On Novelizations and Homelessness

[oversight]

Hey, hey, c'mon, don't worry 'bout that crap you read, okay? Not like any of it makes any sense. [Particularly that part about him being described as "husky," if his expression's any indication.] Think of it as... [A beat.] -as sanctioned fan fiction. Prob'ly not meant to be taken seriously.

But if you're lookin' for somethin' to take seriously, how 'bout a game for me? Been draggin' your heels, using voice testin' as an excuse, but you gotta take the plunge eventually. Don't care what or where really, long as you can keep up. Might be nice to see some familiar faces, too, but I'm not picky.

Think it over. And stop readin' that or someone's gonna accuse you of bein' a glutton for punishment.

Comments

[weddingcrasher]

A novelization? What's it say about you that's so bad?

[oversight]

Eh, nothin' really. Kinda makes me out to look a little too green, but I kinda get that everywhere I go. Think it's more the mun that's upset. Somethin' 'bout the quality of writin', spelling errors, bad grammar... all that.

[weddingcrasher]

My canon has crap novelizations too, actually, so I know how you feel! It's best to just ignore 'em! Or burn every copy you can, that works too....

[oversight]

[That last bit makes him laugh, but he's definitely not going to vocalize the same desire, even if it's there.] What's bad 'bout yours? Is it the same stuff, or somethin' particular?

[weddingcrasher]

The same "quality of writing" stuff you mentioned. And no attempt made whatsoever to get into the heads of the characters like me, who are outside of the main cast. I'm just there. It's insulting!

[oversight]

Hear that. Kinda makes my mun wonder how those "authors" make it in the business, but it's not a real mystery to me: Get what you pay for. An' quantity sure is a lot more pleasin' than quantity to most fans these days. [It certainly holds true in a lot of cases.]

Name's John, by the way. What's yours?

[weddingcrasher]

Nena! A pleasure.

[oversight]

Likewise, Nena. At all familiar with these "games" the muns are always talkin' about here? Hear they can be pretty rough.

[weddingcrasher]

Pfft, no! My Mun is lazy and still hasn't gotten me into any game!

[oversight]

Might be lucky for you. Unless you're lookin' for a place, that is. Some people seem to like 'em.

[weddingcrasher]

I like games...well, I think I do. Depends on the game, I guess.

[oversight]

Yeah, it would, wouldn't it? Was at a place for a while, but it's kinda... dead. Don't think these games are quite what I'm lookin' for, but it's better'n this headspace thing I've got goin' on right now.

[adapted]

If you're that indifferent about where you end up, it's hardly going to turn out well for you.

[oversight]

Call it is ninety percent motivation, ten percent self preservation. Mun's the type that works better under pressure. We got that in common, at least. Don't really matter much to me the where an' how an' why, since they're all gonna suck in different ways.

[adapted]

You need to have a better sense of self-preservation. And certain places could be worse than others. Would having the benefit of familiar faces make it any better? Or would it just continue to overwork your obvious need for a vacation?

[oversight]

Guess that depends on the faces and and places, doesn't it? [He smirks.] Some faces are more "vacation" than others. Leave it up to you to guess which ones are which...

[adapted]

I don't think I'd like to know which ones are classified as 'vacation.'

[oversight]

Didn't think so. [Hey, can't blame a guy for being a little elusive, right? It's not just a woman's prerogative anymore.]

So, what d'you think? Any advice on what I oughta avoid, since it's come up?

[adapted]

[And you can hardly blame a girl for being curious, though she's more than aware she hardly classifies as vacation, herself.]

In my experience, the more you try to avoid something, the likelier and faster it's bound to happen. I'm stuck at the bottom of the ocean, if you can believe it. Last place you chumps should be looking anyway.

[oversight]

Not unless you're expired, at least.

[C'mon, Selina, you know he's enjoyable company. A pain in the ass, too, but who isn't these days? And he's smiling at you because he knows it.]

Can't say the bottom of the ocean sounds real appealin'. Wouldn't mind just goin' home, but I gotta feelin' that's really not an option or you'd be there instead. Although, heard the mun talkin' 'bout some kinda dressin' room with her buddy. Know at least one familiar face'd be there, 'side myself, but who knows what kinda attention it'd get.

[adapted]

[Enjoyable like a toothache, maybe.]

Sounds kinky.

[oversight]

[...]

You're the one vested, not me. Guess you'd know better.

