File Z5287452 - No Context

[oversight]

[ While he's known for being pretty quick to assess a situation and pick up on what's going on, there hasn't hardly been time for that before Robin John Blake is addressing the network, a rather uneasy expression wrinkling his forehead, his whole being scrunched up while he tries to get used to using a video function that is nowhere near standard in his time and place. ]

Uh... Know this is gonna sound kinda weird, but— [ Believe it or not, John Blake, there isn't much you could say that the denizen of Wonderland would consider weird, but you go ahead and give it a try, buddy. ] Well... don't s'pose I'm dreamin', am I?

[ It feels like a good guess because he doesn't remember traveling, and he certainly doesn't remember leaving home, and since the last thing he'd done was attend a funeral, it could be a strange coincidence, a fabrication of his mind that's now semi-lucid, sitting here telling him how what he sees and feels can't be what's actually happening. People don't just appear in storybooks (and even if he did, it wouldn't be this celebrated tale). ]

Barrin' that, think I might be dead... [ It's mumbled in an off-hand way, as if maybe he's already considered it, but decided not to lead with that theory. Audible to the rest, even if he's quick to move on from saying it. ] But on the off chance I'm not either of those things, think someone could help me out figurin' what's goin' on here?

[ He likes to think a uniform would have added something to this request, but having just given up his badge for good, all he can do is address everyone as a regular guy — definitely not his first choice, since it usually does him no favors.

He looks like he's done, about to end the transmission, when something else occurs to him. ] —in person, if possible. Not really— Not really much of a fan of these things, not if I can help it.

[ He can't, not here, but he'll at least be content to try for a while. With luck, it won't even matter when he wakes up from all of this... ]

Be— [ A gesture over his shoulder. ] Gonna be outside for a while — out front. So... yeah.


[[ OOC: Video, audio, or action perfectly okay, just note. Will also match style. For starters, send a PM to this account or hit me up @ blakeroo on plurk. :) ]]

Comments

[mrsarcastic003]

[They're both talking around the whole Batman issue, but without really knowing what and how much Blake knows, Tim isn't really comfortable just saying it. Even if it is apparently all available in the library.

So he approaches Bane from what anyone in the city would have seen, rather than what he personally knows because of his relationship with Bruce.]

He turned a number of the local lunatics lose on the city, and eventually just... broke them all out of Arkham and supplied them with enough weapons and chemical enhancements to make everyone's lives extremely difficult. Batman was incapacitated for a while, which only made things worse.

[And he's not even going to get into the Jean-Paul Valley disaster, but the stress of the situation is more than evident on Tim's face.]

What about you?

[oversight]

[ John isn't quite the type to make himself at home in another person's space, but he gets the sense that he's better off taking a seat just based on how his heart hammers in his chest. It's too coincidental, but already there are differences that loom.

He gestures to a seat, questioning the imposition before ultimately disregarding the customary time to wait for acknowledgement. His hand wipes down his face like he could scrub away this gray feeling that's crept in with Drake's words. ]

Some of that's familiar. Everyone in Blackgate Prison — Bane let 'em all go, held the city hostage, trapped the cops, kept the place gnawin' at itself with panic. Thought he mighta killed the Batman, but he musta been incapacitated, too. Came back just in time to save everyone.

[mrsarcastic003]

[Tim motions belatedly for Blake to have a seat as he takes one of his own. He nods a little at the Blackgate breakout, but he starts frowning as he continues. None of the rest of that sounds as familiar. There had been plenty of fear all over the city, of course, but it wasn't as widespread as Blake seems to indicate. Much of it had been directed specifically at Batman, and his takeover had been more of Gotham's underworld, rather than the city at large.

And then he gets to the end, and oh, man. If only.]

We had a new Batman for a little while. It... wasn't great. Until someone else stepped in to fix things.

[It is so hard doing this without names. But when a conversation about Bruce naturally turns into a conversation about Batman... maybe it's time to cut through some of the layers of secrecy.]

You know who is he, right?

[oversight]

[ John hesitates, his eyebrows gathering low on his forehead. Beyond what he'd heard from Sharon Carter — information that John couldn't independently verify — there hadn't been any sense of a forthright replacement (although it wouldn't surprise Blake to think Bruce might think far enough ahead for that).

He leans his elbows down on his knees and pushes both hands into his hair. It feels like his head's going to explode with all this information flying around. ]

I did. —do. [ ... ] But if there's really a new guy, haven't met 'im yet. Too soon, maybe?

[mrsarcastic003]

Not anymore. At least where and when I'm from. The usual guy is back at it.

[But there's something else that Tim has kind of noticed in Blake's description of his world that he wants clarified.]

Does he... not work with anyone where you're from?

[oversight]

Directly? Like a partner?

[ John shakes his head, his hands now tucking in as he crosses his arms over his chest. He gets this idea they're trying to put together one puzzle with the pieces from two, strangely encountering pieces that fit together when they shouldn't, and others that clearly don't belong — a whimsical image fit for Wonderland, but unsettling as the rest. ]

Not really, no. He's got support — plenty of that — but he's a— a pretty solitary guy. You know: [ He affects a deep, growl-like tone, some approximation of the Batman's voice as he's known it. ] He works alone.

[ John isn't sure if he's making light of that, condemning it, or just getting his point across that there are still plenty of rough edges to his friend that could use a helping hand like Tim seems to be suggesting. He'd done his part to help during the crisis, but even then, the small army they'd amassed to aid the Batman barely bordered on adequate. ]

[mrsarcastic003]

[Tim isn't sure whether he wants to laugh, cry, or be sick. What comes out is a short laugh that's half surprise and half mirth at a joke well-told. It's a good impression of Bruce at his most pig-headed and irritating. But it does seem to answer an important question for Tim.]

