Regarding...

[demon_brat]

Does it not occur to you that it may be for the better? I would prove beyond the shadow of a doubt what I chose and what matters to me, and there won't be anyone who can undo it. No more questions.

Just... peace.

Comments

[demon_brat]

Father.

[bodilesswarrior]

[flatly] Oh, the eternal optimist.

[demon_brat]

[Shrugs. He may be absolutely displeased and disappointed with his Father right now? But he knows the man wouldn't do anything without good reason.]

[bodilesswarrior]

[She grimaces, and then schools her expression into something gentler. This isn't the time to rant about Bruce Wayne's many, many failings.] Maybe he showed it to you so you wouldn't take that path - because he knew damn well it isn't anywhere near absolute.

Hell, I'm sure there are timelines where Bruce nukes Gotham.

[demon_brat]

[Even voice, almost emotionless, just stating the facts. This is... something he hasn't even managed to turn into anger, yet, the shock of it is still too great.]

He showed it to me to try to make me understand why he was opting to send be back to Mother. Because were I to stay in Gotham, to become Batman? I would sell my soul to become physically unkillable, then I would let Gotham be taken over so horribly that the President would order a nuclear strike to contain the damage.

[bodilesswarrior]

[Barbara just stares, for a moment. And then every bit of tenderness fades from her face.]

I am going to find that man and beat him within an inch of his life.

[demon_brat]

That doesn't mean he is not correct. Because he usually is.

[bodilesswarrior]

[A derisive snort.] Bullshit.

Bruce is brilliant, but when it comes to making decisions about people, about family, he screws up nine times out of ten.

[demon_brat]

It is a decision about Gotham. One life against many.

[bodilesswarrior]

Funny. I don't remember him putting so much stock in prophecy before.

You ask me, he's got a game plan. A callous, ruthless, ridiculously convoluted game plan.

[demon_brat]

Even so. I have no place in it, it seems.

[bodilesswarrior]

No, you're probably the prize player. You just don't know it. [A dry, hard smile.] He pulls that shit, sometimes.

[demon_brat]

Any play I make is against his express orders. Which I already broke once only to hear that, then he reinforced them.

[Translation: I don't believe in him anymore.]

[bodilesswarrior]

I wish I could tell you what he's playing at. But whatever it is - it does not mean you're destined for destruction. You're a hero, Damian, you have been for a long time.

[demon_brat]

[HOW does she know the things to say that. Scrape right on the sore spots? His mouth is dry, because he wants to be reassured by that, but what he's heard twice now, the first time right before he got tossed down from the penthouse of the Wayne Tower, just echo in his mind all that more loudly. His voice is barely above a whisper as he repeats them.]

Or maybe merely a pawn sent by my Mother to tear everything he's worked for apart.

[bodilesswarrior]

The thing about pawns, Damian, if they makes the right moves, they can be kings. [A true smile, this time.] Or queens.

[demon_brat]

No, thank you. I already turned that down.

[A new Alexander, walking proud to tame the world. His mother's dream for him. The one he's not going back to.]