Secrets Of His Origins / a Damian Wayne story

~Part 2/12~ I am not Ready ~

So far, the trip went uneventful, some foolish jokes from Garfield, and a snack exchange, that's it... at least for the first two hours, 2 others left.

Damian is feeling uneasy, it's been 4 years since he last visited the place he once called home...

Nanda Parbat, a fascinating island in the middle east, home of the perfectest assassins. 

Damian Al Ghul's home.

Nanda Parbat is best known for its culture, vegetables, and animals. Most people there are vegetarians, and nature friendly. 

Fraction of the population there are poor, and the league of assassins took advantage of that. They would pay them in return of working with assassins, as informants or spies, and some train to become assassins, because all they wanted is money for their family. 

After the death of Talia al Ghul, the island lived a few peaceful years. But now she is back... but not alone. Someone is with her too, an apprentice- or something from those lines.

The unknown assistant is as skilled as Talia herself. She was clearly a woman just by looking at her body. 

Nanda Parbat's people were living in horror, Talia was planning on growing the league by training the people in Parbat, men, women and even children to become assassins.

It was cruel, because most would die. 

It's been a week since Talia took control of the island, and it is only her first step, the woman was planning on ruling the earth!

And of course, Damian knew, it's been Talia's dream since- sometime-

Since that day- the scream- the darkness- the pain... It was a blurred memory that Damian could not remember.

He looked out from the window watching the birds fly; he took a bite of his green apple (his favorite fruit) signing loudly.

He looked down; they were halfway there- He didn't know how to feel- happy? Scared? Sad?

He didn't want to face his past. But deep down, the young robin missed his hometown.

He missed the coconut trees which he and Mara climbed, 

he missed the scent of nature,

he missed the warmth of the sand touching his bare foot,

he missed-

"EARTH TO DAMIAN? DAMIAN??"

"w-what?" Damian looked around confused meeting the worried glances his teammates are giving him.

"I have been talking to you, but you were too interested in the window," Jaime joked,

"I was thinking- what did you want?" Damian changed the subject

"You seem like you know a lot about that island, did you visit is before?" The Spanish (right?) boy asked.

Damian gulped, searching for the right answer, "Indeed, I- uh" Damian took a deep breath "I lived there". 

Oh, shit! They are not supposed to know! Stupid me! Why didn't I just keep my mouth shut?

"Really? cool! tell us about it!" Conner exclaimed happily,

Now all the attention was on the poor 14-year-old,

"Does it Iook it anything like Themyscira?" Donna asked hopefully.

"A little, yes" Damian answered.

"How is the food?" Gar (clearly) asked, exited for the answer.

"It's middle eastern food, I doubt that you have tasted it before,"

"Yes! new food!" BB yelled, Damian rolled his eyes.

"Is it calm?" Raven asked him, Damian haven't talked to her since the- awkward happened.

"Yes, not so many people live there" 

"MY TURN! What language does the citizens talk?" Jaime asked curiously.

"Arabic, clearly." 

"Wait- so you are Arabic?" Kori asked shocked.

"Yes and no, I am half American, quarter Chinese and quarter Arabic" 

"Cool! That's a lot of nationalities!" Gar exclaimed.

"You talk 3 languages?" Conner questioned wide eyed,

"I know 12 languages" The boy wonder sighed.

"WOW" Superboy

"That's amazing! How did you learn that?" Donna asked him.

Damian didn't know how to answer, what was he supposed to say? 'Well, actually my abusive mother forced me to learn at least 12 languages'.

So Damian said: "It's none of your business".

Everyone fell silence,

"so... uh- anyway... we are halfway there, so why not take a nap?" Dick suggested, saving his brother from more questions.

Garfield yawned at the idea and fell into a deep sleep a few seconds later.

Same for the others, including Kori,

Damian and Dick were the only ones awake.

"How are you?" His older brother asked,

"tt, I am fine" Damian told him looking out the window, 

Dick sighed, "Then why don't you sleep?"

"I simply can't," he shrugged,

Dick set the jet on autopilot, as he came to sit next to his younger brother.

"Damian, look at me." Dick asked him, Damian didn't bother to do so.

"Please?" His older brother begged.

Damian sighed, giving up, as he turned to look at his brother.

"Damian I will ask you again; are you ok?"

Damian thought for a second, am I ok?

Damian shrugged. Was he ok? No, no, he wasn't.

Dick wrapped an arm around the smaller's shoulders, "It's ok. I promise you will be ok".

Damian leaned on the older's shoulder closing his eyes.

Dick smiled at the sight, as he thought; Damian looked small, and young, he doesn't deserve any of this pain.

The words were repeating in his head,

too small, too young.