#he grapples away. and the mob sweeps in

[niamhuncensored]

on the one hand, i understand why batman doesn't kill. i understand that a tenant batman's belief is that anyone can change for the better at any time, and that killing them cuts off that potential.

on the other hand, we genre-savvy readers know that that just won't happen and/or won't last for most of the rogues gallery. To us, outside the narrative, it becomes less like "anyone can change, we just have to give them the ability to change," and more like "I demand an omelette. No, I will not break eggs, what do you take me for?"

The Joker needs to fucking die.

[writingblock101]

Dramatic Effect (Jason Todd x Reader)

This is pretty short which is surprising, but it felt forced to add more. Hopefully, this lives up to expectations for the anonymous who sent this! If not, shoot me another message and I’m down to revisit this idea. 

Request:  I just saw that you write for both Marvel and DC and was just wondering... are you open to doing something with a Black Widow! Reader and Jason Todd?? 

Word Count: 1,000

Tags: @idkmanicantenglish

“Jinkies,” A voice says. “Fancy seeing you here.” 

You roll your eyes as you glance up at the infamous Red Hood who’s just slipped into Lex Luthor’s office. 

“So,” Red asks, sitting down at a chair in front of Lex’s desk. “What kind of information has good ole Lex dug up on your precious SHIELD?” 

You look up from the computer with a sarcastic smile. 

“That’s classified, sweetheart.” 

Red chuckles, leaning back in his seat. 

“You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?” 

“Not a chance,” You grin. 

“After seeing how good you looked in that dress, it was worth it.” 

You roll your eyes again, thinking back to the last mission you ran into Jason. You were undercover, looking to distract a mob boss at a gala. It ended with a thug recognizing the infamous Black Widow, you stabbed someone in the eye with your high heels and you and Jason escaped through the kitchen. Honestly, it was a pretty fun mission all things considered (and you eventually got the information you went for). 

“I thought you didn’t operate in Metropolis?” You ask, still focused on the screen. 

“That’s classified, sweetheart.” 

You glare over the screen at Red, not needing him to remove his helmet to know he’s got a shit-eating grin on his face. 

“But, if it really means that much to you, since I know you worry, Lex has been developing some weapons that would be more helpful to me than they would Lex.” 

You hum in response. 

“Yes, I’m sure you’ll find a good use for them.” 

“Sarcasm?!” Red declares, holding his chest dramatically. “You wound me.” 

“I’m sure you’ll recover,” You smile sickly sweet again. 

“With a smile like that, I’m sure it’ll take no time.” 

You groan and roll your eyes. 

“I thought your brother was supposed to be the well-known one for flirting.” 

Red shrugs. 

“What can I say? I have a thing for women who can kick my ass.” 

“I’m surprised you’re even admitting that I could beat you.” 

Red scoffs. 

“I’m on a team with an Amazonian and I was raised by the Bat when Batgirl and Black Bat were active. You’re hardly the first woman I’ve met who could kick my ass.” 

“Fair,” You nod then click over to Lex’s encrypt agenda. “That shipment you’re looking for is happening in two days at Star City Harbor at 11:45 PM.” 

“Wow, you do care,” Red puts a hand over his heart, but the moment is short-lived when you both hear a commotion outside of Lex’s door. 

You and Red are on your feet in an instant, guns drawn, then the door burst open. You two make quick work of the guards, shooting, punching, and kicking. One tries to tackle you, but you duck, letting him rollover your shoulders then Red flings him into the wall, knocking him out. Another tries to sneak up behind Red, but you shoot him and punch another nearby guard. 

You use Lex’s nameplate as a throwing star and smash a mug on another guard’s head while Red breaks one guard’s arm and shoots another. You roundhouse another guard then taking a leaping jump and choke out another guard with your thighs. 

“You have no idea how hot it is when you do that,” Red sighs. 

You shoot another guard who attempts to sneak up on Red. 

“Stay focused, sweetheart.” 

He slams another guard into the window while you use your widow’s bite to electrocute a nearby guard. 

“I can multitask,” Red promises, shooting another guard. 

You roll your eyes, but sweep one guard’s feet out from under him and hit him with your widow’s bite. Another tries to pull you in a chokehold, but you flip him over your shoulder and punch him in the throat. One large guard charges at you, but you swing him to the side, forcing him toward Red Hood who promptly shoots him then roundhouses the next closest guard. 

“You know, as fun as it is to watch Black Widow kick your asses,” Red says. “We’re busy people with things to do that are better than beating up you mall cops,” He shoots out the window, pulls his arm tight around your waist, and grapples to the roof of another building. 

The guards flood toward the window, staring at you two dumbfound, making you laugh. 

“You know, I had it handled,” You tell Red. 

“Oh, trust me I know we could’ve taken all those rent-a-cops, but breaking the window is so much more fun.” 

You roll your eyes. 

“You’re dramatic.” 

“I’m dramatic?” Red scoffs, tightening his hold around your waist. “Sweetheart, you haven’t seen dramatic.” 

“I guess that’s what you get when you’re raised by,” You drop your voice to imitate Batman. “The Night.” 

“Pft, that man should’ve been a theater major in college with how dramatic he is.” 

“Right, and I’m sure you don’t share any of the same sentiments.” 

Red shrugs. 

“Maybe I do,” He pulls you closer to his chest. “Only one way to find out.” 

“Does it include taking off the helmet?” You raise your eyebrows. 

Red chuckles, sounding a little sheepish. 

“Actually, taking off the helmet isn’t going to help my case.” 

You raise your eyebrows, but Red reaches up and pulls off his helmet--

You burst out laughing. 

“Of course you wear a fucking mask under the helmet!” 

“It was for dramatic effect, okay?!” 

“Yeah, no shit it was for dramatic effect,” You roll your eyes, stepping away from Jason. 

“You know, having some back up at the shipment would be nice,” He tells you.

“Isn’t that what you have teammates for?” You raise an eyebrow. 

