paradisalogs | I go patrollin', they hatin'

Entry tags:

I go patrollin', they hatin'

Who: Ellie + Cass | Joel + Cass
What: Cass meeting 2/3 of the last of us cast
When: ~~At night~~ When the lights go down
Where: in the city
Rating: rated E for Ellie's mouth!

[Ellie]
Maybe, possibly, she shouldn't be patrolling the night before Thanksgiving. Maybe she should be home and not preparing to be out all night in her Batsuit, but here she is, leaping from rooftop to rooftop with her eye out for people who are up to no good, for anything at all out of the ordinary that might give her something to do, maybe even someone to fight.

She's a superhero, but there just isn't a lot of crime in Paradisa. Still, free running is still a fun thing to do, so if Ellie should happen to look up on her walk through the city she might see a figure dressed all in black scaling a wall or swinging between buildings on a grapple line.

You know, a typical kind of sight. No big deal.

[Joel]
She spots him from the rooftops first, loaded down with weapons and making his way through the city late at night. It's as suspicious as it comes, there's really no topping this, and that's exciting. Finally a real bad guy, finally someone she can take down to make the city safe again.

Finally, something that resembles a problem that would happen in Gotham. Something Batgirl is needed for.

She tails him for a few blocks and stares hard at him, trying to read his body language from high up. Not a resident of the city, but someone from the castle is down here, which could make things a little more awkward if she has to knock him out and confiscate all those things he's got. He makes a turn that leads down an alley, it's a dead end there. As good a place as any for her to drop down to cut his escape off, standing right out in the open with her stitched up cowl, not even her eyes showing through.

In Gotham, they know to fear the bat emblazoned across her chest. Here, he'll probably think she's some freak with a weird fetish for black rubber, but that won't matter if he takes a shot and she lays him out. She's ready for a fight if he wants to start one.

"Don't suppose... you have good reason, to have those."

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He knows when he's being tailed. He's been on the other side more than enough times to know. Something tells him not to underestimate whatever's tracking him, despite being thrown off by her reveal when he turns to face her and she pops into his line of sight. Unless he's getting so old that his eyesight is going, it looks like fucking Batman is here to get the drop on him.

Well, fine. Joel's got a rifle locked on her before she can open her mouth, easing back a few steps just to keep his distance. He handles the weapon and the option of shooting her with ease, no hesitation, but underneath that practiced fury is real fear. One wrong move, and death waits.

"Reason's right in front of me," he gruffs. "The hell are you followin' me for?"

That's something that hasn't happened to her in awhile. A human pointing a gun at her, it's so much like home that she has to grin a little under her cowl. She's got him trapped though, he's nervous. She stays very still, hands held out to her sides so he can see them, see they're empty.

"For answers, mostly." He's killed before, it's easy to see. She won't have this in the city she's adopted as her own, some gun nut running around with a miniature arsenal. Her voice is stilted, like she's struggling to get the words out, isn't sure which word should go where. Like she has to take a second to think about how to form her sentences. "Leave the weapons, then go. There doesn't have... to be a fight."

"Right, just drop my stuff off with you and leave," he huffs, offended by what sounds like a very stupid idea. He does notice the way she's talking, slow, not to mention the way she's dressed. Like a vigilante hero or something. He is vaguely aware that walking around with a giant pack of weapons isn't as commonplace here as it would be back home, but there was no way he was gonna take chances without it while out on his own, alone. "Trusting you won't kill me."

It seems like she's trying to make a gesture of good faith, but like fuck Joel is going to take that bait right off the bat.

"Ask your questions if you got 'em, I ain't takin' my eye off you first."

Funny, it seemed like a good deal to her. He gets to walk out of here, she gets to be sure no innocents get shot in the face. So far, as far as Cass is concerned, that's the only way this is going to end.

"What are those for?" She asks, because that really is the important question. If they're for protection, it's one thing. Even if he was a collector it would be fine, just as long as he didn't intend to go around murdering people.

But the rifle is still trained on her, ready to shoot. He expects the worst from people, she thinks. Hands up, the universal signal for I'm harmless, she takes a step toward him. Maybe he'll agree and leave the guns, but maybe he won't. If he won't, she'll have to take them. It's been awhile since she's ran head on at someone who shot at her, a small part of her hopes it might come to that.

A very small part. The rest of her knows if she gets shot Stephanie will probably yell at her and she'd like to avoid that the inevitable fussing if she could.

If he was new, Joel might wonder why she bothers to ask. As things are now, he's able to catch onto the notion that he's as suspicious as some girl in a cape that decided to trail him. This late in the night the streets are quiet and vacant, so he'd figured he wouldn't catch too much attention venturing out with everything that he needs in order to venture out-- needs, he's not giving it up for a second.

