Batman: In Every Shadow

Scene Three

The school bell rang, echoing through the wooden historic halls of Gotham University. Tim packed his bag and then extended a hand to help Barbara to her feet. Both of them head out the classroom door and make their way to the cramped hallways, a general stampede shaking the very walls.

"Are you going to tell me about it or do I have to interrogate you for it?"

"About what?"

Tim replies to Barbara with about the same deception as a child with their hand in the cookie jar.

"Miss purple-hood, your little sidekick."

The last part was said with a flaunting of the eyebrows, meant to tease him.

"Jeez, you mean that girl who spoiled everything for me?"

"Sounds like she liked you a lot more than you liked her."

Shrugging it off, Tim shakes his head and looks at the bumbling mass of bodies moving ahead.

"She's nothing more than a spoiler, plus I already got my eyes on somebody."

The last part was muffled and meant just for himself, but Barbara immediately got in his face.

"Who is it?! Someone I know?!"

Shrinking down, he looks away.

"Maybe? Why does it matter?"

"Because I'm your friend. But more importantly, I love gossip. So please tell me!"

A woman suddenly bumps into Tim, both then turn to face one another.

"Sorry."

They mutter in unison. Tim's eyes go wide at the irony of the situation; it's the girl he likes. She quickly storms away, a slight limp in her step. Slowly coming into Tim's vision, Barbara has an ear-to-ear smile.

"So, who was that?"

"A girl I have a science class with, but that's it!"

Jauntily moving along, Barbara smiles and hums to herself. Irritated by her, Tim pushes along.

"Didn't know you had a thing for Stephanie Brown."

His face immediately growing red, Barbara cheerfully hums as he sulks just behind her.

Bruce exits a board room while placing an envelope into his coat pocket. Large discolored bags form under his exhausted dark eyes, the pair wanting to shut more and more with every step. Stashing his work-related cell, he produces a more advanced device that was designated for personal endeavors(a department that has been exclusively related to his nightly crusades as of late). A text from Alfred appears, his typically long-winded messages more suited for an email or a letter, but he doesn't know better.

"Master Bruce, have you sent out the call to Master Richard? I feel you should give him ample time to wrap up his affairs and properly commute to Gotham before nightfall. It's only polite and such."

He rolls his eyes. Despite knowing he needs the help, Bruce has been pushing it off. So, to detail that exactly, he begins to thumb a message that explains a recall of the idea. Alfred replies with a solemn:

"Understood, I suppose Master Richard would be too busy anyway."

That matter decided, Bruce navigates the walkways to a quieter corner of Wayne Tower. A sub-dogma labeled under 'Foxteca' appears, an interesting section of the conglomerate that Bruce owns. The owner, Lucius Fox, had been fired by one of Bruce's more... aggressive board members. After splitting to create his own company, Lucius began to make technology that bested WayneTech's by far. Not one to let his pride control him, Bruce bought out Foxteca and employed Lucius to keep working under his company, but under one condition.