We Rise!

The first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes was that I was underwater. The depths beneath me stretched as deep and wide as the horizon to my sides, and the light of the surface seemed so distant but close, like I could stretch my hand out and reach it.

“Where am I?”

The questioned lingered like the infinite silence, but no answer came, just the rising anxiety threating to spill forth from my lips but I held on. I would not succumb to fear, it would serve no purpose. Taking a moment to calm myself I collected my thoughts and tried to put together an idea of what happened and where I am.

Looking around I noticed a few things. The first was that I was the only thing in this “ocean”, no aquatic life of any kind was present, no whales, sharks, dolphins, tuna, carp, anything. The next was I couldn’t swim, every attempt to maneuver through the water was met with incredible resistance. I could move my head to look around but trying to move while in the water felt like I was struggling in quicksand, the sheer tension in the water resisted my bodies attempt to right myself up. The last and most important thing I noticed was that even though I was under what I considered to be water, I could still breathe as easily as I could above water. That alone was what really caught my attention more than anything.

I struggled for as long as I could before the exhaustion eventually took me over and I just decided it was best to just relax for the time being.

The anxiety started to come back.

“Okay, breathe, breathe, try to relax, tryy to relax. I can’t allow myself to lose control, if I want to find a way out of here I can’t give in to fear, I can’t lose hope.”

Calming myself down I took to my memories to try and figure out how exactly I got here, but nothing comes to mind, the very last thing I can remember was I was on discord talking to the author of a fanfic I was reading. I was……what was it again, I can’t seem to remember.

“Ugh, come on, it wasn’t even a couple of days ago, how can I not remember?”

Well that’s fantastic, I can’t even remember a simple conversation about…….well this is depressing.

“Oh well, nothing for it I suppose.”

Think I’ll just sleep for now, not like I’m going anywhere anytime soon, besides I’m probably just lucid dreaming anyways. Wait. If I sleep within a lucid dream, do I enter another dream in a deeper level of sleep? Am I pulling an “inception” here? ................ehh whatever.

While I was thinking of such nonsense I ended up falling asleep oddly enough, for how long I couldn’t tell you, there is no way to tell time in this place. The sun never lowers or rises, it stays in place without change.

While I slept, unbeknownst to me a voice called out me, in my sleep I could hear it but not consciously, in my dreams it sounded like a soft whisper.

“Can you hear me?” it called, gently and tenderly as if trying not to rouse me.

“mmmmm” I slowly began to rouse from my rest, letting out a yawn as I tried to open my eyes slowly. Looking up I saw no one, nothing. Thinking it a trick of my ears I relaxed again and closed my eyes.

“Can you hear me” Again it called out, slow but still, and quiet. This time I was out of my stupor and fully aware, my eyes snapped open, looking around but still finding nothing.

“Who’s there!?” I called out and waited and hoped. Hoped that I was not conjuring the voice out of a desire to escape the silence.

There was a soft chuckle in response. “Ah, good, I was worried how long you were going to slumber. I thought you might not wake up again, this is the first time I’ve tried this after all.”

“………….!!!!” My face fell into a deadpan for a second before a thought climbed its way up from the back of my head, and fear began to spread throughout my heart.

“……I see, death huh?” The words were as heavy as the despair that threatened to drown my heart. But the fear was not for my life, I cared not for it. My fear was for my family, the only consistent thing in my life, the only thing that brought me real joy and happiness. They were my world, and they needed me, needed my help.

You see, we never had an exactly stable livelihood, always barely making it by, barely surviving. My parents spent everything they had, time and money, and love into taking care of us, to raise us to stand on our own two feet. But while my brother and sister took to stand on their own, I….I was stagnant. I grew older, but not wiser. I learned, and then I forgot. I made promises, and I broke them. For twenty years I took and I took and I took, but I gave nothing. I was blessed with a grace I never deserved and showed nothing for it, a parasite, a ghoul.

But even still…….even still, it never changed how they loved me, how they cared for me. They never gave up on me even for a moment, sure they were disappointed, they weren’t proud, but they loved me. Eventually I had enough of it, enough of letting them down, of stealing from them. I would give back what was given, and I would give more, more than they could know what to do with. I would reward their faith, there love, their hard work.

It took five years, but I finally struck out on my own, well, not exactly my own. My best friend and I took on work as contractors working for a labor company based out of Washington. Spent the first few months living out of the van we used to move there with, but eventually we found a place to settle into, a simple two bedroom apartment. It was rough, but it was a start. Only….it didn’t last very long.

Cost of living takes a toll over time, especially when a month’s pay can barely cover basic living expenses. I barely survived for a year before I had to leave for home once again. I was humiliated. Not that I failed of course, no, that wasn’t it. It was hole I dug myself into after it all.

Lost the van half a year in, had to uber to work for a month before we found a replacement vehicle. But it landed us in debt, an anchor that slowly but surely weighed us down over time. It became harder and harder to keep making ends meet, the job wasn’t paying enough and better opportunities weren’t available. Never bothered going to college, or interned somewhere to start a career. Sigh. Man this is depressing. I’m not getting anywhere like this. It’s like I’m drowning, but I can breathe just fine. Heh. Funny..

My thoughts fall onto me like an avalanche, burying me deeper and deeper. The sound of the water flowing around me begins to fade, the lights begin to dim. Like the jaws of a beast, despair sinks its fangs into me, drinking deep of my all my hopes and dreams.

“Remain calm, little one, you are by no means deceased. I have merely plucked you from your world and brought you here, in the realm beyond the bleed.” Once again the voice spoke, but with less mirth in its voice, instead projecting a concerned tone as if noticing my inner turmoil. That snapped me right out of it. “Huh?”

