2013-12-29 - Overwhelmed

<< Follows Plans and Misunderstandings and TBD >>

Bruce is racing up the Bat Cave stairs after Carrie, taking easily two at a time without any strain and quite sure footed. "Seriously? I ran temple stairs as 'beginner training'." Wait, did Bruce just BRAG?! Still, as he starts to catch up to Carrie, he realizes the stairs are a little too narrow to just pass her by. A difficult issue never stopped him before though!

So as Bruce races up the stairs his shirt gets transfered to his left hand thanks to Carrie trying to blind him by pulling it up earlier, and he reaches toward her with his right. He snags her about the waist and literally keeps running while he lifts her up high under his arm, "Don't wiggle too much," he warns, working hard to restrain his laughter. "Good thing you are light, do you even eat?" His left hand soon smacks the trigger to swing the antique father clock wide open so that he can run into the Study, totally sporting his Batman scars which did not disappear with the de-aging and actually...almost grinning. "I'd say, I won. And here you said I needed sleep." And yes, he still has her under his arm.

First hearing about eggs with robotic orphan makers. Then she finally gets to see the new mini 'Bruce Wayne.' She had tried to spy with her x-ray vision, but given that Batcave was lined with lead...

She blinks. Wow, teenage Bruce is a hottie. She looks at her food and just concentrates on eating it so this doesnt get weird.

Plus he's not all grumpy!

Almost there, almost there! It was an impromptu dare to race him up, in an attempt to cheer him up some, and so far it looked like she would win! At least until he catches up and decides to tuck her under his arm. A squeal of surprised laughter comes and she grips hold of his arm to keep from tipping over completely as her legs lift up off the ground with ease. "I eat plenty! Just work it off," she assures with a laugh. Only once out of the narrow stairs does she give her legs a bit of a kick in the air squirming as he had warned her against. "You cheated! That's not winning!" Of course it kind of was. What else do you claim when being carted around by the teenage version of the guy who trained you though? "Okay, okay," she admits finally with a roll of her eyes. Hopefully no one would hear screaming and laughing and assume the worst. "Bruce," Dick says with an attempt at authority, probably failing on the now-teenage Bruce, "Please put down your ward." He sips at his water again, looking to Kara, "Yeah, there are some strange things out there, but we make do as we can." He shrugs and stands. "Carrie, what is going on?" His voice has some concern, as he is actually wondering why she is being carried by Bruce.

When it comes to assuming the worst, few are better at it than Damian. The sound of laughter and screaming (the happy kind, not the natural terror or pain kinds he's used to) reaches his ears and Damian drops his fork and starts strides double time for the study. He arrives a half-second after Dick, and what he sees confirms all his suspicions. "/You/," he says to the father-thing who has Carrie in his arms as he strides into the study to stand looking up at Bruce. "Put her down now."

Kara Zor-El looks at Bruce. Swallows her food. "Hi there, Bruce. I'm guessing you don't know me. I'm Kara? I'm a friend of your family?"

Bruce chuckles, "Is that so? Well, I guess call me a cheat, a highly efficent one at that." No shame! And then he just starts actually laughing a little bit, working to stiffle it, "Stop wiggling, or I will end up dropping you. Even as he moves to open the study door with his left hand - which still holds his shirt - he is working to set Carrie down on her feet.

And that is when they find Dick and Kara, and Damian starting at them through the open archway of the dining room. The smile on Bruce's face quickly disappears, and his expression shuts down. "My apologizes," he says suddenly seriously and sincerely. His shirtless state doesn't even register as anything improper, being he often trained without a shirt.

Bruce is wearing a pair of jeans and sneakers, and a black t-shirt is held within his left hand. Very simple clothes, though they were made to fit him well...well, an older version of him well, so the jeans hang off his hips low because of the difference in weight between the two, and do bunch up slightly at the ankles as he is a few inches shorter than normal.

Bruce actually blinks at Damian, unsure how to respond. This is his son, but he doesn't approve of the tone, son or not, of someone younger than him talking to him in such a matter. There is a way Bruce looks at Damian as if weighing him, studying him, judging what his next move may be...like one would an opponent. Bruce likely doesn't even realize he's doing it, as it is ingrained instinct that was instilled within him in these last few years as a matter of survival. But before anything more can happen, his gaze jerks over towrad Kara...and he stares a bit before appearing a bit confused. "Hello." Wait, did Bruce just check Kara out?! It was subtle, and not overly obvious. Then again, it isn't like Bruce expected a girl with the strings of her white thong peeking just above her own low hanging jeans. "A...pleasure to meet you again, I'm sure." Or something. He steals a glance side-long at Carrie, like 'WHO IS KARA?!'

