Children Of The Bat

Chapter 1: Day

Mary's P.O.V
05:59 EST October 31, 2032, Wayne Manor, Gotham City

Today is the day; exactly eight years since Bruce Wayne's "death". The police said it was for sure; they said it was unmistakable, I saw the body it looked like him but I wasn't convinced. It!... Wasn't!... Him!

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! "Ugh," I groaned, slapping the alarm clock that broke my thoughts. "Can't I just skip today, please?" I begged Alfred, who was laying out my school uniform. "I'm sorry, Miss Mary, but I'm afraid not," he said with his British accent, making my name sound like Marie instead of Mary. "Pleeease," I begged harder trying to cover my head with the blanket. "No," he said taking my pillow from under my head and hitting me with it.

"But"

"No," he said more firmly. I knew there would be no convincing him, but it was worth a try. Alfred left the room and I got dressed in my Gotham Academy uniform and looked in the mirror. "Bleh," I said messing with my hair, "a boy looking haircut and a skirt, not a good mix." I grabbed my shoulder bag and ran out of my second story bedroom, tossing the bag over the railing...onto Alfred's head. Oops.

"Sorry." I said sliding down the banister.

"It's alright, Miss Mary." He said with a sigh, handing me the bag.

"I wasn't trying to hit you."

"I know, I know. Now shoo," he swept his hands at me. "Before you are late!"

"Bye," I said, running into a pedestal with a 5,000 dollar, Chinese vase on it, which went crashing to the floor. I cringed and whirled around to look at Alfred, who was already getting a broom from the closet.

"Sorry!"

"Shoo."

"Bye! 'Love you, Alfred!" I said, almost running into another pedestal.

"Why do we have so many of these things lying around?" I joked.

"Watch where you are going and leave."

Yeesh, I think he's in a bad mood.

******
06:55 EST, Gotham Academy, Gotham City

Bleeeeeeh. I. hate. school. "Zing," I heard someone say as I jumped from something tickling my sides. I wheeled around to see my best guy-friend, from Gotham, Derrick.

"You jerk!" I said playfully pounding his stomach and laughing, "You know I hate that!"

"Yes, yes I do," he said with a goofy voice. "So uh...how're you, y'know doing, with it being, well today," he stumbled over the words he couldn't find.

I knew he wasn't good at being sympathetic.

"I'm fine," my voice cracked.

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"'Cause I mean, uh...well y'know, it's the da-. Er... I mea-"

"It's the day my adoptive grandfather died?..." I said, cutting him off.

"Uh, yeah." He said scratching the back of his head.

"I'm fine, seriously. I mean, sure. I miss him, but I know, Pops, is watching over me," I said, looking into the sky trying to convince him that I really believe he's gone.

"Well," he said, "As long as you're alright." The bell rang and he ran off.

******
15:10 EST Gotham City

I was running home. I knew Alfred had errands to run today and I wanted to get home before him so I could try and help with something before he could say to me, "Don't worry about it, Miss Mary, that is my job."