Chapter 1463: Flying Birds and Return (VIII)

After the DC Comics main universe New 52, ​​many Robin's origin stories were rewritten. For example, the history of Nightwing forming the Teen Titans was deleted. He was Nightwing when he first appeared. The background story was that he was adopted and taught by Wayne since he was a child. There was no specific introduction to how he became an independent hero and how he came back.

The same is true for Red Hood. When he appeared in the main universe New 52, ​​he was already Red Hood. Barbara's history as Oracle was not deleted, but the setting of paralysis became that she had successfully stood up through surgery. The two former Batgirls, Orphan and Troublemaker, returned to their independent identities and no longer had such a close connection with Batman.

But no matter how the background story is changed, the Bat Family's poor academic background in the main universe remains the same. Nightwing went to Hudson University in the single issue. Although he was expelled after a few issues, his academic background in the "New 52" was similar to prenatal education. Not to mention the others, only Barbara was better.

The most successful member of the Bat Family is Luke Fox, the Batwing, the son of the CEO of the Wayne Group. He is also a product of elite education and graduated from MIT with a double degree in business and engineering.

Judging from the background of the Robins, this situation is understandable. If you are busy dying and living for the first ten years of your life, you really don’t have much time to study.

But this does not mean that this situation is acceptable, especially for Thomas Wayne, who received traditional elite education.

When Thomas received education, what he received could not be called elite education, but rather the aristocratic education of the old world. Simply put, as long as you don’t die from learning, you should study to death.

In addition to basic courses such as grammar and mathematics, etiquette classes are the top priority, talent is indispensable, art appreciation is a compulsory category, and sports such as horse riding and archery cannot be relaxed. It is best to be proficient in eight languages ​​at the age of four, complete a trip around the world at the age of six, be a big shot in the business world at the age of eight, be on par with Monet and Chopin at the age of ten, and stand at the top of the human pyramid before the age of fifteen.

Of course, this is an ideal state, and the final effect is weakened due to limited personal conditions. Thomas was not a good student when he was a child. He wanted to skip classes and go out to play every day, so he only learned 50% to 60% carelessly.

But even so, he is proficient in multiple languages, graduated from Princeton University Medical School, has three master's degrees and a surgeon's license, worked as a battlefield doctor, and came back to inherit a billion-dollar fortune. He has a wide network of contacts. If it weren't for the accidental loss of his son that caused him to be unable to recover, he would definitely live up to the title of a descendant of a famous family.

After coming to Bruce's universe, Thomas has made many compromises in his heart. The self in this universe died early, and Bruce was stimulated, so it is understandable that the education he received was not comprehensive.

But then again, although Bruce's education of these children has occasional flaws, it is generally no big problem. From Thomas's picky eyes, it is just a little lacking in the foundation that the Wayne family should have.

But it doesn't matter, Thomas thought, isn't he here? It's not too late to cultivate interests and hobbies now. The characteristics of several children have their own emphasis. Dick has a talent for dancing, Jason is strong, Tim is smart and careful, and Aisha is extremely athletic and aggressive. Isn't the future of the Wayne family to a higher level within reach?

It is precisely because of this that Thomas turned a blind eye to Bruce's current idleness. He can't rely on his son, but at least he can rely on his grandson. It's the same in rounding.

People who see hope will have endless motivation. Thomas was ambitiously planning to accumulate more resources for the Wayne family, but Dick from another universe in front of him gave him a blow.

So the situation in this universe is already good? !

When this thought flashed through Thomas' mind, he felt his heart twitch and his breathing rate became faster and faster.

"Master, tea." Alfred reminded in time.

Thomas covered his chest and drank two sips of tea. He collapsed on the spot and gasped for half a minute before he finally recovered a little.

Just as Nightwing was about to speak, Thomas pointed at him with a trembling finger, signaling him to shut up, and then Thomas opened his eyes, sat up straight, looked into Nightwing's eyes and asked.

"You mean, the Batman in your universe not only acts as Batman himself, but also adopts many children, trying to train them to be Batman, and therefore does not let them go to school, but learns fighting and rope skills, resulting in none of them having a proper job?"

"My proper job is to fight crime!"

"Then why don't you become a policeman?!"

"Is the identity of a policeman so important?"

"Then is the identity of Batman's assistant so important?"

Nightwing couldn't answer. If he really thought that the identity of Batman's assistant was important, then why did he become Nightwing? But if he thought that this identity was not important, why did he return to Batman?

This is a question that has been bothering him for a long time, and it is also a question that has been bothering members of the Bat family - who are they?

Are they Batman's assistants, or themselves? Should they become Batman, or should they become themselves?

But if the answer is the latter, what should they be like? They have accepted Batman's teachings, so are they really themselves?

And the ultimate question, will Batman like the person they become? If he doesn't like it, is there any point in being yourself?

Nightwing sighed in pain, he stretched out a hand to cover his mouth, and then slowly slid down his chin, letting those chaotic thoughts and contradictory ideas swirl in his mind.

"I am shocked by his negligence in your education." Thomas's tone was extremely low. Nightwing was about to open his mouth to refute, but he heard Thomas say: "This does not mean that he did not let you get a degree or learn talents, but that his education for you completely lacked the socialization part."

Thomas pursed his lips and said: "In addition to the people you know who are related to Batman, how many friends do you have?"

