Comments | aternatopia: Target Practice

emit_dark January 18 2011, 15:50:29 UTC

....Of course she would repeat almost exactly what Nightwing had said the night he finally learned about the fallout between him and Bruce.

'You'll understand one day. I mean, this isn't exactly right.'

Tim had wanted to protest then-- there was nothing to say that he would have the same falling out. Heck, if he had it his way, he'd be Robin forever.

"But Nightwing was younger when Bruce started training him as Robin. It's...well yeah it's dangerous but Bruce needs me, he needs all of us." A hint of pride entered his voice. True, the old man didn't always show that he needed them, but at the end of the day, through fear toxins and mutated livestock, they were a team...a family. "Besides, for as many kids that dream about running around with Batman saving the city I really am. It's a dream come true, honestly." There was an imploring edge to Tim's voice that he didn't exactly intend, as though he needed Alba to believe that what Bruce was doing was right, that it was...necessary ( ... )

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ablealba January 19 2011, 04:24:19 UTC

"Maybe it's a dream come true, and maybe he needs you, but take it from someone who can't control their power. Sometimes having powers isn't good. It's what killed my dad." Alba was a little bit scared that eventually it would be the death of her, but she was 12. She didn't think about it too much. "I know that there have to be people to protect other people, but it shouldn't be kids."

She nodded, sipping her hot chocolate. "Well don't pretend that I can't take care of myself. I'm going to need to think of something convincing to tell Mr. Baron about why we're so late and why I look all out of sorts." Sometimes having to be accountable to people was irritating.

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emit_dark January 19 2011, 05:03:58 UTC

Tim frowned listening to Alba, lips still pale from cold turning decidedly down to hear how opposed she was to the idea. "Then I guess you wouldn't be interested in helping me out while I'm here? Which is perfectly okay, I was just hoping that maybe you'd want to." In the end, it was her choice. She'd lived a whole different life than him, and besides, reasonably speaking there was no way she could commit to anything.

But damn if it didn't suck, knowing that someone with that much natural talent was right in front of him.

"Well the streets are still in pretty bad shape, would he believe we were playing, or maybe rushing in here to get out of the cold and you tripped? You're not too bad off." It would have to be a pretty spectacular trip-and-fall but on ice that wasn't really difficult to accomplish. "But um, yeah, we should probably get home."

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ablealba January 19 2011, 07:01:14 UTC

Alba frowned. She wasn't trying to be mean, but she felt as if she'd hurt his feelings. "I might be interested in it. Just...it's dangerous. And I cannot tell Mr. Baron. We'd have to think of some convincing cover stories. And...I don't know if I'm exactly the most...reliable person." After all, who would want to have a girl who could disappear into thin air at inconvenient moments.

She shook her head at his suggestion. "No, I don't trip. I pay too much attention to sidewalks and ice to trip. And when I slip I catch myself." There was no way he'd believe it. Mr. Baron would sooner believe Alba got herself into trouble, she was sure.

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emit_dark January 19 2011, 18:05:28 UTC

"Well right now, I just go on patrols around town, scoping things out, information gathering...beating up the occasional drunk jerk." Tim shrugged and began to smile again when Alba mentioned not being reliable. "Don't worry about it. According to everything I've read on the forums, technically any of us could just vanish back to our own time and universe, can't let that stop you from living, though, right?" Despite everything, Alba did seem pretty normal, she was going to school, and making friends, same as him ( ... )

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ablealba January 20 2011, 07:08:50 UTC

"You don't think the town police have it covered?" Granted, Alba didn't know too much about the police in town. But she was trying really hard to be objective about this all. And it would help Tim in the long run having someone to challenge him. It would make sure he wasn't lazy, not that she really thought he would be. "But mine's different. I mean, I haven't jumped since getting here, but that doesn't mean that I won't. I could jump back home, or I could jump somewhere else entirely and be gone for seconds or weeks." Or apparently months.

Alba frowned. She was thinking of something that would worry Mr. Baron just enough to not make him suspicious. "I might go with the overplaying. I think I can manage something." Though he'd know she wasn't too injured, she was sure, by his vampire abilities, but she couldn't be positive. She'd just have to work it exactly enough.

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emit_dark January 20 2011, 16:40:09 UTC

"Their reaction to me walking in there to report finding someone trying to sabotage the train station was to 'send some out to check.' I mean, this place might be a little different but where I come from that's...lax to say the least." Tim couldn't help it-- he'd dealt with too many crazies in lab coats to let that slide. "They definitely know what up, but I'm not sure their approach is proactive enough." That was the danger when weird was common place. It made people lazy, willing to accept that these things happened and there was nothing they could do.

