Chapter 2: The Birth of Robin

Date: May 3rd, 2006

Location: Upper Northeast Edge Outskirts of Gotham, Wayne Manor, Batcave

Time: 2:45 P.M

It's been almost a month since the newest resident of the manor has settled in, and things have been relatively quiet so far.

Richard stayed in the manor for a few days after his talk with Ben, before deciding to "get it together" and go to visit his uncle. Ben, knowing how important this was for someone he decided to treat as his brother, went to convince Bruce to tag along, before the entire manor's occupants ended up going together.

It wasn't pretty, to say the least.

At that point, when they visited, his uncle was still in a coma while the doctors informed them of the final decree, being that he would be unable to walk. Richard practically broke down again before asking to see his uncle.

Seeing him sleeping in his bed so quietly, yet without a single movement, Richard was silent the rest of the day, even when they went home.

The next day, however, the residents witnessed a sight that was completely different from the normal that was just beginning to settle. It was as if Richard was a completely different person from before. He became much more determined and asked for help in improving his acrobatics and working out.

He wanted revenge.

"I want to continue my parents' legacy in some way. I'll keep practicing my acrobatics, but that's not enough. I want whoever did this to be gone." he had said at the time.

Hearing those words when they were at the dinner table, Ben had immediately turned his gaze to Bruce with the same dead look, yet Bruce could practically see him screaming "I told you so!".

Bruce at the time, had already agreed without any outward signs showing. Ben could already tell from earlier last month how he related to Richard in a personal sense, and how he didn't want to leave the kid alone to end up like him.

Even though he had Alfred back then, by the time the butler noticed anything, there were barely any pieces left for him to scramble to put back together.

Now, however, Bruce managed to see the signs from the very start and was determined for the kid not to end up like him.

Since then, a new addition was added to their full life, both secret and public, and they trained with him at all times. In this entire month, Bruce would teach Dick, as he wished to be called, while Ben would meditate whenever possible to become better in tune with his connection to the plane of his power.

Anytime Batman was on patrol, then Ben would take over Dick's training.

In his time in this universe, Ben has come to learn much about his Metahuman Abilities. When Batman took him off the streets and decided to let him in on the "family" business, the first thing they extensively tested were his powers, and there range.

They categorized his abilities to be mental/spiritual in nature. He even took him to the Hall of Justice one time to have Martian Manhunter look him over.

He was terrified to say the least at the time, even if he couldn't show it.

He was afraid that the Martian would pick up on his other life.

When he arrived in this universe, even though he had no family at the time, as mentioned before, he actually had a record on file in this universe somehow, hence why Batman didn't question him much when he decided to pick him up. The problem, however, is that he has no memories of the events recorded.

The strangest thing is that the file in this universe showed almost the exact same signs of how he lived his life in his previous universe but with different dates of birth or important family dates.

Everything was normal until he was around 8 years old, when he was determined to be a medical mystery and put up in a hospital by his mother.

The reason he says almost is because this is where the change starts to appear.

In this universe, he only had his mother his entire life, Mary David, with his father never being present, before she passed away a few days after he was put into the hospital.

Eventually, a few more days passed and he somehow magically appeared and woke up in that landfill with an extra 3 years found on his body, and possibly missing from his memories.

The shocker was that his father somehow ended up being the elusive Bruce Wayne, who he only learned was a billionaire when he appeared to him as Batman almost 4 months after he was living on his own in what could be considered hell on earth.

Do you think Batman would pick up a kid on a whim?

…Well he just did but he thought hard about the reason this time.

And to be fair, Ben was on his own for more like half the time as by some twist of fate, a woman named Selina Kyle decided to take him in for whatever reason when they met one night as he was walking by an alleyway, and found her injured and unconscious from what seemed like a heist gone wrong.

She was riddled with cuts along her sides, with a few bullet holes oozing blood in her left arm.

Dressed up like a woman-sized cat.

He still wasn't used to this universe. He thought she was Black Cat from Marvel at first, to be honest.

He took her to the tent he had set up near those homeless alleys discreetly, before treating her gunshot wounds with the cleanest and most sanitary cloths and tweezers he could find.

He would like to say that he was shocked to death when he woke up the next day with her claws inches away from his eyes, but he still couldn't feel his emotions at the time.

He didn't know what it was, but when she questioned him and looked into his eyes, she seemed to find a sort of familiarity in them, before she dragged him with her.

Maybe it was his response to her question about why he saved her…

"It seems sad for someone to die in an alleyway all alone with no one to send them off. At least I know I have no one in my life, but how can I know if you do or don't as well?"

…but he likes to think even now that she sensed the "Batman" on him from a mile away. She must've named herself Catwoman for a reason.

He realized her obsession with them only later.

After a couple of months of her teaching Ben many things, taking him on some heists even at his vehement disapproval, she seemed to see how different he was from others the longer they spent time with each other, and decided that she wouldn't be able to take care of him properly any longer with his increasing capabilities.

