batmanschmatman | 103 [voice]

103 [voice]

It's been over a year and a half since I've been home for more than a few hours. I can pretty safely say this isn't the welcome back party I expected. [There's some humor there, but he mostly just sounds... tired. Maybe a little in shock. There's a short pause, and there's some quiet, largely unintelligible conversation with someone that sounds like Tim for those with good ears before Dick continues, and his voice is harder, more focused.

This might not be their Gotham, but they sure as hell aren't going to let it burn to the ground, and Dick is stepping up into leader mode. Which means bossy, lecture-y Bat, so sorry about that guys. :c]

I understand that for some of you, this is like stepping onto a set of a movie, but these are not characters from a cheesy kid's cartoon. They're violent, psychopathic murderers. If you see the Joker, or anyone dressed up in clown make up, run as fast as you can in the opposite direction. Do not try to engage him or any other costumed criminal unless you have no other choice. This isn't me trying to lecture you on laws of reality or common sense, it's advice to keep you safe.

Anyone who's able and willing should support the GCPD in any way they can. I understand first priority is keeping your inmates and yourself safe throughout port, but I'd be appreciative to anyone who's able to help stop this from getting worse. [And here he's warden filtering directions to the GCPD headquarters and Gotham General, with a note about how he's not sure either will be operational, but they're enough of a jumping off point to orient people and he'll provide further information once he gets updates.]

Stick together, and watch each other's backs. If anyone starts getting reports of or runs into anyone who's fallen overboard, keep people informed. Keep track of your inmates.

[Filtered Separately to Steph, Cassie and Superboy]

Tim and I are headed to see how bad the damage is. [Meaning, they're finding the Manor and the Cave and seeing if there's anything they can salvage/any proof that people they care about are still alive. :|] Try to organize anyone who's willing to help to start getting things under control, and make sure someone's helping out anyone who doesn't have combat experience who decided to leave the ship. We'll be able to help in a couple hours at most.

And I know this isn't a major concern on the Barge, but try not to be too open about our identities, especially on public filters. We don't know who could be compromised, and who they could pass the information along to in this world that could endanger our counterparts when things go back to normal. [Assuming they're still alive, anyway. :|]

If we find any information about [what happened to everyone else and if they're alive or not] you'll be the first to know.

[Filtered to Steph and Cassie]

Keep an eye on him. I trust you both to be able to figure out where to start working.

[Filtered Separately to Kirk, Shego, Buffy, Dean, Sara and Steve, forward dated to after he's got some more gear]

I need to meet with you in person at your earliest convenience. Assuming you came into port.

[Private to Rorschach]

We need to talk.

[Spam for Tim]

[Messages sent out, Dick put away his communicator and surveyed the street briefly again. It felt like he was right back in the middle of the gang war, or Bludhaven, except this time, they were alone. There was basically no back up, not really. A couple Bats and Titans members did not a Justice League make, and there was no Bruce to be the detached leader, either, probably no Babs to run tech support, no anyone. Just them. And the people on the Barge, who - as much as he liked and respected some of his coworkers - weren't exactly a well organized strike force against crime in Gotham.

Which meant he was already shutting down. It was instinct, in times of true crisis, to shut down and act more like Bruce, and he was falling back on it now without even realizing he was doing it. His expression, voice and posture were suddenly altered, and while it wasn't as obvious as it could be - and would probably only be getting worse - Tim would probably pick up on the difference.

Dick just privately hoped he wouldn't call him out on it.]

Let's go. We should run by the clock tower, see if there's anything there. [Not that he was getting his hopes up, based on what they'd been able to put together so far.]

[ooc: Dick is slipping pretty heavily into Batman mode, so he probably won't reply to trollish responses, and Tim will probably be chiming in as well. Dick will be out and about in port in the Batsuit pretty much the whole time, and I'll be putting up a log for that later in port for anyone who wants to run into him, and will obviously be tagging around with him! Batman tags will probably be coming from

isthenight because omnomnom icons.

FEEL FREE TO ASSUME THIS IS A WHILE AFTER THE ADMIRAL'S ANNOUNCEMENT. I just got impatient and wanted to post. :V]

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Assuming warnings don't apply. Already acquainted with worst of humanity.

[...Consider this your "yes, I'm sounding off, what do you want to talk about" response, Dick.

He's already out and walking around. WHERE ARE THE SEEDY BARS they're always good places to start. Or maybe dimly lit alleys. He's HOME, or close enough; he's already falling back into habit.]

[Sob this port, NOW YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO BELIEVE HIM THAT GOTHAM'S ACTUALLY BETTER THAN YOUR NEW YORK.]

Where are you? [He has a present! And wants to talk not on the network because lol paranoia. :C]

[BAH his New York's already ruined. Gotham's not quite the lost cause, even with the chaos.]

24th and Oak. Jewelry store nearby.

Get on the roof of the store. I'll met you there.

On my way.

[Feed killed, and OFF HE GOES, although he'll be lurking around in the shadows more than just walking right into the middle of the roof. ...and despite the utter disrepair of the fire escape, he still manages to do it pretty darn quietly.]

[He sees him coming before he actually gets onto the roof of the building, privately really glad that he can trust him to keep himself alive and occupied during port without feeling like he needed to hold his hand through the whole thing. Maybe that makes him a lousy warden, but right now, he's having a hard time thinking of himself that way. This might not be his Gotham, but it's still Gotham, and it's familiar and home in a way nothing else is, and he isn't going to let it burn to the ground as long as he can do something about it.

