"Batman had often imagined what he might say if he could ever see his parents again in the future. But even in his most heartwarming fantasies, he rarely pictured the three of them sitting together by the fireplace at Wayne Manor again.
Now it seemed that reality was even more "heartwarming" than he'd imagined. Not only were his parents there, but also the old butler who had always been by his side. The only issue was, the topic of conversation was pretty different from what Batman had in mind.
"Bruce, come sit down. We have things we need to talk about," Thomas gestured at Batman and then pointed to the couch opposite him.
Batman's lips moved, but he couldn't bring himself to say to his biological father, "Call me Batman." It wasn't that he didn't want to, but it was due to the fact that Thomas had brought a gun.
Batman walked over and sat down, looking at Thomas from under his mask, then at Martha. They had aged a lot, but they didn't look as old as he'd imagined. The thing is, people often look younger when they're angry, and the two of them looked positively radiant with fury now.
"Little Bruce, we must have a serious discussion with you. What are you up to lately? Why are you interfering in your father's matters?"
Batman opened his mouth, but he didn't expect Martha to ask him this question. Soon Thomas also turned to Batman and said, "You've ignored the business of Wayne Enterprises and started meddling with the chaotic affairs of the mobs. I only learned from Alfred that you even ignore the Robins when they are not home!"
"I..."
In the few seconds that had just passed, Batman had prepared a long justification, mainly explaining why he'd chosen to become Batman and how Gotham had become what it is now. He thought it necessary since he couldn't imagine his parents ever accepting the fact that he is Batman.
However, Thomas and Martha seemed to be quite accepting of it. Batman's prepared justifications and persuasions were not used at all. Instead of feeling purely relieved, Batman felt somewhat lost, and even a hint of bitterness that he himself scarcely detected.
Children always complain about their parents being too controlling and planning their lives too rigidly. But if one day you do something outrageous and your parents simply stand by without interfering, you can't help but wonder - why aren't they concerned about me anymore? Don't they love me anymore?
Everyone is susceptible to gains and losses, and Batman is no exception. If Thomas strongly rebuked him for ignoring the business of Wayne Enterprises, criticized him for dressing up funny, fighting on the streets and disgracing their family, Batman would certainly be outraged and believe he had no right to question his choices.
But Martha and Thomas seemed to have completely skipped the phase of questioning him. It's as if him appearing in the Wayne Manor, dresses up like some kind of tight-clothed freak in the middle of the night was entirely reasonable. They didn't even ask him to take off the mask.
Is this reasonable? Of course not.
So, Batman hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Don't you think... I mean, me, don't you think I…."
"What about you?" Martha asked, and then this loving lady showed an enlightened expression, saying, "Okay, Little Bruce, don't listen to your dad. He doesn't mean you have to take over the business at Wayne Enterprises."
"Martha, let's not change the subject. Bruce, why are you doing all these things?"
"You mean Batman? I…."
"No, stop fussing over Batman. What I mean is why are you getting involved in gang fights? Don't you realize that it's dangerous? Why can't you just take a plane to your friend's farm for a few month's vacation and leave space for your mother and me to resolve our emotional issues?"
"...Farm? What farm?"
"Aren't you good friends with Clark in this universe?"
"Clark? Clark Kent?"
"Yes, the farm boy you bought a Lamborghini tractor for. His dad is Old Kent from Kansas state. We met him once at the Metropolis Agricultural Trade Association. He even invited your mother and me to vacation on his farm."
"...?"
"Thomas, where is your acclaimed intelligence?" Martha sighed helplessly. "You've confused events from two different universes! These things haven't happened in this universe. It's possible that Little Bruce doesn't even know Clark."
After speaking, Martha turned to Batman again, "Why not take this opportunity to propose to Selina and then go on a honeymoon together? I agree with your father's thoughts on this, you need to give us some private space."
"Selina..." Without realizing it, Batman voiced a name he hadn't called in a long time.
"Did you have a fight with her again? Okay, then does your professor have any travel plans lately? You could go on a study tour to Europe with him. Just stay out of Gotham and stop causing trouble. Your mom and I will handle our own problems."
Batman's mouth opened and closed and then re-opened. For a moment he hesitated, seeking to say something only to hold back, but in the end, he still didn't know what to say.
For the majority of his earlier life, nearly everything he heard revolved around phrases like "Batman, we need you here!", " Batman, you must take care of this problem!", " Batman, this situation calls for you!".
The Batman, who snarled "Get out of my Gotham" all his life, was eventually subtly suggested by others to "Get out of my Gotham."
