Having had a nice but awkward talk with Mr. Delight, I went back into the orphanage and obediently followed my schedule, not that it was much of a schedule. Outside of class, feeding and exercise hours, most of us were left to our own devices.
The children would then break into groups depending on their interests and play together. I wasn't really into the things the kids were, and he wasn't exactly very gifted with his hands, so he ended up in the do-nothing category, which unsurprisingly included Reggie.
"You know, Luke? There are people outside who would kill for this sort of stability". Reggie said while staring into his book without even flinching while I just lay face up on the floor of our room with my eyes closed, enjoying the former quiet before the troglodyte spoke.
"Reggie, are you allergic to not speaking?". He heard an angry growl from the boy who aggressively flipped the page of his book.
"You could have just ignored me you nasty troll-like thing"
"You dare to call me a troll? I'm not the one who snores like they swallowed a pile bunker," we argued like that for a while until it was eventually dinner time, and then we headed off to bed and had our varying degrees of good night sleep.
***
In the city of Gotham's silent alleys, a small group of roughly dressed young men sat and smoked, chatting amongst themselves and laughing. A tall, lanky-looking man walked into this lonely place holding a square of paper.
"Hey, beanpole, you look lost, need a little help?". The lanky man stopped and turned, a small but polite smile on his lips.
"Why, how kind". He said and then held up the piece of paper in his hands, "I was searching for individuals that looked just like this. Would you have happened to see them?"
The thug wore a confused expression but took the paper in his hands and examined the drawing, as he did, the cigarette in his mouth fell out from shock as he gaped at the parchment, it was a very detailed drawing of his own face "What is this–"
Something cold and sharp pierced the man's throat, cutting him off, his words turning into blood-filled gurgles, and his limp body dropping to the floor. The others flinched but quickly pulled out their weapons, preparing for a fight, but instead could only stare in horror as they died one after the other.
There was only one remaining, a man who had pulled out a cheap gun, but had managed to not only miss his mark, but hit everyone except him "W..w-who the hell are you, man?"
The lanky man tilted his head slightly, his smile not even showing the slightest bit of strain. The man placed a hand on his chin and thought for a moment, then started walking closer "I am a caretaker, that is my profession at the moment, as for names…You can just call me…Mr Delight"
He stood over the man's corpse, blood pooling around him, the smile on his face remaining the same even as he sighed, "Not that it mattered to someone like you, though" He lit the paper on fire, ground it to ash, mixed it with a certain white substance, and scattered it before blending into the darkness and vanishing.
***
'If it wasn't for that terrible bell that rang every morning, I swear the time of day never changes' I look around and see I'm the first one awake as usual, and jump down from the bunk bed and smack Reggie awake.
" Urgh, no, Lucan was the one who stole your socks, I swear". What is this fool dreaming of? Socks? In fact, never mind, I actually don't want to know, it's better that way. I slap him again, and the brat just shrugs me off, and so I do the most sensible thing.
"Mr. Delight is behind me right now". He immediately bolted up and looked around in a frenzy, his vision starting to clear as he opened his mouth and prepared to speak.
"Bull–" he paused and slowly pointed somewhere. Mr. Delight isn't actually behind me is he?
"You're very perceptive today, Lucan. I'm glad to see you improve". I almost screamed, but could only quietly swallow it along with any other emotion I was about to express and simply greeted him good morning and ran off to join the morning exercise.
Later, we were joined by Reggie, who looked rather sore with blazing fury in his eyes, not that it had anything to do with me. Daily exercise consisted mostly of calisthenics, though I was very sure this was a bit much.
And today was supposed to be adoption day. I had never really experienced it before now, since people were adopted at random and on any day, but this was a particularly designated day wherein one could witness and adopt.
After the training, they all bathed, ate, and attended shortened classes since today was particularly special. They didn't tire us out mentally and left them once again to our own devices as usual, it was a lot emptier than I would have expected, but really, what I was expecting? No clue.
Bored, I decided to stroll around the orphanage before grabbing Reggie and Little Red to go for a bit of exploring. This was what I had planned to do before I caught sight of it. Something bizarre yet equally frightful.
A man with a rather hard-to-look-at face stood amongst the caretakers. He didn't seem tall, at least compared to Mr. Delight, maybe around five feet eleven? He had thick hairy arms and a broad but somewhat modest build.
He heard one of the caretakers call him professor, but the man looked more like a butcher than an academic. Perhaps he wasn't having the best of luck in the job market; it was hard to say. They talked in low whispers, wherein the man would occasionally make a strange snorting noise.
His voice was clear but sounded like he was straining his throat when he spoke. He would gesticulate or, at times, stand completely still for a prolonged amount of time, only occasionally nodding or shaking his head.
Soon they seem to have ended the conversation and turn towards the door, i stumble back, pretending to just be passing by as they step out, the man squints his eyes at me and the caretakers exchange looks "No, not him, yours is downstairs with the others, you take the professor to the common room would you?"
I look at the man's face and gulp, but nod and start guiding him down. He doesn't say a single word and only continues to breathe heavily while his heavy footfalls sound behind me, until I push open the door to the common room.
I am about to leave when I hear his voice, "You…stay..yes?" I took a deep breath, but awkwardly agreed, and kept my distance until the door opened a few minutes later with one of the caretakers coming in, the lady who was usually in charge of all the children's clothing and meals.
The orphanage's caretakers had varying roles, most times, with them rarely overlapping, so it was easy to categorize them even if you didn't know their names; Mr. Delight was in charge of the children's mental health and overall security.
This lady, who had just entered, was in charge of making sure the children's clothes remained clean and well-maintained, meaning no holes, tears or anything of the sort. She was also in charge of guiding new children around the orphanage.
