Chapter 10: A Change of Pace

Hey guys! Nice to see you again on this lovely Friday evening. I hope you've been enjoying your week.

I was not expecting so much seriousness when it came to choosing the next Marvel fic. You sure know what you want!

On Patreon, it was the Spiderman fic that won, yet on here everybody seems to love the Fantastic Four fic.

Can't say I blame you.

What I'll be doing for now is ONLY writing a storyline for both in my free time, as I've said numerous times, before shelving it for later.

We can do a second poll another time if needed since I need to weight the options between the two.

For now, I feel that if I focus on another fic right now, I'll be wasting so much potential this one has to offer.

Heck... I'm already wasting a lot of the potential available!

How could nobody not tell me that I was making one of the biggest mistakes in writing history!!!!

Did nobody notice and I'm actually a better writer than I think? Cause I went to reread a couple of chapters for mistakes in my free time and it finally hit me.

Now I'm Batman paranoid myself when it comes to this.

Some of the dialogue... was starting to become dry.

Even though I didn't notice at first since it seemed to flow smoothly, it might not be the same for others.

But that's not what I'm referring too. Observe this example below.

---

Bruce looked the man over before becoming serious.

"Are you sure?"

---

As he loomed over the man with his entire body and suit melding as one into the night, only the narrowing of his white-covered eyes was revealed.

"Are you sure?"

---

Starting to see it?

The difference between show and tell matters! It's a huge matter!!

I've started going back to fix this problem alongside some others, the later chapters I'm about to post included. It just can't stand.

I'm honestly going to need to find an editor for me before this becomes a terrible problem. I can't keep editing and writing like this or it'll slow me down.

It's frustrating to have all of these amazing storylines and ideas constantly cram into my brain over time, yet not be able to scribble it down at the same moment.

*Sigh*

Anyways, I tearfully ask you guys to please start paying attention to these kinds of mistakes alongside me. I know I said I'm trying not to get hung up on every tiny one, but I guess I lied a little since it bothers me on a deeper level.

This big fix starts with this chapter.

I'm posting this right after I re-edited it, also having updated it on Patreon for those of you on there.

You guys have the option of re-reading it if you'd like there or here.

Again, I didn't remove any words or important pieces of dialogue. Just edited them in order for it to flow much more smoothly.

Let me also take the time to give a big thank you to my new Patrons, @B, @Stephen, and @Bloodstained! I thank you for your continued support!

I want you guys to please let me know your thoughts about the chapter when you're finished. Tell me if it's stale, boring, or anything I need to look out for in the future.

Finally, some of you have been asking to update the Character Info Sheet.

It should be done later today at some point here and on Patreon.

Hope you all enjoy as usual!

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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 table, the sounds of cutlery clinking and clanking away took over the surrounding ambience, 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, feasting on his plate of all sorts of grounded and fresh meat in a manner befitting his name...

Brutish.

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 for the day?"

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, a vengeance that rivaled Bruce's intensity.

Against something like that, all the trusted men in the world wouldn't have made any difference.

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 and had to forcefully drag him off the unconscious, severely bruised, and broken man.

Ben berated him hard for his actions even if he knew that it would be counterproductive to his brother's recovery.

"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 and that he's won."

"You have to show that his actions mean nothing to you, that he is inconsequential to your existence. Beating him within an inch of his life is a line that we must force ourselves to never cross."

Ben's speech worked somehow.

Too well, as he was starting to notice.

It ended up being a problem when around a week after his diatribe, Bruce was sparring with Dick in the ring and beating him easily as he usually did, listing out the mistakes made.

But Dick did not seem to take it well, becoming filled with red and yellow to Ben's senses at the constructive criticism handed to him.

He began to form a fear of rejection and disappointment.

He feared failing his brother and father, especially fearing them being 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.'

He 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 and help keep the body well rested, healthy, and the mind more relaxed." Ben eventually answered Dick's question as he came out of his thoughts.

