The day Bruce Wayne knocks on her apartment door Sam knows it's going to be a doozy.
"Mr. Wayne, I really do hope no one saw you," she says, ushering him in. "And for the record, a text ahead of time would be appreciated."
"I parked the car a few streets away," Bruce says, sticking a finger in his heel to peel his polished leather shoes off. Sam raises an eyebrow. "It's a sedan, not a Lamborghini."
"You own a sedan?"
"Taught Dick to drive in it...after he crashed the Lamborghini."
Sam snorts despite herself. The charm Bruce Wayne exhibits would usually rub her the wrong way, too reminiscent of wealthy men that feel comfortable placing a hand on the small of your back at a crowded gala, but Bruce is honest enough about his playacting that she has come to find its insincerity comforting. She's actually sought him out more than once, leading to several annoying headlines that can't seem to decide if she's aiming to date him or one of his eligible sons. None of whom are eligible by the way, as they are a) taken, b) legally dead, c) practically a minor, and d) an actual minor.
Sam's generational wealth is peanuts compared to Wayne Industries, so naturally her parents have been thrilled and rooting for option c.
"I also didn't want Danny to see I'd texted you. Or force you to lie to him."
Sam doesn't quite tense, but it's a near thing. She does slide to the other side of her kitchen island, under the context of finishing prepping her feta fried eggs, laid on a bed of smashed avocado and warm tortilla. She pulls a bottle of crunchy garlic oil out of the fridge and drizzles hot red crisps across the runny yolk. She takes a bite, chewing thoughtfully, not so much as offering him a glass of water.
"You realize, Mr. Wayne, I have no intention of lying to Danny now?"
Bruce sits at the stool on the opposite side of the island. "I understand. And if you want to ask Danny to return home before we continue, I'd understand that as well. I didn't mean to discomfit you--"
"Please do not lie to me now, Mr. Wayne," Sam says, rolling her eyes. "By your own admission you showed up at noon without warning knowing my superhero boyfriend wouldn't be present. If I am discomfited, all the more likely you get your information, right?" Golden yolk runs down her fingers, and she sacrifices it to the napkin rather than lick up her arm in front of her boss, with no small amount of resentment. The yolk is the best part.
"Get to it then," she demands.
Bruce straightens in his stool, chin raising and firming in a jawline she most often sees under a cowl. His eyes attempt to pin her in place, but Sam has stared the Master of Time in the face and demand he reschedule so she is built. different. She takes another bite of egg taco.
"I was not aiming for you to feel threatened, and moreover, I doubt you could be."
Except a smart person should always feel threatened by a threat, no matter their capability of handling one. It keeps them alive.
"Can you tell me how I'm not like all the other girls after lunch? You'll spoil my appetite."
Bruce clears his throat. "I'll get to the point--"
"Thank you."
"--Danny has been exhibiting paranormal behaviors beyond his baseline. We welcome all biologies; human, alien, and paranormal alike, but I have observed actions unlike what he had previously established as his, for lack of a better word, 'normal'
"I want to make sure he is not experiencing any unwelcome outside influence. Or, if this is merely a facet of his evolution, I'd like to know if this is something we or his family should be monitoring."
Sam has been an eco-consultant with Wayne Industries and unofficially, the Batfamily, for half a year now and this is the most she's ever heard the man speak in one sitting.
"Wow," she says. "How long have you been rehearsing that one?"
"A while." Bruce grunts, voice finally taking that final drop into Batman's gravelly rasp. "I see you're not surprised by any of this."
"No, not really," Sam says. She pours him a tall glass of lemon water from the pitcher, freshly sliced that morning, and he takes a polite sip.
"So what can you tell me?"
"Probably a lot. And Danny would probably prefer that I do, knowing him, the big baby," Sam sighs. "Listen Mr. Wayne, I can appreciate that you came here from a place of caution rather than intrusion. And if Danny was undergoing something negative or from an 'unwelcome outside influence' that would be the right call, and I, albeit begrudgingly, encourage you to do so in the future."
"But he's not."
"He's not," Sam confirms. "And in fact, I think he could really use someone to talk to about it. Outside of his family."
"I see..." Bruce says, shifting.
"If you want to tag team this one with one of the higher EQ players, such as Superman, I give you permission." Sam does not think she's imagining that slight sag of relief.
"Thank you," Bruce says, sliding off the stool. "I don't suppose you have material we could consult...?"
"Actually yes, I happen to have a pamphlet right here. 'So your ghostly body is changing, and how.'"
(NEWS ANCHOR VOICE): THIS JUST IN! LOCAL MAN LEFT IN TEARS AFTER LOOSING TO A BABY! Definately cried to his wife about it!!
