1998
Bruce was running; he was running as fast as he could through thick bushes and was breathing heavily. He looked behind him as he was being chased. He got clear of the bushes and into the open field in the backyard of his family's mansion. His pursuer also cleared the bushes; it was Rachel Dawes. She was Bruce's best friend; her mom was a maid in Bruce's house so his parents paid for Rachel's education while they both lived with Bruce's family.
Bruce Wayne was eight years old and felt like the luckiest kid in the world. He had great parents, Thomas and Martha, who ran one of the largest corporations in the world, Wayne Enterprises.
"You'll never catch me!" Bruce yelled. But, as he looked back, he fell through a barely covered well. It was dark and cold; Bruce was afraid. Then, he heard it. There was a slight screeching sound that got louder and louder. Bruce realized that whatever was making that sound was getting closer to him. He tried to get up but could not see and tripped. It was then that he was surrounded by a swarm of bats. Bruce was terrified; he couldn't even move. The bats just kept swarming. He thought he was going to die.
2010
Bruce woke up. He was a man now with little trace of his old life. Instead of a mansion, he had a prison cell. Instead of Rachel, he had his cell-mate, Michael Lane. But he still had the bats.
"Morning," Michael greeted him as he sat up.
"Morning," Bruce mumbled back at him.
They went to the cafeteria to eat their breakfast and sat at a table in the corner while eating their oatmeal in silence. Michael used to try and talk to Bruce but he never got much of a response. At this point, Michael was used to the silent treatment but Bruce was better company than most of the prisoners.
A guard walked into the cafeteria and yelled out, "Charlie Morrison! You have a visitor." Charlie Morrison was the name Bruce had been using for two years as a means to remain hidden. He got up from the table and followed the guard but he wasn't leading him to the visiting area.
"Where are we going?" Bruce asked the guard but he received no answer. The guard led Bruce outside through the side and onto a courtyard where a woman was waiting for them. She was wearing a black leather jacket and had shoulder-length dirty blonde hair and piercing blue eyes.
"Hello, Mr. Wayne," she said politely. Bruce was visibly surprised by the mention of his old name.
"How do you…?" Bruce began to ask before the woman interrupted.
"We have our resources."
Bruce was curious now. "We?" he asked.
The woman smiled knowing that she had his attention. "You and I are similar Mr. Wayne. The world is corrupt and broken with no sign of being fixed. I am a member of an organization designed to mend the world."
"What organization?" Bruce asked. "Are you some form of vigilantes?"
"We do more than fight crime," she responded. "The League of Shadows enacts change in the world. We use our skills to end corruption and fix broken systems."
"And what does your League of Shadows want with me?" Bruce inquired.
The woman took a step forward. "I've seen that look in your eyes. Our leader seeks out individuals who are lost and gives them purpose. He helps us mold our pain into a weapon. He can help you, Mr. Wayne."
Bruce said nothing as he intently stared down the woman. What she said sounded true but he knew that there must have be a catch. The woman didn't even flinch at his gaze. She calmly took another step forward.
"Our base of operations is in a place called Nanda Parbat. It is hidden in the mountains of Tibet. If you decide to join us, you must make the climb. You will be released tomorrow morning and if you wish, associates of mine will take you to the mountain. I hope to see you soon, Bruce."
The door behind Bruce opened and he turned to look; the guards were back to take him to his cell. When he turned back, the woman was gone.
Bruce spent the rest of the night awake in his cell contemplating the decision. He still didn't completely trust the woman's words. It seemed too ridiculous and too perfect to be true. But, it was better than prison and Bruce had been aimless for far too long. By morning, he had made up his mind.
Like the woman said, Bruce was released. He was given his clothes and walked outside towards freedom. Two men wearing black, almost ceremonial, uniforms and masks were waiting for him. Bruce knowingly approached them.
"Take me to Nanda Parbat."
The two members of the League of Shadows put a bag over Bruce's head and injected him with a tranquilizer.
