cowledcrusader: (Normal)
cowledcrusader ([personal profile] cowledcrusader) wrote2010-06-02 01:14 pm

Sixth Night [Action, Voice]

 [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.

[Voice/Filtered]

[identity profile] esper-flight.livejournal.com 2010-06-02 05:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Alright. Where and when?

[Voice/Filtered]

[identity profile] cowledcrusader.livejournal.com 2010-06-02 05:24 pm (UTC)(link)
As soon as possible. Behind the barracks. I'll be over there shortly.

[identity profile] orchidsandfire.livejournal.com 2010-06-02 06:57 pm (UTC)(link)
[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?

[Voice (Filtered)/Action]

[identity profile] esper-flight.livejournal.com 2010-06-02 07:38 pm (UTC)(link)
I'll see you then.

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

Action

[identity profile] wings-thatwait.livejournal.com 2010-06-02 07:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Edited 2010-06-02 19:39 (UTC)

[ action ]

[identity profile] sniperkingftw.livejournal.com 2010-06-02 11:01 pm (UTC)(link)
[ 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]

[identity profile] cowledcrusader.livejournal.com 2010-06-03 12:12 am (UTC)(link)
[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.

[identity profile] cowledcrusader.livejournal.com 2010-06-03 12:45 am (UTC)(link)
[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.

[Action]

[identity profile] cowledcrusader.livejournal.com 2010-06-03 12:47 am (UTC)(link)
[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.

[identity profile] orchidsandfire.livejournal.com 2010-06-03 12:53 am (UTC)(link)
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?

[Action]

[identity profile] cowledcrusader.livejournal.com 2010-06-03 12:53 am (UTC)(link)
[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.]

[identity profile] cowledcrusader.livejournal.com 2010-06-03 12:59 am (UTC)(link)
...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.]

[identity profile] orchidsandfire.livejournal.com 2010-06-03 01:06 am (UTC)(link)
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.]

[identity profile] cowledcrusader.livejournal.com 2010-06-03 01:33 am (UTC)(link)
[Not that he really knows about how she was created with magic. Yet, anyway. But he shakes his head.]

No, there are no electronics in it at all. It appears to just be animated, and programmed with a single desire to consume living matter. Humans seem to be its preference.

But the perplexing thing is there appears to be no living matter in it at all. Look.

[He turns the microscope back on and slides out of the way so she can see. When she looks at it, she'll see... whatever Tease are made out of. But even that doesn't look like it was ever alive to begin with.]

[identity profile] orchidsandfire.livejournal.com 2010-06-03 01:40 am (UTC)(link)
[She looks into the microscope. Whatever she sees disturbs her. It was unnatural. And wrong.]

Why would someone desire to do something like this?

[Action]

[identity profile] sniperkingftw.livejournal.com 2010-06-03 01:41 am (UTC)(link)
[ 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. ]

[identity profile] cowledcrusader.livejournal.com 2010-06-03 04:12 am (UTC)(link)
They don't appear to gather any sort of resources. They're simply made to kill. So someone would likely use these for assassination. Or to send a message to someone.

[Action]

[identity profile] cowledcrusader.livejournal.com 2010-06-03 04:14 am (UTC)(link)
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.]

[identity profile] orchidsandfire.livejournal.com 2010-06-03 04:54 am (UTC)(link)
[Why don't they just write a letter like normal people.D:]

It seems this place isn't as peaceful as I had thought.

[identity profile] cowledcrusader.livejournal.com 2010-06-03 05:05 am (UTC)(link)
Unfortunately, it isn't. There are several individuals here just looking for trouble.

They'll find it with us. Kefka already has, though that was a team effort between John and a handful of others.

[identity profile] orchidsandfire.livejournal.com 2010-06-03 05:19 am (UTC)(link)
[Yes. She always misses the good fights. Wait till she hears that the boys got drafted while she'll have to remain here and be a good housewife and wait for them to come home.]

Speaking of Kefka, do you need help with him?

[identity profile] cowledcrusader.livejournal.com 2010-06-03 06:03 am (UTC)(link)
If he proves uncooperative. But there's not much I hope to learn from him. He's nearly as delusional as the Joker. And I'm working on security countermeasures in the event of his escape. Or someone trying to break him out.

[identity profile] orchidsandfire.livejournal.com 2010-06-03 06:07 am (UTC)(link)
I could take a few security shifts if you want.

[identity profile] cowledcrusader.livejournal.com 2010-06-03 06:33 am (UTC)(link)
[...Normally he would say no, that he could handle it. But he had a lot of other things to do.]

...That would be helpful. I'll show you how to deal with the security I put into place tomorrow.

[identity profile] orchidsandfire.livejournal.com 2010-06-03 06:38 am (UTC)(link)
[Well, color her a little shocked at his accepting her offer.]

All right. [She glances at all the things in his workroom.] You've been keeping yourself busy.

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