Sixth Night [Action, Voice]

[cowledcrusader]

 [It's been a long couple of weeks.  Between falling trees, killer butterflies, a rash of disappearances with most who returned telling the same story, there was enough to keep the Dark Knight busy behind the scenes.  But it gets better.  Green Lantern, Terra, Hellboy, and Adell had brought in Kefka of all people as a prisoner into the tunnels.  This made Batman happy beneath that cold stoic exterior, but it didn't last long.  He instantly took extra precautions for dealing with Kefka being down there and preventing another escape.  Without advanced technology like in his Batcave, he was forced to jury-rig a lot of traps.  Many of them are surprisingly effective, but not nearly as reliable as he would like.  A chief difference this time is that Batman has trapped all of the locks leading into the prison wing; anyone attempting to pick the locks will receive a nasty (but non-lethal) electric shock.  He doesn't want someone breaking Kefka out or him having an easy time leaving if he manages to find a way out.  The point is, getting to the prison cells is far more difficult now than it used to be.    These traps can be disabled, but such a thing would take time and would be reasonably difficult.

There is a sign before the traps begin though.  It simply reads:  Secure Prison Wing: No Entry Permitted Without A Justice League Escort.

The Blue Rogues might have some leeway if the issue gets brought up.  But you have been warned.

Anyway, the other part of his two weeks has been doing a lot of menial recordkeeping and research.   For many hours, his housemates will have no doubt noticed he's been working in one of the rooms he's claimed as his.  Inside this room, there are bookcases filled with various books on forensic sciences, psychology, chemistry, physics, criminal science, and many more types, as well as filing cabinets stuff with notes and records Batman has taken over his time in Luceti.  There's also a ton of scientific equipment; most of it you'd expect to find in a high school science lab.  Batman's access to higher technology has been limited, but he's been working with what he can take from the stores.  The windows are covered shut to make sure no one can see inside, and it's clear he's experimenting with ways to recreate some of his gear.  His housemates are free to enter this workroom if they so wish.  He keeps his most secret records in another location.   Yeah, he's kind of paranoid.  

His current project is still experimenting and analyzing the corpses of a few Tease he had recovered.   When night falls, Batman will go out on nightly patrol for trouble.  And to raid the store for more scientific equipment.  But before he leaves...]

[Voice, Filtered to Terra Branford 100%]

Terra.  I'd like to speak with you.

Comments

[Voice/Filtered]

[esper-flight.livejournal.com]

Alright. Where and when?

[Voice/Filtered]

[cowledcrusader.livejournal.com]

As soon as possible. Behind the barracks. I'll be over there shortly.

[Voice (Filtered)/Action]

[esper-flight.livejournal.com]

I'll see you then.

[And she makes her way over, glancing around for him.]

[Action]

[cowledcrusader.livejournal.com]

[And he drops down from the roof, far enough away from her as not to spook her too much. Hopefully, she should be used to this by now.]

...I heard you fought very hard to apprehend Kefka.

[Action]

[esper-flight.livejournal.com]

[She expects it, by this point. At that, she nods.]

It wasn't easy to only apprehend Kefka. I almost thought we couldn't.

[Action]

[cowledcrusader.livejournal.com]

The Green Lantern gave me a report about what happened. Seems you handled yourself very well against him. It's better you left him alive so he could face justice.

...And I intend to see it served. I need to know of any non-magical abilities he may have. Skills, tricks, anything you know. He must not escape custody.

[orchidsandfire.livejournal.com]

[Guess who just barges into his room and sits on a random chair? Batman's probably deduced by now that that level of familiarity just wasn't there at the point when she was exiled from Themyscira.]

What are you up to now?

[cowledcrusader.livejournal.com]

[Batman raises an eyebrow at this, but doesn't immediately protest. That level of familiarity was slowly making itself more obvious over time. So he'll just roll with it and then look back into his microscope. He's studying that Tease corpse.]

Still analyzing one of those butterflies you brought back.

[orchidsandfire.livejournal.com]

Still? [She stands up and peers over his shoulder. It just looks like a torn-apart butterfly to her.] Have you found out anything useful?

[cowledcrusader.livejournal.com]

...It was never alive to begin with. Its wings and exoskeleton aren't like anything I've ever seen before. Can't be sure of its composition. This equipment doesn't have sufficient magnification for me to know for sure.

[He switches off the light on the microscope and frowns slightly.]

These were definitely created by someone. I'm not ready to rule magic out.

[The word "magic" carries a tone of disgust with it, in a way. Zatanna's magic was one thing, but true sorcery to create abominations like this? Really left a sense of frustration. Damn near everything here was magical somehow.]