What do you mean you “plucked” me?! What am I a friggin daisy?! As if sensing my thoughts the voice…or the presence I guess lightly chuckled causing my brow to twitch in annoyance.

I let out a sigh followed by a deep breath. “Whew. Okay. If I’m not dead I would like some context please because I am really trying hard not to freak the frig out!” He seemed surprised by my response, I guess he expected me to barrage him with questions like most people do when they’re suddenly whisked away.

“Interesting.” Was all I got in response. “Well, to answer your question………I have no idea.”

…………..HAH?! “The hell is that supposed to mean? You kidnap me, drag me across time and space to god knows where and you have no idea why?!” What kind of an idiot pulls shit like this without knowing why he’s doing it, even a lunatic has a reason why they do things, not that anyone would understand them. Kind of like the joker I guess.

“……….you’re a rude one aren’t you.” I can’t tell if he’s deadpanning or amused. Not being able to see what I’m talking to is not just inconvenient but annoying.

“Ah yes, I guess it would be inconvenient would it not?” Wait a sec………crap he can read my mind can’t he? How did I not of that, I’ve been whipped across dimensions by a god like entity, of course he can read my mind. Eh. Whatever.

“I can’t tell if you’re easygoing or a fool. But no matter, if this makes things simpler for you so be it.” A light appeared before me, small at first, probably the size of a grain of rice. It hovered before my face for a moment before moving away as it increased in size until it took on the shape of a large beast. The body was broad and toned, light blue scales covered its skin from head to tail. It had four limbs that looked like fins that angled off to the side that reminded me of a scythe. The tail was long and smooth, wriggling like a snake, attached to its tip was four spikes that protruded on each side. The head was thin and narrow, similar to the head of a dragon mixed with a serpent. Its jaws were lined with razor sharp fangs, but its facial expression never presented itself as menacing; instead, it was soft. Peaceful.

The sheer size of this creature was immense, staggeringly so, but it never made me feel afraid. I actually found myself more excited than anything. It seems he noticed my expression because when I snapped out of it I saw him smiling at me, odd as this sounds considering I’m in front of a Godzilla sized fish an all. Looking at him, the first thought that came to my mind was “Leviathan.”

“I see, so that is what this form is, I must admit our worlds truly are different after all. As leviathan was never simply an aquatic beast in mine.” 

“……….Well, I mean, I’m just guessing really. No one in my world has really ever seen it before after all.”

The beast looks at me and blinks a couple of times, apparently surprised. “Really? Beast like these aren’t normal on your world?”

“Uh, yeah no. If that was normal on my world we’d never leave land. Hell, I would hate to think what else would be “normal” if those things were a common occurrence.”

“Haha yeah I suppose your right. But then again, you’re going to have more to worry about in the future than mere beasts.” That got my attention right there, I forgot about what was important right now, assessing what is going on and finding a way to get back home. My expression stiffened slightly as I asked.

“That reminds me, you still haven’t told me why I’m here and what you want. So let’s get back on topic.” We both resumed calm but serious expressions.

“As I have said I do not know as to why I brought you here exactly, all I do know was that something called out to me. When I looked I found a thread, it was extending out into infinity and when I followed this tether I found you.”

“……….Okay that made like no sense whatsoever.”

“My point exactly.” We both had deadpanned expressions.

“I mean really, even after looking you over you don’t appear to be anything but ordinary, no special skills, no powers or anything. Nada. Zip. Zilch.” I wasn’t really bothered by what he said, I mean he’s right. I don’t have a particular set of skills, I don’t have money, I don’t have pow-

“Wait, people on my world don’t manifest superpowers like in comic books.”

“Really? No supermen, no aliens, mutants, monsters?”

“Nope.”

“……You live in a boring world.”

“A boring world beats one that destroys its own multiverse over and over. I mean, if I was stuck living in DC or Marvel I’d be scared out of my wits trying to survive from day to day.” I could swear I saw his eyebrow twitch for a split second there.

I raised an eyebrow, curious if it was my imagination or not.

“What?”

“……..nothing.”

“okaaay, well anyway could you just, I don’t know, send me back already? I have family I need to get back to.” He looked at me for a while, seemingly deep in thought. After a couple of moments he spoke. “No.” Was all he said.

“!... I’m sorry, I think my hearings failing me could you say that again I must have misheard you.” Denial, the instinct leapt out of me in the form of sarcasm.

“I said no, I cannot send you back. Well, to be more specific I can, but I won’t. There’s a reason why your soul’s tether found its way to me and I would like to know why.”

“Yeah, and I’d like to not spend every day wondering if my family is going to end up on the street but we don’t always get what we want. Your curiosity doesn’t give you carte blanch to do whatever you want!” I was not having this, deity or no, I will find my way home, one way or another!

“You don’t seem to get it do you, I didn’t stumble upon you, someone dangled you in front of me. What kind of being can reach across reality to someone like me? Who can break down the barriers between our worlds? Why did they reach out to me, and why lead me to you? What is so special about you? I don’t understand.”

“While I understand where you’re coming from it doesn’t change anything, I have to get back home, I have people who depend on me, people who need me. We were barely making it day to day as it is. To make matters worse, my family is in danger of losing their home, we have almost no money to survive on, and only one of us has a job to make money with. Add on to that that we’re living with my grandparents who are suffering from dementia so the medical fees only make things even worse, plus my parents themselves are already old enough to be retired but are forced to work because of my lazy ass! Look if you want to play detective that’s your problem, but I am needed on my world, even if it’s just my family. So please, I’m begging you, send me home!” The more I talked the worse the feeling in my stomach was getting, I was worried more and more that not only was my family freaking out over me disappearing all of a sudden, but this guy wasn’t going to let me leave. And I was right.

