Apologies to everyone reading on here! I didn't realize that the chapter didn't go through last week. I've uploaded it alongside this week's chapter for everyone. Don't forget to join me on P-A-T R-E-O-N too if you wish to read ahead.
Date: May 26, 2007
Location: Upper Northeast Edge Outskirts of Gotham City, New Jersey, Wayne Manor
Time: 11:03 A.M.
Inside the manor's dining room...
The sounds of cutlery clinking and clanking away took over the surrounding ambiance, a mellow and calm mood being set for everyone.
Bruce was currently eating his food at the head of the table, Ben on his right and Dick on his left.
At Ben's feet, Kenzo and Wyle were digging into their bowls, the two of them eating their freshly cooked meals in a delicate and noble manner.
Kenzo was privy to a luxurious palate filled with nutritious fish, bones, ground deer meat, and a side of rabbit poultry.
Wyle was gorging on a tray of apples, carrots, mushrooms, hay, and some more fruits and vegetables, all while he slowly scooted away from the feline.
Meanwhile, Brutus was eating next to the standing Alfred, partaking in all sorts of grounded and fresh meat with a manner befitting his name.
While the human residents were enjoying a breakfast dish consisting of fritters, Bruce turned his head to Dick and Ben.
"Since today's Saturday, do you two have any plans made?"
Ben just bobbed his head up and down while Dick gave a negative.
"I was honestly planning on training." the younger began before he started to take notice of the looks he was getting.
He put down his silverware and started rubbing his wrists.
"Was that... not what you guys had in mind?"
Ben didn't show any reaction, knowing the reason behind his brother's current state.
When his parents had died, Dick was still initially fearful of joining a new family.
As much as he hates to admit it, even though they tried their best to show him love and care, it's impossible to remove all the negative side effects of that incident instantly.
It was only when he finally dealt with his past and managed to put it all behind him did it seem to work, all the problems that plagued him fading away.
...Except for a new one that still reared it's head towards the end.
Around a month after the Mount Justice incident, they finally deemed Dick ready to take down the guy who had his parents killed, Tony Zucco.
At that point, Bruce had already managed to "trim" the guy down as Ben had previously suggested, leaving him with only a couple of contacts left in the game, and only a handful of trusted men that he could count on when in need.
And boy did he need all the help he could get when Dick went after him.
His brother pounced on them with a ferocity no hunter would usually have, holding an intense vengeance matching Bruce's.
All the trusted men in the world meant nothing in the fact of that.
Dick systematically went after the remaining contacts first, before targeting Zucco's men and going in for the kill.
Metaphorically of course.
He beat Tony hard that night in one of his own safehouses until Ben decided that was enough, having to forcefully drag him off the unconscious, severely bruised, and broken man.
Even if he knew that it would be counterproductive to his brother's recovery, he berated him hard.
"I know you're hurting. I know how much you have to force yourself not to kill him. But hating that man means that he still affects you in a way."
"You have to show that he is inconsequential to your existence. Beating him within an inch of his life does nothing for us."
His speech worked somehow.
Too well in fact.
He noticed how it ended up being a problem around a week after his diatribe.
Bruce was sparring with Dick in the ring and beating him easily like usual, listing out the mistakes made.
But Dick did not seem to take the constructive criticism handed to him well, being filled with red and yellow to Ben's senses.
He began to form a fear of rejection and disappointment.
He feared failing his brother and father, especially on the chance they became upset with him.
He feared lashing out and making his thoughts known, especially ones where he disagreed on certain things.
'Guess I have to lend a hand again.' This time though, Ben had to remind himself that there was enough time to work things out.
Time that he had to use properly.
Rushing things would only make it worse.
"I may not be the best person to say this, but training isn't everything in the world. A break could do some good, helping to keep the body well rested and healthy. Your mind could also use the relaxation. "
This was the best way Ben could think of declining the idea without coming off too hard.
"Couldn't have said it better myself." Bruce agreed.
Ben's eyes glowed dark blue at his words.
"That's because even if I 'may' not be the best person to say it, you can't in any way."
Dick cracked a smile at his brother's retort, Alfred letting out a quiet chuckle that he quickly covered up with a mask of stoicism while pretending to cough into his hand at his master's look.
Bruce ignored the butler in favor of glancing at the nearby clock. "Alright then. So what did you have planned for the day?"
The dark blue in Ben's eyes seemed to grow brighter.
"Well, Selina complained to me about how she was lonely lately due to someone not visiting her for some reason…" Ben trailed off in a suggestive tone, causing Dick's eyes to widen and a grin to cross his face as he looked at Bruce.
Although no outward change occurred in his expression, the man was definitely embarrassed inwardly.
"And I promised her a few weeks ago that we would hang out for the day before we were interrupted by Kenzo's appearance. She's been holding on to her surprise first stop ever since. Today is when I make it up to her." he concluded.
Bruce just motioned his agreement as he silently went back to eating his meal, inwardly frowning at what he took as an unintended yet subtle reminder.
'That card…'
When Ben first returned to the mansion with the young liger, everyone was confused up until he explained the series of events that occurred in his time outside.
Bruce had immediately made the matter his priority since it was a huge threat to their personal lives, starting an immediate investigation into trying to track down who was responsible for this 'gift'.
He visited the scene, Selina's apartment, in order to search for any traces.
What greeted him instead was the woman's admonishment towards the lack of his presence.
"You only visit me when it's convenient to a case you're working on and somehow involves. Obviously, this is important for Ben, but you could at least drop by in your free time like him."
She began going off on a rant constantly for around an hour about how he ignored her, didn't care about her, asked her to leave a life of crime and didn't check in afterward….
