Jason Turned Sixteen Today.
It was his birthday.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡshQSQB6pm5
Technically, Nana was older by a month—
a fact clearly listed in every official document.
She was “the older one.”
But Jason never acknowledged it.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG32krQ9ROf
For today,
Nana had been planning for over a month.
From cake flavors, decorations, to a special new section in her scrapbook.
She’d even collected a few heroic photos Jason never realized were taken.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNLgDTGX8xf
Jason sat there eating cake, pretending he didn’t care.
But Nana knew better.
He was happy—
he just refused to show it.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHzvYg9T4pG
But in Batman’s world,
no birthday was ever truly complete.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2bQYkojtmm
Before the cake had fully settled,
Jason received a signal.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiAFbQHfZC8
He had to put on his mask, suit up,
and disappear into Gotham’s night with Bruce.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24jn4PKl9I
Nana waved as they vanished into the dark.
Tonight, Gotham was unusually quiet.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG26vbMOBaK
Just a few pickpockets.
Minor harassment.
No explosions.
No Arkham breakouts.
Not even Mad Hatter whispering riddles on rooftops.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4K8wUGW1Ds
Nana stood on the balcony, bathed in moonlight.
Her eyes narrowed, sleepiness beginning to pull her under.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fVv9KnXv7
Alfred appeared behind her with a tray of tea and a gentle voice:
“Miss, they won’t be long tonight. Please, get some rest. You were up too early today.”10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyqOoFcVhCn
Nana nodded and turned obediently.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD8lhkeAvQt
On her way back to her room, she whispered in her heart:10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OcVRXIwhI
“Happy birthday, Jason Todd.”
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGlqmd7oe7
And then she drifted into sleep.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FJqtOkxLQ
Nana was in a place she had never seen before—10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhuLOh3HIrM
a publishing office.
Stacks of illustration drafts surrounded her.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzPPDN7SMD
The walls were plastered with black-and-white photos, cover mockups, title spreads.
Phones rang nonstop.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcT82D08wLW
Every time a phone rang, someone up front would add or erase a line on a big blackboard filled with numbers.
Nana blinked.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrohUrDWw7I
She stared at the unfamiliar chaos, caught between awe and confusion.
She had never set foot in a magazine office.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHP171k2Ru
Why was she dreaming about this?
She looked up at the chalkboard.
5343 to 5271.
She frowned.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ526nfWCnN1
Tilted her head.
No clue.
Votes?10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUloEWjN2K
Scores?10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeAKrD8rzI
Rankings?10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92JhnhkzAk
She couldn’t make sense of it.
Then—10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NhpyTBe5G
a man stood up.
She couldn’t see his face.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTpFvWxLjG
He wore a crisp suit.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPCiLYNlAU
His figure was blurred, but his voice—10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFIx3qYH86
it was sharp.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQnBBGZeMt8
It pierced her ears like a needle straight to the brain.
“The results are in. Let’s finalize it.”
“Jason Todd, the second Robin, will greet the Reaper. His end has been decided.”
Nana froze.
The moment Jason’s name was spoken,10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNEX50JXGq
her heart plummeted—10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ixVdvDJu2
like the dream’s floor had been ripped out beneath her feet.
She tried to think—10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwb6KedSDhs
but her mind was trapped, like cotton soaked in iron.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ02u2GgMp9F
Heavy.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMpjvfbfpi
Slow.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh2ILqc9Ix9
Barely working.
But she understood.
She understood exactly what this meeting was for.
All the faceless, voiceless, nameless “attendees” seated around the table began to clap.
Clap.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6y5Bkm5Wm
Clap.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsHxHqqP2E
Clap.
Even.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4gIFrbnVt1
Mechanical.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ9S1ORrDSD
Like a cold applause for a completed plan.
Each clap slammed into her ears.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7sP3qy9TFt
Her eardrums throbbed.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPcEs5IgMv
Stung.
She pressed both hands to her ears, trying to shut it out.
It didn’t help.
And then came another sound—10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgbd9UjYqC0
fractured.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgTfCdTbBp
Low.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC1hwM4vA6t
Rusty like metal scraping metal.
Kill… kill… kill…
A whisper.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxgOcIWaBhF
A chant.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpys8DoPlqZ
A thousand invisible voices breathing it into her skull.
Nana clenched her eyes shut.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxho5l8F3l
Her fingertips pressed so hard against her temples, her knuckles whitened.
She began to shake her head—10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ03XEVpp7s3
trying to wake up.
But the dream wouldn’t let go.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzcXjyZfSw
It clung to her, alive like a swamp.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAEXTOstb9g
The more she struggled, the deeper it held her.
Her heart thundered in her chest.
She couldn’t scream.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxBJob0M6K
But her throat trembled,10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA9FmV19Fbu
her mouth moved.
She wanted to shout.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNx2gRfhwR9
To break free.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMguuHUTgYt
To run.
“Jason…”
She couldn’t let this dream’s verdict come true.
She wouldn’t.10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BbX09J8ty
She refused.
10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqDaNfyi0y
