ota | april log.

[menarebrave]

Who: Bruce Wayne / Batman, Diana Prince, Richard Gansey III, Miles Morales.
What: Various threads for the month of April! Will be edited to include more if needed.
Where: Driftcrest - Bruce's home, Out and About, Dream Time
When: Night of various days.


@ DIANA PRINCE
I'LL SELL MY SOUL TO DREAM YOU WIDE AWAKE

( continued from here )

[ It was something of a comfort that the Diana Prince on the network was the one from his own reality. That was what the deductions had led him to anyways. The way their conversation flowed, the choice words used to elude to previous conversations. She, unlike the other newest member, had seemed to of at least lived through what he had. The Doomsday fight. The funeral. The aftermath of it all.

He had considered the notion a few times of people from his reality finally landing themselves in these odd bunch of realities. It was just a matter of time by process of elimination. Had he expected Diana -- Clark? No, he couldn't say he had. He figured maybe some of those he had fought in the past... but never people that had been allies. Even if it had been temporary.

Routine took over the moment he entered the house he had now called home. The keys and communications device tossed to the small dish in the area that acted as the living room. He even turned it off. Not that he thought it would do much in the end. The damn thing could probably turn on and off. Maybe he should find Jerry and see if he could get a spare.

The interior colors were something that would be far more expected of Bruce Wayne. He had grown accustomed to the darker colors and the idea of an open viewed house. Living in one for twenty years did that to a man. He took off the suit jacket, vest, and tie as he made his way into the closet in the bedroom. On came something more comfortable for the night. No point in getting suits dirty when he had promised someone dinner.

Even if there was a mild sense of panic raging in the back of his mind as he set about preparing dinner. ]

@ MILES MORALES (BLOOD, BvS SPOILS)
DEFLATE, THE MYSTERY OF LIVING

[ Dreams of a dark nature aren't uncommon for Bruce Wayne. Even more so the sort that speak of potential dark futures. Whispers of Earth becoming a wasteland, flying demon like soldiers, and the once great Superman killing all in his way. When the dreams of ever changing landscapes and now caves haunt him? It's really of no surprise.

Bruce makes his way towards what looks like a cave. He eyes the familiar looking shadows. The words they repeat ring his ears: 'Break it, break it, break it.'

He slips down an ice patch of the cavern. Bruce catches himself in time, only to realize he's in a familiar blue suit. He stares down at himself for a moment. That's when he sees the wound on his arm that had been turned to ice at one point. It's open now, bleeding freely. ]

Shit.

[ Echoing in his ears is the sound of voices. Mother, father, Dick, Alfred, even the Crown Prince of Crime and his Harlequin. Over and over they repeat until he moves to turn a corner. Then, there's an earth shattering hum. He freezes out of instinct, a familiar distinct sound of fear running through him. The sound echoes in his head, consuming everything around him. He stumbles forward still until finally he sees a box--

--then the sound of crashing. Buildings falling, screaming, only to be replaced with new voices. 'Break it, break it, break it!'

'Bruce, PLEASE! You don't UNDERSTAND!' Clark.

He shuts his eyes tightly, turning his head away as all the sounds and voices reach an apex all at once in his head. He can feel the blood running down his arm and into the snow below him. He almost feels like he's about to fall over.

Then, it stops.

Bruce opens his eyes to find someone else in front of him then. He must look like a mess to the younger man staring at him. Dust covering the blue suit, hair wind swept, blood staining his shirt, pants, and the snow underneath him. Not to mention the heavy breathing. ]

...Miles?

@ RICHARD GANSEY III
WITH ME, DISASTER FINDS A PLAYFIELD

[ There has been a deep seated worry Bruce has had over Gansey's reaction to Evie being taken by the Unseen. He understands the rage, the fear, the sense of powerlessness. As his father figure had once said: 'It turns good men cruel.'

Bruce has walked that path and he's determined to not see someone else he knows walk it. He refuses to see someone as consumed as he had become. They don't need more martyrs or sacrifices. They don't need petty fights that rip things apart and cost the world the most precious things.

All of it is precisely why the Bat is watching as Gansey makes his way in the snow. He jumps from the small roof to land in the snow, his cloak framing his body as he stands. The Bat does nothing else. He waits for Gansey to realize he is there.