Needless to say, he departed from there without any results.
He only had a cranky cat lady going off on him to show for anything.
Now, she was finally fed up with his failed showings and decided to make it known another way.
'To be so annoyed as to remind me through my own son...'
Since the apartment was a bust, Bruce ended up backtracking through any and all public records about his son's life, the ones he copied down for private use before destroying and replacing most of them.
Luckily, he struck gold. Finding something previously overlooked.
Mary, Ben's mother, was listed as an orphan, but he found some leads proving that to be slightly false, her heritage not checking out under further scrutiny.
Although vague, it was still a lead so far. Just one that would take time to follow.
What made Bruce feel slightly uneasy about, however, was what he would find on the other end of this road.
People are prone to clinging to this wonderfully perfect image of their loved ones, memorializing their greatest aspects.
All it takes is one ugly truth for that to shatter.
As Ben took notice of the brooding mood Bruce seemed to find himself in, he quickly decided to steer clear from it.
-That's Alfred's problem.-
'Yup.
"Instead of training today, how'd you like to join us? The extra company would never hurt. I believe it will be fun." Ben asked his brother.
Dick's eyes seemed to light up for just a moment before he struggled with himself, swaying his head a bit as if he was making circles inside his brain.
"I'll buy you the Super Smash Bros game you've been bugging me about all week if you go with them." Bruce suddenly interjected.
Faster than the Flash, Dick's plate was now empty.
"Where did you say we were going again?" he questioned innocently.
Ben took the final bite of his own meal too, taking the time to dab his mouth with a napkin under Alfred's scrutiny.
He did not want to sit through mandatory etiquette classes again.
"Want to come as well?" he turned towards his familiars.
Brutus barked at him and shook his head nope.
Wyle looked him dead in the eye, tilted his head, then went back to his meal while waving his paw in a human-like dismissive manner.
'He's going to be a problem.' Ben thought, his glance at the pale faced Bruce and Alfred showing they realized the same.
Kenzo was the only other person besides Dick to have his eyes shine, head bobbing back and forth extremely quickly.
'He's really loving the idea. Probably missed Selina.' Ben guessed.
After all, she was the second person the liger saw when he woke up back then...
'...Scratch that, it's probably because of Isis.'
That cat was technically the first.
-That was the greatest/worst, unintended pun I've ever heard.-
He just ignored the yapping ball in his head.
"Alright then, Kenzo will also be coming. While he finishes up his food, we can go get ready and wait in the living room."
Dick just pointed back at the liger, causing Ben to turn back and see why.
The bowl that was previously filled a second ago was now empty.
'...'
Date: May 26, 2007
Location: Uptown Gotham City, New Jersey, Park Row (Crime Alley), Selina Kyle's Building
Time: 12:28 P.M.
Dick, Ben, and a shoulder hitchhiking white furred blue-eyed cat could be seen standing outside an apartment door, the youngest walking up to knock.
After a couple of moments, it opened to reveal it's sole occupant.
Selina was dressed up in a pair of tight blue jeans, dark blue sneakers, and a white short sleeved shirt, showing off her midriff.
Her black hair was still in its usual short pixie cut style, unchanged since the day Ben first met her.
"Alright kiddos, everyone ready?"
As the boys nodded their heads, Kenzo took the chance to jump into the woman's arms.
"Nice to meet you again little kitten. I'm going to assume that it's normal how you've grown a lot in the last month since I don't know much about …."
Selina's words suddenly halted at the end, confusion marring her face as she constantly attempted to part her mouth.
"Selina, you signed the contract, remember? You can't mention those secrets out loud in public anymore unless agreed upon." Ben reminded.
Before leaving last time, he had brought to her attention the contract and it's agreements, explaining to her about how it would keep all their secrets better secured.
It seemed like the perfect time as well funnily enough.
She wasn't very keen on the idea at first, feeling that she had already left behind and forgotten most of her life as Catwoman.
She had even managed to delete her entire criminal record at some point throughout the years, regardless of how sparse it was.
There wasn't much since the GCPD couldn't really tie her to any of the thefts she committed, her careful nature triumphing over the officer's meticulousness.
She kept citing those reasons in order to dismiss his attempts at convincing her, even mentioning how it was unnecessary since it would only delay when someone found out about her secret, not change the amount of danger present when the time came.
It took Ben having to explain about how he was more worried about Maggie, her sister, to earn her undivided agreement.
If the danger was eventual as she said, then it would extend to Maggie without a doubt. At least until another safety mechanism was found, she could be part of the early warning system.
The woman was a fast learner, easily beginning to realize how to operate under the contract.
An amused smile appeared on Selina's face as she made a zipping motion with her finger.
"Don't worry Benny boy, nobody will pry your dirty little secrets out of my mouth. I prrrrrromise you." she spoke suggestively, stretching out the last of her sentence into a purring-like noise.
He had already tried and failed previously to change the way she acted in such a sultry manner, having become used to her satirized nature.
Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for the unprepared Dick who's face turned beet red.
Like a cat finding a new toy, Selina swiftly caught onto this, deciding to make him the focus of her amusement.
"Awww, wonder boy here is shy. Don't you worry that wonderful little head of yours baby bird."
She smiled, petting the content Kenzo in her arms.
"I don't bite… much."
As Dick wasted time fumbling for a response, Ben thought it was best to move things along in order to save some of the his dignity.
"Alright then Selina, let's get going so that we can make the most of the day. I'm interested to know what you have planned for us."
After locking the door behind her, the trio began moving down the apartment complex into the garage, walking towards a parked car.
It was a beat up 1995 Toyota Camry model, the dull gray paint job telling how it's seen better days.