Wiggle Carrie does indeed do in spite of the threat of being dropepd as it's only a short drop. In fact she goes one step further as her hands lift trying to wiggle her fingers at his side seeking out a ticklish spot so that he doesn't 'win' too easily. It's a short-lived attempt when she hears Dick, and Damian, and oh there's Kara. The look of surprise and mild confusion that flits over her is obvious. "I'm not his ward, Dick, you are," she corrects with mild amusement.

It's Damian's demand that has her expression soften and her wiggling to stop. "Everything's fine guys. We were just having a race upstairs for fun." Clearly this was her idea because really it's Bruce effing Wayne. Racing for fun? Even if he were a teenager now he seemed far more serious than anything. The questioning look earns a quiet murmer of, "Superman's cousin," in explanation. Then... she smiles at Damian looking a bit guilty. "I'm fine," she assures again simply with a little wiggle of her feet. Down may be a good idea after all. Dick shrugs at his mistake, "Either way, remember who you are, Bruce." He crosses his arms, "Last thing we need is you getting hurt, there are already enough problems as it is. So put Carrie down, gently." His tone has finally gotten some steel behind it, though not much. "Also, put your shirt on, we have a guest." Dick is not as happy and fun-loving as he usually is, and he doesn't like it. "There is work to be done."

Carrie lands on her feet then. Yes. Recovers nicely.

The process is almost instinctual. Bruce's look issues the challenge and Damian rises to meet it, /finally/ a social interaction he was trained to understand! He meets Bruce's look, but then Bruce is looking away at Kara. Damian's eyes flare at the perceived dismissal and a punch follows smoothly aimed up and fast for Bruce's solar plexus. If it lands he makes himself ready to follow it up with more strikes with his knees and elbows.

Kara Zor-El watches this. This usually doesnt happen to her or Kal if there's not something like Red Kryptonite involved. So odd to see it happening to someone else. And.... okay, it got weird. Bruce checked her out. She could tell from the heartbeat change and subtle persperation. "ANYWAY... I um... did a quick... sorta... break in into the GCPD and made a few cross section schematics. Just sort of like snapshots - drew it pretty fast... but I didnt really have any time to review it, except to say that it looks really complicated. You probably should get someone who's an expert to analyze them. Maybe you can make another machien from them. If not um... I don't know, I could help more if you need. Rao this is weird, so you really don't remember ANYTHING?"

Bruce is responding to Dick at first, "I am...," but then Damian but he is being attacked. The first punch lands, knocking the breath out of Bruce, but the second does. Even with the pain of the hit, he works on instinct. An arm comes up to block Damian's next attack, and his knee comes to block the third one before....Damian ends up having to deal with one nasty headbutt. Younger Bruce, fights even dirter than older Bruce, and he doesn't think to hold back because of Damian's youth. Rather, he reacts as if it was one of the dojos he was trained in. There is no responding to Dick or Kara right now. "Crap!" Dick exclaims as the two begin fighting, "Carrie, you get Bruce, I'll get Damian, last thing we need is both of them out of commission." With that Dick lunges forward to try and grab Damian by the waist and try to pull him back, "You get over here, you little brat." His tone is not very upset, more frustrated, "You won't be any good to us if you are hurt." Dick is hoping not to get pulled into the fight itself, just separating the two.

Carrie had just stepped away from Bruce after having been set down and her own attention had shifted to Kara at what is perceived as good news being delivered. Her smile brightens as she begins to respond, "I can--" Forward them to Oracle. Or Fox. Or whoever, really, was the thought. The thought is quickly dashed away when Damian takes the punch followed by Bruce reacting.

Her own instinct causes her to lunge forward interposed betwee the two with arms flung out. A palm presses out toward Damian's chest while her shoulder leans in against Bruce's trying to push them apart with a cry of, "Stop it!" Bruce was taller than her, bigger, and stronger. It was possibles he'd get hit in the process but she doesn't even consider it. When Dick grabs Damian to try and pull him away her attention focuses solely on Bruce trying to do the same.

Kara Zor-El sees Bruce and Damian fighting, and Dick trying to keep them separated, and gets up to help Dick. Especially since he seems really stressed by all this. And who can blame him? Since Dick is grabbing Damian, Kara grabs ahold of Bruce. "Um... Ba.. Bruce? cmon stop, both of you!" She peers at Carrie. "I really thought he would have been more... um.... not like this as a teenager!"