“My teammates aren’t you.” 

You smirk. 

“We’ll see,” Then you hop off the roof, grappling to your rendezvous point. 

Despite your ambiguous answer, you both know you’ll be at that dock in two days, watching Jason’s back. And when he pulls you close to him again and kisses you, well, that won’t be a surprise either. 

So, would anyone like to explain to me why Jason has so many freaking storylines? I don’t get it, but my favorite will always be him stealing tires off the Bat Mobile, because power move. Also, my classes are being moved online cause Corona so this is a really weird time to be in college. I’m opening request again, and right now I’m planning with some prompts and the Batfam (including Duke Thomas!) so look out for those! 

[luma-aylin]

Boss Battle: Luma Aylin

Instance Name: The Garden of Liminality

Boss Title: Voidmage Luma

Boss Music: Once Upon A December

Questline: A Sweet Surprise, Curiouser and Curiouser, Mirror Mirror...

Questline Synopsis: A normal day took an unexpected turn when you bumped into a tiny miqo’te in the streets of Gridania, the frosting of her cupcake smeared across your shirt. She introduces herself as Luma, and to make up for her clumsiness she treats you at her favorite cafe, introduces you to her mentor, lets you borrow a book.. Eventually you’re escorted by Luma and her mentor through the Shroud to their home, the Adreus Manor. 

You’re whisked around the manor by the energetic girl, she’s far too happy to show you around and insists you stay the night, they haven’t had any visitors in such a long time. How could you say no to such big, glossy, pleading eyes? The looming presence of her intimidating mentor makes the decision easier. You join them in the lounge after a long evening of activities, but Luma’s final request is to show you her special mirror. She demonstrates how it works before eagerly handing it over to you, watching over your shoulder while her mentor observes with a smarmy smirk. Nothing seems to happen as you stare into the mirror, so you glance back to ask Luma but she’s already asleep. You call out to her but you’re hushed by her mentor. 

When you turn back to the mirror your reflection is accompanied by a demon behind you, the skull of a goat-like creature curling above you. There’s nothing there when you turn to look, but you can feel a cold, large claw grip your shoulder, then another around your arm. Any scream or shout for help is unheard, your voice is caught in your throat as your field of view is consumed by bright red eyes. 

The sound of familiar giggling wakes you. As you come to you recognize Luma’s voice somewhere nearby, then a strange deeper voice that resounds through your body in an unpleasant flood. You’re propped up against a tree in a lush forest, wildflowers crawl across your legs and hang unnaturally from the trees above. You’re ensnared within a verdant willow, and as your vision returns to normal you find the flowers tickling your cheeks are staring at you curiously. Their pistils are eyes of all colors, peering at this mysterious stranger within their woods. You shoot up in alarm and push your way through the thick hanging leaves, emerging from the flowery woods you rush through a trellis of a garden only to find Luma and her company: the same dark demon you saw in the mirror. 

(ooc: I put the fight under the cut, it just makes the post super long because I don’t know how to write short things.. genuinely it’s really long and I don’t know how to write a fight! Nobody tagged me I just did this for fun, saw it from @glorified-thieves​ who asked me to tag them if I ever finished this! If you want to do this tag me!)

The Fight

“Wha-? You’re not allowed in here! Get out!” 

Phase 1: Heartstorm

Voidmage Luma’s encounter is similar to fighting Edda Blackbosom, she possesses powerful black magic and melee ability. Luma begins with a barrier cast around her that the party will have to break periodically throughout the fight, much like Stoneskin. Luma will attack with melee swipes, party wide magic damage, target one member to combust and force them to move out of the party, and use a homing ice strike on one party member until approximately 60% of Luma’s health. 

Tank Buster Voice Line: “Why won’t you just leave me alone!?” 

Tank Buster Action: Luma will launch the tank into the air dealing physical damage, then charge a strike of magical damage as an icicle will pierce them back down. Her first attack applies a magic vulnerability debuff, forcing the a tank swap before the cast of her icicle finishes.

Ward: Luma will cast a barrier around herself that must be broken.

Glimmer: An ice storm will sweep through the arena dealing magic damage. (aoe magic damage)

Guillotine: Luma swipes the tank into the air dealing physical damage and applying a magical vulnerability. The tank will fall to the floor. (tank buster physical)

Sheer Force: An icicle will pierce the tank holding aggro with magical damage. (tank buster magic)

Despair: A crosshair buff will appear next to a player’s name in the partylist to signify they are marked for an AoE attack. This player must move out of the party or risk the AoE fire damage hitting the party as well. (single target with aoe damage)

Ice Wave: A single player will be marked with an icicle above their head to signify they will be followed by a homing attack. Icicles will shoot up from the ground, dealing damage to anyone in their path, the targeted player must run away until it stops. (homing wave)

Phase Transition: Sentenced

“Get away from me! My innocence will not be ruined any further!”

This phase transition is marked by the battleground changing. A stone platform will emerge from the garden and bring the party into the air as darkness envelops the entire screen. Luma will engulf herself in a barrier and rise into the air as her scythe disperses into the surrounding darkness that has eyes staring from every inch of the inky backdrop. From the shadows will appear Fhorniuhr, wielding his scythe, becoming the target for this phase. 

Fhorniuhr: “What sort of monster takes advantage of such kindness..? Your transgression cannot go unpunished.”

Fhorniuhr attacks much the same as Luma, using his scythe for melee with an accompaniment of  black magic. The large voidsent will attack with cleaving half the arena, deal a tank buster, restricting the arena by placing void pitches on the floor (will explode should you touch them), deal AoE magic damage, and restrain a healer at a time. Periodically, the eyes peering out from the dark will cast a room wide paralysis, so be sure to look away. At 50% of Luma’s gauge Fhorniuhr will cast void call, a new mob of 6 voidsent will appear. Fhorniuhr will stop physical and auto attacks, but begin to cast Nether Song repeatedly until all voidsent are dead or he consumes them. The voidsent will be slowed as they try to get to Fhorniuhr, ready to sacrifice themselves at his command and should they reach him Fhorniuhr will gain a buff that increases his magic damage. Once the additional voidsent are slain or eaten, Fhorniuhr will place a bleed on the arena, the floor will be covered in darkness that tries to restrain the party, a DoT buff will appear beside everyone’s name. Fhorniuhr’s onslaught will continue until Luma’s gauge reaches 100%.

