( closed )

[rowd]

WHO: sami rowd, dami brat & pals
WHEN: jan - feb
WHERE: places
WHAT: a catch-all
NOTES\WARNINGS: discussions of death, dismemberment, arson, child endangerment, and someone in here will probably start a fight at some point.

Comments

» gorgug (arson and gossip is always a good combo)

[rowd]

( he's a ways out from where most people have settled here, which isn't really something sam had actively chosen, but it's where tim stays, and he doesn't mind the walk. so when sam calls gorgug to meet up, it's on one of the bridges closer to wayne manor but not quite close enough to make out the building itself. he said he had alcohol, thus why he's carting along a rather large bottle of cheap rum under his arm that he'd found.. somewhere. doesn't matter, it's finders keepers here and sam found it first. probably. it wasn't open.

with his legs hanging over the edge of the bridge, sam raises the bottle to his mouth and takes a few drinks of it. watches a few of the colorful fish swim around in the water below him; they probably could have met up elsewhere, but they've got legs, they can always move wherever the hell they want.

the bottle gets raised in a friendly greeting when he spots gorgug approaching, and sam throws him a wicked grin, )

Welcome to my side of town.

[tinflower]

[ Gorgug misses his van. He should probably use the car that he has sitting in his garage, but it has so many nice components to it that it's a continuous work in progress (also, it looks ugly as hell--design wasn't a priority on the mission that he and his team made it, and Gorgug doesn't want to be driving around in an ugly car). But indeed, Sam and Gorgug have feet, and he makes his way to the meeting point with a bag strapped to his back, and a pair of headphones coming down the closer he gets to Sam.

Being made to walk all this way out. All he ever does is walk...!!! ]

I'm making a bike. I hate walking. [ His nose is wrinkled, statement as sulky as it should be coming from a seventeen-year-old. But it's just complaining, as he gets to a rather important point: ] Have you read the network?

[rowd]

Walking's good for you. It's cardio, or - something.

( fuck if he knows. sam usually walks everywhere though so it's not as if it's a bother for him. gorgug's grumbling does have that grin spreading a little wider, finding the sulking to be endearing. sam pulls himself up to his feet, sauntering over to gorgug to shove his hand into his hair so he can ruffle it.

annoyingly. )

You'll get over it. Do you mean the shit about the stupid idiot moving into the house that I was tortured in? 'cause I did see that.

[tinflower]

[ Does Gorgug let Sam ruffle his hair? Yes. Does it matter if Gorgug's letting him do it? Not really--Sam's gonna Sam. Gorgug makes appropriately suffering noises at the assault on his head, short and sweet, leaving his expression as much ruffled as his hair is.

He's trying to talk about serious stuff, but now he has to move his hair out of his eyes!! ]

He talks stuffy. [ Sorry, stupid idiot guy, but he read your posts. ] Do you wanna do something? Anything?

[rowd]

That house shouldn't be here.

( his voice is a little more - deep, serious than it had been. sam loses the nonchalant tone he'd been working hard to keep because this isn't something that one can just laugh away. it's been months since he'd died, and yet he still has nightmares about it. still remembers how much it hurt. being able to get back up after losing a limb doesn't make it any more pleasant; it just means he has to learn to tolerate more without falling apart. )

I still think I should burn it down.

[tinflower]

[ Gorgug nods, and the weight of Sam's voice--he doesn't miss it. Then again, he hasn't forgotten about what Sam went through, though he wasn't present: for the act, or even after it. Hasn't been present a lot, because he's been a coward in a few ways.

But he knows about death. He knows how it lingers. ]

We can make molotovs. [ His own voice loses its hesitation, its uncertainty. Still Gorgug, though. ] I've been making grenades. We can throw them, gas up the place...then light it up. Or go in and trash everything first.

[ Complete sincerity, as he watches Sam with those suggestions. ]

[rowd]

I like the way you think, kid.