Damian turns his head at the last minute. It saves his nose, but Bruce is bigger and stronger than him, so it still feels like getting hit in the side of the head by a brick. He staggers back and throws up his hands to guard his head but that just makes it easier for Dick to grab him. He's yanked back, but keeps staring up at Bruce, searching his face for the cues that he intends to continue the fight.

Dick scowls, "You two /will/ behave. I don't want to be the adult here, but I will since I have to. Damian, you will apologise for attacking Bruce. Bruce, you will put your shirt on and act your real age. We aren't going to get any closer to fixing this problem if you two keep acting like children." It really is taking a toll on him, it seems."

Bruce doesn't need pulled back, though he does move to shake Kara off, "Do not touch me." There is a coldness to him, an...unfriendliness that wasn't there earlier. He does not continue the fight, but he does look pointedly at Damian, "There will not be a next time, am I completely understood?" The commanding tone greatly hints at what he will become, or rather what he once was. His dark eyes do not reflect compassion or forgiveness, and they are steady as he works to incorporate breathing techniques around the speech to hide the pain, a technique he learned in India.

Bruce completely ignores Dick other than to say, "Do not."

Kara Zor-El lets Bruce shake her off, once it seems clear they're not going to be fighting. She looks between Dick, Damian, and Bruce. She asks Dick, "Should I go? Will you be okay with them being like this if I go?" She pauses. "I could get Alfred in here if you want?"

Carrie ducks her head a bit when they're finally pulled apart. Her arms remain outstretched for now though as she takes a moment to recover from them fighting. Like father, like son it would seem. It's Damian her turns to first with a concerned expression flitting over her face. "Done now?" The question is posed to both as she looks between Damian and Bruce finally lowing her arms down to her sides with fingers flexing as she'd gone tense over the situation. "You both have similar training but yeah this isn't the time for it." Looking toward Dick she simply watches him a moment. So far she'd been concerned over Bruce, and Damian, and hadn't thought of the stress it would place on Dick. "We're all in this together. And you're fine, Kara," she assures.

Damian looks up at Bruce defiantly meeting his Father's eyes and holds that gaze for a moment before he shakes free of Dick's grip and lowers his head to Carrie before he turns back to Bruce. "Mother should have hired your teachers to train me," he says not answering Bruce's demand directly, but acknowledging his greater skill. "It's over," he assures the others, before he steps back from the group a bit. His breathing is steady, so is his heart rate for those who can hear it, but the cant of his head suggests that head-butt left his head throbbing. Dick is angry, but begins calming a little, "Carrie is right, we are all on the same side." He eases up as Damian shakes free, "We may not like the situation, but we must deal with it until we fix it." He rubs the bridge of his nose in frustration, "Bruce, we want to restore you to where you were, we don't know how, yet, but we will. That being said, we need your trust on this."

Bruce cannot, will not accept this. He is a Wayne through-and-through. "Damian, get downstairs, now," the order clear. "The others, you can choose to watch or not, but you will not speak, you will not interfere, no matter what. Am I clear?" He does not explain what he is going to do or how he is going to do it. But he is determined, and a determined Wayne does not simply 'give'. "This has nothing to do with The Joker, with my de-aging, or with any of you here. It is between me and my SON. So I am asking for nothing in return that is not asked for from me, your trust. "

Bruce's heart rate only increased briefly during the scuffle due to the surprise of it, but it calmed down quickly as he has a chosen path to take. "After this is handled Carrie, I will honor our previous agreement." To rest.

It is perhaps a little strange. Though there are hints of The Batman there in this moment, it is something 'else' at the same time. It is a hard young man, but a confident man in his body and will. There are certainly similarities between Damian and Bruce, more apparent with the de-aging that are not physical. But there is still a distinct difference between the two; one knows ethics while the other does not. The pain from Damian's punch is nothing more than a vague throb now, Bruce having breathed through it.

"They're going to fight one another to establish a proper pecking order," Carrie states to Kara with her expression suddenly going blank. It wasn't emotionless however so much as she lapses into thought as well as several quick calculations that run through their head. "Normally, I would say this may not be a bad idea." It wasn't a normal situation however. Her hands clench at her sides with her head bowing down as she wars with the issues that she knew which others didn't.

Carrie was always the good one. The reasonable one. The rational one that always followed orders without question. It was why Batman had trusted her so quickly and implicitely. Damian is the one she had been working with, training, befriending. Yet always she had defered to his father when the case required it.

Carrie's head lifts with a set look of determination as she moves to stand in front of the grandfather clock entrance to the cave below. "No. I can't allow it."