Banished Soul & Void Touched: Depending on where Fhorniuhr is facing, the entire arena on his left or right side respectively will be struck with his scythe, should a player be hit it will place a vulnerability stack as well as dealing damage. There is no orange zone warning. (Banished Soul is left, Void Touched is right)

Spell Breaker: Fhorniuhr will strike the tank with his scythe, dealing physical damage. 

Void Pitch: A purple arrow will appear briefly above a player’s head, after 4 seconds Fhorniuhr will drop a void pitch on them that will stay on the floor for 30 seconds. If it is touched it will explode. (magic damage)

Nether Song: A wave of void energy will wash over the arena. (magic aoe damage)

Restrain: Fhorniuhr will grasp a healer in his claw and hold them up in the air, his wrist will become targetable and be given a health bar that must be taken down to release the healer. 

Phase 2: Innocence Lost

“How foolish I was to think we were friends.. I give everyone the benefit of the doubt despite their warnings, and what do I get for it? Betrayal.” 

The darkness will disperse and the arena will flood with stars, the party now trapped on a stone platform surrounded by the moonless night sky. Luma’s barrier will disappear and she will retake her place on the arena floor, scythe in hand. Luma will gain the abilities from Fhorniuhr’s phase and hit harder than her initial phase. The arena cleaves will become faster and she will cast party wide damage always after a tank buster. Eyes will appear frequently to cast paralysis, if a party member is stunned then Luma will gain a stack that increases her attack. 

Luma will cast Ice Wave right after Despair, forcing the party member targeted with Despair to circle the arena at a safe enough distance from whoever is targeted with Ice Wave. Both players must move around the arena while the party stays center. During this phase if the player with Despair is hit by Ice Wave it will deal AoE damage and give a vulnerability stack to the party. 

There will be no void pitches during this phase, but shadows of Fhorniuhr will flicker across the arena floor to 4 corners. Luma will cast Null, at the end of the cast 4 party members must be standing in the shadows as they will be grappled by the demon and pulled into another area. 

The 4 players stolen by Fhorniuhr will appear on a platform to fight Fhorniuhr again. He will use his left and right cleaves, Spell Breaker, and Nether Song until he is killed and the players are returned to the rest of the party, hopefully alive. If a player is killed by Fhorniuhr, Luma will gain a buff. 

Phase 3: Void Call 

“Can you feel it? The call of the void? Allow me to make the decision easier.”

Once Luma’s health reaches 0 she will erect a barrier around herself as she casts Suppression. The arena floor will become a void portal and the party will slowly begin to sink into the darkness. Luma’s barrier will be stronger than usual and need to be broken before she becomes targetable. The party must defeat her before the cast finishes or it will cause a wipe. 

“How could you..? Haven’t you taken enough from me? And to think I trusted you..” 

Duty Completion Drop: Fhoniuhr’s Bone Piece (Exchange for voidal weapons) 

Coffer Drop: Orchestrion Scroll or a Jar of Eyes furniture item

Once the battle is over you experience a terrible headache, you wince and stumble to a familiar looking mirror on the ground as you find yourself back in the garden. The sound of Luma sobbing quietly echoes throughout the area, a sense of guilt washes over you before you fall to the ground unconscious. When you wake you’re in the familiar woods of the Shroud and it seems dawn is crawling across the forest now. You are far from Adreus Manor and without some belongings, but nonetheless whole and unscathed.. However Luma’s soft cries ring throughout your ears for the rest of the day.

[diveronarpg]

Congratulations, JULIE! You’ve been accepted for the role of OBERON with an approved FC change to Oscar Isaac. Admin Rosey: I don't know how many times I said I was possessed when I wrote Oberon but I very much was. I think you have to be a little bit possessed to write him because that's the kind of person he is; you have to be all in with him or perish. I don't know what it is about these types of enigmatic, almost ethereal characters that you understand - they have one foot in heaven and one foot in hell - but you get them at their core, Julie. Thank you for bringing my most beautiful son to the dash. Please read over the checklist and send in your blog within 24 hours.

WELCOME TO THE MOB.

OUT OF CHARACTER

Alias | Julie

Age | 20

Preferred Pronouns | She/her

Activity Level | I mean, y’all know how it is. One draft a day usually does it for me, and at the bare minimum, I shoot for a few replies a week.

Timezone | MST

How did you find the rp?  | I was perusing the ‘lsrpg’ tag, and the rest was history.

Current/Past RP Accounts | Lucien!

IN CHARACTER

Character | Oberon / Olivio Rivera -- with a fc change to Oscar Isaac, if it’s okay with you guys.

What drew you to this character? | There’s something about Olivio that makes him half-man half-hell, and that’s fascinating to me. I think, to a degree, he’s as human as the rest of us, with good parts and bad, but most people don’t show those parts so brazenly and manage to be half as discreet while doing it. This charm is pretty different from a character like Lucien’s, because it’s not a necessary charm. It’s not something he learned to do. It’s something he's always had in him for as long as he’s been -- it’s essential to the core of who he is as a person. There’s a dream-like quality to him that pulls you in and a nightmare-like quality that makes you take a step back when you get too close. He’s brutal in the way he orchestrates his own downfall just to get away from work he no longer has an interest in. He’s gentle with Theo, still grieving, because he knows they’re still working through something and it’s not entirely his place to poke and prod. Walking the thin line involved in this dichotomy is something that immediately caught my attention, and I’d love to explore both sides to him in the way Oberon deserves.