Again, he wished he could say he was scared, but he felt nothing when he woke up one morning in what he considered to be his new mother's apartment looking up at the man dressed like a bat standing before his bed.

It was an awkward hour with no movement until Selina walked in and found them in that state, breaking the spell that seemed to come upon them.

After being questioned extensively by him about why he was on his own, and what led him to be practically adopted in all but name by Catwoman, Ben eventually explained to the man how he had no memory of his life here (technically true), and how he woke up in a landfill and ended up wandering around for the last few months.

Drawing some blood, Batman explained how he'd run tests at the behest of Catwoman in order to determine the cause of his increasingly strange capabilities, before also mentioning how he'd run a pattern and DNA test through the database to identify his family.

It took a couple of hours for him to eventually conclude that his blood was normal, somehow being unable to identify his Metahuman gene, but he didn't ponder on it much.

It took only ten minutes to identify himself as the father.

He practically came scrambling back into the apartment less than 4 hours from when he left, looking at Ben as if he was an alien, before he hugged him tightly to the boy's confusion at the time, with Catwoman looking on in the background giving the man a look that seemed to promise pain and suffering in his near future.

He later found the idea of them being a couple "amusing" based on how that worked out with most Marvel hero/villain couples.

There are only two ways that usually ends up.

But enough distractions.

When the Martian eventually tried checking Ben's mind, he practically fainted, while constantly changing shapes and forms as if he was having a seizure.

He was not pleased when he woke up.

"All I saw within his mind was an infinite amount of feelings, impressions, and emotions. It's impossible for me to read his mind in any manner, or even try to form a link with him unless he finds a way to actively control whatever is going on in there." he had spoken at the time when he managed to regain control of himself.

It was at that time that Ben was grateful for his abilities, yet also determined to understand them better. He fully hypothesized for the first time that his memories are either completely off limits or wouldn't be safe had J'onn been more skilled, as he didn't like the alternative outcomes.

He couldn't stomach it.

He never wanted anyone to be able to read his mind and figure out his secrets. He decides whether he should be taking his secrets to the grave or not.

Hence why he meditated almost every day and constantly tried to determine what the subconscious answers he always got in many situations were exactly.

If they were subconscious, then that would infer he already knew that information beforehand, which he definitely did not, before it was forgotten and placed somewhere in his mind and being brought to the front in those moments.

It was more like someone would whisper the answer to a test question in his ear, than it was his brain doing the work for him, then answering on his behalf.

Then one day, almost half a year ago, his answer came.

He was connected to a dimensional plane known as the Emotional Spectrum.

An ancient force that exists since before the beginning of time, and can be found throughout the entire multiverse.

Apparently, the energy that the Green Lantern guy runs off of comes from this force in some way.

The closest resemblance he could visualize was how some important Mutant characters in Marvel drew their power from another dimensional plane, their X-genes facilitating their connection.

Although his connection with the Spectrum sounded simple on paper, with his gene awakening and his getting powers, he quickly realized many things through meditation.

He could technically be considered a type of Dimensional Lord, but with a physical form on Earth.

It's still confusing for him really.

Every single living being in the multiverse gives off some form of emotion. Even non-sapient beings.

As long as they live in some way, then they give off emotions. Humans are considered creatures of emotions, and so are a lot of races in the multiverse even if they say otherwise.

Living beings are constantly "feeling", and in the process, they "bleed" off their emotions in droves. There are many factors that determine how much someone "bleeds".

For example, someone with greater self-control may bleed less than someone without. In addition, someone with greater self-actualization and self-autonomy may bleed extremely minuscule amounts.

Do you know how some people call women more emotional than men?

Well, they're right in a way since he could easily tell if you're a woman or a man with his eyes closed just by feeling and seeing the emotions in his surroundings.

Apparently, some organisms are wired with different physiologies that could also cause them to feel more or less, leading to the different "bleed trails" as well

Even though he still can't exactly tell how this connection is formed, he can ask his new friend on the other side of the line.

There is no true consciousness that answers his questions or calculates certain things for him as he had earlier thought. Instead, it's as if he has a personal AI inside his head, ready to answer any questions he has.

He named this bundle of joy ESAMAL.

The way this works is that since emotions are what bring about both conscious or unconscious thought and action, then all those excess emotions that bleed back into the universe, also contain so many different forms of knowledge, since they originate from so many different people with their own thoughts and talents.

Eventually, those excess emotions are absorbed back into the ES, with the tidbits of knowledge or impressions accompanying them.

Hence, as long as he deepens his connection to the Emotional Spectrum, he has a multiversal library at his fingertips.

Some of the answers and information he requires are password protected, with the password being the level of connection he forms with the Spectrum over time.

The only way he has found so far to be able to deepen that connection is to meditate on it.

This is the basis of his Metahuman Abilities, and what grants him a few extra bonuses as well.

Thanks to his connection, he received an indescribably large increase in his mental prowess, and extremely minor improvements in his physical prowess, which is why he could do those insane feats when he woke up at the landfill.

