} t e s t { spoilers likely - just to be safe.

[inextricable]

Joining the masses? That's what they call it right?

But why me?

I can feel the skepticism several dimensions away. Look I know I need some work.

...

Fine. A lot of work.

Not saying I know what I'm doing on all five points.

But I'll figure it out.

I mean, I have to. Wasn't lying when I said I'd do anything. And maybe...maybe places like Gotham'll always need...

Well. What we all need.

Something to believe in.




[OOC: holy hotfoot batman -- and theeennnn it was late ;_; but seriously loving...all the everything here...I shall tag back again ASAP!!! thank you for threading in this rollercoaster voice-test! I thought I mgiht be too late ldkjfdls let's pretend RL isn't steam rolling me u_u /tags at a turtle's pace...]

Comments

[believe_in_me]

Your belief is merely an escape from your monotonous, stupid and cruel life.

I'll omit the "God" out of respect for people who's personal deities sometimes mingle with their professional ones.

[Bitter? You had better believe it.]

[latetowork]

[From one Doubting Thomas to another...]

That's pretty deep.

[inextricable]

Belief - true belief? It's the opposite of escape.

[ His tone says what his words don't quite: but how would you know.

He still doesn't know the whole story - not in the detail he'd prefer, which accounts for the halfway rend between pity and disgust, disappointment thrown in and not carelessly. ]

[inextricable]

[ He's note totally sure if this guy's being serious or making fun, but he goes with benefit of the doubt, laughing briefly. ] Thanks, I guess.

It is what it is.

[ And he's okay with that - as much as he can be at any rate. ]

[believe_in_me]

The ardor of a fanatic. [a soft laugh] And people call me crazy. [Or so he's heard. Harvey's bad eye circles in it's socket and his hand finds a small metallic object.]

[latetowork]

[Neo kind of sucks at hiding when he's making fun of something. He'd know.]

That's not so deep, but it's the damn truth.

[inextricable]

[ Argument's on the tip of this hothead's tongue but arguing with a dead man - literal or no depending on the space - seems like a closed loop. He shakes his head. ]

Call it what you want. No skin off my back.

[ichoosefight]

If it ever stops needing people like us, we'll go away, I promise.

Please forgive my boomerang tags this thread has a lot of my attention atm. D:

[believe_in_me]

How is Gotham?

[His voice is soft.

He almost sounds like he cares]

[inextricable]

Basically. I mean. It's what we hope for too right?

But until then...

[ Goes without saying maybe. ]

[ichoosefight]

Plenty of time to sleep when we're dead, right?

[inextricable]

Gotta mix it up. Spend all your time being a Jedi Master, people write you off.

Crack a joke. Smile. Keep their attention.

[ He shrugs, dry, and maybe making fun a little himself at this point, but not rude somehow. ]

Not sure how keeping us all around here's supposed to do anything though.

<3 absolutely nothing to apologise for! actually tho I apologise for my slownessT-T new voice nerves

[inextricable]

[ He knows pretty well even without having donned cape and cowl that deception's all par and parcel to the bad guy gig. But Dent wasn't always a bad guy and that's of course where everything's gray. No one's born bad, and Dent was well into his life when things went to shit. So how much court to cut him? Blake isn't sure. But he pauses. ]

How d'you think?

[ The Batman 'gone' again, but having saved it and unveiled not as a psycho vigilante but a hero. Even if no one knew the man behind the mask. It will take him a while yet to square with all the reasons why that's the way it should be - not just the way it must. ]

[inextricable]

Something like that. [ Wryly: ] Later than sooner though, I'd hope.

[ichoosefight]

Don't we all. And besides, that's why they invented coffee.

Slow and steady wins the race man. You're amazing.

[believe_in_me]

[Harvey doesn't think. Instead he flips the coin. It's reflex.

He stares at it. One shiny silver side up, and remembers a time when life was not determined by the flip of a coin. When reason, and order, and thought out dictation ruled his days and his nights.

He wants to stare at it, he wants to weep-but crying hurts so instead he balls his hand into a fist.]

