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“Akko,” someone in the room said. “What have you done?”
Dick Grayson frowned, his eyes fluttering open upon hearing a voice he didn ’t recognize. The last thing he remembered was being on a mission, when there was a flash of light, the sensation of being pulled somewhere that he’d already learned was never a good thing to the success of falling without being in control, meaning for once there was a level of fear settling into his brain regarding what was going on right before he blacked out.
“I was trying to use a spell to summon the perfect Christmas gift for Amanda,” another person said, who Dick guessed was Akko. From behind his mask, which meant he was currently Robin, he saw a rather cheerful girl whose brown hair was cut so that her bangs were crooked.
“She summoned me?” Robin thought to himself, looking down to confirm that, yes, he was still in costume. That was when he saw on his wrist the ribbon which read he wasn’t supposed to be opened before Christmas. He took a deep breath, knowing, despite his young age, how that could be taken the wrong way. “Joy.”
“He talked,” another girl said, grinning at him. She wore dark clothes—Robin recognized the clothes as something a witch might wear, but she was pale and ghostly. But then, all the girls were wearing the same outfit, which led him to believe they were at some kind of school. With this girl, however, the outfit stood out more than the others.
“Of course, he talked, Susy,” another girl said. Her blond hair was cropped short. She sighed, turning to him. “So, you know the other two’s names. Mine is Lotte. Sorry for Akko. She tends to be a bit—I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?” Akko pouted.
“Flighty with her spells.
“I really thought it was a good idea,” Akko said. “I don’t know why it summoned a person.”
“Well, what spell did you use?” Lotte said as Robin started to examine the ribbon. “Hey! Please don’t mess with it. We don’t know if it’s tied to the spell and what might happen if you remove it. Although, it is Christmas.”
“It’s this spell I found that summons what a person most wishes for,” Akko said. “And I really don’t know why Amanda wanted a boy.”
“Perhaps she’s a secret pervert with a secret fetish,” Susy said, chuckling.
“Susy! You didn’t just go there!” Lotte protested.
“Where?” Akko asked.
“Effectively,” Robin said, still looking at his risk. “She’s totally turned out that your other friend suggested this Amanda person is a pedophile.” This resulted in Lotte letting out a gasp of dismay. “What? I’m actually smart enough to figure out what was meant by that.”
“I’m not dumb,” Akko said.
“Just rather innocent,” Robin replied. “And it doesn’t apply, given that I just turned fourteen this month. Although, it’s still creepy and wrong.”
“But I wasn’t trying to,” Akko pouted.
“There’s got to be some explanation as to why your Secret Santa gift ended up being,” Lotte frowned. “A boy.”
“Perhaps we should ask Amanda.”
“But we’re not supposed to give our gifts until later today!” Akko protested.
“Akko, do you really want the teachers to know you summoned a kid?” Lotte said. “I’ll go get Amanda. She might be able to give you an explanation.” She turned to Robin. “You should stay here. Don’t do anything to get in trouble.” And then, after frowning for a few seconds. “Actually, keep these two out of trouble.”
When the girl left, Robin wasn ’t sure how he could, given his lack of magical ability. Akko and Susy began talking about magic, and he’d ask questions that got him some strange answers he wasn’t sure were true. The door eventually opened, which hopefully meant Lotte was returning.
“Akko, what is this about,” a new girl said, who stared at the boy. “What the?”
“Um, surprise?”
“Akko, this isn’t a surprise. Why and how did you get me a person for Christmas?” the girl said. Another girl—a stockier one was hanging back behind Lotte with another girl—a short one with dark hair.
“I don’t know,” Akko said. “We were hoping you could explain why this is what I summoned as your present.”
“Akko!” Amanda let out a sigh before coming over.
“So, do you know him?” Susy asked.
“He’s wearing a mask,” Amanda said, her fingers reaching up for the mask.
“Wait. Don’t….” Robin started to say. The mask came off. “….remove the mask.” He tensed, worrying his lip, knowing this wasn’t good having someone know his identity. Worse—
“Dick?”
