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phaineofcatz“Do not be so full of yourself, you are no match for anyone in my family, not even Todd.” Damian’s voice cuts through the emotional moment with his trademark bravado. Jason tenses up next to her, but seems to relax when she giggles. She smiles at him, doing her best to finish cleaning up her tears and reassure him that she’s alright. Then she sees a bit of mischief cross his face.
“Is that right? Cause last night she disarmed you pretty easily. And I thought you were supposed to be ‘The Superior Robin’” He shoots a grin back down at her, but she’s not sure what he’s on about.
“That was purely a matter of luck and surprise. The same trick would not work on me a second time.” Damian legitimately crosses his arms and huffs.
“Suuuure. Hey, I know! Now that you’re home from school why don’t you two have a rematch? Phaine was just telling me how much she wanted to go all out. Isn’t that right?” He elbows her and she finally thinks she gets what he’s up to.
“Oh, yeah, but Jason wimped out and wouldn’t use his gear against me.” Jason looks a little grumpy at that comment, but that’s what you get when you put someone on the hook for your own payback.
“Fine. Duke, hold my bag.” Damian shoves his schoolbag at the teenager next to him and storms off to where they store their gear, Jason following behind. The teenager in question is a black boy, a bit taller than Phaine, with short hair and a slight build.
But she knows that build is hiding a super. “Duke? Then you’re Signal right? If you’re here just after school then does that mean you’ve moved into the manor already?”
“Oh yeah, last month. So it’s true you know a bunch of stuff about us then? I kinda got a brief on you, uh, Phaine?” She nods her confirmation. “We’re supposed to pretend you aren’t here, since you aren’t from this world? That’s wild, I’ve never even heard of that kind of thing before.”
“I don’t think it’s supposed to happen. Hey, like, I’m sorry, about your parents. The Joker is a legit nightmare. I haven’t read enough to find out how your parents get better, but I like, kinda got the impression that a cure would be found. So like, hang in there.”
A wash of emotions cross Duke’s face. “Uh, yeah, thanks? I guess?”
She knows she hurt him by bringing it up, maybe the bit of hope she injected makes up for it. Maybe if she’s lucky it will even turn out to be true. She doesn’t know jack about what happens to his parents after they get screwed with by the Joker, but she needed the confirmation his expressions just gave. This was the last piece, she now knows exactly which bat family this is, and exactly WHEN she is. She feels a little dirty playing at the heartstrings of the newest member of the team for information in his naivety, but Jason interrupts her little guilt trip.
“Okay kid, I brought you a cape, a cowl, and a bolt of some of the more normal cloth we’ve got lying around, before Damian gets back do the armor trick we talked about earlier!”
“Oh, uh, I’ll have to rip up the bolt a bit, is that okay? I can’t like, put it back together I don’t think?”
“It’s fine, it’s fine, just hurry up, he gets in his costume fast!” He hands her the bolt first and she fills it up with shade, watching as it silently tears itself up into specific triangular shapes and pieces. It then shapes itself around her, forming a skin tight layer and then a second looser layer broken up into pieces. She leaves about half the bolt, this should be plenty, especially with the cape. Jason hands her the cape and cowl combo and as she puts it on she lets the last bit of fabric slide up underneath the mask, hiding every inch of her skin.
The cape is WAY too long and the cowl is definitely loose on her. The whole thing probably looks silly, but that’s part of the gag. “Hehe, so how is it, how can you move? Is your control good? Phaine? Are you talking? We can’t hear you.”
“SorRy, ForgOt abOut The shAde…” She tries to use highlight close to her mouth and a voice that’s a little garbled comes out. Kind of like hers but over a bad intercom.
“Huh, that’s weird”
“I’m ouT of prAcTice. Used to DO this whEn Tom and I plAYed hide and seeK.”
“Uh, why didn’t you just un-shade your mouth?”
“…Oh…didn’t think of that…but I think everything is good.” She holds up the loosely wrapped hand and flexes it for Jason to examine. As she does she snaps the cloth tight and forms some wicked looking claws, then lets them turn loose again. “Okay, but this is really cool.”
“Ha, ‘cool’? You look ridiculous.” Robin returns, in full regalia, hood up, katana at his hip, and cape billowing behind him. He scoffs, “I can not believe you would tarnish one of father’s cowls for this farce.”
