multiversallogs | I know it's hard but...

Entry tags:

I know it's hard but...

Who: Steph Brown, others [closed]
What: Monster fighting, rescues, healing
Where: All around Baedal
When: Over a two week period since Hasi broke reality
Notes: Everyone has their own thread starter, which are in no particular order, if there are any problems/questions please let me know!
Warnings: NPC death, gore, violence, monsters, PTSD, my inability to be succint, if I've missed any feel free to tell me

The monsters are new for her.

It's not that she isn't used to dealing with all the assorted bullshit that Gotham can throw at a vigilante, but there's nothing quite like this. There are people like Killer Croc and Zsasz and Black Mask, who might be horrific, but they're still people. These monsters are more like animals, but they're huge and violent and they hunt people. She's not trained for this, she's not equipped for this and she sure as hell isn't prepared for it. Getting the gun and new batarangs from Rex helps, and she adds a large hunting knife to her array of weaponry, but it still doesn't feel like enough.

It's terrifying, in a way that she doesn't have time to deal with, so she pushes that down and focuses on doing what she can. There's moments, as she faces down things that eclipse her worst nightmares, when she wonders if she should be hiding instead of out here fighting. But there are other moments, times when she wins, when she gets to reunite a parent with their lost child, and it doesn't matter that Steph is bleeding, bruised and exhausted, because she did good.

At the behest of Babs, and the reminders her own body sends, she forces herself to stop and rest once in a while. Usually she goes back to wherever Babs is, or Kate, if she happens to be resting at the same time. Her sleep happens in small bursts, a few hours here or there, curled up near Babs or Kate and letting the exhaustion take over. She tries not to eat too much, because she has no idea how long these monsters will stay in the city and she's scared that food will start running out. She's already started collect supplies, bringing them to the safe places and distributing them to people.

She doesn't think about the dead bodies she sees, or the injured people. A lot of Baedalites can look after themselves, but some of them can't and it's those who end up as smears on a wall. Except for when she has to stop to throw up, after seeing half eaten corpses; then she thinks about it, and she doesn't know how long she can keep going out and coming back alive.

She hopes no one will hold it against her if she gets killed.

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"That's terrible. Bigotry of any kind is unacceptable in an enlightened society. Hell, in any society. But the idea of stooping so low as to make weapons to target those who are different... I can't get my head around it."

He nods, knowingly. "It's an adjustment being here. I think I was complacent for a while, too. I was on a ship, I was used to having everything ready at my command, having all the resources and help I needed. It took me a while to get out of that mindset."

"People are fucking awful," she answers with a bit of a shrug, her tone almost going bitter, "Most of the weapons just aren't literal. There are quieter ways to wipe out minorities." Like dependence on a messed up welfare system that leaves kids as statistics from gang violence, domestic abuse or drug overdoses.

"It's tricky to do, I'm gonna have to start thinking like Spoiler again," which is a reference he won't get at all, but that's also a hard adjustment to make sometimes, especailly when she's in Batgirl mode; she's so used to talking to people who know her history.

Jim is quiet for a few long moments as they walk, taking all that in. He forgets sometimes that what is history for him is current affairs for others, that they aren't all from the same world.

"If it helps," he offers, solemn, "and I don't know if it does, but if it does: by my time, we've wiped a lot of that kind of prejudice out on Earth. I hope I don't sound condescending or privileged for saying that, or for saying that I just cannot comprehend that level of discrimination and hate."

A pause, and then: "Who's Spoiler?"

"It helps," Not just him saying it, but also for him understanding that he could sound condescending, "I'm almost glad you can't comprehend it, considering how easy that sort of hate comes for some people." At the end of the day, Steph is still a hell of a lot luckier than some people, but it's nice to know things get better in the future.

"Oh," It surprises a smile out of her, as she mentally chastises herself for forgetting that not everyone in the multiverse watched the broadcasts of her dad telling the world about the Spoiler, "Me, before I was Batgirl. It was the first name I used, back when I was fifteen and trying to stop my dad."

"Okay, good. Because I know it can sound like it's the easiest thing in the world for me or that I'm dismissing what other people are or have experienced because I haven't had to deal with it myself. And that's not right."

He laughs, glancing down at her before resuming his watchful sweep of the street. "The Spoiler. I like it. It's a fitting name for what you were trying to do."

