bittybat | W2, Wednesday

No, but I can. He seemed surprised the handle was missing. I assume it was taken afterward.

[For a moment, Damian looks like he's debating, eyes unwavering from Percy. Finally:] I've used the suggestion box. I asked for materials to make a shortbow so I could hunt for wildlife if there were any. Nothing was particularly valuable alone--wood, tenden, something for a quiver.

Except I asked for a dagger for witling. I got one.

Ask him. We need to be sure what the chain of events is.

[He's not sure what Damian's looking for and the look doesn't exactly unnerve him, but he stands his ground. When he finally explains himself, Percy's expression doesn't change at all other than a fraction more interested. So. That's a thing.]

Yeah? How long did it take before he gave you what you asked for?

I can't give an exact timeframe. I didn't stay to test the length. I went back the next day, Monday, and they were available.

I don't know if someone can get anything more dangerous. It would be good to try; however, unless you hide what you get, someone could use it for their own purposes if they found it.

You mean somebody could request a kind of weapon and use it to attack somebody on a Thursday and we start the murder process all over again. You don't think that'd break the Sheriff's rules about helping us? He sort of got really pissed when I suggested that he might make exceptions to help with murders and covering tracks.

[That was at the trial, though Percy sort of wonders if it was for public face.]

The item doesn't have to be a weapon for it to be used as one.

I didn't ask for a shortbow. I just asked for the materials to craft one myself. If anyone here knew how to make bombs or other weapons, they can likely get the materials from the Sheriff. I don't think he's against it. The loophole is he isn't directly helping us murder. We're making the murder weapons ourselves.

[But, honestly...] There are also ways for people to kill others without special weapons. If someone knows how to kill.

Batman knows how to kill with his bare hands. He just chooses not to do it.

[And all of this leads to one question.]

Do you? Have the skills to make bombs or kill people with your bare hands. [Once Damian answers that at least Percy will give him his other thoughts on the manner.]

[Damian frowns. For once in his life, it feels as if this is a bad thing, not a good one. Before, he would have been proud to have these kinds of skills. Now, he's not so sure. He's proud he's like his father in that sense, though not so proud he's "built" for destruction.] Yes.

I have those skills. They were taught to me by my parents.

[That's a little unsettling and at the same time it's not surprising. Of course the small vigilante has the skills necessary to fuck up a dude.]

I don't think you need me to tell you to keep that information to yourself. If people see anybody else as a threat they're going to start asking questions and it could get pretty ugly. But I take it you're like your dad and you're choosing not to do it?

[Hopefully.]

I'm aware. [But with the wanted posters, Damian doubts something like that getting out is really going to add anything else incriminating. Maybe.]

Our code is we do not kill. Not even criminals. When you kill, you become no better than those you are trying to stop.

I've killed before. [A sigh.] It's something I'm trying to amend.

[Look, people are crazy the end. If he's at all surprised to hear that, he doesn't let on. Instead he's giving Damian his full attention and nodding in response.]

I'd say attempting to amend it counts for something. [A pause.] Out of anger, or out of self-defense? [In his opinion there's a difference.]

Neither. [Does that make it worse? It makes it worse.] Out of pride.

I was heir to the League of Assassins. It was my duty to lead them, but I had to complete tests for a year to earn the right. It was called the Year of Blood.

[A wince.] That sounds completely pleasant and painless. So...it was to prove you were worthy of being the heir even if your dad's Batman?

Batman... [He thinks about it for a moment.] Batman wants to protect people from themselves. People think it's hard to kill someone, but it's not. It's easy to kill someone.

The hardest part is sparing someone you think should die.

Mother and Grandfather believed the world should be purged of evil people to allow a global reset. They believe in punishing criminals just like Batman, except they believe the criminals should be killed.

[Frowning, he glances up. Lips tight, jaw tighter like he's debating on talking. Finally:] Todd, too. I know him. Not like he is now, but older. He's from my world. He was a Robin. The second one. Batman's greatest nemesis killed him--The Joker.

A universal anomaly happened. He was resurrected. My Mother found him, and she put him in something called the Lazarus Pit. It restored him, but made him volatile. He's bitter now, in my world. He uses guns. He thinks criminals should be killed.

[This is a lot of information to take in since like. He knows Jason. He likes Jason. Knowing that people have died and been revived here is a little concerning considering what he was doing at home, but he's quiet as he lets Damian finish.

The worst thing he could do is interrupt right now.]

But the Jason that's here hasn't lived through that. You haven't told him. [It's kind of a question, but more of a statement. There's a low sigh as he rubs the back of his neck.] What about you? What are your beliefs in all of this? [And then another pause.] What happened?

Edited 2017-01-28 01:26 (UTC)

I've told him. He deserved to know. [But it's FINE, Percy.] He knew. I think in his timeline, he has already died.

He spends his time trying to stop criminals, and he usually kills them. When he came back, he wanted the Joker dead, but he didn't want to kill the Joker himself necessarily. He wanted Batman to do it. He's a toddler. He thinks Batman should have avenged him and killed the Joker after what happened. But Batman doesn't kill, and Todd never understood that.

[He peers at Percy for a moment.] If you were required to kill someone to save a lot of people, would you do it? Even if it meant you would be a murderer.

You think? [That's alarming.] Might want to check next time before you go around telling people their futures, dude. That can really mess somebody up.

[He's listening to the information about Jason, not sure what to make of all of it. This story sounds a little familiar.]

Depends. Is there a reason you're avoiding answering the question I just asked you?

[LOOK!! Just... look. Maybe he could help Jason become a better person??? Shut up.]

I'm Robin. Batman isn't only my ally, he's my father. I don't kill. [And, noticeably, he isn't carrying the gun the Sheriff left for them in the rooms either. Too dangerous.] There's always another way, but no one is going to find it when all they are thinking about is killing.

I don't think killing is how we are going to leave. This game is for entertainment. [Looking at Percy, he seems to realize something.] The gladiators. That's what this is; a gladiator coliseum masquerading as a the West. We're fighting as sport for an audience.

[While he believes in that, he can't help but give Damian a somewhat flat look in response.]

That's definitely true. He did say there used to be an arena here for the earlier games. [A beat.] This is the third time I've ended up having to do this. [He's lucky it's not the fourth since he hasn't lived through that point in his timeline, but anyway.] There's definitely always another way out, but coliseum fights always end with someone losing. If killing isn't our only route, got any ideas yet?

[Damian is quiet for a bit as he thinks it over.] Easy. In theory.

It's entertainment. We have to give them a show. Television isn't always real, is it? It just has to be believable.

Not always, but you'd be surprised. [He makes a face.] So what are thinking, we just fake a lot of murders and hope it works out? That could work in theory.

Faking murders means getting rid of the people not dead, and that depends on what all this "audience" can actually see.

There's nowhere to hide people... except the mines. If the warnings aren't fake, it'd be dangerous to keep people there.

I'll have to check the mines first.

You're going to go down there even if the warnings say that they're dangerous? [Damian???] Do you not remember what just happened when you and Jason opened one of the locked buildings?

Someone has to check the mines. Half the others here wouldn't be able to do it without a high chance of death.

[BUT NOT HIM. Surely.]

You're not invisible, Robin. You know that, right?

I'm aware. But sitting around and twiddling our thumbs isn't going to keep people from dying. Not when we have to figure out how to end it. How to keep people from dying--both by each other and by us when we vote.

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