When taking note of the car's model, Ben was suddenly reminded of what he had first investigated after landing in this universe.
How similar were the companies in this universe to the ones in his last?
One of the first things he checked were the comics section, trying to locate the presence of Marvel.
There was no doubt in his mind that he either missed a couple of issues, or never got to read them. It's existence here would be a great help to him in cross-referencing what he already knew about the place.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, it was a bust.
There were comics of course, but most of them consisted of people and companies basing it off the hero's part of the Justice Society of America which was active during World War II from 1940 to 1951.
Any of the more original comics didn't have enough notoriety, instead being overshadowed by Wildcat, Sandman, and the previous Flash and Green Lantern.
He read an issue one time in order to find what got people so hooked, quickly becoming disinterested since he found it unappealing compared to the ones from his last universe.
Perhaps it felt like a whole new world for the normal people, the words and images meant to help them better connect with their idols.
But as arrogant as it sounded, being a hero meant he was technically also one of those idols.
It wasn't until his next extensive check where he started to find some progress.
Almost every car company was mirrored here in some way, alongside some added exceptions.
Bruce had a subsidiary company named Wayne Steel, which supplied materials for his other ones like Wayne Yards, Wayne Aerospace, and Wayne Automotive.
All of these branches were in contact with both government and civilian facilities, creating ships, private airliners, naval carriers, cars…
You name it, they made it.
It was fascinating how some people never truly realized the depth his father's hands and pockets reached.
Wayne Enterprises was EVERYWHERE!
There was Wayne Electronics, Wayne Technologies, Wayne Construction, Wayne Biotech, Wayne Medical, Wayne Entertainment...
Fun fact: Through Wayne Entertainment, Bruce managed to buy off the Daily Planet from Lex Luthor and Perry White.
So, he was technically Superman's boss.
It made sense for Bruce to be the go to guy everyone in the League turned to when there was some sort of financial trouble.
When the Green Lanterns came back with their beat-up space station, he was the one who had to get to work and bring it up to functional condition.
All while trying to hide it's existence from Ben and Dick.
Which he obviously failed in Ben's case… Dick still being in the dark.
But, anyways, getting back on track.
Once Ben started to comb the place, he just couldn't stop, finding differences he didn't expect initially.
There was also corporations like Disney, Amazon, Netflix, and Pixar present.
That led him to search up actors and famous celebrities next, finding a huge similarity in big names and public figures, along with some additions.
Almost everything was mirrored, with some new additions that were caught between being more or less famous.
For fast food chains they had a Bat Burger, Planet Krypton, Taco Whiz...
He found a Best Buy, Target, Walmart, Shoprite…
Social media platforms ended up being the easiest difference to spot.
They were all names he didn't recognize, the nearest equivalent to YouTube and Twitter being something called Eyespasm.
The regular old news stations were present, but not as famous as ones who focused on SPB* related events like the GBS and Channel 8 News.
(*SPB - Super Powered Being)
The reporters on those stations were willing to cross seas and mountains of danger, all for a scoop.
By the end of all his digging, he noted the trend.
Almost anything that already existed in this universe was either completely replaced with something else, or added in a way that made it a certain sector more prevalent.
An important example to be used was the technology present, mainly the ones in everyday life like cell phones, computers, and laptops.
Wayne and LexCorp Technologies were the leading suppliers behind all of it alongside internet connection, Apple, Samsung, Comcast, Verizon, or T-Mobile to have never been set-up.
Even though he constantly reminded himself that he had nothing to return to in his last universe, no attachments to be found, Ben was relieved to see some of these familiar names.
They helped prevent him from feeling completely alienated, the feeling that he didn't belong never truly departing from him.
There was still so much more to think about thanks to the new information he recently received, haunting thoughts refusing to cease hounding him.
'Even if you're going to erase my memories about this universe and its events, why erase the memories I'm supposed to have about my life here? Can't I have one good memory about my mother in this universe to make me feel more at home? To make me feel more alive?'
It's most likely a fact that that the Mary David from his previous home, and the Mary David in this one, were not the same in personality or character, with their experiences being one difference he could already spot based on who they married.
And he'll never get to know his mother in this universe since she was long gone...
...alongside his memories of her...
As they finally began packing into the car, Ben and Dick played a quick game of rock-paper-scissors for shotgun, the former becoming victorious as he settled into the front seat with Kenzo on his lap.
"So. Are you going to tell us our first stop for the day? Or do you plan to keep it a surprise till we get there?" Ben questioned.
"Surprise." came the sing-song voice as the car exited the garage, cruising along the road at a steady pace.
"Okay then." Ben muttered as he fondled Kenzo, causing the liger to purr at his touch.
"By the way. We're going to take around half an hour to get there. So if you're extremely impatient, I recommend finding something to do." the woman informed them.
Dick perked up at that, a grin on his face as a WayneTech portable speaker suddenly appeared in his hands out of thin air.
Ben had to admit, his sleight of hand and stealth was getting pretty good.
At first, the majority of the technology available to the public was much more high-tech, the kind of low-tech stuff which was common in his world not even making it onto the streets for some reason.
People here didn't have speakers, headphones, or other accessories to complement their usual electronics.
Ben was the one to recommend to Bruce that he should sell some of that stuff and better win over their customers, extra cash just being a bonus.
LexCorp and Wayne Enterprises were always trying to match each other, paying attention to what their competitors were putting into the market, corporate espionage just another war fought in the dark.
But when LexCorp started noticing their subtle actions and attempted to figure out their end game, they were already too late, the newest WayneTech assisted devices having successfully made a steal for third base.
