✦ 008 ✦ [VIDEO]

[backwordscompatible]

[It takes several on-camera seconds before Zatanna can finally figure out the right words for this; her mouth opens and closes twice before she gives up and just comes out with it:]

...is anybody else slightly concerned about the fact that some of the local bakeries've started selling cookies in the shapes of these thi--?

[And the Network is suddenly treated to a GIANT UPSIDE-DOWN TRIBBLE FACE taking up the entire camera.  Because it wanted to say hello, of course.]

[Zatanna can barely get out the shriek of surprise in the background before her unexpected visitor suddenly tumbles downward, taking the feed with it.  The screen goes dark, leaving one last audio cry before it cuts out completely:]

Get back here, you cheap horror film knockoff!

Comments

video; anon location

[demon_brat]

Better them than us, Zatara. Considering how bad things got and how people are still concerned about some food sources, consider it saving people's lives.

video

[backwordscompatible]

[She plants one elbow on the desk of her console, waving the other hand in the air dismissively.]

I'm not talking about the hunting and killing for food part. It happens. I get it. Whatever.

I'm talking about the part where you look a little too pleased at the thought of burning a creature to death.

[An eyebrow goes up. Intentional or not, that was exactly the impression she got.]

And by name's Zatanna, by the way. Zatara's my dad. Slight difference.

video; private

[demon_brat]

I don't kill them for food. I kill them as vermin. As a pest. There's a difference. Like one would kill cockroaches, if they were out in such numbers as to damage the food supply as the tribbles do.

[Yes, he has seen people eating them and selling food with them. No, he's in no eagerness to hurry to try them, himself. Unknown diseases.]

[He shrugs at the pleased comment.]

Each of us takes pleasure in different aspects of what we do, right?

video; private

[backwordscompatible]

[And he completely ignores the commentary about her name.]

[However, he also seems to ignore the part where it was the pleasure-from-death part that had her shifting uncomfortably in her seat.]

R...right.

Suddenly, I feel incredibly sorry for the vermin.

video; private; not anon, but he is at a cafe still

[demon_brat]

[The first, he did ignore on purpose. Because he calls most people by their last names.]

[The other... does she truly want to know? Because he can explain. Really.]

That doesn't make what I do any less necessary, does it? People came close enough to starvation. Or does that matter less to yon than... those?

Yes, I enjoy doing this. No, I won't apologize for it. It goes a long way into how I was trained, and, no, I will not turn that against living people.

[Jiangshi, as they both know, are a different matter.]

And, no, the definition of 'living people' is not exclusive of metahumans. Does that answer the principal among your concerns?

^ yeah, that

[backwordscompatible]

[That. Was a lot to take in.]

[Granted, at this point, with very little in the way of details provided, it wasn't much of a surprise. Though was was almost considering being offended that he would think she'd suggest he'd be ready to off a metahuman aloud.]

I'm pretty sure that doesn't even brush the surface of my concerns right now.

If I thought you were two seconds away from killing me at any time, I probably wouldn't still be speaking to you right now. ['Probably'] Like I said before...you're a Robin. That has to count for something.

But still... [And here, she trails off, because there are very few words that could accurately describe what she felt right now, and none came to mind.]

[demon_brat]

[He has seen enough of the discussion, Zatanna. Hey, you had a discussion about metahumans with him. Of course he knows it's, at this time, a consideration among the metahumans.]

[That said, Robin shrugs.]

You can ask, if you have questions. And not necessarily of me.

[Or she can keep her concerns to herself. It's all the same to him.]

Though I'm curious - it counts for something towards what?

[backwordscompatible]

Towards why I can still trust you.

[demon_brat]

That is entirely up to you. I do what I do.

[backwordscompatible]

So I've noticed.

[demon_brat]

Astute.

[That may actually be amusement.]

[backwordscompatible]

What can I say? You batboys are all horrible influences on me.

[To which she smirks right back in similar amusement.]

[demon_brat]

[Deadpan.]

There is a lot of work to be done yet.

[backwordscompatible]

[Spoilsport]

With the tribbles? Yeah, I know.

Did you miss the part where my freezer's already full? And if I keep blasting them like Captain Igloo there behind me, this place is going to end up cold enough that Jack would be able to move in.

[demon_brat]

[Always.]

You could try sealing the entrances to your apartment with--

[Beat.]

Not ice, that would probably not affect the tree very well.

[backwordscompatible]

I thought I did.

Any more, and this place is going to end up air-tight. There must be a leak somewhere, but I can't find it.

[demon_brat]

[SIGH.]

Go outside. Turn the air in your suite blue or some other color that you like. Then walk around - with permission from your building neighbors, of course - and see where the air is coming out of.

You do not need to make it airtight. A grid of some sort would do, until the situation is brought under control.

[backwordscompatible]

I don't think either of them are around, anyway.

Dick's off doing...whatever it he does. [Working, would be her guess; she'd never known a boy to be so devoted to the idea of keeping himself busy.] And Jack's gone into hibernation over at the Stark's, remember?

[Assuming this conversation takes place before he contacts her.]

[demon_brat]

You still should check through the suites, in case the opening - or openings - is there.

Also, Frost's plans might have changed, all things considered.

[Some things Damian knows. Others, well. Stark did leave, after all.]

[backwordscompatible]

...what's that supposed to mean?

[demon_brat]

That there may have been changes in the circumstances.

Stalker, remember?

[backwordscompatible]

I know you are, but that still doesn't tell me what's going on.

He's okay, right?

[demon_brat]

Yes. Outside of probably unhappy with this place's tendency to take people away, but otherwise okay.

[Somebody important to him disappeared. Damian might be underestimating the effect of that.]

[backwordscompatible]

...alright.

[Mental note: check on him later and find out what's going on.]

I'll just...go do that thing you mentioned with the blue air and the leaks. See if I can figure out where these little furry ninjas are coming from.

[demon_brat]

[Good plan. And, hey, remember - when this Robin is concerned about Jack, he makes her check on him. He hasn't, so things ought to be fine, no?]

Hhn. You do that.