exsiliumlogs | extreme pickers extremely picked on

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extreme pickers extremely picked on

Date & Time: 6/24, dark times
Location: bombed-out street
Characters: Kate, Max, an evil hat-thing
Summary: it's like the subject except if anything deserves to get beat up it's the nightcap
Warnings: SHARP POINTIES COULD POSSIBLY BREAK SKIN AND MAKE THE PAIN HAPPEN

[Martin Darkov's tablet remains on the Nightcap's person, but is quite often neglected in favor of shinier pursuits. at the moment, it is resting amid a pile of trash and broken treasures as the monster digs through the rubble of a blasted storefront.

you see, it's business as well as pleasure: something in this heaping mess has to be the ticket to winning this awful little game.

it better be.

the agitation isn't very plain to tell as Regina's body is dutifully sent to work, limbs flailing now and then, and strange, mumbled and muffled grunts and whines between puffs of air. it's hard work, and it's not like the girl is in all that great shape: the Nightcap's won a few beatings already, after all.]

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[ she hates going in blind, but whatever it is that has martin darkov's tablet may be able to tell her something if she's persuasive enough. it's been a difficult search for any body in all this mess after the bombings.

at the designated rooftop, she waits for max to show up. she knows she owes the other woman a lot, but she can't reveal she was the child all those months ago.

she waits, keeping herself entrenched in shadow and rain. ]

[ rooftops are something max is quite good at, and today is no exception. she has the tablet in a small backpack, along with a few supplies, the location trace still running so that it will refresh if whoever it is batwoman's going after changes location.

she hops over the side of the roof and pulls the hoodie of her raincoat a bit closer over her head. the rain here can be such a pain for rooftop travel. ] Ready to go? I'm going to start a trace running on your tablet too so if we get split up you'll still be able to follow it.

[ there's no time to worry about what else she'll find on kate's tablet if she pulls something else. if she wanted to, wouldn't she have done so already?

she nods, getting out her grappling hook. ]

Hopefully that thing is still holding onto the tablet.

[tablet? why, yes! it's a valuable prize. it makes noises. and it's shiny sometimes. and...fairly scratch-resistant. but not really.

but it is at the bottom of an increasingly hefty pile of knick-knacks and garbage as the Nightcap digs up. far be it from it to notice an ill-tossed bangle banging that little device back to life, ignored as it is...]

[ She taps in her commands, hands Kate's tablet back to her and points as the trace lights up again. Activity of some kind on the tablet, and time to keep moving. ]

Somebody is, at least. Let's go. [ Resecuring her things before starting to move. ]

Hope you can keep up.

[ one graceful leap and she's headed onto a lower roof across, following the signal's lead. ]

Ha ha. [is there a body under here?

yes.

yes there is. that's a hand. the Nightcap titters to itself as it kicks over some broken concrete and then yanks on the hand, trying to pull the rest up and see. rings? bracelets? fancy fabric? anything? let's see, let's see...]

[ was that a challenge? because Max is taking it as a challenge, moving behind Batwoman with a sureness that indicates a fair amount of experience on roofs and this type of movement, staying close behind her. she doesn't really feel like getting lost right now, and the signal's not all that far.

she has absolutely no idea what they're supposed to find on the other end of it, but that's okay. it's about the same as most situations she goes into. ]

[ she remembers their first encounter on the rooftops. there's a lot more than meets the eye with this woman, but now is not the time to play 20/20. instead, she focuses on her speed and maneuvering above the rooftops. they're awfully close, a pleasant surprise to her.

it's not too long before they're above the signal.

she hears noise from below. well, that thing's not making it a priority to keep herself hidden.

kate crouches and observes for a moment. she can smell death from here. the body looks like it's been there for a while, probably a casualty of the virus and/or bombing. ]

[ max crouches close by, looking down at what appears to be a -

it's human, it's just moving wrong. something feels off, and something definitely smells off, and part of her is concerned about what reaching out her empathy will do in this particular instance. she can wield it as a weapon, these days, has enough control, but this scenario feels bad. ]

Plan? [ whispered low and quiet as she watches. ]

[empaths don't stink so plainly as other menacing magics and abilities do, and so the looting continues without interruption. not without care, though; buttons and shreds of fabric are drawn close to its face for a closer inspection before tossed to the pile or away as garbage.

it needs something really good...

it may just settle for the fingers themselves, really. that's the thought that forms a needle and sets the Nightcap to sawing those fingers off one by one.]

Hit first, questions later.

[ it may be a dead body, but it doesn't mean she's about to watch this freak of nature dismember and vandalize it. the dead deserved respect -- the innocent ones anyway.

she looks at max one last time before she's leaping down toward nightcap, boots forward to knock her away from the body. ]

[ she makes a slightly resigned face of, 'well, i don't know what i expected', because she really doesn't. it's not like she would have come up with a different one either.

she follows batwoman down, stays back a little ways for the moment so that she's not getting in the way, can take a bit to come up with a strategy. ]

[Nightcap's head turns halfway before Batwoman's boot is in her face. it is sent sprawling, rolling over its pile of junk, sending things scattering, all forgotten.

as it rolls, it curls itself up, stopping on its knees and lifting up quickly, arms flung out forward to sling a flurry of needles in every direction ahead of it.]