He closed his eyes and spoke solemnly “I’m sorry but I cannot. Not until I understand why you are-“His sentence was cut midway when he sensed something and his head snapped up. Confused I followed his gaze to see the sun setting, but not to the horizon but directly down towards us instead. Surprise spread across both of our faces, more so mine because I could see he was as confused as I was, he clearly didn’t know what was going on. The sun lowered itself into the water and again to my surprise the waters did not boil. The sun lowered until it was in front of the both of us.

 

“……………”

“…………….”

We both sat in silence waiting. Waiting to see what would happen. What it would do.

I looked at him and asked, trying to figure out if this was some kind of trick or something

“Soooo, I’m going to go ahead and guess this isn’t you right?” he never took his eyes of the large glowing orb in front of him. It looked as big as he was, if not bigger. The orb hummed like it was a tune fork or something, but the sound wasn’t repulsive, it was……surreal. Like a soothing whistle.

The beast was the first to speak.

“It was you wasn’t it? The one who showed him to me? Why? What do you seek by doing this?”

The orb was silent but still hummed for a moment, then without warning a force spilled forth from it, like a wave that spread across the waters, I could feel the vibrations shaking me down to my bones. I was struck with fear, the atmosphere was so heavy. Like I was being pulled down by heavy gravitational forces, but I wasn’t sinking at all. What surprised me more was the surprise and trepidation that showed on the beast as it looked at the glowing orb. Coiling itself waiting to strike, sensing a threat to itself in front of it.

And then it spoke, well sort of I guess, it sound like a multitude of people all crying out at once. The sound of its voice inaudible as was the words it spoke, but the beast could interpret its words and intent nonetheless.

“*********”

“What business of yours is it to question me on how I govern my creation?!”

“**********”

“………She made her choice and paid the price, I saw to it myself.”

“***********”

“………….”

“***********”

“……..Why have you brought this boy to my doorstep?”

“***********”

“So that’s what it was……. I see now. Hehe, a pebble is he?”

“************”

I am so lost right now. I’ve been listening to the two of them talk for a while now and I can’t track one ioda of this conversation, more like how the hell are they even communicating, it’s like I’m listening to the ancients from ffxiv but unlike in the game I don’t have the friggin echo to translate what that thing is even said. Anyway this isn’t going anywhere so I yelled out to the both of them.

“SO YOU GUYS FIGURE THINGS OUT YET?! CAUSE I REALLY NEED TO GET HOME!” The beast stopped and looked at me and I swear he had this “oh right I forgot you here” look on his face, to which I called him out on. “You forgot I was even here didn’t you?”

He smiled wryly at that. “Sorry about that, he was explaining to me what was going on and why you are hear.”

“And?” I said exhausted, more emotionally and mentally than anything, I feel like I’ve been here forever. I just want to go home.

His eyes went up to the right, clearly indicating he was deliberating on how to tell me something, which didn’t really give me a good feeling.

“So the good news is that I no longer wonder why you’re hear, the bad news however…..”

“I’m not going home am I?” the misery on my face was plain to see. He winced slightly but continued on. “I’m sorry to say but no you are not.” He lowered his head. “I’m sorry.”

“W-Why? What do you people want from me?!” I could feel warmth trickle down my cheeks, the dam was about to break and I had not the strength to keep it back anymore. The beast looked solemnly at me, wanting to say something to help me cope maybe? I don’t know, and I don’t care, I just want this to be over with. His body shown bright and his form changed again as he shrunk down to my height and took on the form of an old man in his sixties. He wore grey suit and top hat, a mustache short but groomed. You’d mistake the guy for the monopoly man if he wasn’t so jolly looking.

“You were brought here to be a catalyst.”

“A catalyst?” I asked with hardly any interest, the words were barely being registered by the numbing feeling I was wrestling with at the thought of never seeing my family again, there is nothing worse for a parent to live with than the loss of a child, they would rather lose their limbs than lose their children. I would not wish this pain on anyone, it’s what always kept me from crossing the line of taking my own life, so I chose to do something with it. But now. Now it all seemed so pointless. Meaningless.

“Yes, a catalyst. A small stone that will bring upon an rockslide, a cry that will bring an avalanche. You were brought here to break the cycle of death and rebirth.

“So…….I’m a metaphor or something?”

“uhh no, sorry ummm……” He paused while putting his hand under his chin in thought, I was kind of surprised actually, it’s like he’s only capable of speaking in metaphors.

“Soooo I’m a cure for insanity?” His head tilted to the side while looking at me curiously. “Cure for what now?” I scratched my head, or mentally did anyway. Still can’t move my body after all.

“Well based on the vague metaphors it seems your universe seems to undergo a repeating crisis over and over and you guys seem to think that by throwing me, someone entirely separate from every aspect of your universe, might be able to I don’t know, shock the system I guess into change or something?” He stared straight at me for a whole minute before the words finally got out of his mouth. “Uhhh yeah, basically that, I’m kind of surprised you were able to put all that together.”

A vein bulged on my brow. “I’m not as stupid as you apparently think I look you know.” He laughed apologetically while rubbing the back of his head. “Sorry, looks can be deceiving I guess.” Another vein popped on my head. (I’m going to kill this bastard!)

He cleared his throat and straightened his posture before continuing. “So first things first, before I send you off I want you to know that when you were brought here from your world you changed time zones. The flow of time in your world and the one here flow at different rates, which I would think would be obvious.” How exactly is that supposed to be obvious?! Do I look like an expert at quantum physics?! “So how much time has passed since I left then?” I was still depressed but hearing that actually lightened the burden a bit. But just a bit.

“None at all really, different universes run at different speeds.”

“That is such a half-assed explination…” My face again went deadpan.

“Yeah, well, this took longer than I wanted so I’m trying to move this along.”

“What are you, a fanfic author or something?” We were both honestly just wanting to get this over with one way or another.