Damian's head snaps around, something that causes no small amount of pain, he ignores it. This is new, and what's coming sounds a lot more what he's used to from his mother. Still he is Damian al Ghul-Wayne, who had been fed since birth stories of his own greatness; he wasn't going to back down.

"It's alright Carrie," Damian says as he moves towards the clock. "This is how it must be." If anything, despite the pain, he seems eager for the chance to fight his Father.

Kara Zor-El blinks. "Yeah, that's a crazy idea actually." she says, agreeing with Carrie. She heads over to Carrie. She looks at Carrie, then crosses her arms like Carrie is doing as well.

Dick frowns and listens as Bruce and Carrie speak, "If you two are really going to fight for dominance, then you are foolish. I cannot allow this to happen, at least not like this. What do you intend to accomplish? If you are going to fight for who is the alpha in this pack, then you are both fighting the wrong person. You may be Waynes, but until Bruce is ready to wear the mantle, I will."

Bruce says without any give, "Think what you want, but no one will interfere with my ability to raise my son. Age matters not, it is my heart that does." He still has not looked away from Damian. It is only then though that he looks away and only to walk to the grandfather clock to unlock it with the constant reminder of the time his parents died, before heading down the long stairs. It will give him time to think. The t-shirt is left on the floor in the study hall, he can resist the cold; he has suffered colder conditions with worse exhaustion before. Before India, was the pit. What should have been the pit of death, but for him, it was a pit of reflection and inner strength.

Bruce finally turns away from Damian and looks both toward Kara and Carrie. "You two have a choice: Do not interfere with the raising of my son, as it is not my age that matters, but my heart; or you both leave this estate never to return." And toward Dick, indicated by with only the slightest tilt of his head, "Take the Batman suit and leave if that is what matters to you most Dick. I choose my son, and his future as what matters most to me, not a symbol. I can always create a new one if it comes to that, but I cannot replace a son."

Kara Zor-El keeps her arms crossed. "Yes, I heard that Mr. Spock said that one of the best way to raise your children when you've lost your memories of the past .. 20 years?.... is to beat him up."

Okay, it's Dr. Spock, not Mr. Spock, but hey... she almost got it!

"Point is you're really not focusing on the right stuff. Annnnd your age sort of does matter when you also don't have your MEMORIES." She looks at Carrie, then back at Bruce. Bruce Wayne pages: Even with the outline approved, I still hope to pleasently surprise you. My goal during this, is totally to give you a chance to not only develop Damian, but to heal some of his and Bruce's relationship.

Carrie fixes her attention on Damian even as he assures her it's alright. A single, quick shake of her head comes, and she murmers, "Your birthday," quietly. It was a simple reminder of what they both knew. More is about to be said, but Dick tosses in his own thoughts, and then Bruce offers that ultimatum. A look of complete pain crosses her face. That hit a nerve deeper than anything else which may have been said to her. Deeper than any insult could ever hit. Her eyes squeeze shut tightly.

"Bruce, I'm interfering to ensure you will still HAVE a son. If Damian can't fight in the next week you'll be signing both our death warrants." Or at least, hers. "I can't fight the League myself." Her eyes open again as she stares straight at Damian. Everything she said she had managed to get out without her voice cracking, but the tears she couldn't stop. Fixing her gaze on Bruce she manages, tightly, "If that means this is my last act as Robin..." She will. She will make sure he's okay one way or another. The hurt in her eyes is unmistakable but she stands her ground.

Damian is stopped in his tracks by Bruce's words, he turns to face his Father but finds the Batman standing there instead, the one his mother, grandfather and even Vandal Savage spoke of with such respect. He understood some of what they tried to tell him now, and felt smaller for that understanding, more hollow.

He turns away from the man at Carrie's words and her heart break breaks his in turn. He holds up a hand, hoping to stay his Father's wrath and then steps forward to stand in front of Carrie, his own eyes wet with unshed tears. "Beloved," he says as he reaches up to put his hands on her shoulders "This is who I left my mother to join, now that I see him, let me face him, we will prevail against the League whatever the outcome." Then, here in front of the others he pulls her to him in an embrace, he holds her like that for awhile before he lets go with a lump in his throat. He turns back to Bruce. "Father," he says, an invitation to proceed provided no one tries to stop them.

"If the suit is what I wanted I would be gone by now. I stay here because of you. You gave me another chance at life, let me be something. You gave me one of the best educations that can be given, and you are the reason I am the man I am today. To say that I would only want the suit hurts me deeply." Dick knows he probably cannot dissuade Bruce on this, and Carrie's words catch his attention, but he sighs, "Bruce, I will not abide you brutalizing your son, if you intend to spar, then do it, but if you brutalize him, you will shatter the rest of the family you created."