“See,” Susy said as both Akko and Lotte covered Amanda’s mouth.
“Even I know that’s a bad word!” Akko said.
“Do you know what it means?” Susy asked.
“Susy!” Lotte said.
Dick took a deep breath. “ How do you know my name? ”
That resulted in Amanda ’s mouth being uncovered. “What do you mean? How do I know you’re name? It’s Richard John Grayson,” the girl said, making Dick tense up. “Richard after your uncle and John after….” She paused. There’d been a level of excitement in her eyes, a look that indicated she’d wanted to see him, only for it to fade. “Wait. You don’t know who I am, do you?”
“Amanda, who is he?”
“He’s,” Amanda lowered her hand, the one that held onto the mask while the other ran through her hair. “Do you—Dick, do you remember Haly’s Circus?”
“Do I remember Haly’s Circus? How do you know about Haly’s Circus?”
“Then you don’t know who I am,” the girl swallowed. “Um. So is that, like, the newest costume for the Flying Grayson act? It’s a bit—weird.”
“Wierd?” Robin said, finding the conversation they were having weird.
“How are?” Amanda swallowed. “How are they? The rest of the Grayson family?”
Robin stared. “You don’t know?”
“How can I know? This is a different world. You’ve been summoned to a different world than the one you were in. And,” Amanda frowned. “There isn’t a way back. I know because….” She closed her eyes. “What do you mean by that?”
“They’re dead,” he said nonchalantly.
He then felt the slap.
“Amanda!” Lotte said. “You didn’t have to hit him.”
“You’re lying!”
“I’m not lying,” Robin hissed, angry at the girl.
“You’re lying!”
“Don’t belittle what I went through!” Robin said.
“What you went through! What about what I went through!” the girl said.
“How the hell should I know when I don’t even know who you are!” Robin said. “And don’t tell me that I didn’t see them fall from the trapeze with my own eyes! Only Uncle Richard survived, and he’s in a fucking coma! If he ever wakes, he’s never going to be able to walk again!
“Only Uncle Richard?” the girl said, stepping back to sit on a nearby surface.
“That’s Richard Grayson to you,” Robin said.
“You really don’t know who I am, do you?”
“I don’t fucking care!”
“Well, you’re fucking stuck here in this world, and I’m the only one you’ve got!” she snapped.
“And you’re a fucking stranger who knows nothing about me!”
“I know nothing about you?”
“Oh, sure,” Dick said. “You can spout off something everybody at the circus knows, that I’m named Richard after my Uncle and John after….”
“Our father,” she said as Dick said, “My father.”
He paled, panic beginning to set in, his reality having been thrown upside down because—
“Wow, Akko. You’ve really done it.”
He closed his eyes, tears welling. “You’re lying. I’d have known. I’d have known.”
“Dick,” Amanda said.
“Don’t!” He said.
“I was very young when I got summoned here,” she said. And then, “Akko, you can’t tell anyone. I’m not fond of my family, but I still don’t want them to get in trouble.”
“Trouble for what?”
“For summoning a child, they were desperate to have from another world?” Lotte said, letting out a sigh.
“Anyways, I was very young. But if you don’t remember me, they likely thought it best not to dredge it up, I guess? Me disappearing.”
“I want to go home.”
“But your family is dead,” Akko said. “Isn’t this better?”
Dick lost it. He lost it even though he usually remained composed, only to hear Amanda move closer. He listened to the sound of her getting down so she was more on his level, although likely looking below his face. He felt her take his hands. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. As much as I wanted to see you again, this isn’t what I wanted. I am so sorry, little robin.”
And he cried harder, then felt her pull him into a hug. Then another voice spoke up. “So, how are we going to keep this a secret?”
“I don’t know, Jasminka,” Amanda said. “I need to get in contact with my parents. Hopefully, without the teachers knowing.”
Dick didn ’t care; he was mentally checking out as his world had been turned upside down.