I'm guessing you've never heard of Robin, then.

[oversight]

[ John blinks, head tilting back, a mixture of dubiousness and confusion written all over it. The question feels strange, although it sounds pretty straightforward.

He hesitates, his answer coming slow as if he's expecting to be pranked. ]

I've heard of a Robin... [ Which sounds a bit misleading, doesn't it? He looks at Tim, gestures vaguely at himself. ] —Well, I'm a Robin, but I don't—

[ He shifts in his seat, suddenly uncomfortable in a way he hadn't been before. ]

What? I— You— What's that gotta do with any of this?

[mrsarcastic003]

[Tim's confusion is equally evident on his own face.]

But you said... I thought you said he didn't have a partner.

[oversight]

He has a partner named Robin?

[ Dubious, John sits back, now suddenly worried he's the butt of some kind of joke. ]

[mrsarcastic003]

It's kind of a code name? Like Batman?

[He eyes Blake, still obviously confused.]

...Why is that unbelievable?

[oversight]

[ A hand goes to the former cop's heart like he's somehow relieved to hear this tidbit of information. ]

No, I— it's not, it's... weird, sorry. My name's Robin — Robin John. Thought for a second—

[ He gestures. ]

Well, you get it now, I'm sure. Just a misunderstandin'.

[mrsarcastic003]

[What. Tim looks completely poleaxed.]

Are you kidding me?

[oversight]

[ John thinks about it for a second and then reaches into his pocket and produces his wallet followed quickly by his license. It's offered over as proof, showing his serious portrait next to the designation Robin J. Blake. ]

Named after my mom's brother. Tend to go by John when I'm not goin' by Blake, though. Everyone calls me Blake — have ever since I played ball in high school.

[mrsarcastic003]

[Tim takes the ID and inspects it, frowning slightly as he looks between it and the man in front of him. (Enjoy feeling like you're being IDed by a fifteen year old.) This is... bizarre. All the ways that their world almost-but-not-quite line up keep leading to odd notes of similarity and then striking moments of dissonance.

He finally hands the license back.]

Sorry. I was surprised. [Understatement.] The first person who was Robin took the name because that was what his mother called him.

[oversight]

[ License returned and wallet back in place, John laughs, but there's no real humor in it. So few minutes, and he's gone from confused to perplexed to downright exhausted. ]

And how d'you know that? [ He's exhausted, but not deaf. Common knowledge? He thinks not. ] You a part of all this, then?

[mrsarcastic003]

[Tim's first instinct is to deny, deny, deny, but that seems a little pointless with everything else they've discussed, so instead he nods.]

Yes. For a couple of years, now.

[oversight]

Don't... take this the wrong way, but aren't you a bit young? Not sayin' you're not accomplished, but how old are you? Is that a normal thing to do at your age?

[mrsarcastic003]

[There are enough people his age doing the superhero thing that he has his own team, so it's not like it's unheard of. Even if it's probably not the ideal after school activity.

But it's not even remotely typical either.]

I'm fifteen. It's not very normal, no, but... ah. [He shrugs a little uncomfortably. It sounds a little ridiculous when he says it out loud.] He needed help.

[oversight]

[ John huffs, nodding in understanding. ]

No kiddin' there. Did he ask for help? That'd shock me, if we're bein' honest.

[ Which they are. It doesn't feel like either of these two rely much on lying. ]

[mrsarcastic003]

[Tim snorts quietly. Yeah, right.]

You said it yourself. I work alone.

[He actually holds his fingers up next to his ears to help illustrate his point. At fifteen, his "deep and gravelly" is neither very deep, nor especially gravelly.]

[oversight]

[ That gets a laugh — something way more genuine and bright than feels appropriate. Strangely enough, there's also a sense of relief at its heels, even if Blake's not nearly out of the shock that comes with showing up in Wonderland. ]

So, what've you got yourself doin' now? Hopefully bein' a kid at least some of the time.

[mrsarcastic003]

[He gives him a slight grin.]

Well, I have been practicing my skateboard tricks, so that's something, right?

[Not that he's stopped doing the other stuff, but Blake had asked what he was doing about being a kid.]

[oversight]

[ There's really no denying that Tim's a bit cheekier than most kids his age, but more than that, he's incredibly genuine and John's not entirely sure whether he's impressed or worried for the guy in light of all of this. Being tough and smart and active goes a long way, but caring so much really does a number on a person, if Bruce is any real indication.

John smiles in return, and while he still feels like shit about this strange turn of events, still expects to wake up from this dream, he's relieved to see that life hasn't become so ridiculous and different that it's become unrecognizable: A kid can still be a kid (assuming they want to). ]

Yeah, that counts. Good for you, Tim.

[ He won't say he's proud because that would be very weird considering they've only just met, but truthfully, given the circumstances (and also given how Blake chose to spend his teenage years), he is proud to see Drake's at least making an attempt at creating a balance between helping others and helping himself; for John, it always seems like people like them — the Bruces and Tims and Johns of the world — have to suspend one for the other. ]

Look, uh... Feels like we could do this all night, but I'm thinkin' we prob'ly shouldn't. You wanna get together later, compare a few more notes? Maybe in a coupla days.

[mrsarcastic003]

Probably. [Once they'd established that they had a lot of "same but different" going on, it was kind of cool to compare notes on where their realities overlapped and where they didn't. But Blake was right--they could do this all night, and he was still getting settled. He had a lot of mental orientation to do to start feeling a little less overwhelmed. Tim could sympathize. He'd spent most of his first weeks here feeling like this was a Mad Hatter dream.

He grins.]

Sure. I don't have any plans, other than perfecting my heel flips, and I'm pretty easy to get hold of.

It's been really nice to meet you, Mr. Blake.