Goodbye

The next day, Jason dropped by the library around the time that Barbara usually went on her lunch break. And lo and behold, the woman was carrying her lunchbox when he walked in.

Barbara was stunned when she saw Jason at first and had to double-check that it was really him because of his physical changes. But once she was sure, the woman smiled before frowning and she kept switching between the two. Instead of trying to decide which emotion she was feeling stronger, she just dragged Jason up to their usual lunch spot.

"Where have you been? How have you gotten so huge? Who do you think you are not telling me where you have been and keeping me worried for two weeks?"

When they got to the room, Barbara immediately fired questions at him.

Jason smiled at her worried expression but soon turned serious. He came here to say goodbye.

"I've been around, Babs. As for this, it's part of my metagene awakening. But that's not why I'm here. I'm here to say goodbye."

"Huh? When are you leaving? Why?"

'Why? The answer is really simple.'

"Freedom, I guess. The me of right now will always be a bird in a cage. In order to break that cage, I need power. Personal strength, knowledge, experience. I lack all of that at the moment. So I'm going on a journey to find all of that."

Barbara looked dejected when she heard Jason's words. None of them were targeting her. They were just things that she couldn't give him.

"When will you be back then?"

"About two years," Jason had already thought about it. Gotham was his home. It was also where he wanted to create his own Night City. So he wouldn't run away from it. No matter who he had to battle.

"Where are you going?"

Jason shook his head

"Who is going to help you?"

Jason shook his head

"Where will you get your money from? How will you survive? How do I know that you'll come back?" Barbara was truly angry at Jason now. She could understand him wanting to cover up his weaknesses and become better but what he was doing just sounded reckless to her. He had no plans at all from her point of view.

Jason walked around his favorite room in his favorite place one more time. He knew that this would be the last time he could return to it as Jason Todd. He wanted to memorize every part of it.

"You can't stop me, Barbara. I'm going. I just thought I should let you know."

Jason walked down the stairs and left Barbara behind. He didn't hesitate. He realized the previous night that he had to leave her and everything else behind that would hold him back.

His anger at the Joker for killing 'him' in the future. His mother who would sell him out. Bruce who wouldn't avenge him. The man that would kill his best friend. All his anger at things yet to happen or even affect him. And he had to leave behind what did.

If he continued to tie himself to Barbara, he would force himself into a difficult position down the line.

So he wouldn't.

Jason wasn't the Jason Todd that died in that warehouse. He wasn't Jason Todd that lived on the street and was days away from being recruited by Batman. And he wasn't Jason Kane that read about all that happened to Jason and other characters.

And the new Jason Todd wouldn't be held back by any of them. He had plans of his own. He wanted to create the first Night City.

'Influence me a bit? Sure. But I'd rather die that let the dead control me. They died so their dreams shall die with them. Simple as that.'

Jason went back to his home to grab the remainder of his cash, his red hoodie, and his mask before heading over to Bane's place. Bane was living above an old gym. At least is was an old gym during the day. At night, it held underground fights where Bane would kick the ass out of random people.

Jason waited outside for his friend and mentor to come down.

"Put your hands up and give me your wallet before I stab your ass!"

And while he was waiting, someone decided to try and mug him.

'Only in fucking Gotham.'

---

Bane came down with his bag a few minutes later. He saw the dead(?) body lying a few feet away but didn't think much of it. Jason was the calmer of the two so if he killed someone, that person most likely deserved it in Bane's eyes.

"What made you change your mind? I thought we were leaving in a few days," Bane asked as they boarded the taxi

"I got done with what I needed to do here. No point in dragging it out."

Bane nodded in agreement.

"Then where are we going?"

"Japan. There is going to be a martial arts tournament there. And where there are a lot of competent and deadly martial artists..."

"You can find assassins. The League of Assassins."

"Correct. And hopefully we can find a member that can let us and isn't too annoying. Deathstroke or the Daughter of the Demon would be the best options for us."

Unknown, or uncared for, by the duo in the backseat, their conversation had startled the cab driver who was prepared to fight with his life on the line. He had been around too many crazies in gotham to just be casual when he heard such an insane conversation.

The cab driver in the front held onto the wheel with one hand and his gun with his other. The moment that either of the two masked men talking about working with assassins made any funny moves, he planned to shoot them before they could harm him.

When they left the taxi, the driver finally let out the breath that he had been holding.

"I gotta move out of Gotham. Way too many crazy people here."