Doesn't matter that he could just wish it all back when he returns to the Castle. It's a long way back. She's got her hands up and she appears to be unarmed, but she's taking steps closer and that makes him nervous. Joel steps back as much as he can at the same time, irritatingly aware of the dead end behind him. He keeps his rifle pointed straight at her and steady.

"Protection." It's a growl, spoken with nothing but gravel. "And what's that for? Your getup?"

What's your aim here? He's not used to meeting anyone interested in doing actual hero work, not anyone who wasn't a Firefly, at least.

"Protection too. It stops bullets. Might as well... just lower gun." There's that option again, and she really does hope he'll take it. He isn't lying so that at least gains him some points, but that gun is still leveled at her and if he decides to shoot, the stray bullets could go anywhere. That's something she'd like to avoid just as much as Steph's yelling.

"In my world, there's... lots of people, dressed like this. We help people." See, Joel. Good guy, definitely not someone you have to point a gun at. "You're out late. Why?"

If these weapons are for protection, what's with the sneaking?

Bullet-proof rubber outfit. Joel shoots her a careful look, measuring out her words.

"Feels safer," he offers back. It's true enough, he barely leaves his room or Tess' side. The idea of making his way through the city during the day without a pack full of supplies sets him on edge. "Easier to carry all this without raisin' eyebrows."

That plan failed, didn't it? He could always just conceal carry a couple of things, but this far out on his own, it doesn't feel right not to have everything. And the longer he stays inside, the more he feels like he should get to mapping out the areas he hasn't been to yet. He's got smokebombs, too, and if she gets too close he won't hesitate to try and use them to run, but after a moment he lowers the rifle without putting it away.

"Is that what you're doing out this late? Lookin' for trouble?"

You know you want one too, Joel. Full body suits means no chances for infected to get you.

She watches the gun point down and relaxes a little more herself, glad he can at least respond to reason. So many people can't listen when girls tell them what to do, he's a pleasant change from that. Yay, logic.

"Looking to prevent it. You're suspicious, with all that."

It's a fair point about him being suspicious. He can tell she's from the Castle, the people there with all their wildly different backgrounds. This is the first person he's encountered who dresses up to fight crime, though. Like something straight out of one of Ellie's comic books.

"Yeah, alright." He lets a sigh loose, the gun still in his grip but lowering another inch. Joel prefers to prevent an altercation if that's at all an option, but he's still kinda nervous, watching close. Too used to a shanking or a shooting following up on scenarios like this. "But it's better to be safe than sorry."

"I don't want trouble," he adds. It's the truth right now. Not to cause it or prevent it. "Just tryin' to get a sense of the city."

There's just honesty in his body language now, that gun is low enough that it's not a threat anymore. To Cass, this could be a friendly conversation now. It's certainly not her way to cause trouble for people who don't deserve it, and now she's closer to helping him carry his weapons home than knocking him out to take them away.

"Generally, city is quiet. Not much crime." And very boring because of it, but that's her problem. "I'm Batgirl."

... Batgirl? Joel attempts to take that in stride, but it's difficult.

"Vigilantism, huh?"

It's a gentle observation, but there's a hint of something cynical there. Sorry, Cass, he had a hard falling out with the last group of vigilantes he knew. "What's the point? If the city's so quiet and all." Compared to back home, place like this has a crime rate of about zero. "Gotta be dedicated."

That's not a bad thing, not necessarily, it's just not what he's used to. After another pause, he holsters the rifle and crosses his arms over his chest. "Joel. I'm guessin' Batgirl ain't your real name."

Edited 2013-12-04 03:22 (UTC)

"I'm Batgirl," she says again, giving a one-shouldered shrug. "It's my job. Can't really... just stop."

More accurately, she doesn't know how to stop. She's been a fighter, a weapon, her entire life. That doesn't go away just because you happen to live somewhere safe. She watches him as he puts the gun away completely, smiling a bit under her cowl. Good, they can be friends now.

"Funny thing, about masks. They hide... your real identity."

He sniffs, entertained.

"Well, you're dressed for the part, I'll give you that," Joel drawls. He's decided to give her the benefit of the doubt, because damn if he hasn't met some strange characters since he got to Paradisa. "You do this every night?"

Sure, they can talk. He's watching her like a hawk all the same, but they can talk. Speaking of which, she has a funny way of getting her words out. He's not gonna point it out just yet, but it is curious.

Edited 2013-12-05 04:22 (UTC)

She shakes her head, coming a few steps closer to him. Conversations are easier when you're not feet away from the person you're talking to, after all.

"Not here. Don't need to, here." Which can be a double edged sword, but hey. She's getting used to it. And she can see that, him cluing in to her weird speech pattern, the curiosity that's starting to grow. She's just going to ignore it, test him out to see if he'll ask or if he's got the manners not to.

"What about you? Is this... regular thing, for you? Hoarding guns, sneaking around?

