Friday, December 16th, The Midnight Channel

[thepull_mods]

Who: The Port's Latest Shadow Televisions Stars! And Thousands of Home Viewers!
When: Midnight, Thursday December 14th
Where: In front of your Television Sets or Streaming NV TV. (Digital Cable? You'll still get the analog effect.)
Summary: Full Plot Details Here
Warnings: Please Put 'em In the Subject Lines As Necessary, Kids?

Comments

Warnings: Talk of suicide

[limitedrun]

[He looks exactly the same. Same dark clothes, same uncontrollable hair, same scars. It's Griffin in every way. He’s in a house, unfamiliar to anyone in Siren’s Port. It would be very homey if it weren’t for the upturned furniture and broken glass. There is a large, fresh puddle of blood staining the carpet. To the viewer’s left, there is a doorway to the kitchen. Another, larger puddle of blood is spreading over the tile. If one looks close enough, they can see pictures hanging on the walls in the background. An in shape but balding man, a very pretty, chesnut-haired woman, and an awkward, big-eared boy. The latter is clearly Griffin at a young age. This is his childhood home, or at least one of them. He's sitting in a stuffed rocking chair, his hands folded, fingertips pressed to his mouth. His head is bowed. He looks like he's about to give some bad news.

Then he looks directly into the camera. And with a tilt of his head, he smiles. It's sharp and wicked, too toothy and just wrong.]

Oh, hello. I didn't see you there. [He gets to his feet, acting like some kind of twisted version of Mr. Rodgers. He walks up until he’s only a couple feet away from the camera.] Okay kids, gather 'round! I've got a story for you!

Actually, it's a warning. Y'see this face? This one right here? [He points to his own with both hands, making little circles with his fingers.] If you see it, run. Run away screaming, run to the hills! Run for your life.

Because this selfish, stupid bastard? [He Jumps, appearing close to the camera's far right, leaning in and raising his left hand to the right side of his face, divulging a secret in a stage whisper.] Okay, not technically a bastard. But he is an orphan! Is there a derogatory term for orphan yet? Or is that enough of one already?

[Then just like that, he's back in his original position.]

I had a point. Right, this bastard. He'll kill ya. He thinks he doesn't enjoy it, he thinks he has all this crippling guilt. But here's the thing. If he feels so damn bad, why does it keep happening? Why isn't he stopping it? Surely he must be prepared by now. Christ, the people in his life have been dropping like flies since he was nine! That's a lot of prep time!

[His tone and mannerisms are fluctuating wildly. He's mocking and jovial one moment, dead serious the next. But no matter what, his eyes are wide, wild, and alight with malice. He’s furious.]

Nah, see, he knows what he has to do. He has to stop being such a little bitch and just let it go already. He's poison. He needs to stop spreading his disease. But does he?

NO.

No, he does not. And that's when people die. If he really cared, he would've topped himself like he was gonna do when he was sixteen.

[Once more, he Jumps to the camera’s side. He copies his move from earlier, divulging another secret.]

He had it planned, you know. Bottle of pills, just leave his body to rot in some hole. Clutching a girl’s coat. What a baby.

[He rights himself again, same comfortable distance as before.]

But no, he keeps coming back for more. Because he likes it. He likes being the last one standing and watching his loved ones bite the dust in his name. Always in his name, of course.

[All of the manic glee disappears. He's strangely still for Griffin. His voice and his eyes are flat.]

So I've gotta take matters into my own hands. You all, listen to me. Stay away from Griffin O'Conner. He's not someone who needs to be saved. He's not a good guy with an unfortunate past. I guess they've had it right the whole time. He's a monster who needs to be put down.

The normal crowd isn’t here, so you’re gonna have to do it. It’s okay, you’re doing the world a favor. You’re doing him a favor. … Well, what are you waiting for?

Go get him.

[bodyreads]

[Griffin...

She doesn't know him well. She doesn't know him well at all. But she understands that strange need to be a killer, the thrill of the fight, and how good it feels to just fight and let your entire body become a weapon. She knows. And to hear this, to realize how lonely and angry he is, and how he wishes people would stay away from him so he wouldn't hurt them--

Well. These might not be his real feelings. But it's a window into who he might be. The talk of suicide pings her terribly; she thinks of Lady Shiva and her own death wish.

She pulls on her costume and takes to the night to try and find him.]

[limitedrun]

[He's in a little, crap pub.

Griffin had seen what's going on with the NVs at night. These people, some he knows and some he doesn't, just spilling all the nasty little things going on in their heads made him terribly nervous. He worries for when he'll see himself on that screen, saying God knows what. Griffin doesn't even want to contemplate what damage he could do.

So he doesn't. He's sitting in a bar, nursing an exported beer. The TVs pop on and the show begins.]

Turn that shit off!

[Griffin isn't the only one demanding the change of channel, but the bartender just shrugs helplessly. He can't do a thing about it. At first, Griffin doesn't mind so much. It's not him, after all.

Then the scene changes and he sees the house.

San Diego. That night, of course. What other night would it be?]

Turn that fucking thing off.