What is a future plot idea you have in mind for the character? | 

1. I’d like to explore what Olivio has to sacrifice in order to ascend in the Capulets. He’s already lived a fair bit of his life without any of it really being impacted by the mobs of Verona, so his priorities and goals are likely pretty different from characters that have been here their entire lives. It’ll probably take a while before he builds relationships strongly enough in Verona that he has anything worth sacrificing, but as soon as he does, I’d like to yank them from under him, see how he fares -- if he’s worth becoming a soldier or an emissary in the way that Theodora thinks he can be. He’s strangely comfortable as an initiate, sitting at the bottom of the barrel, but how long is that comfort going to last him?

2. With Olivio, there’s definitely a two-faced element to him, in much the same way there’s a two-faced element to Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He’s brutal and gentle all in one, and I’d like to explore what dictates in him which part comes out where. He gets his work done and ties it off in a neat bow, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he shies away from the ugliest parts of himself. How does he fare in comparison to someone like Orpheus, a dead man, who had similar goals and aspirations as the Robin Hood of Verona but didn’t set out to become that sort of figurehead -- everyone remembers Orpheus. No one knows Olivio. I also think it’s entirely possible his two-faced nature could undermine his reputation and his overall climb towards a more concrete place in the Capulets, if he isn’t careful, and I’d love to see what the consequences are. It worked for him in Spain. It might not work for him here.

3. In the para sample, I allude a little to Olivio’s dream in the same way it’s alluded to in his biography -- this borderline fantastical dream of a better place, a better world, where the underdogs and the fantastical alike can come together and live in harmony. A place where he can taste honey in his mouth where there might have been blood. I’d like to explore Olivio’s past in reflection to his present. He’s had the same dream his entire life, worked towards it slowly but surely in his youth, and then he ended up sitting on top of an empire he didn’t expect to have and didn’t really want. He gets caught up in his own flaws, and it all crumbles apart right from underneath him, and I’d love to see if he’s doomed to repeat that in Verona or if things are really going to be different this time around.

Are you comfortable with killing off your character? | I think so! As long as it serves a purpose, I’m happy to dip my hands in angst.

IN DEPTH

TW: VIOLENCE, DEATH

Cesar’s face is so heavily caked with blood that Olivio doesn’t think he could see through the red if he wanted to. His right eye is swollen. He’s missing some teeth. His breath is coming out in wheezes from a few broken ribs, and Olivio -- in spite of his shape, in spite of being three years Cesar’s junior -- is out of breath. They’d grappled for the pistol for some time only for it to go flying under a table somewhere when Cesar kicked it up. Now, staring each other down in an empty backroom in El Valenciano, they’re catching their breath. They’re both drenched in the vibrant pink of overhead lights. It could be a painting, he thinks. Something right out of sleep. He’s had dreams like this before, and they usually don’t end quite so badly.

It makes sense in Olivio’s head that Cesar wouldn’t go down without a fight. That’s fine. He never has. But Cesar knows that Olivio’s never liked losing. Even in drills and races and training exercises, even in the field, neck-to-neck, rifle-to-rifle, Olivio never gave him the chance to get ahead. So those few months where Olivio was falling from grace, slipping from his throne? They must have felt like winning to Cesar. He must have not even realized that the game was rigged from the start.

That’s fine, too. Olivio was always the brain of the operation. Cesar served his purpose as the brawn, the Lancelot to his Arthur. 

“You should’ve let me leave, a year ago. Otherwise we wouldn’t be here.” There’s a headache building at the back of his head. Stress or exhaustion. Both? He takes his own trembling hands and grapples for a glass of what looks like bourbon from one of the still-standing tables. Cesar watches him, licks his lips when Olivio swallows. 

“No one leaves. You’ve never let anyone leave. You shouldn’t get the same luxury, Olivio.” Cesar spits the words out so angrily that Olivio’s almost convinced he believes them, but it’s still hard to hear him over the thrumming reverb of the music. Sweet dreams are made of this, who am I to disagree? Catchy. In this moment, in spite of the gore, Olivio thinks Cesar looks young again. Fuzzy around the edges, purple-pink-crimson, young. No more grey at the temples, crow’s feet around the edges. Just blood on his teeth, shifting from pink to blue in a moment’s notice.

“Where are you going to go?” Cesar asks, as he moves a few steps closer. He’s still holding the glass in a white-knuckled grip. His heart is going a million miles a minute. It’s not easy to kill a man with your bare hands, but he’s done it before. He’ll do it again. It feels right to do it this way, with his fists, rather than the barrel of a gun. He wraps his fingers in Cesar’s collar with his free hand and Cesar barely even jerks to meet the movement. He’s all dead weight. Olivio considers the question.

“I’ll go to Verona.”

“In Italy? Bah.” Cesar laughs, throat hoarse. Spittle paints Olivio’s face, but the disgust barely registers. “You always hated Italy -- shot down any business there every time.”

“I hear it’s nice this time of year.”

“You’re burning every bridge you have in Spain. When winter comes around there won’t be any coming back. This is it. You kill me and we’re done.” This feels right out of the pages of the novel. He wonders if maybe he should deliver some sort of dramatic monologue. Something about being brothers from the very beginning. Hold your head up! Moving on! “You’re going to regret it, and you won’t get to crawl back and apologize to me this time.”

Even Olivio’s two divorces weren’t this messy. Still, he leans in close. “It’s not my dream anymore. I’m just making sure it won’t be yours, either.” He searches Cesar’s face for something. Anything. An apology. An indication of guilt. A plea for mercy. The animal-like terror that comes into men moments before they die. They’d seen it a thousand times before, together, and they’d laughed about it over drinks. A shifting green light passes slowly over his eyes. The world goes seafoam.