“A what?” The confusion was clear on his face as he had no idea what I was apparently talking about. “Forget it never mind, so how long am I gonna be here for exactly?” He looked me straight in the eyes as he answered. “Until the day you die of course?” His response made it seem like I asked a weird question or something.

WHAT?! “WHAT?!” Huh, it seems my mouth and my brain was in sync for once.

“Well this was kind of a permanent relocation after all, it’s not like I brought you here to clean out my closet or something.” Wait, so I’m never going back, I’m gonna be trapped here?! Never to see my family again?! “Nononononononononono!!! I can’t be here forever, I can’t!” I was groveling at this point, even though I couldn’t move. Seeing the clear panic and fear in my face and voice he held his hands up in a calming motion.

“I never said you would not return, it just won’t be until you died in this one.” My brain is having an overload at this point, if I was going to be able to go home then fine, as long as they’ll still be there when I get back. “When I go back, will it be when I left?” I asked hesitantly, almost not even wanting to hear the answer.

“Pretty much yeah, about like a minute will have past I suppose.” My heart almost broke from the tension of waiting for him to answer, but hearing it was such a relief I couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. “aauuuggghhh, t-t-thank g-god, t-thank god!!” The look of shock on his face spoke volumes, it was obvious to him now that he failed to start with the most important detail of all. His gaze softened as he looked at him, he raised his hand and lowered it on his head and spoke softly. “I’m so sorry, I should have started with that. It is so rare to find someone in my world with such tenderhearted love someone besides themselves that I suppose I’ve become so jaded as to not notice. Please forgive me for that, you will return to the moment you left, not a moment will have passed so rest assured.” He snapped his finger and I began to slowly descend downwards towards the infinite abyss, I could barely stifle anything out as I continued to weep for joy at knowing they’d be alright. “Thank you.” I said softly, barely audible but I think he heard me regardless, because I could swear I saw him smile before he got too far away. Before the he and the orb faded from view something weird happened, the orb splintered a chunk of itself off and it followed after me. It flew down in front of my chest and glowed brighter as it inched closer to me as I could only look on confused. When it finally made contact it just…passed into me, like I was made of water or something, but I didn’t feel anything, no change, no pain or anything. But my eyes became heavy with every second, unnaturally so, it took only a moment before I fell to slumber once again, the last thought flowing through my head being “♪Simple and clean is the way that your making me feel tonight, it’s hard to let it go♪

 

The old man watched as he fell through the void, still pondering what the orb told him, he looked to ask the orb one last question but found it was already gone. Sighing he looked back down again one last time as he began to fade out of sight as he said. “Build a better world than ours, Drake.”

(Author’s note: sorry, I forgot to name the guy earlier but didn’t notice until the ninth page XD

But anyway, I’m gonna try and use third person going forward since I finally named the bastard. That is all.)

“Mmmmm, where the hell am I?” Drake rubbed his eyes and looked around, from what he could see the sun had gone down and he was in an alley, a neon sign hung at the corner leading to the street. He imagined he was behind a bar or something. Getting up and dusting himself off, he got up to leave the alley but instead he stumbled over falling back down face first. “Ow! What the hell?” Picking himself up, drake noticed a mild scrape on his arm……which was a lot shorter than he remembers, and so was his legs, and his…..well, everything was shorter than he remembers. Drake took a moment to adjust to his body’s range of movement. “Ooh this feels weird, it’s like I’m wearing somebody else’s skin, and it feels uncomfortable.” It took a few minutes of stretching but he finally adjusted to his body’s movements, quickly leaving the alley he looked for the nearest window, wanting to figure out what happened to his body. Walking to the front of the bar and looking at his reflection on the window, his jaw dropped straight to the ground.

“You gotta be kidding me…..” what drake saw in his reflection was a child, a boy no less than seven years old, or at least, how HE looked when he was seven anyway. Lush full head of raven black hair, chocolate brown eyes, lightly tanned skin. “I think I would have preferred identity papers instead of youth, but I guess I’ll just have to work with what I got. Though I still have no idea what the frick I’m supposed to do hear.” Drake mused to himself frustratingly, youth was certainly nice to someone about to hit his thirties but……yeah, a prepared identity would have been much preferred to simple youth. I mean how am I supposed to fend for myself here on my own, I’m a child now! I can’t apply for a job, buy a house, a vehicle, I have don’t even have health insurance! Drake sighed deeply, he was just going to have to figure out how to survive on his own. First things first, he needed to know where he was, then find a place to rest. Hotel was out, no money, shelter too, they’d probably just send me to foster and I’m not rolling the dice on that. I’ll just have to play the street urchin for now until an opportunity presents itself.

Drake looked around for someone to ask for information but all the people around him looked a bit…….shady I guess. This was not giving him a good feeling to say the least. “Seriously where the hell am I?” Drake was seriously wondering how much crack that…..whatever that thing that sent him here was on to dump in a place like this. If I die in the next hour I swear to god I’m haunting your ass! YOU HEAR ME!?

While he was distracted someone spoke behind him, a girl probably his age (well, physical age anyway.) “That’s Mary’s place, it’s a watering hole for some of the more notorious crime organizations, the better question is what’s a brat like you doing loitering around a place like this?” Drake turned to seek out the voice and found he was right, a little girl his age and size with shoulder length black hair and emerald green eyes. Something about her put him on edge, not in fear, but in suspicion, he couldn’t put his finger on it but he knew how to notice when something was off. And this girl reeked of offness. “Thank you…I guess. Miss…?” Drake relaxed his shoulders slightly, leaning himself slightly back ready to make a run for it if necessary. He had to keep reminding himself he wasn’t in Kansas anymore, nothing could be taken for what it seemed.