LexCorp only had their production line up and running after Wayne Enterprises managed to take ownership of the people's hearts in different cities across the world.
Dick quickly took out his phone and unlocked it, not wasting a moment as he started scrolling across the screen.
"I got the perfect tunes to make this ride more comfortable." he beamed.
'Oh. What joy.'
Ben was not looking forward to the song choices.
'I hate Britney Spears. Hopefully he'll play Avicii or Imagine Dragons soon.'
His pupils turned lemon and golden yellow as Dick started blasting...
"Circus" by Britney Spears.
Ben sighed while Dick began to sing along to the lyrics.
Even in what should be his calm state, his brother managed to test his limits in ways he never thought possible before.
'Going to feel like a longer trip now.'
Although, in a somehow rare and almost impossible fashion, a natural and non-forced smile made its way onto his face as he leaned his head on the window, taking in the sights as they rolled by.
Unknown to both of the brothers, Selina took a glance at them in discreetly separate manners with a fond grin of her own.
Date: May 26, 2007
Location: Central Gotham City, New Jersey, Robinson Park, Gotham City Zoo
Time: 1:04 P.M.
After a half-hour drive of constant songs being played from ridiculous sources like "The Man on The Flying Trapeze" by Alvin and the Chipmunks, to well known singers like "High Hopes" by Panic! At the Disco, they finally managed to arrive at their destination.
The Gotham City Zoo.
Ben and the group were standing inside the main entrance with one of the many maps in this place in front of them, perusing the details behind the exhibits and their locations as crowds of people passing by them.
Due to the fact that he didn't know their destination beforehand, Ben had to leave Kenzo in the car since pets weren't allowed inside unless they were service animals of some kind.
"So, what exhibit do you guys want to visit first?" questioned Selina.
"I want to start with either the giraffes or Alaskan timber wolves. Maybe the lions." Dick spoke without hesitation.
Ben took a bit longer to contemplate. "I agree with the lions. I want to see all the wildcats they have to compare them to Kenzo. I could do with some more information."
Selina sighed at such a knowledge-based response.
Even though this was supposed to be an outing meant for them to wind-down, Ben still tended to sometimes focus on acquiring or taking in information around him for random reasons.
A detective trait he inherited from his father no doubt, the training with Bruce only expanding it.
In the end, she chose not to comment.
As long as the time spent here helps him to relax and unwind a bit, she believed she could tolerate it.
To her, he's come a long way from the broken boy around 2 and a half years ago.
Plus she really couldn't complain about his interests.
It was much more tame compared to what some of the psychopaths and loonies in this city tended to do just to "wind down".
"Alright. Lions and wildcats it is. Glad you guys knew you didn't have any other options." she poked some fun at them.
As they began walking towards the exhibit, Selina stealthily glanced towards Dick.
She met him a few times briefly over the couple of months when she visited the Wayne Manor, stopping by after being tired of waiting for Bruce to make time and show up on his own.
Ben had confided to her about how he was attempting to slowly improve the boy's confidence in himself, due to the deep trauma he harbored regarding family.
Even though he had informed her in his usual calm voice, she could sense that he was worried about if his brother's feelings would cause his actions to become skewed when interacting with the rest of them.
When you compare how a lesser man would be more focused on making sure his own recovery was smooth, you start to understand the strength needed to care about others.
Ben was just the kind of person to worry more about his father, brother, and butler instead of himself.
Had she not been asked to help, Selina wouldn't have noticed a single thing wrong with Dick.
She wasn't a psychologist who could tell someone's state of mind at a glance.
Although he didn't tell her in the hopes of earning her help, Ben had become someone she'd come to care for recently, Bruce having already managed to worm a way into her heart over the years anyways.
She liked to think the man was curled around her fingers, but she knew the opposite was also true in a way.
Dick was a part of the two's family, so if she wanted to grow closer to them, she had to look out for him too.
She's grown soft over the years, and she couldn't say that she completely hated that.
"Ben, why don't you go up ahead and lead the way for us to the exhibit."
Ben turned towards her with no change of expression on his face, his current feelings unknown since his irises never changed in a public setting.
Doesn't mean his current grey ones wasn't nice to look at.
Over the last year, she's come to appreciate how the color managed to induce a calm state inside of her as opposed to the previous black.
The look he had was borderline robotic with those.
Also, she was one of the few to have known him long enough by now to not need his irises as an indication of his mood.
She could easily tell how he was momentarily confused before discreetly giving alternating glances to her and Dick in a way that only she could notice.
'Sharp as always.'
Since she knew about his photographic memory, her excuse was given under the implied assumption that Ben already memorized the map at the entrance, granting him the perfect excuse to become their tour guide, forcing him to separate from her and Dick as desired.
It should be enough to keep Dick from being suspicious.
As Ben started to walk ahead, an awkward silence seemed to settle between the remaining duo.
'Damn! I didn't think it would be this bad.'
On the drive here, Ben's presence had been the bridge that allowed them to get along and get to know each other on a superficial level.
So the effect of his absence was immediately clear.
While keeping an eye on Ben in the corner of her vision, Selina glanced at the now stiffly walking Dick beside her.
"How's the nightlife been treating you so far kid? Liking it?"
His eyes seemed to widen, taken aback at her question.
"How are you able to bypass the… you know… to ask that?"
She gave an amused huff while shaking her head. "Real subtle baby birdy. But I don't know what you're talking about. I'm only asking if you've been having fun with your extracurriculars." she winked.
Dick's eyes seemed to light up in understanding as he nodded his head at her words.
Her fast learning was starting to take effect in this situation. As she's discovered through a bit of testing, the best way for people bound by the contract to speak about their secrets was to converse with subtlety.