It hurt to stand there and say that. It hurt to know that the options were move aside or stand her ground and leave. Neither were what Carrie wanted. Dick was backing her, Kara was backing her... And then Damian steps in. Instantly her attention rivets on him with a small flicker of surprise at what he calls her. Quietly she listens to him while searching his face to see he was very serious. When pulled into the hug she ducks her head down against his shoulder taking several quick, deep breaths before forcing herself to breath slower and more normally while hugging him in return. A single nod is given in answer to him as she moves away. "Kara. Dick. Let them." For her own part she's vacated the blockade she had created at the entrance to the cave.

Kara Zor-El crosses her arms. "No, this is stupid on so many levels. No one's beating up anyone until Bruce is back to his normal age. Bruce is clearly not thinking clearly like the Bruce you all know."

Bruce states calmly, "I am still the head of the Wayne Family, you are no longer welcomed on my property Kara. You never knew the man I was, or the man I will become. You made your choice, leave." The order is clear; Kara is no longer welcomed here. There is no regret in his dark eyes, and when he looks at Kara, he looks at her as if she is a clear threat to his family, an enemy. He has never looked at her like this before, even in the darkest of times.

To Carrie he states, "I expected better from you." Though when his son mentions 'Beloved', there is a deeper frown to his stern look, but he does not concentrate on it, though it causes confusion, perhaps conflict inside him, he pushes it aside to concentrate on what is important: his son and the task before him.

Bruce however, is more visually conflicted over Dick's words. The man in a single statement says he does not trust him, but was that love he proclaimed? It is strange, but none but his parents or Alfred has ever said any direct or suggested words that they loved him, and thus it made him pause. He opens his mouth, before closing it. When he finally speaks, it is a little more carefully, "Then trust in the education I gave you. Damian is trapped in a Nightmare of his Mother's making. If my only legacy is to free him, then so be it. I believe, my Father would be proud of that."

Bruce will then move forward to the grandfather, but when Kara stands in his way further, he then says, "I told you to leave and never return to this household. You are not a friend, nor an ally." Then quite firmly without forgiveness he will state, "Leave."

A quiet nod of thanks is offered to Carrie when she willingly steps aside, he looks back at his father for confirmation that no banishment will befall her. Then glances at Kara flinching as she is banished for her refusal in turn. "Kara, go. I want to fight him."

Kara Zor-El frowns, looking at Bruce and Damian. "You're not fighting each other, period." She settles this, calling out for someone who Bruce will respect the opinion of, whether at 18 or 40. "Alfred?"

Alfred is actually standing outside the study and Kara calls him out. He then moves into the room and clears his throat. "Pardon the intrusion," he says calmly. "But Miss Zor-El, let them go. I have full faith in Master Bruce in handling the situation in a matter that will not involve either of their dismemberments or great injury. Master Bruce would never hurt his family, least physically," and that last comment he gives a pointed look to Bruce.

Bruce looks warily at Alfred. Alright, so he's a bit emotionally abusive, he's also grumpy, tired, and unhappy about outside interference with his son when his son tried to beat the crap out of him. So ya...he's...right, Bruce is totally not looking at Alfred right now.

Alfred then looks toward Damian, "Young Master Damian. Master Bruce does not have the level of training or control he had before, but that does not mean there is not something very important for you to learn. But keep that different level of training and control in mind. If either of you injure each other, you will have *me* to deal with. Thus, I also request to watch."

Bruce does at least nod at that, "Of course Alfred. What I am about to do, I am not ashamed to have you witness it. I would be honored." If it was merely a shaming and beating of Damian, would he really offer others to watch? For goodness sake people!

"However, Kara Zor-El is no longer welcomed to witness. She is not a member of this family. Carrie and Dick are still welcomed if they so wish to join," Bruce does clarify.

Kara Zor-El looks over at Dick. "okay, well I guess I'm out of here. Good luck on making sure these two don't put each other into comas over idiocy." She looks at Bruce for a second, then in a blur, she's gone. Which is probably something Bruce didnt expect given that he hasnt read up on her yet.

Alfred actually moves to stand at the edge of the mat, hands clasped behind his lower back. Yep, front row and center and under his watchful eye. If Bruce wasn't nervous earlier - which he was - he sure his now! Displaying Alfred is not in his goals, not when his son is involved. Least that hasn't changed with the de-aging.

