Here is the next chapter! Sorry I took so long, but life has been busy. I have a poll on my account regarding these notes, son if you want to, you can check it out.
I pushed everything back by a day to allow for more chapters, and to add to the believability. Because of this, I made some minor changes to first chapter. It's nothing big, but it could get a little confusing if we are not all on the same page.
Thanks to WhenUniversesCollide for beta reading this and for putting up with my weird formatting requests.
I don't own DC.
Dick's P.O.V.
After Lunch
When everyone is done eating, Batman and I ninja our way to the Zeta Beam. We put our plates and silverware into the kitchen sink first, of course. We do still have some manners without Alfred around. I crackle at their faces when they realize that we have disappeared.
Right before we get to the Zeta Beam, Batman turns to me and says, "Be home by seventeen-hundred-hours."
I nod to him and turn around to find the others again. I walk back into the kitchen/living-room/dinning-room, and Wally is the first one to notice me.
He walks up to me, grabbing me by the arm to say, "We should, uhh, play video games- but in your room, not mine." He smiles weakly to the others, who are now staring at us both strangely. Artemis looks like she is about to say something, but Wally zooms the both of us out of the room, and by extension, the situation.
We stop in front of my room, and he puts me down so that I can unlock the door. I do so, seeming as I trust him with practically everything. After we both get in the room, I re-lock the door, which makes the room soundproof. Just because I trust Wally doesn't mean that I have to trust the others.
"I'm guessing that you didn't rush us here to just play video games. Although, to be fair, it wouldn't be too wildly out of character if you did."
"Ha ha, laugh it up. You are right about me dragging you here for more than just video games. I have a few questions. Like, why did Bruce call us all together for essentially pop training? Why did he stay for lunch, and in the Bat-suit nonetheless? Speaking of which, you can get out of that now." He nods towards my uniform.
"Then turn around, will ya?" I snap at him. He waddles around to face the door, and I continue: "To answer your questions, Alfred is out of town for at least the weekend."
"Has that ever happened before?"
"Not since I've been around… So, video games?"
Meanwhile at Wayne Manor…
Bruce P.O.V.
I get off my Bat-Cycle after I park it in the Bat-Cave. I walk up to the Bat-Computer to see that Alfred sent a request for a Bat-Call. Don't look at me like that. I just named the car "Batmobile." It was Dick that went Bat-Crazy and Bat-ified everything.
I walked over to the computer to answer the call. "Hello Alfred, how is your aunt doing?"
"She is doing well, sir. Her condition is not as critical as they thought it would be. She just got out of an operation a few hours ago, and they think that she will make it. I guess I left for nothing. I apologize for that, Master Bruce."
He couldn't possibly think that he went to England for nothing, could he? I voice my objections to his apologizing, "Didn't you believe that it was important for you to go?"
"Yes, sir." He answers evenly.
"Then it was important for you to go. That is final."
"Very well, sir. I will be back for dinner tomorrow. Cheerio."
He disconnects the call after that. What am I supposed to do for meals till then? Five years ago, I would've just made it by with whatever I found, but now I have Dick to consider. Wonderful, wonderful Dick shouldn't have to deal with eating whatever nonperishable food that I might find laying around the manor. No, we are going to have quality meals while Alfred is away, and I might as well have some fun while I'm at it. Maybe I can take a page out of Dick's book when it comes to trolling.
The Cave
Dick's P.O.V.
Wally and I are still playing, and it is little after two pm when I get a text from Bruce that reads:
"The plan for supper tonight includes a fake Wayne Enterprises charity. Be home before five"
What does that mean? I certainly don't know what it means, and I know that Bruce won't tell me what it means if I text him back. He likes his secrets.
Wally notices that I'd stopped playing to read the text and asks, "What's up?"
I reply, "Not sure. I guess I will have to wait and see."
"You know, I'm starting to get bored. Do you want to prank the team?" he wiggles his eyebrows deviously.
"Does that even have to be asked?" I smirk back.
Line Break
Mine and Wally's prank went great! The team just doesn't know it yet. I better head back to the Manor before they find out what we did.
As we finish up the preparations for our devious deed, I turn to Wally and say, "Well, I should be heading back now. I don't want Batman to be upset because I am late."
I disappear before he has a chance to protest.
When I get to the Zeta Beam, I see that Artemis is going home too. Good, At least I am not leaving Wally to deal with Artemis in addition to everyone else.
"Hey Artemis, are you already going home?"
"Yeah, my family called and said something about an important dinner."
I wait until she leaves before I Zeta to Gotham. I don't want her to find out that I know her closely guarded secret. It could work as wonderful blackmail material someday.
Once I am in Gotham, I look back and forth in the exit of the alleyway. I see that no one is paying attention, so I walk out onto the sidewalk in a way that doesn't bring any attention to myself. As if a random teen sneaking out of an alleyway is attention-worthy in Gotham. Regardless, there is no point in taking unnecessary risks.
I walk through Gotham to the Manor, keeping a low profile all of the way. Strangely enough, I don't get stopped along the way. It must be my lucky day.
Soon enough, I arrive back at the Manor. I quickly get inside and walk to Bruce's study. Bruce is doing paperwork at his desk, and looks up when I open the door.
He says to me, "I bet you are wondering what I have planned."
I laugh and when he kooks at me inquisitively, I tell him, "That sounds like the beginning of a villain monologue. So, what do you have in store for us this evening?"
"According to a fake Wayne Enterprises charity, we have to periodically have dinner with the families of Wayne Scholarship students. We will be eating at Artemis's home."
Oh all of the trolling possibilities make me want to jump for joy. This will be a fun evening. I'm pretty sure Bruce is scared of the smile slowly spreading across my face.