Chapter Text
Jason was angry when Talia handed him the file, but more than that he was baffled. Staring out at him was the blurry, masked face of a girl, mid-fight, with frizzy blonde hair pulled back in a headband. Next to her, only partly in frame, was the Batman.
“Who the fuck is this?”
That was a stupid question, actually. He would have known it was a stupid question even without the flat look Talia was directing his way. On the first page of the file, next to the photograph, was a name, along with the rest of the information the League had seen fit to compile.
Stephanie Brown
Notable aliases:
- Spoiler (former)
- Robin
Even reading that last word made the edges of his vision begin to blur into a haze of sickly green, but the rage was tempered by the overwhelming confusion. Talia had allowed him access to the information the League had gathered on the Batman shortly after Jason’s return from the Fields of All, and the anger it had inspired had motivated him through these last few months of training. It didn’t matter what the League or his teachers threw at him, or what he had to throw at them in return, what mattered was that he had been replaced while his murderer was still breathing.
The last part was still true. Jason still wanted to fix that, wanted Bruce to fix that. But now his replacement had been replaced, apparently.
“Did the other kid die or something?”
He tried not to let any of the inexplicable worry he felt at the thought creep into his voice. Jason hated the kid, and had a right to, but he was only, what, fifteen at most? As much as Bruce would deserve it, the kid didn’t. He wasn’t really any older than Jason was when, well.
But Talia shook her head.
“He has been seen operating as normal in his civilian identity. In fact, his school attendance has actually improved significantly in the weeks that he has been absent as Robin. He also appears uninjured.”
Jason wasn’t sure what to think. Was he supposed to be mad at Brown, now? He had admired Spoiler, honestly, when he had first read through that initial bare-bones file, before the League had determined her identity. He liked that she seemed to have a tumultuous relationship with Batman, that she focused on less flashy villains, like Cluemaster, and the Bat-neglected areas of Gotham they tended to target.
Cluemaster, whose civilian name was also Brown, if the Pit hadn’t completely ruined his memory. Huh. That would explain why a teenager had felt the need to don a mask and hit the streets fists-first.
He wondered how Bruce had conned her into signing on as Robin. She had teamed up with him before as Spoiler, but had also been seen arguing with him, loudly, and had declared the Bowery a bat-free zone for a while. It was surprising that she had changed lanes so suddenly, especially when she had to know Bruce’s history with Robins, which was only more troubling now that Jason’s replacement had been, what, fired?
He grasped desperately at the anger which was fading quickly as he considered the implications of Bruce putting yet another kid in the line of fire, leaving resignation in its wake. Was there even a point to any of this, anymore? Bruce obviously didn’t care about Jason or any other Robin. They were interchangeable to him. Even Dick had known that. It was probably why he had fled almost as soon as Jason had entered the manor, was probably why he could never quite meet his eyes when they were together as civilians during the handful of “bonding excursions” Alfred had all but forced them on.
Of course Bruce hadn’t killed the Joker. He never would.
Talia must have seen the expression on his face, because she touched his shoulder with as much gentleness as he had ever seen her muster.
“I know this might change things, habibi. Will you still go to Gotham, when you have finished with your training? Your plan will need to be refined with this in mind even if you decide to continue with the rest unchanged. ”
He could tell that she wanted him to. There was still Damian to consider, after all, and he knew that she would vastly prefer to send him to a Gotham whose criminal underworld was at least somewhat under the purview of an ally. He also knew that she would not falter if he said that he never wanted to see that city again. Talia cared about him, in her own deeply fucked-up way.
“Yeah, T, I’ll still go to Gotham.” She nodded. “I’ll fix the shitstorm in the Alley, and make sure the situation is stable before you’re ready to send Damian, but I don’t think I want to see Bruce, at least not as Jason.”
She sighed at that, but she looked faintly amused. “Damian will want to see you while you’re here, by the way. I told him that he could request an audience with you once he had finished his training.”
“He’s my brother.” Jason paused. He wasn’t sure if his being dead or either of their nonexistent relationships with Bruce precluded that status. Talia was kind-of a mother figure, right? “He’s kind-of my brother. He doesn’t need to request an audience.”
Talia smiled at that and walked out of the room she had led Jason to earlier, a sort of living area within her personal chambers that contained a surprisingly comfortable U-shaped sectional. He sat down on it and waited until she returned with her son in tow.
They had obviously been discussing something, and Damian looked inordinately pleased. Jason really did love the kid, and he thought they had achieved something close to bonding while Jason was still in Nanda Parbat, but Damian very rarely expressed emotions outside of haughty spite, which was admittedly hilarious in a child his age. It was good to see him happy, but it was out of character.
Damian sat down next to him and looked him over. “Todd. I am pleased to see you.”
Now that was just eerie.
“What has you so excited? Did one of the mousers have kittens or something?” Jason was teasing, but Damian adored the cats that roamed semi-feral in the grounds surrounding the compound. Jason had once caught him trying to sneak a black one into his mother’s chambers. It was so adorable that he hadn’t even descended into a homicidal rage when Damian said its name was Batman.
Damian huffed. That was far more usual. “Of course not. My grandfather would never allow them to breed unchecked.”
“You should check out the animal shelters in Gotham when you meet Bruce. The feral cat population there is out of control, so they mostly neuter and release any adults, but they shelter any litters until they’re weaned, so there are almost always kittens that need to be socialized, and they’re always looking for volunteers.” Jason remembered Catherine bringing him, once or twice, before she had really gotten sick. He had gone once after that, too, the first winter that he spent on his own. The animal shelter was heated, but he had left once he realized that the workers’ suspicious looks meant that he was going to end up reported if he stayed any longer.
“I will, if you manage to finish your training anytime soon,” he sneered. It probably would have been insulting if Damian were any older than seven and if Jason were any less confused.
“What?” This was directed at Talia, who had been silent since she walked in, but Damian was the one who answered.
“Mother has informed me that I will be allowed to continue my training in Gotham under my father’s supervision once you have established yourself in the city to her satisfaction.”
Talia hummed in agreement. “I was going to wait until Damian’s training here was more complete, but with you in the city and no longer actively seeking vengeance against my beloved, it should not be as much of a concern.”
Jason saw what was happening here. He did. Talia knew that Jason disapproved of many of her more violent parenting choices, and, as much as he hated to admit it, the Manor would probably be a healthier environment. Even if Jason hated Bruce, Alfred was an angel. If Jason wanted Damian out of the League, he would need to go to Gotham.
He was angry with her, for trapping him like this when he had already said he was planning to go, but mostly he was relieved. Besides, in Gotham he might actually get answers to some of the questions he had about Stephanie Brown. A new crime lord seemed like the kind of thing Robin might be interested in.
But first, he had to finish his own training.