#sorry Bruce the killer bird just got stolen

[the-real-dannix]

Absolutely loving the part of the batfandom that has just decided "yeah ok. Batman can't kill. But Tim absolutely can and will. As long as he's not actively Robin at the time."

I agree 100%

[geminiwritten]

heatwave ; bucky barnes

fandom: marvel

pairing: bucky x reader

summary: you’re not a huge fan of the hot weather until a certain super soldier finally gets his arse out of bed and gives you a reason to love it

notes: i wrote this over quite a few days so i’m really sorry if its disjointed, and i’m so sorry if its repetitive of my last piece! i’m still trying to get through a bit of writer’s block, so i hope y’all enjoy!

word count: 3359

The heat seemed to wash over you in waves. Pulses of warmth rolling through your body and stealing your breath. Every inch of your skin glistened with a thin sheen of sweat, drawing all the hydration from your body and draining any energy you might have possessed if it wasn’t for the heatwave currently sweeping through New York City.

“Ugh,” you groaned, your head lulling to the side where Natasha laid, “I think I’m dying.”

She let out a breathy laugh, “You’re not dying.”

“I might be.”

“Oh, come on you two,” Sam hollered from the pool a little way across the balcony, “have some fun for once in your lives!”

Natasha propped herself up on her elbows and squinted over the top of her sunglasses, “With you idiots? No thanks.”

“Why are you always such a killjoy, Romanoff?”

“Why are you always such a pain in the ass, Wilson?” you called back, mimicking Natasha on your elbows.

He scoffed, “That’s rich coming from the whiniest member of the team.”

Your frown deepened, this time out of anger and not because of the bright glare from the sun.

“Watch it, Wilson,” a voice called out from behind you, “or she’ll come over there and kick your ass.”

Both you and Natasha whipped around to find Bucky. He had probably only just woken, his mop of hair tied up into a loose bun with escaped tendrils sticking to the hot skin of his neck and forehead. This time, it wasn’t the heat that knocked the air from your lungs.

“Nice to see you’re alive, Buck,” Steve chuckled as he waded through the pool toward where Sam was leaning against the edge.

Bucky rolled his eyes, opening his mouth to say something smart but having his breath stolen as he stepped out of the shade and into the sun. “Holy shit,” he gasped, “it’s hot.”

“Sharp observation skills, Einstein,” Natasha quipped.

“At least Barnes will get in the pool unlike you two party poopers,” Sam said, before copping a volleyball to the back of the head thanks to Bruce’s poor aim.

He spun around quickly, ball in hand and ready to hurl it back at his attacker.

“Well then,” Bucky sighed, now standing beside you, “I guess it’s time for a swim.”

He looked down at you sprawled across your towel, one arm draped over your eyes to shield from the sun and the other resting on your bare stomach. You suddenly felt exposed, nervous under the gaze of his pale blue eyes.

“Want to join me?”

Your pulse thudded in your ears, and you wanted nothing more than to get in the water with him, but the sound of shouts and spraying water reminded you of the rest of the team.

“I’m sorry, Buck, I’ll have to pass,” you replied.

He pushed his bottom lip forward, “It’s your loss, doll, this heat is a killer.”

Your limbs turned to jelly at the sound of that pet name rolling off his tongue.

“Ugh,” Natasha scoffed beside you, “you two are sickening.”

You wanted to turn around and bite back at her, but what happened next had you paralysed. Every nerve in your body ignited, goosebumps rising across every inch of your skin in spite of the steamy weather. Bucky’s fingers curled under the hem of his shirt, tugging it up and over his head to reveal his sculpted body beneath. His abs rolled and tensed as he rid himself of the material and discarded it on the ground, making your mouth water and your head spin with a thousand different unholy thoughts.

A shriek from the red headed woman beside you broke you out of your trance, and only then did you notice the spray of pool water that had washed over you and most of the balcony.

“You’re an arse, Barnes!” Natasha yelled, standing and angrily snatching up her towel.

You pushed your sunglasses further up your nose as you let your gaze settle on the giggling men in the pool. Bucky’s now wet, broad shoulders glistened under the sunlight, his alabaster skin taught across the landscape of muscle.

“Do you want some lunch or are you just going to keep staring like a creep?” Natasha asked as she stood over you.

Your gaze hardly wavered, “I’m not hungry.”

“Are you sure?” she pressed, her lips curling into a smirk, “because I think you’ve got a little bit of drool on your chin there.”

If Bucky wasn’t pulling himself out of the water right at the moment, you might have turned around to poke your tongue at her, but instead you opted for flipping her the bird while your eyes remained trained on the pool area.

The rest of the steamy day went by far too quickly. Despite your hate for the heat, you stayed out on the balcony until the sun began to set. Only when Bucky and Sam wrapped themselves in towels and declared that it was time for dinner did you finally put your book away, not that you had managed to read even a single page of it.

“Is it supposed to be this hot again tomorrow?” Sam asked as the three of you stepped inside.

“Yeah,” you replied, “and the day after.”

“I bet you’re happy about that,” he chuckled, watching disappointment sweep across your face as Bucky pulled his shirt over his head

“Shut up.”

He chuckled at your feeble attempt to jab his side, easily evading your attack.

“Alright, children,” Tony called from the kitchen, “dinner’s ready.”

Like moths to a flame, the rest of the team gathered around the kitchen bench where Natasha and Tony had laid out the pre-cut ingredients for everyone to make their own burgers.

“I’m going to have a shower before eating,” Bucky said, to no one in particular as he draped his damp towel over his forearm.

“Do you need any help?” Sam asked, his grin evil, “Because I’m sure Y/N would love-”

“Sam!” you snapped.

Thankfully, Bucky remained oblivious, his brows knit into an adorable frown.

“Never mind, Buck,” you said, “I’ll make sure they save you some food.”

His face broke into that familiar smile that melted your heart, “Thanks, doll.”

Once again, your legs wobbled like jelly and you had to steady yourself on the back of the lounge.

“Ugh,” Sam groaned, “I can’t wait until they day you two finally fu-”

“Language,” Steve interrupted with a disapproving glare at Sam.

You poked your tongue out before turning toward the array of burger ingredients, your empty stomach rumbling at the sight.

The next day rolled around just as the weather forecast had predicted. The air was thick with humidity and the sun blared down just as it had yesterday. Once again you found yourself on a towel beside the pool, half of the team splashing around while the other half laid languidly in the shade.

“Still not getting in today?” Steve asked as he approached the bar fridge near where you had placed your towel.

You shook your head, “I’d rather not get caught in the crossfire of an overly aggressive game of chicken.”

“I mean, you could play the game with us, maybe even get to climb onto Bucky’s shoulders.”

You whipped around, your glare lethal, “What the fuck, Rogers?”

He chuckled, “Sorry, Sam told me to.”

“You are the last person I would expect to stoop to his level,” you said, crossing your arms indignantly.

He shrugged, “Well, no one has told Buck, if that makes up for anything.”

“I’m guessing everyone else knows, though.”

He didn’t respond, only smiled sheepishly.

“Ugh,” you sighed.

“In my own defence, Natasha told me about your crush months ago and I haven’t let it slip once. It’s been-”

“Sam,” you interrupted him, “I know.”

He took a generous sip of water before crouching beside you, “For what it’s worth, I think you should tell him how you feel.”

“Yeah, right,” you scoffed.

Steve knew he couldn’t say anymore. He knew nothing he said would convince you to tell Bucky how you felt, and he knew he couldn’t betray his best friend’s trust by divulging the fact that Bucky really had confessed his feelings for you before. He decided to let you be, gathering three more bottles of water before heading back to the pool.

The day passed almost identically to the one before it, and so did the next. It wasn’t until two o’clock in the morning on the third night of the heatwave that you felt a sudden change. You awoke abruptly, a shiver running down your spine as cool air blew through the open window and brushed across your bare skin. You frowned at the night sky before tiredly pulling your duvet up to your chin and falling back asleep.

By morning, the heat was well and truly gone. Clouds blanketed New York City, threatening to rain as they rolled angrily across the grey sky.

“I guess it’s back to work today, Avengers,” Tony said from behind his tablet.

Almost everyone was awake, crowded around the kitchen bench awaiting Clint’s famous French toast.

“What work?” Peter asked.

“Homework for you, kid,” Steve replied, earning an indignant frown from Peter.

You couldn’t help but giggle into your mug of coffee, before almost spraying it back out at the sight that then exited the elevator.

Bucky. Shirtless. Again.

You began to wonder what you had done to be so lucky, your heart thrumming against your rib cage so hard you worried that someone might hear it.

“Oh, my, Barnes,” Tony gasped, “you know it’s still in the A.M., right?”

Bucky simply rolled his tired eyes before slumping onto the lounge, mumbling, “Hungry.”

It wasn’t long before Clint served breakfast, everyone scoffing their food as if they hadn’t eaten in days, and soon after that, Peter dismissed himself for school and Tony and Bruce made their way to the lab.

“I think I need to get back into the gym today,” Clint sighed, stretching his arms above his head.

You sighed, “Same.”

“Bucky and I were planning on heading down there in the afternoon actually, we could do a group training session,” Steve said as he filled the sink, ready to wash everyone’s dishes.

“I’m in,” Natasha replied, “I was going to head into town for some groceries this morning, so the afternoon is better for me.”

“Yeah, alright,” Clint added, “Count me in.”

“Me too,” Sam said through his last mouthful of toast, “and obviously Y/N will be there too.”

You turned to him quickly, a frown already etched between your brows, “What the hell does that mean?”

He chuckled, “Steve said that he and Bucky were planning it, so obviously you-”

You elbowed him sharply in the gut before standing from your seat at the dining table and stomping over to the kitchen.

Natasha sighed, “You better be careful, Wilson, you’re playing with fire.”

“But it’s so obvious that they both like each other, why can’t they just fuck already.”

Steve’s ears turned red and Natasha laughed, but neither of them seemed to notice as Bucky finally made his way over from the living area.

“Who needs to fuck already?” he asked, brows knit.

“No one,” Steve answered quickly, “Tony wants help moving a new delivery, I said we’d help him out. Come on.”

He ushered the confused Bucky out of the room, but not before shooting daggers at Sam.

After breakfast you decided to go with Natasha into town. The compound was running low on a few things that Tony always forgot to add to the weekly grocery delivery, so you took your time shopping and chatting. It was nice to simply enjoy the feeling of not having sweat drip from every inch of your skin, though you couldn’t help mourning the sticky weather that would encourage Bucky to constantly walk around shirtless.

It was almost four o’clock when you finally changed into your workout gear and headed for the gym. Most of the team were already in there, and those that weren’t had kindly declined the offer of a group training session.

Steve, Sam, Tony, and Bucky were gathered around the sparring mats each taking turns at attacking the training dummy, while Clint was over by the weights alone. You quickly found Wanda and Natasha on the treadmills and decided to start there.

“Afternoon,” Wanda greeted you, her smile sweet as she swiped the sweat from her brow.

You grinned back, “Fancy seeing you out of your room.”

“I don’t do heat,” she said, “but Nat has just been telling me about how much you’ve been enjoying it.”

You tossed your gym towel at her, gasping, “Oh, shut up!”

The two red heads giggled, thankfully too amused to notice the way your eyes drifted across the gym to where Bucky was training.

After almost an hour on the treadmill, chatting idly about nothing in particular with Nat and Wanda, Steve called the team to attention. Everyone moved in from around the gym, forming a misshapen circle around the sparring mats that he and Clint had just hauled from the storage room.

“It’s a bit stuffy in here,” Sam said as he plopped down on the floor and began stretching his legs out in front of him, “is the air on, Tony?”

Tony, who was chugging half a bottle of water, simply shrugged and waved haphazardly at the control panel by the main entry doors.

“I’ll check it,” you offered before turning on your heel.

You tapped the screen and it came to life, but the display wasn’t the same as the one in your room. It had more options and dials for more variables than just the temperature, but on the top right of the screen was a little green button that you assumed meant it was on. You chose the dial that looked like it controlled the fan speed and turned it all the way up.

“All good, Y/N?” Steve called.

You nodded before hurrying back to the group, bending your right leg up to your buttocks in a quick stretch. Steve and Nat then took their positions in the middle of the circle and began demonstrating the fight sequences that they wanted the team to practice.

“Now partner up, pick a mat, and practice until you can do it as fast as you can,” Steve said, before looking directly at Sam, “without hurting each other.”

Sam sighed with exasperation as he turned to his partner, Bucky. You turned to Wanda while Nat joined Clint on a mat and Tony stepped up to where Steve was. Each pair started slowly mimicking the moves that had just been demonstrated.

“It is hot in here,” Wanda said, her breath heavy as she ducked your fist.

You simply nodded, too focused on your movements to be able to speak.

Grunts, huffs, and the thud of heavy feet on the vinyl mats echoed throughout the gym for fifteen minutes before Steve called a break. You practically dove for your water bottle, only to choke on the first mouthful of water when Bucky yanked his sweat-soaked shirt over his head. Wanda caught your eye, giggling as you spluttered.

“I thought the heatwave was over,” Clint said.

Tony nodded, “It is, I think the air-con is playing up.”

“It’s broken?” Wanda gasped.

He shrugged, opening his mouth to respond but stopping when Steve spoke first, “Alright, enough chatting, let’s get back into it.”

Over the next thirty minutes, Wanda’s fist made contact with your shoulder, your abdomen, and almost your jaw if she hadn’t quickly noticed that you were too distracted to block her swing. Her foot then collided with your hip twice before she finally gave in on trying to get your attention.

Your eyes were glossed over and glued to the super soldier duelling Sam. His exposed skin glistened with sweat, muscles rippling under taught, alabaster skin. His stare was hard, eyes almost grey as they narrowed on every move that Sam made. Your palms began to sweat, knees wobbling as you watched his tongue swipe quickly across his pink lips.

“Y/N!” Wanda snapped, her fingers gripping your chin and forcing you to face her, “focus.”

“Shit, sorry,” you muttered.

You raised your shaky hands, trying to block out the shirtless man still in your peripheral vision.

By the time Steve called the training session to an end, the air was almost as dense as the storm clouds outside. Everyone was soaked in their own sweat, hair clinging to sticky skin and muscles beneath burning from use.

“I swear to God, Tony,” Wanda said as she draped her towel over her shoulder, “if the air-con is broken, I’m not going to let you sleep until it’s fixed.”

He chuckled, fingers already moving swiftly across the tablet in his lap, “It’s not broken.”

“Then what the fuck is this?” Sam exclaimed, arms gesturing wildly toward the gym’s huge windows that were completely veiled in condensation.

Tony nodded toward you, “Y/N turned the temperature up instead of down.”

Heat blossomed in your chest, crawling up your neck and to the tips of your ears. Every pair of eyes landed on you, a mixture of irritation and amusement etched across the faces of your teammates.

“I’m sorry,” you mumbled, “I got confused.”

Most of the group simply chuckled or shrugged, collecting their things and heading for the door, but Sam took his time. The devilish smirk adorning his lips made your pulse begin to race.

“Far out, Y/N,” he said, “you didn’t have to torture all of us just to get Barnes to take his clothes off.”

Your eyes went wide, brows shooting up toward your hairline as every coherent thought left your head. Your heart pounded deafeningly in your ears.

The team was suddenly silent, those closest to the door hurrying out and the rest quickly rushing after them. Wanda stuck her elbow into Sam’s side before dragging him out by his shirt collar.

Bucky remained, paralysed feet still glued to the ground as he quickly tried to catch up on what had just happened.

“Sam was just joking,” you finally managed to speak, “he’s an arse.”

Bucky blinked slowly, “Yeah… such an arse.”

You nodded, mouth dry as you tried to swallow the lump in your throat, “Okay, well, I’ve got to-”

“He is an arse,” Bucky interrupted you, blue eyes wide with curiosity, “but he doesn’t usually lie.”

You didn’t know what to say, your nervous fingers tangling behind your back. His stare was heavy, pressing down on your shoulders and holding you still as he slowly stepped closer.

“Do you like me?” he asked, voice barely above a whisper.

“Of course I like you, Buck, you’re-”

“No,” one last step and his breath fanned the exposed skin of your neck, “do you-”

This time, it was your turn to interrupt. Every bit of pent-up tension and suppressed desire propelled you toward him, coming up onto the balls of your feet and wrapping your arms around his broad shoulders. Your lips crashed into his, so hard you might have worried about bruising them if the thought of a mark left by Bucky wasn’t so thrilling.

He hesitated only for a moment before his hands found your waist, practically lifting you off the ground and squashing your body against his. Your fingers tangled in his hair as his tongue glided across your bottom lip, begging for entry. A low, almost feral growl rumbled up from his chest once you allowed him in, tongues clashing.

You only parted when breath became absolutely necessary, your lungs burning for air. He let you back onto your own feet, though his strong arms stayed wound around your waist.

“Um, yeah,” you said between gulps of air, “I really like you, Buck.”

He chuckled, “Well, that’s a relief because I really like you too.”

He pressed his lips to yours once more before pulling away completely and wrapping his gym towel around his shoulders.

“I need a shower,” he said, taking your hand in his and tugging you toward the door, “and it’s your turn to take your clothes off now.”

END.

[everbluesky]

Grey pt.2

Hello everyone! Here’s the second chapter for Grey! I hope you like it, and special thanks to @asanotheronebitesthedust for Beta-reading this!

Pairings: None

Song: “The Scientist” by Coldplay. 

(I’d highly recommend listening to it while you read)

___________________________________

Dick slowly opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling before turning his head to look at the clock on his bedside dresser.

10:20

He gave a long inhale and rubbed his eyes. He had already told the station that he would be taking time off, again, so he didn’t have to worry about being late, or there for that matter. He sighed and went back to staring at the ceiling.

How long had it been?

A month? Two months?

He hadn’t really been keeping track time lately, ever since that horrible day. Ever since-

He heard his door opening. Oh right. He was in the mansion, he wasn’t alone. Jason poked his head in before coming all the way in and gently shutting the door behind him. Dick turned to rest on his side, away from the door and closed his eyes. Hopefully, Jason would just leave.