This was the best way he 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're definitely not 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, pretending to cough into his hand at his master's look.

Bruce checked the time on 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. So, today is the day I make it up to her. She already had a surprise first stop ready since we planned it last time." 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 subtle reminder.

That card which appeared in the apartment…

When Ben returned with the young liger back then, everyone was confused until he explained the series of events that occurred in his time outside.

Bruce had immediately become focused as this was a huge threat to their personal lives, causing him to begin 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 leftover traces.

Although, all he received at first was her admonishment towards the lack of his presence.

"You only visit me when it's convenient to a case you're working on and it involves me somehow. 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 didn't find a single trace or clue in that apartment.

He only had a cranky cat lady going off on him to show for anything.

He never went back since then.

'To be so annoyed as to remind me through my own son?' he mentally huffed.

After the apartment was a bust, he ended up going back through any and all public records that he recorded about his son's life before most of them were replaced or destroyed, trying to better understand the card's meaning.

He ended up finding something he overlooked before.

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.

It was a lead so far, one that would take time to follow.

Although, he felt slightly uneasy about what he would find on the other end of this road.

People tend to cling to the image of the loved ones they had, what's remembered of them to already be memorialized as perfect just they way it was.

A realistic truth is all it takes to shatter that image.

Ben noticed how Bruce seemed to be in a slightly brooding mood for some reason and decided to steer clear from that.

-That's Alfred's problem.-

'Yup.

"Instead of training today, how'd you like to join us on our day out? The extra company would never hurt. I believe it will be fun."

Dick's eyes seemed to light up before he struggled with himself, swaying his head a bit.

"I'll buy you the Super Smash Bros game you wanted if you tag along." Bruce suddenly interjected.

Faster than Flash, Dick's plate of food was empty.

"Where did you say we were going again?"

Nodding his head, Ben took the final bite of his meal before dabbing his mouth with a napkin under Alfred's scrutinizing.

He did not want to sit through mandatory etiquette classes again.

"Any one of you want to join us for the day as well?" he turned towards his familiars.

Brutus barked at him, shaking his head nope.

Wyle looked him dead in the eye, tilted his head, then went back to his food while waving his paw in his direction in a human-like dismissive manner.

'He's going to be a problem.' Ben thought as he glanced at the pale faced Bruce and Alfred.

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 was the greatest/worst, unintended pun I've ever heard.-

Ignoring the yapping ball in his head, he turned to Dick. "Alright then, Kenzo will join us as well. While he finishes up his food, we can go get ready and wait in the living room."

Dick just pointed back at the liger, Ben turning to follow to see why.

The bowl that was previously filled a second ago was now empty.

'...'

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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 one shoulder hitchhiking white furred blue-eyed cat could be seen standing outside Selina's apartment door, the youngest kid walking up to knock on her door.

After a couple of moments, the door 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 that showed off her midriff.

Her black hair was unchanged, still in its usual short pixie cut as it was when Ben first met her.

"Alright kiddos, everyone ready?"

While getting voices of assent, Kenzo took the chance to jump into her arms.

"Oh nice to meet you again little kitten. Though you look different, I'm going to assume that you've grown a lot in the last month since I don't know much about …."

She randomly halted at the end, confusion coming over her face at how she couldn't speak the words that tried to leave her lips.

"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, Ben had brought to her attention about how he had devised a way using a magic contract to keep all of their secrets better secure, manner, explaining everything in detail for her.

It seemed like the perfect time as well funnily enough due to the surprise gift.

She wasn't very keen on the idea at first since she felt that she left most of her life as Catwoman behind her and was mostly forgotten.

At some point throughout the years, she somehow managed to delete her entire criminal record, regardless of how sparse it was.

There wasn't much to begin with since the GCPD couldn't really tie her to the many thefts, her careful nature winning over the officer's meticulousness.

