Thomas Kyle (cantkeepmeout) wrote in dc_nextgen,
@ 2013-09-08 20:56:00

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Thomas stopped and took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He was out of the wheelchair and on crutches now but there was still a way to recovery, and he was making sure to keep active how he could to make the recovery to street-able status faster.

But this was a long time coming, and he'd been stewing ever since the Joker encounter. He hadn't been enough. The Joker got him and used him, to demand a Batman and hurt Maria, and now he was free in the city. While it bothered him that they'd gotten the jump on him, angered him really, it bothered him more that the whole encounter had made something painfully obvious. Robin wasn't enough. The Joker had demanded a Batman, and now he knew what all the other criminals in this city had known. There was no Batman, and without that presence, that striking figure of fear, Gotham was worse off. The Joker could run free, the criminals had no real fear of the rest of them, and despite his work in the last few years, most of them still thought of Robin as the youthful bright partner of Batman. Not a figure to fear at all.

The entire Batman mythos his father had created was near useless if there was no Batman to use it. And now Gotham was on the decline.

While he steeled himself and plucked up the courage to make the last few metres to Bruce's study door, Mr. Paws who'd been walking along the bannister leading to the stairs had stopped to watch him. After a moment the cat hopped up onto Thomas's shoulders and walked along to rest on one and give his owner a look. "I know, I know," Thomas muttered. "Just get it over with, I'm not asking for me, I'm asking for Gotham."

Here he was about to ask for something he felt he had no right to, but he had to do it. He just needed it long enough to get rid of the Joker, that was all. He could return it after, he wasn't asking for it permanently just long enough to stop this chaos. But it was still a conversation he dreaded.

The cat seemed to think the muttering wasn't enough and hopped off Thomas's shoulder to lead the way to the study door, stopping and looking back expectantly when he got there. Thomas sighed once more and followed. When he got to the door he paused before knocking on the door briefly.

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dc_adult
2013-09-09 05:54 pm UTC (link)

"Come in," Bruce answered. He was sitting alone, mulling over the events that had occurred recently. Thomas and Maria had dealt with an enemy they certainly were not prepared to deal with at the time. Bruce couldn't help but feel partly responsible. The Joker wasn't just a physical enemy, but a psychological one.

That being said, Thomas was lucky. He was lucky in more ways than one, and Bruce was eternally grateful for that.

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cantkeepmeout
2013-09-09 09:14 pm UTC (link)

If the Joker thing hadn't stung in more ways than one Thomas might've mulled over what failures in regards to the Joker had led to when it came to Robins. As it was, he had enough on his mind even without that added bit.

At the answer Thomas let himself into the study and took the seat across from the desk, leaning his crutches against it as Mr. Paws decided to take over his lap.

There was a long, and awkward to him, pause as he looked down at his hands and thought of how to start. In the end he decided it'd be best to say something that was very often true, and what people never seemed to say to Bruces of any dimension often enough.

"You were right."

Thomas looked away from his alternate universe father and took a breath before continuing. "About a lot of things, but the fear thing specifically. We can't make any headway in Gotham without it. Maybe in other cities but...not here."

He pursed his lips and thought of how to put this next part. "And they feared you, what you made, The Batman. But now...it's...it's gotten worse and with Joker in the game again...they've gotten out of control. They don't have anyone to fear anymore." Thomas had to stop there and looked back up at Bruce, trying to read his face and what he was thinking even if that had always been difficult.

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dc_adult
2013-09-09 09:47 pm UTC (link)

Bruce just looked at Thomas with the same blank expression he'd always had in serious discussions. The encounter with the Joker hadn't truly broken Thomas; he was still ready to fight for what he believed was right. But did he really know what was right? Fear worked for Bruce, but was it something Thomas was really up to the task for? Knowing a method works and being able to employ it; those were two far different things.

He narrowed his gaze at Thomas and furrowed his brow.

"What makes you think you're ready when you can't even ask the question?"

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cantkeepmeout
2013-09-09 10:03 pm UTC (link)

To be honest he'd always been the type to use the striking fear method when he could, he found it worked, and the brighter style Dick had just never suited him. But this was something else, and the look Bruce gave him along with the slight challenge in the question actually had some of the nervousness seep away so he could look the man in the eye again.

"I never said I was, and I don't know if anyone can ever be, I just know that Gotham needs a statement now. And it needs Batman. At least long enough to get this under control. And...I know I have no right to it, or to even ask really, you letting me stay Robin is a lot and I appreciate it more than I can explain. Batman is yours, it's always going to be, but...Gotham needs it, especially now. What you created, it was good, it worked. I'm not you, and I can't be you, but the cowl alone...that brings something to Gotham that nothing the rest of us created can. And that's why I'm asking, because, at least for now, that's what we need."