[People around make the connection between the two. The walls start to close in on Griffin. He gets to his feet, standing so quickly that the stool gets knocked to the ground. He can only watch in horror. When his other self talks about his being an orphan, he smashes his beer bottle and Jumps behind the bar. Griffin holds the jagged glass to the bartender's throat.]

I said turn it off!

[The bartender raises his arms with a panicked, "I-I can't!" Other patrons start to arm themselves with bottles or pool sticks. The other self goes on about how much Griffin is a killer and they begin to close in with shouts of "Let him go!" and "Fuckin' freak!" They all seem to stop when the suicide attempt comes up. Griffin looks like he's going to throw up or lash out and kill everyone in the bar.]

That's not true, that's bullshit.

[But everyone knows he's lying through his teeth. Then comes the other's finale. He's goading the whole world into killing him. Griffin Jumps and grabs a pool stick of his own. On "Well, what are you waiting for?" Griffin rams the bottom end of the stick into the TV. He does it over and over, smashing the screen into pieces.

With a demented screech reminiscent of twisted metal, the Darkness comes in.]

[bodyreads]

[It doesn't take her long to find the place he's at; it's a usual haunt of his when she's seen him out. As she starts to get closer, she can hear shouts and screams from inside the bar. The lights go out. She throws herself from the building she's on and makes her way onto the roof of the bar, finding the easiest access point through the back.

The door opens and shuts, determined to keep the Darkness in and out. And then she hurries out into the main bar area.

The Darkness is flooding in, and with it monsters. One monster in particular. She hurries over to Griffin's side while the others make their way in a frenzy. She pulls out a batarang and tosses it at the creature spilling out of the TV.]

Griffin!

[limitedrun]

[There are various shouts of "What did you do?!" and "What the fuck?!" There's a part of Griffin that is mortified at the idea that he might have just gotten all these people killed, but it's overridden by the intense desire to hurt that thing crawling out of the TV. As he's snapping his pool stick in half to make two sharp weapons, something shiny embeds itself in the Other's shoulder. Griffin shoves Black Bat away.]

No, you leave! You get them out. That thing's mine.

Ow!

[The Other looks down at the batarang sticking out of its shoulder. It pulls the weapon out, looking mildly cross at best.]

Rude. Although you want to see something really rude?

[In one move, it yanks the batarang out and hurls it in Griffin's direction. Out of instinct, Griffin Jumps out of the way, reappearing on the other side of the bar. That leaves Black Bat to take the hit. The Other scoffs.]

Predictable. Letting others get hurt for you. Seriously, man, grow a pair. See what I was talking about?

[The Other is now addressing the cowering patrons. Griffin is on the verge of snarling, but he looks like a frightened animal. The Other knew exactly what Griffin was going to do before Griffin did it.]

That's just the kind of man we are. We let girls get hurt for us. Well, if that thing's a girl. But yeah, we're just a sorry sack. And that one? He'll slit your throats if it means keeping his dirty little secret. [The Other points to itself with a terribly proud grin.] Now me, I couldn't give a fuck about any of you. Only here for the one pissant. But that guy? He'll kill all of you. Unless...

[He shrugs innocently. Slowly, eyes turn to Griffin. Beer bottles and knives are hesitantly raised. Griffin looks between the patrons and The Other. He has his arms out to his sides, one stick pointed at each. He's nervous but he stands tall. He won't crumble because of one stinking monster and a bunch of drunks.]

I dare you.

[bodyreads]

[And that might be the smart thing to do first, but she refuses to leave him alone. She's seen the others. She's seen Simon's monster roaming just outside of his apartment. And she refuses to let him fight it on his own. She doesn't protest, but begins to look back at the other patrons to devise a way out.

The batarang comes flying at her, striking her in the shoulder. She doesn't make a sound. She turns back, angry, and she pulls it out without inflection.

She pulls it back between her fingers and readies herself to help him fight the monster...when the others begin to close in on Griffin, waving weapons. She turns around and stares them down. The batarang goes back out of her hands to hit two of them on the hands, knocking their weapons away. She leaps over the pool table to engage them while Griffin takes the others.]

[limitedrun]

[The problem is that Griffin doesn't know who to attack first. So he doesn't choose.

He twists his torso and raises his right arm, like he's going to go after the patrons. Mid-move, he Jumps. Instead of the patrons, he first appears directly behind The Other, cracking the pool cue over his skull. While still in momentum from his twist, he Jumps to the other side of the room. He brings half of stick in his left hand down hard on the shoulders of a bar patron, cracking that as well. He feels a hand grab his hair, roughly yanking his head back. It's The Other.]

Stop thinking you're such hot shit, it's disgusting.

[It brings his head down hard on the pool table. Griffin swipes his legs and tries to trip it. He also grabs the leg of another patron who's heading for Black Bat, dragging him down to the floor.]

[bodyreads]

[Cass is efficient in what she does, never going still, never faltering. She's been trained this way, like a machine. And she doesn't care. She flips over the one man and kicks him into the other, sliding to the side and cracking the other man's nose. The one girl moves towards her and Cass disarms her with a flick of her wrist, sending her sprawling.

She hears Griffin yelp and she turns, seeing him take down someone else who was going for her.

