Alfred sat thinking about the remaining causes for discord in the family. The Clown, Talia, the demon, and of course Damian. What could he do? A thought crossed his mind. It was a simple really. Alfred went back to his typewriter and went to work. It took a simple paragraph.
*
“What do you want father,” Talia asked as she walked into the ancient study, “I was busy.”
“Talia my child. You know this morning I went to the Lazarus Pit,” Ra’ Al’Ghul intoned with a thin hollow voice.
“Yes,” Talia rolled her eyes and put her hand on her cocked out hip.
“It is clear that my time is passing…” Ra struggled to lift himself out of the high backed chair.
Talia gasped. Far from rejuvenated, her father looked just as old if not older then he had last night when she spoke with him.
“Talia my child… Forget the detective,” Ra said, “Now your sole mission should be to lead the League of Shadows. Lead us into the modern era.”
“Yes father,” Talia started to cry.
“Please Talia help me,” Ra motioned that he wanted to leave the room.
“Yes father,” Talia went to his side.
*
Tim sat in the kitchen looking at the group chat and trying to ignore Damian. It was clear that the girls were really excited about becoming Tim’s personal harem of super ladies. They were going back and forth about getting matching slave collars with Tim’s Red Robin logo in their own colors or getting matching slave collars with their own logos in Tim’s Red Robin colors. What was giving Tim a hardon was the thought of Kara putting on Gold Kryptonite nipple clamps so he could overpower her and do whatever he wanted to her and not risk lift or limbs.
“You are an embarrassment to everyone Drake,” Damian snapped.
“Sorry Ghul,” Tim snapped back, “But I am trying to do a project for Bruce and Alfred and don’t have time to indulge your petty bull.”
“Why you!” Damian was about to attack when a call reached his phone.
Damain looked at the number then ran out of the kitchen with his phone.
*
Alfred thought deeply about what to do about the remaining problems. An idea crossed his mind. It was a bit extreme, but it could work if it was crafted perfectly.
*
Bruce waited as the speaker phone buzzed the wait tone.
“Greetings, this is Miss Orikawa,” the woman said is really good English.
[Hello Miss Orikawa,] Bruce said in American accented Japanese, [This is Mister Wayne. I want to thank you for your work. Mister Fox informed me of the interest in my personal life that in Japan. I want to thank you and your team for handling it is a positive village way. For any future interviews I will say on record, Mister Fox will remain the head of Wayne for all day in, night out maters. I will continue to apply myself attention to overseeing the Wayne charity. If there are any problems of questions, Mister Fox is handling the company here and Mister Pennyworth is managing my wedding.]
[Thank you Mister Wayne,] the woman was clearly trying to siffle a giggle.
[Please accept my sorry,] Bruce added, [Japanese is not my first langue. But I wanted to make the effort to speak to you directly. Please forgive any errors in my Japanese.]
“Your Japanese is quite good Mister Wayne,” Miss Orikawa said, “Perhaps after your wedding you might visit Japan so you can continue to practice.”
[I will make the effort,] Bruce smiled, [Have a good night.]
“Good night Mister Wayne,” Miss Orikawa said back.
Bruce hung up the phone and looked at Dick rolling on the floor biting his palm.
“What’s so funny?” Batman intoned.
“You were working overtime to screw up your Japanese that bad! I mean…” Dick gasped, “In a positive village way? That is too funny.”
Bruce rolled his eyes.
*
Tim was reading the group chat. The outside door of the kitchen opened. Tim noticed there was no skip in the clicking of the heels.
“Whats wrong?” Tim asked.
“Mother called, Grandfather is dying. It seems the Lazurus Pits no longer work on him."
Tim put the phone down. He turned to face the assassin. Destiny was looking down at the kitchen floor. It still unnerved Tim how much Destiny looked like her mother Talia. Maybe one day she would grow up and be a vamp, but for now she was a cross between Wednesday Adams and Velma from Scooby Doo. Short black hair, black turtle neck sweater, black ankle skirt, black kitten heel Mary-jane shoes and black socks. She kept trying to fit in but the brainwashing Talia had put her throw made her adjustment a bit harder than Cass’s, but Bruce’s encouragement had made her rather eager to try and fit in.
