Chapter 6 The Awakening

Chapter 6: The Awakening

I bleary sat up in my bed, rubbing my eyes, trying to wake up, and when I could finally see again, I looked around the room in confusion. Okay, I know it's normal for me to wake up somewhere else after falling asleep in the stroller, but mom, I don't think I am in Kansas any more.

Okay, before panicking... I needed to find the bathroom. I crawled out of the way to big bed, and it was then that I noticed I was naked, and it's not often that I sleep naked in my new life with my parents always getting me cute or heroic sleepwear to sleep in. I looked around for some clothing and found a set of clothes on the dresser beside my bed. I put on the underwear before looking for the bathroom. The side door on the left side of my bed, when opened, leads to a bathroom. I rushed to the toilet when I noticed there was no stepping stool to help me get up on the toilet. After a bit of grumbling to myself and sheer spite against adult sized furniture, I got the work done, and I flushed the toilet and washed my hands before going back to the bedroom.

I looked around for any clues to where I was. First, I tried looking out the window, but it was too high, up and I needed a chair that I pulled from the desk beside my bed to the window. As I looked out, I could see a big garden, and I was on the second floor. I jumped down from the chair and put it back where I found it. OK, what do I remember? I went to kindergarten, then... what? I played with some of the other kids, and… and… my tummy started to hurt, and then I woke up here. I can't remember... Maybe I will remember later. It was not the first time I forgot something. I have the memory of a goldfish at times.

I both wanted to leave my room and explore, but I was also afraid of getting scolded for leaving my room if I did. I put on the rest of my clothing and then cracked the door open to see a long corridor leading somewhere. I cracked the door open slowly and started to walk down the corridor, humming the mission impossible song in my head. Being all sneaky is fun as long as I don't get detected, I thought to myself with a snicker. As I walked down another corridor, someone spoke up behind me, and it made me jump in fright. Who the hell does that? Who do you think you are? batman? 

As I turned around, I could see another boy who looked older than me—maybe 12–14 years old? I am bad at guessing ages.

"Hello, what are you doing?" He said it in a cheeky tone 

"You scared me, you dummy." I answered back in Japanese.

"Huh? I don't understand," he said, looking very confused.

"Of course you don't understand," I replied in Japanese again, now just being cheeky.

"What? Speak English," he said in frustration.

It was then that a man dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans walked up behind the boy.

"What is going on here?" the man said.

The kid I was talking to jumped a bit, and spun around to see the man, and said, "Bruce, the kid doesn't even speak English." He said this in frustration.

The man, now known as Bruce, looked between us before focusing on me. 

"Hey there," Bruce said, kneeling down to my eye level. "Can you understand me?" he said, switching to Japanese.

I nodded my head slowly, still a bit weary of the man.

"Let me introduce myself," he said in a reassuring tone. "My name is Bruce Wayne, and this is Dick Grayson," he said, pointing at the other kid. "And you are at the Wayne manor in Gotham City."

"And who are you?" He said it with a smile on his face.

When he introduced himself and Dick, I got a massive chock, and it most definitely showed on my face as Bruce Wayne, also known as Batman, the world's greatest detective, could see that I recognized who they were, and I know I was screwed. There is no way to bluff myself out of this situation at all. I was resigned to my fate. There is no way I could keep it all a secret for long. The question was not if, but when he would learn it all.

After getting myself together and picking up my metaphorical jaw from the floor, I introduced myself.

"My name is Leo," I said, as it was my favorite name to use whenever I played a video game and needed a name for my character, and the name just resonated with me. I could see that he recognized that I was not entirely truthful about my name. But let it go for now. His concern for my well-being seemed genuine, and he didn't press the issue.

"It's nice to meet you, Leo," Bruce said with a warm and reassuring smile.

On the side, Dick was getting a bit frustrated, feeling left out of the conversation that was going on in Japanese. He interrupted us by addressing Bruce.

"What's going on, Bruce?" Dick said.

Bruce glanced at Dick and then back at me. He decided to switch back to English and told Dick that my name was Leo.

Bruce then turned back to me and said, "Do you understand English?"

I was unsure if I should lie or not. It would make it easier if we all could speak English, but I was supposed to be a five year-old who could only speak Japanese, but this was Bruce Wayne, also known as Batman, and I needed all the help I could get. Bruce Wayne has both the resources and the knowledge needed to help me understand what happened to me and maybe how I got here, and he would figure out all the inconsistencies my parents overlooked over the years if I continued to live here until I could get home.

I turned down my eyes and shuffled my feet, knowing I must look like a child found with his hand down the cookie jar. I nodded my head slowly. Being a kid again and getting scolded by my parents over the past few years must have eroded some of my more adult behaviors, as I would never have acted like this in my previous life.

