Reply To: The Genius Scientist and the God of Evil: Universe/DC Comics

“He said that? Damn, she’s not going to be happy,” Dick Grayson said after nearly spitting up his coffee.

Dick and Kiyone had finally rolled out of bed a little after Damian had left with Alfred for his meeting. In order to keep herself calm, Sasami got Alfred’s blessing to cook a hearty breakfast. She had finally finished making her first ever omelets and sat down with her two companions.

“She didn’t seem happy about it, no she didn’t,” the young girl moped.

“Sasami, try to understand that Talia is crazy. She comes from a world where human lives are merely some kind of ladder to further her own agenda. Damian is just one more step on the ladder,” Dick tried to explain. “Don’t take it personally.”

Kiyone gave her a quick one armed hug. “Please kid, you don’t have to worry about anything. I guarantee he doesn’t think less of you. Honestly, it’s pretty obvious that he’s got it bad.”

“Got what bad Kiyone?” Sasami asked innocently.

“You know…’it.’ He’s got a crush on you!”

The comment caused Sasami to stop attempting to use a fork, which intrigued her, and to blink for a few seconds. Then she started to giggle and blush. “He can’t have a crush on me! We are just friends…could he?”

Dick threw his hands up theatrically. “The young are so blind! Since he met you, he’s calmed down on his angry instincts a lot. The past day he seems like a whole new person. You got through his walls Princess and showed him what life could really be about…or I’m just misreading this and should be very embarrassed.”

The trio laughed at the comment and returned to their breakfast. Kiyone, noticing Sasami staring out into space, figured it might be a good time to discuss some important matters. “So what is the game plan tonight?”

“I don’t make plans,” Dick admitted. “I’m more of an improv guy. You know, circus roots. Still, I talked it with Barbara and I’ve got a good idea for what our Sasami here can do tonight.”

“Really? What is it?”

“I think it’s time that you experienced a good old fashioned American sleep over.”

*TGSTGE*

Later that day, Damian had returned to the Penthouse a different man. His meeting with the board of directors allowed him to discover several possible leads to the incongruities, including something most disturbing:

“Between my suggestions and Fox’s resources, we pinpointed the problem. There was an accident fund set up for railroad victims in the name of Thomas Wayne,” Damian was explaining to Dick Grayson in a private meeting down below. “Ring any bells Grayson?”

He nodded bitterly, piecing the clues together. “Railroad…as in a Mexican Train. Dr. Hurt practically signed his handiwork. Amazing; the Black Glove is actually financed by Bruce’s money. He’s going to be livid once he finds out the truth.”

“We will savor that moment when we discover Father. I don’t see Drake anywhere so there is at least something to be thankful about today,” he forced a laugh, but was clearly not into it.

Dick squirmed around in his chair as he chose his next words carefully. “Heard about your mom. That couldn’t have been fun to hear.”

“*tt* Mother…if she cannot accept me for who I am then what kind of a Mother is she anyway? I wasn’t even formally introduced to her for years. I’ve gotten more parenting from Pennyworth than her.”

“To be fair, I think we all can consider Alfred the parent of the century. You holding up okay?”

Damian looked up at the ceiling of the Bat-Bunker and nodded. “What do you think will happen when Father returns? We can’t be Batman and Robin anymore, can we?”

The current Caped Crusader breathed in and let out a big sigh. “Hard to tell. Odds are I’ll go back to being Nightwing. Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t be Robin. Father and son fighting crime…criminals are doomed!”

“I appreciate the sentiment Grayson, but I’m being serious,” Damian looked to him. Dick could see the fear in his eyes, the sadness and the deep settling anxiety. “I’ve given up everything for this life. What happens if Father returns and I have nothing?”

“What about her?”

“Who?”

“Stop playing around; you know who I’m talking about. Ye big and blue pigtails? Has a triforce on her forehead?”

Damian crossed his arms and scowled. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“Damian, remember that I’m playing the part of ‘World’s Greatest Detective.’ It’s kind of my job to be observant. Have you even talked to her yet?”

It was now Damian’s turn to blush. “The Princess is…is someone who I trust. Nothing more.”

“Sure about that?”

“That is between me and her Richard!” Damian quickly shouted. The use of his first name was not lost on Dick: he struck a nerve. “Besides, she is an alien princess, I am the partner of a circus clown. You know that she has her responsibilities to uphold and I would not fall into that category.”

“Tell that to Tenchi.”