Nothing. Just their shared breaths. Not even a do it. Olivio sighs. He lifts his hand holding the glass and brings it down. Cesar, to his credit, doesn’t scream. He just takes what he’s given and dies quietly, in the club they bought back when they thought they’d go somewhere bigger than Barcelona. Or maybe that was just him. It doesn’t take more than two minutes.

Olivio stands back, checks Cesar’s pulse, and then wipes his hands on his slacks, chest heaving. 

The ‘ludes start to kick in just as he leaves the club, bloodied jacket in hand, a little later than he would have liked. The cleaners sweep in to wipe evidence away as soon as he’s stepped out of the room and towards the exit. Not a single employee looks at him as he leaves, and the people dancing on the floor hardly notice him. The doorman nods at him on his way out. The car waiting for Olivio at the curb takes him straight to the airport, and he barely has time to settle in his seat before he’s asleep. When he wakes, it’s to the sight of Verona and the river that runs right through it, the sun cresting overhead. He descends onto the tarmac cotton-mouthed, changed into clean clothes, and satisfied.

Cesar had been the last loose end. With his death everything in Spain has tied itself up into a neat bow. The ashes of whatever vision he and Cesar might have shared at some point would be gathered up and put into someone else’s hands. Marta’s, he hopes. She’d always been the most capable, in his mind. She’d been the one to tell him of Verona, originally, when she caught wind of what he was doing: razing everything he’d built. She’d been smart enough to stay loyal in the face of his personally orchestrated coup, and he let her live.

He just hopes she doesn’t take it for granted like he had. That she’ll lay out her own path and stick to it, instead of watching it build by itself and grow restless. Verona won’t be like that -- he’s sure of it. It has to be a new start, one he’ll be happy to die by.

In two days’ time --- and he doesn’t know this now, but he will look back at it and laugh --- he’ll kill an enemy of the Capulets in much the same way he killed Cesar, hooked on the sheer euphoria of his newfound love for the city, just outside a place achingly close to El Valenciano, and it won’t even get him in trouble. The Capulets will sweep him up before he has the time to come down from the high, and they’ll bring him into the fold without even knowing his name. He’ll start from the very bottom, and he’ll relish in it, because it’s been a long time since he had nothing.

What he does know: the Capulets are the key to this newfound dream of his, this new-and-shiny-glossy illusion, and Olivio Rivera will take whatever he can get in a city like this, so long as it means he doesn’t have to raze it to the ground.

Extras: [glass him] PLAYLIST / PINTEREST [cesar won’t remember this.]

[lfthinkerwrites]

A Riddle for a Bat, chapter 2

Title: A Riddle for a Bat

Fandom: Batman

Pairing: Riddlebat

Rating: T for canon-typical violence.

Summary: Bruce arrives at the crime scene in the Bowery only to see Nigma make an appearance as well. When he meets with Gordon, he uncovers some details about Nigma's past that concern him.

Previous Chapters: 1/

AO3 Link

The limousine was about four blocks away from the crime scene when Bruce directed Alfred to pull over into an alley. "Stay here," he said. He pulled his cowl on before he exited the car. "I'm going to go check out the crime scene. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Take your time," Alfred said drolly. "I'll be quite fine with the trash cans and the rats."

Bruce closed the door behind him and pulled his grappling hook from his belt and pointed it at the adjacent building. Within seconds he was airborne before he pulled himself up to the rooftop. He ran across the rooftops of the Bowery until the remains of the restaurant came into view. He stopped to survey the scene. For years, Sal Maroni and the Maroni crime family had operated out of the Bowery, using the Maroni family restaurant as a front for their activities. Despite the various arrests and the war with the Falcone crime family, the restaurant itself had stood for over twenty years.

Until tonight. Tonight, all that was left was a black, still smoldering wreck. The building front was completely gone, glass from the windows scattered about on the pavement. Two fire trucks were still here, putting out the last fires. Bruce's eyes narrowed as he saw the six white sheets laid out on the sidewalk. The bodies of the Maroni lieutenants. Uniformed police officers had arrived before Bruce had, setting up the crime scene perimeter and conducting interviews with witnesses. To the left, Bruce watched as an unmarked car pulled up to the scene. The car stopped across the street and Detective Harvey Bullock emerged from the driver's side. Renee Montoya exited the car from the passenger side and both detectives approached the uniformed officers. When he was certain no eyes were looking his way, Bruce fired his grappling hook and glided to the building on the restaurant's left side. He dropped down to a fire escape that was close enough to give him a vantage point, but enough in the shadows that he wouldn't be noticeable. He wanted to be able to hear what the detectives found on the scene before he investigated himself.

"Alright Morris, what have we got?" Bullock asked as he approached the corpses.

"These are-were the Maroni lieutenants detective," Officer Morris replied. "As far as we can figure, the six of them were here for dinner, when a witness said the restaurant exploded."

Bullock scratched the back of his head. "Great. That's one way to end a gang war. Where is this witness?"

Bruce could see Morris point behind him. "Grant's got in in the patrol car. He's a vagrant who was sleeping in the alleyway when he heard the explosion."

"Heard?" Montoya asked. "So he didn't actually see it?"

Morris shook his head. "No. Oh, and we could smell booze on him when we talked to him."

"Oh, that's just dandy Morris!" Bullock snapped. "Our one witness was drunk! Nothin' he says is gonna stand up in court!"

"Except he wasn't our only witness," Montoya mused. "The 911 dispatcher said that the person who called in the explosion was a woman."

"So?" Bullock asked Morris. "Did you guys talk to a woman?"

Morris shuffled his feet awkwardly. "No. When we got here, the bum was the only one we could find who would talk to us."

Even from the fire escape, Bruce could hear Bullock grumble. "Yeah, everyone else in the neighborhood's deaf dumb and blind."

"Keep canvassing the area anyway," Montoya added. "Maybe we'll get lucky and find another witness."

Bruce would like to find that witness too. He continued to watch as Morris went back to his patrol car to join his partner, while Bullock and Montoya spoke to the lead firefighter. "We're still putting out the last fire," he heard the man say. "We can tell you more about the precise cause when we go in."

