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“Best day EVER!” He yelled excitedly as he held his new laptop in his hands. “Well, I'm glad that you like it sweetie.” Mom says smiling like she always does, bright and carefree. “But you know you have to do your schoolwork on it. Not just video games.” Mom says matter of fact.
“I know, I know, study, then Call of Duty. But this thing is so high tech. It has to be one of those Wayne Tech ones!”. He rambled as he tore the cardboard with zero grace. Ignoring the look his mom gave him for making a mess.
‘It's my birthday, sue me!’ he thinks as he finally gets to the computer.
His phone is blowing up from all of his bros and girl bros who are telling him happy birthday. And what alcohol he wants for his party.
“Brad, I want a picture, I'm gonna post this on Facebook! My baby is finally 21, oh how the years go by… Brad, Bradley! Stop looking at the computer for 3 seconds and smile.” Mom says exasperated.
“Alright, sorry mom this is just so dope and the screen is-”. His mom cuts him off with a signature ‘mom’ look. Before he can ramble on and just smile for the picture.
He only has so many hours with his mom, so he decides to put down his new tech and watch tv. As his mom tells him, in between commercials, tea her clients tell her. He has always been amazed by how many people tell secrets to their hairdresser. Especially when they're rich. Affairs, secret kids, things that can ruin people's careers. Just come so easily out of their mouths when they are getting their hair done.
‘God, he missed this’ he thinks. Laying on the couch as his mom told him info about people he has never met. Don't get him wrong, he loves Gotham U. But he misses his mom.
His mom will never go back to Gotham though. He has wondered why and asked her, but she just shuts him down. She used to live there. He told his friend, Peter, and he said she might have some beef with one of the gangs. Shared the wrong information to the wrong people type of thing. So that would explain why his mom was so opposed to him going to Gotham U. She all but begged him not to go. But it was the only place he got a scholarship for. So that was that.
The next day he says goodbye to his mom. And goes in his mom's old car for the 5-hour drive from Pennsylvania to Gotham, NJ.
The second he walks into the frat house he has a drink in his hand. Cheers and music fill the air. Peter stands on the dining table and yells to the packed frat house.
“Ay, I need to tell y'all a story! About 21 years ago, Ms. Williams, with her fine ass. Got down and dirty! And 9 months later out pops Bradly ‘Beer King’ Williams! One of the stupidest motherfuckers I've ever met! My dude, our frat brother, and 2-year beer pong champion!” There are drunken cheers, and Brad gets pat on his back, and he goes up to Peter.
“Awe Pete, I didn't know you cared.” Brad jokes in an emotional voice as he bro hugs him. “Didn't need to say my mom is hot though.”
“I'm just speaking the truth. She is fine! But anyways, beer pong king, you up for a game?” Peter says and bows like brad is royalty.
Brad rolls his eyes and heads to set up the table.
___________
Bruce hates magic users.
Truly.
But right now, his biggest concern is how to stop Robin from shapeshifting. He doges him as claws just barely miss his jugular. Instead scraping the top corner of his suit. Robin was growling, in constant attack mode. Nightwing is still two minutes out. And Red Robin is still trying to contact Zatanna. While watching the tied-up assailant.
Anytime he tries to grab or restrain Robin he shapeshifts into smoke then re-appears in seconds. Ready to attack again. The problem isn't outmaneuvering him, it's that Robin is becoming less human every time he shapeshifts. More snarling. More violent. More smoke. Less humanity.
A backfired obedience spell. Was supposed to make Robin obedient to a villain that wanted to move up the ranks. Wanted Robin to kill Batman. So, Robin is trying. No matter what. Ignoring the villain's orders to leave when she realized she was going to not win this fight. And then predictably ran, when she saw Red Robin in her peripherals.
Nightwing and Zatanna show up seconds apart. Both addressing the scene in front of them. Nightwing moves to help first while Zatanna starts a spell to remove civilians. After making quick work of that spell, she starts another one, an entrapment spell. Batman has heard her use it on large, powerful threats. It takes the shape of a box. That Robin tries to smoke out of. But he ends up hitting the barrier with a thud. Falling to the floor. As the clear box gets smaller. Until Robin can't move stuck in a horizontal position with wards glowing around his muzzled mouth.
“We need to get to the cave. Can we move him?” Nightwing says looking at Zatanna. “Carefully, yeah” Zatanna responds looking for any possible holes in her spell.
“If this is the spell I think this is…tell your butler to get needles ready and hope it hasn't progressed far.” She adds.
___________
Red Robin drops the de-powered villain to the commissioner. And then joins the cave. Walks into a very pale Bruce with his costume stripped down to the undersuit. Needle in his arm, giving blood to Damian. By the looks of it, too much. Zatanna was talking to Dick in a hushed voice. Until she looks at Tim and signals him over.
“I know you Bats are all secrets, but do you know if Talia has a protective amulet? We have Bruce, but we can't get a hold of her. Robin needs lots of blood. Human blood that connects close to his bio family. Bruce will die trying to give him blood. And it still wouldn't be enough!”
“This is a long shot, but Zatanna thinks she can use a spell that will show magical matches. It would help us find Talia quickly.” Dick says quickly looking between Tim and the dead still Damian.
“I've heard stories about her fighting magic users. So, she might have one, but I think it is worth the risk. She would be notified what type of magic. And she would come to confront you. At least we would know where she is.” Red Robin says determined.
“Alright” Zatanna says as she sets up a paper world map. She starts chanting as Dick watches ready to get on the bat plane once he gets coordinates.
“Um, why are there three dots?” Tim says squinting at the two dots in Gotham. While there is another one in South Africa.
“It's probably Batwoman-” Dick says, trying to get the Africa coordinates. Tim interrupted, "She's off-world… So, who the hell is that?”