The girl smirked playfully, obviously noticing the adjustment in my posture. She spoke softly and slowly as she eyed me like the prey she thought I was. “Hehe, well I’m not usually one to give my name to strangers but…..” she looked drake up and down for a moment, “I suppose I can make an exception. You can call me….kitty.” My eyes narrowed for a split second. The hell is that supposed to be? Your stage name?! Are you a magician or something?! “kitty huh, okay I guess.” Not the best first contact but not the wor-WAIT A SECOND! I fought the shock that was fighting its way to register on my face. Mary’s bar? Why does that sound familiar? I know that from somewhere I’m sure of it but where? Where…..where…..!!!!!!!!

Drake asked kitty slowly but cautiously, hoping to god he wasn’t just being paranoid. “So kitty..”

“Hm?” I hesitated for a second before the words finally escaped my mouth. “One of those “Crime” organization wouldn’t happen to be named Falcone would it?” She raised an eyebrow at the question, it was like I asked the most obvious thing in the world. What she said next set every alarm in my head off at once. “Well yeah, duh everyone knows that, why would you ask something so- Hey! Where are you going?!”

Drake was already on the move full sprint running as fast as his legs could carry them. “Nonononononoooope!!” I was moving like my life depends on it. That rat bastard, of all the places he could drop me it was in the middle of GOTHAM CITY?!! Are you insane?! Why would you throw me straight into the lion’s den?  Are you trying to kill me or something, do I look like I trademark “get good” or something?! I don’t play dark souls, I’m casual you morons!!!

While screaming in his head at the top of his lungs he could hear kitty yelling behind him

“Oi pipsqueak what’s going on? Why are you running like someone set your ass on fire?! She called out hot on my trail, the playfulness was gone and was replaced with serious curiosity.

Drake looked behind with an exasperated look of confusion. “Because I’m allergic to lead, and I don’t have my epipen!” Clearly that went over her head, “What? The hells an epipen?! That doesn’t make any sense!” “Neither does hanging around cleptomaniacs!” I was not going to stop and explain why I wasn’t going to hang around one of the most dangerous parts of Gotham freaking city! Or why I was not going to contend myself with the company of someone who is more than likely to make off with the cloths off my back the moment I let my guard down. This is Selina Kyle we’re talking about, not the good girl version married to batman, this is the gangsta girl Selina and I don’t have enough d20’s for this! Wait! If she’s a kid than that means……..So that’s why. “What’s the date today?!” I yelled back approaching an intersection.

“What?” “The date! What is it?” If it’s today then I don’t have a second to spare. We both stopped at the intersection to catch our breaths for a second while she looked at me funny.

“Huff huff…….It’s the 28^th?” “Month and year?” I was really hoping it wasn’t today.

“It’s September of 81. Why does that matter?” My palm met my face as I gritted my teeth. Why would you drop me here on this day of all days while I’m stuck in my younger form!? Do I look like I can deflect bullets or something? Hell, I don’t even know the geography of the city, it’s like they ever gave us a detailed atlas of the city! The light was still red and I was running out of time, gauging the traffic passing by I found a gap and took off running. “Ah, hey! Are you trying to get yourself killed!?” I heard her but ignored the sound of her voice, I was too focused on moving my ass! I needed to find crime alley as fast as possible but had no clue how I was gonna get there. Just as I was halfway across I heard the horn blasting, turning to my left I saw it. Truck-kun was heading straight for me. Yeah no, one isekai relocation was enough, I’m not interested in finding out where this one’ll send me.

“Kid lookout!” Selina yelled out but I was already moving and the driver was already slamming on the breaks. I jumped as hard I as my little legs could carry me and barely cleared the truck making it to the other side of the street.

“You damn brat! Ya got a death wish or something!?” Needless to say the driver was pissed, obviously glad he wasn’t gonna have to live a kids death on his conscience while Selina was dumbfounded. But I didn’t have time to deal with them, I was on the move again when I shouted back to Selina. “Later Miss Kyle I got somewhere I really need to be right now, also seriously, stop following me! Go pick someone’s wallet or something! I’m broke anyways!” I left before I could hear her reply and started running again. Though a few minutes later it dawned on me that I basically just left behind the only person I could ask right now in this city for directions but I wasn’t going back. While she would have been helpful in getting me to crime alley, meeting her right after I woke up here is like running into a girl with toast in her mouth on the way to school…..Man I’m a weeb. Focus man! Focus! I need a map right now if I’m gonna find even have a chance of making it in time. Looking up I noticed a gas station. Perfect! This is exactly the kind of place I was looking for. Ducking in I looked around until I found an atlas with a map of the city. Huh. Oh yeah, I forgot Gotham was created to be a city in New Jersey, now where is crime alley……there. Now where am I…..yep, not a clue whatsoever.

Drake looked around and found the store clerk coming out of the bathroom. Walking over to him, he brought up the map and asked where he was, the clerk raised an eyebrow wondering why a child was by himself out at this time of night. Though it lasted only for a second before the interest faded from his face. “Let’s see here, hmm….your right about here.” I looked to where he pointed and holy crap I was only two blocks away! “Thanks mister!” “No problem kid, you gonna be alright by yourself, need me to call someone?” I considered it for a second but chose against it. It’s Gotham, you never know where the psycho’s could pop up and I wasn’t going to put myself alone in a vehicle of all things with a stranger.

“No thanks I’m good, my place is actually close by, I just got a little turned around is all.” I said smiling as convincingly as I could, pretending to be an innocent child is a pain in the ass.
“Well if you’re sure than, but be careful alright? It’s dangerous out there.” I tried so hard not to say “duh” to that. Again, it’s Gotham. I was on the move again, running as fast as I could. Every step felt heavy, like they were laced with concrete. The exhaustion played a part in it, but it was the fear, the anxiety, it made every step heavier and heavier. I wasn’t even thinking about what I was going to do when I got there, I mean, I don’t see an officer in sight and this place looks pretty shady as it is. Seriously this place is depressing. It’s like it was hand crafted to suck all the joy out of your life.