( the bottle of run gets raised and offered out to gorgug. they came here to drink, right? sharing is caring. )

But we should probably go inside and trash it first - and make sure the stuffy guy gets out before we set it on fire. Y'know. Save him a death, and avoid pissing anyone off.

» bruce (s o s)

[brat]

( it's four in the morning.

the sun isn't anywhere close to up, which is kind of the point. damian prefers a nocturnal schedule, much like his father and the younger version who has been skulking about his basement for eons after the loss of a friend he hadn't even realized he had before they arrived here. damian understands.

he'd do the same. has. is likely pulling a similar move at this exact moment, given what he's up to.

damian's lurking on top of one of the skyscrapers of nova city, fussing with his gauntlet until the emergency signal he'd synced into bruce's gear sets off. he imagines it'll take him a good amount of time to rush across etraya, but that's part of the point here. as soon as his gauntlet starts flashing with bright red colors, he shuts down the screen entirely and sits down on the edge of the rooftop. casually.

if this were his bruce, this would be when damian leaps into an elaborate game of chase, leaving behind clues while intentionally thwarting bruce's progress just to ensure his father's mind keeps sharp. but this isn't the same bruce who had a ten-year-old assassin dropped onto his lap and while that wouldn't prevent damian from testing him, it does mean he can acknowledge intentionally setting off an alarm meant for emergencies then flitting off into the night would not be wise.

yet. )

[batsymbol]

( The moment that signal goes off, he's suiting up — jumping into his batmobile and peeling his way out of the "cave" and onto the streets, heading to where it indicates Damian is.

He tries to make contact with the kid but doesn't seem to get anything. Cursing under his breath, he's reminded of how he just couldn't make it in time to Alfred. How no matter how fast he drove — no matter how many times he dialed the number for home, he was too late. Couldn't reach him. Wasn't fast or strong enough to protect him. Those same horrors rush through him as he goes, weaving his way through terrain and across roads that twist and turn. Right for Nova City, heart pounding in his ears.

Pulling up to where the signal is saying it's coming from, he parks the car. Nearly throws himself out of it, cape flowing behind him, already pulling out his grapple to make the trip up the fastest way he can rather than even think of entering the building. So he fires the grapple hook — hears the way it hits and sticks to part of the building, and then he's pulling and rushing his way up, hoping he isn't too late. )

[brat]

( there are limitations, to how far one can push batman before he loses control. before his behavior becomes erratic, and his decision-making skills begin to waver. damian is well aware of just how one can push him over the edge. he remembers his death well, even if the points between that death and his resurrection is a time he would rather not dwell over. damian knows the lengths batman will go to to save those close to him. knows how much he will bend, how hard he'll push himself. perhaps they haven't known each other long: this younger, newer version of batman versus this older, more accustomed to the ways of the bat version of damian. but they hadn't known each other for long when damian had gotten skewered by his clone on his mother's orders either.

when the grapple hits the corner of the building, his head tips over to look toward it, but doesn't do anything about it. batman approaches, and robin remains perched on the edge of the building, cloak thrown fully behind him to leave his uniform on display: there are no new tears, no signs of damage, nothing to show he isn't okay.

nor does he acknowledge the panicked way batman had exited his car, the swift speed at which he was trying to get to damian without even checking the facility below them. this would generally be where damian throws in a comment about how ill-advised his quick approach was, but instead damian settles for an easy, almost questioning, )

Father.

( welcome to his rooftop, where he was not waiting for bruce to come find him. )

[batsymbol]

( It’s honestly rude of him to do this to his younger father, but. Here they are. Here Bruce is making his way over to Damian there dressed in his gear… only to find the boy unharmed and clearly not in any sort of peril.

The look on his face — the way steps remain heavy despite slowing as he comes closer… confusion mixed with disbelief and a little bit of something else. A scowl. That’s it. )

I thought you were in danger.