The freezing cold awoke Bruce; it was snowing. He surveyed his surroundings and determined that he was alone and at the foot of a mountain. The men in black had put obviously put him in winter gear. He was layered in heavy clothes with gloves and a cloth to shield his face from the cruel wind. Bruce took one look at the massive height of the mountain and began the climb. Even with the winter gear, the climb was difficult. The fierce wind constantly threatened to knock Bruce down to his death. The wet snow and slippery snow on the mountains only made matters worse as Bruce struggled to get proper grips. Through it all, Bruce persevered and made it to the top. Once there, Bruce was welcomed by the two men that brought him here. But the first thing Bruce noticed was the temple. It was majestic with Middle Eastern architecture and looked almost as if it was actually growing out of the mountain.
The two men led Bruce into the temple and into the main hall where a crowd of League members were waiting. At the end of the room on an altar was an elegant man in emerald robes standing in front of a pool of glowing green liquid.
Three women stepped forward to greet Bruce. One of them Bruce recognized as the blonde woman from his prison who was now in an all leather outfit with a black domino mask covering her face. The other two were obviously sisters as they looked quite similar. Both were of Asian descent with dark hair and dressed in black and red robes. But Bruce was immediately drawn to the older of the two women. There was a spark behind her eyes that Bruce found captivating and she was the one that spoke first.
"It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Wayne. My name is Talia Ghul. This is my sister Nyssa and you have already met her beloved, Sara Lance." The three women all bowed to Bruce and he bowed in return not wanting to be disrespectful. Talia gestured to the man on the altar.
"And this is my father, Ra's Al Ghul." Bruce bowed to Ra's who opened his arms ceremoniously.
"Welcome to Nanda Parbat, Mr. Wayne." Ra's stepped down from his altar and came face to face with Bruce.
"I understand that you have come a long way so I do not wish to waste your time. The initial training of newcomers to the League of Shadows is handled by my daughters and Ms. Lance. For now, I will turn you over to them."
Before Bruce could say a word, Talia led him out of the chamber. He followed her down several flights of stairs until she entered a small room with just two rugs on the floor.
"Sit," Talia commanded. Bruce complied as Talia sat on the rug opposite him.
"So…the first lesson is meditation?" Bruce asked unsure of the situation.
Talia looked directly into Bruce's eyes as if she could look directly into his soul. "You are a troubled man, Mr. Wayne. I see nothing but anger and pain in your eyes. These emotions are useful tools if you know how to use them. Currently, you do not. That makes you a danger to yourself and everyone around you. Right now, you are no better than the man that murdered your parents."
The words cut deep into Bruce who felt his temper rise but he contained it. "What do you want me to do?"
Talia gave him a gentle smile. "That was a good start…I would like you to start at the beginning. Where does your pain start?"
1998
Bruce was quiet at the bottom of the well, almost catatonic. He barely registered the voices coming from above. He finally looked up and saw his father gliding down on a rope. He took Bruce's hand and carried him to the top and up to his bed.
The next morning, Thomas found Bruce shaking in bed. He quietly woke his son attempting to calm him.
"The bats?" Thomas asked gently. Bruce could only nod meekly.
"It's okay to be afraid, Bruce. You have nothing to be ashamed of."
Bruce was unsure of his father's words. He wished he could have been braver. Thomas notices the look on his face.
"You know, we were going to stay in but how about we go see a movie instead? There's that new Zorro movie." This suggestion immediately perked Bruce up and he jumped out of bed.
"Zorro's awesome! He's so cool with the sword and the costume…"
"Okay," Thomas said smiling knowing his plan had worked. "You get dressed while I tell your mother. We will have to make a stop by Wayne Enterprises first but we should be able to see the movie tonight."
Thomas kept his word and that night, the three arrived at Wayne Enterprises. Martha waited in the car while Thomas led Bruce to the lowest area. There, an African-American man in his 30s was waiting for them.