She kept dismissing him, saying it was unnecessary to sign the thing since it would only delay when someone found out her secret, not change the amount of danger she would be in when the time comes.

It took Ben having to explain about how he was more worried about her sister Maggie to earn her undivided agreement.

There was always a chance that she would be unable to help her in time, and the contract also acted as an early warning system.

Thankfully, the woman was a fast learner, starting to realize the contract's dos and don'ts.

An amused smile appeared on her 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 in a suggestive tone, stretching out the last of her sentence into a purring-like noise.

He already tried and failed to change the way she acts in such a sultry manner to everyone around her, having become used to her satirized nature.

The same couldn't be said for the unprepared Dick who was being exposed to her true self for the first time, his face quickly turning beet red.

Like a cat finding a new toy, Selina swiftly caught onto this and decided to make him the focus of her amusement.

"Awww, wonder boy here is shy. Don't you worry your wonderful little head baby bird, I don't bite… much." she smiled while petting the satisfied Kenzo in her arms.

As Dick continued to fumble around unable to respond, Ben decided to move things along to save some of the kid's 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 as our first stop." Ben spoke.

She nodded her head at his words as they began moving down the apartment complex into the garage, walking towards a parked car.

It was a beat up 1995 Toyota Camry model, a dull gray paint job meant to show how it's seen better days.

When he noted down the car's model, Ben was reminded of what he had investigated after landing in this universe.

How similar were the companies in this universe to the ones in his last?

Well for starters, the first thing checked were the comics section since he was always up for any sort of Marvel.

There was no doubt in his mind that their existed extra material he never got to read from before. If he got his hands on some issues, he could better cross-reference it with the things in this universe.

He couldn't tell if it was considered unsurprising that it was a bust.

There were hero comics and similar stuff, but it usually consisted of people and companies basing it off the Justice Society of America which was active during World War II from 1940 to 1951. Most original hero characters' comics didn't have enough notoriety.

He took the chance to read a comic about the JSA one time and figure out the trend behind it, but quickly became disinterested in it right away as he found it to be lacking in appeal to the ones in his last universe.

Maybe for normal people, it was like a whole new world for them since it gave them a chance to connect with their idols.

But as arrogant as it sounded, being a hero meant he was technically one of those idols.

So, comics became a dead end.

The next extensive check was where he started to make progress.

Almost every car company was mirrored here in some way, with added exceptions.

For example, Bruce had a subsidiary company named Wayne Steel, which supplied materials for others like Wayne Yards, Wayne Aerospace, and Wayne Automotive.

These were all subsidiaries in contact with both government and civilian facilities, creating ships, private airliners, naval carriers, cars…

You name it, they made it.

Actually, there were so many branch companies, it's amazing how some people never truly realized how rich Bruce truly was.

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 fix it up into functional condition for everyone.

All while trying and failing to hide it's existence from Ben and Dick.

Which he obviously failed in Ben's case…

But, anyways, getting back on track.

Once Ben started his search, he just couldn't stop, finding differences he didn't expect initially.

First off, there was also corporations like Disney, Amazon, Netflix, Pixar, and other huge corporates here.

That led him to the actors and famous celebrities next, finding a huge similarity in big names and public figures, along with some additions.

Basically, mostly everything was mirrored with some new additions that were between being more famous, or less.

For fast food chains they had a Bat Burger, Planet Krypton, Taco Whiz...

He found a Best Buy, Target, Walmart, Shoprite…

Social media platforms was also an important search, but that ended up being the first big change he found.

There were names he didn't recognize, with 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.

All his research led to the same trend. Almost anything that already existed in this universe was either completely replaced with something else, or added onto in order to be magnified.

One unmentioned but important example to be used was the technology here like cell phones, computers, and laptops.

Wayne and LexCorp Technologies were the ones behind all of this stuff alongside other things like internet connection, companies like Apple, Samsung, Comcast, Verizon, or T-Mobile not existing here.