People mistake photographic memories with eidetic memories and how they can be received, yet he had both. Photographic memories are usually born with people, while eidetic memories can be trained in a way.

However, even though he wasn't born with a photographic memory or even trained to acquire an eidetic one, he received both and more just through his connection alone.

When asked, since the information wasn't 'password' protected, ESAMAL explained to him that he was basically connecting to a primal energy force that is closer to the "source" of all existence.

Hence, his body was "re-wired" in a sense in order to better receive all of this energy. Since the force itself was more mental and spiritual, the main increase came in that area.

Some more interesting powers he received in said area were an increase in calculating speed and information processing, superhuman intelligence, emotion sensing, self-emotion manipulation, minor intuitive aptitude, and best of all for his physical training, photographic reflexes and kinesthetic intelligence.

Yes, he received the combined power of Taskmaster and Black Panther from Marvel.

He was absolutely amazed at first, before being worried that he would suffer like Taskmaster did and forget things due to the fact that the brain can't store all that information.

But, his superhuman intelligence negated that aspect for him thankfully, allowing him to train in a faster manner. He only needs to see a move once to replicate it and improve it in manners not even humanly possible thanks to how in tune he is with his body due to his added kinesthetic intelligence.

Thanks to the sheer practicality and power provided by those two abilities, he achieved near-perfect control over his body, the physical enhancement provided by his abilities in that area being more minor, yet still noticeable thanks to the idea of the concept "Mind over Matter."

Using his previous knowledge, he knows he can take all of these abilities to the limit, especially with the help of E.S.A.M.A.L (Emotional Spectrum Automated Multiversal Answering Library).

There didn't seem to be an entity in control of the Emotional Spectrum like those devils or dimensional lords in Marvel, so again, what answered all of his questions whenever asked was a sort of, but not exactly, A.I.

If he had to compare it, ESAMAL is the collective emotions throughout the whole multiverse, being given form thanks to his newly formed connection with Ben's gene.

His connection basically allowed him to give the jump start it slowly needed for using the knowledge collected throughout the ages, and his own thoughts and experiences, to improve itself and build up its own consciousness.

Basically, he became a father in a way at the age of 12 and a half.

Even though he says that, they could be considered one being in a way that he still doesn't understand. Ben makes up the physical portion of their Dimensional Lord authority, while ESAMAL is their mental and spiritual half.

Although all of his powers were useful in their own ways, he was especially interested in his ability with self-emotion manipulation.

With it, he can basically allow himself the decision of whether or not he wishes to feel any singular emotion, multiple, or none at all. The degree of power utilization they have over combat is unlimited if manipulated in extreme but controlled amounts.

For example, if he focuses on letting himself feel fear in battle, he receives a substantial increase in his speed and reflexes to better react to external stimuli and decide whether to engage in a "fight or flight".

By focusing on his determination (will), he can receive an all-around minor increase in all of his physical abilities while being less susceptible to his pain and injuries.

With anger, he can receive a major increase in strength, stamina, and endurance, with the slight side effect of being single-minded in approach. A side effect he can mitigate, or possibly use as a boon in certain conditions and situations.

All of these sensations and powers his Metahuman abilities grant him play a part in a greater whole, and he has to train himself in so many new applications in order to better himself. The more he deepens his connection to the ES, the more they seem to improve and become clearer to him in different ways as well.

As such, Ben took himself to the saying, "Hard work is the mother of success."

He's always waking up to a new day, with a new schedule, in order to not bore himself and "burn" out.

The first thing he dedicated himself to mastering was psychology for how well that knowledge would carry over to his powers first mainly, then to how better manage his time for himself, others, and more.

Thanks to this, Ben's awareness of the world, himself, and his sense of timing allows him to work 24/7 in bettering himself, leaving him satisfied most of the time.

After noticing how self-introspection could better help him, he would go over his thoughts and actions constantly in a daily manner, while meditating and trying to deepen his connection with the ES.

Another way he ended up learning can grow that connection.

Right now, Ben could be seen inside the Batcave, sparring with Dick, as he constantly fends off his attacks. They were currently on their fifth bout, sparring with escrima sticks, as Dick seemed to have a good affinity with them.

Every time Ben blocked a total of 5 continuous attacks from Dick, he would attack in turn. You'd think that such a handicap would make it easier right?

"How do you keep hitting me?!" Dick eventually shouted in frustration after another 15 minutes of what he eventually considered a beatdown instead of a spar.

"It's simple" began Ben. "You've only just started, and although you're talented, you still have zero experience, and have no control of your emotions in battle. You become impatient quickly, letting those emotions guide you."

"As a result, instead of using feints or sticking with the forms we taught you, every time I hit you and block your attacks, you become more impulsive and therefore sloppy. You have to be patient and careful in your every move. It's basically a game of chess, but high speed with rapid turns."

"If you were more in control of yourself, you'd possess enough focus to have realized that every place I hit was either an opening in your stance, defense, or a muscle group you're not using properly in some way."

Breathing heavily, Dick took a couple of minutes to reorient himself and absorb everything Ben told him, before nodding and taking up his sticks once more, lunging at Ben.

