Dimension 2: Of Futures Not So Bright

May sighed with relief sitting her new office in this 
dimension.  It was two days into week two, and she was 
just happy to get away from Yusuke for awhile.  The boy 
was driving her up the wall.  This was partly her fault
for not telling him the whole story in the beginning.  
That and not bringing him along for this trip.  But 
honestly, she did not have time to constantly bail him out 
of Gotham City jail, which is what would have happened 
had she brought him with her this week.

Also, she was glad to have a break from the dreams.  
After bringing Yusuke back with her, she went to sleep.  
It was a rather brave thing to do with a pissed off Yusuke 
in the room, but she was tired.  Apparently, so was Yusuke, 
because he was asleep when she first woke up.  As she
woke, the dream still stayed in her mind's eye.

She could see them all, all of the sons.  Each had their 
arm around a woman.  Surprisingly, May could name them all.  
Arlington had an arm around Lady Keiko.  Tremaine had an arm 
around a concerned Lady Maxine, who happened to be a countess.  
Endymion had an arm around a concerned and resigned looking Lady 
Daniella, a duchess.  There were also three other people in the 
room; May could only see one of them, who looked a lot like the 
Botan from Yusuke's dimension, the same strange light blue hair,
the same attitude.  At least she wasn't floating on an oar like 
she tended to do in Yusuke's dimension.  The dream was already 
weird enough without that...due mainly to the pieces of conversation 
that May could hear.  

First an older female voice, sounding stressed and worried, was 
talking.  All May could catch were snatches. "...wants stronger 
alliance...one of my sons"

"...go..." responded a male voice.  It had sounded resigned.  Many 
of the voices in the room sounded resigned.

Well, they all sounded resigned except for the voice that shouted 
something in response.  Although the voice was loud and angry, 
all that made sense to May was "...enough for...witch!"

"Endy...for...people."  This last voice intrigued May the most.  
It was female, sad...yet strong.  The voice also was attempting to
be comforting.  Obviously, the female was trying to get people, 
"Endy" in particular, to accept a difficult decision.

May had awaken frustrated.  What was that supposed to tell her?  
And why did she feel like she was there?

Of course, then Yusuke woke up and confronted her about messing 
with his head.  In the shouting match that followed, it came out 
that he had had the same dream.  That led May to tell the 
shortened version of her mission and to explain who Yusuke was.  
He didn't take it well.  He also didn't take well that May was 
going to confront Terry by herself.  She wasn't really sure why 
Yusuke was upset about being left behind...unless he felt he was 
being cut out of the action. He didn't respond well to the
story about the brothers, so May was pretty sure that he wasn't angry
about not being able to meet Terry right away.  In the end she told 
Yusuke just to watch the show from the video screen.  From there 
he could watch her attempt to talk Terry into coming with them.

Now, with Terry she had a completely different approach than the pull
and tempt tactic she had used with Yusuke.  Terry would have a 
hard time buying the idea of time walkers or a reincarnated 
prince.  He was also more observant than Yusuke, so she could 
enter his world and get him to notice her.  And she was going 
to enter his world.  Both of them.  Starting with his life as 
Terry McGinnis.

***

Terry grumbled as he walked to the counselor's office.  The 
school had just hired a new counselor, who supposedly wanted 
to meet with every student "just to talk".  After the whole 
Spellbinder incident, Terry wasn't one to trust counselors.  
And this one, who wanted to meet with each student in the school, 
just made him suspicious.  But since he was ordered by the 
principal and didn't want to rock the boat too much, he was 
standing out in front of the counselor's office.

Terry knocked on the door.

"Come in," a female voice said on the other end.

"You wanted to see me," Terry said as he lounged in the doorway.

"You must be Terry McGinnis.  Yes, I did want to see you.  
Come in; have a seat."

Terry sat down and crossed his arms, staring hard at the female 
counselor. "Can we-"

"Get this over with?" the counselor asked.  "Well, not if you 
insist on being this closed up the entire time we talk."

Terry's eyes just narrowed further.

"I realize you don't trust me, Mr. McGinnis.  After what that 
last counselor put you and the other students through, I honestly 
don't blame you-"

"They told you about that?"

