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.”11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBo8zhFODaP
Nana nodded and turned obediently.
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On her way back to her room, she whispered in her heart:11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUZrXxDphr
“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—11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rwFowFWeF
a publishing office.
Stacks of illustration drafts surrounded her.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkTaBkSA5P8
The walls were plastered with black-and-white photos, cover mockups, title spreads.
Phones rang nonstop.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBa0G69PzPN
Every time a phone rang, someone up front would add or erase a line on a big blackboard filled with numbers.
Nana blinked.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBTsxb6yMW
She stared at the unfamiliar chaos, caught between awe and confusion.
She had never set foot in a magazine office.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOtH8gIodbj
Why was she dreaming about this?
She looked up at the chalkboard.
5343 to 5271.
She frowned.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWvYGRHd9F
Tilted her head.
No clue.
Votes?11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjiVKCx9sCi
Scores?11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ03bNLiW1tE
Rankings?11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYoDNF7Mli
She couldn’t make sense of it.
Then—11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQXnmpYq7r
a man stood up.
She couldn’t see his face.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBeEGj7kyYw
He wore a crisp suit.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDSpKAUFbb
His figure was blurred, but his voice—11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikEhjE84Pl
it was sharp.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTIFfW0cs1
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,11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8DpoKIRcX
her heart plummeted—11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpT3GpaDyFP
like the dream’s floor had been ripped out beneath her feet.
She tried to think—11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85k2IU3iEu
but her mind was trapped, like cotton soaked in iron.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxB9ARZT2s
Heavy.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD44ZY86rLR
Slow.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcP9mfSpZbQ
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.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFWoreUfcML
Clap.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU13Cvd1Uwm
Clap.
Even.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMPHw2QqZ0
Mechanical.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5EZFc2UxVq
Like a cold applause for a completed plan.
Each clap slammed into her ears.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfpuMMode6
Her eardrums throbbed.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1G1gle7Zrn
Stung.
She pressed both hands to her ears, trying to shut it out.
It didn’t help.
And then came another sound—11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsAmz6EWefX
fractured.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHr8H1dAVv
Low.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUNFVVX5Bxo
Rusty like metal scraping metal.
Kill… kill… kill…
A whisper.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡre9RQjAMdz
A chant.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb00vJ3MKAT
A thousand invisible voices breathing it into her skull.
Nana clenched her eyes shut.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFR8x5QgFZE
Her fingertips pressed so hard against her temples, her knuckles whitened.
She began to shake her head—11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLUz15i6fRg
trying to wake up.
But the dream wouldn’t let go.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7KXZYgIb4
It clung to her, alive like a swamp.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSsAftj9pN
The more she struggled, the deeper it held her.
Her heart thundered in her chest.
She couldn’t scream.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI989Xqeh7a
But her throat trembled,11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxe8Yoj1G8q
her mouth moved.
She wanted to shout.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vO0g5lrPm
To break free.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQ7v9wiISk
To run.
“Jason…”
She couldn’t let this dream’s verdict come true.
She wouldn’t.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyAkbqp22SV
She refused.
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