“Hey Dickie-bird. Its two hours past breakfast. Alfred sent me to come up and get you.” Jason said, leaning on the wall beside the door. Dick didn’t respond and he heard his brother sigh.

“Hey, c’mon. I let you skip breakfast yesterday, but I’m not letting you do it today, Dick.” Jason said in a harder tone. Dick let out a groan, not wanting to get up. 

After a minute, he decided Jason wasn’t leaving and sat up. Jason walked over, noticing something in Dick’s body language, and sat on the bed. Dick rubbed his eyes and rested his head on Jason’s shoulder. After a couple moments of silence, Dick finally spoke.

“Is Damian up?” he murmured. Jason snorted.

“He’s up, but he almost impaled me when I tried to get him to come out of his room.” Jason explained, smirking slightly. “You might have to be the one to get him out of there.” Dick let out a small laugh of his own.

“I know, sorry Jay…it’s just….” Dick started. Jason waited patiently for him to continue. Dick took in a deep breath.

“I just…I miss him. So much.” Dick said, on the verge of tears again. Jason sighed, putting his arm around his older brother.

“I know, I miss him to. But would he want you to sit in your room and mope your life away?” Jay asked, turning to look at his brother. Dick chuckled lightly and wiped his eyes.

“No. I guess he wouldn’t.” He said, looking down at the floor.

“Alright, then go downstairs and get breakfast. Alfred made pancakes.” Jason said, standing up and heading to the door. Dick stood up.

“Hey Jay?” He called, right as Jason was about to step out of the room.

“Yea?” He asked, taking a step back in.

“Thanks.” Dick gave Jason a small smile, and Jason nodded.

“Sure,” he muttered before leaving the room.

__________________________________________________________

Dick carefully balanced a tray of breakfast in his hand as he knocked on his youngest brother’s door. He had just finished eating breakfast himself, and decided he would take some to Damian. The poor kid had been devastated ever since that tragic night–the night of Tim’s death. Damian had been even worse off than himself. He stopped doing everything; sketching, patrolling, and even eating. Dick wasn’t even sure how much the kid slept, because he never really came out of his room.

“Go away Todd,” came a muffled grumble from the other side of the door. Dick chuckled.

“It’s me kiddo.” Dick called, hoping that he would be let in. He heard various shuffling noises before the door slowly opened an inch. Damian eyed him from the small opening.

“Hey there, Dami, I brought breakfast. Can I come in?” he asked, smiling softly. Damian stared at him for a few seconds before opening the door wider and walking over to his bed. Dick followed him and set the tray of food down on a nearby desk. Damian got onto his bed, wrapping himself up in a blanket.

Walking over to where his little brother was, Dick asked, “How’re you doing Damian?” Sitting next to Damian, and draping his arm around the smaller boy, Dick settled in beside him. Damian let an incoherent grumble and relaxed against Dick’s side. He had become less resistant to this sort of thing after what had happened. After a moment, Damian spoke.

“Grayson?” 

“Yeah bud?” Dick started rubbing Damian’s back. Damian shifted slightly.

“Did…did Drake know?” He mumbled, but it was loud enough for Dick to hear.

A bit confused, Dick’s brow wrinkled and he asked a confused, “Know what Damian?” Damian drew his knees up to his chest.

It was silent for a few minutes before Damian replied. “I don’t…I didn’t hate him.” He finally said, and Dick could see the beginning of tears in his eyes. Dick softly smiled and drew him closer, wrapping both arms around him. Damian grabbed hold of Dick’s shirt.

“Hey, it’s ok,” Dick started to reassure him, “Tim’s smart. I’m sure that he knew that you didn’t hate him.”

Damian sniffed. “But, I’ll never get to say…that I didn’t.” He whispered in a small voice, still holding on to Dick. “I miss him.”

“I do too, Dami.” Dick closed his eyes. He still hated himself for what had happened. If he had just been more careful, Tim would still be here. Bruce had told him countless times that it wasn’t his fault, but…he didn’t really believe him. He could still remember Tim pushing him out of the way, even though Dick could have ducked, and the red laser going straight through Tim’s chest. He remembered falling to his knees by Tim’s side and cradling Tim’s already dead body in his arms, screaming his name.

He remembered how Damian had completely frozen, his eyes wide. He remembered how Jason had gone ballistic on Tim’s killer, a lowly criminal who had stolen advanced weaponry. He remembered Bruce barely being able to stop Jason, and how he could tell Bruce had wanted to kill the man as much as Jay did. He remembered how Bruce had to pry him away from Tim, who had already gone cold. 

Dick remembered the funeral, and everything was a timeless blur after that. Jason had gone off the grid, and only came back once he’d heard that Dick was on the verge of letting go. Alfred had been devastated, but he hadn’t really let it show. And Bruce…he had become more distant than ever. Dick could tell that he was suffering, but Bruce’s unemotional state had hidden it very well.

He hadn’t been prepared. It happened in a split second.

Funny how fast someone you love can be taken away.

And when was the last time Dick had called or seen Tim just to talk, or hang out? Every time he saw his little brother was to ask him to do something for him.

When was the last time he had called him ‘Little brother’?

These questions had circled through his head endlessly. It was hard to sleep, to eat, it made him sick. He wanted to see Tim again more than anything. He wanted to hug him tight and tell him how much he meant, tell him to get some rest, tell him how much he loved him.

And he would never get that.

Because Tim was dead. Buried six feet underground.

And he wasn’t coming back.

He and Damian sat in each other’s arms for a long moment before Alfred came in. 

Dick looked up at the old butler’s arrival.

“Excuse me, young masters, but your presences are needed in the Batcave,” he said simply in his strong British accent. Dick nodded and stood up.

“Thanks, Alfie, we’ll be there in a sec.” Alfred nodded and exited the room, Dick and Damian soon following.

_______________________________________________________

Dick quickly kicked the zombie-like being as it approached him. Its head popped off in a grotesque manner, and the body still moved towards him. He grabbed its arm and flung it off of the rooftop. He glanced over to Damian, who had sliced one of the attackers in half with his katana.

Bruce, Dick, Jason, and Damian were all fighting a very powerful villain named Undertaker, with powers to resurrect the dead and use them to fight. A newbie who had just made his mark in the city of crime. 

Dick took down several other dead soldiers as he made his way over to the villain. The villain turned and looked him straight in the eye.

Straight in the eye.

“You’ve lost someone, haven’t you?” Undertaker said in a deep monotone voice. Dick froze. He heard Damian and Jason making their way over to him.

“Allow me to bring him back to you.” Undertaker’s hands glowed a bright red, just like they did when he had summoned all the other dead beings. Jason and Damian were now standing next to Dick, both seemingly frozen in place. Bruce was at least twenty feet away, surrounded by Undertaker’s dead minions.

“No!” Dick yelled as his eyes went wide in realization and he dashed forward. As much as he wanted to see Tim, he wasn’t going to let this creep bring him back and force him to fight him and his family. Dick wouldn’t be able to do it.

Suddenly, the villain’s eyes went wide as his dead soldiers and his hands began to turn to black dust. He broke out into a loud scream as his whole body began to crumble to dust. Dick simply stared, in shock and confusion. This hadn’t happened when he had summoned the other dead beings.

Dick suddenly noticed he wasn’t feeling so hot. His stomach twisted uncomfortably, and he felt dizzy. He attempted to put a hand to his head, but felt nothing. He looked down and saw…nothing. Nothing but his arms slowly dissolving to black, ash-like dust.

“Oh no,” was all Dick could manage. He looked up to see Damian and Jason staring at him in horror.

“Di-“Jason started, raising his hand. But as soon as he did, he began to crumble, just like Dick. He then turned his look of shock and horror to himself.

“What the f*** is happening?” Jason said, rather loudly. Dick noticed Damian had begun a similar transformation as well. He stepped back in shock as his hands crumbled to dust. Dick looked over to see Bruce, his father, his mentor, his friend, staring at all of his sons in horror. It was the last thing Dick saw. He heard a loud ‘No!’ before darkness overtook him, and him and his brothers disappeared.

_______________________________________________________________

So there you have it! Hope you enjoyed!

@asanotheronebitesthedust @boosyboo9206 @morningdawnartist(if you wanna be tagged let me know)

[verdigrisprowl]

Sept 10 Dancitron Movie Night - Gotham 19-20 & Lego Marvel Super Heroes: Maximum Overload

Soundwave tried to explain to Prowl that Jim’s name isn’t Gym. Prowl didn’t quite get it.

Prowl was confused by the suggestion that fake boobs are unethical. Somehow this launched into a general conversation about weaponized boobs.

After Gotham, Soundwave showed a cartoon where the word “overload” was said about fifty times. It was hysterical.

Tonight’s serial killer had a very nice BDSM dungeon that he is absolutely wasting on kidnapping and killing women, when he could be using it on BDSM. It inspired Soundwave and Prowl to go have some fun with handcuffs after the stream.

Today NoodlesAtNight 7:22 pm *Soundwave's here, he's got a datapad, and he's got his nose buried deep in it. So to speak.* opatoes 7:23 pm /Smokescreen's coming in, looking a bit larger today, and he's going to wave at Soundwave./ Soundwave! What'd I miss last week? I've got something really cool to show you. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 7:26 pm *the dragon moseys on in, with treats! clearly, she was listening in on Arcee's ask session, because along with the typical gummis and mercury drops and silver bars, she's got some pumice drizzled in mercury syrup. dragons gonna make snacks for everyone.* Hello, Soundwave! NoodlesAtNight 7:29 pm [[Last week?]] *Without looking up.* [[We met Jerome Valeska, the son of a snake dancer in the circus, who killed his mother; in passing, we also met the Graysons. We also found out that Butch was brainwashed into doing anything Penguin says. Bruce threatened his company board into behaving themselves and they did not like it. Then, a group of bank robbers made a name for themselves with a red hood. Fish Mooney met the doctor in charge of the organ theft facility and convinced him to make her his right hand. A friend of Alfred's showed up, stayed a while, taught Bruce some things, and stabbed Alfred on the way out of the house after having stolen documents. Commissioner Loeb has blackmail material on most of the police and forced Bullock to lie under oath to get Flass reinstated; Gordon investigated Loeb and discovered that Loeb's daughter has been locked in a house for decades after killing her mother, then used that to blackmail Loeb in return. Kristen Kringle found a new boyfriend, much to Edward's distaste, and Fish discovered that the organ theft facility is on an icy island. ... He believes that is all.]] opatoes 7:30 pm Whoa. Whoa, a lot, huh? Well- at least I know now! Thank you, Sounds- Soundwave. NoodlesAtNight 7:30 pm [[And, now:]] *He turns to acknowledge the dragon.* [[You'll find another lobster behind the bar. Ask Ravage to show you if you cannot find it.]] Today MedicalMurdersaurus 7:30 pm *wanders in, clean and well-fed* NoodlesAtNight 7:30 pm *Nods at Smokescreen. Thank you for using his name.* SpecsTheSpectralDragon 7:31 pm Another lobster? Thank you, thank you! *the dragon chirps in delight and dives behind the bar. the Hunt for Snaccs has begun.* NoodlesAtNight 7:31 pm *Eyes Swoop. Please let there be no need for bridging tonight. He doesn't want to miss what happens. ... Of course, no Dinobot ever does what someone hopes they will.* MedicalMurdersaurus 7:31 pm *has never once in his life implied he knows how to behave* Bird? NoodlesAtNight 7:31 pm [[Yes. Ravage acquired something called 'butter' to go with it.]] NoodlesAtNight 7:32 pm *It's a whole churn. Don't ask where he got it.* opatoes 7:32 pm /Getting up and dabbing to the tune/ MedicalMurdersaurus 7:32 pm Bird! Kelpy 7:33 pm [slides a box out of his subspace to put onto the closest flat surface] I may have brought a bunch of snacks to share. NoodlesAtNight 7:33 pm *KERPOW and here is Bird like a shot from the rafters* *Her feelers bind the box up right quick.* MedicalMurdersaurus 7:33 pm *SQUEALS* MedicalMurdersaurus 7:34 pm Bird! opatoes 7:34 pm Wait wait more snacks? Specs, Swerve, have I ever told you two that I love you? Kelpy 7:34 pm I said to share-! NoodlesAtNight 7:34 pm [[Do as he said, Laserbeak. You do not want him to refuse to bring you more.]] {{..........Mehmehmeh.}} *Unwinds feelers. But stays perched near box.* Kelpy 7:34 pm Anyway, if you eat all those, you won't have room for the box I brought just for you. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 7:34 pm *bold of you to presume that she would look a Gift Ravage in the mouth, or do anything but make a mental note to bring tinsel fish to the next movie night. what the dragon DOES do is perch on the side of the churn and dip the lobster legs in the butter.* No, but you've told me now! *and in goes a leg. chawmp.* NoodlesAtNight 7:34 pm *Bright bright optic band. A box for her?* MedicalMurdersaurus 7:34 pm Bird have room for every snack ever :V NoodlesAtNight 7:34 pm ((whyyy rabbit the sound was fine earlier)) ((is it skipping for anyone else)) Kelpy 7:35 pm //it's fine for me? Kelpy 7:35 pm Yes, a box for you. That box is for everyone else. opatoes 7:35 pm ((fine for me as well!)) NoodlesAtNight 7:35 pm *Slooooooowly floats over. Swoop is right, but a box just for her is greaaaat.* Kelpy 7:36 pm [he's learned you see. distract her with a box all her own, and everyone else gets a chance at the other box.] Chillsins 7:36 pm *Windchill is here...by himself. A blessing or a curse? Time will tell.* opatoes 7:36 pm /Smokescreen's running over to grab a few snacks, just in case Laserbeak changes her mind and tries to take the box again./ NoodlesAtNight 7:36 pm *A wise idea.* NoodlesAtNight 7:37 pm *As soon as she gets the box of her own she'll sit by Swoop ....... and give him on-- tw-- ... two snacks from it.* SpecsTheSpectralDragon 7:37 pm *the dragon has given up all pretense of civilization, and is just using pieces of the lobster's shell to slather the meat in butter. Ravage has created a monster.* MedicalMurdersaurus 7:38 pm *starts to make a face but then smiles widely and takes the treats* Thank you, Bird : > NoodlesAtNight 7:38 pm *Soundwave watches in horrified fascination as she devours the lobster. Organic food. So gross.* Chillsins 7:38 pm (( I have to leave early again so I probably won't be all that active. )) (( Consider yourselves lucky. )) Today NoodlesAtNight 7:38 pm *He nods to Windchill. Welcome, welcome.* ((aaaaaa i'm sorry ;; such a good plot this time too)) Kelpy 7:38 pm [he's also sort of horrified fascination about the lobster. is that how you're supposed to eat it?] SpecsTheSpectralDragon 7:39 pm *she's from a mountainous biome and Ravage has just given her a churn full of nothing but pure fat. she's died and gone to bad food heaven.* Chillsins 7:39 pm (( Yeah I'm a little disappointed, my schedule changed so after this and next week I can't come at all for an unspecified number of months. )) MedicalMurdersaurus 7:39 pm *digs his claws into the treats and snickers to himself* NoodlesAtNight 7:39 pm ((DDDDDD😧 that suuuuuuucks)) opatoes 7:39 pm /He's just staring at the chum eating. Man, that seems brutal!/ Chillsins 7:39 pm (( Oh well, that's having to accommodate other people at every turn for you. )) NoodlesAtNight 7:40 pm ((my internet is shit rn for some reason. swoop mun i'm gonna pass u control and reset my net and then i'll be right back)) ((DON'T DO SILLY THINGS)) opatoes 7:40 pm ((swoop has power Kelpy 7:40 pm //is that wise Chillsins 7:40 pm *He can smell...something fatty happening. He tries not to look to find out what it is.* Kelpy 7:40 pm //lmao MedicalMurdersaurus 7:40 pm ((you can't give me ultimate power and expect it to end well)) SpecsTheSpectralDragon 7:40 pm *to be fair, tearing the legs off of the lobster and then cracking the shell open and pulling out the meat is exactly how most dragons would eat a lobster. lobsters may not be indigenous to their world, but there's plenty of similar things. unfortunately, butter is a whole new world. a delicious, delicious world.* MedicalMurdersaurus 7:41 pm ((okay everyone)) ((pun contest)) ((GO)) SpecsTheSpectralDragon 7:41 pm ((that's punbearable, swoop)) opatoes 7:41 pm ((I'm not about to punish everyone with the puns I know!)) SCProwl 7:41 pm *Prowl arrives relatively on time and crosses to the bar to set down a box with everything else that's been brought. she opens it to reveal roughly carved spheres of blue energon drizzled with thick, syrupy liquid energon, and leaves it there to be picked at anyone that might want one. there's enough for everyone that usually visits, with some extra... for certain individuals who might pilfer such sweet treats. time to find a seat* Chillsins 7:41 pm (( I'm the master of pee puns. Urine for a real treat. )) MedicalMurdersaurus 7:41 pm ((ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!)) NoodlesAtNight 7:42 pm ((god the audio is still mangled on my side. oh well. at least i've already seen this a shameful amount of times)) Chillsins 7:42 pm (( Is there something you would like to share with the class? )) NoodlesAtNight 7:43 pm *Laserbeak stops watching Swoop be a complete and utter precious dork at the smell of new food. Oooh?* MedicalMurdersaurus 7:43 pm *goes from stabbing the treats with his claws to smashing them into one amorphous treat blob* SCProwl 7:43 pm ((my audio is being surprisingly well behaved lately, i think updating those drivers manually did it \o/ MedicalMurdersaurus 7:43 pm ((LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT LASERBEAK THINKS SWOOP IS PRECIOUS)) ((MARK YOUR CALENDARS)) NoodlesAtNight 7:43 pm {{Returning soon. Holding on, please.}} *And over to Prowl she goes, hovering overhead like a vast, predatory bird....* MedicalMurdersaurus 7:43 pm ((HE'S IN HER HEAD)) MedicalMurdersaurus 7:44 pm *notices Bird's looming and snickers, wings fanning out a bit as he watching what will HOPEFULLY be a murder* opatoes 7:44 pm Prowl! Prowl, it's good to see you, too! MedicalMurdersaurus 7:44 pm *metaphorically! or literally. either.* NoodlesAtNight 7:45 pm *Is reminded Smokescreen said he has something to show?* SCProwl 7:45 pm *suddenly Laserbeak, Prowl nods her chin toward where she left the box* You're welcome to take one. NoodlesAtNight 7:46 pm *Slithers a feeler across the room and up right behind Smokey, between his wings, clicking the claws behind his head. Hello, there.* NoodlesAtNight 7:46 pm *It taps him on the shoulder.* Kelpy 7:46 pm [smothers a laugh] SCProwl 7:46 pm *smiles faintly in Smokescreen's general direction and pings him hello* opatoes 7:46 pm /BEEPS with the feeler tapping him, but turns around, going over to be close to Soundwave./ Sounds, do you know anything about playing instruments? NoodlesAtNight 7:47 pm [[He knows how it is done, for some of them. He does not have the ability to play them, himself.]] Chillsins 7:47 pm There is only one instrument that matters. Mayonnaise. NoodlesAtNight 7:48 pm *Bird takes TWO, because fight the man. She'll break a piece off one and give it to Swoop. Just in case Primus is watching.* opatoes 7:48 pm Oh- I guess my surprise won't be quite as cool. Uh, you know how I get magic once in a while, right? MedicalMurdersaurus 7:48 pm *blinks owlishly* SpecsTheSpectralDragon 7:48 pm *peeks up from the mangled lobster and the butter churn* How do you play mayonnaise? MedicalMurdersaurus 7:48 pm *is legitimately confused* *chirps* NoodlesAtNight 7:49 pm [[Yes, he knows. The multiverse knows.]] Chillsins 7:49 pm Creatively. opatoes 7:49 pm We-eeell, watch this, Sounds! NoodlesAtNight 7:49 pm {{You Swoop eat. It yours.}} Chillsins 7:49 pm I think you gotta pour it out and slap it really hard to make sounds. But I'm not sure. Kelpy 7:49 pm I don't... think that's how it works NoodlesAtNight 7:49 pm ((starting in 10 minutes, get your snacks and your drinks and your potty breaks and all that)) SCProwl 7:50 pm So it's a percussion instrument. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 7:50 pm ...Right. *okay, back to slurping up lobster meat drowned in butter* opatoes 7:50 pm /Smokescreen's transforming into an organ!/ NoodlesAtNight 7:50 pm [[..........What in the hellish depths of Gygax.]] Kelpy 7:50 pm Did you gtet reformatted opatoes 7:50 pm ... /Presses down on a key to show what it does. Does Soundwave just not know instruments?/ Chillsins 7:51 pm Maybe. It would take a lot of mayonnaise for me to try. MedicalMurdersaurus 7:51 pm Oh Uh NoodlesAtNight 7:51 pm *He knows what an organ is. He's trying to process Smokescreen being one.* MedicalMurdersaurus 7:51 pm *looks at the treats in his hands* opatoes 7:51 pm Uh, not willingly. But I think it's a temporary thing! NoodlesAtNight 7:51 pm [[Do you, er... function.]] MedicalMurdersaurus 7:51 pm Me Swoop don't... want SCProwl 7:51 pm What did he turn into? *pings Soundwave for a visual feed* MedicalMurdersaurus 7:51 pm *holds the snacks out for Laserbeak instead* NoodlesAtNight 7:51 pm {{No? Why not? Is good.}} *Soundwave sends Prowl the feed.* opatoes 7:51 pm ... /He's going to play a few chords to show. He works!/ chronosmith 7:51 pm *sliiides on it. First stop, the bar* Kelpy 7:52 pm Hi Whirl. NoodlesAtNight 7:52 pm [[Mind the butter.]] Kelpy 7:52 pm [slowly reaches out a hand to touch Smokescreen. is it real] SCProwl 7:52 pm *....that sure is a thing Smokescreen's turned into* opatoes 7:52 pm /Yep, he's real! He's pretty sure he's real, at least./ SpecsTheSpectralDragon 7:52 pm *waves at Whirl from atop the butter churn* MedicalMurdersaurus 7:52 pm Uhh dunno chronosmith 7:52 pm ...is THAT what that smell is? And hey, Swerve. All of you. *bobs his head* MedicalMurdersaurus 7:52 pm *licks the treat to test if it is good* It fine *offers again* Chillsins 7:53 pm *Waves also. He's alone tonight, so Whirl is spared.* NoodlesAtNight 7:53 pm {{Eeeeeeew. You licked it.}} chronosmith 7:53 pm *he's on week two of four so, gonna load up on a nice double Gaugebuster* NoodlesAtNight 7:53 pm {{It yours now. You eat.}} MedicalMurdersaurus 7:53 pm *snickers* NO no! SpecsTheSpectralDragon 7:53 pm *the dragon is running out of lobster. there's still a lot of butter in that churn.* NoodlesAtNight 7:53 pm [[May he--? Do you have optics in this form...?]] SpecsTheSpectralDragon 7:54 pm *...yep, she just took an actual bite. of butter. primus save you all.* Chillsins 7:54 pm *His ear flicks. What is Swoop fussing about now?* opatoes 7:54 pm Go for it, Soundwave! I don't have optics, but my sensors work kinda like how they do in my other alt mode. MedicalMurdersaurus 7:54 pm *has two very murdered goodies and one fine goodie and no desire to eat them, help* SCProwl 7:54 pm You still have your other alt mode? NoodlesAtNight 7:54 pm //...You s'posed to eat it like that?// *Rumble comes down and sniffs at the butter churn, then stretches. He's been asleep.* chronosmith 7:55 pm *while he's mixing his own drink* How's that, Smokescreen? Sound-based or light-based? Or something else? NoodlesAtNight 7:55 pm *Soundwave reaches out oh so slowly and presses a key. Biiiiiiing.* Chillsins 7:55 pm *Don't you DARE throw them across the room, Swoop.* opatoes 7:55 pm Yep! I haven't transformed into it in a little while, th-Biiiiiing chronosmith 7:55 pm *stares. Biiiiiing* SpecsTheSpectralDragon 7:55 pm *the dragon shrugs her wings* I have never had this before. *remember, she's from a planet without mammals. there's oils, and probably margarine-like substances, but no BUTTER, as there's no dairy.* MedicalMurdersaurus 7:56 pm *isn't throwing (yet), just offering them to BIrd with a very confused look on his face, since when is she not a vacuum?* chronosmith 7:56 pm *pauses for a moment, and then imitates the Biiiiiing back near-perfectly* Chillsins 7:56 pm *You know who is a vacuum, though?* SpecsTheSpectralDragon 7:56 pm *the fact that smokescreen has turned into a piano pales in comparison to a churn of high-fat food* Chillsins 7:56 pm *It's Windchill.* NoodlesAtNight 7:56 pm //Huh. ... Mind if I try?// NoodlesAtNight 7:56 pm *It SMELLS sort of oily-greasy. It's like. Almost appetizing, but not quite?* opatoes 7:57 pm /Hey, he's an organ! With pedals! But the food is way more exciting, that's completely reasonable./ chronosmith 7:57 pm ((i feel the spirit of paula deen in this room tonight)) ((wait i have a gif perfect for this I think)) NoodlesAtNight 7:57 pm ((WARNINGS: Gotham S1 19 -20 Beast of Prey, Under the Knife // 19 AND 20 ARE HARD TO WATCH. I mean it. If you need to duck out, duck out. Violence, blood, death; police brutality and corruption; foul or sexist language; implied and visible domestic violence; torture; Mama Kapelput being creepy; the horrors of guys who think they're entitled to peoples' affection; attempted suicide; decomposed body; assorted bdsm gear/kink visuals and bizarre offscreen implications - no graphic sex, this did air on broadcast tv)) ((Lego Superheroes short // half-ass mind control)) opatoes 7:57 pm Soundwave- can you try playing a C, E, and G together? chronosmith 7:57 pm ((thanks for the warnin!))

