The Batman of...New Mexico

[batdamned]

WHO: Damian!Batman (batdamned) and YOU
WHAT: An open log
WHERE: The rooftops and dark streets of Truth or Consequences
WHEN: Monday night
WARNINGS: Potential violence, Damian being an ass
SUMMARY: What does Damian do on the night of the Fourth of July? Spoilers: the same thing he does every night.

Comments

[ascending_angel]

While Warren did spend a greater chunk of the day partying and enjoying his day off of work, he still had a responsibility to watch over ToC and drop off any drunks or belligerents that may have gotten out of hand. It was often that they even did, but were still usually the biggest problems ToC seen for the most part.

It was just a small, boring town.

But small also meant that he tended to run into other people a lot, and with enhanced sense of sight, it was very easy to spot a figure hunched down on a roof nearby. On instinct alone, he couldn't help but want to land to check him or her out---just to be on the safe side.

"Hot night, hm?"

[batdamned]

Damian kept his back turned to the new arrival, his eyes narrowed. This was the last thing he needed tonight: social interaction. If Stephanie was here, she'd be friendly and outgoing and all the things he absolutely refused to be.

After deciding that ignoring him and hoping he would go away wasn't going to work, Batman responded with a disinterested grunt. "Hadn't noticed."

[ascending_angel]

"Says the guy sitting up here all in black from head to toe like some sort of grimdark Adam West wannabe. Look. I don't know if you're up here trying to scare the shit out of someone minding their own or if you're one of the lonely brooding types, but there's no need for trouble."

Said only because, well, Warren wasn't really sure if anyone even knew who this guy was. He'd certainly never seen the guy before and he knew just about everyone here--namely the ones who patrolled. It'd basically been all X-Men here doing that up until now, after all.

"Who are you?"

[batdamned]

His first thought was Who the devil is Adam West?, but that was not the time for what he expected would be some ridiculous pop culture thing that went over his head like all the others. He turned, looking over his shoulder, staring at the winged man through the blank, white lenses of his mask.

"Batman."

Try to take over the world?

[battroll]

Just because the town was small didn't make it any cleaner than any other place. Sure, it might not have been the hotbed of crime and villainous scum that Gotham was, but there were still parts of this town that would best be excised, and Jason was just the guy to do it. Lord knows he couldn't expect any of the other heroes to stop the people that were smart enough to not rob little old ladies in the street

[batdamned]

Damian's interest was piqued when he noticed something else moving through the shadows of the town, and once he noticed that distinctive red helmet, he knew there was something finally deserving of his attention tonight. Exactly what Todd was up to was a mystery, but it didn't really matter. Anything his self-proclaimed brother could be up to wasn't good, and even if he promised Stephanie he wouldn't go after him...well, he didn't say anything about happening to investigate something suspicious that may or may not involved Jason, right?

He leaped silently from the roof, moving behind Todd, following behind him far enough to hopefully avoid detection.

[battroll]

There were too many unknowns in this new setting, more than he'd care to admit, and at the top of that list right now were the two new bats here. They obviously weren't green, of course, and he might have known about them in a year or two, but Jason hadn't encountered them, and if they were already claiming to be Batman and Batwoman, then they had to have some skills.

Which was why Jason had adopted one simple strategy that everybody from criminals to even heroes and civilians seemed to ignore or forget. Always assume that one of the bats is watching you.

He hadn't detected Damian yet. Damian would definitely have known if that was the case, but even still, Red Hood's movements weren't those of an ordinary person strolling through the night. He was moving away from the fireworks, sticking to back alleys and roads with minimal lighting until he effectively was hidden in shadow.

[batdamned]

With no decent rooftops to leap from to get the high ground and a better view on his quarry, Damian was left using his eyes and tracking skills to keep up with Jason. The Red Hood had the advantage of being trained by the best, but from Damian's perspective he had more teachers, which always beat out just learning from Bruce.

Not that he would tell his father this at any point in time if he could help it.

Damian followed, his hand gripping a batarang on his belt cautiously, just in case Jason noticed him and decided he wanted to start something. Not that he would object. He'd relish having an excuse.

[yousonofabat]

"You look ridiculous. Get down from there."

It turned out that building height made a huge impact on loom factor. The kind of watchful eye and rooftop vigilance that was commonplace in Gotham honestly looked pretty stupid when transplanted to a tiny New Mexico town. Not only did they stick out like a sore thumb in their uniforms, they looked kind of stupid.

Steph was all about adapting and rolling with the punches. She had fought crime in an outfit pieced together from her closet before, and if she had to do it again she would. Instead of looking imposing, Damian looked a lot like an oversized and very cranky cat stuck up on the roof.

"Seriously, you have no idea how dumb you look."

[batdamned]

"It's still a better vantage point than the street," Damian replied with the kind of tone that came from a child trying to defend doing something particularly ridiculous, the kind where the logic made sense to them and no one else.

...Still, he did feel just a little bit ridiculous. He peered down at Stephanie.

Okay, a lot ridiculous. Not that he'd admit it it without a fight.

"...Though I suppose I can defer to your expert opinion on what is dumb just this once." He hopped down from the roof. cape slowing his fall and adding to the over-dramatics of the situation.

[yousonofabat]

"Oh no, I might not get an eagle-eye view of the rampaging children with sparklers. What will I do? I will not be able to bust this crime, woe is me!" She squared her hands on her hips, completely unimpressed with him. She might have been an average-sized white girl in shorts and a t-shirt, but she got bossed and frowned upon by nobat.

"If you make a kid cry, I'm punching you. Fair warning."

[batdamned]

"I will do no such thing, so no need to bruise your knuckles for nothing tonight." He looked her over, not bothering to hide it. If he was capable of being more self-conscious, he would feel even sillier dressed in full costume and talking to her casually - at least as casual as he got while on duty - while she was dressed like a civilian.

"And where were you at, one of the many jingoistic backyard barbecues that the entire town is preoccupied with?"