"Of course the school officials told me about that when they 
hired me.  It would only be fair that I knew what I was up against, 
right?"  The counselor paused slightly and then continued, "Look, 
Mr. McGinnis, all I'm asking for is a chance."

"Shouldn't you have to earn that?"

"No one earns all the trust they are given.  Some trust is given 
freely so that people have the opportunity to prove themselves 
worthy of it.  So, will you talk to me?"

Terry crossed his arms further and stared at the counselor.

She sighed, "This isn't working, is it?"  The counselor got up 
and walked around the desk.  She paused as if trying to recall training.  
After a moment she took a deep breath and said,  "Let's try this another 
way.  Good afternoon, Mr. McGinnis.  My name is Dr. Lavon Grayson and 
I need your help."

Terry continued to stare at her.  Dr. Grayson sighed, "Mr. McGinnis.  
Terry.  In about 20 minutes another boy named Tyler is going to come 
through that door to talk to me.  Tyler just lost his father.  I know 
you lost your dad in the past year, and I want your advice.  What 
should I say to him?"

Terry's eyes went wide...then his gaze grew shuttered.  If it were 
possible, he seemed to put more emotional distance between himself 
and the counselor.  In a sarcastic and suspicious tone, he asked, 
"Isn't there some psycho-babble you were taught to prattle off in 
these instances?"

"Of course there is.  I'm just among those who think that psychobabble
isn't necessarily helpful.  You've got to get through before you help.  
I mean, what was the one thing you wished people had said to you?"

Terry looked at the counselor with a haunted look in his eyes.  
At first, it didn't appear as if he would answer.  He silently stood 
up and walked to the door, stopping to turn around and say quietly, 
"I wished someone had told me that he understood.  That he understood 
and loved me anyway."  With that, Terry left.

*****

It was a typical night for the dark knight. Stop a few break-ins.  
Have a run-in with a gang of Jokers.  Same old, same old.  Yet, 
something had felt wrong all night.  He just couldn't put his finger 
on it.

"Wayne, you there?"

"Go ahead."

"It was just some prank of the Jokers.  Nothing I couldn't handle."

"Hmm."

"Hey, look, it's quiet out.  Think I could stop patrols early?  
I could use an early night.  I haven't seen Dana in awhile."

"McGinnis-"

"Let me guess, no such luck, huh?  I suppose you'll tell me 
something like it's always quiet before the storm."

"Usually is."

"Great.  Do I ever get a vaca-" Terry stopped suddenly.  That feeling 
was getting on his nerves.

"What is it, McGinnis?"

"Is there any other activity in this area?"

"No, why?"

"I don't know.  I've just felt like I've been watched all night."

"And no one's around?"

"Not a soul."

"Come back to base.  Maybe the suit has picked up something.  And be
careful."

"On my way."

Leaving the alley, Batman didn't hear the light sounds of high heels 
and a staff hitting the ground.  Nor did he see the figure in the 
shadows...who had been watching him all night.

******

"So, what do you think of the new counselor?" the black female 
asked her best friend.

"Max, she's only been here two days!" Terry replied.

"And the whole school is raving about her.  I hear she's very shway.  
And very young."

"Max, everyone is talking about her because she's talked to practically
everyone in the last two days."

"I take it you don't trust her."

Terry threw Max a look, "Let's just say I remember what happened to our
last school counselor."

"Terry!  All school counselors are not undiscovered Spellbinders!"

"No, just the ones who insist on meeting with everyone."

"Well, I'm going to go meet her."

"Max-"

"Besides, I think she's meeting with Chelsea right now.  Chelsea 
said something about it to me and Dana.  And Ter, we both know what 
a piece of work Chelsea can be.  Let's see how Dr. Grayson handles 
her."

"Now, Max-"

"Oh, lighten up, Ter."

*****

May had a headache. Two days posing as a school counselor and she 
had only had that one unproductive conversation with Terry.  So here 
she was, no closer to son number two than she than she was when she 
started and out of her league in her current position.

As School counselor she dealt with all kinds of problem teens, e.g.
suicidal teens, bullies, delinquents.  She wasn't trained for this 
and it was driving her crazy!