“I’m a Pretender, not a farce.” Everyone looks at the bundle of talking cloth. “Phaine. It’s Greek, it means, ‘to appear’ but it can mean to look like something or to pretend to be something… Aunt Nix used to call me her little pretender.”
“This is NOT a game of pretend! You had better be prepared for an actual fight.” Robin steps into the training circle and Jason steps out, barely able to keep his canary eating grin hidden.
“I am ready. This is like, the coolest day ever! Oh like, how do we wanna start?”
“We already HAVE!” Two batarangs fly at her, Robin running behind. She coils herself up on the floor, letting them fly harmlessly overhead. Then, waiting till the last moment before Robin gets there, sword already drawn, she uncoils.
And keeps uncoiling. Like a full body spring she launches herself high into the air. She feels the sword start to connect with material still pushing her up from the floor and just lets go of it, sword cutting through what is ostensibly regular fabric. But she’s already reached her goal. More than two thirds the distance to the ceiling, she pulls the cloth back up to her, and then launches it passed her. It connects to the roof of the cave, and pulls her up after, into the mass of stalactites and darkness.
Then the lights start going out.
One at a time, each of the lights disappear. Robin has time to see the cloth coil soundlessly over one of the large ceiling lights, then another. Soon all the light that remains is streaming in from other rooms, casting long shadows in the darkness.
“You think the dark can gain you an advantage? I was raised as by the league of assassins, I thrive in darkness.” Robin shifts his stance and throws his hood back, clearing his eyes and ears as he twists into the shadows, hidden from all but the most trained eyes. If she wishes to play a game of hide and seek, he is more than willing.
Hearing a flutter of cloth behind him is all he needs, and he is bearing down on it with his sword before it even approaches the ground, but cloth is all he finds. A small piece left to fall on its own. Another flutter, further away draws his attention, but it, too, is just a single piece. He flows back into a shadow, reorienting himself.
But then he is not in a shadow anymore.
The light above him, suddenly cleared, is blinding. He pulls his hood back up, and dives out of the light, giving his eyes a moment to adjust as he continues to seek his quarry in the changing environment.
“I used To be scareD of the darK”
Robin Swings and cuts through nothing. The voice is uncanny, like something other that is imitating speech.
“The nighT was full oF monsters”
The voice keeps moving behind him, but when he faces it, it comes from a whole new direction.
“But then Nix told me a seCret”
More cloth falling, fluttering. His eyes having adjusted he could see it was falling in all directions, little bits of cloth falling all around the arena.
“I AM a MonsTer Too!”
Suddenly all of the remaining lights are cleared at once, but the fluttering cloth is casting shifting shadows and light every which way. He turns slowly in all directions, sword ready to drop anywhere an attack might appear.
“Are you only capable of playing games? Is this why your family calls you a pretender? Come, you promised me a fight!”
She can only run this shadow game until all the pieces hit the floor, he knows he can stay perfectly alert longer than gravity will be on her side.
But the pieces do not stop fluttering.
In fact, they are not falling at all. And then he feels it, a sense that is not a sense, the feeling of killing intent aimed directly at him!
He spins and blocks, feeling the force of an impact as the sword finally connects with something… Something that DEFINITELY lives up to his father’s legacy. There it stands, and impressive 6 foot bat like figure, cape obscuring its shape, four arms, two of which were currently wrestling their wicked, claw tipped fingers with his sword. A gaping mouth splits the cowl, faint white glow spilling out passed its fangs as it hisses. “How abouT you litTle Bird, Do yoU ThinK me A MonsTer?”
“I have seen worse.” He backs off, sliding the sword free and bringing it up into a leaping thrust, driving it directly into the throat of this phantasm.
But then he can no longer pull it free. He dangles from the hilt, hesitating to release his blade just a moment too long, as the maw opens wide and swallows him whole.
The rest of the cloth floating around the room is tugged on invisible strings into the mass wrapped around Robin, and Phaine tumbles out the back of it giggling on the ground.
“Alright, I know I set this up, but you maybe took it a bit too far.”
“Hahaha, I know, I know, but like, once I blacked out the lights I was struggling to think of something to do other than just like, drop down and be all, ‘The night belongs to us.’ And then I remembered something Aunt Nix used to say to me when I was little and scared of the dark, ‘If there is a monster out there, then you just have to be a monster back.’ Hehehe, Halloween was always my family’s favorite holiday after all.”
