witchesreign | [BBS], potentially [action!]

Okay.

I need some help! I think I really need some help. I'm. I was in the training grounds earlier trying to. Hone my skills. But, I actually kind of stink and I can't do anything against these animals and I really need some assistance attacking them! So if it's not going to be any trouble, could someone please come down to the training grounds and help me?

It's kind of urgent, because I drank some water--okay, actually I drank a lot of water the past few days, I totally forgot about the 'stuff' inside it and I think I'm starting to feel the effects! I--I feel kind of funny and out of it and oh god

I'm scared

I'm so scared right now

How fast does this stuff take effect?

Okay, I'm going to try to go back into the training grounds and get some animal--um, maybe it's not too late still.

If anyone can make it here soon, I'd be so, so grateful.

[action]
[And this? This is Danny, frazzled and panicked, clutching to a dinner knife in the middle of the training grounds like it's his last lifeline. As far as he's concerned, it very well might be. Any moment now, he's sure that an animal is going to creep up behind him and kill him, but. But he has to do this, or else he'll be dead anyway. In all the ways that matter.

So if you were kind enough to actually head down there and help the poor kid having a meltdown, you might want to be careful approaching him.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

N-No! I--that's why I asked for help! I'm--I'm trying to avoid death. Or, brain-death. I-I know I can't fight, but I really need to get the animal blood, especially since I've already drunk the water, and I don't know how long it takes to turn into a--a drone!

[In all this frenzy, he hasn't yet realized that he is standing in front of a kid in a superhero outfit.]

[Just stares at him for a moment.]

I think it's already too late for that, you're already brain dead. You're spouting nonsense.

No, no, it's--it makes sense! It's the--the spores they put in everyone's brains when they get here, and then they, uh, take over everyone's minds slowly and this is the only way to stop it!

[He waves his arms around as if to say the only way to avoid zombie-ism is by standing around like a wimp surrounded by dangerous animals.]

[Is already beginning to regret responding in the first place, as this kid is clearly beyond help.]

Right. Time to go before you get hurt. [Roughly pushes Danny forward by placing a gloved hand on his back.] If we wait too long here the little green men will come for you, too.

[He stumbles forward but once he regains his balance he looks back at Damian.]

...You're not being serious about the green men, are you.

[Fights the urge to roll his eyes.] You seriously need your head examined, kid. [Motions for him to keep moving.]

[He does so, turning his head forwards so he can see where he's going, but he keeps talking.]

What? I don't... [He takes a few moments to THINK (finally) and pieces together an idea.] So, wait. Are you saying...we don't all have spores in our heads that will take over our minds?

[And now that his brain is functioning in some way that could possibly be described as 'normal'...]

Oh, wow. That sounds pretty stupid.

[Bursts out laughing.] Wow, you are an idiot. Whatever gave you that idea?

That's what I was told when I first got here...

And you believed it? If you want to survive, especially in a new place, you need a certain level of skepticism. To use smaller words for your benefit, you can't believe everything people tell you. [Gasp, was that actual caring?]

I guess... I just didn't want to risk not believing her and then turning into one of those mindless soldiers she was talking about.

If you listened to "her," you'd probably be dead. Most likely due to accidentally slicing open an artery judging by the poor grip you had on that knife. Either that or one of those monsters would have eaten you, as you're clearly too stupid to function.

Besides, if you listen to everything someone says, wouldn't you already be a mindless solider? Spores would be pointless.

[...He did not think about it that way. And he has a rebuttal to that, but it would only make him look and feel dumber. So he just nods silently.

Damian, you are so bad for this kid's self-esteem. SO. BAD.]

...I-I doubt that knife is actually sharp enough to slice open much of anything...other than maybe meatloaf.

[Damian is bad for most people's self-esteem. HE DOESN'T MEAN TO BE THIS HUGE OF AN ASSHOLE (MOSTLY)! He just doesn't understand/tolerate stupidity (and humanity). Also, Danny you are not helping your own cause here.]

Then why were you using it to kill things in the first place? Do you even have a brain in there?

[Pulls the knife out of his utility belt and looks at it.] It's sharp enough to cut you. Human skin isn't that thick, and if you hit the wrong artery you can bleed out. [Plays with it in his fingers like he's going to throw it, but at the last minute just puts it back into the belt.] Are you even taking any combat courses this semester?

I-I couldn't find anything better than that...

[Wow, okay, Damian. Way to be morbidly specific!]

And I'm taking basic training--does that count? I'm no good at fighting or anything, so I didn't want to take much of it.

[Contemplates giving this kid a batarang for about half a second. No, that would probably be too dangerous in this fool's hands.]

Then don't go charging at monsters with it.

[Be lucky he didn't go into detail about the 40-odd ways you could actually nick a major artery.] In the future, stick to what you're good at and leave the fighting to the professionals.

Right. Right, yeah. [Stick to what he's good at, sure. Whatever that is.]

And...the professionals would be...you, I'm guessing? [You, the boy dressed in a get-up with a cape, of all things? Not that he's doubting you, just your fashion choices.]

Yes.

[What's wrong with the cape? Capes can be an asset if you know how to properly use them, and the son of Batman can most certainly use a cape properly.]

[BBS], potentially [action!]

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