Fight or Flight? : A Damian Wayne Book

>Chapter 4<

Anger raged through Damian's body like fire! He wielded his katana at the neck of a criminal he had pinned down under his, his teeth glinting into an almost evil like smirk. He snarled, "Pathetic. You were wrong to pick on an al Ghul for fun. This will show you not to mess with me." Putting the katana's sharp blade close to the man's neck vein, Damian inched it closer, as the man gulped in fear. Suddenly, the young, irritated teen heard the sound of his father, in his Batman clothes, as he said with a deep voice, "Get off of him." Damian snarled back, "This fool attempted to get away with murdering a woman in cold blood. He has to pay." "He will get justice served to him, but that is not for you to decide when to do so. Now, get off of him, and put down your katana.", Batman ordered with strict tones. Reluctantly, Damian put the katana on the ground beside the man, got off of him, then grabbed the man's shirt collar with a fast fist, as he growled, "Try that again, and there will not be a next time.", before shoving him off to the side, and watching the man run scared, down the alley. 

After the man disappeared, Damian turned to the Dark Knight, and said, "You are letting him get away, Father. He does not deserve to live another day." Batman stated, "Nightwing will be waiting atop Wayne Enterprises for you. Go, and wait for me with him. We will discuss your actions later.", then he disappeared into the growing shadows. Damian rolled his eyes in ignorance, but did as asked, even though he truly hated it. 

As he grappled up to the top of the Wayne Enterprises building, a few minutes later, Damian's temper rose. His father had no place telling him, an al Ghul, what to do, and who to be, yet he bossed him around with no cares. When he got to the top, he saw Nightwing standing with a smirk on his face. He said, "Glad you could make it. Red Hood's already here, back in Gotham, but you knew that, didn't you?" Damian walked up to the older Bird, and shoved him aside, saying, "Get out of my way." Nightwing pushed further, "You want to talk about it?" Damian rolled his eyes, and said, "Why can you not shut up? That is what I want. For you to shut up." Nightwing frowned, then said, with a strange softness, "Damian, Bruce and I were worried about you. You can't just go running off like that, without letting one of us know what you're doing. That's the rule in this house, like it always has been. You tell people where you're going, and what you're doing, so if you need backup, we can be there, ready to give it." "I do not need backup, Nightwing. I can handle matters as such on my own. Do not think that I cannot.", Damian argued. As soon as he said that, the top of the building fell silent, until Batman arrived. When he did, all three headed down the building, with the Big Bat and Damian in the Batmobile, and Nightwing on his motorcycle, and headed back to the Manor. 

Upon getting back to the Manor, Damian slipped up the stairs without a word. When he was in his room, he tossed his katana onto his bed, then quickly undressed out of his League of Assassins attire, and slid into a pair of black jeans and a black sweatshirt, before heading back down the stairs. Coming into the living room, he saw Bruce eyeing him with a calm look. Damian took his normal seat on the couch, then rhythmically tapped his fingers in a bored manner, letting the soft clicking sound beat along with the ticking of the clock on the wall. The room stayed silent, until Bruce said, "I called the Head of Gotham Academy earlier, Damian. He said you can start in a few days, and agrees that it would be good for you to get some experience being around those of your age." Damian muttered, "I do not need experience, Father. I can handle being around others just fine, even if they are idiots for what they do." "Damian, for the last time, you are going to Gotham Academy. I understand that you don't think you need social interaction with people outside of this family, but the truth is, you do. You were trained for combat and fighting, as a young child, and never had the chance to be a real kid. That changes the perspective of things. That lifestyle made you who you are now, but the combative side of you, is as Robin, not Damian Wayne. You need to be able to go between the two sides, and be comfortable in each.", Bruce replied honestly. Damian stood up, and silently walked out of the living room, as soon as his father finished speaking. He headed down the hidden staircase, to the Batcave, and began pummeling his fists against a few of the foam and hard plastic dummies. 

As he did, he muttered, "Father's rules are worthless and school is a waste of my time, as is dealing with the rest of the fools in this house, who think they know what is best." Hearing the sound of the grandfather clock moving away from the wall, and the sound of footsteps on the stairs, Damian quit punching the dummies, went to the entrance where the sounds were coming from, his arms folded crossly in front of him, his green eyes piercing and steady. He watched as Dick came down the stairs, then said, "Are you coming to convince me to listen to my father's rules, and to attend that pathetic excuse for a school?" Dick said, "No, I'm not, Damian. I'm coming down here, because I care about you, far more than you want to accept. I went to Gotham Academy, when I was your age. It's where I met Barbara, and where I developed many of the relationships I still have today. I know you're just concerned that it will make you look weak, but that's not the case. You are a strong, young warrior, that can take anything life throws at him, and you will survive. Trust me, when I say that Gotham Academy made me who I am, and helped me to move on from my past." Damian retorted, "School is for the dumb and truly stupid, not for someone who could have had a Ph.D. in geology, as I could have." Dick said, "Still, Damian. Everyone needs school and people to be around." The young Bird looked up at the older, and said, his voice sounding reluctant, "Fine, I will attend. I am sure, however, that it will be unnecessary." Dick smiled, and said, "I know it won't be necessary, but it'll establish you as a Wayne member outside of the costume." He turned, and started to leave, then turned around a few seconds later, and added, "And Damian, thank you. I know it means a lot to Bruce for you to do this, and honestly, it means a lot to me as well. If they haven't changed the uniforms, then you could probably fit into my old one.", before he disappeared. Damian thought for a moment, then yelled, "Wait! Uniforms? Grayson, if you are accurate, you are going to be dead!"