Batman was struck as if by lightning.
He had indeed heard The Flash talk about the Flashpoint Universe. In the dead of night, he had imagined the day father and son would meet again. But he had never expected that day to come so quickly, so suddenly.
And it was not just a reunion with his father. The loving face that had appeared in his dreams countless times—his dear mother, Martha, whom he could never forget—was standing in the room as well.
How could Batman possibly stay calm? His chest rose and fell like the core of the sun, his ragged breaths seemed capable of blowing away the moon, and the chaotic thoughts in his mind were like stars strewn across the sky. The fierce, indescribable emotions suddenly gathering in his eyes were like the wind of March, the rain of April, like a storm lingering above the polar regions in the depths of winter.
But before he could fully sink into his sorrow, the situation inside the room, like reality's merciless iron fist, shattered the beautiful fantasy this little boy who had never grown up since his parents' deaths had of being reunited with his family.
Martha's voice came from inside, but it was not the loving, gentle voice Batman remembered. It was angry, with a hint of irritation.
"Thomas, I truly do not know how you became so stubborn! No, that cannot even be called stubbornness anymore. It is obsession. Your negligence in educating the children shocks me, yet you have no intention of changing."
"I think you should be more realistic, Martha. The children cannot stay trapped in this family forever, playing at brotherly harmony. They all have to follow the proper course and walk their own paths in life. What is wrong with what I am