I'm...guessing...better then it was.

[And yes, it is a question.]

[inextricable]

Coffee. And the cliche 'mind over matter'. By our powers combined - etc.

[ichoosefight]

We are... both gonna die before we reach 40?

FLDSKJSDLKJ <3 too kind ;; but seriously thank you so much for not minding the slow <3

[inextricable]

[ Blake hears the question as clearly as if Dent had asked it plainly, and while he's got no coin to flip (wouldn't even if he did) he does take his time with his answer. Hothead though he may have been labeled by certain others who thought he had too much of a mouth on him or feet that went too far on their own track - go too far, rather, present - he's not without cause or regard. If he didn't have those, he wouldn't have been trusted like he has - or so he's chosen to believe. So he has to.

His eyes stay open but if he trusted the company more there's a good chance he would have blinked, slow and thoughtful - the time-buying gesture of contemplation. As it is he just nods shortly. ]

Well, [ he scuffs the ground with the sole of his shoe, a thoughtless motion. ] - depends on who you ask, truth be told.

But... yeah, I think it's better.

People know the truth.

[ Insofar as it's been given, that's always the catch, but like the reason for wearing a mask Blake thinks he's slowly coming around to a better idea of why even truth gets rationed. Not that he can say he approves of what Gordon did, but it wasn't just Gordon. It was the Batman himself too and he'd be a shit detective and no remotely good successor if he discounted that. So he factors it in, but it's pretty messy math whatever way you cut it. Water under the bridge though. People know who saved them this time now, and last. What lies beyond that though, well, it's anyone's guess.

But he knows, if nothing else, where he'll lay his bets. ]

[inextricable]

Was going for something a little more optimistic but could be worse...

[ He frowns, pausing cause wait a minute he's not TOO far from 40. And it's not his business to know his own future - no one's business in his opinion, except maybe God and that's if he believed in God, which many days he's not sure that he does. ]

Still gonna lobby for higher, I think.

[believe_in_me]

I didn't ask to be put up on a fucking...on a pedestal. [But didn't you Harvey? Half trying to do good, half aggrandized emotional grand-standing?] I didn't ask for that...

[All he wanted was to make Gordon suffer.]

How long do you honestly think it'll take before you start developing complexes? Compulsions? Someone once told me that the city needs Chaos and..

[His eye closes. His good eye. His left eye stays open, it's blind. Mostly. and when he speaks again he does not sound manic, or insane. Just sad.]

Did I make, any difference at all?

[savedbatman]

Just make sure your writer takes it slow. Gives you the time and attention you deserve son.

[inextricable]

[ Again the lack of facts has him hesitating on an impulsive response, and then another one on the heels of the first as Dent continues speaking. He could say any number of things. Sometimes the problem is having too much to say rather than nothing. ] Who's to say I don't already have one?

[ He asks mildly, more hypothetical than wanting a serious answer or ready for one but he shrugs, fingers tapping a senseless rhythm on the nearest surface. ]

I'm not doing anything for the safety though. If I wanted that...I wouldn't've even been a cop to start.

[ A serious conversation, and who'd have thought it but he can't help that he takes these issues to heart, nearly no matter who he's dialoging with. The last thing Dent says even more so drives home who he was and the pity flares brighter than the disappointment for a moment. It's not a flattering sentiment either way but it suggests a degree of reluctant empathy - the way hearts tend. ]

Not the way you meant, maybe.

[ But a difference? Yes. He can't lie - there'd be no point when it's sharply obvious that it's true.

For worse and for better. He thinks of Gordon and thinks it's too dicey to pick one or the other. The balance of his son's life on the line will always weight it darkly. But one has to wonder where they'd be without all that happened.

And honestly, he has no idea anymore. ]

[adapted]

Careful. Saying you'll do anything makes you sound desperate.

[believe_in_me]

Why did you do it? Become a police officer? [His father was a police officer and he hated his father.]


[And once that knowledge sinks in Harvey Dent snorts.] I would like nothing better then to appreciate that. Believe me. As long as things get done.