audio; anonymous

[demon_brat]

[Good evening, Keeliai, have your first Damian-as-Robin post. And, yes, it is the slightly different Robin voice, too.]

Considering the level of technology here, there was an item I found on the Mainland that might, I suppose, belong to one of the foreigners. It certainly doesn't match anything native, especially with the organic component in the consoles.

It is a laptop with a glowing symbol on it, and if anyone has something like that, back home, let me know.

[Yes, the specifics of the symbol are left out on purpose. Damian has to have a way to check if the item really does belong to the person who might answer.]

Comments

[backwordscompatible]

In that you seem to spend every single waking moment of your life not trusting anyone ever.

I mean, how old are you?

[demon_brat]

Not for somebody raised as an assassin, no.

Eleven.

[backwordscompatible]

[Now that stuns her enough into silence, mouth slightly agape.]

[demon_brat]

You can see how calling me rude has little effect.

[If he's smirking over the effect... it's only a very little.]

[backwordscompatible]

Yeah...well...it's still true.

[Eyeing him very cautiously now.]

Batman trained you...to be an assassin?

[demon_brat]

>Tt.< Batman didn't know about me until I was ten.

[backwordscompatible]

So then, who...why...

[And now we're back to migraine levels of wth?]

[demon_brat]

[The amusement... fades, and Robin looks slightly away.]

I promised Batman I wouldn't kill. I became Robin... later. It's complicated.

[Be grateful he doesn't actually go for answering the 'who' question. Then there would be a migraine.]

[backwordscompatible]

[Able to sense that much, at least, Zatanna drops the subject.]

So that's why you're so paranoid.

[demon_brat]

Among other things. Like the fact that we have been brought to this place with all its... questions and no actual explanation why, or why each of us.

[In a word, yes. But not only.]

[backwordscompatible]

Well, don't take it out on the rest of us. We were all brought here the same as you.

If you want to go spy on someone, why not the locals?

[demon_brat]

'Take it out on the rest of you'? What do you mean?

And I am. After the attempted - and one successful - sacrifices of foreigners, I believe a lot of people are keeping an eye on the kedan.

[backwordscompatible]

The way you're acting.

It's like you suspect all of us. Which, okay, yeah, paranoid. I got that much. But you're basically accusing of us of doing something before we ever get the chance to prove otherwise.

[demon_brat]

[And he... stills. Not that she can see it, behind the white-out lenses, but for several heartbeats, the only motion he's making are very slow blinks.]

Not... the case with you or Kid Flash.

[There is... a slim-to-none chance that she won't ask, isn't there.]

One needs to know one's potential allies, not only one's enemies. But the type of scrutiny is different.

[Which he would not have been as aware of as he is if he hadn't had that talk with Superman, earlier.]

[backwordscompatible]

[Pretty much.]

So we're you're allies now?

[demon_brat]

Potential allies!

[Beat.]

You are allies of your Robin. And I'll have his back.

[backwordscompatible]

Why?

[She's not being smart this time. She genuinely wants to know.]

[demon_brat]

Because...

[Pause. This. Is not easy for him to talk about.]

Because of who he grows up to be.

[backwordscompatible]

Who does he grow up to be?

[She's pushing, but she's also within her rights to ask because she knows him also.]

[demon_brat]

[Except Damian simply lacks the ability to explain Grayson. It doesn't work, and he's trying to put words together for it.]

... it's complicated.

[One of the first two people to treat him as a human being. The man who he insulted beyond reason and turned around and saved Damian's life. And saved it again and again, showing him there is a different side to this life they lead, one that is no weaker. The man who, ultimately, Damian defied his mother for. And would again, too.]

[backwordscompatible]

So...someone you do trust?

[demon_brat]

[More than anyone else in any world. Except, how sentimental is that?

Damian just. Nods. Once.]

[backwordscompatible]

[Very sentimental.]

I see.

[That explains why he's a little more readily willing to trust her and Wally. Potentially.]

And it doesn't matter to you that he's not the same Robin you knew?

[demon_brat]

He's not the same, but he isn't anyone else, either.

[backwordscompatible]

You know what's funny?

That actually made sense.