“Is he okay in there?” They all look at the black mass of cloth as Duke asks the question.
“I mean, he’s still moving in there at least. Here, I think I can-” It shifts and Robin’s head pops through a hole in the bundle.
“Release me you abhorrent creature! I will not stand for such disgrace. You promised me a fight and you did nothing but play childish games till the bitter end. At least throw-” Fabric coils back over his mouth, silencing him.
“Yeah, he’s fine.” Phaine chirps, obviously pleased with herself.
“How did you do the thing with the floating cloth? I thought you couldn’t make stuff fly?” Jason looks impressed, and she’s too pleased about it not to brag.
“Oh, I can’t, but look!” She tugs a piece of cloth and it comes free, then a second piece follows it. She waves both in the air and they move together as if on an invisible stick. “I can have thin strings connect them and stay in touch like that. It gets a little hard to manage when they are all over the place, I can’t do any complex motions for two dozen bits of cloth at once. But I can shade just a strip and the connecting threads and keep them just fluttering like a flag really easily! I legit just thought of it while hanging out on the ceiling.”
“That was intense. We’re talking Batman level theatrics and melodrama.” Duke approaches the ball somewhat wearily, “Shouldn’t you let him down?”
“Oh, I will, just as soon as I get confirmation he won’t shank me in my sleep. As fun as this was, there is a reason I did this instead of getting into a fistfight with you, Robin. Powers or no, you are a scary person and I don’t ACTUALLY want to have to fight you. So like, truce?” She holds out a hand toward him and the fabric mass parts exposing his arms and hands, both still FIRMLY gripping his weapon. He struggles to free it for a moment before giving in and letting go. Begrudgingly he shakes her hand.
“Cool, neat. Please don’t actually stab me?” She retracts the coils from around him, gently setting Robin feet first on the ground and freeing him. She also slides the sword free and presents it to him. “You are hands down the scariest eight year old I’ve ever met. And I grew up with my god-brother, who can turn invisible and punch through rocks by the way.”
“I will only be 8 for another month.” He takes the sword from her and checks it over for a moment. “Your god-brother can really turn invisible?”
“Yeah, he can bend light with his PK shell. If he moves and you’re looking right at him you can kinda see a little wobble, but it’s pretty hard to see unless you know to look for it. He and I used to play hide and go seek as kids, my shade verse his invisibility.”
“Which one of you was better at it?”
“Weeeell, he has invisibility, not silence, so I could still find him. I was better at it in the dark, and he was better in the light.”
Robin sheaths the katana. “I can see how you would have an edge in the dark. I will not ‘shank you in your sleep.’ I make no promises about while you are awake.”
“I would appreciate if there was no ‘shanking’ in the manor OR the bat cave…” The edge in Bruce’s voice is enough to make Duke jump a little. “And what’s all this?” He walks over to the mass of torn fabric that used to hold Robin captive. “Is that one of my cowls?”
“It was Todd’s idea!”
“YOU little SNITCH!” Jason reaches for Robin, but he dodges under the cloth catastrophe and around next to Bruce.
“Um, I can sort this all out, I promise… Okay, I can’t un-tear the bolt of fabric, but the cowl and cape aren’t damaged!” As she says it the articles in question slide out of the pile and fold themselves up in her hand so she can hold them out to Bruce.
“That’s an older model, it’s fine. Just clean up this mess and then meet me in the drawing room in about 30 minutes. Jason, we need to talk. Duke, can you help Phaine?”
“Yes sir.”
Bruce starts to leave, Jason in tow, but stops at the threshold. “And Duke, I am not melodramatic.”
“Uh, nooo. Sorry Bruce.”
Robin also heads out to get changed, leaving Duke, Phaine, and a Gordian knot of fabric alone. “So, you have like, shadow powers? Cloth powers?”
“Eh, something like that.” She grabs two wads of cloth in hand and lets the mess untangle itself while she watches. “I’m sure Bruce is doing a debrief about me with Jason right now, and he’ll brief everyone else later. But the short version is I can manipulate matter if I can touch it. Oh, actually, while you’re here we can check something else!”
“What can I check that Jason couldn’t?”
