Bruce sipped at his whiskey, staring into the warm fire Alfred had made. He loved seeing Ryu, he was a good friend and person to be around. But it always reminded him about what he had don to him. Bruce lay back in his chair and closed his eyes, thinking back to an important conversation he had with Master Gouken once.
"What seems to be troubling you Bruce?" asked Gouken.
"It's Ryu, master." sighed Bruce.
"What troubles you with Ryu?" Bruce looked at him, he was sure he could trust Master Gouken with his secret.
"If I tell you, then you must vow to never tell anyone else." Said Bruce, in a serious tone. Gouken nodded.
"How much do you know about The Batman?"
"I know what Ryu has told me, and his involvement with him. I know nothing else, I rarely leave the mountain"
"The Batman is an identity I take by the night in Gotham, my goal is to clean up the city from the crime it is riddled with"
"A noble goal" agreed Gouken.
"When I informed the police commissioner of Ryu's case, I thought I was helping him, but I only made it worse" Bruce buried his face in his hands.
"Since finding out about what happened to him I've been questioning myself, questioning if I'm only making things worse. What if Ryu isn't the only exception, what if the same thing has happened to hundreds of others I've helped, what if I'm destroying the city as much as the ones I take off the streets every night?, what should I do master?"
Gouken thought for moment. "You must find that answer yourself Bruce" They stayed silent in meditation for a while until Gouken spoke. "You have shared your most valuable secret with me, so I shall share my own with you" Bruce listened carefully."Ryu's mother, Harleen was once a student here." Bruce had not been expecting this.
"When?" asked Bruce, surprised.
"Around 13-14 years ago. Her father was a traveling business man who was staying in Japan for 4 months, he wanted Harleen to learn martial arts to protect herself on the streets. She only learned the basics, she could never do the advanced techniques. While she was here, she grew close to my brother. It was about a month until they started seeing each other in a relationship"
"So, he took advantage of her?" asked Bruce, slightly concerned.
"Oh no, they were roughly the same age. There's quite an age gap between my brother and I. She went back to America soon, her father forbid her to see him."
"Why are you telling me this, master?"
"The reason I raise Ryu, and train him is not just because he is a good student, he is the only family I have left. I am trying to make up for the time my brother lost." Bruce knew there was a reason for Master Gouken teelling him this, but he was still trying to understand why. "You may leave now Bruce, remember whatt we have discussed today."
Bruce nodded and left for the exit. "But you must remember this, The Batman made a mistake and but Ryu in danger, but Bruce Wayne is still a close friend to Ryu"
Bruce opened his eyes, the fire was starting to die down. He put some more logs into the fire and looked up at the painting of his parents.
"I hope I can come to believe that Master Gouken" He still to this day didn't understand why Master Gouken had told him Haley's story. He might never understand.