“He has royal alien blood!”

“Ayeka didn’t know that before she professed her love…or so I’m told,” Dick pointed out.

His eyebrow twitching, Damian made the move to walk away. “Don’t you have a meeting with that writer?”

“I do. I guess I’ll leave you be. Meet me at the Manor later. I’m sending Sasami with Barbara for the night, so don’t worry about her.”

Damian nodded as Dick put on his costume and headed toward the Batmobile. “Grayson!”

“Yes Boy Wonder?”

“Do…” He started. “Do you really think she would forgive me for Mother’s attitude?”

The Batman smiled. “Undoubtedly old chum.”

*TGSTGE*

As the day progressed, Mihoshi finally joined the others in the land of the living. It was clear she was getting used to the time zone adjustments, but Kiyone could not help but be embarrassed.

“Do you have any idea what time it is here?” Kiyone grouchily told her and she raised the fridge.

“I told you Kiyone, I’m sorry! I don’t set an alarm and these beds are so much comfier than our futons!”

“True as that may be, you’ve wasted half of the day already! It’s rude and frankly I’m embarrassed! How can you call yourself a Galaxy Police Officer?”

Mihoshi laughed. “Silly Kiyone, you know I’m a Galaxy Police Officer! That was a silly question!”

“I’m serious! Mihoshi, we have to be able to rely on each other! If I can’t rely on you, what kind of partners are we anyway?”

“Kiyone!”

“I’m sorry Mihoshi, but we’ve been roped into a very serious case with very different criminals than even we are used to. This is something out of a manga! If I can try to learn more about this culture that you find fascinating, I would hope that you would try to take this more seriously!”

Tears started to form in Mihoshi’s eyes. Kiyone knew she was reacting a bit harder than usual, but between the stressful day the day before and feeling bad for Damian, her ability to sympathize was wearing thin.

“Mihoshi, how about this: why don’t you go to Yagami and patrol for me? The subspace linkup can connect to here so you don’t have to worry. It’ll do you some good.”

“But,” Mihoshi sniffled. “But I go on patrol with you…as partners!”

“I’ve got to help Dick check for clues at the old mansion. You might set off one of El Sombrero’s traps. It’s only for today!” Kiyone tried to explain.

“But what if you set off a trap Kiyone? Who will look after you?”

The detective put a smile on her face. “Hey, I’ve got Batman to back me up. I think I’ll be okay. When this is all over Mihoshi, we can go to our favorite karaoke bar…and I’ll buy you that stuffed dog you always see in that dingy toy shop in Tokyo.”

Smiling through the tears, Mihoshi nodded and saluted. Kiyone returned it. The blonde started to mess with her control cube, which she carried on her at all times, and managed to change into her uniform.

Kiyone brought her down into the Bat-Bunker where she knew there would be a good place to link to Yagami, their patrol ship. They passed Damian, who seemed lost in thought.

“Oh, it’s you. Where are you going?” He asked. It wasn’t an attack like usual; rather, he seemed genuinely interested.

“I’m going on patrol in space!” Mihoshi put on a big smile.

He blinked and shook his head. “Aliens…”

Kiyone took the control cube from Mihoshi and turned it a few times. With a “ping,” a glowing hole appeared. Inside the hole was the cockpit of their ship.

“I’ll…miss you Kiyone!” Mihoshi was clearly doing her best not to cry. Again.

“I’ll miss you too. If you are hungry, we should have some of Sasami’s soup in the storage container. Don’t eat it now! Save it for later!”

“Okay! Good bye Kiyone! Good bye Damian! Don’t fall into any traps!” She cried as she went through the door. The portal closed behind her, leaving only Damian and Kiyone in the Bunker.

“Where’d Dick go? I thought we were going to the Mansion in a few hours.”

“Grayson is visiting Oberon Sexton,” Damian explained nonchalantly.

“That writer he was talking about last night?”

“The same. Calls himself ‘The Gravedigger,’ or something like that.”

Something about that name bothered Kiyone. ‘Oberon…where have I heard that name before?’ “Mind if I use the Bat-Computer to do some research? I want to be prepared for later.”

“Be my guest. Say, have you seen the Princess around?”

“Oh, Barbara is coming any minute now to pick her up. If you want that goodbye kiss, now’s the time!”

“Officer Makibi, you make my blood boil sometimes, you know that?” Damian informed her as the he made his way toward the elevator.