[brat]

( it is rude. terribly so. not that damian has ever been put off by being rude, but he's generally careful not to clog up emergency lines unless it is for an emergency. but this time is different.

not just because his father has been sulking about within his cave. not just because damian feels he needs to get him outside, because he can't keep brooding. it's more complex than that.

in ways he isn't getting into, especially when he's looking over to batman, then down to his gauntlet, switching the screen on and fussing with it until the sos alarm turns off. )

Ah. My apologies. It must have been a mistake.

[batsymbol]

( The frustration bubbles there in him — does his best to reel in his temper he can feel rising in him, but it's written all over his face how annoyed he is by this little stunt of his. It's even there in his voice when he speaks. )

That alarm isn't a toy, Damian. If you need me, there's other ways to go about it.

» hernan ( 🔪 )

[brat]

( nova city has become one of damian's more frequently visited locations. the skyscrapers, whilst empty, still provide the thrill of bounding from one building to the next, of watching windows soar past him on his quick descents down until the grapple line goes taut and catches him.

which is why he'd noticed the tower as it was being built and has witnessed hernan frequenting it since its arrival. the kryptonite he'd gotten from aurora is meant for emergency purposes only, but ensuring hernan is aware he is not infallible. that there are those here who can harm him. and damian is one of them.

it's easy enough to sneak into the room that appears to be hernan's bedroom. or at least, it's where he's fallen asleep. damian doesn't breathe as he takes a step inside and he's careful to slow his heartbeat down as much as physically possible while moving to try and keep himself - quiet. utterly silent. impossible to detect in the dark corners for most people, but he knows this man is different.

damian would put him as overly cocky, too, if he does manage to get close to him without disturbing his slumber. his hands are empty, but one remains close to a led-lined sheath on his utility belt, just in case he does disturb the man before he gets close enough. )

[sonofzod]

[ Hernan wastes no time making himself at home the minute the Tower became a semi-fully functional building. It's a little obnoxious on Etraya's skyline, jutting up into the sky like so much a concrete monolith. But it was home. Even if the security system wasn't at 100%, even if the ship is a ticking time bomb in the Tower's middle. It was the little details that made this a better place to settle than that plain space he'd lived in since arriving. He didn't really mind that the bots had even built the spot designated for protestors.

The wet bar is in tact with all of his vintage ports and spirits from his travels around Earth. The communication system is...well it was useless. Waller never answers a single call and neither does Bekka (Hernan refuses to reach out to Luthor, even if it would ultimately fail. Call him stubborn).

His bedroom is in tact as well, including all of his little personal effects. Letters to his family he never sent and a few replies from Valentina for the ones he did. Souvenirs and tokens from his travels. A rare article that hailed him a hero, noticeably NOT written by Lois Lane. It's too easy to feel at home again among all these useless little trinkets, like he'd never been displaced in the first place. When he's had enough, he crawls into bed and settles in to sleep.

Damian's entrance goes unnoticed for the most part, chalked up to the quiet creak of the Tower simply existing. It is the quiet footfalls that alert Hernan. No, there is something incredibly off here.

But he does not stir. Not right away.

Oh no, this intruder is going to be in for a very nasty surprise. ]

[brat]

( he's here for something specific. arrived solely to test if something would work, and ensure this man knows that damian has it if it does; the thing that could harm him, what may or may not be the key to his undoing in case of any... unforeseen incidents.

unfortunately for them both, damian also tends to snoop, and what better time to look through one's things than when they are resting? any other time, he assumes this superman would have eyes and ears on the lookout for anything going awry in his spaces. without the distraction of an entire planet to look after, he knows the clark kent back home would be more than capable of it. but they aren't home. this isn't clark kent. and as far as damian's ears can pick up, he hasn't been able to detect a change in breathing patterns.

every few steps, he slowly drags the soles of his boots across the ground to break up the sound of his steps. he can't muffle himself completely, that would be impossible considering how well kryptonian hearing can be. or most other alien species damian is familiar with, for that matter.

hernan's body goes undisturbed, as damian instead carefully opens the drawer of his nightstand, slowly sliding it out enough to get his hands on what's inside. )

[sonofzod]

[ There isn't anything terribly interesting to find in Hernan's bedside drawer. His mother's rosary, a Saint Christopher medallion, and a few photos of Hernan as a young boy with his sister and parents. If Damian thumbs through them, he'll find one in particular featuring the entire family: Hernan as a teenage boy, standing with a considerable distance between him and the rest of his family, as if he did not want to be there. Although they smile, they seem to lack any real joy. Hernan isn't smiling at all.

