Batman's perspective
Jason Todd had been training for some time. Batman believed him to be ready. And so, he was in a newly built suit that identified him as Robin.
"I don't know," said Batgirl. "Is it right to give him Dick's old crimefighter name?"
"Yes," said Batman with confidence. "When he left town, he said he wanted to walk away from this. I have the right to pass it on as a family heirloom. More importantly, little enough time has passed that the public won't be aware that Robin ever left, which is a good thing."
"I guess," said Batgirl, though not looking convinced.
"Enough formal shit," said the new Robin. "Let's go."
"Not so fast, young man" said Batman. "There will be no cussing."
"Why?" asked Jason.
"Because I'm the founder and leader of this team," said Batman firmly. "And because I said so."
"So whatever the Hell you say goes," said Robin.
Batman groaned. This wasn't starting off on the right foot. He saw Batgirl chuckling quietly and glared at her. Batgirl froze for a moment, then got on the Batcycle.
When the Batmobile, with Batman and Robin in it, passed a sign labeled, "Gotham City 5 (miles)," Batman figured that it was time to explain how The Dynamic Duo did business. "Some ground rules, Robin. We don't attack without just cause. Ever. And you don't attack at all without my say-so. I believe I've covered everything else over the last several weeks."
"Thinks for the tips, Captain Crime Cruncher," said Robin.
"Dick - although I can't imagine why - liked to use those kinds of puns as well," recalled Batman. It had taken some getting used to for him.
"Then it works out," noted Robin. "You want them to think I'm the same kid, right?" He's right about that.
Batman noticed two men holding up a convenience store. "What doofuses," said Robin. "They'll get like twenty dollars because they don't even seem to realize that they keep the money in a safe."
"We've still got a job to do," Batman made it clear to Robin.
"OK, OK," said Robin defensively. "I'm not saying I won't help stop them. Just pointing something out."
"Here's what I have to point out," said Batman. "We wait on the roof. Jump them from behind as they leave the - Robin, stop!"
Too late. Robin charged to the store, breaking through the window. He hopped to his right just in time to avoid shots from two guns, then Bataranged the guns out of the men's hands. Robin assaulted one of the men with a flurry of kicks. Before Robin would have been double-teamed, Batman gripped the trapezius muscles on the opposite sides of the other thug for several seconds until he was unconscious.
Robin polished off his target with a hopping spin kick, then raised a hand to slap Batman five. But Batman was far from celebratory. "You disobeyed my orders," he shouted.
"It worked out," said Robin. "What's the problem?"
"You almost died. If they'd aimed a little more to the right... I told you to Batgrapple onto the damn roof. And judging from that..." he pointed to the broken window. "...this store would have been better off letting them make off with what little money was in the cash register."
"I thought we weren't supposed to cuss," said Robin. This has not been a good first mission together.
Jenny Hilliard's perspective:
Jenny Hilliard was a new employee at Arkham Asylum whose duties included serving meals to the inmates. This was not a prison but a mental hospital, so they ate legitimate meals. She was now serving Jervis Tetch, AKA, The Mad Hatter. "He's four feet tall, so don't be shocked," she'd been told by a doctor. "Don't want offense to do away with all the progress he's made."
Jenny frowned. Isn't this guy supposed to be dangerous? Four feet tall? How could he have been any trouble? If my husband were asked to "save" Gotham from him, he'd think Tetch wasn't worth it.
Jenny wheeled her cart into the cell and saw someone clad in a hat and sitting down. Well, he did refuse to part with it and they eventually gave in to him. "OK," Mr. Tetch. "Pick out your dinner. Mr. Tetch, did you hear me?" She walked around the person to see a little boy who didn't seem to have taken notice of her.
"Escaped patient," screamed Jenny as she made a break for Arkham's lobby. She had come to realize how badly she had understimated Tetch.
The Mad Hatter's perspective:
It was too late. Jervis was being driven to Gotham by the brainwashed father, mother, and the big sister of the child taking his place. "Tourists are such nice people," said The Mad Hatter. "But be a little tougher than this to the man who took a year of my life away if that's not too much trouble."
Bruce's perspective:
Bruce was not a happy camper.
"I think I may have made a mistake with Jason," he said to Alfred.
"Why is that, Master Bruce?" asked a surprised Alfred.
"He's brash, impulsive, and has a big problem with following orders," said Bruce. "As many mistakes as he made, Dick took better care than this."
"Sounds like he's just being a boy to me," argued Alfred.
"I sure didn't act like this as a boy," said Bruce.
Alfred smiled.
"What?" asked Bruce.
"Come now, sir," said Alfred. "Don't you remember when you were sixteen? You thought you were ready to fight crime then."
"Oh, right," remembered Bruce, not liking where this was going.
"I told you that you only knew how to box and fence," Alfred continued. "That wasn't enough. I said there more for you to learn. We argued for awhile before flying to Asia, where you learned martial arts and meditation techniques to build self-discipline."
"And even after that," Bruce realized, "I still made a few mistakes."
"I remember dressing your wounds," said Alfred. "I think you should bear with Master Jason for awhile longer."
"All right," said Bruce. "Thank you, Alfred."
"Always there for you, sir," Alfred said.
The Mad Hatter's perspective:
The Hatter and his new slaves, father George, mother Lucille, and daughter Julianna were headed for the controls of an electronic billboard in Gotham. The words on this billboard could be changed by the console.
"The Mad Hatter and his servants say hello," said The Hatter to the the two technicians.
"How can we help you?" asked one technician.
"Wait," realized the other. "I recognize him. He's The Mad Hatter, an archcriminal I saw on the news last year."
Knowing he'd been exposed, The Mad Hatter whispered, "Put the hats on them right now," to George and Lucille.
"He's little - no offense, mister," said the other.