Then, hopefully, they can talk. ]

Comments

the one that's for me~

[stayfightgive]

[ When she receives Bruce's address, Diana's quick to make her way over there. She's not sure what to expect from this meeting, or what he might want to talk about, but she knows he wouldn't have sent her that information if he didn't have something important on his mind.

When she arrives, from what she can see of the outside, it looks like a very fitting residence for him. She can't claim to have any sort of intimate knowledge about him, but somehow, it seems to fit.

Making her way up the path to the door, she tries to get her thoughts in order. She has a lot to unpack already, but she doesn't want to be distracted during this meeting with Bruce. So even as she's knocking on the door, she's trying to put those thoughts to rest while she waits for a response.

A thought comes to her, that she could just let herself in, but that wouldn't be very good manners, would it? He took the time to give her a proper invitation, so she should at least attempt to play the part of a proper guest. ]

[menarebrave]

[ Bruce glances at the glass doors at the knock. A hand raises, motioning for her to come in. An informal invitation. He's already given her the address, so she's more than welcome to walk in. The manners are appreciated though.

He reaches over and adds more olive oil into the wok. Stir fry. It might not be as exotic as Greek food, but, he figures that might also be a little too on the nose. ]

I figured it wouldn't be too hard to find the place. Not many places in Driftcrest look like it comes out of a modern city.

[ He's speaking the moment she walks into the room. It's odd how she seems to brighten the place by simply being there. Bruce offers her a bit of a smile. ]

Hi.

[stayfightgive]

[ She waits until she sees him wave her in, and when she does, she opens the door and lets herself in. Of course, if she really wanted to come in, she could have gone for the subterfuge route, but she knows how well-received that would have been. It's a thought that makes her smile to herself, because using her skills to enter someone's place of residence without leaving much of a trace behind is something she hasn't done recently, but she is confident she could manage it still. ]

No, all I had to do was look for a place that appeared to have cost a fortune while also being an architectural marvel and quite modern.

[ Bruce strikes her as someone with an appreciation for modern furnishings, if not modern art. Perhaps it is a stretch to say that a modern-looking building must belong to Bruce Wayne, but since he's there and she's letting herself in, it's not the most ridiculous conclusion. ]

Hello. How are you?

[ She offers him a smile as well. ]

[menarebrave]

Surprised to see someone from home here.

[ The smile doesn't quite reach the corners of his mouth, and then fades away as he reminds himself why he asked Diana to come over. Beyond the fact they still don't fully know one another, or each others history, there's the fact that she's just arrived. Jerry probably explained enough to her... but there's always more to talk about.

Especially when a certain Kryptonian is present now. ]

My mother was the one that loved the modern architecture. I just adopted it.

[ Given Wayne Manor was all but burnt down to the ground. Bruce turns his gaze back to the food. ]

Make yourself at home.

[stayfightgive]

No more surprised than I am.

[ Yes, she's aware that Bruce seems to be the type who goes where he's needed, but even she couldn't have predicted that she would wind up here. Part of her wonders if being here took him by surprise as well, even just a little.

And aside from all of that, she found herself just a little bit surprised by his invitation. There's still a lot she doesn't know about him, and he about her, but even so, at least there's some familiarity there. And there's time enough to talk about things and get better acquainted, if that's what he wants. ]

I think you sell yourself a bit short, Mr. Wayne. All it takes to appreciate any sort of art form, including architecture, is a discerning eye and one's own unique flair.

[ But she didn't come here to discuss the finer points of art appreciation. ]

Thank you, I will.

[menarebrave]

I found myself here almost ten months ago. I didn't think I'd see anyone from home.

[ That's enough to say that he has no idea how they arrived, or how long they'll be staying. He's lasted longer than some. Others have been here before him. It's a mystery he hasn't quite put enough pieces together just yet. ]

Maybe I do. I'm used to being underground.

[ Bruce looks over his shoulder towards her. ]

I'm presuming that Jerry caught you up to speed with what's going on?

[stayfightgive]

Ten months. I see. And what is the last thing that you remember before you came here?

[ Just so that she has a frame of reference for where he's coming from. When she last saw him, it was after the funeral, but perhaps that's not the case for him. ]

Art can be found anywhere, even underground.

[ She smiles a small sort of smile before she nods and answers his question. ]

He did. It was an illuminating conversation.

[ In a manner of speaking. The things Jerry gave her were more illuminating, but it comes down to the same thing. ]

[menarebrave]

[ Eight months, I can't math ]

Looking into the 'metahumans' that Luthor had the information on. I was closing in on some more information, thanks to a meeting with someone who had fallen out of grace with the government.