Case in point, the student in front of her, Chelsea.  The girl came 
out of a pretty well off family and was clearly spoiled.  Yet she 
had this awful habit of attention grabbing, pulling all kinds of 
stunts and running over a lot of people in the process.

May sighed, "So why this constant need for attention, Chelsea?"

The blonde gave her a dirty look, "Look, I have a rep to maintain 
here in high school.  You DO remember high school, right?"

"Actually, I do.  I remember its stratification tendencies, the 
'untouchables', the 'invisibles', the 'invincible'.  Those who rule,
those who were run over and those who stayed out of the way.  High
school can be brutal."

"So you know how important it is not to fall from among the powerful."

"At this stage in life, maybe.  But what about later?  Let me let 
you in on a little secret.  After high school, your place in the 
high school hierarchy means nothing.  Hey, people can even overcome 
their reps while still in high school.  Being important in high school 
is really not that important in the long run."

Chelsea sighed, "You're too old to get it."

"Well, then explain it to me.  In detail, if possible, because I 
never understood it in high school either.  Explain popularity."

"Explain popularity?"

"Yes, explain it.  Why is it so important to be thought of a certain
way or have the next shway thing?  What's the appeal of having following
and constantly having to maintain an image-"

A knock sounded at the door.

"Yes?"

The door opened and a young black female with bright pink hair 
stuck her head in.  Just beyond her, May could see Terry standing 
in the hallway. "Dr. Grayson, I - oh, I'm sorry.  I didn't realize 
you were with someone.  I just came to make an appointment to meet 
with you."

May took a deep breath, "Do you mind, Chelsea?  This will only take a 
minute."

The teen shook her head.

May walked back around her desk.  She looked at the new arrival again,
and noticed that she looked almost exactly like Tremaine's lady in her
dreams...well, expect all of her hair was all pink and in a short haircut 
instead of being brown, in a long braid style with a pink streak woven
through.  Regardless, this teen looked so much like Maxine, May had to
blink and try to re-focus.  

May looked back at her appointment book quickly, vaguely glancing 
at the names of the students that she had yet to meet.  Yet, even 
though she tried to re-orient herself, she heard herself asking, 
"Maxine?" before she could catch herself.

Luckily, the teen laughed, "Well, Maxine is my given name.  But everyone
calls me Max."

"Okay Max.  When do you want to talk to me?"

"Well, I have a study hall sixth period."

May checked her date book.  "That's fine.  I'll see you then, Max."

*****

"Do you think I could get the night off to catch up some sleep?"  
Terry asked as he stood in the bat cave next to Bruce Wayne.

"It's always something with you, McGinnis."

"Sorry, it's just that I practically passed out during history and 
had...like a vision of sorts."

"Tamara trying to contact you again?"

Terry thought back for a moment to the young girl with mind powers
who contacted him through visions to save her.  He thought he was
blitzing out then too.  Amazingly, however, although his current
dreams were more 'normal' in form, they made him much more 
uncomfortable.  He wasn't sure why.  After a pause, he answered Mr. 
Wayne, "No, it was different.  It was set in...well from my best 
guess, the past.  I was someone important, running around in some 
armor, a cape, and a sword.  Max was there in some kind of court 
dress, and there were other people around.  We were talking, fighting 
about something-"  Terry sighed, "You probably just think I'm blitzing 
out on you."

"Not necessarily.  I've learned that dreams can be important."

"Yeah, but I bet your dreams were part of some plot of one of the freak
shows you fought."

"On occasion."

"So what do I do now?"

"Don't you have patrols?"

"You are so supportive, Wayne.  You know that, right?" Terry said 
sarcastically.

"Get going, McGinnis."

Suddenly, the computer started beeping.  Terry turned back to the
computer screen.  "What's up?"

"Distress signal from DiaCorp Central.  There is a lot of sensitive 
technology and government experiments housed there."

"On my way."

