Batman: City Of Owls

Episode 1 Gotham

When you are young you do not know what is going to happen. Life is just one big adventure. You cannot ever prepare for what will happen, or what you'll become. The best you can do is try to see the light at the end of the tunnel. By being strong, that is how you pull through the darkest lives.

   Gotham City 1970

" Take this, take that!," Young Bruce Wayne yelled excitedly as he and his parents left the Gotham Parkview theatre.  Both of his parents where holding hands as they watch there boy run around swinging his plastic sword. Snow fell to the ground.  The weatherman  said it would be a white Christmas in Gotham, and he was right much to Bruce delight. 

" And take this," Bruce said as he swung the toy sword with his right hand, attacking imaginary enemies.  It was Christmas Eve, and like on every Christmas Eve the Wayne family did something together as a family. As always, Bruce got to choose the activity. This year he wanted to go to the theatre and see a classic hero flick, Zorro. Bruce had always been fascinated by Zoro, ever since he first saw the movie.  Zorro was not a cop, nor was he a wealthy person. Zoro was a swashbuckler who doned a cape and a sword who frightened enemies with his mere presence. Each time Zorro defeated the bad guys, he would carve a large Z onto their bodies.

" Bruce, slow down" Martha Wayne said. She grabbed her son by the arm before he bumped into a stranger walking by. The theatre had been crowded tonight. People and there families had all gathered. In fact, the theatre had been jammed pack.

Bruce stopped swinging his toy sword and looked up at his mom. Martha Wayne was a stunning sight with her short, light brown hair, and blue eyes. She was wearing pearl earrings, and wore a red jacket with a light purple scarf wrapped around her neck. She stuffed her hands in her coat pocket.

Thomas Wayne, Bruce father, was towering figure standing at least five times as tall as Bruce. He had a well groomed mustache, and Black Hair. He wore an expensive looking grey jacket. As the snow fell, Thomas pulled up his collar. Thomas was one of the most respected business men in all of Gotham, and someone you could turn too in a time of need. Thomas fished around in his coat pocket, and pulled out a small gift wrapped in purple wrapping paper. He handed the present to Bruce.

" Merry Christmas Bruce," his father said with a smile. Bruce greedily snatched the gift from his father hand. He tore into the wrapping paper. What was it? Bruce hoped it was the Zorro action figure he had been asking for the past couple of months. He wanted nothing else but that. The smile on his face immediately turned to a frown when he finished unwrapping the gift. It was not the Zorro action figure he wanted. It was a wooden figure with a knob on the side of its head. The figure had big white eyes painted on it. It had a tall, black hat with a red coat and blue sash. 

" What is it," Bruce asked, sounding disappointed. His father placed a hand on his left shoulder. " It is a nutcracker. A family heirloom that has been passed down from generations of Wayne family. My great, great grandfather gave it to my father, my father  gave it to me, and now I am giving it to you."

" It is a nice gift, isn't it Bruce," his mother spoke softly.

Bruce curled his lips, and angrily threw  the dumb nutcracker onto the sidewalk. The nutcracker broke into six different pieces. " This is not what I wanted. I wanted a Zorro action figure, not this dumb gift!"

Both Thomas and Martha Wayne looked stunned by his their sons reaction. Thomas knelt down and picked up the. He held the pieces in the palm of his hands. Bruce looked his father in his eyes, expecting him to be angry. Instead, Bruce saw something in his father eyes he had never once seen in all his life. Thomas Wayne had always been tough as nails, and rarely showed any emotion other than happiness and anger. For the first time, Bruce thought he saw sadness in his father eyes. It made Bruce feel a bit ashamed about how he reacted, but he said nothing. The look in his father eyes disappeared.