[orchidsandfire.livejournal.com]

It wasn't alive? ...So is it some sort of robot? [It certainly seemed alive when it tried to bite her.] Perhaps the butterfly is just an alien form we aren't familiar with.

[Also, she frowns at his tone when he brings up magic. While she's had some unpleasant experiences with it, she's lived with it her whole life. Heck, she was created by magic. But she does understand his frustration.]

Action

[wings-thatwait.livejournal.com]

[Action]

[cowledcrusader.livejournal.com]

[And guess who's happening by on his way back to guard duty in the prison? He can see that look, Winry.]

There's a reason for it. Trust me.

[Action]

[crytearsofjoy.livejournal.com]

Does that mean I need to ask to come down here when ever I need to see what I'm making these for? I might need to check a few times during the creation of the prototype.

[Action]

[cowledcrusader.livejournal.com]

It's a security precaution. ...We have someone very dangerous in the cells right now.

[And therefore, we don't want people at risk. Either of harm by him, or for breaking him out. Hopefully Winry will pick up on that.]

Come with me. I'll show you the way.

[Action]

[crytearsofjoy.livejournal.com]

Oh? I'll stay alert then.

[ action ]

[sniperkingftw.livejournal.com]

[ Usopp happens to have recently acquired management of the items shop in a hostile takeover, Batman, which means he'll be doing his thing when that store raid is happening. Which mostly consists of looking at really interesting stuff as it arrives and sorting it away somewhere. ...if he doesn't take it home to look at later >>

There are also labels on the majority of things he and Brook could actually recognize. Very easy to ignore. ]

[Action]

[cowledcrusader.livejournal.com]

[He's merely going to glance at Usopp doing his thing, but then he's just continues looking around the store for things he wants. He'll be quickly scanning through the science gear. He won't bother him, but he's free to notice this looming, scary costumed guy looking at his sorted stuff. But he doesn't seem to be disturbing much.]

[Action]

[sniperkingftw.livejournal.com]

[ Oh jesus that guy is scary. Not that there aren't a million and a half scary guys around here, but this one is like right here.

And. The ear-things. What. ... okay fine, he'll approach but only because the store hasn't been burned down yet. ]

Ah- do you need help finding something? [ If he ever said 'sir,' it would so be in there. ]

[Action]

[cowledcrusader.livejournal.com]

No.

[Blunt and to the point. He's not really sounding aggressive, but rather firm instead. Though he does sense Usopp's fear. Which he sort of disregards. He's not really out to freak him out, and he's not doing anything especially scary as far as he's concerned. But it's here he picks up some piece of lab equipment and studies it.]

[Action]

[oracleofdeath.livejournal.com]

[This is going to be taking place maybe a few hours after Erim got attacked by River, just tagging her for our own ease.

But since Erim couldn't find someone better able to handle a certain unstable female who had attacked at least two people, there's only one option left, taking her to the tunnels and getting her into one of those cells. Of course the death goddess doesn't exactly know the process for dealing with that and really hates the tunnels.

So there is a woman carrying an unconscious woman down into the tunnels and trying to figure out who to release this girl who might be potentially dangerous too.

Of course, Batman may also have an interest in the woman bringing her down, since she was the one who left the note to Green Lantern about Kefka some time ago.]

[Action]

[cowledcrusader.livejournal.com]

[...Someone had entered his domain. This sight was curious, but it was clear she was heading toward the prison wing. In a rather large hurry. Either way, Batman will intercept her before arriving at the traps, skulking in the shadows like a creeper until she walks by. He figures the unconscious woman in her arms is the key to everything, but he's going to ask a question to Erim from the shadows, not revealing his location just yet.]

...Do you have business down here?

[Action]

[oracleofdeath.livejournal.com]

Are you in charge of the jail then? This woman attacked at least two people and appears to be mentally disturbed.

[A voice from the shadows bothering her? Nah, she may not have all her powers, but she can tell the direction the voice is coming from at least and is looking in that direction.]

[Action]

[cowledcrusader.livejournal.com]

[Oh, look. Someone who isn't so easily spooked. Good. No point in drawing this out. He'll step some out of the darkness so he can be properly seen.]

Do you have any knowledge of her mental condition?

[Beyond being disturbed. ...He has a feeling he knows the answer, but he has to ask. Any information helps.]

[Action]

[oracleofdeath.livejournal.com]

[She also wants this over with as quickly as possible. The tunnels and non-humans don't mix well.]

What little she said to me made no sense. She did not appear to hear anything others said to her and was only wishing to cause violence until I put her into a magical sleep.