[ having not expected those needles to come flying at them, there's only so much protection she can strive for with her cape and limited space in the streets. she feels a couple pierce into her arm as she dives away. ]

Where is the boy? Where is Martin Darkov?!

You're rude!

[it spits, climbing to its feet and staggering for balance.] I'm busy, an-

[wait. its head lifts up, perking up like an animal.

and it grins, realizing.]

Hooohhhhh...you.

[ recognition from a thing like this always feels dangerous. max takes a step back, slips a knife out. ]

She asked you a question.

[ she's on autopilot; the removal of the needles comes first and then she reaches into her belt to get out her line and toss it toward nightcap, trying rope her around the neck. ]

Better answer while you still have air left.

Khaah–! [its mouth twitches in its smile, turning into a grimace against the cord wound around its neck.

it laughs, rasping.]

S-so. Rude. [it grabs a length and pulls, yanking and leaning itself forward for air.]

Youh! Keep asking theh same questions!

[ So long as Batwoman seems to have the situation under control, Max doesn't have any particular desire to throw herself into the fray. So she's staying back for the moment, watching.

Very definitely armed, but watching.

But she does have something that she doesn't have to use visibly, and she reaches out her empathy tentatively, gently. Not much at first, and then a moment later she's snapping it back and throwing up her shields, teeth baring as she takes a step forward. ]

What is it? [ Nothing approaching human. Not with that noise in its head. ]

[ her hold on the line tightens in return. it's been a while since she's had to get this rough with anyone, but she hasn't gotten rusty; for a moment it really does seem as if batwoman may strangle this freak to death. ]

No idea. B horror movie come to life.

[ the smell is repugnant this close up. ]

Until you answer, we're not going anywhere, freak.

[it coughs and spits, a mix of saliva and something sticky and black. when fingers wriggling to get under the rope fail, it conjures a needle and slides it under with little care for its own skin, using both hands to pull it and give itself more air.

words are croaked:] You're. Not family, red annnghh black. Geh.

[it holds up the needle between two fingers and lets it crumble to dust. quickly, though, it forms a fist and four new ones emerge. it swings at Kate, aiming for her face.]

[ Well, that seems about accurate to what she was feeling in its head, really. She can go with that.

And take another step forward, just so she's ready if anything comes up she can help with. ]

That's lucky. [ Who would want to be family with it? The movement pulls a sharp noise of warning from her. ]

[ and without warning kate jerks back to avoid injury to the face, but her grip on the line slackens in the same moment and by the time she's realized it's too late. ]

Down!

[it twists and wriggles and frees itself from the line in those fast seconds. time for a quick step.

backward.

it hops over a pile of wreckage and proceeds to bolt.]

[ she might be confused as to what it is and what exactly it's wanted for, but she doesn't want it getting away.

the moment it starts to run she chases. maybe if they're lucky they can find a way to corner it. regardless, she's going to follow if possible. ]

[ she's a few seconds too slow, but eventually she's behind max and trying to catch up. ]

Damn it.

[little hops and staggers are accented by sharp sounds in its panting, and the Nightcap is a little too stupid to throw obstacles in its way. instead, once it sees a clear path ahead of it for a length, it twirls around mid-step and hurls another volley, singing out a wild note that's punctuated with laughter.

see, it's fun when it's mostly sure it's winning...or at least not close enough to get socked in the mouth.]

[ and that's fun to play dodge a knife with. not really, but you know. max flings herself to one side and then grabs for a fire escape, looking to get up higher both for vantage point and easier following and for distance. ]

[ with max as eyes above, she sticks to the lower levels of the streets, taking a sharp turn out of an alleyway. she can't hear that thing anymore -- it sounds far off already. ]

Anything?

[there's a--

yes! wait, no. that's not it.

something heavy is dropped and discarded, and the Nightcap moves again, twisting through an intersection and tightly hugging the darkest walls.

it nearly plows into some poor, shocked sap – someone quickly riddled with holes as it twists around them and left to panic and scream. it does incite a laugh, a loud one barking out of the alley.]

[ she's almost lost her, about to signal kate in irritated failure when she hears the scream. ]

There!

[ but she can't follow onwards, even if she could see where the creature had gone. there's someone dying, and she drops down to the alley, skids onto her knees beside them as she tries to stem the blood. ]

No.

[ she appears shortly, bending down to aid max. ]

Just hold on.

[ she says to them, pushing back her cape and reaching into her utility belt for her tablet. can she call a medic in time? well, one way to find out. ]

[ max isn't known for panicking, so she pulls off her hoodie and shirt and starts trying to stem the blood, applying pressure with a steady and practiced hand. ]

You're going to be just fine. [ she backs it up with whatever reassurance she can impress into their head, drains away the fear in their mind. whatever happens, this person doesn't deserve to be terrified and alone in an alley in the rain in this place. ]

ETA?

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extreme pickers extremely picked on

finally settles here

slides in after you

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