The voice inside your head

[fridgevigilante]

WHO: coldbeansnsugar, sable_cloak, [open]
WHERE: Somewhere on the streets of the city
WHEN: September 26th, late evening//night
WARNINGS: Rorschach of all people spamming his goddamn thoughts right into other people's heads? ...guess that does require a warning... Also: Rambling, wordiness, one silly theory and... eh... Bad punctuation? ...and my brain just jumped down the

Comments

[sable_cloak]

Lamont, in dress, looked no different than any other businessman in New York, save for something about him that always seemed Old World. He had the stature of someone of class who better belonged in the 1930s than the 21st century, though is dark suit displayed the sharp lines of the modern world.

At the moment that Rorschach walked by, projecting his thoughts in what the telepathically endowed Shadow felt constituted a shout, he turned his head with everyone else around him and tried to locate the source. He handed the vendor some cash for the newspaper in his hand and casually started a stroll in the direction that he thought the thoughts had gone. If he could catch up, he might be able to determine if this was an intended assault on citizen psyche, or unintentional. Either way, he wanted to know who the unknown individual was that displayed such a use of thought projection.

[fridgevigilante]

While Rorschach had no idea about pretty much everyone around him getting a decent share of his wandering mind, he usually noticed fairly quickly once he was being followed. But the street was still busy and lots of people kept walking in pretty much every direction.

Once more, he snorted to himself /Still can't trust instincts. Doesn't work. Credulous individuals everywhere, suspecting nothing, yet posing hindrance. Hell could arise every moment and they would know not better than to grovel in submission, blindly accepting their fate. Typical./

He stopped, if only for a moment or two, before heading down into a nearby alley. If he indeed was being followed, and it wasn't just the overall crowdiness of the city that perked his suspicion, he would find out that way.

[sable_cloak]

The thoughts he was receiving pointed to a paranoid mindset, and even for a former spy such as The Shadow, that meant following such an individual would make for a much harder task.

When Rorschach stopped and then turned down an alley, it put The Shadow into a bottleneck of sorts. To follow would give away his position, to find a way around might mean to lose the man. It was time to play his hand as a less-than-adept man trying to follow Rorschach. He walked by the end of the alley, then stopped, backtracking as if something had caught his attention. Turning down the alley, he continued his casual stroll, throwing an occasional glance over his shoulder as if he feared something to jump out from behind him at any time.

[fridgevigilante]

Dark alleys were what Rorschach could work best with. They were dark and provided additional shadows even within the darkness itself, making it easier for him to hide himself and remain unseen. And indeed he would wait where he wouldn't be seen, but could keep an eye on the alley itself. From above. A party rusty fire escape being just the right place for the man to stay.

The man stepping into the alley, though, was mostly inconspicuous, aside from the obvious fact that he, indeed, walked right into the alley. And by doing so straight into Rorschach's circle of suspicion.

/Hiding something./ was the one conclusion Rorschach quickly latched into half a moment before he dropped down onto the ground once more, blocking the stranger's way out and pointing his grappling gun straight at him, growling §Who are you?"

[sable_cloak]

Dark alleys were usually elements in which The Shadow also thrived, but tonight, in his suit and lacking cloak and hat, he had to act otherwise. He would take his chances, walking blindly down the alley, resisting the urge to look up, especially when a thought reached him from that direction. He did give an extra glance around though.

When Rorschach landed before him, he stopped dead in his tracks, but the look on his face was one of boredom, rather than fear or surprise. The grappling gun is unexpected, however. His face retains the same expression, almost mask-like in its lack of change as his eyes wander to the hook, then back to the man's face.

"Lamont Cranston. Who are you?"

[fridgevigilante]

"None of your concern." Rorschach growled back, taking note of the other man's calm reaction, posture and voice, which was admittedly irritating /Unaffected by situation: Knew what was coming. Experienced. Might plan something./ The vigilante growled slightly at himself, but didn't move.

