Ch.19 - Phantom Pasts

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"So, Y/N, you come from around Jump City? Or were you a Gotham dweller?" Robin asked Y/N, as they made their way to the training gym.

Y/N had feared he would ask this. 

"Where don't I come from? A truly ambitious soul doesn't simply rest at one home. There's always an urge to keep pressing for more, and to witness the world that's waiting for us to discover," he replied.

Robin looked back at him in curiosity, "I understand that. I suppose it's easier to save the world when you're able to perceive the beauty of what you're saving," he paused, "But what about you're family? Where do they originate from?"

Shoot.

"We're from Gotham. I'm not really from extraordinary blood or anything. Believe it or not, my family doesn't have powers like I do."  Y/N lied.

"Really? What made you unique? Were you born with your powers?"

"Not exactly. I'm also a lot older than I look. It happened back in the 60's. When I was 16, I went on a school field trip to a nuclear power plant, and needless to say, I was caught in the cross-fire of a little... accident," he paused, "Yeah, schools didn't really care about the safety of children back then, not that they do now."

Y/N dreaded Robin's response. The Boy Wonder may have had a lot to learn as a leader, but he was a damn good detective.

"Interesting. I guess I can't deny it when the proof is in your power. I'm... sorry to hear that."

Oh, thank heavens.

"So, where are they now? Your family?"

Damn it.

"I... don't know. I guess having a borderline radioactive son who aged slower than a clam wasn't really in the cards for good old Mom and Dad. After the accident, they pulled me out of school and attempted to have me home-schooled. But when news got around town that I was 'radio-active', people learned to stay away from me pretty quickly."

Y/N faked a little 'sad sigh'.

"Eventually, they figured they couldn't handle the pressure of raising me, so they sent me off to a foster care center, where it was also very difficult to find a soul who wouldn't look at me like I was a freak. Mom and Dad agreed to come down and check on me every once in a while, but after 5 months, it was clear they weren't coming back."

Y/N genuinely began to feel something. This life story wasn't too dissimilar to his own. An abandoned soul left to rot in the meaninglessness of life.

"Oh no, I'm getting existential again."

"In the end, I'd had enough, and used my powers to escape that horrible place where I knew I wasn't wanted."

"Wow," Robin began, "So you've been on your own all this time?"

"I suppose. You adapt after 30 years, though. You eventually learn to make friends with the air you breathe once you get desperate enough," Y/N let out a fake laugh.

"I can't imagine what that must be like. I'm glad we took you in when you did."

"I gotta say, you do have a pretty nice place."

The two boys let out a quiet laugh.

"I can't believe that worked."

A few moments later...

Y/N followed Robin into the Large-Scale training, which was used to test the super-human abilities of those such as Cyborg and Starfire. The room was scattered with Hydraulic-Press Machines, Practice Battle Droids imported from Wayne Manor. It also contained boxing bags and high-tech treadmills to accompany the likes of Robin and Beast Boy.

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