Instead of trying to ask in an idiotic manner how his time as Robin was and cause some of her words to fail transmitting over, she worded her sentence in a way that was much broader in how it could be interpreted to outside ears, yet still deliver her intended message in a way only Dick could understand.
It's misdirection 101, but most heroes are simpletons when it came to that.
They would spend more time panicking at the underlying implications held within and miss the true meaning easily, too busy being paranoid at the chance their secret identities were compromised.
Not everyone could be like Batman and his partners.
Although, she could cut Dick some slack since he was still new and obviously needed more practice.
Ben had admitted her words to be the truth when she told him one time, being the same reason why he tried the contract for everyone in the first place.
She'd never admit to him that he did a good job and that she was wrong before, having come to see that wonderful ways in which that magically juiced up ancient piece of paper worked.
Even if she isn't in the business as much as she used to be, he explained to her some ideas he was still working on adding, even looking into an option involving DNA protection due to reasons he couldn't divulge to her.
She hoped that he could succeed since it sounded really useful.
Any DNA that would automatically be removed after a while was very much appreciated since it could easily clean away most of her traces in crime scenes, making possible heists safer.
She still remembered his explanation due to how thorough and understandable it was.
"ESAMAL is the alarm (contract witness) that watches over the house (secrets) making sure that nobody is able to invade it. He and I are one and the same since we can communicate almost anything." Ben spoke inside her apartment building.
"He can use the people who agree with the contract as his eyes and ears for the alarm system, meaning by extension that you're also MY eyes and ears."
"The way we are trying to add the new term to the contract was that should any genetic traces somehow end up being leftover, magic energy will funnel through me towards ESAMAL like a tunnel, sending it over towards a contractor's area and using the energy to perform a simple 'area trace removal spell' to destroy all of those possible samples."
"This obviously wouldn't work if someone just straight up kidnapped or held you down and tried to constantly draw your blood or other natural fluids, so we're still looking into alternatives that could potentially lock your DNA on command while granting you the only key."
She only had 3 words to say at the time.
'Magic. Is. Awesome.'
But, what Ben told her afterwards actually made her heart ache for a moment as she tried pushing the feeling down.
"So why haven't you decided on it yet? You won't be missing my vote." she grinned at the time, nursing a cup of coffee on her couch.
He was silent at that moment, looking at his reflection in his own coffee cup for a bit.
"I'm no longer human."
She had looked at him strangely for a while, unable to figure out his words.
"I don't think I get what you're saying. You look normal to me."
She remembered him looking up to meet her eyes, his irises changing shades of colors faster than she could comprehend, finally settling back into their normal grey.
"I haven't run a DNA test for a while, and decided to do so recently to confirm some things."
"And…?" she had furrowed her brows.
"That's it. There is no 'and'. The tests couldn't be performed because any blood that I drew evaporated into thin air soon after."
While she grew alarmed, his voice had continued explaining.
"I went on to examine almost everything else too. Skin, muscles, bone, saliva, mucus, spinal…"
"All evaporated or disintegrated some time after exiting my body. All unable to properly be scanned or tested."
"All a side effect due to me being alive when I should've died."
Even though his voice remained the same, she could sense the undertones that hinted at how much this was eating up at him.
As she looked over his lonely form, unable to tear her eyes away.
The scene resembled what she saw from him when he first arrived in this place.
'I don't want him to regress. Not when he's been making so much progress.'
She had put down her cup of coffee at that point in order to slide her hand into his, knowing that she couldn't hide her feelings from him.
"Did you tell Bruce or anyone yet?"
"And then what? I get hooked up on wires while more tests are done to figure out what's wrong with me? How long will that take?"
His eyes grew hollow when he looked back at her, causing an ache to form over her heart.
"I can't go back to that state yet. I'm still studying it myself in a less intense manner, but for now don't tell father or anyone else please."
'Easier said than done.'
"... S... Sel..."
"Selina!"
Selina snapped out of that mini episode and looked back at the bewildered Dick, slowly looking around her in order to judge how much time she was out of it.
"You ok? I tried shaking you as well but you weren't responding."
"Me? I'm perfect! Just got caught up thinking on something I need to do later. It shouldn't be problem right now. But what about you birdy? Finally decided to answer my question?" she deflected.
He tilted his head before narrowing his eyes at her. "Sure. But only if you'll answer mine as well."
"Please I have nothing to hide, so you can ask away." she scoffed.
"Why do you constantly go out for your museum walks at night? Do you enjoy doing the same hobby over and over again even when your family tries to stop you?"
'Are all the kids Bruce takes in quick learners? Or is it just his luck?' she thought, feeling strangely proud about the word "family" for some reason.
His question basically translated to: "Why do you still go out as Catwoman when Batman told you not to?".
Even though he didn't explicitly say it, there was also an unstated: "I know you're up to no good, and I'm prepared to find out what your deal is."
"Ah ah ah." she wagged her finger side to side.
"Even though I said I'll answer your questions, you need to answer me first." she spoke with a playful smile.
Dick frowned at that as he clicked his tongue. "Fine, but this guessing game is getting annoying real fast. I have a better idea."
He stood in place with his eyes closed for a moment, before opening them a moment later.
'Much better.'
Selina froze at the voice inside her head, quickly continuing to walk a second later so that no one would think anything was wrong.
'What just happened. How are we speaking mentally?'
There remained no sign of her easygoing or laidback persona at the moment.
'Basically, ESAMAL is an extension of Ben in a way, meaning he can do whatever Ben can with certain parts of his powers that aren't physical in nature.' Dick summarized.
'Although he says he's connected to the ES, the full abbreviation is technically the E.E.S, which stands for the Emotional Electromagnetic Spectrum.'