Kiyone couldn’t help but smile at the boy. Dick was right: he really had changed in six months. ‘I wonder how much of that is Sasami and how much of that is Dick?’ Kiyone thought to herself. Alone in the Bat-Bunker, she cracked her knuckles and started typing.

“If I’m going to be a part of this world, it’s high time I start thinking like it. Let’s see what I can find about the name Oberon…”

*TGSTGE*

Waiting for Barbara to pick her up at the Wayne Penthouse, Sasami could not help herself but swim about in the several thoughts that were floating around in her head. She had been caught off guard earlier when Kiyone and Dick told her about Damian and she really did not know what to do about it.

‘On one hand, Damian may have a crush on me, but is that just because I was here for him when his mother wasn’t? On the other hand, do I just like Damian because I see that he is a good person on the inside, or do I really LIKE him?’ She asked herself.

‘Does he know anything about me at all?’

“Still here I see,” a voice caused her to snap out of her thoughts. Unsurprisingly, it was the object of her concern.

“Hello Damian,” Sasami replied. “Are you okay?”

“Yes…” Damian replied very fast. “Princess Sasami, I would like to apologize for…”

“Stop it! You defended me and you want to apologize?” Sasami chuckled. “You are a weird boy aren’t you Damian?”

“*tt* I’ll never concede to that Princess,” Damian said with a slight smile. “May I ask you a question?”

“Sure!”

“You once asked me if I enjoy being Robin. Here is my follow up question: do you actually enjoy being a princess?”

“It’s not what you would expect it to be,” Sasami admitted. “I always have to be so proper and polite all the time.”

Damian looked genuinely surprised. “So I was wrong about you? You aren’t naturally this peppy all the time?”

“No silly, I am! But I have to be held to a higher standard to others on Jurai. I used to cut school all the time to play in the gardens, but the nobles would always find me and scold me,” she elaborated. “I think that’s why Ayeka and I like Earth so much. We can be who we really are here without having to be judged.”

The Boy Wonder started to laugh. It wasn’t a condescending laugh like he typically would do, but a genuine one. Sasami was slightly taken back by it. “What’s so funny?”

“You! I would never have pictured you to defy your parents’ orders! It’s…it’s refreshing. I was afraid there wasn’t anything beyond the surface besides smiles and sunshine,” Damian grinned. “You are a good person Sasami Jurai.”

“So you think you know everything beyond the surface of me?” Sasami playfully asked.

“Not even close. Maybe when all of this is over you…” Damian stammered, sweat forming on his brow. “What I mean is…would you permit me the honor of discussing it over dinner and a movie? Maybe in Japan.”

The air from the room left in an instant. Sasami turned bright red. Damian turned a brighter shade of it. It was impossible to read the girl, but Damian was starting to panic. It was clear he had never been this open about his feelings before.

“That was stupid…” Damian Wayne started to whisper to himself before she put her finger on his lips. The girl nodded and smiled.

“It’s a date.”

“A…yes a date. We will discuss it with Pennyworth when we bring down Dr. Hurt. A pleasant talk Sasami,” Damian said with a nervous bow. “Enjoy your evening with the cr…with Gordon. I must be off and meet Grayson at Father’s mansion.”

With that, the boy ran out of the room, leaving a blushing Sasami at the door. A moment later, Alfred walked through the door and saw the sight.

“Miss Sasami, are you well? You look like you are going to faint?”

Sasami started to laugh like a little Earth girl. “No I’m fine Mr. Pennyworth. It’s…well…”

“I do not need to pry Miss Sasami,” he smiled knowingly with a wink. “Miss Gordon will be pulling up any moment. I believe a night of revelry is planned between you and Miss Brown.”

“You mean Batgirl, sir?”

“The same. Master Dick did say he wanted you to experience a true American sleepover.”

She left the room to collect her bags. With a smile, she started to call Ryo-Ohki. She couldn’t wait to tell her everything that just happened.

*TGSTGE*

“Miss Makibi, how goes your research?” Alfred asked as he stepped out of the elevator into the Bat-Bunker. He made his way toward the detective sergeant, who had notes sprawling everywhere on the computer desk. “It seems as if you are making quite a mess. I suppose my job will remain secure.”

“Alfred!” Kiyone jumped, sending her papers every which way. “I didn’t hear you come in!”

“If there is one thing that I am used to, it is heroes deep in thought. You fit right in here.”

“You mean that?” the frazzled detective asked. “I mean, I’m not a hero; I’m just doing my job.”