Snapping out of my thoughts I found that I made to my destination, the movie theater bruce visited to see the mask of zorro. Man this place was huge! It looked like the grand ol Oprey was renovated create movie theater. The design was gothic regality incarnate. You could just feel the history coming off this thing, but this wasn’t the time to indulge in its fancy architectural design. I needed to find bruce before it’s too late. The theater’s entrance was at the top of two flights of stairs but I wasn’t looking to get inside, I wanted the alley it was connected to. I wanted to get to crime alley. I couldn’t remember which side of the building the alley was on and it was costing me time trying to remember, I was beginning to get more and more frustrated.

That was when someone spoke to me from the side, surprising me. “Excuse me young man, are you lost? Where are your parents?” I was so focused on trying to remember which alley to go to that I didn’t notice someone approach me, causing me to shout in surprise. “OH Holy crap man! Don’t sneak up on me like that are you trying to give me a heart attack or somethi-Wait what?!”

I was midst snap when I noticed two things about the guy that called out to me. The first thing was the british accent the guy was giving off, the second thing I noticed was the man’s impeccable posture as well as the fine suit he was wearing. (“Wait wait wait! British accent, fancy suit, receding hairline, ridiculously expensive looking car? Holy bullshit coincidences batman, am I looking at Alfred Pennyworth?!) I shook the thoughts away as I regained my composure which was clearly geeking the fuck out. “Ahem. Alfred pennyworth I presume?” I was past keeping a low profile at this point, I no longer had the time or patience. He appeared slightly intrigued rather than startled that I, a complete stranger and a brat no older than his charge would know his full name. “I’m sorry young man, but have we met before? I’m afraid I cannot recall having had the pleasure.” I was a little ragged looking at this point, I was tired, exhausted and sweating profusely from all the running I’d been doing. Hell, at this point I’m surprised I haven’t passed out, but I was going to keep pushing myself until the night was over. Until I knew that kid was safe, unlike comic book writers, I don’t leave life and death to things like plot armor. Clearly he noticed because the concern was plain as day on his face. “Are you alright young man? Would you like something to-“. “Crime. Huff. Huff. Alley.” Drake was barely able to make out the words through all the panting. “Where. Huff. Huff. Is it?”

Alfred was confused as to why drake was asking about crime alley, it was a shady place to say the least, unbecoming of a place to send wayward children to wander. But before he could even respond we heard it. The sound I hoped I wouldn’t have to hear. A gunshot.

“SHIT, I’m too late!!” I bolted again, it was the left alley, the FUCKING LEFT ALLEY.

I wasted all that fucking time on such a stupid decision when I should’ve just went with my gut! Worst case I could have just circled around to the other alley, but now my indecision has cost bruce his parents! I yelled back while moving with all my being, “If you want your charge to live than move your ass and follow me old man!” Alfred was still in shock from the gunshot and the knowledge that the Wayne family was anywhere near it and he wasn’t there to protect them, but drake’s shout snapped him out of it. He moved, moved with purpose, moved as fast as his body could. I rounded the corner first and saw it. The scene I saw so many times, in so many comics, so many movies, over and over and over again! Damnit! Damnit I knew, I KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN AND STILL I WAS LATE!!!

Thomas and Martha Wayne lay dead on the ground, shot to death, and joe chill standing over them. My heart broke at the sight of him. Bruce on his knees crying over the death of his parents, over the helplessness he felt at not being able to protect them, at the injustice of it all. Alfred stood behind me in shock of it all, trying to cope with feelings running almost parallel to my own. Rage, despair, helplessness, a myriad of feelings colliding like a whirlpool. Chill’s eyes snapped up, looking at Alfred before landing on me. I could see it in his eyes, the fear, the desperation, the guilt, and the lies he’d tell himself to justify this horror for what amounted to petty cash. Thomas and Martha Wayne were philanthropists, their massive fortune all spent in the service of trying to raise this city out of the depths of the hell it allowed itself to fall in. They didn’t carry expensive jewel’s and valuables around all the time when they went out because all of their “valuables” would go towards helping people the poor, whether their pride would allow it or not. They loved people with all their hearts, it was why I respected them so much.

But now. Now they are gone, now they are but a memory, one that will haunt this kid for the rest of his life. I wanted to scream, to rage at the worm in front of me! But I knew better, regardless if he knew it or not he was a pawn, and I knew who pulled the strings. The FUCKING COURT OF OWLS!!!!! It was bad enough reading about them in the comics, but to witness it firsthand cut me deeper than I thought possible. They would pay for this. This I swear with all my being!

Snapping out of my inner monologue I spotted chill moving towards bruce. Shit! He’s planning on using the kid as a hostage. Alfred noticed to and began to dash forward, “Master Wayne, run!” I could see it, the kid was still in too much shock to be able to hear or process what was even going on. Looking around I saw glass bottle on the ground and grabbed it and threw it as hard as I could, aiming for his face. “AAUUGH!!!” NAILED IT! Right on his temple!

The gun dropped to the ground as chill staggered, holding his head with his hands. Seeing the opening Alfred lunged forward into chill’s stomach, tackling him to the ground. It only took a moment to render the man unconscious, followed by the sound of sirens after a few more had past. The emt’s placed Thomas and Martha’s remains onto one of the trucks and departed while the other was giving Bruce a checkup. A few minutes later a patrol car showed up and out stepped the commissioner himself, well, future commissioner anyway. Good ol officer James Gorden. You could tell he had kids, he had such a tender expression when it came to children, you could see the care in his eyes and his body language. Alfred answered on bruce’s behalf when it became too much for the boy to recount the events. We all hated it, making him relive this moment, but that was his job and I wasn’t going to fault him for it. I knew his heart.

