around noon \o/

[secondchances]

I was going to say something about this being--uh, being my two year anniversary, but this whole perpetual darkness thing we have going on is sort of distracting.

Not to mention the sounds. Those aren't very nice. Pretty sure it's not just me.

I'd rather be kicking something's butt than whirling around in the dark every time I think I hear something behind me. I'm going to have a heart attack at this rate. Or have an accidentally-punching-someone-in-the-face attack. On that note, it's not a good idea to approach people from behind right now. Are we actually in mortal danger, or is the castle just trying to be cute since it's Friday the 13th? Boo, let's be spooky and--

[And, as if on cue, there's a gasp as Stephanie gets the distinct feeling that someone's gonna grab her from behind. FOR REALS, THIS TIME. Aaaaand there goes the lamp beside her bed. CRASSSSSHHHH.




A sigh.]

I see how it is, Paradisa. Happy freakin' anniversary to you, too.

Comments

[craggyfaced]

You have been here two years?

[secondchances]

[Slightly distracted:]

Yep. Been rounding up the past few months, though today's the actual two year mark.

[craggyfaced]

[gloomily] That is a long time...

...are you all right, my lady?

[secondchances]

To be fair, it's gone by really fast. Why, it feels like just yesterday I was stumbling around in the snow, thinking I was hallucinating a giant castle...

I'm fine. Just trying to not knock over stuff. How about you?

[craggyfaced]

I am assisting in guarding the ballroom.

[There is a slight scrape of metal as he shifts, listening to a sound the journal doesn't quite pick up]

[secondchances]

I hope that's been uneventful so far.

[craggyfaced]

More or less, not counting the shadows I seem to keeping seeing out of the corner of my eye. I feel I am being taunted, though I do not know by what.

[secondchances]

Same here. It's really annoying. I can already tell it's going to be a fun day.

[knightprodigy]

I'll be sure to hold off on the 'many happy returns'. [Because trust him, you don't want that.

[secondchances]

Gotta leave in order to return. Which you're... very aware of. That sounded less lame in my head.

[Dick]

Though, since I've got you here and I don't have anything else I could be doing right now, do you have a moment?

[Since she promised a certain someone that she'd keep the serious talk for after the holidays, and after the holidays it is.]

[knightprodigy]

[Oh Steph.] Don't worry about it.

[Steph]

Sure! [Ominous feeling in 5...4...3...2] What'd you have in mind? [...1]

Dick

[secondchances]

I feel like I should preface this with "don't get mad," so... don't get mad?

Steph

[knightprodigy]

[HEAVY NASAL SIGH.

Also no promises.]

Go on.

[heirdom]

I almost hope this is another "everyone risks dying" week so that we can all get some exercise.

Dick

[secondchances]

[That's not very comforting, but it's better for Damian that she breaks this to Dick before anyone else.]

Okay, so. Before you got here, Hush was here. Which would normally be a problem, but he turned into a problem. And that's because he managed to trick us into thinking he was Bruce from day one. He pretended that his loss was Batman, so he had a big, fluffy, padded blanket to cover his ass.

[She'll give that a moment to sink in.]

Steph

[knightprodigy]

[He already knows that Hush is here, Damian has told him that much, at least. Of course he neglected to mention all that important other stuff, though. Hm, curiouser and curiouser.

But uh.]

And no one suspected anything?

[secondchances]

I'd like to skip out on the risk of dying part, but I'd be down for some good ol' fighting. The suspense...

[heirdom]

That's because if there's no risk of death, it's Stephanie Brown-grade combat.

Dick

[secondchances]

He was off, but Damian and I figured it was just his loss. Understandably, things hadn't been easy since you and Bruce left. I was... really eager to have someone [who could handle Damian] around. We were the only ones around to really judge him. [And they faiiiiiled.]

A return visit from future-Damian, some creepy things, and a failed smothering attempt later, Damian and I talked and put the pieces together. Damian found surgical tools and make-up in Hush's room. So, I contacted Kate, and she and I were going to take Hush down. Damian wasn't going to be involved in that portion, for obvious reasons.

... things didn't really go as planned.

[secondchances]

Is that supposed to be an insult?

[heirdom]

No, it's an observation.

Steph

[knightprodigy]

[He knows Steph tired her hardest, because that's the kind of person she is, and Dick is eternally grateful that she didn't give up on Damian and that she decided to stick around, so he can't really place any blame here except upon himself because he should have been here. And Bruce, God dammit. He should be here. ...but that's selfish.]

What happened?

Dick

[secondchances]

[Let's just say that her respect for Dick is pretty much immeasurable.]

Kate and I had things under control. [More or less.] But Damian showed up--with a gun he must have found in Hush's room earlier. He ended up shooting him. Not fatally, but...

[He had a gun and used it, and the intent... :( ]

I know I should have told you earlier, and I'm sorry, but there wasn't really a good time.

[secondchances]

A good one?

[heirdom]

Well... I guess not getting killed is a good thing...