Dick never had an easy life. At the age of nine, his parents were killed. At the age of nine, he was kidnapped and forced to work as a slave for Tony Zucco. At age ten, he was so thin you could fit your hands around his waist and still have room left. At age sixteen, he was beat for nothing except Zucco had a bad day. Yet at age eighteen, he could still smile, and could aggravate Zucco with the fact that he could smile.
There was a ball coming up. One that would pair the crown prince, Wally West, with a consort. Dick wanted desperately to go, but a few things stopped him. The first was Zucco. Dick had so many chores already, and that maniac would find something else for him to do. The second was his condition. Why would Wally ever choose him when he was thin, sickly, beaten, and tired? And third was his clothes. This was a royal ball. There was no way he could go in the rags Zucco forced him to wear.
The day off the ball, Dick was forced to work more than normal. Of course Zucco and his two boys were going, but not Dick. By the time they left, it was too late for Dick to even try to get an outfit. Dick went to the garden, limping on his ankle. Maybe he could garden some. He was bone tired, but it would keep him from thinking. Maybe Zucco would give him a day off if he saw the garden looking pristine. Yeah right.
A hidden root caught Dick's leg, and he fell. He tried pushing himself up on his forearms, but he was so weak he could barely do it. A small deer ran up and helped. Dick had easily befriended the animals at the large estate. They would sometimes bring him food in his attic tower when Zucco was starving him again. "Thank you. Tonight could've changed it all. I could've been found, they could've rescued me from this prison. But Zucco won't let me go. I can't go, not like this." Dick whimpered, petting the deer.
"I can help with that." A silvery voice rang out. Dick backed up to a tree and the deer scampered away as a young woman walked up. "W-Who are you?" Dick was shaking. He'd lost the ability to trust strangers after what had happened. "My name is Zatana. I can get you to the ball to meet the prince." "Why would you help me, ma'am? Look at me. There's probably someone who could use your gift more me. Besides, why would Wally ever pick me?" Dick rubbed his arm, looking away.
"I chose you because of how selfless you are. Because of how much hardship you've been through. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to help you get out of here." "I'm injured, ma'am. I want to go, badly, but I don't think they'd let me in with a limp." "Don't worry about that. Take my hand." Zatana held her hand out to Dick. Dick cautiously grabbed it, and she gently pulled him to his feet.
"Now, let's think. You need to get to the ball, and you need an outfit, correct?" "And a way to hide my limp." Dick nodded. Zatana smiled. "I think I can do just that." In less than ten minutes, Dick was ready for the ball, decked in a black suit, blue tie, and two glass ring on his fingers. "The spell only lasts until midnight. So try and escape early, come back here so no one suspects a thing."
Zatana disappeared when Dick left. He hoped to God Zucco didn't see him that night. If he did, Zucco would claim he stole the outfit, get him arrested, and ruin his chances of meeting Wally. Dick wanted to cry at the thought.
The guards let him in, one raising an eyebrow at the bruises littering his neck. Zucco had tried to strangle him during his beatings, but Dick usually hid it well. Dick walked around, taking in the beauty of the castle and looking for Wally.
Wally was bored out of his mind. Men and women kept coming up to him, praising him for things he didn't do. It was insulting, frankly. They didn't know a thing about him, they just wanted to be royal. Nobody caught his eye until he found a black haired boy about his age walking around.
Bruce was interested. He knew Wally always had a weakness for black hair, but this boy looked sick. Hurt. Yet Wally walked over anyway. His adopted son had a way of looking inside as well as outside.