chronosmith 7:58 pm ((BUUUUTTTEEERRR)) SCProwl 7:58 pm *attention fully on whatever's happening with Smokescreen and Soundwave rn* SpecsTheSpectralDragon 7:58 pm *the dragon looks up in surprise* ...If you can eat it, be my guest. *she's used to making food for non-tarantulas cybertronians that is all but inedible to her* Chillsins 7:58 pm (( Christ. )) SpecsTheSpectralDragon 7:58 pm ((whirl I love you and you are my friend but why)) NoodlesAtNight 7:58 pm ((GAH)) MedicalMurdersaurus 7:58 pm *has no idea what is on tonight or what has happened in the past, is purely here for Bird* NoodlesAtNight 7:58 pm ((gotham is safer to watch tonight than that gif)) chronosmith 7:58 pm ((I have helped prepare u, audience, and make u stronger)) MedicalMurdersaurus 7:59 pm *awkwardly sets the treat mush down on the back of the sofa for lack of another idea what to do with it* chronosmith 7:59 pm *drink prepared! Pauses on his way to the couch by the churn to watch the Butter Shenanigans, and to nudge Rumble hello* NoodlesAtNight 8:00 pm *Soundwave has no musical training whatsoever; he does not know how to properly play the organ. All he can do is refer to his diagram of where keys are. So he puts one finger of one hand on a C, one finger of the other hand on an E, and uses the feeler from earlier to press the G. He does not do it all at once. Don't have him do this again.* *Rumble waves, still hoping for permission to taste test the butter.* SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:00 pm *whoops! she shorted out from Delicious Butter Taste* Yes, go ahead! *hops aside to let Rumble at it* NoodlesAtNight 8:01 pm *He squints and sticks the very tip of the tip of his finger into the butter and brings the swiped goop up close to his visor. ....... Huh. LOOKS like grease. Mlem.* opatoes 8:01 pm ... Maybe I can show you how some of this stuff works after the show, Soundwave? NoodlesAtNight 8:01 pm //Aaaackhbphthbht.// SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:01 pm No good? MedicalMurdersaurus 8:01 pm *doesn't really know what to do with himself so he just sits on the nearest sofa* Chillsins 8:01 pm A white outfit seems like a bad idea. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:01 pm *like a people* NoodlesAtNight 8:01 pm [[He will consider it.]] NoodlesAtNight 8:02 pm [[Rumble, stop eating organic food.]] //...Y'know how fuel - or, uh, food, I guess - gets kinda - stale 'n jus' this side of funky? 'S like that. Smells like it oughta be grease, but it sure ain't.// NoodlesAtNight 8:03 pm *He grabs a rag to wipe his finger off before heading over to Whirl and plopping down.* verdigrisprowl 8:03 pm *arrives, just a shade late* MedicalMurdersaurus 8:03 pm *pulls his legs up under himself to sit on them* NoodlesAtNight 8:03 pm *Greeting ping. Subtle pat of couch.* SCProwl 8:03 pm *pings alternate hello* verdigrisprowl 8:03 pm *ping. sits.* NoodlesAtNight 8:04 pm *Looks over to see the mush on the back of Swoop's couch. He vents. They just cleaned that yesterday.* SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:04 pm I do know what you mean. I'm sorry it tasted like that. It's no fun to eat bad food. *the dragon shrugs, and goes back to shoving her snout into the butter* MedicalMurdersaurus 8:04 pm ((Bruce's actor is so good. He gets so much subtle stuff across.)) SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:04 pm ((even my body language doesn't get that stuff across)) NoodlesAtNight 8:04 pm //'S okay. More for you, huh?// *Bop Whirl.* //How ya doin', mech?// NoodlesAtNight 8:04 pm //Got you a big glass of the good stuff, heh.// opatoes 8:05 pm /Smokescreen's pretty sure that's Prowl that's sitting near, and is pretty quickly transforming out of his organ alt mode and going over to sit next to round Prowl./ MedicalMurdersaurus 8:05 pm *sniffs his own arm* 😕 Kelpy 8:05 pm Flattery? verdigrisprowl 8:05 pm Hm. Promising. And suspicious. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:05 pm ((ed! ed- aw.)) ((not ed)) SCProwl 8:06 pm *she is sitting near and only a little disappointed he's no longer an organ* SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:06 pm *peeks over at Prowl at "you had me at homicide"* NoodlesAtNight 8:06 pm [[What makes you suspicious?]] *He's not arguing. He's just curious the reasons.* chronosmith 8:06 pm ((whop sorry for delay got caught up in kitchen)) opatoes 8:06 pm /Hey, if Prowl asks, he'd be happy to transform again!/ MedicalMurdersaurus 8:06 pm Me Swoop smell funny verdigrisprowl 8:07 pm The fact that everyone in this police department tends to lie SCProwl 8:07 pm *maybe later when the movie's over* Chillsins 8:07 pm You Swoop smell like Swoop. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:07 pm Nuh uh Chillsins 8:07 pm Yuh huh. NoodlesAtNight 8:07 pm [[Oh, good. The Kel-E human survived.]] MedicalMurdersaurus 8:07 pm Nope chronosmith 8:07 pm *has gotten himself nice and settled, and is happily bopped* You know it, mech. *hoists the glass into the air and takes a swig* ...Ha! I knew she was still in it for her! verdigrisprowl 8:07 pm And I feel like it's still too early for them to be publicly throwing their lot in with Gym unless they were already bucking the status quo. Chillsins 8:07 pm Then what do you smell like? MedicalMurdersaurus 8:07 pm *holds his arm out to Windchill with a "check and see" pout on his face* chronosmith 8:08 pm How did butter-quest go? *looks between Rumble and the dragon* NoodlesAtNight 8:08 pm //Gross, 's how it went. Heh.// Chillsins 8:08 pm *Leans over and sniffs.* MedicalMurdersaurus 8:08 pm *is a clean boy today* Chillsins 8:08 pm Smells like an arm. A Swoop arm. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:08 pm Nuh uh! Not a Swoop arm. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:08 pm ...That, is a popped stitch. He should not be doing anything. Kelpy 8:08 pm You smell like soap. Chillsins 8:08 pm Then whose arm is it? Kelpy 8:08 pm You're awful clean looking MedicalMurdersaurus 8:09 pm Awful :V NoodlesAtNight 8:09 pm *There's Gym again. He glances at Prowl a second.* @P: [[It is not an equipment based name. It's a - a human one. He does not know what it means, but the glyphs are different.]] verdigrisprowl 8:10 pm @S «... It sounds like "Gym."» MedicalMurdersaurus 8:10 pm *licks his arm to see if that helps* *it does not* Chillsins 8:10 pm ....Does it taste bad? MedicalMurdersaurus 8:10 pm No :< Chillsins 8:11 pm Gimme. verdigrisprowl 8:11 pm *nods at Ed* HE'D probably say he wants to work more. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:11 pm *offers arm* chronosmith 8:11 pm why... would a speakeasy have a liquor license... SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:11 pm It's the riddling human. Competent, if weird. opatoes 8:11 pm OH. Oh, I know what this show reminds me of right now. NoodlesAtNight 8:11 pm @P: [[He knows. It uses different letters in their alphabet. They really need a better alphabet.]] Chillsins 8:11 pm *Puts his mouth on the arm.* Kelpy 8:11 pm What's Spanish? verdigrisprowl 8:11 pm @S «... Well, I'm not speaking in their alphabet.» MedicalMurdersaurus 8:12 pm *watches expectantly* NoodlesAtNight 8:12 pm //It's a theme thing, I think. Like, a gimmick. It's a real bar, y'know? But dressed up for pretendin'.// chronosmith 8:12 pm Oh. Huh. Chillsins 8:12 pm *Spits the arm out.* verdigrisprowl 8:12 pm Who would want to go to a bar that's perfectly legal but LOOKS criminal? chronosmith 8:12 pm I know how to fly a helicopter. verdigrisprowl 8:12 pm ... Wait. What am I saying. Criminals. chronosmith 8:12 pm I'm pretty good, or so I've been told. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:12 pm *blinks* SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:13 pm You are a helicopter. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:13 pm Better? Chillsins 8:13 pm Tastes like an arm. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:13 pm Gross Chillsins 8:13 pm It's okay. I've had worse. chronosmith 8:13 pm I'll be damned, dragon... you might be on to something. *toasts her and takes another swig* The very best kind of flying machine there is. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:13 pm Dinobots supposed to worse :< NoodlesAtNight 8:13 pm @P: [[He knows. He is trying to explain the way it is said and meant on Earth.... it's relatively unimportant, he supposes.]] Chillsins 8:13 pm You can't be the worst at everything. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:14 pm *the dragon waves a glop of butter as a toast* To the best helicopter. NoodlesAtNight 8:14 pm {{Him Whirl good helibot. Bird tested.}} opatoes 8:14 pm NO SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:14 pm ((RIOT)) Kelpy 8:14 pm //wow MedicalMurdersaurus 8:14 pm Me Swoop not the worst at flying. Me Swoop am best! opatoes 8:14 pm "Maybe you're right" and the episode ends chronosmith 8:14 pm ((i sense the buttery, dastardly hand of Paula Deen in this)) Chillsins 8:14 pm See? I'm right. chronosmith 8:14 pm *also toasts Laserbeak* That is genuinely high praise. Thanks, mech. opatoes 8:14 pm ... Did he murder his other dates is that it verdigrisprowl 8:14 pm @S «... How's it spelled?» Chillsins 8:15 pm I'll laugh. chronosmith 8:15 pm The worst person at flying is anytime Optimus Prime gets a jetpack. Chillsins 8:15 pm *Cackles, just as promised.* opatoes 8:15 pm ... He absolutely did it chronosmith 8:15 pm And then it's... him. Using the jetpack. Kelpy 8:15 pm [snorts] MedicalMurdersaurus 8:15 pm *sniffs where Windchill got him* *this isn't right either* verdigrisprowl 8:15 pm "Unconditional" is an abuser code word for "submissive doormat who never questions me and accepts anything I do." MedicalMurdersaurus 8:15 pm Needs dirt Kelpy 8:15 pm This is a weirdly knowledgable flashback from a bartender. Chillsins 8:16 pm *It smells like slobber, dirt, and maybe a whiff of pumpkin spice lattes* Kelpy 8:16 pm I say that as a bartender. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:16 pm More dirt Chillsins 8:16 pm *Don't ask how.* verdigrisprowl 8:16 pm Oh, he's got an impressive-looking dungeon. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:16 pm *the dragon WAS going to say that being in a pairbond is considered to be unconditional love, but she's going to look over at Prowl in surprise instead* verdigrisprowl 8:16 pm Too bad he's a creep. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:16 pm ((Is that whatshisface from Heroes? Peter?) chronosmith 8:17 pm Shame they don't have anyone on the force who can smell worth a damn. Kelpy 8:17 pm That is an *EXTREMELY* knowledgable bartender. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:17 pm Is the docent sleep- oh dear, he was asleep. chronosmith 8:17 pm get a detective like Ravage or hell, even ME in there--if I was a detective, which, obviously, I'm NOT... and you could track em. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:17 pm ((AAAAAAAAAAA)) opatoes 8:17 pm A gun range, also known as a grunge NoodlesAtNight 8:17 pm *Soundwave looks up the last capture of the subtitle with his name in it and how the English word for gymnasium is spelled. Takes him just a second. * @P: [[To them, you are saying {G-Y-M}, but his name is {J-I-M}. If he were a Cybertronian, he would undo locks for a living, not be an exercise station.]] Chillsins 8:17 pm Pffft. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:17 pm *perks up* Gun range? SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:18 pm He could shoot you. Chillsins 8:18 pm *Snorts.* SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:18 pm OH. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:18 pm Me Swoop good shot : > NoodlesAtNight 8:18 pm ((SHIT i forgot to provide warning to snif about today i think)) ((woop)) opatoes 8:18 pm I *fingered* they'd do that! chronosmith 8:18 pm ((o7 we can always say you did, if you like!)) SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:18 pm *looks at Smokescreen* Why. chronosmith 8:18 pm *either way he became suddenly and intensely interetsed in his drink the moment he saw where that was going* opatoes 8:19 pm Was it that punbelievable? verdigrisprowl 8:19 pm Or she might have been imprisoned. chronosmith 8:19 pm *and by interested I mean shotgunning all of it* verdigrisprowl 8:19 pm She could have been treated well while imprisoned. NoodlesAtNight 8:19 pm [[And he agrees that nothing good is unconditional. All things worthwhile come with conditions. It is how that worthiness is maintained.]] Kelpy 8:19 pm .... Chillsins 8:19 pm Who keeps having these flashbacks? Is it the bartender again? Kelpy 8:20 pm Her corpse guess NoodlesAtNight 8:20 pm [[We do.]] SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:20 pm Padded walls, velveted cuffs, removed claws. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:20 pm *pulls his legs up to his chest, wraps his arms around them and rests his chin on his knees* Chillsins 8:20 pm I guess that'll do. NoodlesAtNight 8:20 pm [[It is for our information, not theirs.]] =Hm. Detective Ravage.= verdigrisprowl 8:20 pm I didn't say "nothing good is unconditional." Just that the kind of people who demand unconditional love, especially very early in the relationship, are throwing up red flags. Chillsins 8:20 pm It's a joke. NoodlesAtNight 8:20 pm [[He was speaking of love.]] chronosmith 8:20 pm I dunno. I think it's good to know that your beau would kick your ass, if you needed your ass kicked. verdigrisprowl 8:20 pm ... Especially the kind of people who have a string of exes that LEFT because he demanded "unconditional love." NoodlesAtNight 8:21 pm [[Or of loyalty, but the two are often entwined.]] //Hope she clawed his fraggin' optics out.// MedicalMurdersaurus 8:21 pm *looks around* What movie? SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:21 pm Hopefully. chronosmith 8:21 pm *well. Now his glass is empty. He will be right back, Rumble* Chillsins 8:21 pm What what movie? MedicalMurdersaurus 8:21 pm ((I love her white nails)) verdigrisprowl 8:21 pm "Nothing good is unconditional" and "people who demand unconditional are not good" are two different points. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:21 pm *points to the screen* What. verdigrisprowl 8:21 pm I agree with your point, but it's not the point I was making. Chillsins 8:21 pm It's not a movie. NoodlesAtNight 8:21 pm [[Then he makes his and agrees with yours.]] MedicalMurdersaurus 8:21 pm YOU not a movie Chillsins 8:21 pm *No wonder him Swoop so confused.* Chillsins 8:22 pm ...This is true. NoodlesAtNight 8:22 pm [[Ah. Too slow.]] MedicalMurdersaurus 8:22 pm 😆 Chillsins 8:22 pm I've never been a movie. Not even once. verdigrisprowl 8:22 pm ... One exception. Laws of physics. Laws of physics should be unconditional. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:22 pm Not even once! *snickers* chronosmith 8:22 pm The only thing in the universe that is unconditional, and I mean this as in, it is an objective fact of the multiverse itself--*said as he approaches the bar to mix another, stronger Gaugebuster* --is that Starscream's voice is annoying. No matter what he does, or how he speaks. It's annoying. SCProwl 8:22 pm *leans forward, eager to see how she gets out of this* Chillsins 8:22 pm *Nods.* Don't want to be a movie, either. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:23 pm Why? Kelpy 8:23 pm Is she really that bad a liar. I thought she was good at coming up with excuses on the fly. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:23 pm ((guh, the cat pooped and it is toxic I'm dying)) chronosmith 8:23 pm I think this is an act. NoodlesAtNight 8:23 pm ((oh my god)) chronosmith 8:23 pm She's smarter than this. NoodlesAtNight 8:23 pm [[It seems she is making one up now.]] chronosmith 8:23 pm ((RIP in pieces specs)) verdigrisprowl 8:24 pm Whirl, I believed you have indeed discovered an unconditional fact of reality. NoodlesAtNight 8:24 pm *Rumble raises a hand to high five/two Whirl over the Starscream comment.* chronosmith 8:24 pm Yeah, she's completely playing him. NoodlesAtNight 8:24 pm *Sits up straight.* [[HE KNEW IT.]] Chillsins 8:24 pm Being a movie sounds boring. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:24 pm Fight movie cool 😆 This not fight movie :< Chillsins 8:24 pm Yeah... Kelpy 8:24 pm ... He can revive the dead? SCProwl 8:24 pm Ah, she is very good. Chillsins 8:24 pm But I don't want to fight forever either. So I don't want to be a fight movie. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:24 pm *hah* She got what she wanted. chronosmith 8:24 pm *pops that high five/two back once he's on his way back to the couch with the next gaugebuster* MedicalMurdersaurus 8:24 pm Joke movie verdigrisprowl 8:25 pm ((it averages out into a high 3.5)) SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:25 pm CAT HUMAN NoodlesAtNight 8:25 pm [[...He wonders what they were going to do with the children. Surely he does not get many adolescent patients.]] Chillsins 8:25 pm No. You go be a movie. verdigrisprowl 8:25 pm He might. Children of the rich. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:25 pm Kay! chronosmith 8:25 pm Why WOULDN'T you stay at one for a few days? SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:25 pm ...A gambling house, is it? chronosmith 8:25 pm It's nice and relaxing. verdigrisprowl 8:25 pm Hard to sleep. NoodlesAtNight 8:26 pm [[Hmm. He supposes some of their rich humans would care for their spawn. Exceptions, if nothing else.]] Chillsins 8:26 pm What kind of movie will you Swoop be? Fight movie? NoodlesAtNight 8:26 pm //Nah, it ain't a gamblin' house.// chronosmith 8:26 pm *sits down, gets comfortable, and gets back to chugging* MedicalMurdersaurus 8:26 pm FIGHT movie! Dogfight AND FIGHT fight! Kelpy 8:26 pm He recognizes it SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:26 pm Riddling human. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:27 pm And funny And blood! And guts! Chillsins 8:27 pm Best kind of movie. *Nods.* SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:27 pm Ah, I was right. Velveted handcuffs. NoodlesAtNight 8:27 pm {{Him keeping her prisoner!! Break glass! Smash face!}} *Bird rattles.* SCProwl 8:27 pm Ah, the other officer set him up. verdigrisprowl 8:27 pm Rich and powerful humans are very invested in continuing their lineage through their offspring. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:27 pm I wonder if she's poisoned it. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:27 pm *snaps his head over to look at Bird when she starts rattling, puffing up his armor in response* opatoes 8:28 pm Primus, this is... This is really creepy. NoodlesAtNight 8:28 pm [[He doesn't see why. It is competition for their acquisition of wealth.]] verdigrisprowl 8:28 pm Their offspring don't get their wealth until the elders die. Chillsins 8:28 pm We know that. NoodlesAtNight 8:28 pm [[Ahhh.]] opatoes 8:29 pm Primus MedicalMurdersaurus 8:29 pm *stares at Bird while he tries to figure out what got her fussed, still a bit fluffed up himself* NoodlesAtNight 8:29 pm *Laserbeak hisses. That many.* SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:29 pm *the dragon makes a noise* How... MedicalMurdersaurus 8:29 pm ((where is laserbeak?)) NoodlesAtNight 8:29 pm *She's so glad she has no interest in that.* ((floating over the swoop couch)) Kelpy 8:29 pm Well, that's uh. Not good. verdigrisprowl 8:29 pm He has such nice gear. What a waste. Kelpy 8:30 pm He doeas have nice gear though. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:30 pm *crawls slowly onto the back of the couch so he can be closer to her, watching for some kind of cue if he's supposed to tear a limb off someone* verdigrisprowl 8:30 pm Right? The heavy shackles shown earlier looked amazing. Kelpy 8:30 pm .... They're bait. She's going to take the helicopter and leave them to be bait, isn't she Chillsins 8:30 pm Probably. opatoes 8:31 pm Knowing her? Absolutely. NoodlesAtNight 8:31 pm [[Hmm. Satisfying.]] chronosmith 8:31 pm *finishes chugging the second one just in time* HAHA. Nice. opatoes 8:31 pm NICE chronosmith 8:31 pm She is the best. Chillsins 8:31 pm He'd better be dead. chronosmith 8:31 pm ...*up again. His glass is empty. Unacceptable* SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:31 pm Why didn't she kill him? Chillsins 8:31 pm *Groans.* NoodlesAtNight 8:31 pm [[And the shackles did look quite sturdy.]] Kelpy 8:32 pm I should get, uh. Hm. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:32 pm *reaches over to nudge Bird* verdigrisprowl 8:32 pm Weighty, too. NoodlesAtNight 8:32 pm *Bird flinches and whips her feelers out - then settles. Just Swoop. It's fine. She pats his head.* SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:33 pm *the dragon makes a mental note of something. poor Bird.* chronosmith 8:33 pm Takes care of her people first--and she can fly a--she's the best. *shakes his head* She's the best character in this show. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:33 pm *gets slightly less puffed up when she pats him, but is still staring at her* opatoes 8:33 pm oh frag NoodlesAtNight 8:33 pm //Hot damn, she's still flyin'.// SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:33 pm That looks bad. Kelpy 8:33 pm IS she seriously gonna fly with a bullet in the gut chronosmith 8:34 pm Why not? I have. *mixing another drink now* Chillsins 8:34 pm The Ogre. NoodlesAtNight 8:34 pm //Ain't like she got a choice. Can't land back there. Ain't nowhere else to go 'less she gets across the water.// Chillsins 8:34 pm *Snickers even though the topic isn't funny.* SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:34 pm ((uh oh. Vanessa.)) NoodlesAtNight 8:35 pm //THAT is a shootin' gallery.// SCProwl 8:35 pm For drugs. NoodlesAtNight 8:35 pm //Seen our version of 'em loadsa times.// SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:35 pm Oh, not a gambling house. It's a drug den. Chillsins 8:35 pm Not as cool as the kind with guns. chronosmith 8:35 pm Oh. Huh. *pauses to take it in* Not my kinda place. Kelpy 8:35 pm Oh. Chillsins 8:36 pm *In fact he strongly disapproves of this kind.* opatoes 8:36 pm Oh! They're friends again? chronosmith 8:36 pm Heh. NoodlesAtNight 8:36 pm //Yeah. She found 'im at the hospital with Alfred.// chronosmith 8:36 pm See? This is why I never touch that slag. Look how easy you roll over for someone just to get your hit? Pathetic. PATHETIC. NoodlesAtNight 8:36 pm //Kid's gettin' cold.// chronosmith 8:36 pm *he says as he slams his third drink right AT the bar* opatoes 8:36 pm ... Is that what that kinda stuff does? SCProwl 8:37 pm Yes. chronosmith 8:37 pm Better sooner than later. Gotta learn sometime. NoodlesAtNight 8:37 pm *Laserbeak is mostly calmed down now again. For the moment.* SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:37 pm If he wants to survive, he might have to be cold. chronosmith 8:37 pm You MADE it his business, idiot. opatoes 8:37 pm Well, I'm glad I haven't tried that kinda thing much! MedicalMurdersaurus 8:37 pm *makes a face at Bird* Chillsins 8:37 pm Sad. NoodlesAtNight 8:37 pm {{...What?}} MedicalMurdersaurus 8:38 pm *blows raspberries then giggles* chronosmith 8:38 pm Saw too many burnouts in the dead end. Nothing more pathetic than a junkie looking for a fix. NoodlesAtNight 8:38 pm @P: [[The things you experiment with - are you ever concerned that you will end up in a place like this?]] SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:38 pm Make a threat like that... There it is. Are they..? chronosmith 8:38 pm DO IT. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:38 pm She is. chronosmith 8:38 pm Good. opatoes 8:39 pm Phff- Chillsins 8:39 pm There you go. Kelpy 8:39 pm Oh my SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:39 pm Not quite cold enough yet, little batling. SCProwl 8:39 pm Hopefully never. chronosmith 8:39 pm See? Point proven. Chillsins 8:39 pm 'Bout time someone had the sense to off one of these guys. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:39 pm Little bastard of a commissioner. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:39 pm Bird. NoodlesAtNight 8:40 pm {{What?}} MedicalMurdersaurus 8:40 pm You mad Bird? verdigrisprowl 8:40 pm @S «No, because I do all my worrying up front, /before/ the experimenting. I don't touch anything that hasn't been cleared as non-addictive and temporary.» NoodlesAtNight 8:40 pm {{Not at Swoop. Swoop best face maker.}} *Rolls upside down to be cute.* @P: [[And you're never tempted?]] Chillsins 8:41 pm Big dick energy. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:41 pm *tilts with her until he is off balance enough to slide off the sofa into a handstand* chronosmith 8:41 pm *snickers* verdigrisprowl 8:41 pm ... Didn't Gym come after the one HE loved first? NoodlesAtNight 8:41 pm *She flips upright and cackles softly.* Chillsins 8:41 pm Better check the swamp. opatoes 8:41 pm ... He kinda did the batman voice Kelpy 8:41 pm Wow he's... Angry opatoes 8:41 pm even though he's not NoodlesAtNight 8:41 pm [[He did not know the Commissioner's daughter was there. He was expecting paperwork.]] verdigrisprowl 8:42 pm Sure, but he still used her for blackmail. NoodlesAtNight 8:42 pm [[Perhaps - but that, to try to free Bullock and the others from having to do things like this.]] MedicalMurdersaurus 8:42 pm *smiles, he did good* verdigrisprowl 8:42 pm Accusing HIM of crossing the lime that Gym crossed first is... a little hypocritical. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:43 pm Because you couldn't. Claws, little cat. Keep them sharp. chronosmith 8:43 pm I mean, isn't it implied that this Loeb guy is using the serial killer to do his thing? Isn't that what he meant by putting her in danger? MedicalMurdersaurus 8:43 pm *kicks his feet forward and flaps his wings to get enough momentum to pop himself upright* chronosmith 8:44 pm So between looking for blackmail material and using a serial killer to commit ANOTHER crime to get back at someone... *singsong voice* One of these things is not like the other~ verdigrisprowl 8:44 pm I'm not saying Gym was wrong to use her OR wrong to be mad when it was turned around on him, but he's just—it's just factually inaccurate to say that the commissioner is the one who crossed the "using a loved one against someone" line first. NoodlesAtNight 8:44 pm [[That is fair.]] SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:44 pm No, little cat, keep him /distracted/. If he mulls on it too much, he will- RIDDLING HUMAN! Chillsins 8:44 pm That's not how you eat a watermelon. NoodlesAtNight 8:44 pm //What'd the orbs do to you, Ed fleshie?// SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:44 pm They were delicious. chronosmith 8:44 pm I'd figured you'd be all on board with him following the letter of the law. opatoes 8:44 pm That's one way to play with food! SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:45 pm Thank the riddling human! Chillsins 8:45 pm It's a thankless job. chronosmith 8:45 pm Which includes dealing with, y'know. The fact that someone was murdered instead of killed in an accident. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:45 pm She's dead. opatoes 8:45 pm oh no verdigrisprowl 8:45 pm I /am/ all on board with him following the letter of the law, /but/ that's not the point that I'm presently making. Kelpy 8:45 pm Why isn't she calling back? Kelpy 8:46 pm No don't put it down SCProwl 8:46 pm ((cat scare, rude SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:46 pm Follow the cat, the cat is smart. opatoes 8:46 pm better yet call while looking around NoodlesAtNight 8:46 pm [[Heh.]] ((i love the crosshairs window)) chronosmith 8:46 pm Hmm. You're probably right. *he's mixing drink number four* SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:46 pm ((PFFF)) SCProwl 8:46 pm Why is her window wide open in a city like this? NoodlesAtNight 8:47 pm [[Too trusting, he assumes.]] [[Or her home's ventilation system is broken.]] chronosmith 8:47 pm Option number three: set a trap for the guy. Kill him first. Chillsins 8:47 pm That works. chronosmith 8:47 pm Toss him out a window... wait in a closet with a knife. Give her a gun. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:47 pm *looks over at Soundwave's Prowl to see what he thinks about this* Chillsins 8:48 pm At least these guys have some chemistry. NoodlesAtNight 8:48 pm @P: [[...For the record, do as she asked him to do.]] SCProwl 8:48 pm ...ah. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:48 pm Oh. opatoes 8:48 pm oh no Kelpy 8:48 pm So... he picked the ex as his loved one? verdigrisprowl 8:48 pm ((you've gotta start referring to prowls as something other than "soundwave's" because there are two different ways that can be read)) NoodlesAtNight 8:49 pm [[It seems his information is outdated.]] chronosmith 8:49 pm *pauses over drink #4* have her hide a poison knife somewhere on her person... honestly. Chillsins 8:49 pm She should kill him instead. NoodlesAtNight 8:49 pm //Oo, poison knife. I like that.// SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:49 pm ((the dragon's internal monologue goes "prowl dating soundwave (soundwave's prowl)" and "other prowls")) ((but I will try to specify better)) chronosmith 8:49 pm So many fun ways to kill someone who would do your lvoed ones harm, so little time. *toasts the concept* Hell yeah, Rumble. verdigrisprowl 8:49 pm *his face is usually pretty blank. right now is no exception.* Kelpy 8:49 pm Yeah apparently his info is outdated. chronosmith 8:50 pm Preferably a paralytic agent, right? That way once he just collapses you can do whatever you want. *TIME TO CHUG DRINK #4 HE'S GOING FOR THE RECORD TONIGHT* NoodlesAtNight 8:50 pm //Yeah, but not somethin' numbin'.// SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:50 pm *ah, alright. sometimes he makes expressions at the antics Jim gets up to.* chronosmith 8:50 pm 'Course not. Chillsins 8:50 pm Ooh, what a blow. NoodlesAtNight 8:50 pm *Damn. Whirl's knockin' 'em back, ain't he?* chronosmith 8:51 pm There he is again. Doing the stupid thing of flaunting his weakness in front of everyone. Someone's going to cap her. And I'M going to laugh. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:51 pm I know, Whirl! He says everyone's motivated by things, and then he shows off his motivation to the whole world. I think I'd feel too much pity to laugh. chronosmith 8:51 pm I dunno, watching him suffer would be fun, I think. chronosmith 8:52 pm He's such a smug little guy. NoodlesAtNight 8:52 pm [[Most times, he has the right to be.]] Chillsins 8:52 pm The Ogre. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:52 pm *looks over at Whirl* What flaunt? Chillsins 8:52 pm *Giggles again* chronosmith 8:52 pm It'll make it that much more satisfying when someone ELSE has a chance to be smug. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:52 pm *has no idea what they are watching, cause he's been watching Bird* SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:52 pm He's not stupid. He does what he does, he does it well, and he takes some pride in that. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:52 pm *but he heard a dino-word* Chillsins 8:53 pm Flaunt means showing off. chronosmith 8:53 pm I can't believe this guy is out here giving Shrek a bad name. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:53 pm Duh! Chillsins 8:53 pm It's a disgrace. opatoes 8:53 pm but what if the murderer's a cop NoodlesAtNight 8:53 pm [[Because placing cops on people has worked so well before.]] *Thinking of the mayor.* SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:53 pm Honestly... I am wondering. chronosmith 8:54 pm The Penguin. *mixing another gaugebuster* He made a point of telling someone that he was able to take down someone once he knew what drove them. Chillsins 8:54 pm She sounds very enthusiastic. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:54 pm Does he not like being called a riddl- ling. ... Oh no. verdigrisprowl 8:54 pm Enigma is going to commit a murder. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:54 pm I think you are right, Prowl. Kelpy 8:54 pm He is SCProwl 8:55 pm Doesn't everyone in this city eventually? NoodlesAtNight 8:55 pm [[The world will be better for it.]] opatoes 8:55 pm hardly an enigma why though chronosmith 8:55 pm And yet here he is, making it obvious for anyone who wants a chance at hurting HIM. He loves his progenitor. Loves her sooo much. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:55 pm It surely will be. NoodlesAtNight 8:55 pm [[Though it is against the law.]] verdigrisprowl 8:55 pm ... With exquisitely misleading evidence. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:55 pm Progenitor means..... ? Chillsins 8:55 pm Creator. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:55 pm Oh! chronosmith 8:55 pm What he said. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:55 pm Me Swoop creator is Ratchet. And Wheeljack! chronosmith 8:56 pm *takes his new drink and finally returns to the couch, flopping back next to Rumble and staring darkly at the screen* NoodlesAtNight 8:56 pm //Probably figures he's strong enough to make sure don't nobody touch her.// Chillsins 8:56 pm And how does that make you feel? SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:56 pm HAH. NoodlesAtNight 8:56 pm @W: //...You okay, mech?// MedicalMurdersaurus 8:56 pm Feel? SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:56 pm I can hear Alfred's blood pressure going up. Chillsins 8:56 pm You have feelings, yeah? chronosmith 8:56 pm ((alfred's smile omg)) SCProwl 8:56 pm ((it's like that, bruce Kelpy 8:56 pm IS this the beginning of the Batman/Catwoman ship[ MedicalMurdersaurus 8:56 pm Yah! Duh! chronosmith 8:56 pm @R: I will be. NoodlesAtNight 8:57 pm [[It must be. He does seem enamored of her.]] Chillsins 8:57 pm Eh, it was a joke anyway. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:57 pm Jokes funny SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:57 pm It's very cute. Hatchlings can't pairbond, but it does seem like that's where it's heading. NoodlesAtNight 8:57 pm @W: //Anythin' I could do? Somethin' I oughta know? Mechs I gotta punch?// Chillsins 8:57 pm You're funny. MedicalMurdersaurus 8:57 pm Yah! 😆 chronosmith 8:58 pm *outwardly, he shakes his head* ... @R: Just feeling. Off tonight. *obviously thought he could handle a little something he couldn't* Chillsins 8:58 pm *Nods.* MedicalMurdersaurus 8:58 pm Me Swoop am very funny SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:58 pm Oh no. Is he going to get into a fistfight with a serial killer? Chillsins 8:58 pm I mean, I would. verdigrisprowl 8:58 pm ... Is he implying that specializing in fake boobs and having ethics are considered incompatible to humans? SCProwl 8:58 pm No, he's going to almost get run over by a serial killer. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:58 pm I would too, if I was designed for fistfights. Chillsins 8:58 pm But then, I tend to win fistfights. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 8:59 pm I don't fistfight. I bite bite. NoodlesAtNight 8:59 pm [[.........He has no idea. He did not know that could even be falsified.]] verdigrisprowl 8:59 pm Are fake boobs unethical? MedicalMurdersaurus 8:59 pm Me Swoop fistfight AND bite 😆 NoodlesAtNight 8:59 pm [[Perhaps if they've been weaponized. Filled with poison gas, or something of the sort.]] Chillsins 8:59 pm Do you Swoop win? MedicalMurdersaurus 9:00 pm Yah! Most. Chillsins 9:00 pm Good. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:00 pm Sometimes SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:00 pm Brave, brave man. verdigrisprowl 9:00 pm I've never seen weaponized boobs. Chillsins 9:00 pm Whirl has weaponized boobs. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:00 pm Me Swoop am smallest Dinobot. Sludge can squish Me. chronosmith 9:00 pm *takes a long drink, and then nudges Rumble* @R: I really DO appreciate your willingness to fight anything that might have upset me. ...and I don't doubt your ability, either. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:00 pm Grimlock and Slag PUNCH NoodlesAtNight 9:00 pm [[Of course you have.]] *Soundwave stretches an arm out to point at Laserbeak.* chronosmith 9:01 pm ((omg bruce)) verdigrisprowl 9:01 pm ... You're calling your own deployer a boob? Soundwave. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:01 pm *laughter* I feel sorry for poor Barbara. I mean, I don't. chronosmith 9:01 pm I do! opatoes 9:01 pm barbera has a daughter now SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:01 pm But, she was flabbergasted. NoodlesAtNight 9:01 pm *Soft huffing.* [[Anatomical jokes. She is quite competent, I assure you.]] chronosmith 9:01 pm I got the best damn boobs of all. The kind that can kill someone. NoodlesAtNight 9:01 pm {{Competent! Bird BEST.