Yeah." He didn't really know what else to say.
"Alfred Pennyworth, at your service. Mr. Wayne is currently indisposed, I'm here to take you to the manor in his stead. Are you ready to leave or would you like more time?"
"I," He looked around, scanning the faces around him. The faces he knew all his life. He already said his goodbyes but that didn't stop him from giving, and receiving, several hugs. "Okay, I'm good now."
"Excellent." He said, holding back door open for him, "Now, right this way, please. I'll take your bags."
As the door closed behind him Dick could just barely hear the butler say, "We'll take care of him." followed by Jack's much louder response, "You better!"
Driving away from the Haley's was more painful than he thought it would be, watching even the big top shrink by the ever increasing distance before disappearing completely from sight by twisting landscapes. He tried to tell himself that he wasn't leaving forever, that he was going to be back. If not after Zucco was arrested then when he was eighteen and could officially join the circus.
But something about him leaving felt final. Like he was never going to be able to go back. That Haley's Circus would never have another Flying Grayson.
He smothered a sniff and wiped his nose.
"Master Grayson," The Butler, Pennyworth, said from the driver's seat. "If you would like you could take a quick nap. It's going to take a bit of time to reach Wayne Manor I'm afraid. Afternoon traffic can be a bit of a bother."
"I'll think about it." He said definitely, wanting to stay awake despite the temptation. He was going to be staying in Gotham City for a while he might as well get a look at it.
He almost wished he hadn't.
Rain started to pelt on the car roof at what seemed like the exact second they entered the city proper, muting the already bleak colors he was seeing. Everything from the buildings to the people seemed to be shrouded in the same bleak shades of brown, grey, and black. People walked with shuffling feet and their heads down, not even looking at phones or papers just looking down at their shoes.
Maybe it was the weather but it seemed like something else to Dick.
The buildings were no better. Where other cities he's been too, like New York or Metropolis, had buildings that seemed like they were reaching for the sky Gotham's buildings just loomed. As if they were made solely to look down upon people and cast them in a shadow.
Which, going by the gothic designs he was seeing everywhere, could have been the attention. Near every building had a gargoyle peeking over its ledge, rain making them into cry monstrosities that peered down at the streets.
It was depressing. He couldn't imagine why people would ever want to live there. Then again, he couldn't imagine wanting to live in the same place for more than a few weeks at a time so maybe he was being unfair.
Still, it was an ugly city and he didn't regret falling into the lull of a rocking car and the patter of falling rain.
But his sleep didn't last long.
He was jolted awake by an unknown sensation and left him standing in a room made of velvet canvas. The lights were dim but he could see enough.
He's been in one enough times to recognize the room fro what it was. He was in the entrance to a big top, the foyer right before the main stage.
How did he get there?
Did the Butler drug him?
"Welcome to the Velvet Room." A voice said, snapping his attention to the far end of the room. There, sitting in the ticket booth, was the oddest man that Dick had ever seen. And coming from a member of the Circus folk that was saying something.
Large bulbous, bloodshot, eyes framed a comically long nose that settled between a too wide smile and much too thin grey hair. His body was oddly proportioned, his limbs were long and spidery while his back was slumped nearly like a hunchback. Despite his odd appearance he dressed remarkably well, nearly identical to the Butler in fact with his crisp black suit and white gloves.
What Dick wanted to know was how did he, and that extravagant ticketbooth of his, got there. They weren't there a second ago, Dick was sure of that, but then suddenly they were. It was an impressive trick to be sure.
"My name is Igor, and I'm delighted to make your acquaintance." The man said before Dick could get out a word, leaning forward onto his interlocked gloved hands as he looked the teen over with his frozen smile. "Not quite an expected guest but I am delighted nonetheless."
"Where am I? How did I get here?"
The man's smile seemed to grow, though it didn't move an inch, as he spread his arms wide, "This place exists between dream and reality, between mind and matter. Usually to enter one must sign a contract but you are a most unusual case!" The man said as he clasped his hands in front of him again, "A recommendation of all things."
The long nosed man let out an amused laugh as if he couldn't believe such an event actually happened.
"Someone recommended I come here?"
"Yes," He said, drawing out the word. "Though the man's power holds no true sway here his words are to be respected. He saw potential in you and I must say, he wasn't wrong. What a Wild Card you shall be young jester. I can sense a great destiny in you. Let's have a brief look, shall we?"
With a flick of his wrist, a deck of Tarot Cards appeared in his hand. Dick had to admit, it was an impressive slide of hand but he wanted no part in it.
"I'm good, I'm not really into readings." He said with memories of Haley's fortune teller and how she loved to mess with his head flashing across his mind.
"Oh, but I insist." The man said, ignoring his wishes, quickly shuffling and dealing out three cards. He flipped over the leftmost one, "An reversed Sun, a bright childhood come to an abrupt end. My condolences. But the lessons you've learned during these times will prove invaluable as you build a new future."
He flipped the next card, Dick finding himself entranced, "And you are likely to find a use for these lessons learned soon, the Fool, the start of a new journey, more than you'd expect I'd wager." He chuckled to himself as he flipped the last card. "But making connections can help you see you're way through this ordeal."
"And what awaits you in the future is the night, The Moon, upright. Fear and anxiety await you but with a clear mind and true friends perhaps you can overcome what is to come."
With a wave of his hand a flash of blue fire the cards disappeared. "A difficult journey to be sure, and at the recommendation you received, a contract can be formed. Allowing for me and my assistants to assist you in honing your growing abilities."
"Assistants?"
"You will meet them and the services the shall render soon enough, this was quite an unexpected visit after all. Until then," A bright blue ticket popped out of the counter slot and was quickly torn free by Igor's deft fingers, "We await for the show to begin."
Igor let out another laugh, even as Dick took the offered ticket and the lights dimmed to darkness.
AN:
I still debate turning the upside down Sun into a Tower. Tarot card readers, what do you think?