2014.03.12 - Kids These Days

The place is mostly quiet at this time of night, a few people mill through dense fog that hangs heavily about the harbor. The beacons off shore shining in the dense fog. Kneeling still for the moment, Robin has a batarang in each of his hands. He's got his optical sensors using an infrared to 'see' the men moving things in the cargo hold of the yacht. The owners conducting a somewhat less than legal business upon their yacht.

A faint green glow cuts through the fog above, and the shimmering form of Sentinel, who quite resembles a Green Lantern, descends from above. A large green telescope floats in front of him, and apparently he too is observing the business below. The fog even partly obscures his presence.

Once he spots something obviously not quite right, Robin's moving into action. Both batarangs are thrown before, Robin uses a grappling hook to get on board fairly quietly. Two of the guards are downed before he even gets there. The newly minted boy wonder's a little more violent than his predecessor. He makes sure the guards are going to be STAYING down for awhile before he heads towards the main cabin where the drug deal's going down.

Sentinel spots Robin and hesitates, watching the boy work instead of closing in. Batman's always been one for the sidekicks, but this one seems both really young--and oddly brutal. So he watches.

Well least he's just knocking them out and not cutting their throats like he'd been trained to do. Mommy's lil assassin. Robin rolling one of the sleeping gas bombs into the close quarters the gas knocking them out guards and dealers alike. Once he has them knocked out he uses zip ties to secure them so they cannot easily get away. That's all for the night. The group today was amateur hour. Going back above deck, he makes sure that he's got everyone right now. Doesn't do to do the job halfway.

Once it looks like Robin has the situation in hand, Sentinel descends from above to hover above the deck. He glances around at the various subdued thugs, nodding approval, and says quite clearly, "Nice work, kid. Robin, I take it? The uniform's familiar."

"The latest." Robin says in a soft voice,"We've pretty much kept them similar." He says casually. "I need to get off this boat before the police arrive." He says as he lifts his grappling gun and pulls the trigger,"If you wish to continue the topic, then join me back on the shore." He says swinging over to the shoreline again.

Sentinel lifts into the air, floating lightly across the water, and touches down near where Damian landed. "Nice to meet you, kid. Robin. These days, I'm going by 'Sentinel.' Been in the game a while, myself." He looks the kid over again, noting that he really is as young as he looked. "So what's your story?"

"I am Robin. Does anything else really matter?" Robin asks tilting his head in a defiant cant. It's true that he's very much younger than Batman's normal protégés, but what lacks in age, he definitely makes up for it in a defiant nature.

Nodding slowly, Sentinel says, "Well, you're less chatty than the other Robins, from all I've heard. But that doesn't have to be a bad thing." He looks thoughtful, then asks in a carefully casual tone, "So what happened to the old one? He graduate?"

"He took up a new mantle." Robin says nodding his head a bit,"He wasn't Robin any more." Whether he thinks that Tim graduated or not, he doesn't actually say right now. "He's around still though." He says in a very casual manner.

"Well. Good." Sentinel isn't entirely sure what to say to this kid, but he still feels like he should be saying SOMETHING. "Well. How do you like being Robin, then? Big job, especially for someone s young as you are."

"It's who I am meant to be." Robin says with a passion in his voice that would be impressive in anyone,"The job requires a level of skill that many do not possess and will never possess. It requires the ability to separate themselves from those around them." He does do the detached thing Batman does. "And remember at any moment that you could be betrayed and having to fight for survival."

A faintly skeptical expression settles on Sentinel's face. "Discipline. I get that, kid. But there's more to it than that. Part of it's compassion. Part of it's never letting your partners down. Part of it's seeing where the other guy's weak--and where you're weak--and learning to make up for that. By teamwork."

"Those who are weak shouldn't be trying to do this. Those who do should be prepared for pain." Robin says frowning a little bit,"Amateurs need to have training wheels before they get into this business. I will do what I must to complete Batman's mission." There's a coldness in his voice as he says the last bit.

"Everyone's got weaknesses, Robin," Sentinel says seriously, the jocularity draining from his tone and fading from his expression. "Batman can't go it alone. That's why he's got a Robin. And there's others, too. What I want to know is, when another hero's in the thick of it, will you have their back?" He holds up a hand to wave off any answer. "Don't tell me. Just... think about it. Maybe talk to Batman. I don't know your story, but you're nothing like a typical kid. Your peers--the other kids doing the job--won't be like that. You'll need to learn from each other."

"I will have their back provided that it does not risk Batman's name, reputation, or safety." Robin says frankly. "I have a weakness, and I know what it is. And it isn't just that I see nothing wrong with break the legs of a two bit thief trying to run away." He says frankly.

Some time later...

Now out of costume, Alan slumps onto a stool at his favorite bar and waves down the keeper for a beer. Sighing as it's slid over to him, the former Green Lantern slides a hand through his hair, shakes his head, and mutters, as he picks up the beer, "Kids these days. Damn."

And he has a beer.