She jolted at that.
'No way! Are you saying that…?'
'Yup. Even though Ben can't do it himself yet, he still hypothesized and tested it with ESAMAL.'
'He's capable of forming an emotional link between people, their feelings being translated into words.'
Selina continued walking, trying to hide her inner fascination.
'This kid's a genius.'
Her shock stemmed from the fact that they were talking on a radio with a frequency level that can only be accessed by Ben, meaning they were completely safe to any form of jamming or eavesdropping.
'Can't Ben hear us?' she addressed her only concern.
'He can technically have ESAMAL record or relay our conversation for him to look at later, but we both know he's too respectful to do that. He was so distasteful of the idea in fact that he added this form of communication as another stipulation in the contract, meaning it can't be shared unless we allow it.' Dick assured her.
...She couldn't disagree about his character now could she?
That day she was injured and woke up from her wounds, she learned from the group of homeless people Ben was staying with back then about how he was ready to practically give away all his food to a friend in a tent nearby just to sleep over for the night.
He wanted to give her complete privacy after first making sure she wouldn't keel over and die somehow.
Although it seemed like a normal gentlemanly act, the fact that he used food in that situation changed the meaning completely.
It's an especially hard source to come by for homeless people, easily capable of being robbed alongside money.
Unless you were real good at storing it for later without any risk, food was always eaten the moment it was received.
The men and women there couldn't stand Ben's actions, convincing him that it was fine to spend the night with her since he didn't plan on doing anything in the first place.
She still couldn't understand how they could be so kind to him.
When people say everyone in Gotham is corrupt, they literally mean EVERYONE.
Vagabonds and local wanderers included.
The reason for their attitude towards Ben only hit her like a truck the morning of the next day.
He went out scavenging for food and change giving it away to everyone there, his sincerity towards them bright as day.
People in Gotham always had an ulterior motive.
In Ben's case? It was easily noticed by everyone how he was a husk of a person.
It's impossible for those kinds of broken people to hide behind a mask of deception, leaving only one other option...
...They have none in the first place.
With that fact being understood, his state actually magnified any of the positive feelings that welled up within those people when performing good deeds.
'Thinking about that chore for later again?'
Selina became slightly startled as she turned to find Dick raising an eyebrow at her while rhythmically tapping his foot on the ground.
'It's ok I can wait as long as you need to. Not like I've been waiting ages to hear your questions and get going with my life. Take alllllll the time you need.' he offered "generously".
'Damn brat.'
Finding no change in Dick's actions, she could confirm that she didn't broadcast that by accident.
'Fine. I'm sorry.'
'Apology accepted. Now get on with your questions please.'
'How do you like being Robin so far? Do you enjoy the work you're doing? Feel like Bruce is treating you right?' she inquired.
As Dick put a hand on his chin, she quickly sidestepped a kid that was holding an ice-cream cone next to her, almost having dripped some of it on her sneakers.
'These were expensive, thank you very much.'
'I love it.' Dick suddenly spoke up, causing her to return focus back to him.
'I never imagined my life would end up at this point a year ago. I'm honestly grateful towards Bruce, Ben, and Alfred for all that they've done in order to cheer me up.'
'Being Robin feels more real to me than the time I spent in that circus.'
Ever word shared was accompanied by the emotions they held to translate over as well, joy and hope encompassing them.
'Is this how Ben usually feels?' she wondered idly.
Dick's emotions suddenly turned hesitant, his face going through many different emotions as he struggled with something for a bit.
'You can't tell Bruce or Ben this ok?' he asked quietly.
'Of course.' she replied with a smile. 'Contracted secret. Remember?'
She's been holding onto secrets for others a lot more often lately...
Dick took another breath as he continued.
'Even though I'm thankful and enjoying my time with them...'
'I don't think that I'm a good enough Robin, and that I've accepted them as my family too easily.'
'Why would you think that? You seem to be happy enough hanging out with them?' she raised an eyebrow.
'I haven't visited my uncle since last year!' Dick mentally shouted, his rage momentarily smothering her like a furnace before she felt him pass on a kind of sinking feeling.
'When I saw him in a coma... I couldn't stand the sight of him.' his voice echoed in her mind quietly once more.
She had to everything in her power to prevent her mouth from gaping open.
'Jesus Bruce. What kind of kids are you taking in these days?'
She definitely wouldn't have been able to tell something was wrong had Ben not told her. This kid was an actor.
'So basically... you're scared of how your parents would feel if they knew how you forgot about them so quickly, is that it?' she tried to get over her shock and summarize.
Dick nodded his head.
'And your uncle's state is too painful for you to see, since it constantly reminds you about that night?'
Another silent head nod.
Selina organized her response, taking the moment to view the passing by exhibits filled with tropical birds like flamingos, toucans, ibis...
'I think I know what the problem is.'
'Bruce, Ben, and Alfred probably wouldn't approve of my words, but you need to hear them.'
'What is it?' he asked.
'You need to wake up and realize the truth. Your family is gone, and you have a new one now.'
Dick's eyes widened at her blunt statement, his hands shaking.
She couldn't feel anything over the link for some reason, but ignored it.
'The simple fact is that you were lucky. As a kid, your parents' job was to shield you from all the dark truths the world has to offer for as long as possible, making sure you grew up in a healthy and stable way.'
'That's why you hear stories about spoiled man-childs that live in their parents basements and kids with no respect for others. Because they grew up in a safe and sheltered environment, away from the ugliness of the world and the horrors within it.'
Dick got his body under control at those words, shaking his head in disagreement.
'That's kind of insensitive don't you think.'