“You are a super! And your power lets you see slightly past and future light. Weeell, that’s not entirely accurate, but that’s how the writers described it. Point is, my shade ABSORBS light. Kind of weirdly a lot of light? Don’t do anything that might hurt you, but like, maybe see if my powers look weird to your powers?”
“Oh, I guess I can look?” He stares at her untangling mass of black fabric. And then he stares some more. He starts walking around, staring from different angles. “Uh, I don’t see…anything?”
“Like, it’s not weird to your vision, or like, your vision doesn’t work on it?”
“No like, I can see a future here, and a past, but it’s like anything your shade touches isn’t in either of them. I just don’t see it at all.” He looks up at her as he says it, freezes, and then looks away. “Uuuh, you are using your shade on your CLOTHES!”
“Huh? Yeah, I-OOOOOoooohhhh…woops. Huh, usually using my shade on my clothes is like, a way to make sure I DON’T have a wardrobe malfunction. Guess I’m going to have to adjust that around you, sorry for the eyeful.” She has the decency to blush, but otherwise seems pretty unfazed.
“Uh, I guess Bruce was right about you being trans, sorry for peeking.”
“You didn’t know. And yeah, I’m not like all the way down there. Bleh. Maybe leave that part out of the debrief, yeah?”
“Debrief?”
“You just discovered another quirk about my powers, I can shield things against your past and future sight. You’re going to have to explain that to Bruce later so he can factor it into contingencies against me. I mean, you can tell him about seeing me naked if you want, but that sounds like, ick personally.” The cloth has pretty much all folded itself up into a neat stack in her hands by now. “Hey, I know I’m not like, allowed to wander the cave on my own, but is there like, a locker I could put this in? These scraps are pretty much useless for anything else now that I ripped them into bits, but I might be able to use them again later?”
“Yeah, actually, let me show you the lockers, we can put your name on one for now.”
Duke also showed her where the drawing room was, which was good, because she didn’t even know what a drawing room was. Turns out it’s just a rich people living room. When she got there Alfred was present as well.
“We need to get your measurements so Alfred can arrange clothes that actually fit you. You seem to have found something among what we gathered that looks the right size, but we don’t know how long you will be here and you likely only have a few options.”
“Actually, these clothes are too big, I am sort of forcing them to fit with my shade.” She let’s go for a moment and the clothes hang a bit more loosely on her tiny frame, and the shirt turns out to be a grey midtone.
“My word, have you been doing that the entire day? Do you not get tired?”
“I kinda don’t from shade? At least so long as I don’t try to grab too much mass. I actually use it all the time, just usually where people can’t see.” She reactivates her shade and the clothes look more fitted again.
“All the more reason for me to take your measurements then.” Alfred sets about getting her basic size down, asking for movements here and there, and Bruce continues.
“I have someone I would like you to talk to, they can corroborate your story as well as help us pin down details from last night. We’ve arranged for them to come into town in a few days and meet with you.”
“Ooh! Is it M’gann or J’onn?”
Bruce looks at her for a moment before shaking his head. “It’s J’onn. Since you even pronounced his and his niece’s names correctly, I am guessing you already know his identity and powers?”
“Yuup. It’s a good plan though, he’s trustworthy and can read my mind. It’s the fastest way establish my intentions, story, and gather information I might not have thought to tell you about last night. Also, I don’t think I know much about his future in this world, so I probably can’t screw up and give him dangerous info.”
“I’m glad you are on board with the idea, most people get a bit upset about having their minds read.”
“Eh, Aunt Nix did it to me sometimes, so I am kinda used to it.”
“Your god-mother can read minds?”
“Like I said, she’s an ability mimic, she can use any shifts she learned from another shifter, and she’s been around long enough to meet a BUNCH of shifters. She can do a lot of things. Never a dull moment with her around.”
“I believe that I have gathered all of your most important measurements, I just need to get an idea of what you would like to wear.”
“Good, that was all I needed to cover for now, why don’t you finish sorting out clothing details with Alfred.”
If she’s being honest with herself, Alfred is far more fashion forward than she gave him credit for. Not only is he familiar with how to tailor various styles of fitted clothes, but he’s prepared to make some whole cloth. As they started talking about what Phaine liked to wear they both quickly realized that they could speak plainly about cuts and styles and they were both speaking pretty close to the same language. Alfred even offered to get her a sketchbook and utensils and that he would provide feedback on her designs. The only person she’d ever had willing to talk about making clothes was her mom, and mom really didn’t understand how to make things from scratch, just how to modify them.
