the black raven | THE PAPERS

□ dick □

When I first got the call from Alfred, I thought it was gonna be something about Dad and Tim or some random robbery. I did not think it was gonna be about a girl, who apparently is my sister.

"Alfred, are you sure? You're, one hundred percent sure?"

"Yes, Master Dick. I'm sure. I just looked at the legal papers, and with them are the medical records of her blood work and DNA. Bruce and her do share the same, so yes, I am one hundred and ten percent sure," I hear as he keeps his voice low, like he doesn't want anyone to hear.

"Alright, I'm heading back now, but, Alfred, did you tell Bruce? Or Tim?" I asked.

His reply was a solid no. And so now, I'm driving back, my knuckles white as I grip the steering wheel. It's an understatement that I'm nervous.

I don't know what I'm supposed to say or do. I mean, it's not that she's a female rather than a male, it's simply because this is just so random. So sudden.

And both Bruce and Tim are gone, for God knows how long. How's she gonna handle that? I mean, they might not come back for months, and then come to find that another kid is living at the manor.

A daughter to be exact. It might be good, when I think about it. It could be a blessing, or something along those lines. I guess I won't find out until I see her.

○ mara ○

It's been awkward, to say the least. The most awkward fifteen minutes ever. I've met both Damian and Jason, and only Jason seems to like me, per say.

Damian doesn't like me. At first, he seemed to be okay with talking, but then when I asked him the question, he turned cold. I don't know what I did exactly wrong, and that bugs me.

It stirs up all of those other feelings that I thought I put away forever. But Jason sort of.. corrected those feelings, by making me feel more normal.

It still doesn't feel like home. Home is still in that house with that woman. That stranger. And I don't want to go back.

But then again this isn't my home, not truly. God, I need to get myslf together.

This is all too much.

The new people, new places, new things, new circumstances, new emotions, all of it.

It's too much, but I can't complain. This is all I've got now. Mother hates me so much that she's disowned me and sold me for her goddamned drugs.

Now, she's left me with Bruce Wayne. Bruce Wayne. My biological father. That's.. absolutely insane. I guess I've started to get feeling around this whole situation.

Not really though, I'm just saying that because I need to. If I don't, I might as well run away. And that's the one thing I can't do.

I go out there, I know I'll meet a bunch of drunk, sadistic, hungry men and women out there, just waiting for prey like me. I could even bet to extend the statement to arguing that my mother has people out there, making sure I don't come near her.

Now that she's let go of me, she's going to make sure that I stay away from her for good. Like I care. I've wanted to hurt her since I was- !

No. Not there. You open that box and you end up just like her. Calm down, take a breath. Curl your toes, crack your knuckles. Play with your rings. Grab your necklace-

My necklace is gone.

And just like that, my anger flares up again. It's a simple necklace, and it officially brought back normal emotions.

Not the ones brought on by that ratched woman, and those memories. The bad ones, that bring on the bad feelings, even if it sounds completely childish.

I mean, technically I'm still a kid, but really I'm a teenager. But so are the other people in this household, besides Alfred and Bruce. I mean, it is sort of comforting to be.. normal.

Well, if that's even a thing anymore.

□ damian □

I set her things down in the room, the one at the end of the hallway. The room isn't hers yet. She has to.. earn it. Yes. She has to earn it.

Which means she has to earn my trust. She's a stranger, and Alfred is letting her stay here, without proof. Well, at least I think without proof.

As if on cue, Alfred comes up here, with some white papers in his hand, which I assume are legal papers. Maybe she isn't as much of a stranger as I thought.

"Master Damian, I have just called Master Dick, and he will be here soon. Now, I've come up here to tell you that she is related to you, by blood. If you want to, I will let you overlook the medical papers. But only you, as I know that you are the hardest to persuade," I take that to heart, and glare at him, my anger swallowing my stomach.

"I am not the hardest to persuade, Alfred," I snap.

Then I march to the steps, snatch the papers out of his hand, and head down to my room, which is on the opposite end of the hallway, and close the door behind me.

I don't understand why I'm feeling the things I'm feeling. I mean, yes she's related to me, and I guess I should be a degree of 'happy', but I'm not. I'm-

I'm afraid?

No, I am not afraid. It's not in my DNA. I'm a fearless warrior who bows down to no one but Ra al Ghul himself.

No weakness. Why the hell am I afraid of a little girl? I've got the physical, mental, and emotional advantage over her.

I'm stronger. Tougher. I've been doing this for years now. I win, I always do. She cannot. But then I look down at the papers. And I read them.

What the hell happened to this girl? What mother would do this to her child?
Mine.

And apparently hers, too. I stand corrected: we are not so different.

No. You are completely seperate.

She's a reguar girl. I am a fighter, winner, survivor. She's a weakling. I always win. Survivors win. Those are the facts. She is no survivor.

□ dick □

When I get back to the manor, I'm sweating. That only happens when I'm in the field. I went blank on what I wanted to say to this girl, so there's that little problem.

But then there's the problem if she likes me back. What if she hates me? God, I need to get my shit together. I'll be fine if I just introduce myself and be the best example I can be.

Unlike Damian, of whom might be plotting in his room all the ways to ignore her right now.

As for Jason, he just has to keep himself under control and act more appropriate around her. I think he'll be fine. He'll get used to it. Or he's going to have to watch his temper around her, since she's not used to him. But who know, maybe she's got a temper too; they might become best friends.

"Ah, Master Dick, I'm glad you made it," Alfred exclaims as soon as I walk in the door. Here we go.

"Yeah, that was my plan. Where is she?"

"Upstairs, in the room at the end of the hallway. Opposite of Damian's,"

"Alright,"

The journey up the stairs drags along, which gives me time to really think. Really just trying to buy myself time to think about this girl.

So who is she? She's my sister? A sister? If you told me ten years ago I'd have a sister I wouldn'thave believed you.

The walk down the hallway isn't as long, as I've got half a plan of speech. I'll just wing it. I knock on the door, and wait for a response.

At first, it seems like she won't answer, but then the door opens, revealing a small, dark haired girl. I see the resemblances, not just between her and Bruce, but between her and Damian. I smile and hold out my hand.

"Hello," she gives me a slight smile and nods, shaking my hand.

"Uh, hi,"

"I don't know if Alfred told you anything, but I'm Richard. You can call me Dick. I'm one of the other residents here. Have you met Damian and Jason yet?"

Ok, maybe I do have a plan that formulates when I need it the most. She nods.

"Yeah, I met them. I'm Mara," her voice seems lower than I thought, and I can already tell that she can get loud without needing energy.

Stop analyzing.

That's Damian's thing, not mine. There's a beat of awkward silence before we part ways.

"Well, uh, I'm gonna unpack now, so, um, it was nice to meet you," she adds, before closing the door.

I sigh quickly, already taking a liking to her. She's.. well, I don't know. I know anything besides her name yet. I'll learn more, if she allows, at dinner I suppose.

Dinner.. what happens after dinner? Yes, me, Damian, and Jason can keep silent around here when we need to, as well as Alfred covering our asses, but is she clever enough to figure it out?

We could end up in a hospital somewhere in Gotham, and we've got to come up with some damn good excuses if she's as sharp as Bruce. This might be harder than I thought. Harder than all of us thought. I guess that's another problem, but we'll just have to wait and see.