There's also some government correspondence that Hernan could not be bothered to properly safeguard. Maybe he never expected anyone to get this close. Maybe he should have reconsidered when Kirk told him how close Magnus got.

Either way, he decides its time to let the little pest know Hernan is awake and though he doesn't roll over to confront him he does speak up. ]

If you're here to steal from me, I'm sorry to have to disappoint you. [ He doesn't sound sorry at all. ]

[brat]

( there may be nothing hernan/i> considers terribly interesting in his nightstand, but it tells a lot to damian/i>. the rosary and medallion show he likely comes from a family strongly connected with their catholic religion, regardless of how hernan himself feels about it. his attachment to the pieces also shows how much he values those relationships - from the pictures, damian assumes the rosary belongs to his mother. they smile, but it doesn't seem to reach their eyes - he notes the background of the images, memorizing them so he can attempt to discern where this man has come from.

the letters from the government, damian removes from the drawer entirely with intentions of sifting through them.

up until hernan speaks up, and damian immediately shifts from keeping perfectly quiet to quickly moving his legs so his knees are bent, his hand is poised over the sheath containing the kryptonite blade, and eyes are focused down on the body lying in bed. )

If I came here intending to steal from you, I wouldn't have left you asleep. ( he's not that stupid. ) You wouldn't have gotten back up any time soon to interrupt.

[sonofzod]

[ Honestly, he should have known. The footfalls were too light, the heartbeat too faint to be anyone other than the little menace who greeted him when Hernan had first come to Etraya. He rolls over in his bed, eyes landing on Damian because he needs no time to adjust to the darkness around him. Damian looks poised ready for an attack. ]

You!

[ Hernan is fast and reaches for the boy. Not entirely sure what he'll do if he gets his hands on him. He's of a mind to throw him out the window, see if Robin knew how to fly or if he could learn. He still owes Damian for stabbing him the first time around. ]

Whatever you took from that drawer, put it back.

» accelerator (🌧️ )

[brat]

( nova city had once been the go-to place for burning excess energy. the high buildings and lack of anything to concern themselves with aside from the strays and the dragon (who generally lets them know when she's displeased) means they've got all the room they need to run rampant and get out those feelings of restlessness that tend to plague them when they're burning too hot at both ends.

but damian is long past that, and even worse: nova city is no longer the oasis it had once been. with the tower's appearance here and hernan's presence therein, damian doesn't have anywhere in etraya where he feels even vaguely at ease within his own mind. it isn't hernan. it's all the what ifs, the contingencies, every little circumstance damian feels as if he needs to plan for on the off chance it feels necessary, and the uncertainty of never knowing when someone is going to disappear.

it's not even an unusual concern. this is just - normal, back home. the disappearances, the losses, the changes within their familial unit every time someone shifts gears or does something that displeased their father. or when darkseid opts to begin playing chess with their justice league. when his mother starts playing games with the mess of gothamites to see how hard she can push before something breaks.

but he's here anyway. out on one of the rooftops, balancing carefully on the balls of his feet as he uses his binoculars to keep an eye on the justice tower that's just far enough away, those inside wouldn't be able to make out the shape of damian watching them if they had an average person's line of vision.

neither of them do. but that's not the point. he wants them to know he's watching, wants them to know he's out here, waiting for the moment they mess up.

and there's accelerator. damian asked for this meeting, so his approach isn't unexpected. he tips his head back, a clear indication he's aware of his presence even if damian isn't turning to look at him. )

Have you been keeping an eye on the network as of late?