*****

May stood in the shadows on the roof in her second guise for this 
dimension.  She was a little nervous because she was not in time 
walking uniform, which meant she had to rely on her own strength 
and agility.  The last time she "died" it was kind of painful...and 
she had realized over the course of this assignment that she wasn't 
immune to pain.  She just wished she hadn't learned this by slipping 
and falling down a flight of steps.  'I'm sure Yusuke got a kick 
out of that,' she thought to herself.

Having that distress signal to show up on the bat cave computer took a 
bit of work.  The former Batman had some impressive hardware...and May 
was barely computer literate.  May sighed.  She knew she was playing a 
very dangerous game.  This whole thing could blow up in her face.  She 
looked down at what she was wearing.  This whole Catwoman inspired 
outfit may not have been her best decision either.  It seemed a whole 
lot easier in her mind when she had thought this up.  Hack into Bat 
computer.  Send fake distress signal.  Explain to Batman when he arrives.  
It was much smarter than actually getting into trouble and waiting for 
Batman to find and save her and more ethical than real starting trouble to 
get Batman's attention.  Now she was beginning to feel like the girl who 
cried 'Wolf!'.

She heard him land before she saw him.  As he made his way to the door
that would lead down into the building, she stepped out of the shadows.
"There is no distress here, Batman.  I sent for you."

The dark knight spun around...and stared at her, "A little devious and
dangerous, don't you think?"

"Since the Bat signal seems to be passé, what would you have suggested 
that I do?"

"Depends on why you wanted to see me."

"I need your help."

"And I have a job to do.  Creating fake problems to get my attention is
not a good idea."

"Look, at least hear me out."

"Who are you?"

"In this incarnation?  Just call me Shadow."

Batman's eyes narrowed, "Just what are you playing at?" 

At that point, a scream ripped through the night.  Batman through his
companion on the roof a dirty look, "That would be real trouble."  With
that, he blasted off the roof toward the distressed sound.

"Damn, I was afraid of this," May said.  She grabbed something that 
looked like a gun from the belt around her waist and fired it at a 
nearby building.  "After tonight, I'm gonna hate heights."  Then May 
jumped off the building after him.

She arrived at the scene about two minutes after Batman.  In a 
glance she took in the problem.  A woman lay on the ground, beaten 
and practically dying.  And Batman was vastly outnumbered by a bunch 
of hoods in...clown make-up?  "I think I miss the good old-fashioned 
crime that I saw back home," May murmured before she plunged into the 
fight.  Between the two of them, all of the gang was either knocked 
out on the ground or running away within three minutes.  After the 
threat was gone, Batman ran over to the victim with May trailing 
behind him.

"How is she?" May asked.

"How does she look?!  She's really messed up.  It wouldn't have 
been this bad if I was doing patrols instead of answering fake 
distress calls!"

That point pricked May's conscience.  Since she didn't know what 
to say, she thought to try and make Batman feel better.  "You can't 
blame yourself for this.  It's not your fault."

"No, it is your fault, Shadow.  Grandstand somewhere else."  Angry, 
Batman moved to fly off.

May decided to pull out the big guns, "Terry, wait."

At that, Batman turned.  "What did you call me?"

May's eyes narrowed.  "Oh, you heard me.  Look, I know all about you.  
I actually came looking for you specifically.  That distress call 
may have been faked, but I do need your help.  We can either talk here 
as the police begin to arrive-" As if to underline this point, sirens 
could be heard in the distance, "Or we can talk at a safe place of 
your choosing."

Batman threw her a dirty look.

"Batman.  Terry.  I mean no harm to you or to the ones you love.  I 
promise."

Batman paused, still looking as if he would take off.  He turned 
back to stare at Shadow.  'I don't trust her.  But she knows who I 
am, and if she was willing to create a fake distress signal, what 
else would she be willing to do to get my attention?  And who would 
she be willing to hurt?  It's safer if I talk to her like this...at 
least in the Batsuit I can fight back.' "Alright," he said to the woman 
in front of him, "come with me."

*****

May looked around the room where they were.  "Okay, this is a deserted
warehouse.  Plan to leave me for dead?"

"Let's just say I don't trust you."

"My asking for help was real enough."  May sighed.  "Look, all I'm trying
to do is to reunite a family.  If you promise to listen...for the sake
of the family, not for me, I'll abide by whatever decision you make in 
the end."