She spins and strikes the man behind her, the first one, and jams her fingers into three pressure points that render his arms useless. She kicks him over and returns to her other targets.]

[limitedrun]

[Griffin notices Black Bat's move. She's had some hardcore training.

The Other is suddenly down on the floor with him, whispering in his ear.]

You think she isn't gonna turn on you too?

[Griffin throws a punch, but The Other has Jumped away by then, leaving Griffin's fist to connect with the floor. He clenches his jaw but doesn't make any noise. He won't give it the satisfaction. A very large man throws himself on Griffin's back. Then he can't help but wheeze as all the air leaves him. He Jumps three consecutive times upward until he hits the ceiling. Rather, the large man hits the ceiling. Griffin Jumps back down to the floor, letting the man fall the seven or so feet. He whips himself around to elbow a man in the face, hearing the satisfying crunch of a nose breaking.

The rest of the patrons seem to regain the their senses, realizing that they're a bunch of slobs going up against professionals. They all huddle in a corner. One of them tosses a switchblade to The Other, wanting it to do the job they can't. It laughs joyfully like Christmas came early.

Griffin pulls his jacket off, taking out the knife concealed inside. He has a feeling Black Bat won't leave and he's trying to give her a way to differentiate between the two. The Other raises a mocking eyebrow.]

Oooh, is it getting serious now? Tell you what, I can play on easy mode. I'll leave mine on.

[Because it doesn't care about anyone else but Griffin. He knows it.]

Look mate, you're not winning any impersonation contests anytime soon. Just call it a day. I'd hate to mess up such a handsome face.

[They're circling each other. Griffin cracks his neck. The Other does the same. Griffin swings his knife, testing it. The Other mirrors him again.]

Seriously, are you five--

[The Other Jumps forward and headbutts Griffin. He stumbles back, but not before grabbing its collar and slashing his knife across its throat. They split apart. The Other is bleeding profusely but laughing anyway. Griffin, strangely enough, is grinning as well, even as he watches something that looks like himself bleed out.]

Anyone ever tell you you're a little fucked in the head? You enjoy this waaaay too much.

[bodyreads]

[Once they've scattered and she's made herself clear, she points to the bathroom doors.]

Get out or get hit. Your choice.

[She's tired of this. And when she turns back between The Other and Griffin, she can easily tell the difference apart. Griffin's body is tense, ready, uncertain, angry. The Other is gleeful, cocky, posturing. She can see it in the body language, and that's why she's already ready to join the fray.]

It'll kill you.

[She's speaking to Griffin. She's seen what the others have done.]

It wants to replace you.

[But she's not going to let it kill Griffin. And she knows he can hold his own, too. He has that power. He has an added advantage...even if The Other can do it too.]

[limitedrun]

Replace him?

[The Other turns to look at her, offended. It brings its arms down and the bleeding's stopped. It points at Griffin.]

Who in their right mind would want to be this sorry bastard? News flash: I am him.

[Griffin is suddenly behind The Other and has it in a headlock. He punches it in the face over and over furiously, each hit emphasizing a word.]

Shut! The! Fuck! Up!

[He knees it in the gut and throws it to the ground.]

This freak isn't going to leave a scratch on me. It's not even close to me.

Wrong!

[It runs straight for Griffin. He squares off, ready for the attack. But it Jumps at the last second, appearing directly behind Griffin. Only Griffin's Jumped too. He's standing next to Black Bat now. The Other is on her other side in an eye blink, going to shove her into Griffin with enough force to knock both of them down.]

[bodyreads]

[She's not fast enough like they are with their Jumping. She can only hope to keep her eyes on the fray and make sure she knows which is which, and how to stop The Other from killing Griffin. Especially if he can heal.

She turns to The Other when he appears and attempts a swipe at him angrily. He shoves her into Griffin and falls with him, but it doesn't take her long to get back up.

She shoots out her grappling hook to grab onto The Other's ankle and drag him to the ground so she can pounce on him with those claws of hers.]

[limitedrun]

[Griffin falls to the ground. His right hand lands on a broken bottle and he seethes. It doesn't shatter, and he picks it up, ready to use it as a weapon.

The Other takes Black Bat's hit. It rubs the corner of its mouth, smiling at the vigilante. In the moment of distraction, she's able to hook it and bring it down. It lands on its back. The claws dig into its body and it seethes. It looks up at her with a nasty combination of a snarl and a smirk.]

You're one of them. Thinks he's something more than a waste of air. Would you still think that if I told you how many times he's laughed while torturing people? Huh? Or about how he helped with that whole explosion--

[The Other stops and yelps. Griffin has driven the bottle into its left shin.]

Excuse you! We were talking!

[It punches her square in the jaw with no little amount of force once, twice. Griffin Jumps the few inches so he can wrap his hands around the Other's neck.]

Shut up! Just shut up!

reaction

[makes_asteroids]

[This. Is going to be bad.

Right. Calling Griffin now.]

[limitedrun]

[Sorry, old man. He's not going to be picking up for a long time.]

[makes_asteroids]

[He'll demon dial for 30 minutes, then text.]

Just reply so I know you are alive Griffin.