[ He gives a half-shrug. ]

Too bad the Cave isn't here. You'd probably enjoy the suspension of it.

[ His attention goes back to dinner. ]

He told you then that the realities we inhabit change? That sometimes, we can gain memories of different versions of ourselves?

[stayfightgive]

[ Well, shame on you. :P ]

Oh, yes, I remember.

[ She remembers Bruce being a little nosy, looking into things and asking questions that some would say were no business of his. Some would say that, but not Diana, surprisingly enough. ]

I imagine your being here hasn't helped you progress in that particular endeavor.

[ She pauses as she mulls over that name. ]

The Cave. Is that where you carry out all your- Information gathering?

[ Bruce Wayne is a very curious man. ]

He mentioned that, yes. If I had been anyone else, I might have dismissed him as foolish. [ But Diana's seen enough to know that the world isn't as simple as humans would like it to be. ]

I can't help but wonder how it is that our worlds keep turning while we are here.

[ However, she theorizes that some version of the many-worlds theory might have something to do with it, but there's no proof of that either way. And in any case, that's too weighty a subject to have over dinner. ]

[affection_for_research]

[Gansey shouldn't be out so late. Adam and Ronan are going to be worried. He feels a twinge of guilt over that, but he also needs to be out, moving. Without rowing or his early morning swims at the school pool, he has too much energy. Another reason why he's considering adopting a few aspects of Ghost's routine.

He'd just seen Evie, talking to her, hoping and dreading that she knows he's there. He tries not to think about that or the anger he feels at failing so spectacularly at something he should have excelled at. He should have found a solution before something happened to his sister.

Shoving his hands into the pockets of his citrus yellow coat, he burrows his face deeper into the orange scarf wound around his neck. He should probably call Adam. He should... his steps falter when he realizes something feels off. His heart kicks against his chest, remembering being caught alone and helpless while Whelk planned to murder him. He turns toward whatever caused that prickling sensation along his neck.

Gansey expects that seeing a shadow lurking - no, looming - over him should be terrifying but he's only startled by the Bat's appearance, cursing explosively in Gaelic. Ronan would approve.]

Jesus. There's other ways to meet with me.

[menarebrave]

It's dangerous to be out here without someone unless you're equipped for it.

[ The rumbling tone of the altered voice is Gansey's reply, but, the statement isn't stated harshly. Anyone that wouldn't know the Batman -- or Bruce Wayne -- might take what he said in that direction. He moves to be just a few feet away from the younger man, eyes moving around their surroundings to make sure they're not being watched.

Or hunted. ]

The rounds haven't been safe for the last few nights.

[affection_for_research]

I didn't realize how late it was.

[He isn't quite sure what to say or do. He knows that he can't defend himself, not the way he would have been able to before. The thought annoys him enough that he hunches his shoulders in his coat even as he looks around to be sure that there's no one or no creatures nearby. He wonders if he'd notice the way he would if he'd grown up in Gotham.]

I need to make sure Evie was okay.

[menarebrave]

Hmm.

[ If anything the two of them can walk together. It might look strange, but, not many police men will try to stop the Batman. It helps to tower over most people and seem otherworldly. He doesn't have superpowers but he can do that. ]

We'll check together.

[affection_for_research]

[Gansey tries to evaluate the 'hmm' and decide on context and his ability to work around it. The Bat probably won't listen to him, but he'll still try to talk him out of escorting him.]

I'll be fine on my own. I've already been a toy for the Unseen. I doubt they'll try again. It'll only take a few minutes, then I'll head back to the Barns.

[menarebrave]

Consider it we're walking the same direction then.

[ The Batman glances at Gansey, gaze dropping slightly, then moving forward. ]

I want to check on her too.

[affection_for_research]

[Gansey made a 'hmm' of his own but doesn't argue. He knows it'd be pointless to try to talk him out of it. Even if it seemed like he won the argument, the Bat would follow him. He follows for a few seconds, then matches his stride to the Bat's as best he can. Sometimes being shorter than most of the people around him is annoying.]

Are we any closer to figuring out how to help her and the others?

[menarebrave]

No. It seems that the ice could be a way the body reacts to what the Unseen's abilities are when they attack. I don't have the Cave here to begin to figure out how to reverse the side effects.