}} MedicalMurdersaurus 9:01 pm Boob Chillsins 9:02 pm Killer boobs all around. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:02 pm *is being a parrot, not adding to the conversation* opatoes 9:02 pm oh dear SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:02 pm *looks over at-* WHIRL. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:02 pm ((jesus christ)) SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:02 pm IT'S HAPPENING. Chillsins 9:02 pm *Don't be silly boob is an essential element to any conversation.* chronosmith 9:02 pm GOOD. Chillsins 9:02 pm Well, Whirl, you were right. chronosmith 9:02 pm ...oh damn he's doing even worse. He's. opatoes 9:02 pm is... is oswald getting a stepdad NoodlesAtNight 9:02 pm *Rumble nods to Whirl. Of course he's willing to fight. But if it ain't something that can be shared, he'll be quiet.* chronosmith 9:03 pm *he's joking, but he's delivering it straight* He's going to be his new dad. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:03 pm *laughs* What a twist. Chillsins 9:03 pm He doesn't seem like a good new dad. Kelpy 9:03 pm Aw, she cleans up cute for a kid. verdigrisprowl 9:03 pm *leans on Soundwave* Anyway, I meant human boobs. Not weapons in approximately the same place as boobs. chronosmith 9:03 pm That makes his revenge even more perfect. SCProwl 9:03 pm ((baby batcat is so adorable <3 NoodlesAtNight 9:04 pm *Leans back in.* [[Ah. Then he does not think he has seen any, either. But he is not interested in interfacing with organics.]] Chaoit 9:04 pm ((Ihoi NoodlesAtNight 9:04 pm [[Perhaps some of them are hiding them.]] SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:04 pm Wise idea, Harvey. Bets on the new girlfriend being the corpse in the bed? opatoes 9:04 pm oh no oh no oh no verdigrisprowl 9:04 pm ... Do you need to be interested in interfacing with organics to see weaponized boobs? Chillsins 9:05 pm I've seen organic boobs. verdigrisprowl 9:05 pm ...... I HAVE seen a weaponized bra. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:05 pm I have never met a dragon with boobs, much less weaponized boobs. NoodlesAtNight 9:05 pm [[He does not imagine they would disrobe for any other reason. They do not on their shows. Except for bathing, and he is not interested in that either.]] *Pause.* [[You have?]] SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:05 pm *she assumes boobs are like what Whirl has, with machine guns* verdigrisprowl 9:05 pm Yes. It wasn't a very good weapon. Chillsins 9:05 pm *Let's just say that Spec's assumption is right.* opatoes 9:05 pm that is your name! MedicalMurdersaurus 9:06 pm That pretty boring dance Chillsins 9:06 pm Yeah. NoodlesAtNight 9:07 pm [[...What did it do?]] opatoes 9:07 pm One mistake? SCProwl 9:07 pm ((oh hey, Niles opatoes 9:07 pm ... Is it that he got caught? NoodlesAtNight 9:07 pm //Heck of an ongoin' single mistake.// SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:07 pm I suspect it was that he got caught. Chillsins 9:07 pm Pfft. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:07 pm Them need Bird for better dance music : > verdigrisprowl 9:07 pm Briefly obscure an officer's vision. chronosmith 9:07 pm *they are two guns, not necessarily machine guns* Chillsins 9:07 pm Yes, let's have a public fight, at a ball no less. chronosmith 9:08 pm Hell yeah, Cat. NoodlesAtNight 9:08 pm *Soundwave straightens up, motionless - then leans forward, shoulders shaking.* {{Peh. Them not know how dancing Bird music.}} SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:08 pm Riddling human, no. opatoes 9:08 pm riddle man SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:08 pm Don't do it. NoodlesAtNight 9:08 pm //Aw, c'mon, don't kill 'im in public.// opatoes 9:08 pm is he gonna... SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:08 pm *the dragon hides her face* MedicalMurdersaurus 9:08 pm How dance for Bird music? :V Chillsins 9:08 pm His name makes me think of doughnuts. NoodlesAtNight 9:08 pm //They're all gonna see.// SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:08 pm NO. chronosmith 9:08 pm I mean, I don't dance, of course, but if I did, I'd need something more sprightly than THAT limp stuff. Kelpy 9:09 pm [twitches fingers] NoodlesAtNight 9:09 pm //HE needs a firm hand. Squeezin' his puny flesh neck.// opatoes 9:09 pm ... Nygma please demolish him somehow chronosmith 9:09 pm Honestly, yeah. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:09 pm *groans* He's going to commit a murder. He doesn't know it yet, but he's going to. Poor riddling human, he's going to be arrested by the Jim human. verdigrisprowl 9:10 pm Yep. He's definitely plotting murder. NoodlesAtNight 9:10 pm {{Bird dance music for strong, fast.}} chronosmith 9:10 pm More power to him. Go for it! Take your first life! MedicalMurdersaurus 9:10 pm *bobs a little as he tries to imagine some of Bird's songs* chronosmith 9:11 pm I think he's ruined his chances with that girl by being creepy but honestly, what's more romantic than presenting your beau with the corpse of someone who hurt them? SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:11 pm Give us a picture, old man. Chillsins 9:11 pm He had surgery, perhaps. They showed us that. opatoes 9:11 pm He did go to a surgical place chronosmith 9:12 pm Yeah. Bunch of folks with brand new faces. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:12 pm He did indeed. verdigrisprowl 9:12 pm Even recommended an employee to them. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:12 pm OH. chronosmith 9:12 pm Oh, come on, that's not so bad. opatoes 9:12 pm oh dear SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:12 pm *the dragon makes a face* How did he EAT? chronosmith 9:12 pm *perks up; oh, this is good* *Whirl is HERE to watch him squirm* MedicalMurdersaurus 9:12 pm ((that is some next level emo fringe)) Chillsins 9:13 pm (( It bothers me, it looks so greasy. )) chronosmith 9:13 pm *leans forward, optic widening* opatoes 9:13 pm oh wow chronosmith 9:13 pm Oh, this is too good. This is TOO GOOD. NoodlesAtNight 9:13 pm ((it's supposed to; he's a dirty birdy. they give him dirty nails and whatnot too)) SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:13 pm *the dragon watches with bated breath* Chillsins 9:14 pm (( It's NASTY. )) (( But yes I have noticed. )) chronosmith 9:14 pm He should've kept going and gave her a heart attack. verdigrisprowl 9:14 pm Hm. And here I thought he was just going to hurt her. He DID hurt her, but not the way I expected. NoodlesAtNight 9:14 pm [[The way he hurt her is worse.]] Kelpy 9:14 pm Dunno, mental and emotional anguish for her seems to be more effectve. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:14 pm The Penguin is going to kill him. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:14 pm ((barb why do you have xenomorph hair)) MedicalMurdersaurus 9:15 pm ((just because you have big hair doesn't mean you have enough secrets to fill it)) Kelpy 9:15 pm Ed, nooo. Chillsins 9:15 pm Sure was, sicko. chronosmith 9:15 pm Oh, boo hoo. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:16 pm Mhm. chronosmith 9:16 pm Go sit in a corner and cry about it. Kelpy 9:16 pm She's a horrible girlfriend. verdigrisprowl 9:16 pm Oh, you poor, lonely little sparkless killer. opatoes 9:16 pm dump him Kelpy 9:16 pm You don't wanna date her either. chronosmith 9:16 pm I mean, point, Swerve. SCProwl 9:16 pm Ugh. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:16 pm Bite his lips off. opatoes 9:16 pm oh no chronosmith 9:16 pm Ha. Nice. Chillsins 9:17 pm Nice. opatoes 9:17 pm good teamwork! SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:17 pm Good job, bitlets! chronosmith 9:18 pm What an intimidating callout. Kelpy 9:18 pm Ed, please. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:18 pm Riddling human. No, opatoes 9:18 pm ed oh no chronosmith 9:18 pm Ohh, is this where it happens? SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:18 pm No. He's going to do it. Kelpy 9:18 pm [holds face] SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:18 pm Of course he is. chronosmith 9:18 pm *clicks his free claw eagerly* SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:18 pm *sighs and winces* chronosmith 9:18 pm HAHAAA SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:18 pm There it goes. chronosmith 9:18 pm There ya go! SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:18 pm And he just realized how good he is at it. chronosmith 9:19 pm Look at him! He's getting into it! opatoes 9:19 pm whoooooops chronosmith 9:19 pm This is precious. This is honestly precious. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:19 pm Clean yourself up, riddling human. SCProwl 9:19 pm This won't be the last time he does this. verdigrisprowl 9:19 pm Enigma. You should have stopped at one. opatoes 9:19 pm ... he's been investigating this stuff for years he should know how to hide the evidence Kelpy 9:19 pm [anorts at Prowl] NoodlesAtNight 9:19 pm [[What difference does it make? The fleshling is dead either way.]] Chillsins 9:19 pm One would think. verdigrisprowl 9:19 pm You're a forensic investigator, you know that multiple stabs show evidence of a crime of passion. NoodlesAtNight 9:19 pm [[Ah.]] SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:19 pm It will not be his last. chronosmith 9:20 pm If he burns the body, though, they won't be able to figure out how many times he was stabbed! ...*again is paying close attention* verdigrisprowl 9:20 pm You'd be surprised. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:20 pm I don't exactly think he is thinking straight. Chillsins 9:20 pm Eat the body. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:20 pm ...That would do it. NoodlesAtNight 9:20 pm //.....Yeah, I don't think she bought it, buddy.// MedicalMurdersaurus 9:20 pm Me SWOOP can burn bodies! :V chronosmith 9:21 pm Nope. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:21 pm Of course not. Chillsins 9:21 pm Please do not demonstrate in the building. chronosmith 9:21 pm All that cleverness couldn't make him a decent liar. I'm going to ENJOY this. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:21 pm With FACE > SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:21 pm It's hard to lie to a docent. WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT. opatoes 9:21 pm oswald no verdigrisprowl 9:21 pm Anyway, if you burn a body, then you have a burned body to deal with. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:21 pm WHY THERE Kelpy 9:21 pm Was... was he just a delivery man opatoes 9:21 pm Oswald are you gonna have to clean that up chronosmith 9:21 pm Scatter the ashes! verdigrisprowl 9:22 pm And the site of the burning. chronosmith 9:22 pm Right into that nasty water. verdigrisprowl 9:22 pm And during the time that it's burning, you have a fire. chronosmith 9:23 pm The police force in this town is stretched thin, and half of it's corrupt--go to a place where you know they won't go. Some big crime lord's stomping ground. He works for the cops, he knows the regulars. They might think it's a message for that hotshot new commissioner who's making waves--you kill one of his men and burn the body? Sounds like a message. chronosmith 9:24 pm Obviously a lot of this is "right time, right place" but he's in the right time at the right place. verdigrisprowl 9:24 pm No, the best strategy would be to make the killing look as anonymous and pointless as possible. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:24 pm *laughs despite herself* Oh, no. opatoes 9:24 pm ... is the music included or verdigrisprowl 9:24 pm One stab. Take his wallet. Leave him there. SCProwl 9:24 pm It might be. NoodlesAtNight 9:24 pm ((and now, for lighter content)) chronosmith 9:24 pm *tilts his head thoughtfully* Fair. Gotham's probably rife with that sort of thing. opatoes 9:24 pm like does he have the music start up anytime someone enters SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:24 pm That would be a fancy torture dungeon, to have its own soundtrack. He is rich enough. opatoes 9:24 pm lighter content sounds good right now but also cliffhanger Kelpy 9:24 pm ... chronosmith 9:24 pm BUT I'm talking about what you do AFTER you thoroughly enjoy yourself by stabbing him a bunch of times. Kelpy 9:25 pm Spiderman!@ verdigrisprowl 9:25 pm And that's why he shouldn't have stabbed a bunch of times. opatoes 9:25 pm SPIDEY chronosmith 9:25 pm I mean, you know how it is, in the heat of the moment. ...well, maybe not you. SCProwl 9:25 pm ...what is this then? verdigrisprowl 9:25 pm Yeah, can't relate. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:25 pm Bird NoodlesAtNight 9:25 pm [[Hmm. A dungeon that plays its own music.]] Chillsins 9:25 pm Snow fort. NoodlesAtNight 9:25 pm //It's the Avengin' superheroes. Different from Bat guy's world.// SCProwl 9:25 pm It wouldn't be difficult to set up something like that. Chillsins 9:25 pm *Pouts.* Kelpy 9:26 pm [thinking face] chronosmith 9:26 pm Then take it from an expert: getting to take out the full brunt of your revenge on someone who deserves it is a rare and highly treasured experience. opatoes 9:26 pm I want a lego movie about my universe chronosmith 9:26 pm Worth the extra work of hiding the evidence. Chillsins 9:26 pm Eat the snowball. chronosmith 9:26 pm ((this is adorbale omg)) SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:26 pm ((it is really really cute lmao)) MedicalMurdersaurus 9:26 pm *chews on his lip* opatoes 9:27 pm ((man now i'm imagining if they got to do like... do lego transformers movies)) Chillsins 9:27 pm It's a secret. Or not. NoodlesAtNight 9:27 pm ((there's the kreon commercials)) [[Ugh. Evil snow.]] opatoes 9:27 pm ((true! but it's no full episode or movie)) SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:27 pm How does one make /evil/ snow, anyways? Chillsins 9:27 pm You pee in it. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:27 pm Kehehheh Him squisih NoodlesAtNight 9:28 pm [[It's inherent to all snow.]] opatoes 9:28 pm how do you pe- I don't want to ask do I Kelpy 9:28 pm Some long tentacles Chillsins 9:28 pm Snow is pretty great. opatoes 9:28 pm uuuuggggh why are there so many feelers NoodlesAtNight 9:28 pm //Pfhfhfgehhghgehehh.// opatoes 9:28 pm he's wh Kelpy 9:28 pm [snickers about opverload] SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:28 pm I like snow. opatoes 9:28 pm phfhffbfff Chillsins 9:28 pm A snowflake a day keeps the Soundwaves away. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:28 pm Kehhehh Bird! He walk like BIrd. *waggles fingers* Feelers. chronosmith 9:29 pm ...you. *blinks at Rumble* You good? opatoes 9:29 pm Why can't you eat dryer lint ... what's dryer lint NoodlesAtNight 9:29 pm //Yeah. 'S nothin'.// NoodlesAtNight 9:29 pm [[Hmm. He wouldn't mind two more.]] Chillsins 9:29 pm Calamari is squid. opatoes 9:29 pm I wonder how much web fluid messy can make opatoes 9:30 pm I wanna try doing a spider-man style swing! MedicalMurdersaurus 9:30 pm Web fluid? Chillsins 9:30 pm *Squeals.* Kelpy 9:30 pm Too many overloads. opatoes 9:30 pm Yeah! The stuff used to-phpfhfhff To make webs! MedicalMurdersaurus 9:30 pm ((cro did you do this on purpose XD)) Chillsins 9:30 pm *Doubles over.* chronosmith 9:30 pm ((THERE'S MY BOOOYYYY)) NoodlesAtNight 9:30 pm ((i might've)) verdigrisprowl 9:30 pm *"he must have overloaded doc ock himself." SNORTS* Chillsins 9:30 pm (( VENOM. )) chronosmith 9:30 pm (9I AGREE LOKI)) verdigrisprowl 9:30 pm ((ABSOLUTELY WORTH OVERLOADING)) opatoes 9:31 pm ... give him the hot dog NoodlesAtNight 9:31 pm [[What a precious creature.]] SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:31 pm *the dragon is enjoying watching everyone else here try not to die laughing* chronosmith 9:31 pm Soundwave. Chillsins 9:31 pm That's enough for me, I can't handle any more overloads. chronosmith 9:31 pm I have some questions. NoodlesAtNight 9:31 pm [[Yes?]] Chillsins 9:31 pm (( I gotta miss Venom, I'm out. )) opatoes 9:31 pm big mood spidey NoodlesAtNight 9:31 pm //I don't think eyes is where tendrils go when overloadin's in the picture.// chronosmith 9:31 pm You got a little something on the brain? Kelpy 9:31 pm [giggles] NoodlesAtNight 9:31 pm ((awww seeya)) SCProwl 9:31 pm I doubt he was aiming for your eye. opatoes 9:31 pm SOUNDS NO chronosmith 9:32 pm *SNORK* verdigrisprowl 9:32 pm Don't kinkshame, Rumble. SCProwl 9:32 pm *huffs* SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:32 pm *the dragon just had to hear prowl say "kinkshame. that's it, she's laughing* opatoes 9:32 pm f chronosmith 9:32 pm *second snork* Chillsins 9:32 pm *Picks himself up. He must take care of his spawn.* NoodlesAtNight 9:33 pm //I ain't shamin' nothin'. I'm jus' sayin'. Sounds more painful than fun.// Chillsins 9:33 pm Bye, suckers. Have fun overloadin'. opatoes 9:33 pm Owww... NoodlesAtNight 9:33 pm *Bird cackles.* chronosmith 9:33 pm I'm going to agree. opatoes 9:33 pm phhhff- MedicalMurdersaurus 9:33 pm ((KEBOB BUB)) NoodlesAtNight 9:33 pm [[And he doesn't know what you mean, Whirl.]] opatoes 9:33 pm He's poor give him food! chronosmith 9:33 pm I've only ever had anything like tendrils very briefly but they weren't something you'd wanna put in sensitive places. Chillsins 9:33 pm *And he's gone.* chronosmith 9:34 pm Seeya, loser! opatoes 9:34 pm Aww, bye Windchill. Chillsins 9:34 pm My spawn await. (( Gotta pick up sister but I'll try to pop in next week. )) NoodlesAtNight 9:34 pm ((kk! drive safe)) SCProwl 9:34 pm ((the very vincible iron man NoodlesAtNight 9:34 pm ((LOL)) opatoes 9:34 pm You smell it? Ewwww. Chillsins 9:34 pm (( Thanks for LEGO. )) MedicalMurdersaurus 9:35 pm Him Spiderbot like spider stuff NoodlesAtNight 9:35 pm [[THAT IS NOT HOW THOSE WORK.]] [[...He thinks.]] *Mildly concerned now.* Kelpy 9:35 pm That's too many overloads. chronosmith 9:36 pm ((O/ DRIVE SAFE DUDE)) Chaoit 9:36 pm ....diiiid I chose a bad time to walk in? opatoes 9:36 pm Blaster! Welcome! SCProwl 9:36 pm ((i love that iron fist line forever opatoes 9:36 pm ... p primus chronosmith 9:36 pm *okay he can't help but snicker* verdigrisprowl 9:36 pm Hi. We're watching euphemisms. NoodlesAtNight 9:36 pm *HUFF* chronosmith 9:36 pm Y-yeah. Everyone knows overloading on the battlefield is the best. NoodlesAtNight 9:36 pm //HAAAAAAA// opatoes 9:37 pm What SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:37 pm *WHY IS EVERYTHING SO FUNNY* Kelpy 9:37 pm [cackles] opatoes 9:37 pm PFHFHPHFFF- chronosmith 9:37 pm *LAUGHS* NoodlesAtNight 9:37 pm *Rumble slumps sideways on the couch, fans whirling madly. He's laughing into his arms.