Raven Haired Sakura

Part Four

It was the first plane ride the pair had ever taken.¹ They had never seen the land from so high before, the peaks of mountains could not compare to the breadth of the view. Sakura was propped in a special bed that raised her to a seated position. To her, the world looked beautiful, but she couldn't look for long before she felt sick to her stomach. Her restless brother refused to look. He tumbled down the isle of the small jet. The one stewardess gave up on calming him down hours ago. The flight from Beijing to Gotham was a long one and she hadn't the energy to waste on the flexible boy.

Gotham was a large city, naturally dark but the night lights was what made Dear Brother believe that the city was dangerous. Dark things lived in dark places and no place was darker than just out of the range of bright light.

Wayne Manner was terribly empty for all its room. Alfred brought them to the formal room, pushing Sakura's wheel chair at a pace much too slow for Dear Brother's taste. He wanted to meet this Bruce Wayne. He wanted to look at the man who had taken something from his sister by never knowing her.

Bruce Wayne turned out to be an imposing figure. His suit was immaculate, his posture perfect, his stride confident. But it seemed to be an act to Dear Brother. Sakura memorized every inch of Bruce Wayne, the closer he came the more apparent which features were his: features in her face that she never realized were unaccounted for. His cheeks, his nose… when he was only inches from his face she realized, that her eyes were accounted for as well.

"I am Bruce Wayne. You must be Sakura." The siblings were surprised by his perfect Japanese. Bruce held out a hand for the girl and she took it, her smaller digits dwarfed comfortably in his. "I apologize for not seeing you before. Your mother was a very good woman. I loved her very much." Sakura nodded unsure of what to say. Her father continued. "I've arranged rooms for you and your brother to stay."

"I'm staying with Sakuja!" The young boy demanded. Bruce looked over to him with some mixture of regard and curiosity that Dear Brother decided he didn't like. "Your rooms are across the hall from each other. I think it would be best to allow you both room. This change will be difficult at first, but transition with uncertainty almost always is."

The younger boy said nothing as Alfred led him and Sakura to their rooms. Bruce watched them go before turning back to his business. Gotham still needed policing.

Sakura Chloe Wayne spent most of her time in her bed, looking out the window. She could watch the people come and go from Wayne Manor, though it seemed that her father liked to keep to himself. She had spent a few days with him. He was honest with Sakura; his time with Asuka Suzumi had been brief, only lasting three quarters of a year. She had come to Gotham as a special operative from her syndicate and met Bruce at a function. Bruce and Asuka had dated in private; it seemed to Sakura that everything about him was in private. He told her she had no idea.

Bruce admitted that when he found out Asuka was pregnant he had offered to marry her. Asuka had refused. They had argued: Bruce was busy and Asuka's job was dangerous, under each of their guard, the environments were unsafe for a little girl. Bruce caved to Asuka when she threw the final nails into her argument: Asuka was the child's mother, which no one could disprove. It hurt Bruce to hear her say something that they both knew wasn't true; he was the father of that child. Asuka was trying to wound him. The second was what turned Bruce from Asuka, what let him let her go with their child: Asuka refused to have her daughter grow up where she could be ignored. She knew all the doubts that drove at Bruce even after such a short time together.

Their relationship ended before their child was ever born. Asuka gave into Bruce's request that he was present when the baby was born. In a small hospital in a place where Wayne wasn't the most popular name around, Asuka gave birth to Sakura Chloe Wayne. It was a name that would exist only on paper, the little girl would be Sakuja Suzumi, no matter how it burned Bruce.

Sakura and Bruce both forgave Asuka and eventually Sakura settled in the bedroom he had had decorated for her. It was quiet, away from the rest of the world, just like Asuka had feared. No one beside Alfred, Dear Brother and Bruce had ever caught wind of Sakura Chloe…

…

He found that he could get himself into as much trouble as he wanted in Gotham. There was more than enough action to be pulled around for him to throw his rage. Bruce didn't have to like it, Sakura didn't know about it and Alfred was far too much a gentleman to call him out for it.

Run, Grayson, Run. The slim boy tumbled across the streets, ruining dice throws and distressing night walkers. He had become uncontrollable over the weeks. He hated Gotham, he hated Bruce Wayne and he wanted nothing more to go back to China and stay with Feng Law. But he couldn't. Bruce Wayne refused him. If it wasn't for his sister, he would have run away. Instead, he ran the nights.

He didn't know what made him angrier: that his sister was so calm about becoming someone else; that Bruce Wayne treated him like a ward, as if he, too, would become his child that he hid; or that no matter what he did, no matter how hard he kicked, that things were not ever going to be good again.

