Sunday, December 18th, The Midnight Channel

[thepull_mods]

Who: The Port's Latest Shadow Televisions Stars! And Thousands of Home Viewers!
When: Midnight, Sunday, December 18th
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

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[She does know. But it's shameful to admit all of this, even now when she's with someone she trusts, that this is all she's had to dwell on for most of her life. She lets him go so he can hold onto the ledge on his own, and she glances up above them. She can feel the Shadow's pulse in the night, strong...and just like hers. She closes her eyes.

His hand brushes her cheek and she leans into it for just a moment before she sighs. With a nod, she grips the ledge tighter and pulls herself up. She doesn't wait. She rushes her Shadow and tackles it before it manages to fly off with those bone-wings, pushing it to the ground.

It swipes its claws at her viciously, shrieking, the sound hurting her ears. Its power flings out wildly in an attempt to get Re-l off, or to get Bruce and force her attention elsewhere. Her hold is tight, though, even through the pain.]

I'm sorry. You're me, all right? I get it now.

[The thrashing slows and its gold eyes bore into hers. She stares back.]

I get it. I'm lonely. I'm sad. And I can't keep doing this to myself.

[She feels like she's been hit repeatedly in the stomach by a sledgehammer. She stares down at her.]

I accept you. And I'm sorry for all the pain you've been through, Monad. All of it. I'm sorry for what they did to you...to make me. I'm sorry that you didn't get Vincent back. I really am. I-- [Her voice cracks.] It's not fair. And I'm sorry.

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[kingofrooks]

[ The shrieks are piercing, and Bruce hisses quietly before he swings himself upwards to the ledge. He holds onto it, clamouring over the railing and dropping down. But he doesn't approach Re-l or the Shadow, merely listening- and watching the pain in Re-l's face as she accepts the thing. As she accepts what no one has to be forced into accepting about themselves.

He pushes himself off the railing and takes a few steps closer. Close enough to appear at the peripheral of her vision, yet not close enough to be attacked without being able to defend himself.

I'm here. ]

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Silently, something shifts-

The shadow practically shudders with a sudden loss of power, glistens and seems amorphous for a moment, like mercury, until the pallor of her skin darkens to something ashen and grey, and her wings shrink and melt off into the night.

Those glowing eyes remain, and the shape of the body is still female, but no longer a match of Re-l's. The creature seems to sink into a formless blackness, something pitiful, with no mouth to speak.

So when a sound comes from it, it's too garbled to pick out what the monster is trying to say, beyond it's general tone of plaintive, tortured longing.

"I want to be a part of you. I want the pain to be lifted away. I want to be all of you. I want to live."

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[Re-l watches the shape forlornly, listening to it. It's just another kid, isn't it, just like the one she saw when she was with Diego. That's painful to look at. She stares into its gold eyes and shakes her head.]

You can't be. You're part of the Darkness now.

[She pulls out her pistol, the one with the FP shells, and loads it deftly with her other hand.]

I'm sorry. You're already dead. I can take the pain away, though. Just...close your eyes.

[And the minute the creature does, she puts a single bullet through its chest. Light engulfs the monsters and destroys it instantly once the UV radiation container breaks in the flesh, and when it disappears, all that remains is the shell casing of the bullet.

Re-l remains kneeling where she is, gun cradled in her hands. She closes her eyes.]

[kingofrooks]

[ He walks over behind her, placing a hand on the shoulder. The thing that it's become- it's nothing more than a child. Part of the Darkness, a Shadow, yes, but still a child, and he feels sickened at this place once more. Is that its original form? A child lost in the Darkness, trying to latch onto others in order to find love, to be accepted?

Quietly, he squeezes against her shoulder. He doesn't know if it's to reassure her or to calm himself. ]

It's over.

p Softly, quietly, and he moves a little until he's in front of her instead of by her side, and reaches out to cup her face gently, his thumb stroking alone her cheekbone.

(It takes a conscious effort, nowadays, to not wish to lean in and kiss her.) ]

Let's go back.

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[It's takes an effort to not raise the gun to herself. After seeing what she just has, after having to acknowledge all of her faults and shortcomings, she doesn't know if she can live with herself right now. Dramatic, Re-l, she chides herself. But it's true. She just doesn't see how she can get up and keep going right now.

