bittybat | (no subject)

Shockingly, I didn't engage in that stupid bullshit. [ She brushes mud off her front, the look on her face comically disgusted. ]

Bad luck happened to me. I walked under a tree and a bunch of snow fell out of it and knocked me right into a puddle of mud. Do you know how long it's been since I had that kind of slapstick garbage happen to me? Ugh. And you know what the worst part is? I was trying to find you, only my powers backfired. Ask me if it's possible for my powers to backfire. Go on, ask!

[ the very obvious answer is "no," given the look on her face. ]

[The situation is unfortunate, but how it's delivers get the tiniest hints of a smirk to come to his mouth.]

I assume the answer is no. Sounds ridiculous. [With good luck should come bad luck sometimes? Balance? Hello? Maybe when they unlock the Tragic Backstory, he'll know.] You tried to siphon the luck from the ice palace. Not the most strategized idea, but worth testing, I suppose.

Why were you looking for me?

[ don't you laugh at her, she'll kill you. though, strangely, she doesn't seem to get her hackles up about it, if she notices. ]

Ridiculous is one word for it. [ grumble. at least he's quick on the uptake, as usual. ] It was my best chance at testing something big, without risking anyone's safety! Bluh. This is what I get for trying to be thoughtful, I guess!

I wanted to tell you about it! Because what happened runs completely counter to how my powers work. I can only make myself luckier, not unlucky. Something about that place was not right! I couldn't steal from whoever built it, because there was no one to steal from. And stealing from the palace itself did ... [ you know. gestures at herself, expression flat. ] This should not be possible, and yet, here we are.

Foremost, I would advise against trying to drain luck from any of the places the town sends us. [If it sounds like he's an old man it's because he is--eighty trapped in a thirteen year old's body, surely.] I assume they're manifestations of some kind. They aren't real, like illusions.

The town may be more stable if it exists. [Batcow bellows softly, and Damian pauses to reach up and pat the cow's neck before heading back out toward Vriska.] And we're not locked in some dream state.

When I arrived, I attempted to hack the laptops and find information on F. Likewise, all results came back as if F didn't exist at all.

That is exactly the sense I got, yeah. That it wasn't real, I mean. Do you really think they're illusions, though?

[ Vriska pulls her hair into her hands, brushing away snow and a little mud. ] I would bet against this being some kind of shared dream, but that's only a feeling. I couldn't offer you proof. As for our favorite guy, Mr. Fuckhead... [ her mouth pulls to one side. ] I dunno! When I tried to track him down, I still got somewhere, even if it wasn't to an actual person. There is definitely someone or something controlling this town. If you ask me, they are just making themselves incredibly hard to find.

It's probably magic then. The bane of all existence. [Magic, that is. He loathes magic. It isn't scientific. It isn't quantifiable. You can't experiment and hypothesize with magic the same way you can with physics, chemistry, etc.] You said you got somewhere.

What did you find exactly that can prove the existence of something bigger working the town? Also, what happened when you tried to siphon luck from the ice palace? Anything in particular?

[Now it's clear why he hates magic!!]

I told you about the locket, didn't I? Ask Minato about it, it should still be in his possession. Regardless, the kind of purposeful "storytelling" that drives this town seems too deliberate to be anything but guided by the hand of some malevolent overseer!

[ A sigh. ] It is hard to describe what happened, because I don't fully understand it myself. I feel certain I must have destroyed part of the building, based on how my powers work, and yet I didn't find any evidence of that happening. Worse is this bum luck it gave me. Whatever kind of construct that place was, stealing from it gave me bad luck. [ she's visibly agitated, shaking her head roughly and frowning sharply as she continues to comb through her hair with her fingers. ] I cannot stress enough that this isn't possible.

[His lips pull into a thin, taut line, and Pennyworth gives an characteristically bored yawn at the squabbling idea sharing of a human and a troll. Cats.]

Are you positive you received bad luck, or the ice palace simply stole some of the luck you already garnished? There's a negligible difference in having bad luck and merely lacking good luck. Maybe your "bad luck" is not having good luck at all.

Are you the one who broke the throne?

I am telling you, that's not how it works. I know you hate all this magic bullshit, but I have magic powers and you need to trust me when I tell you how they work. Or are you going to claim you understand powers I have had for an eon better than I myself do? I am positive, Damian.

As for the throne... no. [ She looks a little impressed. ] I'd love to know who did.

Me, too. [If not Vriska’s crappy anti-luck powers, an accident, then there’s a handful of people here who may have the gumption to break an ice throne.] So, you’ve been cursed.

Are you planning to try taking more luck now or waiting? Can you even take luck now without it going awry? The bad luck could go away on its own, or better luck could lessen the effect. Like starting with negative and increasing back into positive. [A pause. He frowns, clearly wary.] You can take some of mine, if you want.

See, those are actually good questions. [ Vriska makes a face, somewhere between disgust and consideration. ] The sense I'm getting is that I may have to try and expend all the "bad" luck.

[ She'll take a moment to appraise him, looking him up and down. ] But that's a hell of an offer, coming from a person like you. That can't be easy for you. You'd really let me, huh?

[Vriska isn't wrong. The ease and confidence in which he gives up the opportunity betrays the fact he has a hidden goal. A method to his madness.]

I'd allow you. I want you to prove you're able to do what you claim you can do. [He's a... mini scientist? In a way.] I want to see or feel it for myself. Besides, you can't begin with any plans until you've fixed the mess you made by trying to steal luck from the ice palace.

Prove it? [ Now that gets a chuckle. ] Damian, all you had to do was ask.

[ Vriska gestures loosely, the motion careless, and for a fleeting moment her hand seems to glow a soft gold. Just like that a sudden breeze will pick up, in just the right strength and direction to spook the Batcow, which will bump into Damian. What a crazy random coincidence! ]

[Aside form the shift to take the bump and move with it, Damian doesn't really budge. He puts a hand on the cow, steady, and then slowly cuts his eyes suspiciously back to Vriska.

Sure, a very crazy and random coincidence.] I see. [This is definitely one of the handful of powers he's going to have to keep some tabs on.]

I want you to assist us in finding the rainbow hen. Searching for any other way out will be futile. We're going to have to play the town's--of F's--game. We should continue as if we believe finding the hen will break the curse.

You could increase our chances of success if you can tamper with luck.

[ Vriska raises her eyebrows, folding her arms over her chest, and then slowly nods. ]

I agree with you. For now, our best plan is to play the game they want us to play. We need to completely understand the rules before we can start breaking them.

So I will help you! In exchange, I need you to help me find opportunities to steal more luck between now and whenever we do this. The more we have, the better our chances.

Fine. I accept your conditions.

[It feels more stable if the strategy of it is in his hands regardless of whether or not it turns out to be a total disaster. The Bat struggle of trying to keep everyone safe but getting them in trouble for it.]

When I find more ways to siphon luck, I'll contact you.

Good! ... in the meantime, I will figure out how to deal with this shitty luck. [ She sounds exasperated, but she'll wave a hand, turning to go. ] Contact me whenever you're ready to move!