oo9; before all else, be armed. // VOICE

[fivestepsahead]

[ There's an odd echoing quality to Bruce's voice when he speaks, but it's almost unnoticeable. ]

That almost seems like a vacation.

I'll take it that most ports aren't so benign.

[ A pause. ]

I'm still rather new. What are some of the most interesting ports that you all remember?

Comments

[Private]

[terminates]

Found a cave, did you?

[ Joking? Maaaaaaybe. (Or not.) ]

[Private]

[fivestepsahead]

[ LMAO SLADE ]

Maybe.

What about you?

[Private]

[terminates]

[ Hey, it's not like he thinks it's a bad idea. ]

A tree.

[ Or several. Wrestled a shapeshifter gone jaguar too, but that's neither here nor there. ]

[Private]

[fivestepsahead]

[ ... God Slade, your life. ]

I didn't think you to be the treehouse type.

private video;

[batmanschmatman]

[gdi, yes he really does. Dick... doesn't know what to say to that for a very long time.

And he may seriously be debating taking Costigan's advice and just punching you in the face, because srsly this is ridiculous.

Finally, a few hours later, you get a video. Dick doesn't exactly look happy, but he's definitely not mad either, just sort of... worn out and frustrated.]

Bruce, I get what you're trying to do, I do, but I don't want to be Batman. Do you even understand what it means that I am Batman in the future? I like the life I have right now. I built it and it's important to me, but I gave that all up in a heartbeat so that everything you built wouldn't fall apart when you were gone. While we all thought you were dead

private text; strikes visible if dick really tries

[fivestepsahead]

[ And it hurts him to know how much he had wounded Dick by saying what he did- and after he video finishes playing Bruce closes his eyes and plays it again and forces himself to listen. To understand everything and to not let his own anger and defensiveness and hurt destroy what remains of their relationship.

(There's a part of him that wants to laugh and go home and shake something and punch out the criminals of Gotham because- because someone had once said to him that he destroys everything he has ever loved with his own hand. By being close to them.

This just proves it.)

Goddamnit. He types this time. ]

I don't

I don't know how to be anything but Batman. [ And he doesn't know what else to write but he has to try. Dick deserves better than a cryptic one-liner. ]

I didn't think you'd enjoy it but I think I failed you if you have to I've never wanted you to be Batman.

You're too good for it.

It's not something that's worth passing on because it's I always thought that Batman's war will end with me. It should have. I never

private voice; dick always tries :|

[batmanschmatman]

[So, out of habit probably more then anything else, Dick does actually try to read the strikes. And he's... extremely conflicted

private; voice; i like how we cycled through all three communication methods

[fivestepsahead]

[ He knows he probably should have placed the security tighter, but he thinks that he's a coward, if he does. No take-backs, right? Might as well start living up to his own rule.

He's been a hypocrite for far too much, and it's funny, given how he has to not be one in order to be Batman at all. ]

I'm fine.

[ LOL LIES. ]

[notarrowette]

[Oh Bruce. Cissie is still pissed at you, because you hurt her friends and were a thoughtless ass. But she figures you won't care, so this is public and oh so dry.]

There was the one where the wardens were locked up and tortured by ghosts, and there was the world overrun by zombies. I'd call those interesting.

[fivestepsahead]

... Only the wardens? What happened to the inmates?

[ He... actually has no idea that she's pissed. ]

[notarrowette]

They had to get through the haunted house on their own, find our items and rescue us.

[Yeah, that's... not surprising. But Bruce, when the way you handle your sons makes her think of her mother, that's not a good sign.]

[fivestepsahead]

... Ah. They have to do it on their own volition, or is there something to motivate them other than the wardens' safety?

[ ....... sob. ]

[you_run_i_chase]

Nope. You missed the one where we were locked in an actual haunted house. That one was a real fucking hoot.

[fivestepsahead]

Was that the one that happened during Halloween?

[you_run_i_chase]

Nope. Halloween this year we turned into our costumes. Last year the fucking demons from Hellraiser showed up. This shit was in August.

[fivestepsahead]

... Hah. What were the dates?

[Private]

[peektuttut]

Masterworld. Kissing Town. The haunted insane asylum. [Which involved being overdosed with cardiazol and ghosts trying to convince him that Batman was fake and Bruce beat the crap out of him. Guess which he won't want to talk about. :|]

The beach was the most mild I've been through.

[Private]

[fivestepsahead]

... Masterworld and Kissing Town?

[ Drollllll. And yes, he's not asking about the haunted insane asylum. It sounds like Arkham. Don't ask about Arkham. ]

[Private]

[peektuttut]

The Master was a Time Lord. An inmate. He was aboard for a while. He managed to escape, somehow - I think the tech was destroyed. But the Admiral sent us after him. The whole barge crashed on this planet he'd taken over. Three years passed for him - and Iago, and Judas, who he took with him - in about a day, here. A lot of people were thrown overboard in the crash. They were integrated into the world. It was ugly, for a while.

[Siiiiigh] Kissing Town was just...awkward. People sold love potions that actually worked, and engagement rings that would pop the question for you. [Irene Addler kissed him. :|] It was my first port.

[Private]

[fivestepsahead]

What happened to the Master?

[ Pauuuuse- ]

That wouldn't have happened during Valentine's Day, would it?