voicetesting

[sighcology]

It appears the Bat-man around these parts is spawned from the desires and fantasies of grown men and women wearing knee-socks and dungarees.

[None have been the real deal. Here or Gotham. There's a frightful shame, in that.]

Listen closely, Mundane. By mimicking the Bat, such hacks and vigilantes give shape to themselves and the fears they refuse to face and name. Delving into our psychological shadows aids our creativity. Writing horrifying fantasy is alluring to them, because it provides them with a safe way to confront their existential fears about death and personal darkness.

It appears the same is true in your case. You are lost in the scramble for your own existence; to be something, and never nothing. Don't hide that bewildered look. Fear is quite rational. There is nothing wrong with being scared.

It's a rather difficult problem, I know. That's why continuing your sessions with me is in your best interest. I'm here to help you, if I can. You'll just have to trust me.

Comments

[jokester_not_joker]

Or maybe they just find fear exciting and have a penchant for writing.

Your convoluted answer is good too though.

[sighcology]

[There's a small, proud smile.]

Of course.

If you want my professional opinion, everyone here seems quite troubled. I am willing to offer my assistance. [But to who, though?] There's no need to stop something one enjoys.

Though, I openly admit I expected one of them to claim there's something in the water.

[jokester_not_joker]

Oh sure. Most, if not all of the interesting people do have a little skeleton in their closet. We're here because we caught a mun's attention so stands to reason they find something titillating about us.

You could easily make a case study out of me and Owlsie if you were in my universe.

[sighcology]

Study?

[He's the perfect doctor for such a thing. Absolutely.

However, Joker's a dangerous subject. He won't study him lightly.]

I am certain your mundane is aware my specialties are fears and phobias. [Oh the delightful possibilities.] What exactly could I help them with, were I in this universe of yours?

[jokester_not_joker]

Not sure if I would fit into your specialty then. I fit more into an obsession if anything and Owlman's more an A grade psychopath.

First you will need a little history lesson though since I've noticed not everyone's privy to it.

I'm not the mass murderer in this situation. The terror of Gotham is a guy in a ridiculous owl suit. He terrorizes Gotham for his own benefit. Murders, thefts and everything you can think of.

I was just a hack comedian who figured out making fun of the bully actually got people laughing. So I made a good amount of money making Owlman jokes.

Well good ol' Owlsie can't take a joke. So he killed Harleen, my manager and good friend, and cut a big old smile onto my face.

Needless to say I lost it and threw on my best suit and poured my money into some gadgets. From there I decided I would make Owlman's life difficult.

That's the short version, but let's save the childhood talk when you have one of those fancy couches.

[sighcology]

[What on earth is that kind of past? It makes no sense. He just notes it down and continues the conversation.]

Of course. Continuing this session in private would be best.

That is if you have no problem with my methods.

[mrplayboybunny]

Diagnosing your own mundane. I'm sure that's working out well for you, Crane.

[sighcology]

[His smile is thin but evident.

Playboy billionaires with delusions of power. How he hates you. Oh, how he wants to be feared by you.]

It's a rather simple diagnosis. But sometimes one must go back to basics. [Sigh.] Are you a qualified psychiatrist, Mr. Wayne?

[mrplayboybunny]

[Well, Bruce isn't too crazy about you, either. He has his reasons, reasons that make more sense than yours, thanks.]

No, I'm a billionaire and owner of a very successful company.

[Since you asked.]

Qualified doesn't equal competent, Doctor.

[sighcology]

[What. Oh, this is on.]

Of course not. Whether somebody is competent - whether he has a sharp mind, whether he is meticulous - is decided by the quality of his work. Correct?

[He gives the impression he might very much like subjecting you to that.]

[mrplayboybunny]

[Bring it.]

I'd say the quality of my work is fairly evident. Or perhaps you're unaware of our revenue?

Unless you were referring to the supposedly corrupt work of a psychiatrist who uses fear as the tool to helping people. But hey, you can't believe everything you read in the papers these days, right?

[Oh I'm so funny. Ha, ha.]

[sighcology]

Quite.

[Crane's face barely moves. The slander of his name in the papers was to be expected from dull sheep who couldn't comprehend what he had done. His own status didn't even matter, anymore.]

