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Dick had been with Bruce for a month and he was getting restless. Bruce was distant at best. One night when he couldn't sleep he heard Bruce walking outside his door. He cracked his door open and slipped out following him silently. He went into the study and went down a secret passageway in the grandfather clock. The manor was so huge it wasn't surprising there were secret rooms and passages. He pushed the grandfather clock open and wandered down the stairs. Something inside him was thrumming as he got closer to something. He found himself in a huge cave, Bruce Wayne was Batman. He looked at the computer, Batman was after Tony Zucco. The man who killed his parents. Dicks eyes fell on a briefcase on an evidence table. Next to it were spare domino masks. He opened the case and inside was what he was supposed to wear in his debut. He looked at the costume, then at the masks. The thrumming became louder, beating almost like a drum.
He took his costume and changed into it. Wearing it felt right. He took a domino mask carefully in his hands and he placed it on his face. He almost thought he heard a whisper, "Robin."
He looked at Batmans tracker on the computer and took a pair of escrima sticks on his way out. He ran across the Gotham skyline, jumping and flipping over Gothams buildings. Toby Zucco would be brought to Justice. Dick Grayson would fly again.
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Batman was without a Robin. Dick had moved on to be his own hero Nightwing. Jason Todd was Bruce Waynes most recent ward. He was also now stuck in a school for troubled kids. He very quickly figured out the school was a front for something. He needed to investigate this. He knew Bruce had some kind of connection to Batman, so he sent everything he found out to him. It was encoded to avoid suspicion. Finally one night Jason was restless, something was happening tonight and he needed to be there for it.
Batman had arrived. He was fighting gaurds and making his way through. Batman wouldn't be able to do this alone. Someone had to get all the kids out. Something thrummed inside Jason. He needed to act.
All of the students were in a panic. Some were even fighting eachother. Most had been in the cafeteria for dinner. Jason didn't know why but he grabbed a cloth and tied it to cover his face. The thrumming grew as he continued to climb up on a table and shout, "Hey! I'm with Batman okay! Listen to me and I'll get you out!"
Everything went quiet. He had their attention.He organized them and instructed some of the smaller kids to evacuate. He enlisted a few of the older ones to help keep them calm. He took the typical ringleaders and problem kids to help make Batmans job a little easier. They were excited at the prospect of fighting their teachers. Jason grabbed a stray bag and ran to the office to gather evidence. He picked out damning files and shoved them in. He made his way out to the court yard where a lot of fighting ensued. He felt the thrumming again as he saw Batman struggle to fight off 3 men at once. Another criminal came up behind Batman and Jasona acted. The thrumming turned into a drum as he picked up a crowbar hitting the goon before they could attack. Batman looked at him surprised, "Who are you?"
Something whispered to Jason. He responded smiling under his makeshift mask, "I'm your new Robin."
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Tim was frustrated. He tried telling Nightwing Batman needed a Robin but they both refused to listen. The best he got was Nightwing agreeing to work on a case with Batman. That's when Tim felt a thrum. He looked at the grandfather clock. There were scuff marks on the floor. The Batcave.
Tim made his way down to the cave feeling a drumming in his heart. He passed by the Robin memorial case and stopped. The suit was in perfect condition, they must have mended it or used a different one. Tim stared at it for a moment. He grabbed a hammer, something was calling to him. Robin was calling. He shattered the case and took the suit. He grabbed a Bo staff on his way out. Something whispered to him and he knew. He was the next Robin.
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Damian complained to Bruce, "Why can't I be Robin?"
Bruce sighed, "That's not my decision to make."
Damian turned to Dick, "It's not mine either. I mean I was the first but I didn't exactly choose it. Being Robin just sort of..."
Tim looked up, "Calls to you."
Tim Jason and Dick stared at eachother for a moment. Jason spoke carefully, "The beating. Getting louder and louder."
Tim continued, "Like a drum. Until you finally take the suit and you hear the whisper."
The boys stared at eachother for another moment. Damian huffed and left, "If you didn't want me to be Robin you could have just said so. You didn't have to make things up."
Bruce looked at them dissapointed, "You shouldn't lie to Damian like that."
Jason protested, "I swear I didn't. That's what happened, back at that school you sent me to. It's how I led the kids to safety."
Dick agreed, "Yeah, I followed you down to the cave and found my old costume."
Tim nodded, "It was right after I tried telling you and Dick Batman needed a Robin."