"You mean other than a bomb going off? Great, just keep doing what you're doing." Bullock turned to Montoya. "So, what do you say we go rouse Falcone?"

Falcone was the obvious suspect, Bruce thought. He and Maroni had been fighting over the last scraps of territory in Gotham like a pair of starving wolves for the past few years. The lull in crime that he and Dick had been experiencing could easily be explained by Falcone gathering his forces together for a final strike at Maroni. Taking out his lieutenants would cripple any counterattack. Falcone himself had dropped out of sight a week ago. That would fit in with him plotting an attack.

A movement in the alleyway caught Bruce's attention. Below him, he could see a figure approaching the crime scene, carrying a cane. When the figure stepped into the light from the street lamps, Bruce could see that he was dressed in green. Bruce narrowed his eyes. Nigma.

The private detective walked up to Bullock and Montoya and greeted them with a sweeping bow. "Good evening detectives! A fine night for a bombing, wouldn't you say?"

Montoya's eyes widened at the man's theatricality. To Bruce, it looked like she wasn't sure whether to tell him off or to laugh. Bullock's face darkened almost immediately. "Oh, terrific. As if the Bat-Freak wasn't bad enough! What are you doing here Eddie? Run out of rich folks to sell yourself off to?"

Nigma chuckled a bit. "Nice to see your manners haven't improved since I saw you last Harv."

Bruce leaned forward a bit. Harv? Bullock and Nigma had met before? Montoya looked confused as well. "You know this guy Harvey?"

Bullock waved dismissively. "Yeah, unfortunately. This is GCPD business Eddie. Scram!"

Nigma held a hand to his chest. "Really Bullock. Is that any way to speak to the man who's about to do your job for you?"

Montoya looked back at Nigma with a raised eyebrow. "What are you talking about? Do you have any information about the bombing?"

"This bombing?" Nigma asked, gesturing to the ruins of the restaurant behind them. "No. But I do know that Falcone's not the one who ordered it."

Bullock's eyes narrowed. "Oh? And just how do you figure that? You and Falcone friends now or somethin'?"

Bruce could see Nigma's posture stiffen, much like it had at the party earlier that evening when Bruce had mentioned the GCPD. Nigma clearly had sore spots when it came to both the GCPD and the mob. Why? Who was he? Then, Nigma relaxed, shaking his head at the detectives. "Oh, ye of little faith and brains. Surely you know that Falcone is currently hospitalized at Gotham City General for chest pains?"

Bruce raised his eyebrows. Falcone had been hospitalized? How did he not know that? How did Nigma know that? How did he know where he was? Bullock and Montoya's jaws dropped at Nigma's declaration, but Bullock quickly recovered. "So? He still could have given out the order from the hospital. Wouldn't be the first time."

Nigma clucked his tongue. "Oh, very true, but who would he have given the order to?" Edward checked his watch. "Any moment now, Commissioner Gordon will be calling you back to GCPD to inform you of the unfortunate demise of Falcone's senior-most lieutenant, ostensibly at the hands of a Maroni made man."

Bullock rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to retort when Montoya's phone rang. "Hello? Yes, Commissioner-What!?" Montoya's face drained of color and she looked from Bullock to Nigma with wide eyes. "We'll be right there!" She hung up her phone. "Carlo Ricci's car was just blown up half an hour ago! We've got to get back to headquarters!"

Bullock's face turned from shock to anger as he rounded on Nigma. "You know somethin'."

Nigma smirked and the sight of it had never made Bruce angrier. "I know many things, Bullock. It's my trademark. You of all people should have remembered that."

"Yeah?" Bullock asked. He took a step forward and grabbed onto Nigma's suit jacket. "How about you tell us what you know at the station!?"

Nigma's face turned red and he wrenched himself out of Bullock's grasp. "Don't you dare touch me!" he hissed. He looked like he was about to bring up his cane and Bruce prepared to intervene. Montoya placed herself between the two men.

"Enough!" She looked at Nigma with a grave look. "Listen, Nigma, if you know something, come with us to GCPD."

Nigma's face softened somewhat. "I'm afraid, Detective...Montoya, isn't it? I'm afraid I've already told you all that I know."

"But how did you know about Ricci?"

He held a hand out. "A private detective never reveals his sources, my dear. When I find out more, and I will, I'll be in touch."

"Detective," Bullock snarled. "Detective my ass. You're just talkin' a big game, just like you always did. Leave the detective work to the actual cops and go back to having rich folks kiss your ass, Eddie. It's more your speed."

Nigma turned on the two of them, waving dismissively. "Goodbye Harvey. Pleasurable as always." Bullock looked like he wanted to say more to Nigma when Montoya tugged his arm. Still glowering, he followed her back to their car and sped off back towards GCPD. Nigma stood alone now, watching the firefighters begin to clear the building, now that the smoke was finally out. Bruce watched him as Nigma got as close as he dared, surveying the sight with a thoughtful expression on his face. Finally, Nigma walked back towards the alley. In a minute's time, he was directly underneath the fire escape Bruce was perched on. Bruce pulled out a snare from his belt. A few minutes hanging upside down from the fire escape and Bruce could get the smug, self-aggrandizing man to talk. How did he know what he did? What was his connection to Bullock? Bruce had almost laid down the snare when the firefighters' shout caught his attention.

"Holy shit!"

"I've never seen it before! That's amazing!"

Bruce looked up and saw the Bat-signal, lit up against the night sky. He reluctantly out his snare away and instead pulled out his grappling hook. He fired it and flew up towards the rooftop. When he landed, he took one last look down in the alleyway and was almost surprised to see Nigma staring back up at him, his face full of wonder and surprise. Bruce glared down at the man, then took off towards GCPD. He'd deal with him later.

