2014-05-27 - Cutscene: Weight of the Past

Jason drags on his cigarette as he half hangs out of his rundown apartment window. The air conditioner unit that usually hangs from it broke anyway. There is no real breeze, no fresh air in Gotham City, but it helps a little with the stuffiness on this hot and muggy night. He wears no shirt, sweat clinging to his bare skin. There are some minor scars from his sparring matches and fighting with his teachers, but the old scars from that horrible night were long since healed by the Lazarus Pit.

He looks out past the alleyway he hangs over to see neon lights and some people walking by. It isn't too late yet in the East End. He knows Talia al Ghul won't wait for him forever, she said she would hunt him down if he didn't come to her. He didn't doubt her.

Still, he had a feeling things were going to be messy and Roulette was going to make a show out of it for her sick pleasure and profit. There is the thought of calling in Batman, but is he not supposed to be the better Batman? His mouth twists unhappily as he knocks some ashes off his cigarette before slowly blowing out smoke so that it wisps in the air.

"I turned into a whiny little bitch," he growls to himself unhappily. When did Jason ever go whining to the old man, even as a kid? He always tried to handle things himself. Still, the words echo, "Come home," from Batman's, from Bruce's mouth. Jason shivers, not sure where the strange chill in this humidity came from. He sighs to himself. "Moron." He isn't sure if he means himself or Batman at this point.

Well, least he was off Grayson's couch, Jason is sure his big brother appreciates that at the very least. He stares at the stains of who knows what down on the alleyway floor, tainted by shadows. "Where is home?" He drops his cigarette to the ground below and pushes himself back inside. He heads to his sketch pad to draw some, hoping that will settle his mind.

Talia was more than the one that helped restore some of his sanity; she was like a mother to him, a mentor, and even a lover. Their relationship is multi-facet and complicated. But her true love was always Batman, though she uttered the name Bruce upon her lips. "We all wear masks."

Jason fleshes out his sketching of ninjas with animal tails. "Hehehehe," well, he did say after shooting one that it was O.K., ninjas aren't people.