Batman discerned Thomas and Martha's meaning; their words danced around the fact that his presence was inconvenient, and it would be best if he left Gotham. What on earth was going on?
As Batman was lost in thought, Thomas and Martha returned to the argument they hadn't finished earlier about the Robins' education.
One moment they were deliberating whether nurturing Damian would upset the other children, and another they were deciding if Dick really needed another session of etiquette training after school on Fridays, and yet another if the kindergarten-attending Aisha could ride the chestnut pony from the stables...
Batman could hardly understand how they could pinpoint completely opposite views on such trivial matters, let alone argue about them for hours on end.
But he had to admit, it felt awkward. Why, when it came to matters about the Robins, did Thomas and Martha feel the need to fight over even the method they used to tie their shoes? Yet, when it came to his own matters, his biological parents simply glossed over, carrying on with an attitude indicating he should find someplace to stay on his own?
Actually, one couldn't blame Thomas and Martha. They've spent a long time in the universe where Shiller resided, having mostly dealt with the Bruce Wayne of that world.
Previously, Thomas had seen Shiller's diagnostic reports for Bruce. The succession of diseases listed dazzled Thomas, who had raised Bruce for so many years. He was observant of his son's abnormalities in certain areas.
Again, Bruce was never deemed normal during his youth. Apart from his astonishing intellect, he indeed struggled with socializing, rigid behavior, and exhibited a somewhat cold demeanor.
In retrospect, it wasn't easy for a child with such traits to grow into who he is today. As long as his heart remains righteous, Thomas couldn't ask for anything more, could he?
Martha was more realistic and decisive. The Kane family, where she was born, was more populous than the single lineage of the Wayne family with numerous offshoot branches.
Children raised in such families understood clearly that raising a child was akin to investment. Not every expense guarantees a return, but decisions about increasing investments should be definitely decided upon the trend of returns.
Some children already wear "I'm not good at business" or "I'm not good at managing corporations" on their faces. If parents still continue to invest in them blindly, their branch of the lineage would never rise to the core interest group.
That being said, Martha should be supportive of Thomas grooming Damian as the heir because Damian was indeed the most suitable among all the Robins to inherit the Wayne family legacy.
However, Martha objected to Thomas's coarse efforts. In his bid to groom Damian, he kept insisting that Damian spent his time on academics. Martha, hailing from the Kane family, knew very well that excessive scholastic grooming could do more harm than good.
One, being closed off could breed problems. Two, without socializing with his peers, Damian's circle of contacts wouldn't be wide enough. And three, too overt a preference could make the other children feel neglected, stirring sibling rivalries, potentially leading to an implosion of the stable fortress.
Though Thomas maintained concern for the other children, he really focused on his eldest son, Dick, while neglecting Jason and Tim.
Although such conduct in a traditional household was excusable as the eldest son and heir were deemed most important, Martha was evidently riled up. She could have resolved the matter in a more polished and mild manner, but Thomas chose to act rashly, therefore infuriating Martha.
This essentially comes down to differences in upbringing, family structure, and societal class. Thomas, pragmatic as he was, believed that once the heir was established, he should be taught to be prepared as soon as possible. For Martha, the emphasis was on family reputation. Internal order must be maintained, external relations should appear harmonious and a certain decorum should be sustained to preserve social standing.
However, they did agree on one thing: their biological son, Bruce Wayne, just didn't seem cut out to be an heir.
One of the reasons was Bruce's possible mental health problems. It seemed somewhat inhumane to let him shoulder such burdens. As his parents, they were already content with his survival.
On the other hand, Bruce didn't seem to have any interest in the family business. After Thomas's return, Bruce from Shiller's universe has abandoned Wayne Enterprises, he gave up scientific research, his days are either spent courting Selina, studying fruits and vegetables with Pamela or planting barley and wheat on Kent Farm.
Bruce, who has been busy constructing the inner world lately, has completely disappeared. With this debt collector gone, Thomas felt like the world was better.
The joy of reunion with Bruce already waned. After returning to the main universe, the couple didn't feel the necessity for Batman in this universe.
If he was living a good life, then he might as well enjoy it. Going on a vacation, dating, even learning magic, practically anything seemed better than rotting in Gotham.
Batman left Wayne Manor with dazed eyes. Initially, he assumed that he would have to struggle not to tell his biological parents to "Get out of my Gotham", but it seemed they shared the sentiment.
But without Gotham, where could Batman possibly go?
No, Batman thought, Gotham still needed him... Wait, did Gotham truly need him now?