"I'm coming home. I'm coming home. Tell mama we are coming home! Don't want to be hurt anymore! We are coming back home!"
My name is Marinette Todd. I grew up with my brother in a city. This city was different from most. It was trapped in the past. We still used horses to go from place to place and thought Heaven was in the clouds. It was just like Babylon.
My brother, Jason, and I were pickpockets. We would run around the city and steal jewels from people and friend's parents. Of course, we never considered any of them to be friends. They were just used to help us get more money.
We would take what we stole and bring it to a pawn shop far from the city. About 5 miles out. Using a stolen horse. We would ride until we reached another city called Gotham. There, we would sell all of the goods we got to a pawn shop.
Baghsburgh City, where we live, is rich in gold and diamonds. We sold those and made lots of money. That money was used to help our parents and grandparents. Whatever we had left over was put into our savings. We planned on using it to get out of our bygone city and start a life in Gotham.
We knew that Gotham wasn't the safest, but we need a more modern life. One day, Jason stole the most valuable thing a person can find. The jewel of the emperor. Yes, we still have an emperor. We sold that and got 1 billion dollars. We put that into savings and decided that maybe we owe something to Baghsburgh for a change.
We were getting ready to steal wheels off of an expensive car, and then, the owner caught us. He was tall and scary. He had on a mask and a cape. We were frightened. The money we saved was kept on a credit card that I kept around my neck, behind my shirt at all times.
He told us that he wanted to know where our parents were and we lied. We said they died years ago and that we were trying to sell stuff for money to make a living.
He took us home and treated us as family. I was only 14 and Jason was 18 at the time but the age difference didn't matter because we were both the same maturity.
"Ok, Mari. If you had one wish, what would it be?" We were in the courtyard, training to be Robin and Red Baton.
"I wish to have a better training partner. You are really easy to defeat."
"Come on. I beat you every time."
"Liar! I win almost every time we spar. You won last night because I didn't have enough coffee." Coffee is my main crutch.
"For real. What is your wish?"
"I want to go to public school with you." He stopped fighting me. "What's wrong?"
"That's what you want?"
"Yeah, I need to meet more people. I want to interact with kids my age. You and Dick are not fun at all."
"If you want to go to school, I will get Bruce to take you."
"Really? You're the best brother anyone could ask for!" And I meant it.
"I know, I know. Let me talk to him."
In the morning...
"Mare, wake up."
"It's 8:30! I'm nocturnal! I sleep until 3:00 and go to bed at 7:30! I only got an hour of sleep!"
"Just drink an extra pot of coffee."
"No, I'm going back to bed."
"Huh, I thought you would be excited to go to school." I shot out of bed and rushed downstairs. Alfred already made me 2 pots of coffee. How thoughtful.
"Easy, Mari-Red. You are gonna choke," Dick butted in.
"Yeah, right. Like I'm gonna ch-" I started uncontrollably coughing.
"You should have listened to me."
"Whatever. Why are you up anyway?"
"I heard you were going to school for the first time so I was gonna take you." I facepalmed. "Do you hate me or something? You seem to."
"You just make me wish I wasn't in this house and that I still lived in Baghsburgh. Otherwise, you are an ok brother."
"I'll take that as a win. Let's leave." High school will definitely be difficult, but I'm excited. I don't care if people like me. As long as I have one person who understands me, I'm good.
We arrived at the front on the bike. I hugged Dick and went inside. I can't believe Bruce let me go to school.
When I got inside, the building was enormous. I have to go to the secretary's office. "Hi, I'm Marinette Todd. I just moved here." The lady held up a finger and put something in her computer.
"Marinette Todd? Oh, that's right! Mr. Wayne said you will now be attending our school. Here is a copy of your schedule. If you need anything, Anarky can help you. You both have the same schedule." Anarky? As in Joker's kid? Jason and I just caught him last night for robbing a grocery store.
"Is he the Joker's kid?"
"Yes. Didn't Mr. Wayne tell you that this school is filled with villain's kids?" I shook my head. "What a shame. Well, off you go." I went up to homeroom and sat down in the chair nearest to the back. I do not want any special attention.
"Settle down, students." No one was even talking. Why? "I want you all to welcome your 2 new students: Marinette Todd and Damian Wayne." A Wayne? How? "Would you 2 please come to the front of the classroom?" We reluctantly went up to the front of the class. Everyone look at us like we were something to eat and we sat back down, next to each other in the back. How is there a kid with the last name Wayne here? Bruce doesn't have any kids or siblings so how?
"Who are your birth parents?" He asked me. Why would he want to know?
"What's it matter?"
"Tell me or I break your neck."