"It's okay, Leo," he said kindly. Putting a hand on my shoulder, "We're here to help you," he said, and I could feel the weight of waking up in an unfamiliar place, the confusion, and the fear of knowing I was in the DC universe, where there were threats big enough to wipe out a universe. I slammed into him and started to cry silent tears with hiccups and everything. My child body is more prone to my emotions than my old adult body, and so I cried while feeling Bruce rub my back, talking soothingly to me until I felt better.

As I wiped my face with the back of my shirt, I could see Bruce look over me in concern, and Dick in the back looked awkward having seen me crying my eyes out.

In a gentle tone, Bruce asked if I was okay, and I nodded my head, getting myself under control. He asked if I was hungry, and I nodded my head again, not feeling up to talking. At the moment, he held out his hand, and I took it as he led me down the stairs toward the kitchen. On the way there, I was looking all over, taking in the Wayne manor, and seeing Dick walking behind us. I could see him looking concerned at me, but maybe there was a hint of irritation knowing I was messing with him, pretending I did not understand English.

As we entered the kitchen, I could smell the aroma of freshly cooked food and an old man standing in the kitchen. As we got closer, he turned around and noticed us.

"Leo," Bruce said, "I'd like you to meet someone very important in our household." This is Alfred Pennyworth. He's been a trusted friend and caretaker for our family for many years. And if you have any problems or need anyone to talk to, Alfred is always around to help."

Alfred gave me a warm smile and nodded in acknowledgement, his demeanor gracious and welcoming.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Leo," Alfred said in a warm and friendly tone. "I would shake your hand, but I have my hands full at the moment," he said as he flipped over the sizzling bacon in the pan. I bet everyone heard my stomach rumbling, and I could feel the embracement.

After the delicious-looking meal was prepared, Alfred brought the food to the table, only to realize that there was no suitable chair for me. Without missing a beat, he excused himself and promptly returned with a Tripp Trapp high chair; it looked exactly like the chair I used in my old life.

Alfred's efficiency in finding the right chair and adjusting it to my height was impressive. The Tripp Trapp high chair was a piece of Scandinavian design, made from oak and featuring adjustable heights to accommodate children as they grow. It was a surprising sight in this new world and made me wonder if they had an equivalent of Ikea here.

With Alfred's help, I was comfortably seated at the table, my feet resting on the footrest of the high chair. The table setting, though basic, was functional and served its purpose.

As we enjoyed our meal, Bruce and Alfred engaged in friendly conversation, making me feel like part of the family. Dick, on the other hand, was more enthusiastic and talkative, almost slipping into a conversation about Batman and Robin before catching himself with a glance from Bruce. He looked so sheepish that he almost did a blunder and awkwardly changed the conversation to something else.

As we got done eating, Alfred stood up and started to put away the dishes, and I started to wonder, What now? Is Bruce going to ask me where I came from? I wonder if Bruce noticed something as he spoke up.

"How are you feeling now, Leo?" he said reassuringly.

"Much better, I said" in English

That's when Dick spoke up. "So you could speak English!" he said in an affronted tone. It's not my fault he scared me and gave me the perfect excuse to mess with him.

I couldn't help but give a sheepish smile and a shrug and say, "You scared me, so I messed with you."

Bruce gave me a small chuckle and a warm smile, while Dick gave me a smile. It looks like he took my joke well, but I expected him to do something in the future, or am I just being paranoid? 

It was then that Alfred came back and assured us out of the kitchen so he could clean up the rest of the table. So we moved over to the living room. There was a flatscreen TV, but I thought this was around 1990 to early 2000, but I guess when people like Lex Luthor and Wayne Enterprise existed, the technology was more advanced than in my old world at this time.

As we sat down on the sofa, Bruce and Dick were one, while I was on the other side when Dick spoke up and asked.

"So how did you get here, Leo?" as he did not see the rift that dropped me into this world.

I froze at the out-of-nowhere command. It had taken me off guard, and it was clear that Bruce was not pleased with the approach and the suddenness of the question. Bruce glared at Dick and would most likely have a long and thorough conversation about it later. It was clear that Dick did not have the tact and now put me in an uncomfortable position. I did not know what to say. I only woke up in bed alone, and confused.

Bruce noticed my discomfort and put a hand on my shoulder. It conveyed a sense of support and understanding, reminding you that you were not alone in this unfamiliar world.

I thought back to what happened yesterday, and I finally remembered a tugging sensation, a tearing sound, my father trying to save me, the bloody room—it all came back to me with a jolt. It gave me a mix of emotions, both leaving me happy, as I remembered, but also the fear and the pain I remembered before fainting. They could probably see the emotional rollercoaster I was going through when I finally calmed myself down, feeling the hand on my shoulder and knowing there was someone here who could help me. 