[levelshift]

[Accelerator is familiar with Nova City. He's been there a few times, made a mental map of the place, and occasionally runs through the place to look for changes. It's something to do to waste time, even though all that work hasn't served much use yet. So he knows the location Robin specifies, and after double checking the terminal in the hospital to confirm Connor is gone, and after messaging Hank.

That conversation hadn't gone well, and he doesn't expect this one to either. It's better than dwelling on this own feelings though, and Robin's a kid, someone needs to be there for him. Losing Connor, Laura, and possibly other people he was close to isn't easy, and kids are less well-equipped to deal with emotional instability than adults.

Walking all the way to Nova City, he only briefly switches to esper mode when he's nearing the location, heading up to the rooftop in a brief tornado-like burst of air. When he lands he sees Robin at the edge of the rooftop with binoculars, raising an eyebrow at the sight. Within view is some new building, he isn't sure why it's important, but this probably means it's got some kind of significance.

He switches his choker back to normal, leaning on his crutch.]

Off and on, yeah. Why?

[brat]

There's a group of numerous individuals who are familiar with each other, and keep bickering with one another.

( it's fine for there to be larger groups, but the infighting leaves damian wary of it escalating to something bigger. they only have a limited amount of space to share, and the last thing they need is for it to become someone else's wargrounds. not that he believes necessarily that quarreling always leads to fighting to that extent, but there's always the possibility.

robin lowers the binoculars, to look back at accelerator himself. )

A second. . . different version of my father arrived some time back. Along with an alternate Superman. And apparently, yet another Batman.

( damian has brought up the name batman before. told accelerator that who batman was is irrelevant. but things have changed.

they've been here almost a year, now. )

[levelshift]

[Ah, yeah, those people. He didn't recognize all of the usernames, but he knows who Robin is talking about.]

I think they're all just dramatic.

[He's spoken to a few of them, and none of them came across to him as overly dangerous. In fact, Jayce and Vander seem overly nice. Whatever is going on with the rest of them and their world is probably some dumb, complicated drama and he can't say he really cares about getting involved.

All of that is a hell of a lot less important than what Robin says next, and surprise overtakes Accelerator's expression as he walks on over to the other boy. What the hell, where does he start with all of that? He doesn't know who Batman is, only remembering that one time Robin brought him up and summarily dismissed him. Superman he's flat-out never heard of.

And a different version of his dad? His dad is here????????????

To Accelerator's credit he mostly keeps a lid on his shock, taking a moment to pick out what seems like an appropriate response. He keeps Connor and Laura being gone in mind.]

... That sounds like a lot.

[brat]

( they're all dramatic likely isn't the comfort accelerator anticipates it to be. because damian's entire family is dramatic, and he's watched them pull reckless moves over nothing numerous times. he trusts them enough not to go making a big mess when they're all trapped in a small space, but the chances of todd not exploding something within the first four months of his arrival is close to nothing.

the surprise isn't difficult to notice. the corners of his mouth twitch down into a scowl, and damian opts to just - move the conversation in an easier direction by pointing out in the direction of the facility he'd been looking at. )

The Superman and Batman have settled in that facility. Your abilities may prove to be useful against them if the need arises. I was able to confirm Kryptonite still works against Superman, but it's only effective if I'm able to catch him off guard.

[levelshift]

.......

[What a practical non-answer. Accelerator lets out a small sigh as his expression cools back to something neutral, and he looks in the direction of the facility.

This is fine. They can circle back around to a version of my father is here later, right now he can get some questions about who the hell this Superman person is. A very tidy list of topics to tackle forms in Accelerator's head since Robin is volunteering information for once; he wants to take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about some potentially dangerous people here, and information sharing would be a good way to possibly get Robin talking about the apparent bullshit currently occurring in his life.

He starts with the easy stuff.]

What's Kryptonite, and what kind of shit can this Superman guy do?