This continued on for another 2 hours, where every time it seemed like he would lose control of his emotions, he would force himself to calm down through sheer will and continue battling Ben.

Eventually, things seemed to click into place for Dick, as Ben watched the emotions he was "bleeding" began to reduce to around half of what it was previously.

After another half an hour, in which Dick began to visibly improve faster than he was a couple of hours ago, they decided to call it for the day.

"Seems you've achieved partial clarity of mind." spoke up Ben when they were relaxing afterward.

"Partial what-a-ma-what?" asked Dick in confusion.

"Does your eyesight, thought process, and mind in general, feel clearer or more refined?" asked Ben.

Dick widened his eyes in surprise before nodding his head "Yeah it just came to me near our last 4 bouts. Do you know how it happened?"

"It is the start of your results in training. The fact that you achieved this state means you've begun to identify and relate with your thoughts and worth, meaning that you can reliably channel your emotions in battle effectively, allowing higher levels of self-control, and lesser chances of distraction affecting your battle prowess."

"It takes many fighters years to achieve such a state of mind, a testament to your talent for having achieved it so young, even if at the initial stages."

Dick was surprised for a moment before it gave way to excitement, the light blue coming off in waves in Ben's senses. His pupils flashed a dark blue at that, before returning to their normal black.

Dick, however, caught onto this change and was stunned for a moment, before curiosity overcame him.

"Hey, is it me, or did your eyes just flash blue for a moment?"

Ben was surprised at his question before he came to the realization that after all this time he never mentioned his abilities to the kid he already considered his brother.

"I apologize, it seems I forgot to explain that to you and Father never bothered reminding me. I am a super-powered being, and my powers involve many things relating to my mental capacities and emotions."

"Although my face never changes, and can be rather unnerving as I've come to notice, you can sometimes tell my state of mind by the way my pupils flash colors. The dark blue that you saw was expressive of my joy and happiness at your accomplishments."

Dick seemed to be overwhelmed for a moment at Ben's words, clearly still not used to the care and love he was being shown after just losing his family before he became excited soon after hearing that explanation and began jumping around.

"That sounds so cool! I mean, I know Bruce doesn't have any superpowers and he can still do so many cool things as well, but I haven't seen any superpowers up close! Can you show me? Please please pleaseapleaseplease…"

Happy at seeing the kid manage to retreat from his slump a bit, but having a headache at his sudden excitement, Ben held up a hand in order to prevent him from continuing right away.

"Maybe later, I'm not really in the best state at the moment even if I don't show or seem it, and I still need to practice some more on my control for certain abilities before I show them off to anyone. Wouldn't be good for an accident to happen."

At those words, Dick slumped in defeat, before sitting up right after and smiling once again.

"So you promise to show me at another time at least?" he asked hopefully.

Nodding his head, Ben responded "Yes, as soon as I'm ready, I promise I'll show you something cool."

"Alright, then let's shake on it."

After shaking hands, the two tidied up the arena, before making their way up to the manor through one of the secret entrances and getting cleaned up to continue the rest of their day.

------------------

Date: May 17, 2006

Location: Upper Northeast Edge Outskirts of Gotham, Batcave

Time: 9:43 P.M

At the moment, the residents of the Manor could be seen standing around a computer in the Batcave, where an alert started going off, indicating the presence of an unnatural occurrence.

*BEEP!BEEP!BEEP!*

"Computer." spoke a deep commanding voice. "Access surrounding video feeds and determine the source of the alert."

A video feed popped up on this humongous monitor, showing an ongoing image of chaos as people were running in terror. Pink gas could be seen flowing through the area, with the grounds being covered in what seemed like vines, causing havoc in the Gotham City Robinson Park Botanical Gardens… which admittedly seemed like a brilliant idea for a location to attack if the perpetrator is capable of manipulating plants Ben had thought.

But that wasn't the focus of the youngest among them at the moment.

"Can I please join you two? I'm ready!" whined Dick.

Batman took a glance at Dick, while narrowing his eyes at him, in what Ben had begun referring to years ago as his iconic "Bat Glare". Even though Dick had gotten slightly used to it in the few times he was subjected to it in the past month, it still slightly terrified him sometimes.

"You're ready when I say you're ready." spoke Batman in a deep gruff voice.

Ben always found the different techniques on how to separate his civilian identity with his superhero identity he was shown slightly amusing.

The first step is to acknowledge and inform your brain that they are two different people. You can pass off certain things in an easier manner.

The second step, change your posture and stance in certain ways when required. You'd be surprised how more people can notice you based on the way you stand and walk than even your voice or face.

The third step, change the tone, pitch, and height of your voice. Most people never want to assume, so make it harder for them too.

The whole point of this is that usually in moments like these, Ben feels that it's taken to the extreme when it involves his adoptive father. Right now, Bruce Wayne is nowhere to be seen.

All there's left is Batman.

While Dick was depressed and prepared to turn back, Batman turned to Ben in order to indicate to him to get ready, but paused when Ben shook his head back at him and spoke two simple words.