Bruce remains shirtless, though he also removed his sneakers and socks as he goes onto the mats in only his jeans. He takes a strangely passive stance and a deep breath, actually starting an almost meditative trance. It moves through a brief, slow kata, which seems to resemble Aikido, but the kata for those that studied it is off. He then moves to stretch his left foot out a bit, his right foot his center of balance with his knee slightly bent, and his hands coming up in a purely defensive stance. His dark blue eyes center on Damian who stands across from him.

When Bruce speaks, his words are carefully formed and decided upon, "There is much to the world you have not seen, not with your heart Damian. This blinds you, as it often blinds us all when we forget." Another careful breath in the seeming meditative state, and then his perception seems to focus fully on his son, clearly so.

"I understand what Alfred said, but do not fear hurting me. Act with your whole self." A brief moment of silence, and then Bruce states, "Begin." Between the blow to the head, the revelations, Kara's angry departure, Damian's head feels like it's on fire, but he was not trained to give in to pain, not in matters like these. So a nod is given at Alfred's warning and then he descends to the Bat Cave with those who decide to come watch.

Like his father he has stripped himself of his shirt, shoes and socks, and stands in his sweat pants in the cold of the Cave. While his father's stance is passive, like water, Damian's is all fire, aggressive, ready for the fight. He heeds his father's words but doesn't nod with their eyes locked as they are there would be no point, Bruce knows he understands.

When the order to begin is given Damian moves swiftly feet pounding across the mat before he opens with a combination of kicks and punches each with enough force behind them to break bone. Dick is by no means pleased, but understands that few things are more stubborn than Bruce when his mind is set on something. Alfred's response is noted, but Dick first looks to Kara, but before he can say anything, she is gone. He looks to Alfred and sighs following the others down the stairs to the cave.

He stands next to Alfred, arms crossed, concern still etched on his face. Only the security of Alfred, the real authority figure in the Wayne Manor, keeps Dick from continuing to object to this display.

Carrie follows along quietly with Dick and Alfred to watch. She stands at the edge of the mat holding her tongue for now as she simply observes with worry in spite of numerous assurances it would be fine.

Alfred does frown at Bruce's words, but he doesn't say anything, yet anyway. He made no promise not to interfere if it came to that. He will just deal with the fallout that is Bruce's temper and remind him he would have to do his own laundry, clean up, cooking, and so on. Got to love blackmail/bribery.

Bruce seems like he won't react, but as Damian starts to aggressively attack, that is when he starts to move. He moves only when required, smoothly, efficently. He isn't just blocking attacks though, he is redirecting their energy. It's a step above normal Aikido, as he makes it not a matter of power or speed, but of control and discipline. When Damian punches at him, a forearm moves and directs Damian's punch to his side which could send him off balance. When a kick comes at him, he moves a leg not only to block, but also to work to twist Damian's leg so the heel goes elsewhere, or the knee elsewhere. The closer Damian gets to him, the more effective Bruce seems to be.

This will carry on for a few minutes, Bruce not being completely uninjured mind you, but nothing truly damaging that would make Alfred scold Damian. Damian would know his Father's skill level and expertise dropped, but this is also a style he was not shown before, it is completely non-aggressive with no counter-attacks what-so-ever, not even pins. It is a lesson Bruce never quite caught emotionally, but he did at least catch physically.

Only then, does Bruce finally start to speak calmly, in a rhytum with his movements. "You cannot always hit something Damian. Some things cannot be punched away, they cannot simply be broken and a new one obtained. Some things are beyond measure, beyond self, beyond violence. Loyalty, compassion, dedication, discipline, love, and hope are all immeasurable. Despair has a bottom, violence has an end, anger eats its own tail, they are not eternal and will destory you and leave behind nothing except a tool, a mere weapon that has nothing, is nothing, will become nothing. It is a constant battle against self, to not hit the bottom, to not greet the end, to not eat your own tail. It is a battle you can never relent to, a battle only you can wage inside you."

Through these words, Bruce still continues to move, and it does not appear as if the lesson is over.

Damian's frustration grows with each missed strike, so when he does land a blow they are far from gentle. What frustrates him more are his Father's words, so much like the old Batman and not like this new Bruce who had seemingly opened his eyes to what the Batman /could/ be.

"Enough talk, fight me!" he demands in a hard voice. "Show me why I should follow you! Why I gave up everything I knew to be your son!" The kicks and punches come furiously now, but they’re better aimed, he's choosing his battles, striking blows, then using the pain from that blow to create openings to strike again. He is not holding back. "Why should I fight a child that is more lost in the darkness than me? I have seen the abyss, and I resisted. Give a child a loaded gun, and someone will die even accidentally. Meaningless, senseless. But give a man a loaded gun, and he has the power to set it down and spare a life. It does not take courage and fortitude to take a life, that is the coward's way, the easy way."