He waits for him to come up on the roof before jumping down himself, the cape fanning out behind him before draping around him again and seriously, there was a reason why he ditched this thing. It was too heavy, how does Bruce manage. :|]

Thanks for coming.

[...There's a flicker of uncertainty that passes across the former Watchman's face when Grayson appears, a second-guessing because for a moment, just a moment, it's like the old days again, just him and Daniel against the darkness, but there isn't time for nostalgia. It's a weakness he can't afford, and anyway it isn't him.]

Different costume.

[There's a quiet "hrmph" that follows, vaguely disapproving, but it's lost quickly, expression and stance impassive as he shoves his hands in the pockets of his trench. There's a slight hunch of shoulders; a shrug.]

Obvious you need help.

[The similarity of the costume had occurred to Dick after he'd told Rorschach to meet with him, and he doesn't comment on it. He wasn't exactly excited to be wearing the Batsuit, but it was necessary.]

Gotham needs Batman more than it needs Nightwing right now. [Batman was a symbol of change, and gave people something to hope for. It was a more elemental, instinctual image that everything was going to be alright for the people of Gotham, and he could be that person if he had to.

He hands Rorschach a commlink.] Use this to contact me if you need to instead of the network, I don't trust it in ports like this. There's too much of a risk that someone you're trying to get in touch with could be compromised.

[He eyes the tech suspiciously, automatically mistrusting it, but after a few long moments he accepts the device, tucking it into a coat pocket.]

Could argue same during rest of ports too.

So much for reliability of law enforcement.

[SEE he told you the people who run things can't be trusted. :/ ]

[That gets him prickly, and immediately, he's slipping back into Batman mode. His expression and voice are harder.]

This isn't the police department's fault, Rorschach. Listen to these people. They stayed when things went to hell, and they're still here trying to save a city most other people probably would have given up on. Gotham isn't beyond saving, and they know it, and it's my job to make sure they know other people know it too. And I need your help to do that.

[...he's unimpressed. Intrigued, sure, it's always interesting to see what your partner's capable of, but he's heard worse. Seen worse.

He shrugs.]

Volunteering help. Not a question. Only saying.

My point is, we're on the same side they are. If we want to turn this around, we [You. :V] can't have that attitude about them.

Hurm. Long as they stay out of my way won't have a problem.

[A beat.]

Going to patrol or going to continue lecture?

[He's itching to DO something. So much crime to thwart, so little time.]

[Dick just gives him a Look, hands him the Bat equivalent of a grapple gun and heads off, running across the roof and jumping down to the next roof, managing a flip before he touched down on the building and kept running. He's sort of expecting Rorschach to follow, but wouldn't be surprised if he didn't. Or that disappointed, really, and at no fault of Rorschach's own. He knew he wasn't exactly handling this whole thing well, and he wanted to be alone. He wanted to find Bruce and figure out what had happened to him, and he didn't want people distracting him from doing what had to be done.

But he knew logically he'd work better with a partner, and even if his priority right now is Gotham, he's still technically a warden. Rorschach is his responsibility, and he wasn't going to tell him to go away.]

[FINALLY. A piece of home he's allowed to have. He tucks it under his coat and follows, and while he's less flourishing in his movements he's at least able to keep up without a problem. He'll head off on his own sooner enough, he's too out of practice in relying on a partner, but for now he'll lend a hand where he can, even if it's mostly to get a feel for the place. How it operates. What the people he'll be dealing with are like.]

[Dick is silent for several minutes, running and jumping until they find a small fire to put out. It's a warm up, really, because he meant what he said about people going up against the big dogs. He could handle people like the Joker and Mr. Freeze, everyone else should focus on things like this.

'Things' in this case actually mean False Facers, Black Mask's henchmen, for lack of a better word. Batman stops on the roof above them and turns to Rorschach.]

No fatalities. [He isn't saying anything about maiming though so. :V] They'll underestimate you. Don't make the same mistake. [They weren't exactly League of Assassin style muscle or anything, but there's a decent shot not every single one of them is an idiot, hired goon.

And without further elaborating, he's just going to be jumping in and descending on them in typical Batman avenging angel style fashion.]

[He snorts in derision at the request, but he'll comply. As long as they don't force his hand, anyway, and so long as the warning isn't "minimal damage" he's content enough.

Without a word he follows, and his entrance might be a little less impressive but not everyone can really afford to just jump right from the roof. Fire escape works well enough for his purposes anyway, and the minute he's reached the ground he jumps into the fray, laying out with feet and fists and whatever improvised weapons he can get his hands on with little regard for the level of damage he's inflicting, though he makes a point to move on as soon as the body drops and stills rather than continuing on past like he normally might.]

[Dick appreciates it. He's worked with people who have less scruples about maiming than he does enough times that it's not as big of a deal as it maybe should be, and he's more focused on fighting the thugs that were stupid enough to come at him instead of running.

Total annihilation for the group comes shortly thereafter. Dick doesn't have time to waste, and he's already thinking about the next part of the plan as he turns back to Rorschach.]

You okay?

[He nods curtly; this was nothing. Just Top Knots, or close enough, and they were never all that hard to break up. Human frailties, no significant drive to keep them going once cold reality sets in.

He's itching for something bigger. A challenge.]

What's next.

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