"I… I… remember the blood," I said in a shaky tone, watching my hands as I slowly opened and closed them.

I felt Bruce's hand give me a reassuring squeeze. I did not know if this was in anger or reassurance, but I trudged on.

"I was at my kindergarten when I suddenly felt a pain in my stomach, and I walked over to my caretaker, and then the pain got worse, and it all went black... When I woke up again, I was standing in a room full of blood and gore, and outside the room, there were police, my parents, and... "I think my quirk activated. I heard a tearing sound and a pulling sensation from my navel. I screamed for my dad, but he was too late, and now I am here." I was afraid to look up and see the reactions of Bruce and Dick. When I felt Bruce sit down beside me and give me a hug, I hugged him back out of reflex before I even noticed what happened.

It probably painted a very traumatic and painful event, and the hug was comforting, and I relished the sensation of safety and comfort. After letting me go, he said to me,

"It's ok, I will help you, and you can stay here as long as you need."

"I will also help." Dick piped up from behind Bruce.

I was afraid of using my powers. The pain and fear I felt toward my power gave me a shiver. I needed a safe way to use my powers. That's when I felt a sensation in my stomach—a churning feeling—but then it went away. I felt that something had increased. When I focused on the sensation, a mental image appeared in my mind. I could feel that I could spend this something on something, but I had no idea what. Then I got a sensation of something getting pushed forward. I pushed this energy toward this something and felt two clicks in my mind, like something had become unlocked. Then nothing happened. I waited for a bit when I felt someone shaking me lightly. I opened my eyes to see a transparent window floating in the air in front of me. I moved my hand through it, and it passed right through when I heard Bruce.

"Leo, are you okay? You zoned out there; what happened?" Bruce said this in concern.

"I... think my quirk responded to me," I said in a dazed response.

"What is a quirk?" Said Dick

"It's what we call superpowers in my world. 80% of all people in the entire world have powers ranging from All Might to the quirky, like being able to make your hair and nails glow." I said it like I have heard it a lot of times, and I do. It's not like they won't shut up about all Might or how around 20% of the people have no powers on TV.

"So what happened?" Bruce asked

"I thought about my powers, and then I felt a sensation in my belly, like something increased, then something else pushed itself forward, like telling me to use that sensation on this new something, so I did, and now I could see some type of user interface that looks like, Eh, do you have a pen and paper?"

  Bruce reached under the living room table and pulled out some papers and pens from a drawer I had not noticed and put them on a table, so I looked up at the window, then down at the paper, and started to copy over what I could see and what it said.

Welcome User to the Shop Interface. Here, you'll find a boundless array of possibilities waiting at your fingertips. From skills to powers, utilities to quality-of-life enhancements, the shop is your cosmic marketplace for unlocking your full potential and crafting your destiny.

[Press here to continue]

After writing it down, I drew a very crude rectangle around the text and a smaller rectangle around the text at the bottom. Then I handed it over to Bruce, and I could see his eye's move over the paper up and down several times. His eyebrows were furrowing and several emotions were flowing over his face, and you could see why he is called the world's greatest detective with a mind as sharp as his. It would be an amazing boon to help me understand my powers.

"Leo," Bruce finally said as he looked up from the paper in his hand. "This… Interface you can see is remarkable if it can do what I think it can do. But before we proceed, I want you to understand the purpose and the potential risk so you don't hurt yourself. "So let's go through this together." he said, putting a hand on my shoulder in support.

He told me to press the Continue button, and the next screen appeared, and I repeated the process again by writing down what it said.

World Walker Shop

Point accumulation

- You only gain one point of energy once a day, around high noon.

Shop Categories

Basic Powers: These are fundamental powers that are relatively affordable and provide essential skills or enhancements.

Advanced Powers: [Locked] Unlocks with appropriate skill from the previous section.

Ultimate Abilities: [Locked] Unlocks with appropriate skill from the previous section.

Utility Powers: These are non-combat powers that provide practical benefits out of combat and quality of life powers.

Essential Powers: (1) These are the essential powers that the user interface highly recommends the user(s) get first before using said powers.

After writing down the new information and handing over the paper again to Bruce, this time without drawing around it, I was lazy. Again, he read the text over this time, taking longer than the first time, and I got bored and started to look around. Then I noticed Dick was bored and had laid down on the sofa with a pillow behind his back, looking over at Bruce. He then noticed me watching him. giving me a jaunty wave before zoning out and looking at the ceiling.

Bruce finally got done reading over my messy writing, and with a nod, he looked up from the paper and said to me

"Leo, can you try pressing the Essential Powers button?"