I had moved myself across the street, before the ambulance and police showed up. While I had “saved” Bruce, I failed to save what mattered to him most. I hated that, that feeling in my gut, like a furnace that threatened to burn me alive from the inside out. The one thing I came to understand tonight is that this wasn’t going to be the last time. I wasn’t going to be able to save everyone, but I was sure as hell gonna try. I would never give up, never give in. When my fears came knocking on my door, I’d face them. When my insecurities sought to remind me of all my faults and failures, I’d tell it to fuck the hell off! And when adversity marches on my doorstep, IT WILL BE MET WITH WAR!

“Ughh, what the hell?” My vision blurred and my body became heavy, strength was leaving my body. The adrenaline was wearing off and fatigue was rearing its head now of all times! Damnit! I can’t pass out here, who knows where I’ll end up. I struggled, pounded my fist against my forehead to jumpstart another shot of adrenaline. But nothing worked, again and again I struggled but the weariness grew heavier. My eyes felt like they were being sown shut, I couldn’t hold on any longer as my body crashed down to the ground with a loud thud. As I drifted off I could only hope I didn’t wake up on an operating table having my organs harvested.

 

A few days later….

“mmmmmmm” Drake groaned as he adjusted his posture, his mind still foggy from the large amount of melatonin his body was secreting to help him rest the past few days. He turned over, trying to get comfortable and holy crap was comfortable. He was lost to the bliss he was experiencing from how soft and fluffy what he was laying in was. It’s like he was plastered on absence, floating on a cloud, the chemical secretions his brain was shelling out ran wave after wave of bliss across his body from how soft and comfortable this bed is. Well, it would have been if not for the fool who decided to ruin it all by calling to him. “How long do you plan on sleeping her? This isn’t a bed and breakfast you know.” I knew the voice, but didn’t care, I was enjoying the greatest sleep of my life. I hugged the pillow and buried my face in what I could only assume was a body pillow. “Mmmmm go away! You’re intruding on private property, please leave before we are forced to call the proper authorities.” If you listened closely you could hear the vein popping on Bruce’s forehead, Alfred on the other hand was lightly chuckling. 

“Call the-? How are you the one calling the police when this my house!? When that’s my bed!? I should be the one calling the cops!”  He snapped back in annoyance, Alfred now had his hand at his mouth stifling his laughter. “Incorrect. You have entered Ubisom, the land of slumber! This is sovereign territory. If you desire entry you will have to file the proper paperwork with the authorities.” Another vein popped, clearly Bruce’s patience was wearing thinner and thinner, it also wasn’t helping that Alfred’s stifled laughter slipped past his impenetrable poker face.

“I’m sorry to disappoint you but your sovereignty has been revoked and your land claimed and I am here to serve your eviction notice!” He was flushed faced at this point, clearly not used to dealing with someone so frivolous. Drake slowly turned toward him while peaking behind the pillow he was hugging. “Aaah, the United Nations, my greatest foe.” It was clear drake wasn’t taking Bruce seriously and it was making him mad. “Come to invade my lands have you? Come to plunder my resources? Fool! These lands hold no gold, no crude oils to frack, and no minerals to excavate for profit. The only resources we offer are fluffy pillows and diabolically comfy mattresses. If you still desire our lands know that I will not go down without a nap!”

Silence filled the room for all but a second before Alfred burst out laughing. Bruce on the other hand had reached his breaking point. “Enough of this nonsense, you have rested long enough and it is time for you to get up!! Come! On! Already!” The two struggled as Bruce tried to pull him out by the sheets while drake dug himself further under the covers. “Never! This bed shall be my fortress! My fortress of sleepitude!” “What sleepitude?! Your just a lazy mooch trying to-” Drake snapped awake at the sound of the word mooch, it brought bitter memories with all the guilt and self-loathing that came with it. The young master of the house was stunned at the abrupt change in demeanor in his guest, the eyes he saw showed a feeling he knew all too well. He wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words, he was barely coping with his own feelings let alone trying to help someone with theirs.

Bruce’s hesitation did not go unnoticed by both Alfred and drake. Alfred showed similar hesitation in saying anything and drake understood why. He was a stranger to them, both of them. Mild bickering wasn’t going to make them best friends, nor was throwing a bottle at a mugger. Drake leaned over towards Bruce while raising his hand, seeing this Alfred thought he was trying to comfort Bruce by patting his forehead while the young boy was lost in thought. They both were given a surprise. Whack! Bruce held his forehead in surprise while glaring at the boy who just karate chopped him on the head. “Ow! What the hell was that for you jerk!?” Drake chuckled looking the boy, his demeanor betraying his age, showing a wry smile you couldn’t find in a seven year old. “Learn to take care of yourself before you worry about taking care of someone else, you can’t “help” if you’re helpless yourself.”

That got him a reaction, and he knew he was right. The past few days have been almost impossible to bear, his parents were just laid to rest yesterday and he was honestly looking for a distraction, something, and anything to not feel the pain even for the briefest of moments. Drake provided that ironically, the only resident as quiet as the silence that radiated throughout the mansion. He was a mystery to Bruce, an unknown, and Bruce’s curious nature found solace in the distraction this resident of his presented. Who was he? Where was he from? Why was he there that night? What does he want? Questions after questions and idea swirled around his mind, at least it was until he woke up. All that mystery thrown out the window by an idiot spouting nonsense about a sleeping fortress. “Hmph.” Was all drake was going to get from that and he knew it. Bruce was many things, but nothing stood out more than his stubbornness. It was one of his best qualities, and one of the biggest pain in the ass.