"Alfred," he spoke into the communicator he kept in his cowl. "I'm needed at GCPD. Go back to the manor and tell Dick to meet me with the Batmobile in Downtown in an hour."

"I couldn't help but notice the signal, sir. I take it this is about the unfortunate incident at Maroni's restaurant?"

"Worse I think. I'll check in later." He ended the communication and hurried towards GCPD.

Gordon was waiting alone on the rooftop when Bruce arrived. "Long night Jim?" he asked when he landed.

Commissioner Gordon looked exhausted. "You could say that." He lit a match and placed it in his pipe, beginning to smoke. "I think the Falcone and Maroni war is about to reach its conclusion."

"I saw the Maroni restaurant in the Bowery. I heard about the Ricci hit as well."

Gordon had worked with him long enough to not be too surprised. "Word travels fast in Gotham I see. Ricci was killed about an hour and a half ago, the same time we got the 911 call about the restaurant. So either Falcone and Maroni just happened to schedule near-simultaneous attacks on each other tonight-"

"Or a third player decided to attack them at once." Bruce had suspected as much when he heard about the Ricci hit. "And if that's the case, we know who was likely responsible."

Gordon sighed. "Rupert Thorne. If he did it, he's getting bolder. He usually just sits back and lets Falcone and Maroni duke it out and takes whatever's left over."

"But now with Falcone and Maroni's forces nearly depleted, he saw an opportunity. I've also heard Falcone's been hospitalized. He's not going to be able to come back from this easily if he does at all. Same with Maroni."

Now Gordon did look surprised. "How did you hear about Falcone being hospitalized. I only just found out when Falcone's lawyer called me twenty minutes ago to provide an alibi for the Maroni murders!"

"That's something I wanted to speak with you about tonight Jim." If Nigma did have some kind of past connection to GCPD, Gordon would know. "Edward Nigma was at the Maroni crime scene tonight. He was the one who told Bullock and Montoya about Falcone being hospitalized. He also knew about Ricci's hit before you called the detectives back in."

Bruce carefully watched as Gordon's face paled. "Edward was there?" He ruefully shook his head. "Somehow I figured it was only a matter of time until he came back to a real bonafide crime scene."

Bruce's hunch was proved correct. "You know him, Commissioner?"

Gordon took a long drag on his pipe before he exhaled. "Yes. Well, I knew him. It was a long time ago. He used to work for GCPD. Only, his name wasn't Nigma then. It was Nashton. Edward Nashton."

So Nigma had worked for GCPD once. It certainly explained how he'd conducted himself at the crime scene. "Who was he?"

"He worked in our cybercrime division, starting about seven years ago. You know the GCPD database? He was the one who streamlined it. He personally uploaded all of our hard data onto that server."

Bruce considered this. So the man had had access to GCPD files years ago. "He was good at his job then?"

Gordon let out a small chuckle. "No. He was, as he liked to remind us, brilliant. He was the fastest hacker GCPD's ever had. If you gave him an hour, he could access just about any information a person ever had on the internet." Gordon shook his head. "He was abrasive and arrogant as all get out, but the man could back it up. Cybercrime division had the biggest case closure rate when he was there. He used to complain about how the job wasn't challenging enough for him some days. And he had his good points too. I brought Barbara to work once and he let her hang out with him at his desk. He actually taught her how to hack." Gordon sighed. "What a damn shame."

Bruce's eyes narrowed under the cowl. "What happened to him?"

Gordon's gaze darkened. "Loeb happened. Edward was called into his office one day about five years ago about something. I never knew what. I only heard that there was some kind of fight and that Edward stormed out and cleaned out his desk. I never saw him again in person after that. After Loeb was arrested, I tried to call him to get him to come back to GCPD, but he'd changed his number. Now he's some private detective for hire. But wait: you said he was at the Maroni scene? How did he know about it?"

It appeared that Nigma-Nashton-had been someone Gordon had held in high regard once. That made what Bruce was about to say worse. "I think he's involved somehow, Jim."

Gordon's eyes widened and he shook his head. "Edward, being involved with the mob? He hated them when we worked together."

Nigma had had an adverse reaction when Bullock accused him of being in bed with Falcone. "That was five years ago Jim. You and I both know how much a man can change in that time."

The name Harvey Dent wasn't said, but it was very much on Bruce's mind and judging by the look on his face, Gordon's as well. "The Edward Nashton I knew never would go on the take. He always cared about the puzzles more than the money."

That fit with the man Bruce had met at the party earlier that evening, but Nigma had already demonstrated how well he could hide who he really was. "Maybe he works for one of the mob gangs, maybe he doesn't. Either way though, he has access to information that could prevent bloodshed. He needs to tell us what he knows."

Gordon nodded. "I'll bring him in. I was one of the only people in GCPD he was friendly with. He might talk to me."

Bruce remembered what Nigma had said at the party. "What I really want, is to meet him." He recalled the expression on Nigma's face when he saw him that evening in costume. What the man really wanted was to meet Batman. Maybe it was time he got what he wanted. "I'll talk to him, Jim. Whatever he knows about the gang war, I'll find out."

[the1rei]

Bloomin' Ross pt36

Cass plan is put into action as pirates finally come upon the ship.  New length champion at near 2700 words.  Darn these are getting long. 

<<< First Post  <<Prev Post - Next Post >>

"Why do I have to be the one up here?" Eugene called down from the castle waving a sizable white cloth tied to a staff at the approaching ship, its black flag marking it as a pirate ship.  

"Stop talking and looking down here before they figure out what's going on!"  Cass answered in a harsh whisper glaring from Eugene to the ship that was only now slowing in its approach as it began a listless turn to bring its hall against theirs.  

Cass ducked her head back under the deck and turned to find Rapunzel, Rose, and Max who looked anxious behind her. Well, except for Max, who frowned in grim determination a sword held in his teeth.  "You all remembered how it happened last time," They nodded and above Cass could hear Eugene shouting something overly friendly greeting to the pirates asking for assistance.  "They'll secure us with grappling hooks first then set out the planks when they do we'll take out one.  That'll funnel their forces.  Raps you stay to the back, Max you watch out for her."  

