FORCED HONESTY

[ancillary]

MAGICAL ELEVATOR OF FORCED HONESTY

Your character has just stepped in to one of the teleporters only to find that it's not a teleporter at all! It's an ELEVATOR which is like a teleporter, but not-- your grandparents probably used these at one point. To make matters worse it's an ELEVATOR OF FORCED HONESTY.

○ COMMENT with your character
○ COMMENT other characters and start grilling them with questions they wouldn't answer truthfully under normal circumstances.
○ Abuse and beat the gift of truth like a rented mule
○ aww yiss

Comments

[punliners]

[He quirks an eyebrow. That almost sounds like an apology, though Terry can't think of why. So he'll just. Give Damian a bit of a bump with his arm.]

Yeah? I'm sorry I tossed you around.

[demon_brat]

[It is. He lost his temper. Said thing that he shouldn't have. That weren't necessary. Out of anger. Out of not wanting McGinnis to think the wrong thing, as if he can explain. As if it wasn't in his favor to leave things be. As if it wasn't better for McGinnis to not know.

However, that? Makes me blink over his shoulder with a faint 'huh?' expression.]

... oh. 's nothing.

[Deep breath.]

Let's get out of here. Before whoever stuck us here decides we're not putting on enough of a show, or something.

[punliners]

Yeah, sure. No interference this time, I promise. Bat's honour.

[He extricates himself with a faint salute, though he doesn't reclaim his jacket just yet.]

[demon_brat]

[That is, in fact, funny. And Damian graces it with a puff of a snort as he rises himself, carefully shrugs the jacket off, shakes if from whatever dust it's brushed off, and passes it over.]

Good thing I didn't actually kick you in the face, or I'd be getting even mroe daggers glared at me. [He didn't try, but that's irrelevant. They both know he might have.]

Let me know if you have trouble keeping up.

[And back up he goes. It's not the kind of fluid grace that Grayson does - it's not for show. In fact, it is for hiding. Sticking closer to the rope, chasing the thickening shadows, efficient motions which leave his hands and feet leeway to ward off an attack. But possibly just as unselfconscious as Grayson.

Up, until he reaches an elevator door which might be possible to open.]

[punliners]

[Terry hides a smile as he slings his jacket over one shoulder and watches Damian's progress briefly. Ninjas. Right.

Then he pulls the jacket back on (easiest way to carry it) and follows. Damian isn't exactly the only one who's good at this, and whenever they get to an openable door Terry frowns at it speculatively. He's got the better upper body strength, so he steps away from the cable and balances on one of the narrow brackets. Too bad this elevator doesn't have a maintenance ladder, not that the height bothers him. While we're making comparisons to Grayson, Terry might not be an acrobat but he's fearless, and that helps.]

You know, I actually can't think of the last time I was trapped in an elevator shaft without my suit.

[demon_brat]

[Blink, blink. His arm isn't out to brace McGinnis's back... but he's in perfect readiness, legs locked around the cable and attention fixed on the older man, to do so if necessary.]

I... think that might be something Father would have said. From what I've read and heard.

[The absence of the Batman had been noted almost immediately, after all. The absence of Bruce Wayne... well, with Hush in the equation, most people never found out.]

[punliners]

Are you kidding? It's way too close to a joke.

[He gestures. Go ahead and brace him, he could use the leverage as he tries to pry the door open.]

[demon_brat]

[Bracing it is. Little hand, but he chooses where to place it on the man's back so as not both support and not hurt on pressure - and he mixes muscle bracing, his body weight, and the tension of the elevator cable to help.]

Joke?

[punliners]

Bruce Wayne doesn't have a sense of humour. At all. About anything.

[... he pauses, both speaking and in trying to pry the doors open.]

Okay, there was that one time he very sadistically told me I needed to bring milk home while I was in the middle of getting my butt kicked. I guess that sort of counts.

[-- annnnd bingo. there we go. He gets the doors a few inches apart and from there it's all downhill. Easy.]

[demon_brat]

Oh. [Beat. Ponder.] I think it counts.