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dc_adult
2013-09-09 10:11 pm UTC (link)

Whether or not Thomas realized it, he gave Bruce the answer he was looking for. Gotham did need a statement right now, and it had to be Batman. No other name had ever truly been able to keep the peace. Batman was and always will be the one thing Gotham needs.

"Gotham does need a statement," he confirmed as he stood. "And I will allow you to make that statement. But before you do, understand this; you are my son regardless of the universe you come from. You are as much my son as Dick or Tim. If you continue to think you don't have the same right as them, how are you even capable of making the statement that Batman needs to make?"

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cantkeepmeout
2013-09-09 10:41 pm UTC (link)

Thomas looked up at Bruce and blinked in surprise. Somehow, no matter how well you knew the man, he found ways to surprise you even then. Even so, Thomas couldn't help the smile that broke out as he looked down at the cat in his lap, who responded with tail swaying and an 'I told you so' glint in his eye. He didn't know what to say really so he settled for the easiest thing.

"Thank you," he said quietly, though the sincerity and gratefulness behind it were clear. He'd gone in to see Bruce about the Batman issue but he hadn't expected...it was nice though, nice to have family, but even better to be acknowledged as family.

Thomas stopped and looked up as he remembered something to add. "I...can't fit into your suit though, it's not my build," he admitted. "Do you have anything..." In the works, alterable, something to adjust. He still had some more recovery time, and would likely spend some of it bulking up a bit more, not to Bruce's Batman build, no that physique didn't fit his fighting style, but he still thought that Batman needed a bit more physical presence than what he had right now. Not too much, but it was something to work on, and there was a lot else to prepare before he put on the cowl too.

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	dc_adult 2013-09-10 01:06 pm UTC (link)
	"Hmph. I have something in mind." Bruce sat back down, thinking up the design for Thomas' costume. He wasn't all too concerned about appearance as much as functionality. Thomas was going to need something more durable than anything Bruce had worn before, but also more flexible. "I'll work on creating your suit," Bruce said. "You focus on physical therapy." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	cantkeepmeout 2013-09-11 05:27 pm UTC (link)
	Mr. Paws decided things were over and hopped off Thomas's lap to make his way to the door. "I will," Thomas nodded at Bruce and reached for his crutches as he got up to take his leave. He might've hugged the man but Bruce wasn't the type for hugs, so instead Thomas stopped at the doorway to say something before leaving. "Thank you. For letting me be the one to do this." (Reply to this)(Parent)

cantkeepmeout
2013-09-16 12:20 am UTC (link)

While there was plenty of training equipment upstairs, and the gym in the Manor was the one he'd been using these past weeks, since the talk Thomas had set up camp in the Cave. It had better and more extensive equipment, plus he could acess files and have the computer dictate things to him. Sure he'd been keeping himself up to date on files here, something he took seriously since he wasn't a native, but if he was going to operate with the cowl he needed to up his game.

So tonight when Maria returned from patrol, instead of a largely empty cave, the there was the sound of files and videos being played as the bat-computer projected relevant holograms and Thomas was in the middle of a one-handed handstand on the bar. Sure he couldn't use his legs too much yet, but upper body was fair game.

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	crossbow_bat 2013-09-16 12:22 am UTC (link)
	Huntress' bike skidded to a halt and the engine died. Huntress climbed off and removed her mask. Maria sighed and wanted nothing but to climb into a hot shower. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	cantkeepmeout 2013-09-16 12:25 am UTC (link)
	"Long night?" Comes his voice from his spot upside-down on top the bar as she approaches the much more active main console. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	crossbow_bat 2013-09-16 12:29 am UTC (link)
	"You could say that," Maria said and fell into a chair next to him. "How goes it here?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

cantkeepmeout
2013-09-16 12:43 am UTC (link)

Normally he'd hop off the bar and go over to her, but with his legs he couldn't do that quite yet, so instead he just switched his grip and swung down to do pull-ups while talking to her. "Okay. I have to cram everything in that computer that I haven't already into my head, slowly get these legs back into street condition, and bulk up slightly, all in the next few weeks. So...it goes."