"He's ready."

The cave fell silent at those words, while Dick who was preparing to leave paused in shock and surprise like the rest of them.

Alfred was the first to break the silence with a small chuckle, before realizing his actions and putting a hand over his mouth to cover it up with a cough. It was at that moment that Ben became subjected to his very own "Bat Glare", but it didn't really faze him before, and certainly not now even when he got his emotions back.

"You already know he's ready." Ben spoke, advocating his statement. "He needs the experience sooner than later, and what better than a possibly inexperienced new enemy? I don't remember any Gotham villains who use plants and possible toxins, meaning a possible new player entering into the fray. If anything happens, I will be here ready to get to you ASAP. However, I know it won't come to that, and should anything dangerous happen, you'll protect him."

After a few moments of what seemed like tense silence Batman nodded, getting noises of joy in return from Dick. However, this time he didn't need to do anything since Ben was the one who gave his brother a look, his pupils shining in a sky-blue hue, denoting his sternness at the situation.

Dick stopped when noticing his older brother's stare, straightening himself up, and making a zipping motion over his mouth.

"Now…" began Ben, his attention now on Dick. "Although I know he'll protect you, it shouldn't have to come to that in the first place hopefully. Hence pay extreme attention at all times, and do whatever he tells you to do. Make full use of this time and observe everything going on, down to the last detail."

Nodding his head at his brother's words, Dick immediately became serious, turning his attention to Batman, awaiting his orders.

While there was no outward reaction as usual on the Dark Knight's face, inwardly he was satisfied with how things ended up between the two boys. He wouldn't admit it, but he was initially worried about how they would act around each other.

The first time he met Ben in that apartment building, he was already used to the dead faces a lot of people living in Gotham usually possess.

However, after he spent an hour in a staring contest with the boy, he realized something.

He was more like a machine, not someone who seems emotionally distant in order to prevent further damage occurring to themselves.

Even worse, was that the boy seemed familiar, meaning he had met him before at some point.

Even though he wouldn't brag, Bruce knows how great his memory is, it came with so many different parts of his training.

Yet he couldn't remember the boy exactly, only the fact that he was familiar.

Even though that sent alarms blaring through his head, he still didn't seem to care at the time, only viewing the boy as a potential threat to better neutralize in case of attack.

Well, that changed real quick when he came upon those DNA results so swiftly, due to the simple reason that he's had his own extensive bodily information recorded over the years from constant use in his training to become Batman.

He had a son.

His own flesh and blood.

And the first thing that crossed his mind when he met him, was the potential threat he could pose should he wish to cause harm.

Then it clicked into place his familiarity with him.

He remembered the woman, Ben's mother Mary David, a bright, cheerful, and caring young woman who had spent her free time doing wedding plans for a side hustle and working in the medical sector with the disabled and handicapped, caring for them with a team she had run.

He had met her one time when he was around 17 or 18, her being the same age at the time, when he was in the later stages of his training.

He was scouring the alleyways of Gotham at the time, mapping every place out for future reference, before he came across the clinic at the time she was volunteering.

Even now, he didn't know what it was, but something attracted him to her, like a moth to a flame.

It was only later, he realized that it was her smile. It reminded him so much of his mothers.

You don't see that kind of positivity in Gotham, and she was the first for him.

After a blossoming night, they continued to meet each other, growing closer and getting to know one another more and more.

Though he eventually pushed her away suddenly, due to the fact that he couldn't make time to continue his goal towards becoming Batman.

It was after his fight with Bane, in 2000, when he got his back broken, that Alfred was looking for someone else to help overlook his physical recovery, that she came to his attention.

She was the best of the best after all, even after not seeing her for 5 years.

She came up to the manor doors one day with that same bright smile he remembered seeing all those years ago.

She took care of him for a week before the manor started to seem brighter in her presence than all the years it ever had before.

Alfred was practically glowing as well, having been happy to have her around to help him out when she did.

Then, one day when he considered actually settling down with her, attempting to have a meaningful relationship, not one like with Talia Al Ghul or Catwoman, she brought her 4-year-old son over because no one was available to take care of him.

He, the great Batman, panicked at the time.

Someone had already taken her.

Instead of asking her about it, and seeing her joy at the boy tugging at his pants while trying to gain his attention, he gave one look at the situation before decidedly hardening his heart once again, and dismissing her services on the spot, trying to politely thank her for her help.

No wonder she was so heartbroken at his dismissal back then. He had basically shunned her. Shunned his own son in front of her as well, when she probably saw their gathering as some sort of miracle, as the faithful Christian in her probably told her.

Yet, instead of calling him out or informing him of the truth, instead of asking for compensation or help like he knew 80% of women in Gotham would, she silently held in her pain, while bringing up Ben all on her own.

Even when the boy got mysteriously sick at around 8 years old, she held in the pain before eventually it started to become too much to bear.

Then, she was gone.

When Alfred found out the DNA results alongside him, he was absolutely livid.

