Bat Brothers: Schooldays

Working With the Big Kids

Dick took one of the Batmobiles out by pressing a button on his uniform. He watched it park in front of him.

"Homework's done?"

Jon nodded.

"Naturally." Damian replied.

"Good." Dick said, watching the doors open. "Let's ride."

They jumped into the car and Dick briefed them that they were going to take patrol in his city- Bludhaven. Jon talked, excitedly. Damian stared out the window. He was nervous. He had to be impressive if he was going to be accepted in the Titans.

It was freezing out. Jon was glad that Alfred gave him warm clothes under his Superboy jacket. It was nice that his back-up uniform jeans didn't have a hole in them. Damian, however, looked like he was going to freeze.

"D, you're going to catch a cold." Jon said.

"I'm fine." Damian said.

Dick was perched on the ledge of a building. He turned around. "Let's go. We're meeting in the park. Follow me."

Dick backed up and took a running start, jumping across two skyscrapers and onto lower roofs until he slid down the fire escape of a grubby apartment building. Jon was slower than the other two boys because he could levitate fine but actually flying forward was difficult. Jon bent his knees and landed gently on the slick concrete in the dim alley. Dick looked around the corners.

"Let's go." He said, waving Jon and Damian on to follow him.

Damian adjusted his mask and Jon took a deep breath before sprinting across a busy street of taxis and rattling sedans. Dick sat on a big rock in the middle of the park.

"I have eyes on you." Came a voice over Dick's communication link in his ear.

"Who was that?" Jon asked, rubbing his left ear.

"You'll see." Dick said.

A flash of red. A figure emerged from the blink of color. "Hi, Wally West. The Flash." Wally smiled.

"Woah." Jon marveled. "Cool!"

A figure dropped down from the dark sky. "Hey." She smiled. She stood up and looked at Jon and Damian, Jon acting like a fangirl, Damian acting like... an asshole.

"Hiya." Jon waved.

"Superboy and Robin, right?" She put a hand on her hip. "You're going to be Titans tonight?"

"Yep." Jon smiled. "Dick- I mean, Nightwing said that we could come to patrol tonight and it's even a school night!"

An arrow caught everyone's attention as it marked the center of the tree Damian was leaning against. It only took a moment.

"Red Arrow has arrived." He gloated.

Damian frowned and pulled the arrow out of the wood. "I think you lost this." He said, handing it back. Roy Harper put the arrow in his quiver on his back.

The moon and stars covered quickly in dark clouds.

"Where's Cyborg?" Damian asked.

Dick pointed at the sky. "It's supposed to rain or snow 50/50 chance. He prefers to stay out of water unless necessary."

"Damn." Donna, Wonder Girl, said. "I owe him $20."

"Should we be outside? Jon asked.

"Crime doesn't care about the weather." Damian scoffed.