In the end they’d settled on a few similar items to what she’d been wearing when she showed up. A few pairs of skinny jeans in black, fitted Ts, mostly black, but a few other colors, and some with accents, as well as a dark grey cardigan that was just right for the autumn weather. Not having graphics on the Ts made it come across as a bit more of a mature look, but it was close enough to her normal style she couldn’t complain.
She did have the brief thought of, “Guess I’ll be easy to draw.” That quickly started spiraling into questions of if any of this was real and the implications of her being here if it was, so she tried to put it out of her head.
They also got her a hip bag she could use as a purse, not that she had anything to put in it but the communicator and her smartphone. She had been leaving the phone off, she didn’t have a charger and it’s not like it picked up signal an entire world away from her carrier. Maybe she’d ask Tim if they could figure that out together?
Alfred wasn’t even awkward about underclothes, though she did have to give up and ask for some minor accommodations. She explained that she wasn’t exactly all the way girl where it counted. It took him a moment to figure out what she meant, but once he did, he assured her something could be arranged. She figured that was maybe a stretch, but worst case she could just do what she’s always done about it and Duke will just have to keep his eyes in his head.
After squaring away the details he surprised her in another way. “You said last night that you enjoyed cooking, what are some meals you typically prepare?”
“Oh, I make a bunch of stuff. Mom took on a bunch of extra jobs for a while there to help with finances, so I learned to cook a bit so she could rest some. Mostly like, all in one meals? So like, curry, chili, burritos, risotto, a couple kinds of pasta dishes, that kind of thing.”
“You can make risotto on your own at your age?” Pennyworth has a wicked raised eyebrow, it’s like he concentrates all his facial expression into the eyes and brows and keeps the rest carefully schooled.
“Uh, yeah, I guess risotto is really more of a process than a meal? I usually make it with breaded chicken cutlets or with mushrooms I fry a little harder than the typical. The smooth creamy texture goes well with a crunch. Like, I don’t know if it’s restaurant quality, but my family seemed to all like it.” She realizes this line of questioning doesn’t really match Alfred’s typical stoic vibe. “Why do you ask?”
“Master Todd expressed concern you might not have enough to keep yourself entertained, being that you are ostensibly unable to leave the manor for the time being. I thought that perhaps, if I find you up to the task, you could assist in the kitchen?”
If Alfred suddenly sprouted bat wings and flew out of the room to distribute justice through Gotham that very second, Phaine’s expression would have been pretty much the same as the one she was wearing right now. “You don’t let ANYONE in the kitchen. Like, I know most of the Waynes are legendarily bad at cooking, but I thought you didn’t even let people in there to make a sandwich unsupervised.”
“Oh, you will very much be supervised, Miss South. And if you do more harm then good I will see you out to find some other way to occupy yourself. But master Todd spoke most highly of your attention to detail and ability to learn quickly, so if you have cooked before I think we can give you a chance in the kitchen.” A little bit of a smile plays across one side of his face.
“I would love to! I promise I at least won’t get in the way!”
She did not get kicked out of the kitchen. In fact, he even let her help him make pastries later when the rest of the family started to trickle in from patrol. He did NOT let her help with his cookies, but he let her watch, which felt like a glowing endorsement. She actually learned a lot by helping out. Alfred mostly cooks by memory, but occasionally references a hand written cookbook without a label, which makes it a little hard to follow. That said, when she would ask questions he could explain not just what the step was, but why it was important it be done a certain way. She always found it was easiest to remember details if she knew why they mattered, so this was actually perfect for her.
She helped set things out in the dinning area as well, but once the family started trickling in he told her to stay there with them. She gets little bubble of pride as she watches everyone eat the treats she helped make without seeming to notice anything being different. She’s particularly proud of how the tarts came out, she’s never made anything like those before, so even under instruction it feels like a real achievement for them to be right.
She decides to help herself to one while listening to the chatter of the evening’s exploits. It’s kind of crazy listening to an entire family of superheros talk about their evening patrol over dessert. She can only follow about half of it at one time, but she kinda lets it wash over her. Even the occasional bickering feels just, like, familial?