"Fix this now Master Bruce!" he had shouted at the time. "I don't care what you have to do, but if that boy isn't here by the next day…"

Eventually, he had trailed off on his words as sorrow began to overtake his features.

"Even if you don't want to take care of your personal happiness, even though you believe your work as Batman will keep the happiness of others afloat, will you drown the happiness of those closely related to you along the way as well?" he had concluded softly

Needless to say, he sped away on his Batmobile at maximum capacity for the first time, before scrambling into his estranged lover's apartment, and explaining the situation to her.

Not happy was just the tip of the iceberg when describing Ms. Kyle's reaction.

"I thought I found something familiar about him. What is it about you and your family somehow getting involved in my business." she had said with distaste in her voice, yet a smile was spread across her face, showing her satisfaction at being correct to have contacted him.

"You're lucky I called you first on a whim. I was honestly planning on asking Wildcat to take him in before settling on my gut feeling. The guy owed me a favor recently."

A serious expression then came across her face as she spoke softly to him.

"I don't know exactly what happened, but the kid's beyond broken Bruce. I tried to give him some sort of wake-up call through thievery, acrobatics, and gymnastics, but he doesn't seem to feel anything. Both there and not, a machine waiting for someone to start him up."

"The only thing that sets off the tiniest ember in him, is his will to not do harm to others in any way. To help if within his reach."

"I think he took one look at me in that alleyway before he just took me along with him without care for any of the consequences, which I know he CHOSE not to think about, because I have seen how brilliant he is in the time I've spent with him and know he could do so, but because those consequences didn't even seem to cross his mind in exchange for helping someone who could possibly end up like him somehow if he had ignored them."

"If you decide to stand by him from now on, then you have your work cut out for you." she finished sadly.

Eventually, he ended up back in that room, looking over his son, with so many emotions threatening to spill over his facade, not knowing what to say or do, before he eventually settled on a hug.

The manor seemed to be slightly brighter ever since, once again just like before.

Coming out of his thoughts, he turned his focus back to the current situation, the briefest hint of a smile crossing his face at Dick's excitement and Ben trying to get him serious before it quickly disappeared.

Alfred on the side, witnessing everything, only gave a smile, indicating his happiness at the scene going on around him.

After all, his Master Bruce was no longer alone anymore.

'Maybe this will also help to lower his brooding habits.' he thought.

Nodding his head to Dick, Batman began to move to a corner of the cave.

"Follow me," he spoke succinctly.

As the group followed behind him, they came up to a section filled with glass casings, showing different yet similar sights. One side held different designs involving Ben's Wildcard suit, all centered around his chosen colors of the main black, with secondary gold as his design.

The suit is meant for protection and added power in close combat, and his main suit is built with double-lined Kevlar lining the majority, and the center golden spade symbol is triple-lined, meant to be eye-catching in order to draw gunfire towards it if necessary since it's the hardest part of the suit.

Exactly the same design as Batman's suit.

The helmet is also colored mainly black, with two white lensed holes where the eyes are meant to be, with small microscopic holes included around the mouth and nose area for easier breathing.

The entire helmet is made of high-density tungsten in order to better withstand any blunt force, with the right side of the helmet also designed with a golden diamond.

The shoulder, elbow, knee, and shin guards are also padded with tungsten. Although it makes his suit slightly heavier-

'24.67 pounds total'

-it's nothing compared to Batman's heavier suit designs that clock out around 50 to 70 pounds. Along with the greater protection, they give his powered fists extra oomph as well when fighting his enemies. His shoulder guards make up the rest of the "card" design, with his right shoulder having a small golden heart, and the left a club.

As for his mask… at first, Batman wanted him to wear a domino mask, yet he vehemently disagreed on the fact that it covered basically nothing, and his identity would be found out sooner rather than later.

He refuses to subject Robin to that.

The center space of glass casings house all of the Batsuits ready for use, and then there is only the right space left where they were currently standing at, in front of the very first Robin suit he refused so long ago.

"From now on, when out in the field your code name will be Robin. Always refer to our current identities in order to prevent our covers being blown." spoke Batman while Dick began admiring his new suit.

The newly named Robin looked towards his mentor, before giving a nod of acceptance, and quickly pushing a button, allowing the glass cover to recede, before pulling out his brand new suit.

"You're on monitor duty." spoke Batman to Ben while walking towards the batmobile. "Maintain radio contact in case of an emergency while leading us around if necessary."

Ben silently nodded his head agreeing.

As Batman began revving up the batmobile, Dick came into view with his brand new suit, holding the domino mask in his hand.

Before he could put it on, however, Ben went up to him and snatched it out of his hand.

"Hey!" he shouted. "What was that for? Give it back to me quickly, I can't keep Batman waiting!"

"Believe me when I say that this won't really cover your identity that well. I have a better alternat-"

Dick took a deep breath before exhaling and looking at Ben seriously and interrupting him with a shake of his head. "I appreciate it, but this is the first thing that Bruce has given me that I feel actually came from the results of my hard work, and not because I'm new here and he pity's me. I trust you when you say that it probably won't be as effective as usual, yet I also trust Bruce to have thought of that, and still have gone through with it for a reason."