"Alright, I'm listening."

May took a deep breath.  "I honestly don't know where to start."

"The beginning is usually a good place."

"Yeah, usually.  The problem is, I'm not really sure where the beginning
of this story is."  May paused.  "Okay, let me try to explain it this 
way.  Have you had any strange dreams lately?"

At the mention of dreams, Terry became even more cautious, if that were
possible. "Who are you?," he demanded quietly,  "Are you messing with my 
hand as some sort of game?"

"No."  May sighed.  "I guess, to be fair, I should take off my mask and
explain who I am.  Although, I'm pretty sure that is going to make things
worse."  After looking at Batman for a few moments, May reached around 
and took off her mask.

"Dr. Grayson?!"

"Yes and no.  My name is May Lavon Hammond and I'm a grad student, not
a doctor.  I took on that role...and this one in order to get to you, 
Terry."

"Why?"

"Not to hurt you, if that's what you think.  Almost two weeks ago, I was
offered the opportunity to reunite a scattered family; three brothers that
had been separated on purpose.  It required me to travel to different
universes.  I agreed to help and quickly went to the first dimension to
find the youngest brother.

"Shortly after returning with him, I had a strange dream.  In the dream I
saw the whole family...or at least all three brothers and the loves of
their lives.  It startled me awake.  Within minutes of my waking up, the
brother that was with me woke up and immediately confronted me about a
dream he just had.  Amazingly, it was the same dream I had.  I honestly
think that all the brothers had that dream.

"So, I'll ask again.  Have you had any strange dreams lately?"

"Wait.  So you're saying that I'm one of these brothers?  I don't buy
it, lady.  I have a family already, thanks."

May groaned about halfway through Terry's response, "He called me 'lady'.
Great, it's genetic."  May rolled her eyes...but quickly refocused herself.
"Yes, in this life, this incarnation you have a family.  Your mother,
Mary.  Your brother, Matt. Your -" 

Here May paused for a moment, trying to remember what Terry knew about his 
fathers at this point.  Deciding to err on the side of discretion, she 
continued "Well, yes, you have a family in the here and now.  But a long 
time ago, part of you lived and you had another family: a mother, a father, 
an older brother, and a younger brother.  That's the family I'm trying to put
back together!"

There was silence for a moment.  Then Batman looked at May and said, "You
honestly expect me to believe this?"

"I take it you want proof?  Okay, but you may want to sit down; this will
probably shock you.  You have been warned."  May closed her eyes and 
concentrated. 'This worked in trials, hopefully it will work now.'

As May concentrated, a transformation took place.  The Catwoman-like
costume melted away, leaving in its place that revealing sailor outfit
and a pair of spike heels.  Her rather intimidating staff appeared in
her right hand.  After a few seconds, May opened her eyes...

...to see a rather shocked Batman in front of her.  He was standing when
she started the transformation; he was sitting now.  For a few moments he
couldn't even speak.  Finally, he managed a "Whoa."  

"Believe me now?"

Batman nodded.  Although technology was extremely advanced, they was nothing
he'd seen, even as Batman, that could do what this woman just did.  It wasn't 
the shapeshifting of Inque.  It was more like a costume change without May having
to do more than close her eyes.  And that staff had not been in the room a second 
ago.  After a few moments of silence, as Terry mentally adjusted to the story 
he had been ready to reject, he asked, "To meet these so called brothers of mine, 
I'd have to leave here, right?"

"Yes, but I have some temporary sway over time.  I know that sounds a little
crazy," May shrugged, " but it means that I can return you right
to this spot in time when everything is over.  No one will miss you,"
She paused.  "And no one will get hurt in your absence."  May held out
her hand, "If you want to come with me, just take my hand."

As Batman reached for May's hand, he asked, "Do I need to get clothes
for the trip?"

"Don't worry about clothing.  I'll take care of that.  Besides, as shway
as the bat suit is, I can't have you running around different dimensions 
in that."

As the two stepped out of time, May thought to herself, 'Two down, one
to go.  And two weeks in the most dangerous dimension in this trip.'

- to be continued -