I guess that’s why this is the Wayne Family Adventures.
She’d figured it out earlier when she talked to Duke. The Wayne family stories are the only ones she’d ever heard of where Signal didn’t just exist, but was a part of the household.
That’s good. The more details that match with the comics, likelier it is she can COUNT on the comics as an indication of character. And the WFA comics were probably one of the less deadly versions she could have fallen into. Maybe the happy-go-lucky “everything always works out in the end” vibes of the universe will play out in her favor and things will work out for HER, too. She’s not sure exactly what a happy ending looks like for her in this situation, maybe-
“Alfred’s tarts are pretty good, huh?” Jason gives her a gentle elbow, obviously proud of the statement.
“Why do you sound so proud of that? It’s not like you made them. Actually, Alfred didn’t make the tarts tonight either, I did.” She takes the last bite with satisfaction, enjoying the creamy lemon flavor. It is a moment or two before she notices that the conversation has stopped.
“Alfred let YOU in the kitchen to COOK?!” Damian’s expression is more confusion than accusation.
“Yes, in fact, Miss South helped to prepare dinner as well. She has much to learn, but she pays attention and follows instruction well. She also does already know her way around a kitchen.” His expression and tone throw more shade around the room than even Phaine’s powers could manifest.
“I hadn’t even realized, that is rare praise from Alfred, Phaine.” Bruce gives her a tired smile over the paper he is reading. She wonders if the evening papers are still a thing in Gotham, because it’s unlikely the morning paper still has much news for him at this point.
“It’s good.” Cass agrees. But then she looks at the cookies Alfred has brought in and shoots a different look at her. Phaine does her best to give a small shake of the head without alerting anyone else. She gets a nod and smile back before Cass sneaks off to grab one of the un-tampered with cookies. Some things are sacred, Phaine decides.
Bruce sets aside his paper and takes a deep draft from his coffee. “I was hoping to have more news for you concerning your case. Unfortunately, very little turned up in the factory, even after forensics were done with it. All of the equipment left behind seemed either normal or broken. Only a few notes were left behind and nothing that could lead us to the mastermind. Even the men he left behind weren’t able to tell us much. Currently the best we have is a description for a ‘thin man in a tweed blazer who talked about math too much’.”
“I mean, there’s at least some info there. If they didn’t know who he was he probably was either from out of town or a new player. There isn’t a lot of reason for someone to come TO Gotham for a new research project or theft unless maybe the tech he was stealing only exists here? So if none of the stolen equipment is local exclusive, he’s probably local. And tweed jackets aren’t exactly in fashion outside of college professors. I guess you could look up if any math or engineering professors suddenly up and quit their jobs, disappeared, or lost tenure in the general area. But that’s a long shot I guess.”
Bruce leans in a little, “What makes you think he might have lost his job?”
“Well, it would explain some of the lead up time. Hood said he only started buying muscle recently, but the thefts track back more than a month. And a bunch of them were likely for funds and equipment. Stuff that if he still had a job he could have taken more time stocking up.”
Bruce nods and sits back, taking another sip of his coffee, “That is similar to what I thought, so I had already run that search. There aren’t any missing math professors in the last two months for the greater Gotham area. The search is too vague to run worldwide.”
“Maybe there is a way we could narrow the search down to run globally? You said there were a bunch of thefts that didn’t seem like equipment or financial assets right? Were any of those math related? Historical measuring instruments? Research papers? Norse or Celtic artifacts?”
“What? Why the last two?”
“The runes on the platform thing, remember? I couldn’t like, read them in the hurry and bad light, but at least one of them was Fehu. It’s used in a bunch of other sets and systems, but I recognize it cause it’s the first rune in the elder futhark set.” Even with the mask off, when Bruce is batman he sometimes just like, does not emote. She can’t tell if he’s still thinking or wants more from her. “Look, my dad read a book on druids and got on a kick, and we fell down a Wikipedia rabbit hole.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard of ‘elder futhark’ but I presume it’s related to Norse and Celtic culture?”
“Yeah, it was their writing system. Had lots of fun puzzles and double meanings depending on how it was written or read.”
“I will look into that angle. If we can find a correlation between any of the disconnected thefts it might help pin down a purpose or pattern.”