Taking a deep look at his brother and friend, Ben silently nodded his head, before giving him a strong pat on the shoulders and handing him back his mask.

"Stay safe." he said in a soft voice.

It would have been more touching if his face matched his tone, yet his indigo and violet-colored pupils conveyed all that was needed.

Nodding his head, Dick took the mask from his head, before jumping into the Batmobile and putting it on.

Turning to look at Ben one last time, Robin smiled at him, before the false wall covering the exit to the Batcave opened up, and Batman closed the overhead roof and took off into the night.

Ben decided to convince him about it at a later time.

He wouldn't stop until Dick saw the error of his ways.

------------------

Date: May 17, 2006

Location: Central Gotham, Robinson Park Botanical Gardens

Time: 10:06 P.M

Screams could be heard going on all around as couples, gang members, and all manner of people hanging out around the area for whatever reason at this time of night began fleeing in terror from vines and wooden branches waving around the area.

Some officers could be seen firing at these monstrosities, trying to provide cover for citizens in their attempt to flee, while the less brave ones were also cowering in terror and missing most of their shots. Better than the true cowardly cops that fled at the first site along with the civilians.

But this wasn't the main causofor why these people were fleeing in terror.

It was due to the pink and purple colored gas that was spreading out from the center of the park, and the droves of people that stumbled out ahead of it, seeming zombie-like in both appearance and action as they tried to attack the people closest to them.

To these people who valued their lives the most, it didn't take a genius to figure out the cause of those reactions.

Since they were helpless to shoot civilians who seemed to not be doing this of their free will, the police could only turn their attention to the vines trying to tie up or hamper said civilians from fleeing by any means possible

Even if that means the civilians end up dead.

Thankfully, it hasn't occurred yet by some miracle. However, while one couple was trying to run out of there, the woman ended up tripping on a loose stone, sending her falling to the ground. Her partner turned towards her trying to urge her to continue quickly when a vine decided to use the opportunity to try and smash them into the ground.

While it was sailing through the air towards their position, however, it was suddenly intercepted by fast-moving objects that evenly spread out around the limb, before they began blinking in timed intervals and exploded, destroying it.

The couple, having noticed this, quickly gathered their bearings and continued running.

Jumping from a nearby tree, a "boy" for the lack of a better term could be seen looking in the couple's direction, a small R symbol on his left breast glinting off the moonlight.

"They could have at least said thank you." he murmured under his breath, before once again turning his attention to the vines coming towards him.

"Robin." came Batman's voice over his earlink, sounding muffled from the sound of an engine. "Status report."

"There are vines and some extended tree branches attacking civilians. The GCPD seemed to have called for backup before trying to cordon off the area, but they've made zero headway and are constantly losing ground."

Batman had decided to drop him off at the park's perimeter to help the GCPD protect and evacuate the civilians before he took the Batmobile to try and get closer to the center as soon as possible.

"Understood." came the immediate response. "Make sure you have your gas mask at the ready at all times in the event that the smoke comes closer to making contact with you."

"You got it!" Robin responded cheerily, before diving back into the fray, leaping about over vines and branches, sticking shurikens wherever he could and detonating them when out of the way.

As the batmobile came closer to the center of the park, the pink smoke became denser outside the cover of the see-through car roof, emphasizing the danger of breathing it in.

Faintly, he could see the outline of a giant plant in the center of the park, with what seemed to be the shape of a woman, lounging about on it as if it was a throne.

"Batman to Batcave." spoke Batman into his com-link. "Do we know the source of this event?"

Immediately, Wildcard's voice could be heard over the systems responding in a non-hurried but concise manner.

"Based on what I can find so far, the source of this incident stems from Gotham University, before it trailed off into Gotham City Park somehow, leading to this."

"The only noticeable thing that occurred in the university recently was a known guest speaker by the name of Dr. Pamela Lillian Isley being invited to speak today, but she is currently missing."

"My assumption is that she may be the cause of this accident, or related in some way. So far, evidence suggests this to be premeditated and not accidental."

"From evaluating the current scene you're walking into through visual feeds, The woman responsible is capable of manipulating plants, but to what extent is still unknown. She is also capable of creating toxins, the extent being unknown as well."

"Judging by how she is breathing in those toxins just like everyone else, she is either completely immune to her own toxins, or any toxin in general. It is also unknown whether she can only spread toxins through inhalation, or other methods. Be aware she may be able to make more toxic variants."

"The woman's state of mind is unknown, but judging from her actions she is either not in control, being perceptually altered, or under influence from some force."

Hearing Wildcard's analysis, Batman nodded his head imperceptibly, accepting all of this information quickly and trying to come up with a strategy for engagement.

Before he could even respond however, he was forcibly lurched in his seat due to the sudden stop at the unknown surge in the number of vines as they began to entangle the batmobile.

