CHAPTER 18

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[Gotham. April 22, 09:35 PDT. 2009.

David Lance POV]

After having a rather delectable lunch with Dinah at a Chinese restaurant we had both been wanting to try for weeks since it had opened, I left with Robin to Gotham, to spend a few days with him.

Wayne's Manor was second to none. They had everything anyone could want for entertainment. 

Swimming pools, tennis courts, soccer fields, arcade rooms, and much more.

Their library alone was my wet dream. They quite possibly had every book ever written there, and more. Hell, the library had five floors, seven if you counted the ones, not for the public, and ten if you counted the ones only Batman used.

They also had three movie rooms and a horse track, with actual horses. 

Be that as it may, their library was my one true love. 

Which is why I was yearningly looking at it. As Robin obliterated me in the arcade.

"You really love our library," Dick snickered, winning once again. A perfect K.O.

I nodded, no reason to hide my love for the unreachable. That was a library only rich people had, really rich people, some of the books inside were worth millions, as they were first editions, or in some cases the last of their kind.

"You can always come to read. Alfred knows to let you in, whenever you come," Dick claimed, a bright smile on his face.

"Indeed Master David," Alfred nodded, bowing ever so slightly. "I even have in stock your favorite snacks and drinks. Just in case."

I smiled, giving the old butler a warm look. He really was one of a kind. 

"Bruce won't mind," Dick nodded, smiling in a playful demeanor. "Heck, he even asked your sister about all your favorite things, to add them to our shopping list."

I didn't know that. It was very kind of them to do such things, I need to thank Batman later. Speaking of which, now that I think about it, where is he?

Since I had arrived here, I haven't seen him at all.

"Where's Mr. Wayne?" I signed, tilting my head in confusion.

"On league business," Dick answered with a yawn, slouching into the arcade. "He didn't specify. He only said it would possibly take a few days."

"Don't worry Master Dick, Master Bruce will be back in no time," Alfred articulated, with a small smile.

"I'm not worried," Dick replied, his lips pressed together. "I just wish the league allowed us to go on league missions. We fight villains just like them."

I sighed, rolling my eyes. "Dick, last time we went solo to a big mission. Deathstroke almost killed us both. It's clear we still have something to learn."

Dick deflated, giving me a betrayed look before saying, "You have a point."

"Indeed he does," Alfred nodded, agreeing with me in a jovial tone. Secretly using sign language to tell me, thank you. While Dick was looking away.

"I'm just saying. The experience could help us," Dick shrugged.

I nodded. He had a point there. "I think that's what they are doing. Giving us experience, but in a controlled environment, where they feel they can protect us no matter what."

Alfred nodded.

"Not whelmed at all, dude," Dick replied, crossing his arms as he narrowed his eyes on me.

"I speak but the truth," I shrugged.

Dick chuckled, turning the arcade off, as he gave me a challenging grin. "Let's go to the cave. I want to train a bit."

I nodded, a spar right now sounded awesome.

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At the cave, in the training arena, Robin and I circled each other, looking for an opening.

"Ready to get your ass kicked?" Robin asked, with a confident grin.

I smiled, lunging forward, throwing a quick jab. That Robin dodged and countered with a punch of his own. However, I had foreseen this, and so, I had preemptively kicked my right leg up, scoring a hit on Robin's torso, pushing him to the ground.

Robin undoubtedly outclassed me in technology, or anything related. But when it came to hand-to-hand combat. I had the clear upper hand, no pun intended.

"My turn," Robin groaned on the floor, before jumping back to his feet. Darting towards me, throwing a few batarangs at me. That I deflected, with relative ease, lunging at him with a tackle, subduing him on the floor in a lock. "I won't give up!" 

I tightened my lock, forcing Robin to tap out. Admitting his defeat.

"Man, no fair," Robin chuckled. "You have super strength and gadgets. How's that fair? I have never seen Superman use a utility belt."

I rolled my eyes, reminding him I had not used my belt at all. 

"Let me complain in peace," Robin chuckled. "I have the right to be a bad loser. I haven't won a single spar against you in months. Robin gets a freebie for today. He's allowed to whine." 

At least he's aware of it. 

"I will get some water. Do you want anything?" I asked, jumping to my feet. However, before Robin could reply, an alarm went off in the cave's computer.

"It seems we have some work on our hands," Robin grinned, jumping to his feet before rushing to the PC. 

I sighed, feeling whatever he was about to do, would not end well for me.

"Someone has taken control over a chemical plant," Robin said, unable to sit still. "Probably Poison Ivy, or Doctor Freeze. We can take them."

"Ask Batman," I shot back, signing firmly.

"On it," Robin nodded, calling Batman on the PC.

"Batman to bat-cave. What's the situation?" Batman said, answering Robin's call.

"Someone took control of a chemical plant. We wanted your permission to go and deal with it," Robin replied, going straight to the point.

"Proceed with care. Do not engage without assessing the situation. Batman out," With that said, the call came to an end. 

That's weird. Batman never lets us go solo, especially not when he isn't around to supervise like a helicopter. Perhaps whoever is attacking the chemical plant it's a minor threat and he deems us capable of dealing with said threat.

"See?" Robin said, his voice a pitch higher. He was really excited to go out without Batman.

"Fine," I nodded, I mean, Batman had given us the green light. Besides, if push came to shove, and things went out of hand, I would simply knock Robin out, and return to the cave. 

"Awesome!" Robin grinned, jumping out of his chair.