Dick's origin is more or less the same. He grows up in the circus with loving parents, and they're Romani because I really like Romani Dick Grayson. Also, Dick is his name, not Richard. Dick is a genuine Dutch name and he really hates it when people try to call him Richard. English isn't even his first language. When he's 10, his circus goes to Gotham and he is really excited to perform with his parents.
The night before they're set to perform, Dick goes to feed the animals and hang out with them like he always does. Dick knows that no one else should be back there, but standing by Zitka is a blond woman who looks so sad.
"What are you doing here? This area is off limits."
"Sorry kid. I've never seen an elephant before. Someone told me once that they're matriarchal, and one of the last remaining species of mega-fauna. That they grieve their dead. She really is beautiful."
Somehow, she looked even sadder. Dick knows that he should escort her out, but he can understand the desire to hang out with elephants when you're upset. She's a stranger, but he's a kind, friendly child, so he goes up to her and asks, "What's wrong?"
She looks at him for a minute, then says, "Family is complicated. So is grief. Few things hurt more than doubting whether you were loved. Not even knowing that you weren't. And no one grieves like you think they will. Not even it's you grieving yourself. I've done some things I can't take back, and I don't know if I would anyway. Everything feels dark now and I miss the light."
"Why don't you go back to the light then?"
"Because whenever I try, it burns. Besides, someone has to protect the shadows."
She ruffles his hair. When did she get so close to him?
"You're a bright spark though. The world needs those. Don't let life's tragedies push you into the dark."
Dick thought she was one of the saddest people he'd ever talked to, but there was something compelling about her. Something regal, and tattered. Like an aged, sunfaded, but loved quilt. She seemed like a person with a thousand stories sewn up inside her.
"I will be extra sparkly tomorrow when I perform with my Daj and Tati! You should come see. I have a special trick, a QUADRUPLE summersault. I will do it special just for you."
She smiled for him. "You're a sweet kid, but I shouldn't have come here tonight. If I come back tomorrow, I'll only run into old memories. Do your trick anyway. I'm sure this fine lady will appreciate it." She said, gesturing at the elephant.
"Her name is Zitka!" Dick replied, turning to face his old friend. Somehow, by the time he'd finishing turning back around, the woman was gone.
The next day, he put on his costume, and dove into the crowd, crowing about his family's act, introducing himself to people, and encouraging circus goers to play the games and buy tickets for the show. The Waynes pay extra to do a backstage meet and greet with the performers, Dick takes a picture with them and his parents. Wayne's adult kid asks a lot of questions about the animals, inquiring about their living conditions and how they're trained. Dick takes him to meet them and assuage his worries about their care. He decides that anyone who cares about elephants must be a good person.
The lights go down. The spotlight focuses. The Flying Graysons start their act. Dick doesn't get to do a quadruple summersault.
When the worst happens, Bruce jumps down from the stands to shield Dick from the sight of the bodies and from the panicking crowd. After the corpses have been taken away, as the social worker is arriving, Duke goes to find the ringmaster and other performers and ask them to gather the Grayson's things. He offers to rent a storage locker for the kid to make sure everything is there once Dick has some stability. Haley's Circus can't logistically or legally take custody of an unaccompanied minor, so Dick goes into the Gotham foster system.
The first few days Dick is numb. It feels like the world is underwater and nothing is real. It doesn't feel like a dream, but Dick keeps hoping that it's a nightmare he'll wake up from. That his Daj and Tati will hear him crying and come take him into their bed to sleep safe between them. Too soon, that numbness wares off and then everything is too bright, too loud, and too foreign. All of the adults are strangers and none of the other kids want to be there either.
That night keeps playing and replaying in his head, and Dick realizes that it's wrong. His Daj checked the ropes before every performance. When Dick was going to fly with them, his Tati would check the ropes again for good measure, as his Daj pretended to get huffy, jokingly admonishing, "I know ropes and silks far better than someone who loves his hoops, I can keep my Robin in the air."
"I fly well enough to catch you, yes? And my Boy Wonder deserves all the checking." Tati would respond. Then they would smile at each other full of love. If the rope was even a little bit frayed or aging, they would have noticed, and would not have taken any risks if Dick was flying with them. Which means that the rope was good, it wouldn't have broken on its own. If it didn't break on its own, then it wasn't an accident. Someone sabotaged the rope. Someone killed his parents. Dick would find out who. And he would make them pay.
This is getting long, so I will split it into 2 parts.
Edit: Story tags moved to post -
Bruce Damian Jason and Duke go to the circus together; - Cass and Tim go together so they can support each other in the crowd; - Alfred has a nice evening at home; - Babs is there with her dad; - Basically everyone in Gotham but Steph and Alfred are at the circus that night; - the words I found for mom and dad in Romani are Daj and Tati please correct me if I'm wrong; - Mary Grayson was a US citizen and made sure Dick was made a citizen at birth so he doesn't have to worry about being deported.; - Damian goes to help Tim while Bruce and Duke help Dick; - wheelchairs are not great in a panicking crowd; - Cass is keeping him from getting battered or pushed around but is not big enough to be physically imposing or lift Tim+chair over barriers; - yes that was Steph checking out the elephants; - this is after she makes her return as Red Hood (I'm still not set on the name); - Damian's the one who told her the elephant facts; - elephants are one of the only species who both grieve and bury their dead; - I don't think John Grayson canonically uses aerial hoops or cyr wheels but it works for my dialogue; - his name is Dick not Richard
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