Sitting himself upright, drake brought his feet to the ground and stood up, taking a look around the room. It was large to say the least, you could turn this place into a two bedroom apartment with all the room in here. His attention was then turned back towards the pouting prince, a smile crept upon his face before he returned to a formal appearance. Bowing slightly while speaking softly he spoke. “Thank you very much for taking care of me and these last few days. I cannot convey to you how grateful I am for your most generous kindness.” Bruce and Alfred were speechless, blinking in surprise before looking at each other than looking back to drake again in confusion. Just who is this boy? Everything about him suggest he’s just a normal kid living on the street, and this wasn’t just guesswork, they checked. While drake was asleep Alfred made use of Wayne Enterprises resources and conducted an extensive background check when bruce decided to bring him to the manor. Alfred was now responsible for the bruce’s safety and wellbeing, he wasn’t going to going to bring someone into the young master’s home without knowing what he was dealing with. But even with all their resources they couldn’t find an ounce of information on the boy, he was like a ghost, seemingly appearing out of thin air. But that shouldn’t be possible, even most runaways living on the street have at least some form of way to identify them whether it’s their social security, fingerprints, D.N.A, birth certificate and so on.

But they couldn’t find anything, not even a trace. Since he couldn’t learn anything through the legal system, he decided the next best thing was to observe him up close. So throughout the last three days he would keep an eye on the boy, to watch and to wait. Three days did he watch and wait, when day three came around he started to consider sending the boy to the er since it seemed like he wasn’t going to wake up. But the oddly enough the moment master wayne approached he roused from his slumber, like he was waiting for young bruce to finally approach him.

Looking at him now though I still find him curious, but I don’t feel like I should be worried about him anymore. Somehow I find myself no longer caring of his origins, because even if it was just a moment, he was able to bring back the young master to how he used to be. I started to think that maybe. Just maybe. Young master Bruce might find his smile again with him around.

Drake leaned back up, keeping up a comfortable posture while maintaining a calm persona. He was grateful for the care they had given him but believed it was time to move on, he wasn’t big on overstaying his welcome. Gathering his belonging beside his bead he made his way out of the room, causing bruce and Alfred to snap out of their stupor. “Wait! Where are you going?” Bruce didn’t understand, he knew the boy was homeless and more than likely lived on the street. He half expected him to really lock himself away somewhere in the mansion and refuse to leave. But seeing him willingly walk out like this without being asked he couldn’t help but question what was going to happen to him now. Drake stopped to look back for a moment to simply say, “Who knows. Meh, I’ll figure something out.” He shrugged and then turned to walk away again to earning another dumbfounded expression from bruce who turned to Alfred and gave a look that could only say “What should I do?” Alfred chuckled softly and smiled at bruce while motioning with his eyes towards drake as he left the room. Seemingly understanding what Alfred was getting at, bruce took on a newfound resolve and chased after drake.

He found him halfway down the stairs leaving the garden area of the mansion grounds. He quickly called out catching drake’s attention. “Wait!” Drake stopped to look back surprised, curious to what the little prince was up to. “Yeah?” Bruce hesitated for a moment, appearing to summon all the courage he had before approaching drake. “Why don’t you stick around here for a while? You don’t have anywhere to go right?” I chuckled inside but didn’t show it as I understood what he was doing. So I’m to be Richard Grayson am I? That’s kind of funny if you think about it. But that’s no good bruce, you can’t use charity to make friends, that’s how you end up someone’s pawn. “True, but I’m not a special case, plenty of kids like me are on the street. Unless you’re planning to bring in every kid you come across?” I wasn’t wrong and he knew it, using my homelessness to justify me being here wasn’t kindness, its ego. He needs to be transparent, to state clearly what he wants or this becomes pointless. “Well no, but…” His gaze fell to the ground as he spoke, I could tell he wanted me to stay but his stubbornness was getting in the way. I could concede but that would only make things worse, bruce has to learn how pushed passed it, I just need to give him one last push. I turned around and started to descend the stairs once more. “hehe, later bruce, don’t give Alfred too much trouble okay?” I down to the last step before he finally said it. “Okay, fine! I want you to stay okay!? I’m worried you’re gonna go out there and get yourself hurt again and the next person who finds you is gonna kill you or worse! Plus this place is way too big for someone like me to live alone in……so I wouldn’t mind having….you know…..someone to talk to sometimes.” I was dumbfounded, the look on my face said it all. Was batman always this much of a tsundere? I think I may have broken batman, I’m kind of worried about the future at this point. Meh, whatever, I’ll deal the future when it comes.

“Well? Are you gonna stay or what?” He was getting antsy at this point but I didn’t mind, in fact I found it refreshing, I don’t think I ever remember seeing bruce like this, comics or no.

“Hmph. Well, I suppose I could stick around for a while. Not like I got anything else going for me at the moment. But are you sure, a street rat like me might bring adversity into your life in the future?” I asked teasingly, I was more than happy to stay, but I wasn’t going to just give it to him. I wanted to hear him say it for once. “Hmph! So what!? I say bring it on, we Wayne’s don’t run from a challenge. WE RISE!”

I was kind of stunned to be honest, never thought I’d hear a line straight out of the button from bruce of all people. Though I found it fitting considering it was his father who said it. Chuckling both inside and out I stuck my hand out. “Well then, I look forward to being in your care “Young Master Wayne.” Bruce scoffed at the titling, smiling wryly. Then he took my hand and shook it, “Just bruce will be fine…..now that I think about it, I don’t even know your name.” The realization struck him as he looked at me with inquiry. I chuckled as I replied, “Alan. My name is Alan Drake, but my friends usually just call me drake.”

Bruce blinked in surprise for a second before he laughed slightly. “Heh, funny. My grandfather’s was named Alan.

Oh yeah, I had forgotten that, I laughed as I replied. “What a coincidence. So was mine.”