* verdigrisprowl 9:37 pm *"AN ARMY OF OVERLOADS." snnnrk* MedicalMurdersaurus 9:37 pm *is laughing at this for ENTIRELY unrelated reasons* *is this show's actual target audience* Kelpy 9:37 pm [slumps down onto couch and just losing it] NoodlesAtNight 9:37 pm *Soundwave is not far behind. He's hiding his face on Prowl's shoulder.* opatoes 9:37 pm /Smokescreen's giggly the entire time/ Chaoit 9:38 pm Hi, Smokescreen...and...kinda....that's what they are, huh? NoodlesAtNight 9:38 pm *Swoop: The only one actually taking this show correctly.* SCProwl 9:38 pm *rubs visor and laughs into wrist* opatoes 9:38 pm Oh! Blaster, Blaster, do you know any instruments? NoodlesAtNight 9:38 pm //That ain't a skateboard! They're flat!// chronosmith 9:38 pm Hell yeah it's a skateboard! Look, it's as good as a skateboard. chronosmith 9:39 pm ...maybe it's more like a hoverboard. NoodlesAtNight 9:39 pm //THAT,// *pointing with one arm and trying not to laugh.* //Is a HOVERBOARD.// SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:39 pm *hey, just because the dragon doesn't know why everyone's laughing doesn't mean that she's not laughing about it either* Chaoit 9:39 pm Instruments? MedicalMurdersaurus 9:39 pm Him Hulk like Slag kehehh Chaoit 9:39 pm Yeah chronosmith 9:39 pm Are you sure? *peers* Cos it looks... like. opatoes 9:39 pm Really? You wanna try one right now? chronosmith 9:39 pm An. Overload. opatoes 9:39 pm I got a new alt mode, and it's really cool! NoodlesAtNight 9:39 pm *Rumble howls.* chronosmith 9:40 pm *watches, amused* NoodlesAtNight 9:40 pm [[/Do not call him fist./]] Chaoit 9:40 pm Like what? verdigrisprowl 9:40 pm What's wrong with calling him fist? opatoes 9:41 pm /Smokescreen's transforming into an instrumental organ!/ NoodlesAtNight 9:41 pm [[...Nothing.]] Chaoit 9:41 pm !!! verdigrisprowl 9:41 pm *at this point he's snorting every time they say "overload"* Chaoit 9:41 pm Since when did you turn into that? Kelpy 9:41 pm [just actively crying at this point] opatoes 9:42 pm Since yesterday, pretty much! MedicalMurdersaurus 9:42 pm *hops too* Chaoit 9:42 pm Cool! NoodlesAtNight 9:42 pm *Rumble just falls off the couch at this point. He's done. He's gone. Rumble is no more.* opatoes 9:42 pm I know, right? You wanna try playing me later? MedicalMurdersaurus 9:42 pm The Man of Spiders NoodlesAtNight 9:42 pm {{Peh. That not Man of Spiders. Tarantulas Man of Spiders.}} chronosmith 9:43 pm *drapes a claw dramatically over his chest as he mourns the loss of his beau* Chaoit 9:43 pm Ah...depends on how late you stay chronosmith 9:43 pm He gave himself. An overload. opatoes 9:43 pm Sounds good! I can stay a while tonight. verdigrisprowl 9:43 pm Several. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:43 pm Tarantulas chronosmith 9:43 pm So it would seem. verdigrisprowl 9:44 pm Well. You have to learn to enjoy your own company before you can learn to enjoy anyone else's. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:44 pm Him nooot Spiderman keheh chronosmith 9:44 pm That is PATENTLY untrue, Prowl. Kelpy 9:44 pm He made them wax the floor too much verdigrisprowl 9:45 pm Well. It certainly helps. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:45 pm You Bird thiiink Spiderbot want to funny *points at the screen* movie? NoodlesAtNight 9:45 pm {{Maybe next time, neheh.}} Kelpy 9:46 pm HAhahah MedicalMurdersaurus 9:46 pm Him weeeird bot SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:46 pm *the dragon stretches* That was... something. A good finish, maybe? chronosmith 9:46 pm Someone, please. This was a cry for help. Someone help our generous host. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:46 pm BUT! *bounces* Web fun. chronosmith 9:47 pm ...*peeps over the couch and reaches down to clamp one claw on Rumble, lifting him claw-machine-style* And maybe Rumble, too. You still alive? Kelpy 9:47 pm [still giggling quietly where he's slumped on the couch] NoodlesAtNight 9:47 pm *The weakest raised hand with thumb up ever.* MedicalMurdersaurus 9:48 pm *perks up at the music* Oh! No more movie. SpecsTheSpectralDragon 9:48 pm Goodnight, everyone! *she's taking the butter with her* NoodlesAtNight 9:48 pm *Soundwave just stays with his visor hidden. He doesn't want to look at anyone else here right now. They might see that he's laughing.* MedicalMurdersaurus 9:48 pm Me Swoop have to back now, Bird? NoodlesAtNight 9:48 pm //N-night, dr-d- dragon.// opatoes 9:48 pm OH oh oh Blaster, Blaster- do you want to try that thing, by the way? chronosmith 9:48 pm *reaches over and deposits him on the couch* I think he'll make it. See you, Butterbeast. NoodlesAtNight 9:48 pm //Whoop!!// SCProwl 9:48 pm ((I saw the Cap and Iron Man short and now I want to watch it NoodlesAtNight 9:49 pm {{Ya. Bird got to work. Other Cybertron, far, far.}} Chaoit 9:49 pm Sure? -he's a little worried about everyone's laughter at this point- MedicalMurdersaurus 9:49 pm *kicks his legs and looks disappointed* Kaaay NoodlesAtNight 9:49 pm ((oh! time marker, uhhh, 10:05)) opatoes 9:49 pm /Smokescreen's transforming to root mode, scooting closer to blaster, before transforming back to organ mode again./ You ever try this kinda instrument? SCProwl 9:50 pm Well, tonight was certainly... something. Chaoit 9:50 pm Hmn...kinda. It's been a while since I've had time to play any instrument opatoes 9:50 pm It's been a really interesting night, yeah! opatoes 9:51 pm Wait, really? What kinda stuff can you do? What are the pedals at the bottom for? chronosmith 9:51 pm Okay. I got a request, if you got the time for it. Literally ANY instrumental version of Moon River you can find. Don't care what kind of cover it is. SCProwl 9:51 pm You can play? NoodlesAtNight 9:51 pm [[He apologizes for nothing. It is good to break from tense content.]] SCProwl 9:52 pm Yes, these Gotham stories have certainly been overloaded with tension. MedicalMurdersaurus 9:52 pm *pushes off the couch to stand up, then stands around awkwardly* chronosmith 9:52 pm *somewhere deep down, Whirl appreciates it. That scene from the beginning has been playing on an endless loop in his mind all night. ..and on that note, he still has a double Gaugebuster to take care of, so he'll start drinking* Chaoit 9:52 pm I was taught how to play most instruments, but that was before the War NoodlesAtNight 9:52 pm *Another huff.* [[You were waiting for that.]] chronosmith 9:53 pm *not instrumental, but he can appreciate Audrey Hepburn* *salutes Soundwave* NoodlesAtNight 9:53 pm ((ah i missed it was instrumental requested)) chronosmith 9:54 pm ((o7 you're fine my ddue!)) ...ddue)) MedicalMurdersaurus 9:54 pm *doesn't know what to do with himself, so he wanders closer to Bird, pauses long enough to be a lanky weirdo, then turns to the door* NoodlesAtNight 9:54 pm *Bird pats Swoop, scoops the treat mush up to plop it on his shoulder, cackles, and flies upstairs* MedicalMurdersaurus 9:54 pm ((whoops! XD)) chronosmith 9:54 pm ((i figure under the circumstances it makes sense for soundwave maybe to have missed that. what with all the overloads)) NoodlesAtNight 9:54 pm ((AHAHGAHHG)) MedicalMurdersaurus 9:54 pm *laughs at the mush, brushing it off onto the floor and then just meandering out towards the door* Chaoit 9:55 pm And...maybe. Probably not well, I'm out of practice SCProwl 9:55 pm *says nothing to Soundwave's comment* I'm sure anything you play will be fine. opatoes 9:55 pm Hey! Probably better than me, I've never played before yesterday. Chaoit 9:57 pm ((sorry, bird is screaming his little head off chronosmith 9:57 pm *finishes chugging the last of his drink; drunk? No Tipsy? By now, he is, indeed, tipsy* All right, losers. I'm out. See you next week. Kelpy 9:57 pm Later. [his vents are starting to sound a bit wheezy] NoodlesAtNight 9:57 pm *Wheezy* //Seeya. Don't stay gone too long.// NoodlesAtNight 9:58 pm *Half-afted bop.* chronosmith 9:58 pm 'Course not. *nudges him affectionately in response to the bop* *and streetches, standing* opatoes 9:59 pm Aww- night! Chaoit 10:00 pm ((anyway! Smokey, you don't mind if Blaster give this a try? chronosmith 10:00 pm *salutes one last time, and he is gone* opatoes 10:01 pm ((He doesn't mind at all! he's pretty much like "hey play me i wanna learn how to play myself")) Chaoit 10:02 pm ((oh, awesome, gotcha Chaoit 10:03 pm Alright...this might feel a bit weird...but I'll see what I remember opatoes 10:03 pm It's all good! Soundwave tapped me once earlier, I'm sure this won't feel weird. NoodlesAtNight 10:04 pm [[Ah. Perhaps you should play outside? The music will clash.]] opatoes 10:04 pm Oh. Oh yeah, that's true- Dang. Kelpy 10:04 pm Has there ever even been instrument alt modes before? Other than like, radios. opatoes 10:05 pm I think there has been! But in like, the universe where they're 90% chins SCProwl 10:05 pm I arrested someone that could turn into a drum once. Kelpy 10:05 pm Wild. Chaoit 10:05 pm -snorts- Wow NoodlesAtNight 10:08 pm [[Let him guess. You heard the drumbeats and charged him with assault.]] opatoes 10:08 pm Did you have to announce the suspect with a drumroll first? Chaoit 10:08 pm -snorts- Okay that was bad NoodlesAtNight 10:09 pm [[He used all the content on the overload show.]] *Streeeeetch. [[Time to close down for the night, he thinks.]] Kelpy 10:10 pm Good idea. [snickers and slides off the couch] I better get back anyway, Rodimus is waiting for me. So, see ya. NoodlesAtNight 10:10 pm [[Next time, Swerve.]] *Nod.* SCProwl 10:10 pm Goodnight. Kelpy 10:10 pm HAve fun! opatoes 10:10 pm Aww- well, hope to see you all later! Have a good night. Chaoit 10:10 pm Good night Kelpy 10:10 pm [heads for the door] opatoes 10:10 pm Do you need any help cleaning up or anything, Soundwave? NoodlesAtNight 10:11 pm [[No, thank you. He'll see to that later.]] opatoes 10:11 pm Fair enough! Have a good night, then. NoodlesAtNight 10:12 pm *Nods.* opatoes 10:12 pm /Smokescreen's grabbing a few drinks before finally heading off!/ Chaoit 10:13 pm -and he's waving a farewell himself as he leaves himself- verdigrisprowl ... leans on soundwave 10:31 pm NoodlesAtNight 10:32 pm *Leans back.* [[He apologizes for using your shoulder as a shield earlier. His visor was visualizing his laughter.]] verdigrisprowl 10:34 pm ... It was /what/? I—have I seen it do that before? NoodlesAtNight 10:35 pm [[You haven't. He was going to put on a smiling face at all the accusations about his personal needs but could not keep control over it after doing so.]] verdigrisprowl 10:35 pm ... Can I see? NoodlesAtNight 10:37 pm *Considers.* [[He can replay the content if that is sufficient? Unless you think you'd like to make him laugh that hard.]] verdigrisprowl 10:39 pm *he considers it.* I don't think I can do it on command. *a pause.* ... Although I wish I could. NoodlesAtNight 10:39 pm [[You enjoy it that much, then?]] verdigrisprowl 10:41 pm What? You laughing? *is definitely not looking at Soundwave* ... yes. NoodlesAtNight 10:43 pm *Hmm. That's - it's - he doesn't know what it is, but he likes knowing that. Sweet? Is that sweet? He feels like it counts.* [[Then give him a moment.]] verdigrisprowl 10:44 pm You don't have to laugh on command. That's— It's not— It doesn't count if it's not natural. NoodlesAtNight 10:45 pm [[He won't. He can just repeat the last things it displayed - or would you rather wait until next time?]] *He's confused now, Prowl.* verdigrisprowl 10:45 pm Oh—yes, I'd like to see what you displayed. NoodlesAtNight 10:50 pm *Ah, good. He'd hate to think he pulled it up for nothing.* [[He'll be playing it at high speed this time, of course.]] *It starts out as the smiling face, as he said, but quickly flickers through two more on the way to a more expressive third. That one fuzzes out and disintegrates into wobbling pink and yellow lines illustrating the sound of laughter nobody can actually hear. They eventually get too wild and collapse back into rolling bands of static, right about the time of peak laughter. His visor stopped being able to make sense of the data being fed to it at that point.* verdigrisprowl 10:52 pm *he turns sideways, puts his elbow over the back of the couch, and props his chin in his hand to watch the display.* *he's smiling dumbly by the end.* NoodlesAtNight 10:53 pm *That is the most delightful thing. Look at that smile. He put that there. He might have done something regrettable a year ago, but - surely he can't have done _too_ much that's legitimately awful and still get an expression like that?* verdigrisprowl 10:54 pm *he catches himself pretty quickly, reels his face back in, and looks down—but there's still a hint of it.* Thank you. NoodlesAtNight 10:56 pm *He snaps a shot of it before it fades and pings affection.* [[You're welcome.]] *Pause.* [[...You don't have to hide that if we are alone, you know. There is only him to see it, and he is not inclined to share the image with others.]] verdigrisprowl 10:57 pm Oh. Sorry. It just—feels strange, when I notice it. verdigrisprowl 10:58 pm ... You know how, if you stop and think about your ventilations, suddenly you're not naturally ventilating anymore, you have to consciously control your fans and filters? NoodlesAtNight 10:59 pm [[There is never a need to apologize for that.]] *Soundwave leans over.* [[And he does not think it strange at all. It is - hmm.]] *How to describe it without spooking Prowl with too big a compliment.* [[It is one of the most appealing sights he knows of. But - yes, he does. How is it like that?]] verdigrisprowl 11:01 pm It's consciously controlled, at that point. And once it's consciously controlled, it's—fake. It feels like a fake smile. NoodlesAtNight 11:04 pm [[Ahhh. He sees. Then he will just have to continue being quick to record them, before you notice you're doing it.]] *Huff.* verdigrisprowl 11:06 pm Pff. ... How many do you have, at this point. NoodlesAtNight 11:06 pm [[At least a few dozen.]] NoodlesAtNight 11:07 pm [[And a few laughs.]] NoodlesAtNight 11:08 pm [[He keeps them in the same sector as his collection of singing mechs.]] *Slow bob.* [[Though it occurs to him you have seen /his/ face far less often, let alone smiling.]] verdigrisprowl 11:09 pm True. ... But I can see your shoulders. NoodlesAtNight 11:10 pm [[That is enough for you? You seemed to, ah...]] *After the overload short, this is difficult not to laugh at.* [[You rather liked how he looked with just a standard visor.]] verdigrisprowl 11:11 pm Ah. Yes. I did. Do. verdigrisprowl 11:12 pm *wow there's something very interesting to look at over by the bar.* ... But your shoulders... er. vibrate? when you laugh. Tiny shakes. NoodlesAtNight 11:12 pm *Ravage squints. What are you looking at.* NoodlesAtNight 11:13 pm [[That is true. His shoulders shake, and you...]] *Soundwave laces his fingers over where his mouth would be.* [[...This works better on you. His fingers are not thick enough.]] verdigrisprowl 11:15 pm *don't worry, Ravage. It's probably Sentinel's ugly mug.* NoodlesAtNight 11:15 pm *Oh, that thing. Don't look too long. You might go as blind as your alternate from the hideousness.* verdigrisprowl 11:15 pm Yeah. I guess I do. ... Anyway, it's... *mumble mumble* NoodlesAtNight 11:16 pm *Soundwave turns his head just so, trying to catch that.* [[........Come again?]] verdigrisprowl 11:17 pm s'nice. NoodlesAtNight 11:18 pm *Leans forward. Bump?* [[Thank you.]] verdigrisprowl 11:20 pm *bump, but he's still not looking at Soundwave. mumble.* NoodlesAtNight 11:21 pm *Another mumble?* [[...Would it be easier to let him feel it instead?]] verdigrisprowl 11:23 pm Feel what? ... The smiles? NoodlesAtNight 11:24 pm *Somewhat hesitantly.* [[Whatever you're having trouble saying.]] verdigrisprowl 11:25 pm Oh. It was just "you're welcome." NoodlesAtNight 11:25 pm [[Ah.]] *Nods. Gentle nuzzle against crest.* [[The offer stands for the future, if need be.]] verdigrisprowl 11:26 pm Hmm. Noted. NoodlesAtNight 11:28 pm [[Is there anything else you'd like of him at the moment?]] *Rest, a norn-frostless overload or three, a discussion, a handstand?* verdigrisprowl 11:29 pm *a long, considering look.* ... Yes. NoodlesAtNight 11:29 pm [[At risk of stating the extremely obvious: He is listening.]] verdigrisprowl 11:30 pm It's an open-ended "yes." NoodlesAtNight 11:32 pm [[Oh! Is this the question game?]] *Sits up slightly.* [[Should he be investigating? Or is he to suggest something himself?]] verdigrisprowl 11:33 pm Oh, no, not a game, I don't have something specific in mind. ... So feel free to suggest something. NoodlesAtNight 11:37 pm [[He has an idea, but he isn't sure where you keep what he is thinking about.]] *Pause* [[And we have a discussion to hold before he finds out where they are. That will be very important.]] verdigrisprowl 11:37 pm ... Go on. NoodlesAtNight 11:39 pm [[He has not tested your handcuffs for you. All the - everything that's happened, since he gave them to you. It distracted him.]] [[There appear to be no world-ending threats at the moment.]] verdigrisprowl 11:39 pm Ssso it would appear, yes. ... For the first time in months. NoodlesAtNight 11:41 pm [[He doubts one will appear any time soon. Historically speaking, this is a slow time of year. If you would - if you want to have that discussion, and perhaps perform the test....]] verdigrisprowl 11:41 pm ... Are world-ending threats seasonal? verdigrisprowl 11:42 pm *no, wait, wrong thing to focus on, Prowl* Ahhh. Yes. That sounds like a— I'd like that. Very much. NoodlesAtNight 11:42 pm [[Everyone needs a vacation, as you've told him before.]] *Oh thank goodness. He thought they were going to get carried away examining his records of various greyface shenanigans and eldritch beings.* [[Then, if you'd accompany him to his apartment--?]] NoodlesAtNight 11:43 pm *Over by the bar, Ravage sticks his nose in the air and closes his optics. As if he was eavesdropping.* *...Well, all right. As if he was eavesdropping with bad intentions, to correct himself.* verdigrisprowl 11:44 pm Gladly. NoodlesAtNight 11:44 pm [[Feel free to lead the way.]] *He might as well get used to that now.* verdigrisprowl 11:46 pm *oh. WELL then. Gets to his feet, and offers a hand to Soundwave.* NoodlesAtNight 11:47 pm *Takes it and stands up.* verdigrisprowl 11:48 pm *opens a bridge for them both, and off they go*