“So what are you going to do?” Tim asked.
“I don’t know,” Destiny said with a sudden shy tone.
“Don’t take this personally,” Tim said, “But I think a lot of people are going to throw a party when Ra’s finally kicks it for the last time.”
“I am sure you and your girlfriends will have quite the boisterous party when funeral happens,” Destiny noted without malice or judgement, “I have to go talk to Father.”
*
Selina walked to the cashier desk with the party in tow. They had redressed in the flirty but street normal clothes. Each was carrying a load of things in their arms, easily explained as items for the hen party. They noticed a well-known red head standing by the register handing the girl there a wad of bills.
“Well, this is a crew I never thought I would see all together without a police corridor,” she said as she folded her arms across her chest.
“Miss Vale,” Selina smiled, “I am sure you know my friends.”
“Oh yes I do,” Vicki said, “My question is how did all of you come together?”
“We got reformed,” Harley put her arms on Selina’s and Pam’s shoulders, “So when Selina asked us, we had to be her bride’s maids. She even got us honest paying jobs!”
“What are those?” Vicki asked.
“Ehh, Pam’s going to be head gardener for the Wayne properties and I… eh,” Harley trailed off in a mutter.
“Maid at Wayne Manor,” Diana said with a triumphant grin.
“And why are you two here?” Vicki turned her attention to Diana and Zatanna.
“As you may know,” Diana smiled, “Mister Wayne is the single largest supporter of the Justice League, so I offered to represent the League as a thank you along with Zatanna.”
“Bruce asked me as his friend,” Zatanna smiled like a cat that ate the canary, “If you do a little digging, my dad did a lot of shows for the Wayne Foundation back in the day, and I got to meet Bruce before and after the shows. Two teens of about the same age hanging out. Of course we became friends. He still asks me to do shows for the foundation as personal favors. I stay over at his places when I do shows in towns where he owns properties free of charge as personal favors.”
“Ohh, Emm, Gee!” came the booming call from the door.
Everyone turned and looked at the form of Karan Starr standing in the doorway. She was in a sort of comfy outfit; skirt, shirt and sneakers.
“Karan Starr,” Zatanna rolled her eyes.
“She is known for the massive endowments to the Justice League,” Diana interjected.
“I can see that,” Vicki looked at the melons in Karan’s tee-shirt.
“She donates twenty-five percent of Starr Technologies’ profits to the Justice League,” Diana clarified, “Making her the second largest donor to the Justice League after the Wayne Foundation.”
“Look,” Selina moved over to Vicki, “If you want to do a piece on the wedding, the man to talk to is Alfred Pennyworth. I am sure you are familiar with him.”
“Karan give Alfred a call for your invite,” Zatanna whispered low enough so no one without super hearing to overhear and used her ventriloquism training to keep her lips from moving so no one could read her lips.
“When I heard Bruce was getting married I flipped out,” Karan kept up the ignorant act, “When I heard who was going to represent the Justice League I had to come to Gotham to check it out in person!”
*
Alfred mulled over his options as he dusted Martha Wayne’s portrait. He was sure that Luthor would provide the answer to Miss Gordon’s problems in more ways than one. It was then that the former Damian walked up to him, he smiled at her as she curtsied to him.
“Please Pennyworth,” Destiny said with a frown, “I require transportation to Wayne Tower to speak with my father at once.”
“Well young miss,” Alfred smiled, “Since you asked nicely I must oblige. If I may, what is the reason for the personal visit to Master Bruce instead of calling or waiting until he returns home?”
“I have been informed of news from my mother that I must talk to him about,” Destiny said, “It is of an urgent and personal nature.”
“Let us go,” Alfred stopped dusting and started walking.