We get back to the Batcave, and the majesty of the place is near breathtaking, but I don't want to enjoy seeing it in person…it feels wrong to enjoy something without her…even though we'd only spent a few weeks together…in that time we learned one another better than anyone else in our entire lives.
Bruce sits down at the bat-computer, and wheels his chair over to a microscope a vial of what looks like blood in his left hand.
'Wonder what he's up to and why he seems so upset with me for going out and drunk singing…I mean sure it was obviously a place with a bad wrap…sure i got stabbed…but I'm fine…why does he even care? Why is he even helping me? Does he just want to keep me under his thumb…does he know how I saved Harley…?' My heart aches at saying her name.
I shake my head and notice Dick Grayson, who looks to be about thirteen years old, standing by a set of stairs leading upwards waiting for me.
"Come on, I'll show you to your room, mine's right across from your's!" Dick says with a genuine amount of enthusiasm and cheerfulness.
I nod but don't say anything else the kid nods with a smile on his face and starts up the stairs while I follow behind him,
stumbling my way through the Batcave and by extension the mansion…which is more like a castle, sadly I become sober with every step I take, Dick is walking only slightly ahead of me, hands behind his back as he whistles Bring Me to Life.
Until we come to a section of the manor, and he stops in front of a door.
"This one's me, that one's your's, you know you were pretty good on stage tonight…I've never heard of most of those songs, did you write them yourself?" Dick asks me and I shrug in an uncommitted manner, while appreciating his pointing out our rooms for me…I didn't feel like talking to him or anyone for that matter.
"Goodnight Dick." I mutter and walk into "my" bedroom in Wayne Manor…it's still too big…too empty…too cold, without her here.
I hear him utter a goodnight back to me in surprise, before a demented chuckle leaves him that would sound more at home coming from the Joker rather than the Boy-Wonder.
Lifting my bloodied shirt that now has holes in it, up, and over my head I toss it onto a fancily carved wooden end table, while kicking my shoes off as I walk closer to the bed.
I fall onto the bed…and I realize I'm not tired…not at all…I just lay in bed wide awake with my eyes shut, trying to sleep…in the cloud like bed…that should have had my lights turned off as soon as I hit it.
I zone out while trying to sleep, the physical memory of Harley's warm soft body acting as my pillow starts to lull me to sleep along with the memory of her scent, her taste, just as I feel myself slipping into the lands of dreams, Harley's voice calling out to me welcoming me to a land where she didn't leave me.
A knock comes from the door accompanied by a posh, English accented voice, "Young Master Wayne, Master Bruce requests your presence in the Cave." I groan at Alfred Pennyworth's timing, 'I probably should go…Bruce can probably help me figure out a way to sleep…I love sleeping…and eating…on that thought why am I not hungry…? It's been over twenty four hours since my last meal…and even with the lack of sleep I don't feel tired…not even in the mental sense of the word.'
Rolling out of bed, I walk over to the door still in the pants I wore to the bar last night, grabbing the door handle I pull the door open to find Alfred waiting for me.
"Good Morning, Young Master Wayne…please follow me, I'll guide you to the Bat-cave." the man sounds genuinely happy to have me here, which throws me off a bit.
Groaning slightly, "Thanks Alfred…but please don't call me Master…it just feels wrong…so does the Wayne part to be honest."
"I understand it's quite jarring for you…everything that you've been through…the loss of Miss Quinzel…the uprooting from your home…but this is your home now, and Master Bruce is genetically your brother…the additional tests Master Bruce ran last night after retrieving you from your night or revelry with the criminal elements of the city…you are not the only one struggling to come to terms with these new and unexplored…circumstances." The older English gentleman that has the voice of the guy who played Alfred from The Nolan Trilogy offers me words of comfort and understanding.
'How did…right he's Batman!' I mentally and verbally groan as Alfred promptly turns on his heels and motions for me to follow him.
"Thanks Alfred…" I mutter the man doesn't have a physical reaction.
"For what Young Master Wayne…I am simply doing as a Butler should…" I hear the chuckle in his voice at my groan of annoyance and exasperation at being called Young Master Wayne.
I grumble under my breath about the size of Wayne Manor as it is just ridiculous to have this much house, though I can appreciate the high ceilings, which house handcrafted chandeliers each one a work of art, the walls are lined with old portraits and paintings that probably cost more money than I could ever spend in a lifetime.
But…the mansion's grandness doesn't outweigh its eerie-ness, the unnatural quiet…that fills the place mine and Alfred's footsteps don't even echo…and it's not because I'm some secret ninja stealth master either…
Alfred leads me to some kind of study.
There's a massive fireplace that dominates a whole wall and above it is a portrait of Bruce and his parents, the other walls are dominated by floor to ceiling bookshelves, with one little spot carved out against the far wall, for an old grandfather clock.