For a dude who hoards guns and sneaks around, he's surprisingly well-mannered when he wants to be. Joel doesn't comment, but she will probably be able to read his anxiety spiking up underneath a calm demeanor when she steps closer. He gives her another careful look and shifts on his feet.

"Used to be." Admitting it like it's no big deal. "Here, not so much."

"Same reason as you," he gestures to her with a nod. "Less of a need."

They might have more in common than Joel realizes, Cass is seeing. That's almost nice in a place like this, finding someone who could be an ally if you play your cards right. He's stiffening up again though, so she stops where she is, doesn't come any closer. It's like approaching a wild dog, they have to trust you before you can pet them or you risk getting your fingers bitten off.

"Must have been bad, where you're from."

At that, Joel clears his throat. "Long story."

He's not sure if she's interested or if it's a good idea to divulge the details to a stranger in a rubber suit, but her careful and understanding approach pitted against his overreactions, that makes him relax a little more than he intended to. She's got the right idea about him and he just doesn't know it yet.

He moves his arms, recrossing them, but he fidgets less and less. "But yeah, it was bad. Been here for months and it's still weird wakin' up in a magic castle instead."

"They usually are."

That kind of body language only comes with bad territory, sad and lengthy stories, and she's not going to ask for more information about Ellie. In the future, when they become friends, it will be up to Ellie to share her secrets. Joel can give out his own, when she eventually makes friends with him too.

Because it's going to happen, she can see. Joel is the kind of person who needs friends, even if he doesn't think so himself.

"Glad you're here, then. Where it's mostly safe. No real need... to worry about city. I patrol... out of habit, more than anything." If he looks close enough, he'll see the wry grin she's giving him underneath the cowl. "You're most exciting thing, so far."

She's got to have her own, he thinks. Long story. That's the only way a person gets to dressing up in a bulletproof bat outfit and goes patrolling out of habit. He blinks, catching the crinkle in her mask where a smile would be. The most exciting thing so far, huh?

That's a little funny. Exhaling on a short huff, he glances down at his feet with mannerisms that are almost humble, understated.

"Sorry to disappoint you in the end," he shoots back. "Neither of us should be travelin' alone, honestly. Might be mostly safe, but that's never a good idea."

So why did he do it? All the ammo and supplies in the world doesn't change that there's nobody watching his back. Joel looks back up, scrutinizing her for a second. "You live at the castle, yeah?"

Edited 2013-12-13 20:09 (UTC)

Her story is long and filled with sad parts and maybe, one day, she'll let him in on some of the details. She can see already he's a person who can be trusted with them, someone who won't buckle under the heavier aspects of her past. But now certainly isn't the time, and she's trying to keep this first meeting positive.

"Used to. Live in city, now. Still go there, though. I like the gym."

Used to. Joel tilts his head, because he'd thought about fleeing his current residence after learning about losses and just how unpredictable the castle can be, but in the end they'd (him and his partner) decided that the good outweighed the potential for bad.

Without infected, military or cutthroat survivalist groups around every corner, it's been a good trade-off. So far. They're only a few months in at Paradisa. He takes a step closer now, casual and nonthreatening.

"Why'd you leave?"

"Wanted to stay with someone." It's an easy answer, comes out right away with no hesitation. There just wasn't any question about leaving, once she knew that was Stephanie's plan. "She wanted to go, asked me to. I said yes."

And she'd say yes if Steph wanted to move back to the castle or move out to live in the wilderness for the rest of their lives. She'd go anywhere Steph did, for better or worse. She'd lost Stephanie once, it wasn't something she would let happen again.

Ah. He knows what that's like.

"Your friend must'a had a good reason." Joel doesn't hesitate in getting to the point of why he asked. "Ain't found one yet, but I wonder if that's just a matter of time."

He hefts the pack on his shoulders with a small grunt and looks past her, gesturing out to the open street behind them. She didn't trap him here to kill him, apparently, but as long as there's a dead end behind him he can't shake all his nerves. "Mind if I move on out of this spot?"

"It might be. Some people... adjust easier." Truth be told, she never actually asked why Steph wanted to move out of the castle, but she's put together reasons other people have wanted to. They get tired of the castle's tricks, believing they'll be safer in the city.

And maybe they are, for small things. But the big things, the dinosaurs and the space ships, those get you no matter how far you go from the castle.

She steps to the side, takes a full step back so he has plenty of room to go past her.

"Heading home? Wouldn't mind... walk to castle."

It is safer to travel with someone else. He hesitates for a second, like trying to figure if it might be a trap, but in the end he decides that it's alright. Joel gives her a nod in passing, prompting her to follow.

"Me neither," he admits. "Let's go."

Escorted home by Batgirl. He was gonna have to tell Ellie all about this. In the meanwhile, he's curious if she always does this alone.

"Your buddy ever watch your back?"

I go patrollin', they hatin'

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