'I'm not talking about those people who are struggling with their lives, but the ones who take advantage of others with no remorse.'
'Those kinds of people become blind, unable to see things for what they're worth sometimes and taking things for granted.'
'Your parents did their job, and they did a damn good job at one. They raised you in what was basically Hell on Earth, and they did it for 9 whole years.'
'That's much longer than entire households have managed to survive in this dump.'
'You have no reason to be ashamed of how you see your uncle, or how you think your parents would see you. Both of them would be proud and happy with anything you do, as long as they know you're alive and living a life you find worth living for.'
A catlike grin crossed her face when she noticed Dick begin to perk up.
'That your life ended up being that of a hero is just the cherry on top, no?'
A smile made it's way onto his face at that.
'And that's basically how your current family should feel as well. They're running the same job as your parents were before.'
'But this time, now you are aware of how bleak the world really is.'
She motioned towards a nearby corner, Dick finding a group of thugs harassing a lady and her little girl in front of the penguin exhibit.
He tensed momentarily when the man grabbed the lady's arm, before loosening himself as a nearby pair of security guards stepped forward and started dragging them away.
'Instead of shielding you, it's become Bruce, Alfred, and Ben's job to run damage control. They need to make sure that you can look at all that wickedness the world has to offer you dead in the eye without any effect done to you. '
'You don't need to worry about fearing how they think if you're a good enough Robin to them or not.'
A mischievous light started twinkling in Selina's eyes.
'I'm guessing that even before you got involved in the family business, they didn't care what you did right?'
'I'm guessing they told you to take it easy and decide what you want to do. I'm guessing you were the one who decided you wanted revenge.'
As Dick turned away to start whistling innocently, she shook her head at him.
'It's ridiculous. You could never disappoint them with your actions. You're making up some unnecessary drama for yourself. I already mentioned how you'd be making them proud instead.'
Dick continued avoiding her gaze, his eyes now cloudy and lost as he stared at a far off point.
'But how do you know that for sure? How do you know that I'd make a great Robin and that they wouldn't judge or feel disappointed with me at some point?'
He clenched his fists tightly while gnashing his teeth, unable to keep his feelings bottled in anymore as a tidal wave of emotions washed over Selina once more.
'Heck, Bruce is constantly criticizing my mistakes all the time, and I hate it. Ben doesn't seem to give me any attention often either.'
'Only Alfred is available sometimes, and he's usually busy taking care of everyone in the manor equally!' he spat.
*SNAP!*
'Ah! There it is! So it's about not receiving enough attention. On top of that, equally.'
The sound of her fingers snapping alongside the "gotcha" look she had made Dick flinch, his earlier stupor ceasing.
But then, she suddenly sighed.
'Don't be too hard on them. I can't speak for Alfred, but once again, it comes right back to the fact that you already know the truth yet don't acknowledge it.' she spoke, her words accompanied by a murky viscous feeling being conveyed.
'The three of us, me, Ben, and Bruce, are perfect examples of the possible worst case scenarios that occur when left alone in this world too early. Fending for ourselves from a young age without any support.'
'Do you think it's a healthy sign for a guy to dress up as a bat, or a woman a cat?' she questioned, causing Dick's eyes to widen.
'HA! See? The truth is there but you didn't acknowledge it.' she chuckled.
'For Bruce, he had no one to care for him and help him recover right when he needed it the most.'
'For Be-'
'And what about you?' he interrupted her.
'...For me... I grew up in an abusive household, witnessing my mother commit suicide, my father being imprisoned only afterward.'
'Instead of having a rock to lean on, I ended up having to be the rock for my younger sister instead, trying to weather the tide for her sake. Yet I failed even on that front.' she spoke quietly, a tear actually managing to leave her eye as she wiped it away quickly, Dick not being able to witness it.
'And I don't know if you noticed yet, but Ben was arguably the worst of us. A year before you arrived, he was on the edge of becoming more terrible than us in a way that we don't even want to think about.'
'And he was on his own for only a couple of months. Months!' she stressed, anger and exasperation plain as day.
'Even though I don't know what happened, it is remarkable the amount of healing he's done in this short amount of time.'
'I don't believe for even a minute that the kid doesn't drop everything he's currently busy with in order to visit you or give spend some time just hanging out. I even had to acknowledge the fact that he's dropped by to check in on me more than I have for my own sister.'
'He only stayed and got to know me for 2 months before going to live with Bruce, and I've known my sister for more than 20 years!'
'It's a miracle that he can even make any kind of time for people when he should be focusing on himself.'
Dick remained silent, his feelings shifting and settling down over and over again.
'The problem isn't about getting enough attention, just you receiving less than before.'
'Just like with most things, attention also has to be shared and divided. Since you were an only child, your parents were able to put their full focus on just you.'
'But now, that's not the case.'
Dick looked down at his feet, a stinging pain racking his body.
'Am... I wrong... for wanting more?'
Selina put a hand on his shoulder while roaring mentally in laughter, causing him to look up to her once again.
'You're asking me, a thief who takes whatever she wants, if wanting more is wrong? HAHAHAHAHAHA!'
Watching her laugh for a little while longer put Dick in between anger, irritation, and exasperation.
'Ha...' she exhaled. 'That was the best thing I've heard in a while.'
Before Dick could explode, she became serious once more.
'There's nothing wrong with wanting more.'
'You asked before why I still go out as Catwoman at night. Even though I know it's wrong, I can't help myself. In order to be a support for my sister, I had to learn to steal in order for us to get fed properly and still have a roof over our heads.'
'Even though everything worked out till now, the habit ended up sticking, causing me to develop a form of kleptomania over time.'