"I'd like to see you try." He put his hand on to my neck. I grabbed his and flipped him. His back hit the seat. Ever looked at me. I acted as if nothing happened. "For your information, Wayne: I am adopted and don't know my real parents. Thanks for the reminder." The bell rang and we all went to our next class. In this one, I sat right next to Anarky.
"Hey, Red."
"Red? Why did you call me that?"
"No reason. You just kind of scream that. Want to sit with me at lunch?"
"Um, I'll pass."
"I will kill your older brother if you don't."
"Which one?"
"Both Dick and Jason."
"Fine. I will join you but for the record, I would never let you touch my siblings. Ever." He laughed.
Soon, the period was over. Lunch time. I went and sat at the nearest table. Anarky followed. So did a few other kids. "Ok, why did you want me to sit with you?"
"I wanted to know why you came here."
"Bruce said it would be good for me to talk to kids my age. I only hang out with my brothers, so he wants me to make other friends."
"Interesting. The other new kid, Damian. He is always staring at you."
"I know. I'm kind of creeped out but I have had worse stalkers."
"Is that so? Where did you move from?"
"Baghsburgh. What's it to you?"
"Just curious. I want to know more about my new friend. Have you killed anyone? Hurt someone? Stolen something?"
"No, yes, yes. Next?"
"Oh, I didn't think you would answer. Um, let me get the other new kid here." Ugh, not the fake Wayne.
"What do you want, Anarky?"
"You need to meet the other new kid, so sit down and be nice." He dragged him over here by the collar. "Stay." He put him right next to me.
"What do you want with me, Todd?"
"Nothing. You are just a fake Wayne."
"Not true at all. My mother is an Al Ghul. You know, you attacked us once?"
"I don't know what you are talking about."
"Sure she doesn't. Anyways, I am the son of the Clown Prince of Crime and you aren't. You are a Todd. You rob, steal, and people take pity on you." My eyes began to tear up. I grabbed my bag and went out of the cafeteria. Why did he say that? I ran all the way home. By the time I got there, it was 3:00. Bruce should be up by now. I rushed inside and didn't greet my brothers.
"What happened, Mari?" I cried into the couch cushion. "Tell me what's wrong." Dick sat next to me on the couch.
"I'm just a worthless Todd. I can't be accepted. I steal, rob, and people pity me."
"They do not."
"Then how come Bruce took me and Jason in? He didn't do it because he was trying to find two kids for adoption. He pitied us and took us in. I knew they wouldn't like me." Dick hugged me and I cried. Jason came in the room.
"Dick, what did you say to her?" He was uneasy.
"I did nothing. The kids at school told her she was a worthless Todd." Jason rushed over and grabbed me. He held me tight to his chest.
"Mare, it'll all be ok? Who said this to you?"
"Anarky. Joker's kid."
"That bastard! I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind. Tell me how it happened."
"He told me to sit next to him at lunch or he would kill both of you. Then, he asked me a few personal questions and brought over the other new kid. His name was Damian. I didn't like him because his last name was Wayne. I don't think he is one. He also said that his original last name was Al Ghul. He said that we attacked his family once. Was that the time we fought the league of assassins?"
"Yes, and if everything you said was true, then Damian should be coming here in a few minutes. Bruce should be taking him," Dick said.
Wait, what? The door opened and my face was red from crying. "Mari, how was school?"
"She hated it," Jason said bluntly.
"Why is that?" Great, now you got him going.
"She said a kid threatened to kill us and made her leave early. Also, a kid said his last name was Wayne and that made her angry."
"Who? Damian? His mother just sent him here to live with us. I don't know why his last name is not Al Ghul still, but he is Wayne blood." Damian came out from the doorway. I passed them and went right to the Cave. I went over to the punching bag and began to beat the hell out of it. I broke it after about 10 punches and hung up another one. I heard someone come down.
"What do you want, Grayson?"
"Not Grayson. It's Damian."
"Even worse."
"Why do you have a problem with me?"
"Hmmm, let's see. You reminded me that I lost my parents, you threatened to break my neck, and targeted me for my family attacking your cult. I didn't have a choice when it came to doing that. I was told to follow orders and get rid of evil." I punched the bag and it broken in 1 hit.
"I get that. Can't you just understand that we are now family? That we are going to be forced to get along. We don't have to love each other. We just need to be there for each other. Do you get that?"
"Whatever. I don't want to talk to anyone right now. I miss being in Baghsburgh."
"Baghsburgh? I can take you there. We have a base near the Tower of Baghs."
"Why not, let me grab Jason." I ran upstairs and called Jason. "Jason! Wanna see Mama's grave?" He knows I mean see her again.
"I heard Mama and knew what you meant." I giggled.
"Let's leave." We went down the stairs together. "Damian, maybe I misjudged you. Thanks for taking me home." He bowed his head. We got in the Batmobile and drove away...