🦇Brother🦇

Manny, they calls him. Manbat.

Used be Langstrom, no anymore.

Manny no locked up. Nurses know Manny stay if others at Arkhome. Manny fly, hunt, though no catch anything. Manny protect Arkhome.

Manny protect Jokeprince, and Crow-Crane, and Ms Green. Manny protect all.

Batman. Manbat. Sides, like Coin. Manbat Manny. Batman Batty? Jokeprince say yes, Ms Green say no. Ms Green right many, but Manny like Jokeprince answer.

Manny rest roof. Day-bright up, hurt see. Manny no see, Manny sleep. Manny no sleep, hungry. Go, fly, hunt.

Place Manny know, where people feed. Manny scare mean guys, food-boss give Manny food. Many food-places, many food-bosses. Many mean guys.

Day-night, day-night, day-night, many day-night. Manny sometime rob, hang with Family, go Arkhome. Sometime help food-boss. Sometime chase Batty, is chased too.

Night, after many, Manny rest. Big tick-tock, broken, no noise. Tock-man let Manny use. Knock-knock, someone there.

Manny no worry. Know smell, surprised.

"Hey, uh, Manny?" Langstrom, nervous-smell. "That's what they're calling you now, right?"

"Yesssss, I Manny." Manny proud-say. Manny stop rest, drop to ground. Langstrom jump, scared-smell. No scare! "Manny no hurt Langstrom. Family."

"Family?" Langstrom ask. "I suppose we are, in a way, aren't we?"

"Yes." Manny answer. Langstrom small-calm. "Langstrom Gotham? No Europe?"

"I'm visiting, on a business trip." Langstrom answer. "Do you understand what that means?"

"Business is work work work, many and long. Sometime hurt." Manny answer. Jokeprince and Scalefriend teach Manny. "Manny know many-much."

"I'm sure you do." Langstrom nervous-smell. Why? "So, you do understand me, more or less. Do you find this weird? Seeing me instead of being me?"

"Weird?" Manny think. Manbat-Langstrom, first. Now no. "Yes. Good, weird, yes."

"Yeah, same for me." Langstrom sigh. "Uh, Manny? How much do you remember? From my life?"

"No everything." Manny answer, Manny think. "Manny no Langstrom, Langstrom no Manny. Small-remember child time. Big-remember feel-thought. Big-remember transform-time. Remember Langstrom-wife, nice. She no like Manny."

"She didn't like me turning into Manbat. She didn't like losing me." Langstrom pat Manny head, nervous-more. "I think she might actually like you, though. Listen, Manny... I want to stay in touch."

"Stay in touch?" Manny repeat what no understand. Jokeprince say help learn.

"I want to get to know you, and let you know about me." Langstrom nervous-smell more more more. "We were the same person, once. I just think we should, I don't know... I just want to talk to you sometimes, if you want to. Maybe send letters, if you know how to write?"

"Manny no write." Manny answer. Langstrom sad-smell. "Manny learn? Langstrom, Manny, stay in touch."

"Really? You're okay with that?" Langstrom hope-smell. Happy-smell. Nervous-smell. Many smell. "I'd really like that."

"Manny like." Manny agree. Many think, look out window. "Langstrom hunt?"

"H-hunt?" Fear-smell.

"No hurt, no catch." Manny explain. "Fly, fly, fly. Look, look, look. Sometime scare. Manny no hurt, promise."

"Are you asking me to go flying with you?" Langstrom ask. "Manny, I can't do that. I don't have wings."

"If had wing, hunt with Manny?" Manny ask.

"Sure, Manny." Langstrom laugh. "If I could fly, I'd go with you."

"Good. Us fly!" Manny grab Langstrom, put on back, hunt! Langstrom scream, hurt Manny ear. Manny keep flying. "Langstrom fly."

"Manny..." Langstrom fear-smell. Mistake? No, now Langstrom laughing. "Oh, I think I actually missed this!"

"Langstrom visit. Fly fly fly." Manny want yes.

"Yes, let's do this again." Langstrom hold tight-tight, yell over rush-wind. "Learn any new tricks?"

Manny grin, snap wings shut, dive dive dive. Langstrom scream, but no fear-smell. Excited, like Manny. Manny, Langstrom, once same, no anymore. Now two, now different.

Manny, Langstrom, brothers.