บท 2180: Chapter 1475: Birds and Return (20)_2
They were all the same, because they knew exactly who it was, waiting through those rainy nights in the icy, dark city. Every pang of longing made them understand the greatness of the Dark Knight.
And today, the sunshine in Gotham made them realize the greatness of the Dark Knight in this cosmos.
Nightwing looked up at Alfred who was serving hot tea, Red Hood hugged himself and rubbed his arms, Red Robin was carefully studying the outer ring of the clouds' eye, and Barbara turned her head to appreciate the bright spots of light between the tree shadows.
They were all hiding their true thoughts in the same way. In such great light, how could they not think about the darkness they had yearned for a million times?
The birds settled down on the bank of the river of the light but still didn't consider it as home. They rested for a while amongst the reeds, letting the sunlight fluff and soften their wet feathers.
On another sunny day, they bade farewell to the river and the reeds. These birds, fluffy and soft like a ball of dandelion, tucked away the remnants of the light within their warm down feathers before flying again. They crossed mountains, rivers, lakes and seas, braved thunderstorms, all to bring the same warmth to the dark caves below the stormy clouds.
"Batman..." Nightwing muttered the name, his voice filled with complex emotions and a clear urgency.
"He should've been here," Red Hood said blunterly than him, "to see this miracle."
"Or we can see it for him," Red Robin added.
"Oh my God, we should go back and tell him! Does anyone have a camera? I want to take a picture!" Barbara shouted. "No matter what, I want to bring this picture back now! And give one to my dad, they'll be thrilled."
None of them clung to the warmth of the sun. Instead, they all turned back, wanting to find something to record this scene, to show Batman immediately; perhaps they could even witness surprise on his face.
But at that moment, Dick exclaimed in surprise from the bench next to them, "Bruce... Bruce! What's wrong?!"
They turned around and saw Bruce collapsed by the bench. Red Robin, closest to Bruce, dashed over to help him up, but Bruce managed to stand up by holding onto the bench.
He held his forehead, shaking his head and said: "I'm fine, the operation logic conflicted, it's better now."
"You don't look fine at all!" Red Hood exclaimed loudly: "I know Batman never goes to the hospital, but you've fainted!"
"I just need... to adjust it a bit..." Bruce said stiffly, but the next second his arm lost its strength and he collapsed again by the bench.
The rest of them rushed to his aid. Nightwing said with worry: "Should we call an ambulance? This looks a bit like a stroke..."
"Didn't Thomas say he had a mental disease? Could it be epileptic seizure?" Red Robin, with a medical education background, speculated. Then he frowned: "If that's the case, we can't help him. We should get him to a hospital quick."
"But Batman would probably not…"
"He's not the Batman we knew!" Red Robin let go of Bruce and walked toward the manor gate. Alfred was already waiting by the phone, the numbers for the hospital and the private doctor had been prepared.
After hesitating, Red Robin chose to call the hospital. Mental problems were tricky to deal with, sometimes sedatives were necessary, which a private doctor couldn't provide.
A while later, an ambulance from New Arkham Mental Hospital arrived. The Robins hesitated a bit before getting on the ambulance. Red Hood looked at Red Robin: "What are you thinking? Sending Batman to Arkham Asylum?!"
"In this universe, Batman isn't Batman, Arkham Asylum isn't Arkham Asylum," Red Robin sighed. "Unless you have a better idea?"
Red Hood looked at Bruce on the stretcher and sighed deeply. At that moment Nightwing had already got on the ambulance, waving at the two and said: "Anyway, he helped the Batman in our world, so we should help him. That's the belief of the Batman Family."
"I know that, of course." Red Robin got into the ambulance, looking at Bruce's pale face: "He hasn't had time to establish his own Batman Family, so naturally it's our responsibility."
Red Hood stepped up as well and said, "Even if someone passed out in the middle of the street, I would take them to the hospital... Barbara, you should stay at Wayne Manor, look after them and the Batcave!"
The ambulance doors quickly closed, and the three of them followed in the New Arkham Mental Hospital's ambulance to the hospital's examination room. Doctor Brand checked Bruce's condition and then gave his diagnosis.
"It might be physical abnormality caused by mental confusion." Doctor Brand frowned and said, "What has he done to his own brain? How come he doesn't even have simple reflexes?"
Their expressions immediately tensed up, but Doctor Brand quickly added: "When people are mentally stressed, they will show some degree of physical abnormality. Usually, it can recover through relaxation and recuperation. Since he doesn't show any aggressiveness, he doesn't need tranquilizers, just rest for a few days."
Red Robin sensed what he meant, so he tentatively asked, "Is it due to mental stress caused by fatigue?"
"It might be." Doctor Brand only gave a vague answer. The three Robins glanced at each other, Nightwing let out a deep sigh, and said "Remember the sunny day earlier?"
Red Robin stood by the bed with his arms crossed, staring at Bruce's face, "It's hard to imagine how much effort a Batman has to make to brighten Gotham."
"I told you we shouldn't have come here!" Red Hood complained loudly, "Now what? We made his complicated situation even more chaotic!"
The three of them fell silent, in their impression, the Batman they knew could be described as the world's most horrific workaholic, yet he still couldn't bring sunny days to Gotham.
And now the Gotham in this universe is actually seeing the sun, how tired must the Batman be in this universe to achieve this?
Perhaps he was already spent, and their arrival made him even more frantic, the severe mental stress reflected on his physical condition, leading to the current situation.
Guilt spread in the silence. The Robins hated nothing more than being a burden to Batman, the stronger Batman was, the more they loathed being his weakness.
Just then, Bruce suddenly woke up, he swallowed hard several times, stammering to say "Come...help me...help me..."
"What is it?" The three instantly crowded around him, even the usually impatient Red Hood had his ears perked up.
"I have something... for you to help..."
Bruce mumbled the same things a few times. Nightwing and Red Hood didn't quite get it, but Red Robin seemed to have an epiphany as he stared at the other two "Do you remember what he told Damian he was going to do next?"
"Oh, meeting a hellish client, attending a hellish wedding, delivering cats and dogs, picking up something from Diana, and so on? He wants us to help him to do that stuff?"
Bruce nodded forcefully and then passed out again. In an instant, the three of them exchanged a look, and each saw determination in the other's eyes.
Red Hood patted his chest "Leave it to me. What's the difference between helping one Batman and another?"
In a shared look between Red Hood and Nightwing, they both saw a moment of joy in the other's eyes.
Isn't it the deepest affirmation and most special praise to be chosen by a Batman who brought light to Gotham when he needed help?
"Let's go back to Wayne Manor and have a strategy meeting!"
Nightwing took the lead, guiding the other two out of the room. As soon as they exited, Bruce on the hospital bed slowly opened his eyes, got up with no issues, and walked steadily to the window.
Through the window, Bruce watched the three young men confidently walk out of the New Arkham Mental Hospital, a small smile played on his lips.
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