With a nod, I pressed the button, and there was only one power in there, so I scribbled it down on the paper with all my other messy handwriting. 

Basic Dimensional Protection

Cost: 365

Description: Basic Dimensional Protection is a fundamental safeguard that shields user(s) during their interdimensional travels. It provides a foundational level of protection against various hazards and ensures a safer journey.

After handing over the paper to Bruce, he read over it quickly. Having probably gotten the gist of how some of my powers work, it took him far less time to give a response.

"Leo, your interface and powers are remarkable, but having the ability to travel through dimensions is a very powerful ability and should not be used casually at such a young age as yours." He said it in a reassuring tone, and that made me feel better.

"Your interface says you gain one point of energy every day, and the power costs 365 points worth of power; therefore, it will take you one year to get enough power to be able to travel home."

I looked down at my hands. What would mom and dad think if I was gone for a full year? I know I am fine and being taken care of, but my parents don't know that, and I don't want them to needlessly worry about me. But there is nothing I can do; it's not like I have an interdimensional phone. But maybe I can buy something like that from my shop… But then it would take even longer for me to get home, and then...

I felt a hand on my shoulder. I didn't even notice I started to spiral into a downward spiral. or the tears falling on my hands. "I missed my mom and dad…" Dang my child's body and its emotional outbursts. I did not have this many problems controlling my emotions when I was a kid in my last life.

"It's ok," Bruce said.

"We will be here to help you until you can get home, and in the meantime, you are welcome to stay at the Wayne Manor with us."

That's when Alfred comes from the kitchen with some coffee, juice, and some cookies. I think he had been listening and had prepared something to cheer me up. Dang, it today has been an emotional rollercoaster, and it's not even lunch time yet. And I am going to have to stay here for a year.

"Yay, cookies," I heard Dick say from the other side of the couch.

It made me chuckle a bit. Maybe it won't be so bad after all. I mean, Alfred's cooking is divine.

"Thank you, Alfred," I said while taking a cookie and starting to nibble at it. As I watched Bruce take a sip of his coffee and thought of how often Batman stayed up late, did Bruce have a coffee addiction to stay awake? Or is he just that good at not sleeping?

After we got done eating our cookies and juice, Alfred walked over to me and said he would be going shopping for clothing and some other necessities for my stay here, and he asked if there was anything I wanted. I thought about it for a while but could not think of anything except that I needed a bathroom stool. and told him, so that's when Bruce and Dick brought up some ideas, like decorating my room. If I were going to stay here for a while, why not make my room more mine than a guest bedroom? It made me happy how thoughtful they were, and we came up with some decorations.

After Alfred left to go and buy me some basic stuff, Dick asked me if I wanted to see the rest of the house, and I really did. This place is huge and has so many rooms and corridors that I would get lost a few times before I ran around the mansion a few times.

As we walked away, Bruce said he had some work to do and disappeared to his office or batcave or something, and I thought to myself that one day I would have to find the entrance to the batcave without anyone showing me where it is. I know in some series it's been behind an old grandfather clock in a study, or was it the clock in the hallway? I think the 1980's show had it behind a bookcase with really stereotypical spots, but I had a year to find it before I could go home, and I wanted to surprise Bruce by finding it.

The rest of the day went fast as me and Dick played in the house, and Alfred came home a few hours later with all the stuff for me. Together, all three of us brought the stuff to my room. He got me a night light that would shine stars on the ceiling, clothing in all different styles, and even a few superhero shirts. There were Batman, Superman, the Green Lantern, and the Flash. Then he got me a big duvet with a Batman logo. That's when Dick asked why he got so much Batman themed stuff, and Alfred actually got a happy smile, saying he heard me talking about heroes from my world and told me he got me the best superhero logo with a chuckle. I think Alfred wanted to surprise Bruce, and I thought, with a smile, to play it up also.

So I asked who Batman was, and Dick's eyes lit up, and he went on and on talking about Batman, and how great of a detective he was, and some of the things he and Robin had done. He almost gave himself away several times in his excitement, but with a bit of help from Alfred, he got through the story with only a few almost slip-ups.

It was really interesting to hear the stories about Batman and Robin directly from the source, with a bit of input from Alfred. It was really well told, and I got a bit excited about heroes. I wondered if Batman was friends with Superman and if I could meet him. And that's how my first day went. We continued decorating my room a bit more, got my clothing setup, and it was soon nighttime, and I fell asleep very early. I had not had a nap all day, and I do love my naps, but being stuck in a child's body has its upsides and downsides, and having the bed be like 3x your size is great.

I wonder what tomorrow will bring. I thought to myself as I fell asleep.