Except Bruce is there, understanding, touching her shoulder. He draws her attention away from the gun and the empty space beneath her so she doesn't have to keep thinking about her own pain.

She feels so, so weak in front of him. And he's not just Batman to her, not just the Dark Knight. He's Bruce in his entirety...and she's so weak.

Re-l closes her eyes again and keeps her tears in for now. She drops the gun onto the roof so she can lift her hand and put it on his for reassurance. Yes, he's here. It's over. She nods and softly sighs.]

Okay. Let's go.

[She's done with tonight. She opens her eyes and looks into his, past the lenses.]

Thank you.

[kingofrooks]

[ It's not simply the emotional exhaustion of having to accept a part of yourself that you have always hated- there's also the tinge of humiliation, the bit where she has to do this in front of him. That she has exposed herself so, in all of her vulnerabilities, bleeding from the inside and he can see the details of every wound, even in the rough stitching that she has tried to do throughout the years.

But he's not leaving. Not right now. He places a hand on her elbow, reaching out to turn his wrist downwards, so that the gun points to the ground again. ]

You would've done the same for me.

[ That's the truth, and they both know it. He doesn't drag her anywhere. Doesn't move until she wants to. Right now, he looks back at her, and crooks a smile. ]

Even if that thing is part of you, it's still wrong. You know that, don't you?

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[Her eyes flit downwards to the gun itself and she moves her wrist from his, sliding out the cartridge. She places it back onto one side of her belt, the gun to the other. She's not going to shoot herself, much as she'd like to just be done with it all. Wake up tomorrow in her bed and forget it ever happened. But that's not how she does things, is it? She's not a coward. She won't do that to herself.

She sighs.]

And how is it wrong? For hurting me, for making me feel bad?

[She wishes she could ask him to go home with her. But that's out of the question. She'll be fine and it's probably better if she doesn't have company after this ordeal. She'll sleep better knowing there's no one else beside her that's judging her for what's happened.]

[kingofrooks]

No. [ Quietly, and he drops his hands back to his side. ]

It's wrong because you're not alone. You don't have to change in any way. [ A crooked smile. ]

I'm here, aren't I?

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[Bruce is many, many things to her. Friend, confidant, hero, villain. She knows he can be cold just as well as he can be witty or kind. But still, he surprises her sometimes. Just like now.

She stares at him for a long time while his words sink in and only then does she almost smile. She moves forward and pulls him to her, putting her arms around him.

It's odd with all of the armor on and with his cowl in the way. But she doesn't pull it off or try to adjust herself. She likes him just the way he is.]

...Thank you. Thank you.

[She buries her face in his shoulder for a moment, just resting like that for a time. Even in the cold and the darkness, she feels safer with him than with anyone else in the whole damn city.]

[kingofrooks]

[ He can't help but freeze up as she holds him, and it takes a few moments before he exhales carefully and hugs her back, feeling her solidity against his arms. The armour gets in the way of heat, but that's alright, because he can still feel her like this. Gently, he lets his fingers card through her hair gently. ]

Don't worry about it.

[ He turns around, and doesn't pull away from the embrace even though he doesn't hug back anymore, letting his arms drop to his sides. ]

Do you need me to escort you home?

[ That's a serious offer- but coached in teasing terms. ]

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[When he relaxes, she takes a moment to lean into his embrace before he lets go, and then she loosens her hold so she can look at him. She raises an eyebrow.]

I don't need an escort.

[She rolls her eyes.]

I wouldn't mind one, but if you want to keep looking for any others... I'll be okay.

[kingofrooks]

[ He taps against his ear, tilting his head to the side. ]

I'm keeping an eye on the NV. If there are any more familiar voices, I'll know.

[ Well, now she knows how it's possible that Bruce Wayne talks to people while Batman is out in the Darkness, punching out people. (And also why he always uses voice.) ]

Come on, Re-l. [ He jerks his head. ] Let's get you home.

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Ah. Of course.

[One more secret. It's not much of one, but it's one more thing she can remember when she's trying to contact him later. She nods, following him to the edge of the rooftop.]

Right. Can't keep you out too late.

[She sprouts those wings of hers and dives off the rooftop, leading the way.]