And that is when Bruce's stance shifts a bit, to actually follow through to send Damian tumbling after one particularly aggressive attack. "To kill would be easy, too easy. Just a single movement, and it is done, finished, forever. But that is not for me, or us to decide. We are not children Damian," he says as surely his son has risen back to his feet by now. "We are men, we have a choice, we always have a choice. The easy way, or the right way." Bruce knows he isn't likely quite getting across, but it will end soon.

This again. Though, even here in this well-traveled rut of their conversations he finds a revelation. "I understand now. You've never killed before," the revelation costs him focus, and he goes down hard on the mats, but with a whirl of legs and arms he is back on his feet soon after. "Mother never made it easy," he says. "There was always a choice, my life or theirs. If I am as valuable to you as you say, would you have had me choose otherwise?"

His words come with punches, kicks, knees and elbows. He throws all the skills and arts his mother's tutors beat into him at his Father, ending it off with that final question and a roundhouse aimed at his father's head. Dick listens quietly, though he is clearly paying attention, as Damian mentioning kills causes him to frown deeply, still keeping his silence.

"There is always another way, but as a child, you wouldn't have seen it, you wouldn't have known it. Never forget, but forgive yourself Damian. You were a child then, but now, you are a child no more." Bruce is redirecting the energy, conserving his own as much as possible, so he is using the fraction of energy that Damian is. He is still like before not entirely protected, but he is successfully deflected more and more attacks than he was earlier as he retains his energy better than Damian. "Now, you have a choice, from here on out, your Mother cannot force your hand, cannot bend you to her will, cannot twist you against your nature into that of a tool, a coward to be intimidated and controlled."

And still Bruce continues, "Never yeld," he states more firmly. "It was graduate day in that cold land, and they called her Queen, but she was my mentor for five long months. To graduate I needed to fight in the pit and I went willingly. To leave the pit, I had to perform one kill, a single kill. To fail, was to die."

Bruce continues to redirect the attacks, and grunts a bit at one particularly hard impact, but he soon sends Damian flying again, this time backwards when he redirections the power of a kick, and off-sets his balance.

Aflred almost goes to interfere, only his stotic demeanor hides his reaction.

"For twenty-eight hours I fought, one after another of her pupils thrown into the pit to fight me. To kill me or be killed. One after another I knocked them down. When they came back to, I knocked them down again, and again, and again. Twenty-four hours later, I still stood, her most talented pupils at my feet. They whispered 'demon', and as she ordered them to kill me finally as my day has passed, none would step forward. They were fearful of me, yet not a single life was taken."

Damian is thrown back; he lands hard but is soon vaulting back on to his feet. Though he doesn't re-engage, he circles, moving slower now, a scowl on his face. "Mother told me that story, Father, but she told me you destroyed the Queen and her students, destroyed them and scattered them to the winds. So, show me that Batman, show me the man who I've wanted to be for all my life."

He attacks again after that, fists and feet, but he's slower there too, his attacks are reckless but aimed to provoke his Father more than hurt.

A raising of an eyebrow, as if surprised she knew the story, but Bruce does not dispute it. "The Pit Queen argued that I cannot win this war without killing, I survived twenty-eight hours without death and her students refused to fight me." Bruce is moving again, actually simply stepping back at times and retreating, dodging with his body rather than using the redirection to avoid the feints. "As a result, her group failed and scattered to the wind, but it was not because I ordered them to disperse or because I threatened them. She failed to make me into a weapon, and her students lost faith in her."

"There is still power in mercy," Bruce says. "In India, I was studying under a Hindu woman. She was an outcast as a female martial artist, harassed by the locals, feared, cursed. She is a gentle soul though, compassionate, and forgiving. I remember that she turned me away because I failed for the first time unwillingly," Bruce confesses. "She was teaching me to steel my body and mind to take abuse, to go past the pain. I succeeded in that way, but some teenagers were attacking her with boards and harassing her one night while I was meditating at her place. She broke the boards across her body and brought them no harm to her attackers. I got involved however, I hurt them after I lost my patience with them hitting me instead," Bruce confesses as he patiently lets Damian fight against the air and his own strength.

"Because of my actions, she was forced to move to yet another village to start anew, and to struggle from the very beginning to teach a new community to not fear her and to strive for acceptance. I hurt her by my actions of violence, I made her life more difficult by them. I wanted to help, to protect her, but my actions brought more harm than good. I did not understand what I did, not till I had already commited the wrong. I failed her."