"Don't underestimate him," said the suspicious one. "He may be small, but he's dangerous. I'm calling security."
"Suit yourself," said the other. "I think you're being paranoid." This arguing had played into The Mad Hatter's hands, for George and Lucille had neared them and put the hats with The Hatter's mind control chips on the heads of the technicians just as the second technician was picking up his phone.
"Induce trance," commanded The Hatter. The technicians immediately froze. "Now, here's what I want the billboard to say."
Batman's perspective:
"How come I can't cuss?" asked Robin. "We only stalk criminals. We don't make statements to the press like Superman does."
"We just don't," said Batman.
"Nuh-uh," corrected Robin. "You're cussin' in your head all the time!"
"I do not," Batman lied.
"Sure you don't," said Robin playfully.
This was very, very frustrating. Dick had never had this much of an issue with following orders. On the other hand, Jason did have a certain instinct and consistency that Dick lacked. Jason might be viable as a long-term partner, however hard he was to love.
Eventually, they reached the roof of the GCPD. Batgirl had also answered the call. "What's the skinny, old timer?" asked Robin to Commissioner James Gordon.
"This is the Commissioner of Police," scolded Batman.
"That's right," said an even angrier Batgirl. After all, she was Gordon's daughter out of costume.
"Don't be so hard on him," said Gordon. "They're like that at that age."
"So I'm told," said Batman. Two old people telling me the same thing. It must be true.
"Why, my daughter used to call Lieutenant Freeman 'dreamy' and Detective Bullock 'chubby,'" laughed Gordon.
"Oh, right," the tongue of an embarrassed Batgirl slipped. "I mean, right... I understand." Batman could tell that Batgirl had not always been this disciplined or versed in decorum, but also that she couldn't say that in front of Gordon.
"You've been challenged by a billboard in Gotham Plaza," said Gordon. "The billboard read, 'Batman, I have five slaves, including the family of the kid who took my place in Arkham. Bring Robin, no one else, to Gotham Park. Or those who would die for me will."
"You heard the man," said Batman. "Stick to street criminals tonight, Batgirl. No police either."
"Understood," said Gordon.
"Oh, no," objected Batgirl. "That last time you and... Robin tried to tackle an archcriminal without me, you needed help."
"Be reasonable," said Batman. "We can't put innocents at risk. And those who work for him are innocent, if unwillingly allied with him at the moment."
"Fine," said Batgirl reluctantly.
The Mad Hatter's perspective:
The Mad Hatter chuckled to himself. He saw the Batmobile racing towards Gotham Park. They were in for a little surprise. The Hatter was uncertain as to whether he wanted to enslave or kill The Dynamic Duo. They would be useful subordinates, but he really wanted revenge on the people who had humiliated him.
Batman's perspective:
"Why are we stopping?" asked Robin as Batman hit the brakes.
"The park wasn't designed for driving," explained Batman. "Especially a car this... didn't I already tell you this? No, this isn't worth an argument. We need to be on the same page. Be careful. The Hatter uses chips in hats that can control the minds of anyone who wears them."
"Fine," said Robin. "I'll be careful. Can't very well beat the He... tar out of 'im if I'm under his control."
Batman and Robin walked through the park, nightvision lenses activated. Eventually, they saw six people - four men, a woman, and a teenage girl - drinking tea at a table. One of the men was The Mad Hatter They were in costumes like those worn by actors working for amusement parks or sports teams. These costumes were of Alice in Wonderland characters.
"What a nerd," Robin quietly chuckled to Batman.
"What can I tell you?" Batman whispered. "He loves Alice in Wonderland. "Let's see if we can't surprise them."
As the two heroes neared the table, Batman put a hand on Robin's chest to stop him. "That ground looks funny," he whispered. Actually, it only looked funny to the untrained eye. Batman threw a Batarang at it. A gas bomb was triggered. Batman and Robin backed away from the gas while The Hatter and his slaves hopped over other gas bomb traps and moved around to face The Dynamic Duo.
"You're sharp," admitted The Hatter. "Get them!"
Batman escaped the grasp of the slaves who were now strengthened by the chips in their hats and began throwing Batarangs to knock off the hats.
"Where am I," all the slaves asked.
Batman turned to The Mad Hatter. Robin was wearing a top hat. Oh, no.
"Attack," commanded The Hatter.
"As you wish, my master," said Robin, turning to The Hatter with a roundhouse kick that knocked him flat!
"Sleight of hand," Robin added, throwing the chip that he had secretly removed from the hat to The Hatter.
"Cleverly unorthodox strategy," Batman complimented Robin. He turned to The Hatter's victims "I'll make sure the police get you home. I do believe some of you have a son?" A man, woman, and girl nodded.
"The boy who The Hatter forced to take his place in Arkham," explained Batman, "Has reported his parents missing. I suggest you meet them."
Toby's perspective:
Toby's life had been ruined lately. He had lost his family. For a child, that was a heavy load to bear. But finally, he saw his parents and sister come through the door and cried with joy. They had a group hug.
"Sorry, Toby," joked sister Julianna. "You're not rid of me yet."
"You would be if not for The Batman and Robin," stated mother Lucille.
"Wait," said Toby to his father, George. "I thought you said they were maniacs."
"I'm not always right," admitted George.
Batman's perspective:
Batman and Robin watched the family be taken from GCPD HQ to wherever their car had been confiscated.
"So he's got his family back," Robin said of Toby. "Wish it could always end like this."
"I know," agreed Batman. Like Robin, he had lost his parents to people like The Mad Hatter. "I want you to know, Robin, that I don't entirely agree with how you do business, but it seems to get done. You did well tonight, and you're a worthy successor to the mantle of the Bird."
Batman held one hand up and another out. Robin slapped one and shook the other.