[bluboothalassophile]

Give Me Back My Mind!

Bloody, Fucking Normalcy for the Outsiders…

They came rolling into Jason’s London flat at five. He’d parked at a different garage, and they had taken the tube to get there.

“Why couldn’t we just drive there?” Zachary complained as they walked the stairs of the complex.

“Because aside from New York City, London has the most cameras, and in case you didn’t notice there’s not a lot of American muscle cars driving around here,” Jason snapped.

“Then why couldn’t Raven carry the bags?” Zachary whined.

“Because you’re a gentleman, and gentlemen carry ladies bags,” Jason snapped. Raven just frowned at him. she’d offered to carry her own bags, but Jason had grabbed her supplies, his gear, and their bags. Zachary was carrying a bag of gear for Jason, but Jason had snapped it was Raven’s, and since almost all the bags were identical and black and Zachary was new, he was none the wiser.

“Really?” Damian asked.

“Little bird, what are you teaching the boys at that Tower?” Jason asked her.

“I don’t know,” Raven admitted.

“Agent A would be ashamed of demon spawn,” Jason informed her.

“Well don’t look at me, I’ve never been treated as a lady, I take care of myself,” Raven stated monotonously.

“Now that’s a shame,” Jason informed her.

“So I’m learning,” Raven mused dryly.

“Dickbird should know better, you should report him and the Bat clan to Alfred,” Jason grinned viciously at her, and Raven smirked.

“There’s a thought,” she reflected.

“How does he know so much about us, but no one knows about him!?” Damian snapped.

“Because I broke into the Watch Tower and stole the info, baby bird,” Jason said as he stopped in front of an apartment and pulled out a hidden key before opening the door. “Ladies first,” he gestured.

Raven walked in sensing nothing amiss.

“You couldn’t have!” Zachary and Damian protested.

“Red X here,” Jason huffed, Raven smirked at the slight insult she felt rolling off him.

“Means nothing,” Damian snapped.

“Means a lot actually,” Raven cut off the argument brewing.

“Remember the talk we had about respecting adversaries, Damian?” Jason growled lowly.

“I do not respect a thief.”

“What about a killer?”

“You’ve killed people!?” Zachary balked.

“Red Hood, and I threatened your life, how could you forget that so quickly!?” Jason snapped.

“I didn’t think you’d actually kill me!” Zachary sputtered.

“Enough, Jason, where are we meeting Constantine?” Raven asked.

“A pub,” he answered. “We’ll leave here around nine thirty-ish,” he shrugged.

“Thank you, Zachary, you wanted to learn Magic, come on, we need to make a few things before we meet Constantine,” Raven motioned as she picked up her bag and set it on the counter.

“Then who’s bag did I carry?” Zachary balked.

“Not important,” she monotonously cut him off again. She really hated teens, but she’d endure. Damian perched himself on the counter.

“Mind if I cook?” Jason asked.

“No, we will keep the magic out of the kitchen,” she assured him as she moved to the living area.

~~~*~*~*~~~

“You got eyes on little bird, baby bird?” Jason asked as he started looking through the supplies he and Damian had bought. He knew what he was going to cook, cooking would get the itch he was feeling under control before he lost it and blacked out. There was no way he was losing it when he was around Raven or the kids, in fact, he was going to ask Raven to put him down should he lose it.

“Yes,” Damian said. “Did you really steal all of our files?”

“Yes,” Jason admitted. He didn’t need to steal the Bat files, he’d kept an eye on all of them long enough to be well aware of what the Bats were doing. He knew all about the new Bats, the grown Bats, the people behind the Bats; however, he had stolen League files for a client. Not that said client had received the full file. No, once Jason had realized what he had in his hot little hands, he had systematically gone about removing parts of the file so Luthor couldn’t have it. Sorry, trying to take out a Super was one thing but the Bats were his to destroy.

It was part of the reason why he’d stolen the Red X suit from Dick; the other part of the reason was to send a message to Slade:

Bats Were Off Limits.

He’d kill Batman, if anyone had ever earned the goddamn right to kill Batman it was him, but the kids were off limits. Even Talia’s brat, who was currently sitting in his kitchen.

“Why?”

“I’m a contractor, I’m hired to acquire goods that are otherwise not acquirable,” he stated. “Get off the damn counter, seriously, did the Bats teach you nothing?”

Damian glared at him but did as he was told as he sat on a barstool.

“Why does Raven need tampons, we never talked,” Damian asked.

“And you want to ask when I’m cooking food?” he asked. “Sure, why not? Bats are weird enough.”

“I do not see what food has to do with tampons.”

“I’m guessing you know how sex works,” Jason started as he picked out what he would use for spaghetti; it was simple and filling. He’d have meat sauce for him and everyone who wasn’t the demon spawn.

“Yes, the man sticks…”

“Yaditditdit! I know how sex works, I don’t need to hear it from a kid,” Jason warned firmly. “Now, since you clearly know how it works, do you know the product of sex?”

Damian actually shook his head and Jason blinked twice.

“That’s a no?”

“No!” Damian hissed.

“Okay… League and Bats are clearly lacking in teaching you. Babies, STDs and other shit too, but you’ll have that talk with Bats a thousand times over once you hit puberty I bet,” Jason said as he filled a pot with water and rinsed it out. He’d had the talk with Bruce religiously since he was thirteen, not that a kid from Crime Ally really needed it. Jason knew more about sex than Bruce did, and he was willing to bet he’d make Bruce blush if he had to actually tell Bruce all he knew about sex.

“What do babies have to do with tampons?”

“Well, women have menstrual cycles; a cycle tracking their fertility and the best time to get pregnant, sexually active or not a woman’s body starts doing this when she’s mature enough. I bet big bird will educate you on all that when you’re older too, but these cycles make a woman bleed, tampons are for that,” Jason said candidly as he got the water heating and started on making the sauces. It pulled out a cigarette because the itch to kill was getting so bad he was about to leap out of his skin. A smoke would settle this.

“She is bleeding?”

“Fuck if I know, but the point is it’s a cycle, and little bird did not pack hers, and rather than dealing with a cranky demoness who doesn’t have tampons should her time come, best to be stocked beforehand. And word to the wise, if you should ever have a sister or a girlfriend in the future and she does not have the tampons or pads, buck up, go to the store and get them and chocolate,” Jason warned. His neighbor when he’d been growing up was the sweetest woman ever, but she was a raging bitch on her periods and Jason could not tell one how many times, from the age of four till his mom died, he went to the store for tampons and chocolate. He’d also done the exact same thing for his mother until she died. “It sucks if they do not have their supplies.”

“Is the bleeding normal?”

“Yes, and it lasts a few days, and it’s hell because they hurt; do not ever piss off a woman on her period,” Jason warned.

“How do they not bleed to death!? Bleeding a few days is never good,” Damian said as he looked over at Raven and the warlock-wannabe.

“Biology,” Jason answered as he started making the sauces, tomato for the brat, meat for everyone else. He was kind of bummed to be dealing with Ragu, he’d loved to make the sauce from scratch but he wasn’t buying the supplies with as twitchy as he felt. Seriously, he should just hide out in a safe house and wait it out, being around people right now was dangerous for him.

“That is disgusting and does not sound pleasant,” Damian said as he scrunched up his nose.

“It’s natural not disgusting, and it sucks to be them when it hits, so you do not get to complain about it at all,” Jason warned.

“I understand.”

There was a boom in the other room which had him and Damian looking out the arch at a smoking Zachary, and Raven standing there perfectly alright. If she was alright then he had no problem with whatever they were doing, Jason shrugged and went back to work then

“So how does this lead to them having babies?”

“That is a talk I truly leave for Bats because I’m not having it, but it does tie into sex so lead with that,” Jason said as he poured the spaghetti into the pot and continued cooking.

“I see, how do we know if she’s bleeding? And should we take her to the doctor?”

“Uh… you’ll know, you be around enough women and trust me you’ll know. And no, the only time they got to the doctors is if they skip the bleeding. And in the famous words of my former, still asshole, guardian: ‘Should your girlfriend go to this doctor and come home to tell you she’s pregnant and it’s yours, do not run’. Seriously, the only wise words that asshole ever told me, not that it worked for him,” Jason said dryly as he looked Damian over. Bruce was so dead for all the ‘protection’ and ‘own up to it’ talks he’d given, he had no right when he’d had a love child with the most manipulative bitch ever created.

“Very well,” Damian said.

“Good, now no talk about periods ever again,” Jason warned. “Especially when dealing with food!”

“I could ask Raven about them.”

“She’ll blast you to another dimension,” Jason informed the boy in a sing-song tone. He’d been around women all his life, asking about periods beyond ‘Do you need anything?’ was a fast way to have hell from a woman.

“No she won’t,” Damian muttered.

“Yes, she would,” Jason promised and checked the spaghetti.

“So you bought Raven tampons to be prepared for the period,” he said thoughtfully. “If she needs them that is wise. She should not bleed out in battle because of a period.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake! She won’t die from a period!” he snapped.

“But the bleeding lasts several days,” Damian pointed out.

“Yes, and she won’t die, it’s just messy, painful, and it sucks. Now zip it before I cut your tongue out and feed it to the dogs,” Jason snapped. He was not discussing this further, he was over the talk and explaining.

“I hate you,” Damian snapped.

“Feeling is mutual, and I suggest all further questions be relayed to your eldest resident Bird Brain, or Oracle,” Jason snapped. Damian and Barbara having this talk was enough to have him sniggering as he pulled out the parmesan he’d bought earlier.

“Yo, sunshine! Dinner!” he called out as he found his plates, removing the top one and rinsing the four remaining ones off.

“Smells good,” Raven remarked.

“You seriously need to talk to the Bats, their education of common things are lacking for baby bird,” he hissed when she walked to the stove.

“Will do. Lacking in what though?” she asked.

“Sex,” he stated.

“He’s ten!” she shouted.

“Please, I was four when I knew about the birds and the bees,” he smirked as she turned red, Damian and Zachary both jumped though when something shattered.

“I’ll talk to Dick,” she muttered. “Dinner, please.”

“Good, and meat for us, tomato for him,” Jason informed her as he jabbed his thumb at Damian.