Newspapers are ridiculous, in my opinion. They are low-grade, interest-run engines of propaganda that only serve to stoke up fear.

[He tucks his chin closer to his chest, and supports it with steepled fingers. Instead of the slight smirk that, before the events mentioned in those papers, would have been on his lips, there's a nostalgic smile.]

Did you have a good read, at least?

[Was it exciting? Was it good?]

[vakna]

Men worship fear to cope with it. You perhaps more so than your peers.

[sighcology]

[Oh. Shame. He would have been happy to discuss fear if this hadn't been made personal.]

How kind of you, offering me your educated opinion.

Unfortunately, I'm at a loss as to what you're talking about. Indeed, even who you are.

[vakna]

[Her youth seems to bely an informed opinion, but her bearing does not.]

I think to dwell on fear as you do is to know it intimately.

[His question ushers a long pause.]

I'm Eli. A nobody, really. Who are you...?

[sighcology]

Dr. Jonathan Crane.

[He takes a long pause.]

Are you well acquainted with fear, child? You seem to show little unease over talking to strangers.

[vakna]

[He acquired his prefix early; the man looks quite young for his trade.

Her eyes leave him for a vacant stretch of ground. She thinks.]

I see only strangers, so I am accustomed. I know we can be infinitely cruel, perhaps I seem unafraid because this is unchanging.

((oh god, i'm so sorry for anything this Grantaire moderne does! lol!))

[under_separate_cover]

Oh really, Doctor? Honestly, you speak as if you are an expert on the human mind, but really-- you are just overly educated on the levels and types of drugs that can affect the mind, are you not? I mean, a psychologist can study the actual causes and such as, behind various disorders, but-- well. The only thing that my psychiatrist ever did for me, was to prescribe me anti-depressants for my "suicidal ideation". Because I like drinking a little too much, you see... Never bothered to learn the cause or anything of my drinking "problem", just: ANTI-DEPRESSANTS! STAT!

[sighcology]

[Crane's completely the wrong person to babble on at. Totally.

Plus, equating him with some two-bit psychiatrust? How dare you.]

They sound like an amateur.

[under_separate_cover]

Oh yes? Well, I suppose he could have been; I mean, he did have a handful of very impressive looking diplomas from med school and such as--. On his wall, you know...?


[And R pulls a slight face as she realises how bloody long it's been since she actually had a drink...]

God, I'm thirsty...

Mind if I-- er-- borrow some of your booze, Doc? I mean, honestly, I'm not indulging any sort of "suicidal ideation"; I'm just so damned thirsty, is all! That is to say, well-- a little bit of scotch isn't gonna hurt me, not as long as I've been drinking the stuff. [True enough; she has been drinking liquor from her father's cabinet since she was thirteen, and is all of 23 years old now!]

[sighcology]

[Ugh. He removes his glasses, visibly annoyed.

There's something frustrating about a patient that goes against doctor's orders.]

Well. I'm afraid that I have no clue whether you are on SSRIs at the moment. Regardless, are you aware anti-depressants and alcohol don't mix?

[His answer, if she can't tell, is a big solid no.]

[under_separate_cover]

Oh yes, I am well aware, my good Doctor... But seriously? You surely don't think I would actually stay on those damned S-S-R-I's that were gonna keep me from my booze, now did you? I mean, seriously, though: are you the one who's nuts around here, Doc?

That is-- well. I do remember thinking that most of the doctors -- to say nothing of the damned nurses and orderlies-- were even crazier than the patients I got to interact with, last time I was in a place like this...

[Presumably by "a place like this" she means a mental hospital, given that Dr Crane is clearly most at home in such a setting, and thus: her mun's willing to have her imagined into that setting!]

[waytoosmart]

[ Don't mind a boy wonder just eyeing you from the other side of the room dude.]

[sighcology]

[Thin, pressed lips and unblinking focused eye contact. Crane's the master of the ice-cold stare, Tim; he won't be outdone.]

... Can I help you?

Late to the show, but...

[ruvik]

Very interesting that you would try psychoanalyzing your own mundane. I wonder what you would see in mine.