"Bruce, I would like to introduce you to Lucius Fox," Thomas said. Bruce reached out and shook Fox's hand.
"It is wonderful to finally meet you, Mr. Wayne. Thomas talks about you all of the time," Lucius said to the young man. Bruce smiled in response.
"Lucius is in charge of applied sciences, Bruce. He makes all of the fun toys and is essentially my second in command here."
"So you're like Q?" Bruce asked eagerly.
"Well," Fox replied. "I don't make weapons for spies but I do try to make the world a better place."
"Speaking of…," Thomas interjected. He pulled a flash drive out of his pocket and handed it to Lucius. "Here are the plans for the device."
"What device?" Bruce asked as his curiosity spiked.
"Lucius and I are working on a clean energy device. With this technology, we will be able to power buildings, cars and other devices hopefully without using too much of the planet's natural resources."
"It is still in the planning stages though," Fox said. "It may take decades to perfect the machine but we're hopeful. But as much as I would like to continue this discussion, you guys have a movie to catch."
They said their goodbyes and the Waynes headed to the local cinema. Bruce was enthralled by the movie. Zorro stood for justice and fairness and that appealed to Bruce's young mind.
The movie ended and the three walked outside the theatre. Since Bruce was secluded from the city most of the time, he didn't get to see it that often. It was dirty and grimy; it looked like it was falling apart. Thomas liked to see the city; it motivated him to make Gotham a better place. The three turned and walked down an alley but were stopped. A man stepped in front of them out of breath, dirty and scared. He looked homeless.
"Give m-me your wallets," he said shakily.
Thomas put up his hands in accordance completely calm.
"Okay," Bruce's father said. He pulled his wallet out of his coat and handed it to the robber.
Noticing Martha's pearl necklace, the robber demanded it too and turned his gun directly at Martha. This caused Thomas to jump in front of Martha which scared the robber. The gun went off and Thomas fell to the ground. Martha could barely scream before the gun went off again and her pearls hit the ground followed by Martha. The robber, terrified of what he had just done, fled the scene with Thomas' wallet in hand.
Bruce fell to his knees in shock. He couldn't move, he couldn't make a sound and he could barely breathe. He could only watch as his parents' blood pooled on the ground.
Bruce was taken to the police station to get his witness statement and the description of the shooter. He sat alone in an office while the cops worked. However, a young detective came in to greet him.
"Hey, Bruce. My name's Jim. How are you holding up?"
Bruce said nothing. Jim walked over and put his coat around Bruce.
"It's going to be okay. I promise you; I will find the man that did this."
The man kept his word. Within a week, Detective James Gordon had caught the killer. The shooter's name was Joe Chill. There was no sinister motive or conspiracy; he just wanted money. Gordon was celebrated as a hero and made lieutenant by Commissioner Loeb. He even came to the Waynes' funeral to support Bruce and give him the good news. Fox, Rachel and her mother were also there. Bruce didn't recognize anyone else or simply wasn't able to as his parents were buried outside Wayne Manor.
After the funeral, Bruce stared directly ahead at the wall in his room without seeing the wall. Alfred Pennyworth, the Wayne family butler, knocked and allowed himself in.
"Master Bruce…Would you like any supper?"
Bruce gave no response. Alfred took a few steps towards Bruce unsure of himself.
"Your parents named me your legal guardian if anything were to…happen." Alfred sat next to Bruce on the bed and put his arm around him to provide comfort. They just sat in silence until Bruce finally laid down and went to sleep with the weight of the world on his shoulders.
2010
While Talia's training focused on the mind and spirit, Nyssa and Sara put Bruce through physical training.
"The League is essentially made of ghosts. We are the most effective force on this Earth and no one knows we exist," Nyssa told Bruce.
"How is that possible?" Bruce asked.
"We know how to use the darkness of the world. Shadows are our allies. We can act and disappear before anyone knows we were even there."