"Thank you," So many people don't get it, especially those who really should, "And don't worry too much, if you're being a dick about it, I'll make sure you know." She always made Tim know when he messed up, complaining about being middle class, like not being rich was the most awful thing in the world.

"I liked it too. Dad called himeslf the Cluemaster, so I thought it worked," It explains a lot, little things like that; she grew up with a criminal for a dad, it's how she ended up running around in kevlar and spandex. She doesn't realize she's talking in past tense about her dad, she'd gotten so used to doing it that it's a hard habit to break even though she knows he's alive now. It doesn't help that she'd like to pretend he really did die.

"Good to know." And honestly, he wouldn't mind having it pointed out to him. That's part of why he trusts Bones so much, why he respects him so much--Bones isn't afraid to call him out when it's needed.

"The Cluemaster, huh?" He can guess the guy was up to no good, if Steph was trying to stop him. And way out of hand, for her to go against her own father.

"Gotham sounds like a hell of a place to grow up."

"He used to leave clues for the cops," Her expression clearly indicates she thinks this is a terrible way to be a criminal. The only time he was ever succesful was when he didn't leave the clues, and that was when Steph had to step in.

She laughs at that, not quite bitter, but not really with humor either, "That's not even half of it. There's a reason we have the most infamous mental asylum in the world."

"Wow. I can't even imagine."

Another quick scan of the street. "Did you have somewhere in particular in mind for this supply run?" he asks. "Or were you just going to raid whatever establishments are in the area?"

"That's probably for the best." Steph loves Gotham, but she also hates it, and wouldn't wish it on anyone.

"I have..." she slows down, slipping closer to the wall of a nearby building, almost disappearing into the shadows there. It's not ecen conscious she just - did it. When she's there, she pulls out her CiD and flicks through a map before looking back over at Jim, "There's a pharmacy two blocks West. The owners live in the upper part of the building, so I can go up and pay them."

She's engaged in looting when she has to, but she's also marked down the names of the stores when she does, so she can go back and pay them when things settle down.

Jim is immediately impressed; anyone could be forgiven for looting in a time like this but she intends to pay for what she takes. "Good. And are you going to need help getting things back?" He assumes she planned on doing this alone and made the necessary preparations, but if he can help her get more supplies back, he will.

It's nice in theory, but she's going to be so poor when all this is over. Hopefully the restaurant she blew up had insurance, so she doesn't have to cover that as well.

"I was planning to just take what I can carry, but if you're willing to help I can bring more," She had considered asking for volunteers at the safe house, but didn't actually trust anyone there if they'd offered to come. The only one she'd have liked with her is Kate, and there's no way she'd bring her out, considering the injury.

"Let's go," the CiD goes back in her pocket and she starts moving again. The good thing about the Sentinels she's seen is that they're noisy as fuck, so they can't sneak up on anyway, but that doesn't mean there aren't other things lurking around.

"I can help, that's not a problem. Who knows how long all this is going to go on, and you've got others to provide for. I'll help."

He lets her take the lead, not only because she knows exactly where she's going, but so he can cover her as well. There's no telling what might be out there waiting, what might be headed for them or stalking them. He's seen so much since all of this started, and been surprised more times than he would ever have liked.

"Is anyone you're going back to hurt?"

"You make it sound like I'm a den mother or something," She'd make a face at him if she wasn't focused on making sure nothing pounces on them.

The pharmacy is marked by a sign at the front of it, but that's boarded up. It doesn't seem to surprise Steph, she just leads Jim around to the back where there's a smaller door. There's a key hidden in a loose brick on the back wall, that Steph pulls out and uses to open the door. It takes her until they're inside to answer Jim's question.

"My friend got a gash on her arm, it's infected," It's the injuries she's most worried about, if only because it's Kate, "There are a few other minor injuries."

Clearly she's done her homework, to know all this about the place. Jim follows her inside, keeping a wary eye on the aisles in case there's something lurking within the pharmacy.

(He had to tussle, yesterday, with something that could walk through walls. It's a legitimate concern.)

"Nothing life-threatening? That's good, considering all the hell that's breaking loose out there."

"Nothing life threatening, mainly 'cause we move people to better facilities if they're badly injured." Jae's broadcast had,been helpful in that regard, by giving them a list of places that could handle the more serious injuries.