Bruce this time moves to capture Damian's wrist and to twist him back so his back is against him and his own fist is beneath his chin. His stance is just wide enough to make stepping on his instep difficult. "Do you understand? Her strength of will exceeded mine, and I was humbled and in awe. Violence and destruction do not equal strength and power Damian." And Bruce moves to spin Damian loose, before he can get knee capped or something. There are a few bruises forming up on Bruce's torso already, but he does not indicate they are painful nor does he let them really interfere with his movements. He is taking the beating, and still going, while he has not once injured Damian beyond that headbutt upstairs.

Alfred is actually learning more right now than he ever knew of Bruce's travelers and training. Watching him finally mentor Damian, finally share his own reflections and experiences, is something he never thought he would see.

Damian's attacks slow as he listens to the story, or stories rather, but they still come. He opens his mouth to offer rebuttal to Bruce's versions of events with the Pit Queen but he doesn't have the words. He is torn between his mother and his father.

The second story has it's bite too. Damian had already learned some of what his Father was trying to teach with it. The cost of being too aggressive, though with him it was not a woman who lost a home but a detective who lost his life. His eyes, water at the memory, and his rage builds, rage at himself and at the Joker.

The attacks intensify after that, until Damian is grabbed and made to listen. His breath is ragged, and his chest and back are slick with sweat. "I don't understand!" he roars the lie. "I am a weapon, how can I understand?" he says and with his rage renewed he throws punch after punch at Bruce trying to drive him back across the mats and put an end to this, screaming wordlessly the whole while.

Bruce frowns at the roar it sounds...familar, and that is when compassion comes. As the rage overwhelms Damian, Bruce once again only redirects the energy, over and over again, not losing his cool. "I understand. It's not fair, it's not right, none of it is. It's up to us to find that impossible path though, the one others fear to walk, are too afraid to look for because of how difficult it is. It looks like I finally found it, as Batman though not without my mistakes."

Bruce, winces a bit when Damian gets one particularly nasty throw in that even redirected still hurt. But he does not stop, he can't. If he does, he knows all the progress he made would be lost. So he ignores the sweat that drips down his spine, that drips down his face and goes into his eyes. He blinks the sting away at intervals, at breaks he knows Damian has in the rhytum of his attacks.

Bruce is waiting for that moment, as each bruise appears at his magnificantly trained son's violent behavior, he just takes the abuse until that moment arrives. When Damian seems at his least controlled, and only then does he act to catch Damian once again, but this time to actually throw him and pin him to the mat, with him facing up, his knee on his son. There would be a heavy THUMP at the impact. "But I lost my memories Damian, my training incomplete. In a way, we are both still trying to find our way. You aren't alone." And very quietly Bruce whispers, "We finally aren't alone anymore." Pain is reflected in Bruce's voice at his loss, but also hints at just how important Damian is to him. "We will find our path Damian, and we will find our strength. We will find our purpose in this crazy world, and it won't be as weapons, it won't be as tools, it will be as free men. Do you understand now?"

Damian fury burns through his energy reserves like wildfire. His muscles ache, and scream with each new punch and kick, and even the one he lands, jars his leg painfully. So, when he is grabbed and slammed to the ground it comes as a relief, the mats beneath his back feel as good as any bed he's ever slept on and for an instant unconsciousness threatens to consume him. He keeps his eyes open, fighting exhaustion and looks up at his father "I am nothing," he says with heartbreaking sincerity. "A lie," hot tears sting his eyes and he blinks, but when Bruce asks if he understands he nods. "Yes," he manages.

And slowly Bruce moves to let Damian up, making sure his rage consumed itself. Once that is assured, he moves to help Damian to sit up, and then he actually leans down to hug him tightly. It...is the first time Bruce has ever done that. He doesn't let go. "I'm proud of you son." Bruce understands that emptiness that gnaws at you, the darkness clawing inside till everything is raw and ragged. But one must face the abyss to conqueror it. And truthfully, Bruce bent the truth a little. He is still facing his own abyss within, stuggling with it everyday. So he doesn't ask his son to defeat it now, only to confess that it is there.

Even Alfred who wanted so many times to step forward to stop this madness, finally confesses he is glad he did not. Tears fall down his cheeks silently, and he says nothing. Silence is bliss.

Damian weeps too, and is wordless, there were never words for these sorts of thoughts in his life before, so he just holds onto his father. There was so much still left to be said and more to be done, but, for now, Damian felt some sliver of peace.