~forty-four~ [backdated to Shroomfield]
[A: In and around 1492 Kramden Road]
[Ema Skye is freaking out. Thanks to an ill-advised cafeteria meal at the hospital, she's hallucinating. As far as she's concerned, she's fourteen years old again (while simultaneously twenty-five), reliving one of the worst nights of her life. She's trapped in a darkened office with no source of light ( Read more... )
[Ema Skye is freaking out. Thanks to an ill-advised cafeteria meal at the hospital, she's hallucinating. As far as she's concerned, she's fourteen years old again (while simultaneously twenty-five), reliving one of the worst nights of her life. She's trapped in a darkened office with no source of light ( Read more... )
He's walking through the hospital when he hears strange, but very familiar, sounds coming from, of all places, a janitor's supply closet. Grinning slightly, he opens the door.]
Hello?
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Ema does the only logical thing she can do.
She screams as she scrambles backward, trying to distance herself from him.]
G-get away!
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WELL, what fun is a hallucination if one can't help it along a bit? He steps forward into the closet.] Did you really think you could hide forever?
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A crack of thunder. A flash of lightning. Instinctively, she winces.
No no no no no no no she's not fourteen anymore she's an adult she can defend herself dammit
Desperate, she reaches for a letter opener and holds it out to defend herself. To Crane, this weapon looks suspiciously like a flashlight.]
I said get away!
[She's trying to push through her fear, but the way she trembles makes it obvious.]
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Now, what do you think you're going to do with that? [He takes another step closer.] It won't save you now.
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After all, he’s the one behind all of this. He has to be. It only makes sense. Based on what he’d learned from Dist, Crane had been up to his old tricks once more. He’d mixed enough fear toxin to send Dist into a world of nightmares. But Edward shouldn’t have been this surprised when the rest of Mayfield began suffering from strange delusions and hallucinations.
Which is why the Riddler finds himself marching into the hospital right about now, cane in hand. Enough is enough, he’s decided. This isn’t how his Legion was meant to operate. Not with attacks against their fellow prisoners as opposed to the drones. Not with secret little projects like this, carried out behind Edward’s back and causing too much unnecessary damage. Bringing harm to the people he…
Suddenly, a shriek. An all-too-familiar shriek.
No. Not her ( ... )
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He turns towards Edward and shrugs, holding up his empty hands.]
Nothing.
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Help has arrived.
But then... she knows how this ends. The relief is soon eclipsed by sheer horror.]
Prosecutor Marshall, be careful! He has a knife!
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And now he's the one advancing slowly towards Crane. He may not have any needles in his hands, but Edward knows there's additional methods for him to get his fear toxin out there.]
Bullshit. Do you really consider me that much of a fool, Jonathan? After all these years, you think I wouldn't be able to recognize your handiwork when I see it?
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Joe Darke has that knife and... Prosecutor Marshall is more than likely unarmed. He's a man of the courts, not a policeman; he doesn't have a standard issue.
There's another flash of lightning. A familiar scene.
She has to do something.
And so, despite being over a decade older and having a great deal more sense, Ema goes for the same tactic that she used back when all of this was real--she charges Darke. For whatever reason, the fact that it backfired horribly the last time doesn't occur to her.]
Don't you dare hurt him!
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His girlfriend who has jumped to her feet and is in the process of charging Crane right now.]
Ema---!
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He was not expecting this turn of events. Nor was he expecting to land face-first onto the floor without the direct involvement of Edward's fist-- it's probably for the best, something to do with feminism or things of that nature. Still, at this point in time, he only has a couple of bruises, which is doing very well for him. He ought to cut his losses and get the fuck out of there as soon as humanly possible.
It's just, there's a person on top of him. That definitely needs to be taken care of.]
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Oh... oh god.
This isn't Joe Darke. It's Prosecutor Marshall. She attacked the wrong one.
There's a lot of blood. He's dead. Did... did she...?
Horrified, she scrambles off of the man's corpse and takes several steps backward. There's a scream threatening to rise out of her chest, but she bites her bottom lip (hard) to keep it from coming out. Her sister will hear. Even in self-defense, Ema's guilty. There is no forgiveness for this.]
N-no... I didn't mean to...
[Unsuccessfully, Ema tries to collect herself. However, panic and horror and guilt all overwhelm her; she hyperventilates herself right into a faint. At least this time, she lands next to Crane instead of on top of him.]
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Ema. Ema! [Thankfully, she's merely unconscious. Nothing more. There's a small sigh of relief, though he tries his best to conceal it, before he gently lowers her back to the ground.]
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So Edward takes hold of his cane once more, rising to his feet and stomping down hard on Crane's back to keep him pinned.]
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