Nightwing was about to speak when Thomas interrupted him and said: "I mean friends who have nothing to do with your crime-fighting career, but have really accompanied you in your life, communicated with you, have common interests and hobbies, and provided you with emotional comfort."

"This is a false proposition." Nightwing pursed his lips and said: "The partners of the Bat Family have done all this. They have been with me. We have common interests and hobbies, and the feelings between us are extremely deep."

"What is the topic you talk about the most?"

Nightwing remained silent, because he understood that Thomas's ability to ask this question proved that he already knew the answer, and this answer was to the point. Obviously, the central topic of the Bat Family is Batman.

It is not strange to build a social group around another person, and star chasers often do this, but if there is no social interaction except for the social group around this person, or even no participation in this society at all, then there is a big problem.

Thomas shook his head and said, "I really can't imagine that he brought a bunch of children back home, let them not study, work, or go out to socialize, and revolve around him every day."

Suddenly, Thomas narrowed his eyes, stared at Dick's face and said, "Are you sure he has no other intentions in adopting you?"

Nightwing was stunned for a moment, and then anger rose in his heart, blood rushed to his cheeks, he raised his voice and shouted angrily: "How can you think of Batman like this?! The Dark Knight of Gotham is not so dirty!"

"I am just proposing a possibility that is common in the upper class." Thomas drank two more sips of tea and said, "Even if it is not the case, what he did is a crime."

"I don't advocate any free and happy education at all." Thomas curled his lips and said, "Children are naughty and lazy by nature, but if they are allowed to do this, parents will What do parents and society do?"

"I didn't like going to school when I was a child. I could escape the classes my father arranged for me, but if there were no parts that I couldn't escape, I would have to sigh in despair when facing the mess of Wayne Group in this universe."

"Then I would miss the most important part of the universe's cause of saving Gotham, and watch the opportunity to fulfill my dream slip away. I will regret it for the rest of my life."

Thomas looked into Nightwing's eyes and said, "I am a very authoritarian father. My requirements for my children will never end. It is best to let them challenge the limits of human education both psychologically and physically, just so that if something happens one day that makes them regret it, it will never be blamed on me."

"Aren't you worried that they will hate you for having such a childhood?" Nightwing asked.

"You understand." Thomas's somewhat old eyes contained the determination that belonged to Batman, which made Nightwing unable to look away.

"Responsibility and happiness, I will only choose responsibility, because I am Batman."

Nightwing was speechless.

"This is exactly what I can't understand about your universe Batman. In terms of your education, he chooses to make you happy instead of making you capable of taking responsibility. This is not a choice that Batman makes at all."

Nightwing was obviously lost in thought. After a while, he took a deep breath and said, "Maybe this is not without reason."

"What is that?"

"He may...feel guilty."

"Why?"

Nightwing shook his head and said, "We have each experienced some bad things. We all feel in our hearts that this is not entirely Batman's fault. The difference between us and others is that we will not blame a god for making mistakes, but understand that a person always has omissions."

"But Batman doesn't think so." Nightwing's eyes were covered with a layer of mist, which looked sad and sleepy: "He seems to always be responsible for all the tragedies in the world, let alone the tragedies in us?"

"He never asked us for anything, but just chose to turn around and tell us that everything will be solved." Nightwing shook his head slightly and said, "And we all know how much he paid to be able to say this firmly in front of us."

"Because he felt guilty, he chose to force himself instead of forcing you." Thomas' lips were completely pursed into his mouth, and his hand tightly grasped the handle of the teacup: "So, you really became a simple bird under the wings of the bat, never having to accept the invasion of real suffering, and never having to leave the nest and fly far away."

"Dick." When Thomas called Nightwing's name for the first time, his wrinkled eyes also became moist, just like the rain accumulating the gentleness and tranquility of the river of time in the old tree nest.

"One day you will understand how enviable wealth it is to be able to stand up proudly in the most vivid stage of life, without having to bow to reality and society, and without having to learn to be mature and stable."

Ye Yi's hands tightly grasped his wrists, his lips were pursed until they turned white, and he said in a trembling tone: "And this means that those who make us not have to do this will never have a chance to do this, or will suffer more...severely."

"But now you have left your own universe and finally completely escaped from the shadow under his wings, right?"

Ye Yi slightly opened his eyes, he looked at Thomas with a look of help and said: "Yes, of course, he won't know what we did here, and he won't feel guilty about it."

"So what are you going to do here?"

Ye Yi seemed to be choked, and he didn't breathe for a long time. After a long time, he turned his head and whispered: "We originally wanted to go back as soon as possible."

"Then continue to hide in his arms, Take advantage of his guilt and let him face the enemy alone?"

Nightwing's face flushed with anger, he raised his voice and said: "Of course not, we never thought of doing this!"

"But the fact is that you can't help."

Nightwing took a deep breath, he stared at Thomas and said: "As if you can."

"Of course I can, because I'm Batman."

Nightwing hammered the sofa hard, but soon calmed down, then looked at Thomas and asked tentatively: "We can learn something here, right?"

"Of course, I don't feel guilty about you, why don't I let you go out to school and find a job?"

Nightwing swallowed his saliva and asked uncertainly: "Then, what should we learn?"

Thomas reached out to look at his watch and said: "It's too late tonight, let's talk about arranging the schedule tomorrow, first come upstairs with me to check Dick's French homework."

"Uh, why should I go?"

Thomas smiled and said.

"Because tomorrow is your French homework."