Hi again! Thank you for reading the first chapter, I hope you liked it.
I'm going to update at least once a week, but IF I can do more, I will! Enjoy
Bruce, Dick, Jason, Tim, and Robin, gaped at the girl, they couldn't believe a young girl had somehow managed to break into the mansion without leaving any evidence whatsoever.
Mason's smile was still plastered to her face, but as the silence continued on her smile began to falter.
Eventually it became too uncomfortable for her, "Look, I'm really sorry for surprising ya'll like this." After a moment more of complete silence from Bruce and the boys, she continued, "How about in exchange for you letting this go, I tell you how I got in here past your security systems?"
"I don't think that will quite cover it," Bruce finally replied.
"Yeah, I had the feeling it wouldn't," Mason replied with an uneasy chuckle. No one looked amused with her attempt to lighten the mood. She continued, "I understand you probably have a few more questions for me, and I will happily answer most of them, but if you could do me one favor I'd appreciate it."
"You break in our house and expect us to gi-" Damien began yelling, but Bruce quickly cut him off.
"What is your request?" he asked.
Mason looked at all of them hesitantly, all humor gone now, "I'll go where you want and answer your questions, just please do not touch me, or try to restrain me. I'm not going to run away, I promise. I just don't like feeling caged."
It looked like Jason and Damien were about to protest, but Bruce and Dick gave each of them a stern look and prevented further argument.
"We can agree to that," Bruce replied.
"Thank you so much," Mason sighed in relief.
Ten minuets later everyone was in the living room; on the off chance Mason hadn't been able to get into the batcave, Bruce didn't want to show her how.
The furniture had been rearranged, both couches were lined up next to each other, Bruce sat in between Damien and Jason on one (he figured he need to sit next to them incase they became unruly) and Tim and Dick sat on the other. Alfred stood next to the kitchen door; he was interested in hearing her story as well. Mason sat in front of them in a large armchair.
The boys were studying her while Bruce was trying to figure out were he wanted to start his questioning. Mason looked to be in her late teens, maybe early twenties, and was about 5'8" maybe a smidge taller. She had long golden blonde hair with dark green eyes. She held herself well, and although she was wearing oversized clothing, it was obvious the she well toned body. Mason was undeniably beautiful, no one would contest that, but the boys noticed that she looked unkempt. Her baggie clothes did her no favors, her hair was untidy, and she just looked a little dirty.
"Alright, first off I would like to know who you are," Bruce began.
"I told you, call me Mason."
"We already know what we are suppose to call you, but that doesn't tell us who you are," Dick said kindly. "We need to know something more than a name."
Mason didn't answer; she just stared at them uneasy, unsure of what to say.
After a prolonged moment of silence, Jason asked, "Well if you won't tell us who the fuck you are, then tell us why you are here."
Jason's brashness didn't bother Mason at all, she actually gave a slight smile before answering, "I'm here to help you."
No one said anything for a second, then everyone started laughing loudly, even Alfred had a hard time not smiling at the statement.
Damien was the first one to regain some sort of composure, "You, help us? Ha! What do we need your help with?"
Mason was clearly unaffected by their laughter, she had maintained her smile, "I assure you… I'm far more useful than your initial analysis indicates. Recall I got into here didn't I?" That shut everyone up rather quickly, and Damien started glaring at her again.
"Please stop beating around the bush, we will be here all night if this continues," Tim pleaded.
"Fine…" Mason then began her story, "When I was 14, I was living on the streets. One night, I picked the wrong fight with the wrong people, but they had been about to attack a friend of mine and I wasn't going to let that happen." She paused for a second before continuing, "They beat me within an inch of my life, and left me for dead. Lucky for me a man happened to be walking by. He picked me up off the street, took me back to his place, and took care of me. After I recovered, he taught me how to defend myself, and how to defend others. I learned a lot during my time with him…"
"What does that have to do with us?" Bruce asked.
"Sorry, I was just about to get to that," Mason said with a laugh. "Well, I stayed with him for six years. Wile I was there, I didn't just learn how to fight, but he also taught me his philosophy on life and such. Unfortunately… he died before he was finished teaching me…" Mason paused again; she didn't like talking about the old man, the memories made her sad. "But before his death, he told me that should anything happen to him, that I should seek out Batman. He said Batman was the only one that could finish training me."
Bruce absorbed the information before asking another question, "What was your teacher's name?"
This question made Madison look uncomfortable, "I honestly don't know… He wouldn't tell me, I asked every day for the first three months. Eventually I just assumed he would never answer so I either called him 'Old Man' or 'Joe.'"
"You seriously expect us to believe that you had a master for six years and you never learned his name?" Jason asked incredulously. Mason stiffened at his question. At first Jason thought she didn't like the tone he had used, but quickly realized that that wasn't the case.
She gave him a seething glare, and then said, "I have no master. I am free to do what I want when I want, and that will never change." Cleary he had touched a nerve… However, as soon as she had finished speaking, her timid smile returned. Her rapid personality change had thrown everyone off guard.
A moment more passed before Bruce spoke again, "So you're here for me to finish training you, but what do you want me to train you to do exactly? What are you hoping to accomplish?"
