The First Broad Daylight (Fourth Wall)
[The thing about sudden influxes of people means Batman's constantly busy and can't inevitably stay away from everyone because they're everywhere. So most of his stalking he expects to be bothered... and in fact, it probably will be.
He'll be out in the open a few times today, investigating inevitable disturbances in the village.]
But the comment brings up plenty of unpleasant memories of the final few months Dick Grayson had been Robin in his world. The growing rift between them and Dick's growing frustration. Honestly, this still bothered Bruce in his more private moments, but he knew what Dick did was his own decision.
All of his pushing, his prodding, his expectations? They were for something greater. Batman and Robin stood for more than just being crimefighters. But to be more than that, mistakes couldn't happen. And even besides creating a "legend"... one of the most important things was always that his teammates, his family, made it home alive.
Of course, he never said that out loud. Maybe he should've. But dwelling on it was something that he really couldn't do much. Because there were causes much higher than his own happiness he had to pursue. Because few others could.]
It happens.
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Maybe there was a plan after all. But going in accordance with that plan didn't have to be mutually exclusive to turning coldhearted and solitary. And that was the bit Batman could never understand, the bit that always tempted him most severely when Slade Wilson took an interest in him. A real family worked as a unit stronger than the sum of its parts. Each member could have its flaws, but there would always be another nearby to ensure everyone returned home in one piece.
Bruce would never get that. It wasn't in his nature. And that's what's making it so hard to keep looking at him now.] ....I'll get it done as soon as I can. And then you can go back to Gotham and I'll head back to Jump City and we won't have to deal with one another again. All right?
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[There's a brief look of confusion on his face which might surprise even Robin.]
...Hm. I thought you looked different. ...You're not the same Robin I know from my universe. No less of one, but different.
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...Is this another one of your tests?
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If you were the Robin from my world, you'd still be attending high school in Gotham City. And there's no "Jump City" anywhere within the state of California. And there's no "Titan's Tower" either.
Luceti has a habit of bringing people from all sorts of different worlds together, even alternate worlds of existing planets.
It would seem you and I come from different worlds, or at the very least, different timestreams from each other.
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...You really don't remember any of that? [Timestreams were a logical enough answer, but it's still hard to hear Batman talk about an alternate universe where everything he's worked so hard to attain just... doesn't exist. Where he's still pulling double-duty trying to be a model student and a perfect little soldier. Batman Junior, with nothing of his own to show for it.]
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This Robin must've had a falling out with his version of Batman. ...Unsurprising if his own world was any indication. His just happened later. But if this Batman knew the level of things Robin has accomplished, he probably would be proud. He was proud of his own Robin for a very long time, even if he never said it.]
No. That never happened in my world. You didn't have any reason to leave Gotham at the time, much less form a team.
[Said implying that the Dick Grayson he knew was actually happy at his age. Which is true. The real friction between them didn't start until well into his college years.]
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[This Robin would probably argue that point just for the sake of arguing, but that's beside the point.]
...But none of that'll matter once I figure a way past the barrier. I know what's in the journals. What kind of research have you been hiding?
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