She opened her hand, a wallet suddenly in it's grasp as Dick became startled when noticing how she had somehow veered them off away from Ben for a moment, past the thugs from earlier who also somehow managed to get back in.
'How did-'
'You know the saying, "when you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back at you." right?' she cut him off at the nod of his head.
'That's exactly what happened by the time I met Bruce.'
'And when I did, it brought an even greater thrill into my life. He was willing to spend time chasing me, trying to get me to change...'
'Granting me a form of attention I didn't even know I needed.' she grinned, a sunny feeling being passed over that caused Dick's eyes to practically pop out of their sockets.
'But it soon came down to a decision. Whether or not I continue with my ways and he walks away, or I put it all behind me so that we could try a hand at something together. So, I tried to end it, really.'
'But it didn't go as planned… By the time I told him I'd stop, I realized that I knew nothing else I could do in this life.'
'I set out to try and find myself other sets of skills. I still put on that suit every once in a while, because it ended up becoming a part of me, and I can't stop the sudden itch that comes when I see something shiny.'
'The same can be said about Bruce too. If anyone tells him to take his suit off, he'll punch first and ask questions later.' she said, both of them chuckling at the image.
'You're a smart kid bird boy. Like I said earlier, you already knew all of this.'
'But, I admit that I was lying about something.'
Dick tensed at that to which Selina beamed.
'Where's the trust? I was going to say that it's not that you didn't want to acknowledge the truth, but that it's hard to do so with all the confusion accompanied with these new sources of information weighing you down.'
'Now, you know that everyone loves you, and that they're doing their best to be there for you in their own way.'
'I know how much of a grouch Bruce can be, believe me. But, he puts you down because he knows that if you fix your mistakes, you'll be safer out there one day if and when you decide to be on your own, becoming a big bird that spreads your wings.'
'He does it so that you'll be ready to get back up when others try to put you down harder.'
She let that sink in for a bit, wanting Dick to fully understand the weight behind her message.
'I understand.'
'Good. And don't think you're special either. Ben had to go through the same thing, and still does sometimes.'
'You just have to acknowledge the fact that we're all broken in ways that seem inexplicable.'
'We can never rebuild the shattered boulder that is life on our own, even with the help of others. The pain and experience will always be there, lingering, never letting you rest.'
'But from the ashes, we can create something stronger and brand new together if we try.'
As Selina finished imparting her words of wisdom, silence settled upon both of them for some time as they stewed in their own thoughts.
'Was I too harsh or straightforward?' she briefly wondered.
She didn't want to admit how unlike herself it was to be giving a speech like this to try and cheer Dick up, but she just couldn't help her concern.
'Thank you.'
She looked down beside her to find Dick smiling softly at her.
'I already heard a few similar things from Ben, but I guess they just didn't mean as much coming from him.'
'Oh? You mean since it felt more like he was obligated to say them as your brother?' she sarcastically complained.
'Yes.' he surprisingly agreed.
'It means more from you cause I know how hard it was for you to open up.'
Selina looked away, not expecting him to have easily seen through her.
At this point, the lion exhibit started coming up in their sights, causing both of them to halt their steps simultaneously at the sight of Ben already walking up ahead of them.
They started chuckling as they watched him examining the lions and reading the plaque of information provided for the exhibit.
'Selina.'
'Yes?'
She paused in her tracks, looking down in response to the tightness coming from her midsection.
'Thank you.'
She hesitantly reciprocated his hug with one hand, the other going over to playfully rub over his head.
'Like I said, you're a smart kid bird boy.'
'Be honest with me, how much of my state of mind were you already told about from the rest?'
She started laughing hard.
'Ha! Bruce was still in the dark, but probably would've picked up on the signs sooner or later, yet not know how to help you until he thought up a plan. Alfred probably noticed or saw the signs, but he's usually on top of these things like Ben. Since he hasn't talked to you yet, it means he was still behind.'
Dick smiled widely at that, both of them gazing at Ben as he now seemed to be closely examining the lions in a pose they've now come to call his 'calculating mode'.
'You were right earlier. He went through too much. More than any of us. I just didn't want to believe or accept it. He sh-'
Selina raised her eyebrows at the cut-off.
'Forget what I taught you already?'
Dick seemed embarrassed at that point, as he shook his head. 'Sorry, he asked to keep it a secret so it falls under the contract. I can't tell you without his permission.'
She nodded her head at his words. 'Then forget about it. Is there anything else you wanted to ask or talk about, or did we have enough of the mushy stuff for today?'
'Nah, I'm good.' he responded, positivity practically bursting out of him in greater amounts than even before they entered the zoo.
"Then let's go." she audibly voiced.
As Dick went on ahead, a somber expression crossed her face.
'I have a feeling that all these secrets are going to be problems on their own in a way.' she sighed.
She stood in silence until Dick walked up to Ben and seemed to notice her absence, turning to wave at her.
She looked over the two before smiling.
'Eh who cares. I can just ask Ben or Bruce if I need to. For now, I'll just be patient.'
Standing sandwiched between the two, she was greeted to the fascinating and harmonious scene of a male and female lion leaning on one another with two male cubs sitting at their feet and prowling on one another playfully.
'I have to annoy that stiff Bruce more often. I don't think I'd mind something like this happening if it involves these two and him.'
She let out a breath at that sudden thought, realizing just how much she's changed over the years.
'To think that a stray cat like me would someday find the idea of being collared sounding like a good one.'
Ben glanced between her and Dick, suddenly turning to meet her eyes, pupils flashing sapphire and amethyst for the briefest of moments.
A small curve tugged at her lips.
'Maybe it wouldn't be all that bad having a pride of my own.'