taxonomites | [ visual ] [ locked from the doctor, the master, angelus, and balthazar ] my heart's the lighter

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[ visual ] [ locked from the doctor, the master, angelus, and balthazar ] my heart's the lighter

It's hard to tell if Bruce looks tired or if he's just suddenly gone stoic - outside his brief call to action during the bomb threat, the majority of his interaction over the tablet has been half-in-half-out of his fractured playboy persona, which he's cast aside completely by now. Either way, he's been quiet since then, and he's sitting with his back against something wooden and ornate; maybe a headboard, maybe a screen, and wearing a black t-shirt.

“This probably should have been spoken about sooner, but things have been overwhelming for most people here in the aftermath of the bomb threat.” Though he's clear and direct, there's a reserved quality to his voice that says he isn't used to giving speeches – and while that isn't necessarily true, it's always Bruce Wayne, billionaire playboy! rambling on at length about girls or booze or ill-fated political endorsements. This is different, and so, much more deadpan.

“A large number of bombs were planted throughout the city, and sentinel robots armed with rubber bullets and tranquilizer darts were sent to guard them. An initial blast was detonated during which, to my knowledge, most of the injuries occurred. Several people were injured in the process of assisting victims of the first blast and thus combating the sentinels or now-damaged remaining bombs. A second and final blast was detonated during which more people, mainly people who were trying to reach a safe area or the Brucolac's ship as far as I'm aware, were injured. Several people were gravely injured, a few only pulled through with emergency medical care, and while there were no fatalities amongst our number, several Extras were killed. The man who has claimed responsibility for this, known as the Doctor, was taken into temporary custody to keep him from accessing or detonating any other explosives he might have in the city. At the time it appears that there is no more nuclear or radioactive material in the city and that we are in no immediate danger of being blown to hell by one of our fellow abductees.”

He pauses and glances to one side at something not visible in the tablet's view, taking a moment. “Belatedly – this is an issue I'd meant to address personally before the bombing – there was a man here who was going by the name of Doctor Jonathan Crane. I'm under the impression that he was treating people here as a psychiatrist. If he gave you any advice or put you on any medication, I advise you to be re-evaluated by one of the medical doctors here immediately. He is a psychopath from my world who specializes in drugging and then using fear to torture people to death, and got pretty far on a plot for genocide.”

… Well that's blunt. It was something that Bruce was going to contact people individually about, but after the past week and all the invasions of privacy he's had to go through personally, he just doesn't have the stomach for it anymore. He's incinerating the remainder of his records and locking down the chemicals and that's just that.

“I understand that the situation with the individual known as Angelus is a sensitive one, as this is someone who is a colleague of several people here who's going through something unfortunate, but some of the things being broadcast lately are alarming. If there's any progress on this, or if further warnings to the population need to be issued, I'd appreciate an update.”

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Some kid when I got here told me about vampires. I was hoping it was a metaphor, but that'll teach me to be optimistic. And if I've got specific concerns it's that the first thing they always say in the movies is holy water and crosses don't do shit. Makes what I've got on hand pretty useless in case of homicide.

... Why, what do you have on hand?

And really, people make too big of a deal over the vampires.

A lot of holy water. [like ...a lot of holy water.]

It was the 'homicidal' part that got me. But it'd be great if I could go right back to not taking them seriously.

[a beat, wherein we decide to prevent any more 'are you a priest' inquiries, since we're talking about fucking vampires.] This guy I'm talking about; if you can say 'not human' with a straight face, you're a step ahead there.

Mm. Anybody can be homicidal. The bomb terrorist isn't a vampire. Nor human.

[.. so that answers John's inquiry.]

...right. So it's a mixed bag of things that'll murder you.

He's not homicidal. He's a sadist. Call it splitting hairs, but it makes a difference. This - ability to get people to listen to him, it's not the kind of thing that comes out of a textbook. It's something he can do because it's his entire fucking purpose in life.

What is he?

He's a demon.

[a pause.]

Well that's annoying.

[[there is a ....horrific coughing noise, which is actually john laughing. give him a second.]