[And here he is being super serious. |: ]

[adapted]

Don't sound so upset about it. It's rare that I don't know better.

[Oh, come on, Blake. Your face is going to get stuck that way.]

[oversight]

[Hey, he's trying to make friends here, not enemies.]

Part of your charm, I take it? Wasn't lookin' for a Sherpa, just a nudge toward the mountain. But I guess I can't blame you for tryin' to put me off. Bit harder to do what you do when someone like me's around.

[adapted]

[Sorry, John, her business is entirely in the department of making enemies - especially out of potential allies.]

It's a special brand, not for everyone, but still highly marketable. And you really do give yourself too much credit. It took Gotham PD how long to track me down? And only then because you had your own nudge toward the mountain. How difficult do you think it would be on your own, officer?

[oversight]

And you're sayin' I give myself too much credit?

Might seem like you're just one person avoidin' hundreds — successfully, at that — but you gotta remember I'm just one person lookin' for hundreds. If my job was just you, somethin' tells me the level of difficulty would go down.

[adapted]

Honey, when you caught me, I wasn't trying to hide. Think about that for a minute before you go preening around like a peacock.

[oversight]

[You sure do know how to get under a guy's skin, don't you? Blake's having a hard time not scoffing incredulously, obviously bordering irritated.]

You've got perception issues, lady. If anyone's admirin' themselves here, it's you. You weren't tryin'? So what. When you can phone it in and avoid gettin' caught, I'm sure someone'll be impressed. [Huff huff.]

[adapted]

How long have you been a detective? How long have you followed my file? [Consider her unimpressed.] I don't even have to phone it in when it comes to pulling one over on the GCPD. All a criminal has to do is walk away. Used to be, more than half of you could have easily been paid off. Now it's just pure laziness.

Why are you so good? *o*

[oversight]

May be a detective now, but I was beat for long enough to know you're right 'bout half of that. Corruption was a big problem, an' takin' the easy road's too invitin' for a lotta these guys. What you're failin' to point out, though, is that even the ranks've been cleaned, and crime's down so low it's easy to think what's left are a buncha security guards slappin' the wrists of persistent pickpockets. [Very pointed, that.]

We're not all like that. It'll be your mistake to think we are.

akldjfalksj stop aslkjasd YOU are so good

[adapted]

[If she's satisfied, well... she's not going to be shy about letting it show.]

And it's your mistake to think that we are all a bunch of persistent pickpockets. That's hardly doing those of us who are left the service they deserve. Admit it, we made and make it fun for you.

We both know who cleaned up the city, sweetheart, and maybe you're the star pupil of the new up and coming class, but you still have a thing or two to learn before you start trying to act all big bad wolf.

Thaaaank you! That means a lot. 8D

[oversight]

[And if he's flustered, he's going to hide it as much as possible (which may not be all that much).]

We know what cleaned up the streets. The Dent Act pulled crime's teeth, but at what cost? [Not just that of the Batman for those years, nope.] The end doesn't justify the means. There's a false sense of justice in play and it's done nothin' but breed apathy. We've still gotta prison full of toothless criminals and we're actin' like that's changed 'em. Rehabilitation's out the window, we've turned the force of good on its head, leavin' plenty of room for a new breed of extremists and we're less the tools to cope. We've made ourselves next to obsolete, but it's not gonna stand forever.

[Can you tell he has a lot of feelings on the matter? He almost wishes he could be ignorant of what had happened after Dent's death, but Blake's moral compass has pointed very firmly toward justice for many years.]

But, whatever. Not here to bark. [Even if he's doing a good job of it.] Much rather be a fox than a wolf, anyway. [Or, better yet, a bat.]

:3

[adapted]

Still a member of the canine family.

[She might as well turn her nose up. Although she doesn't like to buy into the cliches about her moniker with the press, sometimes it's too good to resist.]

That doesn't mean you aren't still a boy scout, though.

[oversight]

[He's not even going to placate you, Selina.] Take it we're done here? Just when I was startin' to have fun. [Oh-so ruefully.]

[adapted]

You're the one turning with your tail between your legs. I could do this all day.

[oversight]

And here I was thinkin' you just didn't want to spend time with a dog like me.

What now? Somethin' tells me we don't kiss and make up. Next topic of contention? Maybe you want to tell me how my haircut makes my head look big? Or we can go right to the part where you pick my pocket just for the sport of it?