Jason Turned Sixteen Today.
It was his birthday.
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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.
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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.
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Jason sat there eating cake, pretending he didn’t care.
But Nana knew better.
He was happy—
he just refused to show it.
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But in Batman’s world,
no birthday was ever truly complete.
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Before the cake had fully settled,
Jason received a signal.
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He had to put on his mask, suit up,
and disappear into Gotham’s night with Bruce.
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Nana waved as they vanished into the dark.
Tonight, Gotham was unusually quiet.
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Just a few pickpockets.
Minor harassment.
No explosions.
No Arkham breakouts.
Not even Mad Hatter whispering riddles on rooftops.
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Nana stood on the balcony, bathed in moonlight.
Her eyes narrowed, sleepiness beginning to pull her under.
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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.”13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdjaSbrWym
Nana nodded and turned obediently.
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On her way back to her room, she whispered in her heart:13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDKZikEPbYm
“Happy birthday, Jason Todd.”
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And then she drifted into sleep.
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Nana was in a place she had never seen before—13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95ohTcLBOe
a publishing office.
Stacks of illustration drafts surrounded her.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rApv5rvnn
The walls were plastered with black-and-white photos, cover mockups, title spreads.
Phones rang nonstop.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJReLVSLdp
Every time a phone rang, someone up front would add or erase a line on a big blackboard filled with numbers.
Nana blinked.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKPNBTKBJg1
She stared at the unfamiliar chaos, caught between awe and confusion.
She had never set foot in a magazine office.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQC0AIOMIM
Why was she dreaming about this?
She looked up at the chalkboard.
5343 to 5271.
She frowned.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYi26bOhCm
Tilted her head.
No clue.
Votes?13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOybk3OMQEe
Scores?13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4xaamhd5S2
Rankings?13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7VzxpUoWCp
She couldn’t make sense of it.
Then—13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr56inIeLCD
a man stood up.
She couldn’t see his face.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6nydKJvC0h
He wore a crisp suit.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4qgwcpXxgX
His figure was blurred, but his voice—13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCoJhhValN
it was sharp.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBaQBZT5p3G
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,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQbWRHZxMQ0
her heart plummeted—13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53nZbN0Nxx
like the dream’s floor had been ripped out beneath her feet.
She tried to think—13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSItP1G3qwh
but her mind was trapped, like cotton soaked in iron.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs2RTRQEbgo
Heavy.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtT3bB0p7Zr
Slow.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3lziC0krrE
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.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWfTRfJzhr
Clap.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡScF7Ce5tQV
Clap.
Even.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWPQIpcHlb
Mechanical.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPW1iHVaZ3U
Like a cold applause for a completed plan.
Each clap slammed into her ears.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LA2x7B5Cu
Her eardrums throbbed.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZ2VcShJG1
Stung.
She pressed both hands to her ears, trying to shut it out.
It didn’t help.
And then came another sound—13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkeUjjKbEjc
fractured.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhrahMdUHAw
Low.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdnPdClsxE
Rusty like metal scraping metal.
Kill… kill… kill…
A whisper.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHeY1ny53H
A chant.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUsTPYqwka0
A thousand invisible voices breathing it into her skull.
Nana clenched her eyes shut.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhK7B1Yfrxc
Her fingertips pressed so hard against her temples, her knuckles whitened.
She began to shake her head—13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQp6jWNYeSk
trying to wake up.
But the dream wouldn’t let go.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08PIirqmhO
It clung to her, alive like a swamp.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYgvQi6LnMq
The more she struggled, the deeper it held her.
Her heart thundered in her chest.
She couldn’t scream.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0A9swrFoBR
But her throat trembled,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXh4iFK9Hz5
her mouth moved.
She wanted to shout.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc1g3yy0ALg
To break free.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ39YCNZ3mV1
To run.
“Jason…”
She couldn’t let this dream’s verdict come true.
She wouldn’t.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaX49TvXLDb
She refused.
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