The girl she arrives with her was someone who always seemed to do poorly on the physical tests although her mind seemed to be sound, she was just unsuited for physical labor.
The moment they stepped in, I was dismissed, and I rather mechanically left the room and the orphanage. I think I needed some space to clear my head right now and get away from the unsettling feeling that the man seemed to be giving off.
***
"This is the girl" he looked her over and shook his head.
"I am a surgeon, not a miracle worker". He crossed his arms with a sigh, remaining in his seat whilst waiting for the woman to knock the girl out, slinging the unconscious girl over her shoulder and then replied.
"The materials are already prepared and the lab is ready, just put what we tell you where". The man remained quiet for a moment and then pulled out a pig mask from his lab coat pocket and placed it on his face.
"Take me to my workspace then I have other appointments and don't intend to waste all day on this". The lady nodded her head and gestured for the professor to follow. She tapped on the corner wall in three locations and changed the order of three books as the wall deconstructed, revealing a stairwell leading downwards.
"If you would, professor", they descended the stairwell and opened a small iron door that led into a vast underground filled with large vats that contained various bodies, floating organs and other appendages. The professor stretched his body and extended his hands and two people stepped forward and placed gloves on his hands for him.
"As you are aware, there is a chance she could be permanently damaged" The lady only nodded and handed the child over to one of the men dressed in black.
"She will be put to good use".
"Very well".
***
I was panting, and my palms were drenched in sweat. I wasn't even running. But that was how odd the experience was for me.
Standing close to the library I steady my heartbeat and decide that I might as well spend my time there.
'I think Reggie might, like this place, might not like the quiet though', I chuckled to myself and walked forward a bit, picking up some bits of gossip in between.
"I'm telling you, man, he's real."
"And I'm telling you it's a load of crap, listen if he was real people would have known."
"I swear man"
"Look, let me tell you something real? Those people who died yesterday" One of the men rolled his eyes and made a strange sound.
"Please, that coulda been anything, the police report says it was in-fighting, didn't they?"
I had a very strong urge to figure out whatever it was they were talking about; news in Gotham was always in pieces, like listening to zombies. Wayne understocked, nomeans'
Willy these guys had; an Face-palming if he could help it, he would never appear in public ever again, a cave for the rest of his life, never to emerge again.
The memories of the Brucie Wayne memes I used to see back then started to resurface and I couldn't help but shiver, it was not something I wanted to personally see anytime soon.
That being said, I think I have had my fill of eavesdropping today. I might actually get in trouble this time rather than just creepy escort duty.
I really had to find a way out of this dump and possibly somewhere with a bit more.. I look at the sky for a moment 'sunlight? It's way to dreary here's.
I can't say Gotham's library was under-stocked nor could I say it had everything. This place had a very different history from what I knew. Well, I didn't know a lot of history to begin with, but this is something else.
They had notes about meta-humans appearing in their history, individuals with powers beyond human understanding.
If my world's history contained things like this I could swear I'm Reggie's life that I would have been a historian.
The more I flip through the pages the less I feel like I can understand what's happening, there are too many names I don't know and I'm seeing something about Themyscira? What sort of place is that supposed to be?
I sigh and look at the time, they would send Mr. Delight out soon, which meant he would send Reggie out.
Face palming I started to stroll my way back to the orphanage and hopefully forget about the strange sight I had seen today.
I stepped through the door just in time to witness the beautiful sight of Mr. Delight about to ask Reggie if he had seen me after clearly having done his routine headcount.
"Ah Lucan, you're here, good, everyone is accounted for" he clapped his hands together and strutted off to the records room, which was more accurately his office since he was almost always there.
"And where did you go this time if I may be so bold?" Reggie asked and I just shrugged.
"I thought you would get adopted and went to find you a cake, turns out nobody wants you huh? Don't worry we still love you" he swatted my hand away and scoffed.
"Fine, don't tell me" This was why I was friends with this guy, he didn't ask any unnecessary questions.
The day proceeded as normal with us going to have lunch while discussions about the girl I had seen earlier floated about that she had been adopted although I doubted that.
Reggie gave me an odd look "you know something" I almost choked, but didn't make it obvious.
"Know what?" Reggie rolled his eyes at me and poked at his food with his fork.
"You have this smug little smirk about you when you know something that others don't", he glanced at me again and grinned mischievously "it almost makes you look like Mr. Delight".
After that I beat Reggie up and swore never to speak to him again. And went to spend time with Red.
"So what did Reggie do this time?" The fairy, like a little six-year-old, continued to paint while smiling. "You only come here when Reggie and you fight".
"That's not true," she giggled.
"Then why are you here?".
"A fight is an equal exchange of fists, I was punishing him". She gave me a pitying look and then added one final exaggerated stroke.
"And I am done" I was starting to feel curious about what she had been drawing so intensely.
"What is that?" She picked up the paper and rolled it up into a cylinder.
" I draw pictures of people whenever they get adopted, but I never manage to give it to them, I once thought of drawing everyone, but Ms. Virtue said it wasn't prakital"
"Practical" I corrected but she just scratched her head and changed the topic but I scolded her for always mixing up her pronunciations despite being able to spell better than most people.
Well I can't say it didn't feel strange, she was only six years old after all, she can do calculus in her head without breaking a sweat and paint one-to-one portraits of people.
She eventually just turned around and grabbed another brush and then looked at me with a sweet smile.
"So since you're here, shall I draw you?"
Author's Note:
If you're enjoying the story and want to read ahead or support my work, you can check out my P@treon at [email protected]/LordCampione. But don't worry—all chapters will eventually be public. Just being here and reading means the world to me. Thank you for your time and support.