Even though he constantly reminded himself that he had nothing to return to in his last universe, no attachments, Ben was relieved to find some of these familiar names.

They helped to make him feel more at home here instead of alienated like he first felt.

But the feeling that he didn't belong never went away.

In fact, he had a lot to think about thanks to the new information he got from ESAMAL, thoughts continuously haunting 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?'

He didn't need to ponder or doubt to know the truth about this one thing.

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 her more extensively mother since she was gone...

...alongside his memories of her...

As they finally began packing into the car, Ben took shotgun with Kenzo settling 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 and started cruising along the road at a steady pace.

"Okay then." Ben muttered in response as Kenzo purred at his touch.

"By the way. We're going to take around half an hour to get to our destination. So if you're extremely impatient, I recommend you find something to do." the woman informed them.

Dick perked up at that with a grin on his face, a WayneTech portable speaker suddenly appearing in his hands out of thin air.

Ben had to admit that his sleight of hand and stealth was getting pretty good.

But he was definitely an impatient one.

His action though reminded Ben of another thing he had noticed regarding technology. Most of it was high-tech in some ways, with low-tech stuff not even making it onto the streets.

People had great phones, yet no speakers, headphones, or other things to complement their electronics. The kind of stuff that had started to become common in his last world.

As such, he was the one to recommended that Bruce should sell some of that stuff and better win over more customers, the 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 tried to figure out their end game, they were already too late, the newest WayneTech phone assisted devices having successfully made a steal for third base.

By the time LexCorp finally had their own production line up and running, Wayne Enterprises owned the people's hearts in different city's over the world.

"I got some tunes to make the ride more comfortable." Dick explained with a smile as he pulled out his phone.

'Oh joy.'

He was not looking forward to the kid's song choices.

'Another thing that mirrored over. 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 at that while Dick began to sing along.

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 and looked on as the sights passed by him.

Unknown to both of the brothers, Selina took a glance at them in discreetly seperate manners, matching Ben's smile.

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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, not even hesitating in his decision.

Ben took a bit longer contemplate first. "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 his 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.

But in the end, she didn't comment on his actions.

As long as the time he spent here helps him to relax and unwind a bit, she found it okay for now.

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.

In a place like Gotham... the way he spends his time was more tame compared to what some of the psychopaths and loonies here tend to do in order 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 the two.

As they began walking towards the exhibit, Selina stealthily turned towards Dick and glanced over him.

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 to show up on his own.

Ben explained to her one time how he was attempting to slowly improve the boy's confidence in himself, as he seemed to harbor a deep trauma regarding family, his feelings causing his actions to become skewed when interacting with his current loved ones.

When you compare how a lesser man would usually be more focused on making sure his own recovery was smooth, you start to understand the strength needed to worry about others.

The kid worried more about his father, brother, and butler than himself.

Had she not been asked to help, Selina wouldn't have noticed a single thing wrong with Dick.

She wasn't any psychologist who could tell someone's state of mind at a glance.

But, Ben became someone she'd come to care for recently, and Bruce managed to worm a way into her heart over the years.

She liked to think he 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 Selina with no change of expression on his face, Selina unable to tell his current feelings since his irises never changed in a public setting.

Doesn't mean his current grey ones wasn't nice to look at. She's come to love over the year how the current color also induced a calm state inside of her, as opposed to the black from before.

His look was borderline robotic with those.

Thankfully, she knew him long enough by now to not need his irises to change to tell his current state. He was confused for only a moment before he glanced between her and Dick discreetly, in a way that only she could notice to boot.

'Sharp as always.'

She knew he had a photographic memory and that he probably already memorized the giant map at the entrance, so the excuse she gave him to put some distance between them was believable, unable to make Dick 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.'

Ben's presence had been the bridge that allowed them to get along and know each other on a superficial level quickly while driving here, so the effect of his absence was immediately clear.

Selina glanced at Dick while keeping an eye on Ben in the corner of her vision.