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	crossbow_bat 2013-09-16 05:00 am UTC (link)
	Maria's eyes narrowed. "What's going on?" she asked. This wasn't like Thomas at all. Something happened and she was determined to find out. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	cantkeepmeout 2013-09-16 05:06 am UTC (link)
	It wasn't too different for him, he'd always been dedicated, but this was a few steps up and obviously more than just wanting to get back into action soon. "Need to be prepared for when I can finally get back out there. We're going to fix this mess in Gotham. First, it means making a statement." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	crossbow_bat 2013-09-16 05:08 am UTC (link)
	"There are a lot of messes in Gotham to clean up," she said. "But this is different. You're different. What gives?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

cantkeepmeout
2013-09-16 05:19 am UTC (link)

"Not different, just determined," he argued. "And this mess, the Joker, the underworld, too much power and a distinct lack of fear in them." He sighed and stopped the pull ups to switch back to the rest of the usual bar routine. "Robin isn't enough, frankly I'm not enough, but you were right about something. Somewhat right I mean. So to fix this, like I said, needs a statement. A big one. And I can't half-ass it. Hence all this."

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	crossbow_bat 2013-09-16 05:23 am UTC (link)
	It clicked in Maria's head what he was talking about. "Well it's about damn time. What did he say about it?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	cantkeepmeout 2013-09-16 05:27 am UTC (link)
	"Well I asked him first obviously, wouldn't have started anything before I did that." Thomas slowly let himself down from the bar and took one of his crutches to make his way over to a seat nearby her. "He agreed that Gotham needed a statement now and this was the best way to do it." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	crossbow_bat 2013-09-16 05:33 am UTC (link)
	"Like I said, it's about damn time," she said. "How's the recovery going?" Thomas had become as much family as her blood relatives from this dimension and she worried about him. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

cantkeepmeout
2013-09-16 05:38 am UTC (link)

"Yeah but your reasons for thinking I should ask, and my reasons for asking, along with the reasons he let me, are quite different," he rolled his eyes, but smiled slightly. "Steady, that's about all I can say for it. One leg out of commission would go faster since actually practising moving about normally would be easier with one good leg. Unfortunately didn't get that. So..." He shrugged. "I'll make do."

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	crossbow_bat 2013-09-16 05:42 am UTC (link)
	"Yes, but in the end I was right." She smirked. "You'll be back in action in no time. Let me know if there's anything I can do for you." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

cantkeepmeout
2013-09-16 05:46 am UTC (link)

He just seemed amused, but let her gloat in victory. "Hopefully, just need to be more stable on my feet, by then he'll be done with the new suit and I'll be on the streets. But in the meantime, I'd appreciate hearing from you what the situation out there is. It's one thing the news reports and logs, but you're the only one out there right now who's judgement I trust. Gives me a better idea of what I'll be jumping back into."

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	crossbow_bat 2013-09-16 05:52 am UTC (link)
	Maria wasn't sure she'd trust her own judgement at the moment, but she'd make sure she gave him accurate reports. The mess with her personal life proved that her judgement wasn't the best. She nodded. "Don't worry. I'll give you accurate sitreps of what's going on." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	cantkeepmeout 2013-09-16 05:56 am UTC (link)
	"Perfect. Then we'll use it to come up with a plan of action and..." He smirked slightly her way. "'Strike fear into the hearts of those who prey upon the fearful'?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	crossbow_bat 2013-09-16 06:06 am UTC (link)
	Maria smiled. "Something like that. It'll be nice having the Bat back and I think you'll do a great job." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	cantkeepmeout 2013-09-16 06:09 am UTC (link)
	Thomas wasn't sure how this would all turn out, but he'd certainly put everything he had into it. "We'll see." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	crossbow_bat 2013-09-16 06:13 am UTC (link)
	"I'll let you get back to your workout and learning. I need a hot shower and bed." Maria had been pushing herself more than normal lately. Long days at the office and then long nights on the streets. It was the only way she knew how to keep her mind off of a certain someone. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	cantkeepmeout 2013-09-16 06:19 am UTC (link)
	Thomas nodded, he'd be up for a few more hours, there was a lot of work to do and he was already adjusting his sleep schedule for more night-time activities, plus getting his body used to being active at these hours. "Good night then, or morning, however we're calling it." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	crossbow_bat 2013-09-16 06:21 am UTC (link)
	"It's still night. The sun isn't up yet." Maria stood up. "Night, Thomas." She headed for the elevator. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	cantkeepmeout 2013-09-19 11:48 pm UTC (link)
	He had to smile at that. "That's our definition of it, yes." He waved at her as she left, then pushed a few buttons on the bat-computer to change which files were being dictated before he went back to the bar to continue. He wasn't going to bed yet, there was a lot to be done. (Reply to this)(Parent)

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