As she finished, a member of the League rose from the shadows and took Bruce by surprise; this allowed the League member to knock him to the ground.
With Sara, Bruce learned hand to hand combat. She led him to a frozen river near Nanda Parbat with a large bag in her hand. She instructed him to attack on the river.
"Do we really need to do this on thin ice?" Bruce asked as threw a punch.
Sara barely moved and blocked the punch. "Combat is almost never in ideal conditions. It may be freezing cold or unbearably hot. You have to learn to not only mind your surroundings but use them."
Bruce threw another punch but put too much energy into it. Sara stepped out of the way of the punch which caused Bruce to slip on the ice and fall on his face. Sara moved to her bag and pulled out two bow staffs. She threw one to Bruce and immediately jumped in to attack him. Bruce barely blocked the first hit as Sara moved with a combination of grace and ferocity on the ice while Bruce struggle to stand let alone fight. He managed to block a couple more of Sara's strikes before she knocked him back down on the ice. However, before Sara could react, Bruce used his staff to take out her legs and she fell on the ice next to him.
After a few more rounds, Sara decided that was enough for today and built a fire near the shore of the river and asked Bruce to sit with her. She handed him a sandwich before taking her own out of her bag. They sat eating and taking in the scenery.
"It's really quite beautiful here," Sara commented.
Bruce nodded. "How did you end up with the League?"
Sara smiled. "I suppose I can tell you…I was a party girl in college; I was a freshman. My older sister, Laurel, was dating Oliver Queen…"
"Queen?" Bruce interrupted. "Didn't he die a few years ago? In a boat crash?"
Sara nodded. "I was seeing Oliver behind my sister's back. He invited me on his father's boat…and the boat sank. I'm still not sure what happened. I was adrift for…I don't even know how long. Nyssa was on some assignment and she found me. She brought me here and I became a member of the League of Shadows."
"Was it worth it?"
Sara looked down. "At first, I thought so. But, something's happened. Ra's has started to change…I don't know. Maybe I'm crazy."
"Have you spoken to Nyssa about this?"
Sara looked at him. "We should get back. You have another session with Talia."
2008
The limousine pulled up to the front of Wayne Manor and Bruce stepped out. He had just completed his first semester of college and had no intention of going back. At the door, Alfred was waiting for him.
"Master Bruce, it is wonderful to see you."
"Hi, Alfred."
"I can take your things to your room. Ms. Dawes is waiting for you in the kitchen."
Bruce took the familiar walk from the front door to the kitchen where Rachel sat with a heavy looking text book. As soon as she saw him, she ran to hug him.
"Bruce, you're home! How are you? How's Princeton? Is it amazing? I bet it's amazing," she said quickly with very little pause.
"Princeton is fine, Rachel. It's good to see you. How's Gotham University?" he asked motioning to the book. "Still planning on law school?"
"Of course," she said beaming.
"You can't save the world by yourself," Bruce said smirking.
"I can try." Rachel's smile faltered for a moment. "Are you sure you want to go?"
"Absolutely."
Joe Chill was given a hearing to propose that he be given a reduced sentence in exchange for information he had on mob boss Carmine Falcone. The mobster had managed to get an incredibly tight grip on the city after the Waynes' murder and created an empire. He ran the city now. District Attorney Carl Finch was determined to put Falcone behind bars which led to the deal. With the assistant district attorney, Marion Grange, they planned on defending Chill.
Bruce and Rachel sat at the back of the room hoping to avoid attention while Finch stated his case.
"Joe Chill committed a terrible crime," Finch began. "In an act of desperation and fear, Chill killed two incredibly important people to this city and that can never be forgiven. But he has received his punishment and wishes to help us make this city a better…"
A loud scream interrupted him. He turned around to discover that Grange had slit Chill's throat. Falcone had tortured her little brother to convince her to kill Chill. She complied. "I had to," was all she said.
Bruce watched, transfixed, as Chill choked on his own blood.