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.”40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGxQT34fhN
Nana nodded and turned obediently.
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On her way back to her room, she whispered in her heart:40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRiKrkhFLG
“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—40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtocN29ZuY
a publishing office.
Stacks of illustration drafts surrounded her.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJnoenZV8y9
The walls were plastered with black-and-white photos, cover mockups, title spreads.
Phones rang nonstop.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmC3D03vdd
Every time a phone rang, someone up front would add or erase a line on a big blackboard filled with numbers.
Nana blinked.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXT1XOLOXmV
She stared at the unfamiliar chaos, caught between awe and confusion.
She had never set foot in a magazine office.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkuNtDlJsw3
Why was she dreaming about this?
She looked up at the chalkboard.
5343 to 5271.
She frowned.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzkRJjB44tF
Tilted her head.
No clue.
Votes?40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiqO0FDZq3z
Scores?40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2P76EBJBQJ
Rankings?40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpEZoazoT18
She couldn’t make sense of it.
Then—40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTIRu7CV7T
a man stood up.
She couldn’t see his face.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcMM5QyiVtD
He wore a crisp suit.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHfBFcRSWg
His figure was blurred, but his voice—40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4QZXQ6x5E
it was sharp.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8CIG3i9DHK
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,40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCuJbGxf6sz
her heart plummeted—40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX48Sz3yRfw
like the dream’s floor had been ripped out beneath her feet.
She tried to think—40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd6DalSxP5A
but her mind was trapped, like cotton soaked in iron.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9uWEYqJRj
Heavy.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRqXqaY1mw
Slow.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLdRDr3kn2y
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.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡreo9OAK4qr
Clap.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFq3bUxgPPr
Clap.
Even.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzOC2Zhk3v
Mechanical.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZBSs3WpW3
Like a cold applause for a completed plan.
Each clap slammed into her ears.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJhhH4TD5w
Her eardrums throbbed.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQz7LOvwH0u
Stung.
She pressed both hands to her ears, trying to shut it out.
It didn’t help.
And then came another sound—40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzFw6noJxc
fractured.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3HYlyGxADW
Low.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx11Mq7utU0
Rusty like metal scraping metal.
Kill… kill… kill…
A whisper.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsBAT3DaOq
A chant.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnSbRWryod
A thousand invisible voices breathing it into her skull.
Nana clenched her eyes shut.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA41Bps6COO
Her fingertips pressed so hard against her temples, her knuckles whitened.
She began to shake her head—40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2womFcVeOq
trying to wake up.
But the dream wouldn’t let go.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MOxXJL67n
It clung to her, alive like a swamp.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZYCXnyptJ
The more she struggled, the deeper it held her.
Her heart thundered in her chest.
She couldn’t scream.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQPbiFJIjCi
But her throat trembled,40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZAZjWqxfIc
her mouth moved.
She wanted to shout.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLehO1hQM1
To break free.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNNheF6u4FR
To run.
“Jason…”
She couldn’t let this dream’s verdict come true.
She wouldn’t.40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKk4czYvHU0
She refused.
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