“And doing a bloody good job at it I’d imagine. What are you researching? Wayne Manor? That awful Hurt fellow?”

“Actually, Oberon Sexton. You know, the writer.”

“Indeed? That is surprising. What exactly are you researching?”

Kiyone searched through her notes for a piece of paper. While she searched, she started to speak. “You were an English actor, were you not?”

“I was.”

“Are you familiar with the works of William Shakespeare? Damn it, where is it!” she added to herself.

“I would hope that I was!”

“Well last year, Nobuyuki took the house to see a play as a favor to one of his coworkers. It was called A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Shall I assume you are familiar with the tale?”

“Assume away, though that comedy has become rather amusing in hindsight after actually meeting Queen Hippolyta and her daughter.”

“I’d imagine. Anyway, the fairy king is called Oberon, right? I knew I heard that name somewhere and here it is!” Kiyone enthusiastically explained. “I’ve been research Oberon himself and discovered something interesting. Did you know that another word for fairies is actually fey?”

“I did. What is the significance of that?”

“This is the big clue!” Kiyone told him. “If he is the King of the Fairies that would make him the King of the Feys!”

Alfred blinked and thought about it. “A Fey King? I don’t follow.” Suddenly, everything came to him at once. “A Fey King! As in ‘faking!'”

“Exactly! And according to various interviews, our writer calls himself ‘The Gravedigger.'”

“And gravediggers in Shakespearean plays are called fools or clowns! My word!”

“There is only one issue with your little theory,” the voice of Damian called out. The boy was now in costume, waiting to leave for his father’s house. “He’s an established writer! He published books! His wife was actually killed!”

At once, Kiyone’s smile dropped into a frown. “But isn’t this the kind of convoluted clue that your enemies would typically do? It was perfect! I even had a theory that HE was actually that Domino Killer you are after because of his close connection to the case and the sick joke of your domino mask!”

“The theory does seem logical Master a Damian,” Alfred pointed out. “It is the sort of thing that madman would do.”

“Well, then what’s his endgame? He’s literally talking to Grayson right now. What possible reason would he have to laugh at us like that?”

Kiyone swiveled the chair from side to side in thought. “The Black Glove!”

“Excuse me?”

“All the murders in your domino case prior to coming to Gotham were wealthy businessmen. I’d bet anything they were part of The Black Glove! You all said that he is on bad terms with them; maybe this is his elaborate revenge!”

“You are far more excited than you have my reason to be Makibi. Your theory relies on too much coincidences…” Damian told her, but it didn’t sound like he bought it completely.

“Well, we can run it by Dick later and see what he thinks. Don’t we have a mansion to search?”

“Indeed we do. Are you all prepared to go?” Alfred asked.

“I’m driving,” Damian said without hesitation.

“You most certainly will not!”

*TGSTGE*

In deep space, Mihoshi mad managed to arrest an intergalactic biker gang all by herself and had even helped catch a pet Mitsuki that was dropped out in an escape pod accidentally. Though Mihoshi felt proud of doing all of these things on her own, it just was not the same without Kiyone.

Alone in space, Mihoshi was lost in her own set of thoughts and feelings. ‘Oh what am I going to do? Kiyone is mad at me and thinks I’m an embarrassment! If only she saw that I did all of these things today!’

She looked at a picture she kept of the two of them on her controls. She never noticed it before, but Kiyone looked a little annoyed in it. Mihoshi had always thought that it was a nice picture of them, but now she second guessed herself.

‘What can I do to make her happy? Should I leave her alone in Gotham to enjoy herself?’ she thought.

It made sense. Mihoshi could clearly see that Kiyone was just starting to finally get into the world of heroes like Mihoshi was. However, Mihoshi enjoyed them at a fan level, while Kiyone seemed to just view it as another case. Why couldn’t she just see the world as Mihoshi did?

“Wait, I am a Detective Sergeant in the Galaxy Police! I bring down wanted criminals all the time, including without Kiyone! I’ll show her that I’m not an embarrassment! I will go and help her out! I…I…I’ll just get in the way!” she started to break down again. “What do I do? What do I do? I wish I could talk to someone about this, like Tenchi’s grandpa or…”

Suddenly, an idea popped in her head. “I know what to do!” With that, she punched in a few coordinates and made her way to the planet Earth. She was a woman on a mission: Mihoshi had a plan and was going to stick to it…no matter the cost.