"I want to be able to defend those that cannot defend themselves…"
Bruce gave her another long look… Well, I can't exactly say no, she knows who we are. Dick and I should be able to teach her, she doesn't look like she can cause too much damage and she's right we could use the help during patrols…
"Before I give you an answer, I need to think about it some more, and I need to make sure my family is okay with it. But before anything else, I need to you to tell me how you got into here, and how you found us."
Mason perked up, to be honest she was expecting an immediate no, "Well no offence, but none of your secret identities are very hard to figure out. The technology and gadgetry ya'll use doesn't come cheap, so you have to be supported by a large amount of money. Additionally, you would need ample space in a secluded area to keep everything hidden. So I looked into wealthy people with large properties in the surrounding area, but there are so many of you in Gotham that that didn't narrow it down as much as I would've hoped. So then I started looking into your identities individually. I poured through old newspaper articles and police archives, and was able to deduce that there were four different Robins. Adding in that Bruce Wayne had adopted three sons, and had one biological son, it wasn't very hard. I correlated your adoptions with each new Robin appearance. Then three nights ago I followed you back here, and my theory was confirmed," Mason finished with a proud look.
"You followed me?" Bruce questioned.
"Yup!"
"How? And you still haven't explained how you go into here either."
"Oh yeah! I was getting to this part, after I followed you back, I sat in a tree and watched the house for a bit… After a couple hours, I heard shouting and something breaking. Then a few moments later, Jason jumped out of his window. It was left open, so I snuck in that way. I found his keys and took them, and tonight I was going to come and return them, but ya'll weren't home so I let myself in," Mason mumbled that last bit like she was a little embarrassed.
"I fucking told you someone took them from my room," Jason fumed and glared at Bruce.
"You have no right to be upset, a person broke into the house because you're a damn fool and left the window open," Tim snapped.
Jason quickly jumped up, and was about to launch himself at Tim, but Bruce grabbed his arm and forced him back down on the couch. "Both of you be quiet, now," Bruce said sternly. Tim calmed down, but Jason was still muttering insults under his breath. Bruce ignored Jason, and returned his attention to mason. "Well while I make up my mind about you, do you need a place to stay?"
"If it wouldn't be to much of an imposition, I used up the last of my money a few nights ago, and I've stayed at a shelter the last couple nights."
Everyone's expression softened after she said that, especially Jason. She was homeless.
"Alfred, would you please make up one of the spare rooms for Mason," Bruce asked.
"Certainly Master Bruce," and then Alfred let the room.
"Well, Mason while you are here, feel free to make yourself comfortable. Dick will get you some toiletries, and I'll try to find you some clothes you can wear tonight. In the morning one of us will take you to get whatever else you may need."
"Thank you Mr. Wayne," Mason said with an elated smile.
"Just call me Bruce."
"Alight thank you, Bruce."
"Alfred will come back down in a moment and show you to your room," Bruce said with a faint smile, but then his face turned serious. "One last thing Mason." She looked a little startled with his sudden mood change. "I care very deeply for my family and their safety… And their safety is dependant on anonymity… Should any one of their identities become public knowledge because of something you do or say, assume I will not be understanding nor forgiving." He held her gaze for a moment longer before saying, "You have been warned…" and with that Bruce left the room.
After the door shut, Mason relaxed and turned to the boys quietly laughing, "Is he always so up tight?"
"You'll get used to it," they collectively answered.
Five minutes after Bruce had left, Alfred returned to the living room.
"Miss Mason, if you would follow me your room is now ready,"
"Thank you Alfred, " She said with a smile, "But please don't call me Miss Mason, it makes me uncomfortable, just Mason is fine."
"As you wish," and then Mason followed him out of the room. He led her up two flights of stairs, to a room at the end of a long hall. He opened the door for her to enter and then said, "If you can of think of anything you might need, just buzz the intercom. I'm number two, and Master Bruce is number one. Master Dick has already placed a few things in the bathroom for you, and the dresser is full of clothes that I hope will fit."
"Thank you Alfred, I think I'll be alright for the evening."
"Very well, goodnight Mi-," he caught himself, "goodnight Mason."
"Goodnight Alfred and thanks again," Mason said as she quietly closed the door. She then locked it, and slowly walked over to her bed as examined the room. It was beautiful and spacious, much more so than anything she had ever stayed in. Her bed was king sized, and the room still had enough room for a large dresser, two nightstands, an oversized armoire, and a desk complete desk. She lied down on the bed and looked at ceiling. Even the ceiling was ornate; it was covered in beautiful intricate patterns and at the center a massive crystal glass chandelier. After studying the patterns she got up and continued to look at the rest of the room, the bathroom was larger, as was the closet.
I wonder if all the rooms are this nice… I could certainly get used to it anyway…
On her way out of the bathroom, she caught her appearance in the mirror and smirked.
God, I really do look homeless, well at least it worked, I got in. Ha. Now time to get down to business.
Mason quietly went to the window and opened it. She looked down; the drop was around thirty feet. "This is going to be fun," she told herself with a grin and then she leapt from the windowsill. Her landing was silent, and within seconds she was running towards the edge of the property where her bike was waiting.
Time for the fun to begin…
