"Oh God, they're so soft. What am I doing?! How could I like this pitch-black doll?! Shouldn't sothing like a bunny be the popular choice?"
"Don't be silly! You have no idea how hot this thing is on the internet! Bunny dolls are everywhere, now it's the era of the bats!"
"I heard they use simulated animal fur, and the stitching is practically invisible. This is perfect for a pillow, can I take one now?"
"Stop! Everyone, stop!" Kane shouted, stepping over the box to the center of the room. He waved his arms to shoo the others away and then said, "Everyone can only have one. Line up and take it!"
The new students didn't know what was happening, they were hastily herded into line like a bunch of chicks. Harley had Barry in her left hand and Little Bruce in her right, pulling them both into line.
"What's going on?" Barry asked, bewildered.
"Every ti Dean Wayne returns to the college, he brings gifts for us. As you know, he's filthy rich, but more importantly, he always manages to bring us unreleased Gotham City souvenirs. This might be so early sample he made."
"You guys know how popular Gotham tours are, right? Every batch of rchandise they release is sold out in no ti, these might beco limited editions. If you don't need money, you can keep them. After all, anything made by Wayne is trustworthy, those who need money can sell them online, it's a good source of inco."
Harley explained to the two, Barry nodded in agreent, but Little Bruce was still in shock. If you sumd up his shock in one sentence — where did this cheerful, sunny, and outgoing young man co from?!
Little Bruce never considered himself a cheerful person, either before or after his parents died. Even though he had a very happy childhood, he could hardly be called a lively and cheerful child. In short, Batman is born a loner, a person who never surrenders.
But the Bruce he just saw seed like a creature from another dinsion. He is genuinely happy, perhaps overly so.
Little Bruce was so shocked by the idea that he would beco like that in the future, his head was spinning. Unbeknownst to him, he was handed a giant Batman puppet in comparison to his size, extrely soft and furry.
When Little Bruce had so difficulty in shifting the doll down to reveal his head and neck, he saw Barry and Harley using the dolls to beat each other up - the others weren't faring any better.
He must have cast so enchantnt on this doll, Little Bruce thought, that's why everyone loved his gifts. Is there any other reasonable explanation?
How could Bruce Wayne be likable?
No way, absolutely not!
It's not clear whether Little Bruce is too self-aware or too pessimistic about himself. But he never thought he would blend in with the crowd. He preferred to use sharp words to push away those idiots he couldn't stand at all.
But, isn't blending in with the crowd also a choice? What's the point? What can these brainless, single-minded, happy-go-lucky idiots possibly offer him?
Little Bruce lay in bed still struggling with this issue. The Batman puppet was too large to fit under the bed so Little Bruce had to put it on the bed.
The next morning, when he woke up, he discovered that the potential scenario of him kicking the doll off the bed in his sleep hadn't happened. On the contrary, he woke up holding the puppet in his arms.
It was a disaster. Little Bruce sat up, shook his head which felt heavy from deep sleep. He expelled the sleepiness which hadn't visited his head in a long ti and staggered to stand up.
"Knock, knock, knock!" His door was knocked upon.
When he opened the door, a stranger appeared, a girl who seed a bit flustered, she said nervously.
"Uh, you need to wake up soon, or you'll be late for class. The first lesson is from Professor Pala, and she can be quite moody."
"Do you know ?"
"I know you're Wayne, probably a relative to Dean Wayne, he donated two dolls to us which temporarily helped our tight financial situation. If it's okay, help thank him...You better hurry to the classroom. I'm leaving now!"
The girl hurriedly ran away. Little Bruce stood still thinking, is this the benefit of blending in with the crowd? Everyday with smile, currying favor, pretending to understand these fools, catering to their every need, just for this sort of concern born out of interest?
Little Bruce didn't say a word. He went back into the room. After finishing his morning routine, he barely made it to class on ti.
Professor Pala adjusted her hat and opened her textbook, saying, "I'm teaching the basics of Magic Botany, including what common magical plants exist in magic, and how you should distinguish their characteristics."
"Now, look at this." Professor Pala brought out a pot of plants from under the podium. It was the sa plant with spiral fruit that Little Bruce and his friends had seen in the garden behind the greenhouse.
"Spiral Grass, a typical magical plant that grows in areas with rich magic energy. You can find them on the east side of the Malt Marsh in the Magical World..."
The Magic Botany class was surprisingly interesting. Professor Pala introduced three of the most common plants in the magical world, as well as many hilarious incidents where unlucky wizards misused the three materials and made a fool out of themselves.
When the class was over and everyone else had left, Little Bruce held back Barry and Harley, saying, "We need to ask the professor about that Tree Man."
Just as he was saying that, Professor Pala walked past them, clearly intending to leave via the hallway. While Little Bruce was explaining to the other two, "No matter what the professors' motives are in setting this up, we have to go through with it and see. If it's like we suspect, we can let them know that this school isn't just filled with idiots."
At that point, Pala had reached the end of the hallway and paused, seemingly having co across soone.
Imdiately and in unison, the three children bolted into the nearest classroom, then poked their heads out to listen to the conversation happening at the far end of the corridor.
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