DC: Makenna Wayne

==*

"I take it Miss Makenna will be home schooled for now?" Alfred spoke over the comms while Bruce, or to be more precise, Batman was on his nightly patrol with Jason donning the black and red Robin suit. They were perched on a rooftop overlooking a warehouse, where shady deals were conducted, but lately the place has been too quiet.

"I can't believe Makenna accidentally prevented a mass-shooting from happening," Jason said as he played with his stress ball, bouncing it against the brick walls. It was something his therapist gave him to control his anger issues.

Bruce didn't believe either, finding the timing of her running away to be all too coincidental. 

"Was it an accident?" He pondered aloud.

Jason grabbed the ball. "What do you mean? You're the one who said it yourself."

Bruce then started to recall the yesterday's incident. Makenna had been so well-behaved and she didn't seem like the type of child that would act out so blatantly just like that, calling out on the principal for flirting with her father and then running out, upset with the situation. From the first two days she stayed with them in the manor, she still showed her nervousness around him and she never once called him 'father', just Bruce. Alfred even praised her to be well-mannered and polite, if a little too anxious over small things.

So, it surprised him a lot when she just started yelling at the principal and then bolting out of the office as if her life depended on it. He went after and almost caught her when she went around the corner and--if he didn't know any better, ran right straight to the teenage shooter, tackling him down to the ground and making him drop the guitar case that hid an AK47. Bruce learned much later through his sources as batman that the AK47 apparently belonged to his uncle, which he allegedly stole the day before. Lastly, the boy used to go to school here and was bullied before he begged his parents to switch him out of schools---but they didn't.

Bruce sympathize with the victims of bullying and would go out of his way to help them if ever he comes across them, but the moment they start hurting other innocent people and breaking the law, then they were no different than the worst of criminals in Gotham, especially one that was about to shoot and kill children who had nothing to do with his past bullies.

But how did Makenna know? Every instinct inside of him screamed that Makenna somehow knew about the shooter. She insisted that she didn't know, but she refused to look him right in the eye, turning her gaze to the left. Bruce knew she was lying.  Did she not trust him enough to tell him? Granted, they've only known each other for three days. Four days as of this night. But there's no doubt she's hiding things from him, and it's mostly because not enough trust is built between them.

"She'll be home schooled for the time being," Bruce said. "Alfred. Take care of her studies and don't hold back. I'm sure you've seen the copy of her assessment exams."

"I have," Alfred answered. "I have to say, Master Jason, that Miss Makenna would be eligible to enroll in high school, despite her young age. Her intellect is quite superb."

Jason blinked at that. "Really? She's that smart? So why is she being homeschooled instead of starting out as a freshman?"

"She's still so young to be going to high school," Bruce said then he turned to Jason. "Moreover, you took to her fairly quick. You two are often playing video games together at night."

Jason shrugged his shoulders, turning his gaze away. "She's alright, I guess. What? You think we would fight over what little attention you have to spare on us with your busy schedule?"

Bruce ignored the jibe and simply added, "Out of all of us, she's the most comfortable with you."

Alfred supported the statement. "That is true. Miss Makenna continues to be very polite with me, even though I simply am a loyal servant in this household."

"...She is? ...Huh."

"Oh yes. If that is the case, then I bet Miss Makenna will be even more delighted when Master Dick and her would finally meet," Alfred said, and Bruce could hear the slight provocation in the old man's tone.

"What makes you say that, Alfred?" Jason asked, sounding a bit indignant. "Dick won't be around long enough to even matter that much to her. I'd still be the best brother in my opinion."

"I suppose we shall see," Alfred finished and hung up from the comms. Jason started to grumble under his breath and took it on the stress ball, squeezing it several, if not many times.

Bruce wondered if this was something good for Jason. Jason never actually had a center to hold him firm when it comes to fighting crime. Over the past half a year as Robin, he had noticed that his young sidekick had a violent streak to his combat whenever he's apprehending criminals. It is as if he didn't care if they ended up in a hospital, so long as they lived, it was fine. But with Makenna, Bruce had noticed a softer side coming out from Jason, and he hoped that in time, it will carry over in his actions.

"...There." Batman prompted Robin's attention as they witness a truck pulling in outside the warehouse doors. "Let's move."

And they leapt off the roof to get a closer look.

==*

It's been a month now since the attempted mass-shooting incident happened in Linfield Towers Elementary, and thankfully, Bruce decided to just let me be home schooled.

Thank god. I mean, it's still horrible that some teenage boy was walking in to shoot everyone, but the timing has never been prefect. One could say that, if it wasn't for me, the shooting would have happened, casualties will be made, and the Batman wouldn't have been there to stop it. I think I have every right to find this incident a fortune for me, especially when nobody got hurt.

Publically, they reported that it was Bruce Wayne who stopped the incident, and he was being praised graciously in Gotham City. Huzzah! I even congratulated him and told him he was hero, but he looked at me as if I was the one who really did the rescue, which is not true. In my opinion, if it wasn't for my father bringing me here to school, then the incident would have happened. I couldn't have stopped it. So, truthfully, Batman/Bruce is a magnet for trouble that he didn't have to look for it as it would just drop on his doorstep.

So yeah... Batman is awesome.