[And yes, he's still got him when the doors give. There may even be a small grin if Terry happens to look over his shoulder.]

Grayson was trying to work with me on the whole 'Robin lines' thing angle to the sense of humor zone. It was probably good for his self-discipline, because you may have Batman smiling, but wincing at his sidekick's line? Not so much.

[punliners]

[He does! And flashes a thumbs up before he hauls himself up through the narrow opening, and then he turns around to reach for Damian.

It's not that the kid can't do it himself. This is about teamwork.]

Dick has a pretty set idea of how it's supposed to go, huh? Batman and Robin, I mean.

[demon_brat]

[Yep, habits are difficult to work around, and he squints at the reached out hand for a moment before holding out his own back. He doesn't grasp it much, but he answers the gesture, at least, before hopping out, too.]

Mm. Possibly more along the lines of trying to get me to [wry half-smile] relax.

[He brushes his clothes off from the cable, as much as that'll clean, and looks up, face slightly more set.]

You understand better now, don't you. Why I didn't run to him.

[punliners]

[Well, it's progress. Or something like it.]

Yeah.

[Maybe 'understand' is an overestimation. He certainly has a hundred different theories, though, each one equally valid or near enough to it.

Damian is--

complicated.

To say the least.]

[demon_brat]

[Small nod. A quick look around - and he starts walking. Towards the nearest - same-zone - safe point. Because if the elevators are malfunctioning, what about the teleporters?]

Funny you should say that about him having set ideas, though. [Another small mouth-twitch.] He's the one who taught me to stop anticipating what would come but react instead to what is coming.

And that, despite what I'd been told, I do have a lot to learn. That part took him some work.

[Why, yes, Terry, he heard you back down there. In case you were wondering.]

[punliners]

[He can guess what Damian's aiming for, and he follows obligingly.]

Guess I should thank him, then.

[He didn't doubt it for a second, kid.]

[demon_brat]

[... you're probably the only person in the mulltiverse, McGinnis. The only one.]

He doesn't know anything about it yet. Well, he probably knows about not anticipating things, I guess.

[Why is the whole thing with people so... complicated? It used to be so simple, before he started... well. Valuing and respecting them because of knowing them.]

[punliners]

It's a good way to live.

[kanyeshrug!!]

Let's go not-anticipate ourselves some ice cream. You up for it?

[demon_brat]

[There you go again with the strangeness, McGinnis. Good way to live?]

He... doesn't seem to show inclination for any other, at any rate.

[And thinks over this one for a moment, before nodding decisively.]

Do you have a place in mind, or do we pick the nearest from the maps?

[There may need to be information given to him about ice-cream as a bonding experience. Probably later.]

[punliners]

[It's better than the alternative of living in constant anticipation of the future and missing the present, gosh.]

There's a place nearby. C'mon.

[He stuffs his hands in his pockets and tips his head in the direction they're to go.]

[demon_brat]

[quality of life is new territory. If you put it like that, he might agree, though!]

Pff.

[And so they go.

And after a little bit.]

I'm so getting some sort of vehicle I can bring in via remote control. For each zone.

[Thinking small? Nope.]

[punliners]

Not a bad idea. How big are you thinking? Single person unit?

[Hey it's a good plan. Thinking small is for other people.]

[demon_brat]

That would make the present situation awkward. Don't be an idiot.

[The only bat who ever designed a single-person vehicle was Grayson with his wings, and he still could carry another person on those. Two's better.

For balance.]

[punliners]

[Terry just grins a little and oh look! ice cream shop. He opens the door and gestures Damian inside.]

Hey, undeserved attitude. What if you wanted to go off by yourself?

[Speaking. Generally now, since they're in a place where they might be overheard by more than just Hypatia.]

[demon_brat]

[...still not speaking Damian fluidly. That was actually a concession that he'd consider your convenience in the situation.]

>Tt.< Even driven a car with no passengers in it?

[No, really, what kind of question is that?

Hmmm ice-cream selection. Damian squints at what is offered and makes a small but rich choice. For all he can do without the perfect flavors... he can be picky, sometimes.]