Yeah. You could say that. If you wanted to be an asshole.

Less of a desire than an occupational hazard.

[another smaller laugh-cough; then water running, which is translatable in words to: honestly, what is the point of quitting smoking if this still happens all the time.]

That's what I keep telling people. [also, he introduces himself that way, which is brilliant.] Look, I don't really know what he'll try to do here, even what he can do. Where we came from he'd make people hear things, see them, get in their heads. Seemed like it was worth telling somebody, since I can't be everywhere all the time.

[yes, balthazar is his responsibility. to punch.]

Okay over there? [mild; don't make him offer you tea, John.]

Sounds worth keeping an eye on. [which is... an understatement, what John is describing genuinely unsettles Bruce, especially given recent events, but it's not like anyone could ever tell.] Someone could ask Hermes. On the subject of divine power, I mean.

Occupational hazard. It's no problem. [yes, smoking was totally an occupational hazard of his ...life, until recently. like being an asshole--no, that hasn't changed.]

Asking a Greek god how to deal with Christianity's answer to the Midas touch. Jesus, that's a word salad of theology. [hermes.] Why not, I doubt it'll hurt anything.

It'd be nice to know if there's an upper limit or not on supernatural abilities in this place.

[look, a shoe's a shoe - just don't ask Bruce to decide which one's the stiletto.]

[those are the pointy ones, bruce. they look good with fishnets. or latex.]

Yeah. So asking him, how does that work? I've never had much success with the power of prayer. [it's hilarioooous.]

I'm not actually sure. Top Gear seems to work for summonings.

[...]

.....it figures.

[why? because god(s) don't make any sense. any of them.]

Right? [finally something resembling inflection: incredulity. everything is insane.]

Almost like something you can count on. [that everything will be fucked up, sob. john's inflection is a touch more colorful, like he's thrown up his hands and decided to find this funny in lieu of like, implosion. as such, he switches his tablet to visual.]

I'm John. Are you doing this summoning bullshit or am I?

Bruce lets his tablet switch over to visual as well, since that's what his initial broadcast was in. He's still sitting against his headboard.

"Bruce. Uh. I actually think I'll just leave him a voicemail, I'm a little over people materializing in my house."

Maybe John just didn't want Bruce to see the amazing state of his kitchen - which is where he seems to be setting up tablet headquarters, at the table in there - that's not true, he was just being lazy. Because it takes more effort to make facial expressions, which is why he reserves them for disasters and Balthazar.

And then he has to make like, half of one here, which is raising at least most of both eyebrows. "Yeah, I can see how that'd wear on a person."

Maybe he's thinking about how great it would be if he could leave God voicemail. Not that God would ever return his calls. "How is he with response time? --I can't believe I'm having this fucking conversation."

Which is ...saying something. From John.

"Welcome to Taxon," he says blandly, because ... yeah, he thinks this is completely insane and headache inducing, too, but he's spent enough of today living in denial and sleeping everything away. A delayed reaction, anyway. The feed cuts out for a minute as he composes something and sends it off to Hermes.

"I don't know yet. I don't make a habit of consulting 'gods'--" the quotation marks are audible-- "I'll let you know if and when."

"I keep hearing that, usually right after something like 'bombs' or 'psychotic vampires' or 'there's no decent Vietnamese food here.'" No one has told him the last one, but if he does not downplay all of this, he'll just - something. This is better. "Kind of a skewed definition of 'welcome,' but shit, what do I know."

Imagine how much more he can learn! Anyway. "You do that; I'm not going anywhere."

Despite all of ...every single one of those words, he doesn't sound too distressed. Cynicism is a good way to keep a lid on these things.

After receiving Bruce's message, Hermes decides to be a polite fellow and respond in a like manner.

"Hi? What did you need? If it's more eggs, I've got eggs."

If John's paying attention still, he'll see Bruce's attention shift before the feed goes on standby mode for a moment.

"Hi," he says to Hermes. "I'm good for eggs, we were wondering about something else. Do you mind talking to someone else too?"

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[visual :: for Brucebean]

[visual :: for Hermes....chu]