[Introduction] The apocalypse is canceled until I say so

[boysundering]

Inter-dimensional travel was never pretty.  Damian had read reports of being sucked into an alternate reality where everything that didn't matter was the same and the few things that did were altered in some key, disturbing fashion.  And considering his line of work, he had always figured it would only be a matter of time until he experienced the

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[chevalier_boy]

Once Damien is settled (as much as anyone at the Mansion can be said to be settled in), and should he explore the garden, he might come upon a young boy of about thirteen, armed with a wooden practice sword and going through the moves of a fairly simple form.

[boysundering]

"Tt."

Damian folds his arm and his lips curve onto a sneer that any bratty child would be jealous of. He tilts his head slightly to the side as he watches the boy go through that form. Pathetic. He had learned those moves before he could speak properly.

[chevalier_boy]

The young fellow looks up and raises the sword to his brow in a salute, before lowering it down by his side. "Hi there, don't mind me, I was just practicing my form," he says, in a soft, high-pitched voice. "You new here?"

[boysundering]

Don't mind him? Why should he? Damian frowns and paces over, looking the boy up and down. "Yes. And I won't. Your form is weak."

There. He's being helpful. Pennyworth should be proud.

[chevalier_boy]

"Oh, I probably am: I'm still getting the hang of it," the little fellow replies, glancing at the sword. "I only started at it a few months ago.

"I'm Riku, Riku Miyagusku."

[boysundering]

Then, Damian has to admit, the boy is not so bad with the sword for the amount of time he had to practice. Not that he'll admit it out loud. And it takes him a moment to reply. He's learned, here, that it won't matter what name he gives. He be Robin to the public, but none of these people will have a chance to tell anyone in the outside of world of his true identity.

It would be prudent still to only give his title. But, then again, he doesn't want to be only Robin for the foreseeable future. Not here.

"Damian," he says finally and holds out his hand. Last names may still be too risky to use.

[chevalier_boy]

He'll take the other's hand, and while his grip is fairly firm for such a little guy, he's a teeny bit cool to the touch, certainly not cold, but cooler than one would find in someone who's been practicing a sword form. "Nice to meet you, Damian: welcome to the Mansion!" he says, with a smile. "So, where are you from?" he asks, curious in an innocent way, but not prying.

[boysundering]

Damian looks Riku over with some confusion. The boy looks happy to be here. What was he so happy about? And why hasn't he been recognized yet? Most would know Robin to see him and know Gotham from that.

"Gotham City," Damian answers and releases his hand to wipe his own on his leggings. "And you?'

[chevalier_boy]

"Well, I'm originally from Okinawa, that's an island off the coast of one of the big islands of Japan, but I was travelling with my family in Europe when I came here," he says. His brown eyes get a bit worried as he continues, "Our boat got attacked by monsters, and... well, I won't shock you with the details, but I got killed in the fight. Somehow, I woke up here, and I've been living here ever since.

He'll change the subject fairly quickly, though. "So you're from Gotham? Cool! I've heard about it," he says, but he's careful not to say more: he's heard of people from seemingly fictional worlds turning up here, and he doesn't want to make the colossal blunder of offending someone by calling their world fictional.

[boysundering]

Damian knows his geography. He also knows his monsters. "Shock me," he shrugs and tilts his chin up with a faint smirk. This boy is a mouse. What is he even doing with a sword?

"Really. Try."

[chevalier_boy]

"Well, you see, my big sister Saya works for a group that call themselves the Red Shield: they travel the world hunting vampires and other nasty things called chiropterans, to protect people and keep them from getting eaten by them," he says. "We were on a Red Shield ship, when we got attacked by a really mean vampire queen called Diva and her chiropterans. She hunted me down and... she attacked me and killed me..." A haunted look passes through his eyes as he relates this. "That's when I woke up here."

But the haunting passes, and he continues. "I decided, once I got here, that I'd like to follow in Saya's footsteps: I want to be a warrior and help protect the people who live here. There's been some trouble here: there's nasty wolves in the woods, and there's a demon called Morgoth who comes out every so often to attack people's minds."

[boysundering]

Well Damian may not be shocked exactly, but he is a bit . . . lost. Which is not a familiar feeling to him. He's used to sitting comfortably at the top with access to all the best information. Now even his most base communication devices aren't working and he can't even google 'chiropterans.'

At least Riku was putting himself to use, though. That Damian understood. "People's minds?"

[chevalier_boy]

"I'm afraid so: it didn't happen to me, I don't think it can," he says. "But a few people got hurt really badly. And some others just disappeared. I hope they found a way home, but I've heard Morgoth sometimes captures people to torture."

[boysundering]

It sounds like these people need some true fighters to protect them. And Damian supposes he could lend his assistance if he'll be staying here for any length of time. Only because it would be what Father wanted. And Grayson. "Does he send them back?"

[chevalier_boy]

"If he does, they don't come back the way they were: they're ...kind of messed up, in their heads and their hearts. I mean, they can get better, but it can take some time," he says.

[boysundering]

Damian shifts his weight from foot to the other. "I see." He doesn't. But he will not admit to being affected this information. Damian knows how to fight physical foes. Emotions have never been his strong point.