The doctors couldn't heal Sakuja's body. They had all given up on her. The doctors said therapy was useless and that girl should be placed in a location with a lot of sun, lest she wilt. They weren't funny. Bruce seemed to give in to that prognosis and so did Sakuja. That was what made him run out that night: Sakuja had given up so easy.

And now… And now…Now Bruce was sending her away. They had been in his home for three months and Bruce had decided to send her to heal at a temple, far away from the rest of the world, far from where he could be near his sister. They had yelled, or he had yelled and they refused to listen. She was going, the Temple of Baek was supposedly the only remaining mystic temple, where monks rejuvenated lives, but only if those lives were strong enough to be born again. The temple monks had accepted Sakura and they were preparing to leave in three days.

One day passed before Sakura was visited by her father and interrupted by her Dear Brother.

"Come and sit with us."

"Iie." He refused.

"Your English is good, use it."

"Iie."

"You realize this is for the best, is that what makes you so angry?" Bruce asked.

Sakura sat up in her bed and faced her brother. "This will all make perfect sense to you Dear Brother. I will come back one day, when I am better."

"You don't believe you'll get better! You're ready to let him send you away and you'll go because he asked you to, not because you think you'll walk again. Where is your faith?"

"Please, understand… there is little chance that I will walk again, but if there is any hope to be had, it will come from the Temple."

"We could have stayed in China! We could have stayed with Feng Law and Aoshi and Masa! You would have had hope! You would have always-"

"Yamero!" Sakura screamed. And he did.² His chest rose and fell as he stared at her. She was never like this before, before they ever knew of Bruce Wayne and Gotham and the truth. If there had been any justice in the world, he and Sakuja would still be in China, with their family, where they belonged.

Bruce watched the fire flare behind his eyes. It reminded him of someone he knew was himself as a child: the undirected need for revenge was fueling the rebellion in Richard Grayson. Grayson, that's what he had wanted to be called. Dear Brother was something he could no longer bear to feel. He had to erase himself, if his sister was so easy to take on a new face, then he would too. Bruce told him to choose a name to be called instead, a name that Bruce and Alfred could call him. Bruce still remembered how his shoulders rolled when he said "Grayson". He carried the death his parents like a weight, like Bruce had, but where Bruce had time, solitude and millions, Grayson had a sister he was losing and only one man that he could find and point a finger at.

Bruce stood up and stared Richard down. If he could control that rage within, if he could make that burning feeling calm, Richard Grayson would have all the abilities that would make him someone that Bruce could trust with all his truths. If only he could make the boy realize that as well.

Richard Grayson stared at Bruce Wayne who stared at him in returned. His eyes reminded him of all the things that had made Sakuja strong, what she no longer was because she had met Bruce Wayne. He had stolen what made her strong.

"Richard, after Sakura leaves for the Temple, I want you to train with me."

"You can want all you want Bruce. But once you send my sister away, you'll have no claim on me."

"Reconsider."

"I want nothing to do with you! Ever! I hate you."

Richard charged at Bruce, unaware of size difference, uncaring of consequence. His fist missed Bruce and his body stumbled to slam into the wall. But Bruce was not going to let him go unpunished. Bruce's grip and the force of the turn wrenched Richard's shoulder in his socket. The boy cried out. Sakura watched in fear.

"Reconsider." Bruce said. Then he let Richard go. He walked out of the room and shut the door behind him. Richard collapsed to the floor. Sakura leaned, but found her fingers were just too far away from her brother's shoulders.

"I think you-" Sakura began. She never finished her sentence; Richard turned and leapt from her window. Sakura watched him tuck and slide safely into the night.

That was why he was out that night, ready to throw his body into a fight. Instead, he witnessed for the first time, the silhouette of something hauntingly familiar and tragic. The shadow ran across the black sky, dark contrast swiftly moving to where the light did not reach. Where Richard Grayson followed.

That night, he witnessed Batman, he saw what was the arbiter of justice in Gotham. He saw Batman swing and trap the bad guys. Batman. If Batman could see him… It was then that Richard knew what he would do. If his sister was willing to run, then he too would run. To Batman. Batman would teach him how to get satisfaction, to gain revenge, to always stand.

Two days later, Richard couldn't hold his resolve to not speak to Sakura before she left his life forever. He sat beside her, her fingers petting his head.

"I want you to try. I know what you're thinking. I know you want to leave when I can no longer see you. But please, before you decide to leave father, I want you to try to get along with him."

"Why? Why should I stay?"

"Please don't blame him for what has happened. Our lives have been changed. We are not ever going to be what we were. But no matter what, you are my brother."

