Five → Crime is danger you must fight. Are you ready to fly, Dark Knight?

[beyondthecowl]

Alfred: "You seem to have a ding in your door, sir."
Batman: "He trashed my car, Alfred. Between a couple of guys, that's REAL personal."
Alfred: "Nice to see you haven't lost your sense of humor in the face of adversity."
- "Bane", The Adventures of Batman and Robin

Comments

B

[strike_you_out]

[As the Bat fills up his car, a familiar little creep with a toothy grin arrives to lean against the pump and watch.]

Toothy grin = trollface?

[beyondthecowl]

[The Bat just looks down, completely straightface.]

Not beating people to death yet, I see.

maybe, maybe

[strike_you_out]

[The grin widens by a few centimeters---it's his only response and there's no telling what it could mean. He'll watch for another moment before finally speaking up in a quiet voice.]

Wanna see something strange?

I see . . .

[beyondthecowl]

[Eyebrow quirk.]

Not really, but show me anyway.

;D

[strike_you_out]

726 Anderson Lane. Front yard.

[Yep.]

oh my~

[beyondthecowl]

. . .

[Okay, well, the Riddler lives there with some other people. Nothing really to see there, or so Batman thinks anyway.

The dispense lever of Bats' pump snaps back, indicating that he's filled his tank to capacity. He puts the hose back on its hook, then looks at Slugger again and narrows his eyes.]

. . . Get in.

[And he's hopping in the driver's side and firing the engine.]

[strike_you_out]

[He is so there. Batman will find his passenger seat occupied almost before the engine is fired up. It's as if the boy didn't even open the car door to climb in. But that would be impossible, right? Slugger settles into the seat, baseball bat resting in the space beside his legs. One word comes to mind as he glances around at the interior.]

Nice.

[beyondthecowl]

[Nothing is impossible from what the Bat's seen. Whether he saw Slugger or not, he appears to be unfazed and completely focused on the road, as pulls out of the gas station and speeds off.]

Don't touch anything.

[Don't feel bad, Slugger. He said the exact same thing to your not!dad.

Soon enough, they're pulling up in front of 726 Anderson Lane. The Bat wants to ask what this is all about, but decides to hold his tongue for the time being as he gets out of the car.]

[strike_you_out]

[He keeps his hands to himself for the duration of the ride, not touching anything other than the seat he's sitting on.

After the car rolls to a stop, Slugger joins Batman silently at the edge of the yard. There doesn't appear to be anything out of place. The lawn is freshly mowed, the hedges trimmed, nothing unusual. A man stands beside the driveway, whistling a tune as he waters the lawn with a garden hose and a painfully cheerful smile, clearly a drone.

But look closely. This drone is someone who should be familiar despite his lack of green vintage suit and bowler derby...]

[beyondthecowl]

[And visible shock crosses the Bat's face--well, what little of it can be seen, anyway.]

What happened here?

[strike_you_out]

[No reply. Slugger is eyeing the drone as well, uncertain and no longer grinning.

It's then that Edward's drone looks up to spot them and waves with a vacant smile.]

"Howdy, Neighbor! Taking the hot rod out for a spin, I see."

[ooc] Permission from Steve to operate drone Edward.

[beyondthecowl]

[Batman's expression changes from quizzical to grim.]

. . .

Is this permanent?

[Because if it is, that's--that's--unsettling, to put it mildly.]

[strike_you_out]

No.

[But still unnerving nonetheless. Edward's drone continues to babble eerily about how glad he is that the Communist who killed poor Mrs. Smith was captured but what a shame about good ol' Officer Grady, those damned Dirty Reds, as he waters some flowers.

Slugger turns to look up at the tall, dark figure beside him. Apparently, Edward is too deeply droned to recognize his own nemesis.]

I thought you'd get a better reaction. You're the one he fears most.