"Been following me. Why?" he asked next, his voice sharp and the tension in his body raising a bit further as he focused his attention on the other man's body language, but also keep an eye on their surroundings just in case this Lamont was in for a sudden assault. The alley offered enough possibilities for an escape. But also many ways to inflict damage to a human body.

/Garbage can, drain pipe, fire escape. Shouldn't waste hook. Focus on minor wounds, possible dislocation. Might hold valuable information./

[sable_cloak]

"You mean to tell me that you haven't noticed what you're doing to those around you?" There is a raised eyebrow, yet the expression remains dull, disinterested. His posture is non-threatening, though abnormally still.

Indeed there are many ways to inflict damage on the human body, The Shadow has spent years studying them, but he prepares mentally to dodge an attack should it come. He does not want a fight tonight, only answers.

[fridgevigilante]

There was a moment of silence, black and white slowly shifting from one pattern to the next as the time crept by. Rorschach's attention remained on the other man, while he tried to make sense of his words /Not meaning gun. Smell perhaps. Ridiculous. Uniform? No. Face... Likely./ He produced a disdainful sound at that idea coming up.

/Right. Underneath uncaring demeanor, groveling mankind has only grown more paranoid than ever. Just hiding it as they fail to hide their sins. Fitting./

A snort. And with a halfway tilted head, he asks "Problem with face? Might want to get used to it."

[sable_cloak]

His snort was met with a change in expression finally, a small smile that lasted only a moment. His eyes never leave Rorschach's face, and his eyes stay focused where Rorschach's eyes should be, rather than following the shifting pattern.

"Your face is hardly the issue." Though it was a point of interest. "The people here have seen enough variety in the beings brought by the Porter machine. I'm talking about what you're doing to their minds."

[fridgevigilante]

Rorschach shifted his footing a little at the response, displaying more irritation, confusion even at the spoken words /Not making sense. But another one believing in funny story./

"Hrrn." he finally settled for a reply "Minds. Not doing anything to them!" Rorschach claimed and at least lowered his grappling gun. Mostly because the mere idea of this accusation seemed kind of absurd to him /Might be making people go mad. Need to investigate./

[sable_cloak]

"You're hardly making people go mad." He calmly retorted. "But they are hearing your opinions quite clearly."

[fridgevigilante]

Rorschach backed away at that immediately. This man hadn't just read his thoughts!

/Impossible!/

"What are you talking about?!"

[sable_cloak]

"It's not impossible if the Porter machine has gifted you with the ability to project your thoughts onto other minds." Lamont remains standing exactly where he is, watching Rorschach back off. The possibility that this arrival was unaware of the ability was not out of the question, but was troublesome. Telepathy was no small matter, and in his experience, if it was untrained, it could be dangerous even if the actions were unintentional.

[fridgevigilante]

"Machines don't do this!" Rorschach insisted, raising his weapon once more, the growl just too apparent in his tone "Trying to trick me. Useless! Won't just believe anything. Won't be intimidated!"

/Not true. Not possible. Just some kind of trick!/

"Who send you?! Why?"

[sable_cloak]

The man's heightened level of paranoia was doing nothing to help the situation. Lamont had to get him to stop projecting his thoughts, or he might do harm to someone, or gain undesired attention to himself.

He gives an annoyed sigh.

"There are no tricks, and the machine that brought us here is in fact capable of such feats. I have nothing to gain by tricking you, and no one sent me." He eyes the raised weapon warily. Threatened, the man may very well use it. "It's important that you find a way to shut off the projection of your thoughts. Not only would people appreciate it, it's for your own safety. An open mind can be easily manipulated, and attacked."

[fridgevigilante]

Rorschach was silent once more, analyzing this strangers words, the tone of his voice, the undisturbed look he gave him. Odd enough, he just couldn't find any trace of Lamont actually lying to him. This would be easier otherwise. If he just knew, he was being lied to, he could act accordingly.

Behind his mask, Rorschach snarled and took another half step backwards "No proof. Why should I believe you?"