~~~*~*~*~~~

It was close to seven when Zachary crashed on the couch, he’d used up a lot of his magic with helping her, but she had charms, and protections now and she hadn’t used a fraction of her energy. Jason had slipped out to the roof, and Damian was drawing at the counter.

“I’m going to check on Jason,” Raven said as she grabbed a discarded hoodie and pulled it on, it was Jason’s but she didn’t care as she walked to the door.

“Is he alright? He seemed… agitated,” Damian said uncertainly.

“That’s why I’m checking on him, stay here, rest, and do not kill Zachary, I need him in one piece,” Raven said.

“You do not really like Zachary,” Damian asked in revulsion (she’d heard this very revulsion from him once before when Garfield had said he was happier with Terra than with her, an innocent comment Damian had heard out of context and been revolted by) and Raven walked over to him, he looked utterly betrayed and she didn’t understand his betrayal as it hit her in waves.

“Alright, Damian, first, Zachary is too young for me, I am not interested in a teenager, ever, and second, why the betrayal?” Raven asked. “I can feel it so don’t try to hide it.”

“I…” he fidgeted.

“Damian,” she coaxed.

“Jason likes you, he said you were interesting,” Damian said.

“I don’t see what that has to do with your betrayal,” Raven said calmly.

“It feels normal…” he muttered. Raven blinked then. “Father just hides his dalliances, and Dick hides his, and Reyes said how his mother and father are happy together and it’s normal. They do mundane things together, and it… this felt like the normal he spoke of.”

“Mmm,” Raven hummed. And she looked Damian right in the eyes then. “It feels normal to me to, like Jason’s an old friend. And I understand your home life is not… normal, like Jaime’s was before his armor, but Damian, all families are complicated and not normal, and whatever this,” she gestured to Jason’s apartment then. “Is, it will come to an end when we go back to the Tower.”

“I just… I like it,” Damian muttered.

“I understand,” she assured the boy. “But Jason is an ally at the moment. But when we return to the Tower, I’ll talk to Dick about giving you normal, or as normal as normal gets in our lives.”

“I like this,” Damian admitted.

“I know, enjoy it while we can is all we can do, now, I’m going to go take care of Jason and then Jason and I will be meeting with Constantine,” she said and hesitated a moment before she ruffled Damian’s spikey hair before she left the boy and sought out the man.

Jason was on the roof, smoking, and she felt that bloodlust and the pulsing rage from him as she walked up to him. he was sitting on the ledge and she joined him.

“Not afraid of falling, little bird?” he asked as a cruel grin split his lips.

“I can fly,” she reminded him and he looked at her, there was a faint green glow in his eyes.

“What do you want?” he snarled as he viciously snubbed out a cigarette before he lit another.

“It’s the Lazarus Pit,” she said.

“What gave it away? The eyes?”

“No, I’m an empath,” she reminded him. They sat in silence for a long time just staring out at London as it’s lights shone and the sky turned black as night.

“I can take it,” she murmured finally.

“Take what?” he spat out as he let the cigarette dangle in his fingers.

“The rage, the emotions, the pain, the Pit, I can take it from you,” she said calmly.

He gave her a harsh skeptical look.

“It’s not permanent,” she warned. “But… I can calm the rage,” she assured him.

“Empath, meaning you’ll take it into you instead?” Jason asked coldly.

“Yes,” she said softly.

“And what makes you think you can take it, little bird?” he growled.

“Because,” she let her four red eyes glow. “I have the Pit too. The Lazarus Pit is a remnant of my father’s realm,” she growled, her voices filling the empty air as the shadows quiver. Jason stared at her for a long moment.

“Can you make it stop?” he whispered desperately. “I… the black outs… I’m going to hurt you,” he muttered.

“I can take it, but it won’t go away, perhaps tone it down so you don’t black out,” she said as she closed her second eyes and let her appearance be it’s normal hybrid look of human and demon.

“Please… I don’t, I don’t want to hurt you, sunshine,” he whispered.

“Shhhh,” she soothed and she pressed her finger tips to his temples as she pulled his brow to hers. “Trust me, Jason, I’m not going to let you fall and I’m not going to break you,” she promised.

Slowly she felt his guard crumble and then she made her move as she took a steadying breath and focused on taking it all. His rage slammed into her blood like floodgates opened, she gasped at the force of his emotions on her psyche but she didn’t pull away. The insatiable desire burned her nerves, his loneliness and pain froze her mind, and she kept drawing it into her, she kept pushing her calm and her center to him as she slowly syphoned his emotions to her and she gave her own to him.

Finally she released him as she took a shuddering breath as she wrestled his emotions back into the deep recesses of her psyche, his head rested on her shoulder then.

“Thank you,” he breathed.

“Of course,” she replied as she gingerly stroked his hair. So much pain in him, she’d take it all from him, give him a new start if she could, but that wasn’t her place.

“You didn’t have to,” he muttered tiredly.

“No, I didn’t, but I can take the pain Jason, and if I can help you I will,” she promised. Suddenly arms wrapped around her and he pulled her to him.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, little bird,” he whispered desperately.

“I never make promises I can’t keep,” she assured him as he just held onto her.

~~~*~*~*~~~

Damian stared at them for a long moment before he silently slipped down to the apartment again. He liked this, he liked traveling with Jason and Raven. It felt… good. Raven had never treated him like a child, but she also gave her trust to him, put faith in him. Jason, though Damian still did not fully trusting the thief, Jason did not treat him like an odd man or like he was a rabid animal about to lash out.

Grayson tried, but sometimes the way Grayson scolded him reminded him that he was an assassin. His father did not trust him, and Damian knew that, his father always underused him or did not have the faith he’d restrain himself an not kill people. Drake just did not trust him, but he did not trust Drake either. And since the Court of Owls, even Pennyworth was wary of him and his requests.

Raven and Jason had just… they treated him like everything was normal! And Damian had enjoyed not having to justify himself, or insist that he could restrain himself. It appeared Raven trusted him enough to know this, and Jason didn’t hold back anyway, but seem to reign in some of his antics for Raven. He liked being normal, he liked being himself, he liked this.

He didn’t want to go back home, he was very content to stay here for a long while.

Sitting back down at the counter he wondered if this was really the normal Reyes talked about. Truthfully, Damian envied his teammate. Reyes’ mother visited him, Reyes’ mother was proud of him, Reyes’ family loved him openly.

True, Grayson said he was loved, and true Grayson tried to show him he was, but Damian just never felt it. His mother had dumped him on his father, and his father… Damian wondered if he could ever make his father proud of him. Or if he could ever just be accepted, like how Reyes’ was accepted into his family.

Raven and Jason had just shown him again why he felt normal with them, they accepted the worst. He knew he wasn’t supposed to have seen what Raven had done for Jason, but seeing it just confirmed to Damian that this was normal. He only wished he’d find it with his father and his father’s family. Not feeling like the outsider looking in was nice, and with Jason and Raven he hadn’t felt like the outsider.

He felt that normal Reyes talked about that he wanted and envied.

~~~*~*~*~~~

Jason looked up at Raven, her eyes were closed, her face was blank, but there were twitches around her mouth and eyes which told him she was focusing. There was a bit of guilt in him for having used Raven this way, but she had offered and he was so tired fighting it back so he didn’t hurt them by accident or have an episode that he couldn’t fight her offer. He took the coward’s route and let her take the emotions, he hadn’t even fought her on it, just surrendered.

He shouldn’t have let her, but he couldn’t handle the pain anymore. It was drowning him and one wrong move, one wrong thought, one minute of weakness and he’d snapped and it was very possible that when he came to again he’d come to with a dead demon spawn, dead warlock-wannabe, and a very dead little bird. A thought which had him shuddering because it wasn’t like they were the assholes who tried to kill him or who he had killed because some people needed killing to make the world better.

A shuddering breath left him as he just breathed in Raven’s scent and clung to her for a bit, a chance to feel like a human being for the first time in so long.

“You alright, little bird?” he asked hoarsely.

“Nothing I can’t handle,” she assured him in a graveled voice. “Jason?”

“Hm…”

“Are you letting go or do you need to hold on longer?” she asked.

“Longer,” he replied, he wasn’t ready to let go of her just yet. Partially because he was afraid his emotions might influence her, but also because he felt normal like this. Like he was a human being.

“Alright, just, I need to move,” she said.

He loosened his grip and she shifted around until her back was to his chest and she was sitting on his lap; he was vastly relieved she hadn’t kneed him in the groin or the stomach.

“Comfortable?” he asked.

“Yes,” she replied and he wrapped his arms tight around her again as he rested his chin on her head again.

“You smell like smoke,” she muttered, he could see her wrinkling her nose and smirked a bit.

“It’s not a disgusting habit,” he reminded her. “And I smoked the whole pack so I didn’t go on a killing rampage.”

“Very wise, but you really should find a new vice,” she said.

“Liquor isn’t the same, I don’t do drugs, and sex is expensive,” he reminded her.

“There’s porn,” she pointed out.

“And what would the innocent demon know about porn?” he asked.

“Nothing actually, just pointing out it’s a vice,” she replied monotonously and he chuckled.

“It is,” he agreed. They were silent for a long time before he spoke again. “This shouldn’t… This shouldn’t feel so normal.”

“Mmm… I’m not using my powers,” she said suddenly. “But Damian said the same thing.”

“It shouldn’t feel normal.”

~~~*~*~*~~~

“It’s alright,” she assured Jason.

“No, sunshine, it’s not, I feel like I’ve been with you and demon spawn for years rather than a few days, this should not feel normal,” Jason stated flatly.

“It’s alright Jason,” she promised. “Normal… it’s rare, it’s precious, and it’s forgotten on people like you and Damian. Which is sad because you are the people in need of it the most.”

“And you don’t?”

“It’s for the best I don’t, my powers… I don’t deserve normal,” she admitted softly. “But that’s alright.”

“Thank you again,” he murmured.

“Of course.”

“We should go, Constantine will be at the pub,” he muttered when his phone beeped.

“You need to let go,” Raven said, he hadn’t moved his arms at all, and they were like iron bands around her. She could escape them but she also knew that she should wait until he was ready. Slowly his arms loosened and she moved out of his grasp and out of his reach and range, his emotions were messing with her psyche and she was going to be cautious about everything for a moment.

“That’s my sweatshirt,” he muttered.

“Yes,” she replied.

“Come on, let’s get ready and go,” Jason muttered as he stood. Raven just walked after him. He got the door. “After you,” he gestured.

“Thank you,” she said flatly, struggling to get her center again and her near emotionless stated again. His emotions were not making that easy, Jason’s emotions were a storm raging in her now, and she was trying to sooth it.

“You’re sure you’re alright?” he asked her.

“I will be fine, and let me change and we’ll go,” she promised. She wanted to not be wearing her clothes which smelled like an explosion and sweat.

“Kay, just don’t take all night,” he smiled.

“What kind of girl do you think I am?” she demanded sharper than she intended.

“A beautiful one, little bird, and the beautiful ones take the longest,” he informed her.

“Uh-huh, nice save, I’ll be ready in five,” she said as she picked up her bag and walked to the bathroom and changed swiftly. She pulled on her own jacket and joined Jason who had Damian and Zachary up already, Zachary holding the bag of necessities they’d prepared a few hours earlier.

“How do we know we can trust this Constantine?” Damian demanded as they left the building, Jason had a hand resting on the small of her back as they walked and she’d have shaken it except he would follow.

“He’s a demonologist, exorcist, and dabbler of the dark arts,” Jason shrugged.

“Which is why he’s my body guard,” Raven pointed at him.

“What!?” Jason balked in mock protest.

“Aside from being a con artist he’s an exorcist, I’m a demon, I’ll be surprised if we aren’t blasted by lightning for being under the same roof together,” Raven stated flatly.

“I forget you’re a demon,” Jason muttered as his hand pressing hard on her back, but not painful or forceful.

“And the grey skin and four glowing eyes aren’t a big enough hint,” she muttered and rolled her eyes.

~~~*~*~*~~~

“Don’t you feel guilty about stealing that?” his companion muttered sourly.

“Relax, Zed, we’re merely borrowing it, I’ll give it back to Ritchie the moment we’re through with it,” he assured her.

“You know what I mean Constantine,” she snapped.

“The Gem of Scath isn’t a normal demon, love, even if I did have the strength and power to exorcise her from this plane, she’d come back. She was born to be the Queen of Hell. Also, you’ve had no visions, and don’t deny that you’ve been looking for a hint about this meeting,” he pointed out as he swirled the scotch in the glass.

“But… Demons are evil,” Zed hissed. “And you exorcise them. And I know we promised to never talk to Bruce about Jason but are you sure you want to trust a demon going through his head.”

“Zed, darling, it’s his choice, just like it was his choice not to let me help him with the Lazarus Pit, the poor lad’s lost so many choices in his life because of people trying to control him he deserves to have his wishes respected. Or don’t you remember what it felt like to be controlled?” Constantine asked the artist. The curly haired woman scowled.

“I like Jason, and if she should harm him in anyway,” Zed warned.

“I know, we’re both very fond of the lad, love, but he gets the power of choice with us,” Constantine stated firmly. After Jason had come barreling in and accidentally saved his ass, he’d been injured. Constantine and Zed had dragged him to the House of Magic and worked on healing and helping him. The lad was a snarling, raging vat of the Lazarus Pit and he refused help beyond healing without pain meds. Constantine was fond of Jason, very fond of the lad really, he was a street rat and a fighter, and Constantine found the lad’s brash fearlessness amusing. Also, Jason was good company, and he had come to think of the lad as a nephew of sorts. Zed had really taken to Jason and if she had it her way Jason would have never left them.

“And speak of the devil, there he is,” Constantine smiled as he saw Jason walk in, his scar from the Lazarus Pit stubbornly hung in his eyes as pure white bangs, beside Jason was a small boy, behind the boy was a scowling lad, but more interestingly, tucked into Jason’s side was the petite girl.

The Gem of Scath, even here Constantine could feel her suppressed power radiating and he was impressed. She was in control of her demon, an impressive feat for a demon of her power.

“Perhaps we should call Jason, Etrigan,” Zed muttered.

“He’s a demon bound to Jason, who doesn’t like me, love, and besides, if Etrigan met Raven he’d bow to her, he wouldn’t help us,” Constantine predicted.

“Lazy, con-artist bastard, knew you didn’t have a job!” Jason smirked as he walked up, Raven put Jason between him and her and Constantine thought that was amusing.

“I get jobs!” he protested.

“He actually did have a job,” Zed smiled at Jason.

“For real? You’re not fucking me with this?”

“Nope, even got paid! It’s great to see you Jason,” Zed smiled as she stood and hugged the tall lad, Constantine sipped his scotch and stared at the Gem of Scath who was watching him closely. She was interesting.

And powerful.

If she hurt Jason, Constantine didn’t care, he’d find a way to destroy her. But so far he felt no malice from her.

“Good to see you too Zed,” Jason said as they pulled apart.

“What about me?” Constantine asked.

“Eh, I just saw you,” Jason shrugged and Constantine laughed.

“Zed, Constantine, this is Damian Wayne,” his tone held a warning Constantine knew he’d be filling them on later. “Zachary Zatara,” he gestured to the taller boy and Constantine saw the Zatara blood in him then; it was the cheek bones and mouth. “And this is Raven.”

“Hello Gem of Scath,” Constantine smiled at her as he assessed her.

“My name is Raven,” she stated flatly, her voice perfectly calm and monotoned.

The Azarathians had clearly taught her well.