Renegade, Another Bat?

Chapter 20 - A Mentor or a Father...

Chapter 20 - A Mentor or a Father...

Bruce P.O.V - In the Manner - 2 days after Death-Stroke sighting in Gotham

Dick had just finished telling me about Seth, Renegade-ing out on us over the Child Abductor - who's name is Demophoon Thom-le-yoma Kal-mandure.

[Pronounced - Dem-o-foon Tom-ley-yoma Kal-man-du - good luck trying to say that guys name really fast 5 times in a row - or even once...] (I legit just came up with the weirdest names that I could think of)

Dick said that he would of told me sooner but I was on Emergency Only - Radio-Silence, tracking Death-Stroke and leading further away from Sky's trail.

"I'll go talk to her, do you know where she is Dick?"

"Yes, but first remember that, in her mind, Sky and Seth are 2 different people. That also means that, to Phantom, Bruce Wayne is her - our - Foster Father, where-as Batman is her Mentor and Teacher. This happened to her as 'Seth,' so you must talk to her as B-Man, her Mentor, not her parent." Dick said. sam, Sometimes I forget how much wisdom my little boy has. I just nod my head in response.

"She's training 'downstairs'."

"Thanks Dick."

"Bruce, please, don't be to hard on her, Sky's only 7." Dick says close to tears.

I wrap my arms around my would-be-son. "DickieBird, what's wrong?"

"Sky told me that, if she did something wrong with the Court or Wilson, she got punished... Badly. She might forget the past couple weeks a think that your just like, them..."

"Oh, Dickie." I said as I hugged him tighter. "I'll be careful Richard, Don't You Worry Child.

Open P.O.V - In the Bat-Cave

{Sky is on the rings that Dick uses during 'Downtime' in Young Justice season 1}

One Flip.

Two Flips.


Three Flips.

Four. Each time Sky was gaining more and more momentum.

Five.

Six. She had started to let go as she swung around, before catching the hoops at the end of each round.

Seven.

Eight.

Nine. Sky was now doing 3 flips before grabbing the handles.

Ten.

Eleven.

Twelve. She let go, flying through the air. Like she's been doing it for her whole life, as if she was Born to Fly. Before landing on a support rafter in the cave.

Bruce P.O.V

"Sky?" I asked when she didn't re-appear from the rafters.

I climbed up to where Sky disappeared and saw her sitting 10 meters away with her legs swinging over the edge, leaning against a support post as she un-did her hair and started to play with it.

"Skyla, Dick told me what happened, the other night. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?"

"No... well, yes, a bit. Skylaina, you know that what you did the other night is not acceptable. If Robin wasn't there, you would have gone too far, you realise that don't you?" Sky just lowered her head in shame.

"We put people away who do things like that, and I don't want to be forced to lock you up as well. So can you tell me, why you lost control?"


Sky P.O.V

I just shake my head at his question. 'Why would he care what happened to me?'

"Please Sky. I can't help you if I don't know what's wrong."

"...It doesn't matter..." I said as I jumped down from the rafter I was on, and onto a ledge in the cave. "...It doesn't matter, because I, don't matter..."

Bruce P.O.V

'Does she really think that she doesn't matter?'

"Sky, please let me help you." I said as I followed her to the ledge she was perched on (crouching down) "I know that you're hurting and I know why... so why won't you let Dick and I help you?"

"Because I don't need help, I can fight my own battles and have been for a long time."

"...You know Skyla, I use to think like that, that things were easier, better when I was alone. But Barbara, Dick, Alfred, they have all shown me that, sometimes, you need your friends to help you, to save you. And I know that, sometimes, it is hard to admit that you need help. But needing help, or being afraid, doesn't make you weak, and that when you admit that you can't do things alone, all the time, or that you're afraid of something, or someone, that, makes you stronger than most. Look I know that you've had a rough 23 months, and I know that it was hard, that you weren't aloud to be scared or need help, but your not there anymore. And the reason that Batman, Robin and Batgirl are here, is because people need help, because they can't always do things by them-selves. And, hopefully, Seth will be out there too, helping people with things that they can't do alone."

"But, it's just so hard... to change..." Her voice was barely above a whisper but I still heard it. (Cause it's just so hard to be this way. But it's just as hard to change.)

"Then let us help kiddo. We'll figure things out, together. Ok?"

"Demophoon Thom-le-yoma Kal-mandure. He hurt that family... It just, brought back some old memories, of my family being torn apart like that... It hurt, and I couldn't stand the thought of him, destroying anymore families - tormenting anymore innocent kids... I'm sorry, Bruce... I gave into Death-Stroke's training, I'm not strong enough to-"

I stopped her from saying anything else when I put my hand on her shoulder and used the other to lift he chin up so Sky was looking at me. "Hey, it's ok, Phantom, it was all just new to you. Don't worry, with enough training, that urge will leave you, I promise."

Again, Skyla surprised me, by wrapping her arms around my neck. So I picked her up and held onto her. "Don't you worry child" -see heaven's got a plan for you. Don't you worry, don't you worry now. "I've got you, and I'm not letting you go. 

"I-I th-thought that I wo-would be i-in tr-trouble... I didn't want yo-you to hit m-me. I'm s-so sorry... Sky whimpered into my shoulder.

"Hey, Phantom, as your mentor it is my job to train and discipline you. But I'm not just your mentor, I'm also your legal parent, and as you father it is my job to keep you safe, and protect you. I need you to understand that, I need you to know that I won't hurt you, and that you can trust me, ok?"

"mulțumesc... tătic." {Thank you Daddy} Sky said to me, barely above a whisper, but I still heard. "Bun venit, copilul meu." {Your welcome, my child.}