[ He frowns. ]

So, there must be another aspect of Driftcrest we haven't discovered yet.

[idontgetpaid]

[ Miles isn't sure where he is or how he got there. There's nothing but darkness, and the faint echo of voices that, desperate for something other than the emptiness, he moves to follow.

The voices grow louder, and he starts to recognize some of them; Peter - the Peter from his world, the one he had watched die right in front of him, Uncle Aaron, his parents, the Peter he met here (Gwen's boyfriend, who disappeared without a trace), and Gwen - his best friend who he hadn't been able to help. All the people he couldn't help or had let down somehow, calling out to him and reminding him how he had failed.

And suddenly there was a sharp pain in his side, forcing him to his knees. With a hitch in his breath, he presses a hand to his side, feeling the blood flowing from the injury he'd gotten from the Unseen - he'd been unprepared, caught off-guard, and they had almost gotten him and O'Malley. As he looked down to see his injury, though, he realized that he was in a Spider-Man suit - not his suit (the suit he had gotten from Peter's Spider-Cave), but the store costume.

"A fake Spider-Man suit for a fake Spider-Man," a voice says. He's not sure whose it is, they're all blending together and echoing in his mind. He tries to cover his ears, tries to drown them out, but he can't.

And yet, something manages to cut through the all voices screaming at him, and he looks up in time to see someone else stumble through the darkness. ]

...M-Mr. Wayne...?

[menarebrave]

[ The disorientation and worry of his own wound are cast aside the moment he sees Miles in blood. ]

Jesus, Miles! What did you do?!

[ It might be better to frame the question as 'What happened to you', but Bruce isn't thinking quite thinking straight. The adrenaline is running in his veins, his heartbeat thumping in his head, and the hum of those damned engines ringing in his ears.

In almost an instant, Bruce is in front of Miles. He's knelt down to look the teenager over. The fact the costume is store bought hasn't even crossed his mind just yet. The only thing that he can focus on is the fact the younger man is bleeding. It's instinct to want to try and stop the bleeding and to instill a sense of calm.

Maybe it's just because of the memory of Metropolis literally drumming inside his head. ]

It's going to be okay, alright?

[idontgetpaid]

[ He winces a little, though whether from the older man's words or from him trying to look at the wound is hard to say. Carefully Miles pulls his hand away from the gash in his side, his breath hitching a little. ]

Y...Y-Yeah...

[ The older man's presence has quieted the voices a bit, though they still echoed in his ears. ]

...Wh-Where are we?

[ It's the first time he's thought to ask that question since being here, but it suddenly occurs to him that he has no idea what this place there in even is. ]

[menarebrave]

[ It's definitely a deep wound. Probably matching the one on his arm. Bruce is lacking something to help stop the bleeding, other than the vest he has on. Damn the vest, it doesn't matter much anyways. He starts to unbutton it. ]

Some sort of cave. I've never seen it before.

[ He pulls the vest off and helps pad it to Miles's side. ]

Go ahead and hold it here for now.

[idontgetpaid]

[ He hisses softly, but does as he's told and holds the vest to his wound. ]

Thanks...you sure you don't need it, though?

[ Because yeah, he also sees that wound. ]

[menarebrave]

I've had worse.

[ The wound on his arm is nothing like the scar on his shoulder. Neither of those quite match up to the mental and emotional trauma he has lived through. Bruce reaches up and squeezes Miles's shoulder. It's going to be alright, son.

Bruce directs him to sit down beside him. Might give him less of a fuss with the wound if he isn't trying to keep himself upright. His eyes go back to the box. ]

Any idea what that is?

[idontgetpaid]

[ With a slight wince, he sits next to Bruce and takes a few breaths. At the question, he glances back towards the box. ]

No, not really...I keep hearing voices saying to break it.

[ As he turns back to look at Bruce, he frowns a bit when he notices something...strange about the shadow stretching across the ground. ]

[menarebrave]

[ Bruce nods. ] I hear them too. As well as some other things.

[ Things that Miles doesn't need to know. He pushes himself to stand back up, eyes on the box. A frown takes his face, fist clenching. The burning sensation is still in his arm as he wonders if there is a way to break it. can they do it? Do they need something more?

There's a bright light then suddenly. He raises his hand to cover his eyes. Then, a distinctive screech happens above. The sound of flapping wings--bats.

Bruce closes his eyes and centers himself. Even now, their flapping can unnerve him. ]