Thirty-Six Pom-Poms shook in the air.
"Alright, girls, water break."
As a blonde girl took a swig from her water bottle, she felt a tap on her shoulder.
"You coming tonight or what?" A brunette girl asked, a teasing smile accompanying her question.
"Sorry, my parents are making me go to a play with them."
The brunette scoffed, drinking from her own water bottle.
"Lame."
"Yeah, yeah, you know how they get."
"Crazy?" The brunette asked, the blonde rolled her eyes and smiled.
"Sentimental."
"Crazily sentimental," The brunette said.
The blonde gave her a look.
"I'm fairly certain if we ever met a crazy person we would know."
"When would we ever meet a bona fide crazy person?"
"You never know," The blonde said, looking out the window at the rainy city.
"This is Gotham, after all."
The brunette snorted, walking back to the gym mat, but giving the blonde a look over her shoulder.
"I think you're the sentimental one, Cynthia."
Cynthia Wayne smiled.
"Or maybe I'm the crazy one."
And the sound of rain was drowned out for a moment by the laughter of the brunette girl.
.
As Cynthia prepared to leave, she felt a tap on her shoulder.
"Hey, Cynthia!"
"Oh, hey, Matthew."
"So, I was wondering if you'd go to Carly's party with me tonight."
And Cynthia found herself thankful she wasn't going at all.
"I'm sorry, but I'm going to see a play with my parents tonight."
"How about a movie on Saturday?" Matthew asked.
"Um, I don't know, I'll have to see," Cynthia said, biting her lip "I'll call you later and let you know."
"Yeah, okay," Matthew said, smiling and walking off.
"So, have a date?" the brunette, Carly, asked.
"You know I don't," Cynthia replied, slightly sour.
"Why not?" Carly asked.
"You know why; he just… He just doesn't do it for me."
"If Matthew doesn't do it for you, then you need to see a doctor," Carly said, making Cynthia snort.
.
"How was practice, Miss Cynthia?"
"Not bad, Alfred," She said as she slid into the car.
"All your routines go well?"
"Near perfect," Cynthia said, laughing slightly "It was kind of boring, actually."
"Nothing wrong with a little monotony, Miss Cynthia," Alfred replied, Cynthia's smile slipping away before she spoke under her breath, Alfred unable to hear her.
"Not just a little."
.
"Cynthia?!"
"Yes, Mother?!"
"Come up to your room!"
Cynthia hopped up the stairs and rounded into her room, her mother smiling at her.
"What do you think?"
Cynthia reached out and touched the material of the black dress her mother was offering to her.
"It's really pretty, Mom, thank you."
"Only the best for my daughter," Mrs. Wayne teased.
.
The elite of the city were in a special room during intermission, Cynthia sipping on her sparkling water as her Mother and Father spoke to some Wayne Enterprise affiliate.
As Mrs. Wayne complimented her on her earrings, Cynthia's ears picked up on something else.
"No way are those real."
Cynthia's mouth dried as she heard those men, both in their late 40's, speaking a little bit away.
"Why would Thomas Wayne let his daughter get her breasts done?"
"I don't know… How old is she again?"
"Sixteen."
"I don't know if two years is worth the wait."
"She's a cheerleader, too, you know: probably flexible."
"I'm going to the restroom," Cynthia muttered, unable to take another second.
.
The encounter wasn't forgotten, but it wasn't at the forefront of her mind as her and her family walked home.
"The acting was fine, the music was lovely," Her mother said. "What about you two?"
"It was alright," Cynthia shrugged slightly.
"Sorry, Mom, I agree with Dad; it was kinda lame," Bruce said, laughing.
"'Kinda lame'? There's no such word as 'kinda.' It was totally lame," Her father said, making the others laugh as Cynthia grinned.
"You two, so judgment-."
"What's up, folks?!"
Cynthia felt her breath be stolen away as her mother pulled her close, all four of the Waynes staring wide eyed at the masked man pointing a gun at them.
"Stay calm, Bruce, Cynthia," Her Father said, not taking his eyes off the man with the gun.
"Give me your money!"
"No problem," Her Father said calmly, handing over his wallet "We're cooperating."
The man then pointed a gun at her Mother, her Father stepping in front of her and Bruce.
"The necklace," The man demanded, which her mother took off with shaking hands before wrapping her arms around the two of them again.
"Easy," Her Father said.
Right before the man shot him.
And then shot her Mother.
As the man turned his gun on them, Cynthia pulled her little brother close, both of them shaking and waiting for what would come.
The man lowered the gun.
And ran away.
Bruce immediately kneeled down to shake their Father and Mother.
Nothing.
As Bruce dropped to his knees and let out a scream, Cynthia was frozen.
What now?