Apparently when I was a baby I would fight my dad for his glasses of beer. AND WIN. what are you gonna do? use force on a baby with baby grippers and her fathers attitude? No!!!! you're gonna loose and cry over it and shes going to be cackling like a tiny witch probably
He'd definately have a baby sling.
papatello was originally @desceros and @gbao3 brainchild! I think!?
i'm trying to find the motivation to do things, but man it's been hard. i think i just overwhelmed myself again which is why i haven't been answering things here. i just have too much to do and it's stressing me out. don't worry, i'm not dropping any threads or anything, i'm just taking my time to do them. please be patient with me. i'll definitely get things answered at least by wednesday if i'm still overwhelmed with everything the next couple of days.
"Pilvi?" he asks to the pitch black room. He keeps having the same nightmare. It seems this time will be no different.
"Have we- truly, have we-"
He can't even finish the sentence as he chokes on his words, his body meeting the floor with an audible crash. It knocks his breath out of him.
"Take anything," he sobs. "Anything. My Mist. My heart. My voice. Anything! Just don't let me fail you. Please, Pilvi. Whatever you need to fix it."
Typically, the dream ends here.
Not this time.
"Sydän borrowed your body for a while," he explains. "You can have mine if you need it, if yours needs to rest. Just take it. I don't mind. It's not the best but you can hav- have it. Or- or I can - I can- I don't know! I don't know but I'll figure it out. I will."
His throat burns as his lungs fill with fire just like they always tend to when he's stuck in this place.
He can't bring himself to care.
"I'm s- sorry I was so late- Sixteen- sixteen years," he gasps. "I'm sorry Pilvi."
Blue light floods his vision. It engulfs everything, pours from his mouth and grows brighter with every gasp for air.
He barely notices waking up.
Instead, he lays there screaming his bind's name over and over, becoming little more than an untuned symphony of agony that plays out of time, desperately clawing into his own soul for answers on what to do and how to help.
He'd do anything just to fix a single crack. Anything at all.
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ Running won't get him to move fast enough. There were fumbled apologies to the man who had been holding him in his arms the jade eyes shot open unexpectedly and he was scrambling to get out of bed as quickly as he was able. He doesn't know how anyone else does hear it... but as he finds himself racing through the halls of the Comodeen it seems that they do.
Cid is already up and moving through the halls. Valo and Aamunkoitto have stumbled into the halls in a half daze and Revon was hot on his heels as he flew through this maze of corridors as quickly as he was able within an enclosed setting. It was nothing but pure terror and
"Pilvi
Pilvi
Pilvi
Pilvi
PILVI!"
Over and over which left most of the Comodeen members that were up confused and the others looking to him to be the one to address it. It wasn't that they weren't willing, it was they weren't the one being called for.
He never even took the time to change out of his night gown.
The door to the musician's room slides open and a slender hand runs over the surface of the wall until he finds the switch and lets his fingers rest over it.
"Close your eyes." He says in a soft but firm tone with a pause. "I'm going to turn on the light."
It's enough warning to give a thirty second pause before the switch is flipped and light fills the room so that blue eyes can take in the sight of a figure standing in a white nightgown with worry filled jade.
Firm but slow steps make their way across the room until he can set on the edge of the mattress, slowly taking each other the elder's wrists into his hands until he can get them to release the fabric within them so he can slip their palms together.
"I'm right here, Sielu. I'm right here. Did you have a bad dream?"
His voice is gentle as he speaks, releasing one hand only to raise his own so he can gently brush the stray strands of cyan from the other's face. Thin lips spread out into a smile.
"It was just a dream, minun Aquani. I'm right here. Do you want to tell me about it? Do you want me to stay here? Can I get you anything? You were screaming pretty loud. Can I get you some water? I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself. You just started to be able to sing again."
My hands, unfaithful, did not protect me
My voice, transparent, when I need it to scream
What really happened during those nights?
I could not move so I just turned off inside
When did this all start?
When did I fall apart?
When did this all start?
When did I fall apart?
- Switchblade Symphony: Fear
The Michael Reynolds Horror Land Michael Orchestra A Fear Symphony Invitation Card is pretty interesting since this might be Michael Reynolds first business before making both movies and Illbleed.
I also love the green and black invitation card.
2:27-2:35
Apparently this is a Sega DreamEye Camera accessory but when I was little I didn't know what this was because I didn't grow up or knew what a Dreamcast was until the internet got advanced with Youtube.
From the same video.
Images and video not mine but links are there.
3:05-3:25
Let's Play ILLBLEED Part 33B - True Ending - YouTube
What a Sega DreamEye is.
It's like a advanced Gameboy camera.
Video not mine but link is there.
Classic Game Room - SEGA DREAMEYE & VISUAL PARK review for Dreamcast - YouTube