Now, since I'm still too young to attend high school, Alfred will be the one home-schooling me, and I think--I think the educational curriculum is starting at a 9th grade level, because the subject of math feels like Honors Math. While the education of my previous life stopped at under-grad level, I still retained my knowledge on general courses, but that doesn't mean it was going to be easy. Alfred didn't do easy, so I studied twice as hard when he gave me a learning packet for my independent studies, and told me that I am more than welcome to ask him any question for homework. There were quizzes due at the end of the week, and tests at the end of the month. Really starting to slightly regret not attending the elementary school. Just slightly. He at least doesn't assign weekend homework.

On the weekends, I had a lot of free time, either hanging out with Jason, or in my own room, where I secretly go back to Villa and continue my witch apprenticeship.

For the past month, I had been working on Jason's gift. One that I hope will save him from his inevitable demise.

And today, it was finally finished. I had wanted to wait until it was his birthday, but better he has it now than never.

Skipping down the hall, I knocked on his bedroom door at exactly 11:30 am. That's usually the time he wakes up on Saturdays, considering he's been out all night as Robin.

"Five more minutes, Alfred!"

"Jason, it's me! Can I come in please?"

"Uhh... hold on..! Just a sec...!"

I obediently waited as I listened to the rummage going about on the other side of the door. Was his room that messy? I didn't mind if it was. After all, he is a teenage boy, and clutter is bound to be expected. He's probably hiding other things that wouldn't be appropriate for a little girl like me to see. I quickly took a mental note to myself never to enter his room without his permission.

Soon, the door flung open, and Jason held the it ajar, but not all the way. His shirt was disheveled as if he hastily put it on by the last second.

"What? Do you need anything?" Jason asked then he glanced down at what I was holding. "What's that?"

"It's your birthday gift!" I said as I held out the floral paper wrapped gift with a twine ribbon.

He raised a brow. "My birthday isn't for another month or so."

"I know, but I wanted to give this to you now," I said. "I hope you'll wear it all the time. I soaked the materials in a purified water filled with amethyst shard for a week or two for the outmost effect of better protection."

He raised the other brow, and even I didn't believe the bullshit that spouted from my mouth, but I decided to go down the 'superstitious person' route if it meant that Jason would wear it for me, if he will.

Jason then proceeded to unwrap my gift in front of me, unveiling a black leatherbound bracelet with small-beaded lava rocks and a couple of glass marble in between. It was a bracelet that has a 'death prevention' enchantment to it. It's one-time use, but it's extremely powerful as it could defy fated situations.

"You made this yourself?" Jason asked, somewhat surprised as he examined the bracelet. "You have a talent, sprout."

I beamed for a moment before my brows furrowed at him. "Wait, what? Sprout?"

"I was thinking of a nickname for you, and Sprout seems to fit you," Jason decided. "I mean, you're really small for a ten-year-old."

"Oh, and suddenly you're an expert for ten-year-olds?" 

"According to the American database, average height for a 10-year-old girl is about 50 to 59 inches," he said and he looked me over, smirking. "You look like your 46 inches, not even reaching 4 feet."

I crossed my arms. "Is this how you thank someone for your birthday gift?"

Jason cheekily grinned before he reached out to pat my head. "Thank you very much. I actually like this bracelet."

"You're welcome! You better wear it all the time!" I said.

Hopefully, this should prevent him from dying.

While I liked the character Red Hood, I hated even more that the relationship between him and Bruce hadn't been fully repaired. To me, it was a relationship that was duct taped, but never fully mended. A rift was constantly there between them. It just seemed sad, because Bruce is the closest of a father Jason would ever have, but these Wayne boys are so damn stubborn sometimes.

I suppose we can only wait and see.

"By the way, Alfred mentioned that he's taking you out shopping a little later after lunch today right?" Jason asked.

Very quickly did Alfred realize that I didn't bring a lot of clothes to the Wayne Manor, considering that I could just travel to Villa and get more clothes, but that's clearly not an option that I could often do without them suspecting something's afoot. I don't think I'll be able to get passed these very observant people if I wore clothes that they haven't seen before, and would wonder how I got them if no one took out this 10-year-old for shopping.

So, Alfred decided that we needed to buy more clothes for me.

"Yeah what about it?"

"I'll take you instead"

I raised a brow. "You sure? Boys don't usually like shopping, and Alfred said I need to buy a lot to fit my walk-in closet."

Jason shrugged. "Doesn't bother me."

"Okay! But I already warned you," I told him again. "We'll go at 2:00."

"Sure, no problem."

Later at 2PM, I gaped incredulously as there was Jason on black motorcyle that had a sleek sidecar attached to it.

"Come on! What are you waiting for?" Jason asked, wearing a black and red helmet. He held out a smaller size black helmet with adorned cat ears. It made me wonder if he bought that helmet for me, because there's no way that's a hand-me-down.

"Uhh, is it safe?" I asked as I took the helmet and put it on for my dear life.

"Don't you trust me?"

"I do, just not other people," I answered without hesitation as I struggled for a moment to get on the sidecar, but then Jason suddenly lifted me, surprising me, before he put me in. I felt my cheeks burning. "U-uh, thanks."

"I promise. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you," he said, and just as he helped buckled me up, I spotted the bracelet I gifted to him on his left wrist.

Feeling happy, I cooperated and settled down in my seat.

From there, we drove off into Gotham City.

= = *