Listening to Alba, Tim shook his head, tentatively reaching across the table to hold her free hand, cheeks brightening in a blush. "It doesn't matter to me, Alba, you're here now. That's good enough for me, if it's good enough for you." He withdrew his hand a second later, letting it rest on the table, almost unsure of what to do with it ( ... )

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ablealba January 21 2011, 00:44:11 UTC

Alba shrugged slightly. "Maybe. I'm used to the Chicago police being too proactive." In fact, being used to running from them when she jumped through time and landed in a bad spot or somewhere blatantly without clothes.

She noted the blush and couldn't help but grin slightly at it. Her idea would be perfect as far as she was concerned. But she wasn't sure Tim would be so thrilled with it. "It's definitely fine by me, but I just wanted to warn you, it could happen any time. I'd just poof and disappear when you're talking to me." Usually she had a few seconds to a minute's head notice if she couldn't stop it.

Alba frowned. "What part of the truth?" She was worried that Mr. Baron would be more worried about her with respect to the truth than a well intentioned lie.

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emit_dark January 21 2011, 03:57:31 UTC

"You kidding? Back home I'd have killed for a proactive law enforcement." Not like many of the beat cops bothered much with the projects--in fact Tim's section of town was called the 'retirement beat' because they only put two types of cops there: geezers who were less than a year away from putting away their badge or uppity rookies who thought they could 'clean up' the city. You got 'retired' a different way then, usually.

"I consider myself warned then." Though it would be a shame if she jumped and then never came back. Alba was cool...for a girl, and Tim liked that she could handle herself in a pinch.

"The 'got into a fight with a drunk guy' part of the truth." Tim smirked. "Only in our version I jumped in, pushed you out of the way a little too hard, and we ran. I mean, it is sorta my fault, I took you the back way near that hotel..." He actually did feel bad about that.

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ablealba January 21 2011, 04:06:37 UTC

Alba shook her head. "Not when you're trying to keep away from them. I'd rather they be just a little bit more lax because getting clothes and a place to stay for minutes to days. I mean, yes, they were doing their job, but," Alba shrugged as she trailed off.

"Good. Sorry in advance if it's at a bad time." It always seemed to be.

Alba frowned. "Hm. Maybe. I'm not sure how he'd feel about that. I'd definitely get a nice solid talking to about ways to walk home, but I don't want the first time you two meet to be angry." Definitely not a good impression.

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emit_dark January 21 2011, 05:05:17 UTC

"Well, yeah, not when you're trying to avoid them... but, you know...yeah." Tim shook his head, but smiled rakishly a beat later. "Apology accepted, and no offense but, wouldn't he be happier that you're safe than angry? If he's been training you to fight he obviously thinks that one day you'll need it." Tim shrugged with one shoulder. "Either way, we aren't going to make him any happier by staying out later than we already have." He put down money for the hot chocolate, gulping the last of his down so that when he pulled the mug away, he has a warm, foamy milk mustache.

"We'll fine tune our story on the way there."

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ablealba January 21 2011, 05:19:04 UTC

"Probably. But he's a worrier." Alba looked up at him and nodded as she said that they should get going. She finished her own hot chocolate but then laughed at her friend. "You've um. Got some hot chocolate." She handed him a napkin along with his money and placed her own down. "My turn this time."

She nodded at his suggestion. A good example, fine tuning.

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emit_dark January 21 2011, 16:44:25 UTC

The laugh took Tim a little off guard--it was a really...pretty sound...like bells or fairies...

'Fairies, seriously?'

"Oh, thanks." He took the money and napkin gratefully, having enough sense in the moment not to use the back of his sleeve, which was instinct. He was still catching himself when it came to proper manners, even after a year of living with Bruce.

"Worriers are easy to take care of--we just have to know what we're saying; make it believable. You know him best, what would he believe without question?" That was the thing about lying, but rooting it in truth: it had the best chance of coming off as the truth.

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ablealba January 21 2011, 23:16:25 UTC

She nodded. Alba had more than enough manners thrown to her through not only her mom and grandparents growing up, but also Mr. Baron.

"Without questioning the truth or without questioning at all? Cause I think he'd probably believe something but still ask about it." Alba frowned, in thought. "He'd probably believe that I got...distracted. I think that he thinks that I'm starting to like boys. You know, like, like like? So he might be able to believe that I was distracted by that." It was a stretch, but not out of the question.

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