Chapter 10

Halloween Party at Wayne Manor
(Yes, it was Dick's idea.)

Dick appears in his costume.

I barely manage not to laugh.

He's dressed as Batman.

"You ready?"

I smile as I smooth out the dress of my fairy costume.* The wings are maybe almost as good as the ones I should have but, all things considered, I really like the costume.

"Ready. You know, you don't make a half-bad Batman. I can hardly wait to see Bruce's reaction to your costume." "Why do you think I wore it?" "Not for the same reason I wore mine."

He smiles.

"Well, it's kind of hard to look beautiful while wearing a Batman costume. Seriously, on my word as a half Gypsy, you look awesome."** "Thanks Dick...or should I call you Batman?" "No real names in the field. Now, quickly, to the Batmobile!"

I'd ask if that means I'm Robin, but Dick's a former one so I'd feel kind of awkward asking that.

Instead, with a grin on my face, I follow Dick to "the Batmobile".

When we get to the garage, Dick looks at me.

"This isn't the Batmobile! Someone stole it!" "That stinks, Batman. It's an awesome car."

I've never actually seen the Batmobile, but, from what Dick's told me in his letters, I can say it's an awesome car.

For a brief second, I get a hilarious mental image of it being used as a Student Driver car.

I tell Dick about this and he gasps in mock horror.

"Do you think that's where the Batmobile is?"

At this point, it's becoming pretty hard to keep a straight face.

"We'll find it using the..." "Normalmobile Batman? Good idea." "I'm Batman. I always have good ideas."

And whose idea were the short pants on Robin?

As immature as it sounds, I'm surprised Dick didn't get a wedgie.

Using the "Normalmobile", we soon arrive at Wayne Manor.

Dick told me it was called that, not Wayne Castle.

Dick knocks on the door and when he sees Alfred he grins.

"Nice Bat-butler costume Alfred."

(He looks the same as ever.)

The door closes behind us.

"Why, thank you, Master Dick. I dare say, you fill that costume well. Miss Hannah, you make an absolutely beautiful fairy."

(If you're starting to wonder by now, for objects that are inanimate, fairy is used. The rest of the time it's Fey.)

He's referring to the costume (I think), so no correction is necessary.

"Thanks Alfred."

I wish I had my real wings though.

Bruce comes in wearing, because Dick insisted, a James Bond costume.

"Batman here? What an honor. No offense intended but I think I'd look better in that outfit."

I grin.

"You know, I bet he's right. But wouldn't it be awesome to see Alfred as Batman?" "All things considered, I think I prefer my job as a Bat-butler Miss."

We arrive in the living room and a smile comes to my face.

The reason I didn't go trick-or-treating is right there on the table.

I've always wanted to try Alfred's famous (and Dick recommended) chocolate chip cookies.

I eagerly bite into one.

That is one good cookie.

Trust me, if I were to describe just how good they are you'd be salivating. Though I will tell you that Alfred made them bat shaped.

Dick throws one like a Batarang into his mouth.

"Crime fighting makes you hungry and a good cookie never hurt anyone." "I'll eat to that. If the trick-or-treaters ever got a hold of these cookies, Alfred would have a mob on his hands." "I can assure you, Miss Hannah, that's nothing a good Bat-butler can't handle." "Is there anything Alfred can't do?"

The question comes out before I can stop it.

"There may be a few things. I'm not telling what they are because a Bat-butler has a very high standard to uphold. But I appreciate your confidence."

I smile.

"It's something a Bat-butler rightfully deserves. Now whooo wants to listen to some ghost stories? I know a couple and I'm not afraid to tell them. They're best told with a flashlight. Would it be to trivial to ask the Bat-butler to go get one?" "Not at all Miss."

He comes back a while later.

"Will this do? I'm afraid it's the only non-Bat one that I could find." "It should serve the purpose I have for it. Thank you."

I turn it on and start telling my first ghost story.

Soon I'm finishing the first one and starting the second one.

This one should strike a chord for Alfred.

It's about a man walking through an empty house.

I've altered it a little so it works even better for Alfred.

But, when I finish it, the only scream I notice is the one I just barely manage to bite back as the fourth wave of pain hits me hard...

*except for shoes and glitter on the face think Danielle's costume in the movie Ever After. If you haven't seen that movie, look it up.
**"On my word as a Gypsy" is said in the movie Ever After