"So, 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 in broadcasting, she worded her sentence in a way that was much broader in how it could be interpreted to outside ears while still delivering the intended message in a way that 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.

So far, she can say that he did a good job as that magically juiced up ancient piece of paper worked in wonderful ways.

Even if she isn't in the business as much as she used to be, he explained to her some ideas he had to decide on adding into the contract, looking into an option involving DNA protection due to reasons he couldn't divulge to her.

She hoped that he could succeed honestly, 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 as people were now unable to follow back a simple trail to her real identity as Selina Kyle.

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 look?' she thought, feeling strangely proud about it 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 either, 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, or also known as 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 it 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 technically still 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 change 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 later without any risk, they always usually ate the food the moment they received.

The men and women there couldn't stand Ben's actions, convincing the kid 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. when she witnessed how h

He went out scavenging for good and change for everyone to eat from, his sincerity towards them as bright as day.

People in Gotham always had an ulterior motive.

In Ben's case? It was easily seen and felt 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.

In fact, his state only added to the feelings passed on when performing those good deeds, magnifying them in way.

'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 the kid 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'm don't think that I'm a good enough as Robin, accepting 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 silently.

'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, the curiosity

'You need to wake up and realize the truth. Your family is gone, and you have a new one now.' she bluntly stated.

Dick's eyes widened as he stared at her, hands shaking.

She couldn't feel anything over the link for some reason, but ignored it as she continued.

'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, don't you think so?'

'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 dead in the eye without any effecting 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.

'Even before you got involved in the 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 faced 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" made Dick flinch, done with his earlier stupor.

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 but 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, her anger and exasperation plain as day.

'Even though I don't know what happened it is remarkable the amount of progress he has made in healing 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 some time for you in some way. I even had to acknowledge the fact that he visited me more than I visited my own sister.'

'He only knew me for 2 months when I took him in, and I've known my sister for more than 20 years!'

'It's a miracle that he can even make that kind of time for anyone when he should be focusing on himself.'

Dick remained silent, his feelings shifting, before settling down once 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. Just like with most things, attention also has to be shared and divided properly. You're now in a different situation, which means different ways of living.'

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, causing him to look up to her once again.

'Hey. There's nothing wrong with that.'

'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 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 and trying to get me to change...'

'Granting me a form of attention I didn't even know I needed.' she grinned as his eyes practically popped out of his 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 stop.'

'But it didn't go as planned… I was so used to stealing, that 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 of these new sources of information and confusion 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 and spread 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 and since he hasn't talked to 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 spoke out loud.

As Dick went on ahead of her, 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 up until Dick walked up to Ben and seemed to notice her absence, turning to wave at her to join them.

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.'

As she stood alongside the two in the middle, she watched in fascination how the male and female lions were currently leaning on one another, two male cubs sitting at their feet and prowling on one another playfully, forming a harmonious scene.

'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.

'I used to like being a stray cat, yet now I find the idea of having my own pride to be a better one than I had thought it to be years ago.'

As Ben glanced between her and Dick, he suddenly turned to look at her in the eyes, his pupils flashing sapphire and amethyst for the briefest of moments.

A small curve tugged at her lips as one last thought crossed her mind.

'Maybe it wouldn't be all that bad having a collar on me.'

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There's nothing like a good old heart to hear to warm the soul and bring about some character growth.

Wouldn't do any good if people thought that Dick was just magically fine with his new life now would it?

Even though I know DC try often to show their character's tragedies and hardships, I feel like it's almost never enough.

I'm trying to make this a serious and understandable fic, so I need to keep track of every character's growth and their moment to make/receive an impact for/from someone.

I just wanted to remind everyone that next chapter is a brief action scene, with chapter 13 being when the plot starts actually picking up.

Same rules as before. Please leave behind all your stones, comments, and reviews before departure.

In return, I'll grant you with a cat inspired quote in the author's thoughts you may never have known you needed.

Peace!

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