She doesn't risk a light, there's enough natural light to see by and it's better not to risk the attention it might call. She pulls a folded up back pack from one of the pouches on her thigh belt; it's made of a thin but durable fabric and it's a decent size.

"You happy to watch my back while I stock up?" They could both go through the store and find things, but Steph figures it'd only make the task a little quicker, but a lot more dangerous if neither of them were watching from monsters. She's already started grabbing gauze pads and bandages to put in the bag.

Edited (asfg words. I need to stop phone tagging) 2012-03-28 05:38 (UTC)

"You got it." It's a good idea; the two of them likely wouldn't be any faster working together because he'd slow her down, she knows what she came for and where to find it. And somebody does need to keep watch because all the monsters are coming in fast and furious, with no warning.

He moves toward a counter, hopping up on it. It gives him a better view of most of the store, especially the entrance points. The front's boarded over but something could still get through; he's hoping nothing followed them through the back or noticed them slip inside.

"Just give me a yell if you need me down there."

"Thanks," Of all the things she's had to get used to in Baedal, working with new people is the one that's come easiest to her. She tends to have a good sense of who to trust, so with Jim watching her back, Steph feels free to turn all her attention to searching the shelves for the supplies she needs. Had she been on her own, the bag would've been filled halfway, the rest of the space designated for food, but there's another bag in her utility belt and Jim can carry that later. Some bandages and medicines go straight into her pouches, in case she runs into injured people while she's out, but eventually she fills up the entire back and heads over to Jim.

"I should've asked, do you need anything while we're here?" She doesn't know what the situation is like with Hellsing; are they supplying their agents?

He shakes his head, grinning and sparing a glance down at her (not that she can likely see either in the dim interior). He likes that about her, that she's so thoughtful, not just worried about her own needs.

"I'm good. But thank you for asking."

She can't see the grin but she can hear it in his voice and she smiles back, "You can just be my packmule, then." She holds the bag up to him; she'll carry the next one, once they've gotten to the supermarket she has in mind.

"I'm gonna end upstairs and pay the owners, wanna meet me by the back door?" She figures it's for the best if only one of them - and the one of them that's familiar - go up, because the people who own the pharmacy have been a little twitchy. They nearly shot Steph when she first showed up, not that she blames them.

"If you're sure you won't need the cover, sure." He hops down from the counter. His first instinct is to insist on going with her, but it's just as before; this is an unfamiliar place, dark, and he's more likely to slow things down by trying to help.

"Yell if you need me. And if you aren't back right away I'm coming up after you."

"I'll be fine, don't worry," Normally she'd be a little more defensive about not needing the help, but this is different from a normal situation. She knows Jim isn't trying to say she's incompetant; no one stands a chance against some of the things out there.

So she doesn't get mad, she just gives him a reassuring smile before disappearing into the dimness of the store. There's a door in the back of the store that leads up, but she neglects that in favor of slipping out a window and climing up from there. She's gone for about three minutes.

One of the pouches of her utility belt is significantly lighter, having ben divested of most of her cash, when she jumps down into the small, paved area that counts as a backyard, landing neatly near where Jim is waiting.

"Told you I'd be fine."

He's mildly surprised even though by now he knows he shouldn't be. "I had no doubt," he says, flashing her a grin as he leans the shotgun against the wall. "Give me what you need me to carry."

He can see her back to her safe house, he's sure. He should stay on the streets, per Hellsing directives, but this counts, he's still on the streets, right?

She probably shouldn't take delight in surprising people but - small pleasures and all that, "Smart move, last person who doubted me got slapped," Which is not quite how it went, but Steph's going to tell it that way anyway. She passes the bag over to him then cocks her head in the direction of the street before heading that way.

Back out in the streets, she falls easily back into the habit of slipping into shadows as they make their way back to the safe house. She's sort of just assumed he's coming with her at least part of the way.

He shoulders the bag and hefts the rifle, following in her wake. He doesn't stick to the shadows, though, preferring the middle of the pavement; it's enough for him to see, enough room for him to raise the gun if he must, and it makes him a more obvious target than she is.

It's quiet, for now, but he won't let that lull him into any false sense of security.

"How far do we need to go?"

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controlledvariable - 2012-04-02 00:14 (UTC) - Expand

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