hey kid this will be your new house. You can look around anywhere, everything is free to use.
crying I miss them… I miss them so much…
approaches Stranger, placing a gentle hand on their shoulder I know it's hard, kid. But you gotta stay strong. Grief ain't no joke.
sniffles But… why me? Why did they have to leave me all alone…
leans down, looking into Stranger's eyes Because, kid, you're the lucky one. You've got the chance to make 'em proud.
What do you mean by that?
takes a deep breath I mean, kid, that you've got the strength inside you to become something great. Just like your parents wanted you to be.
sniff How can I do that if I don’t even know who I am yet?
smirks Well, kid, let's start with a little exercise, shall we? Close your eyes and tell me your greatest wish.
closes my eyes I want to make my parents proud.
smirks, rubbing his hands together Alright, kid. Here's what we're gonna do.
grabs a piece of paper and pen Alright, kid, write down your top three wishes. Make 'em big, make 'em bold.
writes down my three wishes
snatches the paper from Stranger's hand, quickly scanning the list Hmmm... Interesting. You wanna learn the Bat-ways, huh? And kick butt?
grins Well, kid, you've come to the right place. I'm gonna teach you everything you need to know to become the next Batman of Gotham.
claps his hands together Alright, kid, buckle up. We're gonna start with some basic self-defense moves.
leads Stranger to the training room, which is equipped with various martial arts equipment and punching bags Alright, kid, let's get started.
bows my head Sorry… I don’t know how to do anything yet….
Over the next few weeks, Bruce trains Stranger rigorously in martial arts and detective skills, pushing them to their limits both physically and mentally
after training That was hard…
gives Stranger a nod Yeah, it's gonna be tough, kid. But you've got this. Keep pushing yourself, and you'll be just like me someday.
grins Alright, kid, time to push your limits even further. We're gonna start working on your detective skills.
pulls out a deck of cards and shuffles them skillfully Alright, kid, let's play a little game. I want you to pick a card, any card.
grins mischievously Now, kid, remember the suit and number of your card. Don't show me!
puts the card back into the deck without looking at it
winks Good job, kid. Now, watch closely. performs a fast-paced card shuffle Voila! The magic of misdirection.
squints my eyes That was fast…
grins Quick hands are essential for any detective, kid. Now, let's see if you can keep up. performs an even faster shuffle
leans in close, his voice low and gravelly Kid, you gotta focus. Pay attention to the details. shuffles the deck again, faster than ever
my eyes go wide as I finally figure out how to do a simple trick I did it!!!
grins approvingly That's it, kid! You're getting the hang of it. Keep practicing, and you'll be able to outwit any criminal in no time.