"If you go, you won't come back. You are accepting this."

"I am not accepting anything. The past happened. Mother and Father wouldn't want us to run… you know that."

Richard was going to correct her, but he couldn't. She still felt something for the time where they were travelers, where they were a strong family.

"I can't promise you anything."

"Yes you can. And it is the only thing I'll ever ask of you…"

Richard turned to her wondering if she was going to actually say it… if she was going to demand of him what she could not do herself. Her eyes softened around the edges as her fingers tied in between his.

"Kenosuke itsumo tatsu" (Always stand)

Richard Grayson nodded and let her be taken out his life. Bruce Wayne stood beside Richard as the plane pulled away heading for an island that they would never see. Bruce turned to Richard without moving his head. "What is itsumo tatsu?"

"It's the words of our father. He was a brave man."

For six nights Richard Grayson stayed with Bruce Wayne before he disappeared into the darkness to seek Batman out. On his first night, within one hour of searching, he found Batman.

"Batman… I am… Richard Grayson, I ask of you to take me as your student. I want you to train me to fight like you do."

Batman turned to Richard without moving his head. "Reconsider." He said before disappearing into the night. Richard stood stunned for an hour. His fists clenched when the shock wore off. He returned to Wayne Manor that night, but did not find Bruce. Instead, he found Alfred.

"Master Richard, it is late."

"Where is Bruce?"

"Master Bruce has retired for the night. In the morning I will inform him you were looking for him. I will be up to your room shortly to turn down your bed."

Richard did not move. Alfred would find him the next morning in the exact same spot he had left him. Alfred had never seen such determination. Perhaps he should inform Master Bruce. The day came and went and when the night came again, Richard stood tall as Bruce crossed his path, pausing, side to side, facing different directions.

"You were looking for me Richard?"

"Can you teach me? Can you make me like you? Can you show me how to hide myself in the dark?"

Bruce smiled and raised his head toward the roof of his manner. "You are willing to train now?" Richard nodded. "Are you willing to learn?" Another nod. "Are you prepared to forgive?" This nod was hesitant. "Can you give up the ability to forget?" Richard's footsteps would echo through the corridors for hours it seemed. He stumbled down stairs and slid into a bookcase. The case rumbled and opened up, revealing its secrets to Richard.

He studied the room. The machines ran quietly, the files were immaculate and Richard had a feeling that it was always this way. The Batmobile, the gadgets, the precision of design… and finally in a glass class… the uniform.

Alfred stood beside him silently for a moment. "Master Bruce has asked me what you wish to become."

Richard stared at the uniform, darkness, vengeance, justice in a single symbol. "I want to be my father's son."

That night Robin was born.

The initial training was difficult. It was taxing and the rebellion was not satisfied in weeks of fighting simulations and studying. Robin struck out on his own, fought independently of Batman in battle and risked his life every night. But time began to fade the rebellion in him. Everyday he associated himself less with who he once was. The fighting and the satisfaction rubbed the need to keep the past in memory. As he began to study intensely, when his battle simulations ran all night and vengeance took the form of saving those who could not save themselves, his past became a burden rather than a support wall. He realized he was fighting so hard to keep inside him what had hurt him for so long. When the day came that the memory was no longer a drive, Robin had taken over his personality and justice was his only concern.

With everything suppressed so deep, Richard Grayson and Dear Brother were stored away forever, he had thought. He did not exist without his mask, there was no going back. He was Robin and with the past hidden from himself, he was calm. He could think or not think of Sakura and he could fight for those who needed a champion and fight against those who wanted to pillage and destroy. He was a hero. He forgot himself and became the most infamous boy in the world.

After a few years he forgave Sakura and pushed her away hurriedly to the back of his mind. When the letter had come, he was successful in forgetting her again, but when she was standing there, healed like she had never been scarred, he couldn't push away his past, he couldn't suffocated the forms he had taken before Robin, but he would still try.

…

Sakura watched her brother and those eyes for a few more moments before turning to go to bed. She knew that her being here would change the life that he had been leading. Her father had told her how over the years he had removed himself from the past as best as he could. Sakura believed him. It had been much easier for her; she faced changes that had to be overcome by moving forward. Dear Brother didn't know what to look forward to and so, had buried himself in the past. Now he was moving forward, enjoying girls and forgetting what hurt him. Sakura wished her return didn't bring such reminder of what was, but she knew, somehow deep in her heart she knew, that being with him would continue his push into future.

End of Chapter Four

¹ Technically it's Sakura's second because she had to take one when she was a baby to get to China.

² Yamero is stop