multiversallogs | 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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"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?"

Steph is going to give him a talking to about the importance of stealth. For now, she just rolls her eyes at him where he probably can't see the expression.

"Not too far," she answers, "But you don't have to come the whole way." It's both a I can look after myself and I don't want to put you out. She knows he probably has Hellsing business to be dealing with, and while she appreciates the company, it's not necessary; she's made it this far without an escort.

I know it's hard but...

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