Bruce rolled his eyes and left the room. The three boys leaned in. Jason spoke first, "Okay so there's something freaky with Robin right? Cause I thought I was the only one."
Dick chuckled, "Guess you weren't lying when you said Robin was magic Jay."
Tim folded his hands, "Okay, so there wasn't a Robin to go with Batman when it happened to all of us. We all felt the thrumming guiding our actions and leading us to Robin."
Dick nodded, "There's also the whisper."
Tim considered something, "What weapons did you guys grab when it happened?"
Dick spoke plainly, "Escrima sticks."
"Crowbar."
Tim realized something, "Bo staff..."
The boys looked at eachother and Jason finished, "We don't know what the whole thing with Robin is, but what we can know is Damian can't be Robin unless or until he gets the call. Being Robin isn't just a title, it's being something more than you've ever been. It's joining something bigger than yourself. You don't just choose that yourself."
The boys nodded agreeing.
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Bruce was believed to be dead and Tim had left. Before leaving he had abandoned the title of Robin if favor of Red Robin. Dick was still adamant that Damian couldn't be Robin. He took on the mantle of Batman, but there was no Robin now. Jason was off with the Outlaws doing who knows what. Dick was going out on his first night as Batman. Damian argued, "You've said before! Batman cannot be without a Robin! I've been training my whole life. Drake has abandoned the title. Why are you still withholding this from me? It is my birthright!"
Dick sighed, "Dami that's not how it works. You don't just choose to be Robin it- well it's complicated. Now I have to go."
Dick pulled the cowl on and left Damian alone in the cave. That's when something strange happened. A thrumming inside Damian. He walked towards a case. The glass had been opaque so you couldn't see what was inside. The thrumming got louder as he opened it. His own Robin suit. He took it and put it on. The thrumming became a drum as he grabbed his sword and left to find his Batman.
Dick was not faring well. It was 1v5 and more goons were on their way. Dick saw a flash of yellow in the corner of his eye. He threw the men off of him and suddenly there were less men. Dick saw what had been helping him and sighed, "Little Wing I told you. How did you even get my location?"
There was a glint in Damians eyes, "I was called here."
Dick looked at him confused, "Who called you here? I didn't ask for backup."
A look flashed over Damians eyes and something whispered to him. He spoke, "I am your Robin."
Dicks eyes widened in understanding and he grinned, "I knew you would get it eventually."
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Bruce had been back for a while. Jason and Tim were happy for Damian when they heard about Robin. Bruce remained confused at what that was all about, but his boys were getting along so he didn't worry about it too much. The boys had gone out for lunch together and were walking to an ice cream place when they ran into a wispy young woman. She had dark hair and wore a flowing black dress with a lace trim. There were bats and birds embroidered within the lace. She smiled eerily, "Hello boys. I'd like to speak with you all."
Dick stood in front of his brothers protectively, "Hello miss. What is it you need?"
"Exactly as I said, I'd like to speak with you 4."
Jason pushed past Dick, "Now listen up here lady-"
Duck grabbed his arm pulling him back. The woman laughed and echoey laugh, "Fear not Jason Todd. I mean none of you harm. I'd simply like to speak to you about Robin."
Dick narrowed his eyes, "What do you mean Robin? Who are you?"
The woman smiled, "I am Lady Gotham. Let's move somewhere a little more private shall we?"
With a wave of her hand they found themselves sitting at a lone table across from her. Tim looked around, "What is this?"
"Pocket dimension."
Jason looked at her critically, "Why do you want to know about Robin?"
The woman laughed bemused, "Who do you think sent out the call?"
The boys stared at her in a stunned silence. She continued, "I foresaw that Batman needed a partner. Robin was the perfect way to do it. I hand selected each of you from the start, and at the right moment sent you out to do what needed to be done."
She looked to Dick, "Finding purpose,"
then to Jason, "Helping your community,"
next to Tim, "Saving your heroes,"
and finally to Damian, "And being more than your upbringing. Each of you were meant to be Robin. And I am very proud of how each of you held the title. Though many of you are no longer Robin in title it still lives in you. Robin will always be a part of you."
She specifically looked at Jason, "And nothing can take that away from you."
Everything whirled and they found themselves in front of the ice cream shop. They got ice cream and silently decided never to speak of this. Though they would each know. They were all Robin. Lady Gotham hand picked them all to become part of something bigger. Whether it was putting something in motion, or continuing a legacy. They all heard the call.
Robins call.