Pretty Boy | R. Grayson

Richard's Batman Arc [Random Part 3]

As promised, the part featuring the ever-dysfunctional Batfam's reaction to Espera | R. Grayson is here.

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Bruce should have known that any bonding time with his dysfunctional family was bound to end up in chaos. And that was exactly what happened then too.

Jason had taken the lead in starting the summary of the first fanfic, giving a brief background on what changes occurred due to the elder Waynes not getting murdered. 

"Luckily, we got a summary from the author that she had posted when entering her story into a contest so we might just start from there."

Tim had linked his phone to the screen and pulled up the summary right there.

This is an Alternate Universe DC fanfic in which Bruce Wayne's parents do not get murdered and as a result, he does not become Batman, changing the entire canon DC universe that we read about. The main characters in this story are Richard Grayson (protagonist), Barbara Gordon (female lead), Helena Bartinelli and Jason Todd (protagonist's accomplices) and Timothy Drake (protagonist's friend).

In an alternate universe where Thomas and Martha Wayne were not murdered brutally in front of young Bruce at Crime Alley, the life of the Dark Knight evolved much differently from what we know now. Thomas Wayne succeeded in becoming Mayor of Gotham and Bruce had always lived a life of privilege and luxury. Along with all that privilege and luxury came a shelter from what actually was going on in the city streets hence Bruce had never known what being a common man in the dreary city of crime would be like.

On the other hand, Richard Grayson went through the tragic death of his parents and suffered life's hardships firsthand. He was not adopted by a loving foster family, survived on the streets regularly fluctuating to the juvie, and then mysteriously vanished. Years later, he returned to the city of crime as a burning soul of vengeance. Known as Grayson to the common citizens and Batman to those who dared to hurt the innocent, that spirit of vengeance became the only savior Gotham could count on. He had always wanted to find out the reason for his survival although his parents had died in the trapeze accident and after taking the decision of becoming Batman, he felt he had finally found his purpose.

"Burning soul of vengeance?" Damian mumbled, "sounds familiar, doesn't it, Todd?"

"No one asked."

But Richard was being targeted by the Court of Owls as well as an enigmatic woman Lavina Vikander who he had worked for in the past. Both these factors become a major hindrance in his mission to protect Gotham. The story revolves around Richard's battle against the two while also trying to keep the city safe. He suffered as the people around him got targeted as well and he had to overcome a lot of obstacles to stay on the path he had chosen. In the midst of all the havoc created by the Court of Owls, the people of Gotham start suspecting Batman's motives. Therefore he has to reveal his identity to them in the end and vows to keep shielding Gotham with his life.

"Looks like the author really wanted to give you all the spotlight," Barbara remarked while Richard merely shrugged in reply.

Getting all the spotlight also meant being the center of all the suffering.

And deep down he was very glad that his life didn't evolve like the version depicted on the fanfic. It might seem heartless but Richard was very relieved that it was Bruce who had taken up the mantle of Batman and not him.

This fanfic is part of a series so the story hasn't ended in the first book and continues further in the succeeding two books. But as it is an Alternate Universe story, it explores DC and Batman's character origin very differently from the original.