Fallen Future

"So, what do you think of the new girl?"

Zero sat beside me, his blade was laid out across his lap, he was carefully (and with great attention to detail) sharpening it.

"Which one, Grumpy or Bashful?"

"We all know what you think of little sarcasm, Max."

A smile began playing on my lips. In the few days that had passed since our return, Jeniffer and I had spent nearly every waking hour together, so I could see why people could reach the conclusion they obviously had. But, honestly? I was no nearer to working out how I felt about her than I was the day we met. She was quiet, withdrawn, distant even, and in all the time we'd spent together, I knew one thing. Jeniffer (or Batgirl, as I'd started to call her) was tough. She may not have talked about herself, but aside from Zero and Bats, she was the only person I was comfortable enough around to talk to. Peter was too moral (and boring), The Flash so quick with his lines it made my head hurt, and Logan... Logan scared the living shit out of me. The only advice he'd given me was advice on shaving, and seeing as I had no facial hair, never mind the Adamantium claws, it was a bit useless.

"Is it that obvious?" I asked.

With a flurry of his swords and an arrogant smile on his face, Zero straightened up.

"I'll answer that, if you can best me in the ring. For once."



The first lesson Bruce ever taught me was this- know your enemy as well as you know yourself. Sound advice, the only problem was that none of us, Mr tall, dark and scary included, knew a damn thing about Zero. Two years ago Parker and I were sent deep undercover in Von Doom's organization to rescue any potential Masks who were present. Zero was found chained up in the deepest dungeon. We still didn't know his real name, age or where he came from (although he insisted his real name was Elvis R Presley and he was just back from vacationing in Atlantis). All I've learned is to avoid his reach and never let him sing Hound Dog.

"Ready, Boy Wonder?"

"You... Face! Comeback!"

"An outstanding display of English wit, Max," Zero drawled as we entered the sparring chamber. "Let's hope you're-"

Silence fell over us as the scene before our eyes snared our attention- Jinx and Jen dominated the room- Jennifer darting around desperately to get a hold on Jinx, who would vacate the space she was in as quickly as she entered it.

"Keep yourself covered, Jen! Jinx, you have to strike at some point, don't just keep on the defensive all the time!"

From the corner Logan's voice bellowed throughout the chamber. Unfortunately, he was stood next to a group of civvies, who were watching the spectacle, who (as a group) jumped into the air. He spotted Zero and I, and nodded.

"Okay, girls, that's enough for today."

That's when it happened.

Jinx spiraled through the air and landed on the ground a few feet from Jen. Before she had enough time to gather her wits, Jeniffer launched herself forward and her foot connected with Jinx's throat, knocking her to the ground.

"Jennifer!"

In a second, Logan was across the room, using his bulk to separate Jen from Jinx's body; his face a mere inch from hers.

"I told you to stop!"

Jennifer's face was emotionless as she returned Logan's gaze. A shrug.

"Never heard you. Sorry," and she turned heel and swept out of the room, nodding as she passed me.

"That girl's got some serious attitude problems, man," Zero shook his head. "She's got a whole damn tree trunk shoved up her ass. Every time she farts, leaves blow out."

"Smooth, Z. I would've thought toilet humor was beneath you."

"Nothings beneath me."

"Nobodies been beneath you for a while either."

"Ouch! That was low, Max, oh so low. Low, immature and completely untrue. You forgot about your mom."

Across the room, Logan was urging Jinx off the floor, murmuring into her ear with his hand on the small of her back. Zero and I exchanged glaces.

"Y'alright, Cujo?" I said as I stepped towards them. I was currently in competition with Zero to see who could come up with the most ridiculous nickname for Logan before he snapped. Zero was leading with Scrappy-Doo.

He growled in the affirmative, before snarling, "That girl has got a serious stick up her ass."

"Yeah, and every time she-"

"Zero, I'm not in the mood."

"Oh, okay."

"How about you, Jinx?" Cutting across Zero's next idiotic statement before he thought it out. What was I saying, he rarely thought them out.

She nodded, brushing her hair out of her eyes. "Yeah, it didn't hurt!" Brave. "She just took me by surprise, is all."

"She'll do that," I replied, remembering my last spar with Jen. "You're looking good in the ring, though."

At that, her face brightened up instantly; her eyes sparkling. Inside, my chest tightened.

"Yeah, look," she flexed her arm. "I used to be all squishy, now, look- muscles!"

"Jinx, let's go. Training isn't over yet," Logan stated bluntly.

She pouted, frowning.

"C'mon, Logan, lighten up. I want to watch these two spar. Please? I haven't had a chance to see either of them in combat yet!"

Logan started across the room; without looking over his shoulder, he answered. "You'll have plenty of chances on other days. Come."

With a sorrowful look at me, she vanished into thin air and I heard a faint popping noise as she reappeared next to Logan. Zero and I locked eyes and grinned- it was time. Time to test myself against my closest friend, and his swords; time to prove I wasn't just human, that I was the right choice to follow in my hero's footsteps, and one day, take his place. Time to-

"Robin, I forgot to say- Bats is back. He's in the hanger."



I arrived at the hanger slightly out of breath. For fucks sake Logan, there was for hangers in this place and I had to go to three of them till I found Bruce. All because you never had the decency to say which one. Probably in retaliation for the 'Cujo' comment. Bruce stood in the center of the hanger, behind him was-

"Sweet Nutella, it's here!"

The Batmobile. The whole point of going to Gotham was for Bruce to recover the back up tumbler. And there it was. I felt like I could faint. That was, until I looked at Bruce. His face was like a tombstone, his eyes as black as coal. For the first time since we met, I was afraid of him.

"You okay?"

He nodded and walked away, his cape slicing through the air behind him. What was the point in waiting for me, only for him to leave the second I arrived? I'd had enough of being ignored by him. If he didn't want to talk to me, that was fine, but there was something I had to get off my chest first, and I stormed after him.

I cornered him in his chambers where he sat on the edge of his bunk, hunched over something hidden in his hand.

"Bruce, we need to talk- with every day that goes past you become more and more withdrawn. Yes, the world needs Batman, now more than ever, but that doesn't mean you have to destroy the last dregs of Bruce Wayne. We're supposed to be teammates, and-"

He looked up at me and I saw what was in his hand. A photograph of a red haired woman stood next to an elderly man wearing glasses. I recognized him as being Gordon from the asylum, and my tongue froze. Instantly I regretted what I said. Shit.

"Sorry, Bruce, I'll... I'll leave."

"No, Max. It's me who should be sorry. You're a good partner; the best Robin I've ever had. And one day, you'll be a Batman to be proud of."

I blinked. Compliments? What?

"We'll talk later."

With that I left, closing the door behind me, confused (yet pleased) about what had just happened.