The Tenth Night [Action]

[cowledcrusader]

 [To the surprise of no one, Batman has been hard at work in his room with a series of chemicals and scientific equipment.  Next to him are several pieces of equipment, but prominently are the little spheres he usually stores smoke in.   He appears to be tooling with creating compounds to go into them, if you're scientifically minded and in his house.

However, Batman's left his door open.  This is probably unusual.  Housemates, you know you want to bother Bruce while he's hard at work.

Of course, Batman wouldn't be Batman if he didn't go out on patrol when night falls.  He'll be floating around his usual haunts on patrol, not really expecting to find anything wrong.  There almost never is.  But old habits die hard.  Maybe someone will catch a glimpse of the Dark Knight tonight.]

Comments

[endgames]

[Searching will all yield a small bundle of papers hidden inside the trunk of the tree. It's not an easy find - you have to climb high enough, for one, and the hole isn't large.

The papers are all exactly the same - hand-cut and stylized, with the kanji for 'explode' written on them in the middle. Despite that, touching them won't actually make them detonate. WHAT DO YOU DO.]

[cowledcrusader.livejournal.com]

[Actually, Batman can read Japanese, so... he recognizes the kanji. "Explode." Realization hits. Ninja. Batman quickly gets out of the tree and opens some distance, thinking the papers might actually be weaponized.

Of course he has no idea they won't explode. But in his line of work and experience with ninja, caution is always a watchword. He'll endeavor to stay out of sight still, but he's watching that tree for a bit.]

[endgames]

[Said ninja? Already circled back and was keeping an eye on the tree himself. He sits in another tree on the opposite end of the path, visible only if you're looking. Doesn't matter much, because confident no one else is passing through here, he doesn't mind giving away his position.]

Maah, how troublesome. Looks like I'm gonna have to find a new hiding spot.

[cowledcrusader.livejournal.com]

[Batman quickly looks over to the source of the voice, ready to fight if he has to.]

Playing messenger for someone?

[endgames]

No one to play messenger for. [No worries, Bats. He seems perfectly content to sit here. In fact, he seems to be trying to pass himself off as non-agressive as possible, keeping his hands folded behind his head and watching the sky.] Those aren't the kind of messages I like to send in the first place.

[cowledcrusader.livejournal.com]

If those papers were any indication, it'd look like you preferred to leave the more explosive message.

[endgames]

[Aha. So he knew what they were for. Impressive.]

Only when necessary. Just because they say they'll explode doesn't mean they will. Kinda like you wearing a bat on your chest doesn't mean you'll turn into one and bite me.

[He hopes not, anyways.]

[cowledcrusader.livejournal.com]

Deception and misdirection. Cornerstones in assassination. Given your use of kanji, I assume you are ninja.

1/2

[endgames]

Good guess, but no, I'm a linguist. [/deadpan]

[endgames]

[...But then more seriously:]

And I assume you're Batman. [AKA One of the very few people who communicates over the journals less than he does. He's heard about you, but he has relatively little information on you. Thus, he's intrigued.]

[cowledcrusader.livejournal.com]

[He gets a subtle nod in response.]

[endgames]

Nice to meet you face to face, I guess. Or is that something I should be worried about?

[cowledcrusader.livejournal.com]

As long as you don't disturb the peace or hurt anyone... you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

[Of course, said in his Batman tone. Not quite icy, but with just the sort of edge to show he means business.]

[endgames]

[He replies with LAZY INDIFFERENCE (TM)

Rest assured, he got the message. There's something about this man that is without a doubt intimidating, to levels he would associate with only a select few of his superior commanders. But in his line of work, that's not something you dare show. Nonetheless, it makes him glad those weren't his intentions in the first place.]

Heh. Told you I wasn't that sort of guy.

[cowledcrusader.livejournal.com]

[He doesn't reply with a verbal acknowledgement, but merely keeps looking toward Shikamaru and gives him a nod.]

Your name?

[endgames]

[It'd be easier to keep tabs on him with that, wouldn't it?]

Nara Shikamaru.