Alfred walks over to and stops in front of the beautiful Grandfather clock, pulls open a little drawer and pulls out the key used to wind up the springs, just like my grandmother used to do with her Grandmother clock, he begins winding up the springs…until the hands reach 10:47 PM, the clock dings/chimes, there a hiss of air and the clock slowly opens revealing a set of stairs that lead down into dark depths.
"After you Young Master." Alfred says with an amused voice as he motions towards the darkness.
Walking down the steps in the dark, small amber lights turn on to illuminate the steps just enough that someone shouldn't fall…but not enough to clearly see the steps more than two steps ahead of you at any time.
After walking for what feels like forever not because it's strenuous but because of the mental toll such a descent into darkness has in someone's mind.
I start to think I've been led into some sort of mental test…but the staircase suddenly opens up and I see it…technically I was here not too long ago…but…this is the,
The Batcave.
And It's fucking insanely fucking cool…sure…most would say I'm overreacting and that it's just a massive underground cavern…but it's not, there's steel, and more technological equipment inside than a secret government facility…like the giant computer monitors glowing in the distance, information flickering across the screens…so fast i can't make out what is actually on them, various Bat themed vehicles are lined up like at a luxury car dealership's showroom.
One wall has a still in the assembly phase Hellbat or Batbot armor, being held up by metal scaffolding.
Then there's the area with Batman's trophies, giant t-rex, copper penny and all…and though I'm just standing here…mouth hanging open in awe…I'm not enjoying it as much as I should be…
Alfred steps past me nonchalantly…letting me have my moment of awe, "Come along now, Young Master Wayne, Master Bruce is waiting for you!" Alfred says over his shoulder whilst walking towards what I assume to be the main platform.
I release a tired sigh at that, "Of course he is…not sure why I have to train…it's not like I'm gonna run around in a carbon nano fiber tubing suit and punch criminals all the, livelong night, like mister Batman!" I grumpily complain as I just want to go back to the bar and thoroughly pickle myself.
Reaching the landing I see Batman sitting in front of the Batcomputer, the glow of the monitors casting his bat-like shadow across the floor up close I notice that he is looking through Documents labeled Wayne Enterprises.
I don't interrupt him after all he is "THE BATMAN" and he is probably doing some important work to either save the world or just Gotham…either way it's still important work.
When he starts closing out his systems, my annoyance at being dragged down here to wait for him is extremely high…
"So you called me all the way down here…to what? give me the silent treatment of disapproval and disappointment?!" I ask, and my exasperation clearly can be heard in my voice and it makes Alfred cough in surprise.
"Are you gonna say something, or is this one of those silent intimidation things? Cause if it is I'm heading to the bar!" I grunt in irritation and Bruce finally turns around and faces me he reaches up and lowers his cowl.
"Training, now?" Bruce's own irritation at my attitude is also clearly heard in his voice…and it's the kind of annoyance…only an older brother can feel when dealing with a petulant younger sibling…how do I know this…well I was an older brother before coming here.
I blink as Batman stands and walks off in a dimly lit direction without looking back at me, "What?!" I ask dumbly.
"Follow me." Bruce calls out over his shoulder, I glance to my right to where Alfred has been standing. He hasn't moved this entire time either…and as I look at Alfred…I notice something back aways behind him…and it's an elevator.
'That old coot made me take the long way down here when there's a perfectly good elevator…Alfred…you're a dickhead!'
think in my mind as I stare at it, and the turn my head to
stare at Alfred.
Alfred does not meet my gaze…which makes me narrow my eyes…at him.
"You made me take the stairs…when there's a perfectly good elevator…right bloody there!" I whisper shout while pointing towards the elevator.
Alfred looking nonplussed adjusts the cuffs of his jacket, "That I did Young Master Wayne...as punishment for making Master Bruce worry for your wellbeing yesterday!" Alfred replies back to me in a calm well practiced casual manner, making me glare at him for a bit longer before sighing.
"Uh-huh…I'm sure The Batman…was just beside himself in worry…over a nobody…like me!" I grunt and before Alfred can say anything, I notice Batman disappears into…a room…sighing to myself I hurry to catch up.
Entering the same room that Batman did I find that the room is…empty, the only things occupying the room…a respectably large room are Bruce and I.
The room itself seems to be made entirely out of white panels, walls from floor to ceiling like some kinda sterile sci-fi nightmare…there's no exercise equipment, no training gear, just unsettling…stark white emptiness.
I glance around the room…"So, what is this place your brainwashing people's room or is it a Virtual Reality simulator?"
Batman does not answer…of course he doesn't answer but he does have a small smirk of amusement on his face, as he walks over to section of floor taps his foot twice…and makes…what I assume to be control panel rise from the floor…he immediately starts pressing buttons…and the floor where I'm stable suddenly shifts, making me land on my ass…where I'd been standing moments ago is a treadmill.
"Okay…that's pretty cool!" I murmur and can tell Bruceman is amused…and maybe a little too pleased with himself…but hey who am I to judge.