He could have easily used some of his weapon systems in order to free himself, had the just as unknown crowd of civilians running, not gotten in his way and began climbing and clamoring all over the batmobile.

Quickly putting on his gas mask, he pressed a button on one of the controls, which suddenly popped open the car roof, therefore throwing the civilians who were on top of it back into the rest of the crowd and halting them for a moment.

Immediately afterward, his seat suddenly ejected full speed into the sky in a diagonal arc towards where the giant plant's outline could be seen, before he then unlocked his belt buckle, and used the chair as a leverage point to push himself off in the air, to glide the rest of the distance using his cape.

Touching the ground in a roll to disperse his momentum, Batman, the greatest detective in the world, immediately began surveying the environment around him at maximum speed in order to determine how best to handle the situation.

Determining no threats ready to pop out randomly once again, he then turned his full focus to the woman sitting on the giant petal before him and once again began analyzing everything about her.

The first thing he took notice of was her green skin, most likely a result of the manifestation of her powers, and her contrasting red hair.

The second thing he took notice of was her smaller plant garments that were covering herself in an extremely non-modest manner.

The third thing, and possibly most important, he took notice of when focusing on her was the fact that the giant plant that he had earlier assumed her to be sitting on was in fact behind the giant petal serving that role.

The plant was shaped like a giant bulb, and seemed to be the source of all this pink smoke if the contraction and release of the stuff wasn't telling enough.

"Is this the Batman I heard so much about?" he heard her speak, turning his attention to her now, but keeping an eye on his surroundings in case. "The one who has been terrorizing the criminals of Gotham for almost seven years now?" she spoke in a curious but extremely haughty tone.

"Where is Dr. Isley?" Batman questioned, not in the mood to deal with her questions, and getting straight into business, trying to get answers for himself instead.

"Dr. Isley? Why are you looking for her? Hm?" the woman questioned in confusion and amusement, with Batman not yet having enough information to understand where those reactions stem from.

Before he could continue, however, Wildcat's voice came over his com-link informing him why.

"I've already run facial rec through the images being fed through your body cam. This is Dr. Pamela Isley, only whatever has occurred to her has altered her body structure dramatically from her previous self, and with the extra obvious change of her green skin. Her hair wasn't as lustrous as well."

"Dr. Pamela Isley." he began, only to watch her tense in what he observed to be shock and confusion, probably on how he figured out her identity so quickly. "Cease all of your actions immediately."

Pamela began to laugh at that, not even designating a response before she abruptly became serious. She began to shake in what he believed to be anger, responding once again in such a way for reasons unknown to him.

She swiftly corrected his confusion.

"There is no more Pamela Isley. For too long humans, even my past self, have taken for granted the importance of all plant life on our planet. They do so much for us and our environment, yet all you do is chop them up, stomp on them like bugs, burn them, and even wave around bottles, labeling them as weeds."

"NO MORE! All that's left is for you to feel their pain, until you see the error of your ways. I am now Poison Ivy!"

Hearing the self-proclaimed Ivy's speech, Batman began to agree with the part of Wildcard's assessment on two of the three options of her state of mind.

She's clearly in control of her actions, or she wouldn't be so expressive in her emotions and thoughts when conversing with him. Hence, she is either being perceptually altered in some way, probably through her powers, or under the influence of an outside force.

Sensing movement beneath him, Batman leaped into action by flipping backwards, avoiding a larger than usual vine meant to entangle him, while throwing a few batarangs evenly spaced out at it, before they exploded, slowing the limb done, while the excess force helped propel him farther out of harm's way.

Vines began sprouting out of the ground all around him as he began to leap out of the way and dodge the increasing number of them. He began twisting and turning through the narrowest openings, leaving exploding batarangs in the wake of his movements in order to try and lower the numbers and give him some breathing room to think.

"What's the endgame Ivy?" he started asking as he ducked under an overhead sweep from one of the vines. "You said you want everyone to see the error of their ways, yet isn't controlling them going against that? How can they see that error, if they're unable to think on it?"

"It's simple really." she drawled out as she looked down on him from her giant petal in amusement as if she was watching a satisfying performance.

"I can't count on you people changing your minds so quickly, and every second wasted is another second where one baby is being killed out there in the world. So, everyone can either join me by force or get out of the way permanently. One less human means one more baby saved."

Hearing her words, Batman quickly vaulted over a vine that came out from the side trying to clip him, while attempting to think of how to take her down quickly. The more time he spent against her, the more everyone here was at risk.

Before he could continue with that line of thought, however, his com-link came up again, as Wildcard informed him of something disastrous occurring in his usual monotone voice.

Something no one ever saw coming.

"Batman. An emergency alert from the Justice League! Joker has somehow discovered the base inside Mount Justice, and has sealed off all exits while flooding the inside with Joker Venom."

"It is currently unknown whether it is the lethal or non-lethal version at the moment. However, even the non-lethal version can cause brain damage if left untreated."

"The problem is, Green Arrow, Hawkman, Hawkwoman, Flash, and Aquaman are currently trapped inside and incapacitated."