It was late at night. The road was empty but for the few passing cars every now and then. The wind blew in the streets and down the dark alleyways. Speaking of which, Robin had just decided that going down one of those was a great idea for a shortcut.

He’d had a long day and many things he had to deal with. He didn’t notice there were other people further down until he heard them whispering after he tripped over some trash and hit his head on the side of the large dumpster.

“What was-?”

“Keep quiet, she might be here soon.”

“What if she chose today of all days for a different route?”

“Well, then we’re-“

“I see her.”

They crept further into the darkness as a woman entered the alley.

Robin, confused and still a bit dazed from hitting his head, turned in her direction.

“Oh, my! Are you alright....?” She ran towards him and helped him get up from the ground.

“...Robin? Well, would you look at that we just keep bumping into each other don’t we.”

He rubbed his head and looked at her as he straightened, trying to recognize her in the darkness.

“Uh... you’re- wait, Keridan?”

“The one and only.” She flipped her hair back and crossed her arms. “What brings you here at this time?”

They heard some noises further down the alley and that’s when Robin remembered he had something he wanted to tell her. Or had to... his head was really aching and he just wanted to sleep. “I’m not sure.”

“You’re really concussed, huh? You need help getting home? How’d you hurt yourself?”

“Wait, how ‘bout umm.... I help you get home?” That... that sounds about right, yes. I should- I mean, I think that she needs to be safer.

“What? I’m not the one with the concussion.”

“I’m not concussed I was just... confused.”

“Was?”

“Look, I’m trying to ask if you want me to walk with you until you’re s- inside of your house.”

He looked at her, waiting for her response when she suddenly laughed. Confused, more now than before, he asked, “What’s so funny?”

“I found you here, on the ground in the middle of a dark alley- with a concussion, and here you are, worrying about my safety. Hah. What, a gentleman. And hey, sure. I mean, I still have some leftover takeout if you haven’t had dinner yet. I could use some help eating that.”

“What type of person has dinner at 11 pm?”

“The type of person who’s made it her life goal to procrastinate until opportunities arise, opportunities such as these.”

“Hmm.” Robin suddenly started shivering as a particularly cold breeze blew through the alley. The dark alley, that they should probably get out of. “Hey, do you take this route everyday?” Hearing himself ask that out loud reminded him of the earlier conversation that he had overheard. “Yeah, why do you ask?”

“I think we should get out of-“

“Not so fast.”

They both turned to see two men dressed in dark clothes, wearing masks and pointing guns at them. “We’re not leaving without the little lady.” One of them walked closer to them but stayed in the shadows. Neither of them said anything but Robin turned to stand in front of Keridan. He saw a third figure in the back but didn’t think much of it until that one cut the other two’s throats and somersaulted towards them. ...Huh?

“Pleasure doing business with you.” He bowed then stood up straight and saluted. He was dressed in black and dark navy blue. The Shadow was the name that he had been given by the tv news reports about him. Apparently he goes around killing “bad” people.

“Hey, wait. You’re that hero everyone talks about, right? The shadow?”

“More like a vigilante, if you ask me.” Robin muttered, but was somehow heard by him.

“I would agree with you wholeheartedly. Now, I suggest each of you gets home safely and as soon as possible.” The more he spoke, the more painfully familiar he was. “Do I know you?” Robin was almost glaring with how hard he was trying to concentrate on where he had heard him before. He turned towards him and Robin could have sworn he smiling at him under his mask, “Hmmm. Such an interesting question. You could know someone for a thousand years and still not truly know them.”

With those words, he knew exactly who he was.