"Right," Rapunzel and Rose said at once, and Max snorted nodding his head.  The clanging rain for grappling hooks on wood caused them all to tense with anticipation.  The boat lurched as the ropes were pulled taut and Cass' stomach swam a little.  She clenched her teeth and forced down the sickness, deeper in the hold Fidello whinnied sorrowfully causing Max to look back worriedly.  

"Fidello will be alright Max; you have to stay with us."  Rapunzel laid a hand on his side and looked up at him apologetically.  The stallion nodded, and the sound of planks slamming down onto the deck came down from above.  

"Now!"  Cass called, and they charged up from the hold, but as the old saying went the first casualty of any battle was the plan.  Cass' eyes shot wide as she saw three planks set out between the ships, not two.  She hesitated for a moment her brain screaming for an idea.  

"Pyrepy burn that plank," Rose voice cut through Cass' thoughts like a knife and she saw the blacksmith and her fiery canine companion run for opposite planks.  The pup reached his first and with a deep breath blew a gout of flames across the dry plank.  The pirates already halfway across skidded to a stop as the wall of flames surged across their access point.  The one behind collided with the ones in front, and they began falling over each other.  Cries ended in heavy splashes as they fell to the open water below the ship.  

Rose reached the other plank a split second after her pup reached his and as they had planned she gripped the end and began lifting it, her muscles straining as the men on the plank weighed it down.  Some lost their balance and fell, but others pressed forward.  Cass rushed to Rose's side, and Rapunzel arrived a moment later, and with a collective pull, they dragged the plank free of the pirate ship's deck.  The was another echo of cries as the girl released the plank and it and its occupants dropped into the water below.  

It was a minor victory as the pirates came surging over the remaining plank.  Rose and Cass turned on the pirate hoard and drew their swords, putting themselves between the pirates and the Princess.  

Swords rang out as they clashed usually followed by the sound of a solid fist striking flesh.  Rose defected a blade her heavy boot knocking the air from a pirates stomach,  Cass steeping around her to catch another pirate's sword bracing the flat of her blade against her palm and shoving over the deck with a strong push.  Rose's pommel thumped into a pirate's skull as he charged at Cass' back before the pair stepped past each other to parry blades intended for the other's back.  

Max was a fury, the sword in his mouth flashed moving more like a whirling beam of light then a weapon catching weapons two at a time.  Even Cass felt a little sorry for the pirate flung across the deck by his bucking hooves.  

Behind him Eugene and Rapunzel took care of whatever riff-raff slipped past the others, Eugene sword catching the deadly blades and Rapunzel's frying pan sending them to an abrupt dreamland.  

A loud yelp drew Rose attention to the burning plank; a few brave pirates had leaped the flames and made it to the deck.  Emboldened by their comrade's success other's now came over, only for the weakened burning plank to fall out from beneath them.  But one that had made it across held the pup by the throat in one hand.  "Pyrepy!"  Rose raced to the pup's rescue unnecessary as it was as the pup burst into flames and the terrified pirate tossed him away cradling his burnt hand.  

"Rose!"  Cass called to her battle partner, but before she could reach the other girl's side, a large figure dropped down between them.  

Dressed in what must have been a fine brown leather long coat the portly man had one pegged leg, the opposite hand was a hook, he wore a black tricorn hat and sported a scraggly beard.  One eye was a cold blue, and the other had a scar drawn across it was a pale white.  "Ye should be worryin' 'bout yerself lass."  He spittled through gaps in his yellow teeth as he released the rope he had swung over on and snatched a curved sword from his side.  

Cass narrowed her and swung who she guessed the be the captain; his blade slapped hers away with enough force to leave her arm feeling weak then shot up for her throat so quickly Cass had to retreat a step to save herself.  As soon as the blade had passed, she rocked forward on the balls of her feet and attacked again swiping out on his hook side this time knowing his peg-leg would be hard to maneuver on.  Instead, his hook hand shot up and caught the blade.  Cass' eyes went wide, and suddenly, faster than she thought to be possible for the large lame man, he closed in on her, his hook scraping along Cass' blade.  She tried to pull away but found she could; the pirate captain had gotten his hook across the crossbar of her sword.  

He clucked down at her as Cass' hand pulled at the sword, unwilling to release it to the pirate captain's grasp.  The captain didn't attack Cass his eyes sweeping across the deck appraisingly.  He saw a couple of his pirates struggling with the sword-wielding horse, and the long-haired Rapunzel toss her hair up to one of the yardarms her eyes fixed worriedly on him.  

"Lash," The captain said as a tall, handsome man with raven hair and green eyes dropped next to the captain singing on a whip which fell back to his hand in a neat coil with just a flick of his wrist.  "Take care of that beast."  

"Aye Captain," The man nodded and strode towards Max the way Cass might have strode up to another servant.  

"Cong!"  The captain looked over his shoulder; all the other pirates stood away from the connecting plank as a huge monstrous figure started across it.  Cass would be hard-pressed even to call it human just a massive furry body with no face.  "Why done you have some fun with the golden-haired one."  The most unexpected giggling rose out of the figure, and it stopped three-quarters of the way across the plank.  

Cass thought for a moment she saw a pair of tiny eyes open on the creature's head, then suddenly sets of eyes shot open all over the figure and she couldn't help but shutter.  Suddenly Cong's body flew apart, and Cass realized what each set of eyes was as a hoard of monkey's surged past her leavy an unbelievably scrawny man behind an armed raise as he pointed to Rapunzel, "Go play with her pretty, pretty hair."

"Let's see if you can remember you place horse."  With a flourish, Lash's whip cut through the air at Max, but the stallion just stepped forward swinging his sword and slicing the stinging end of the whip off.  He watched it drop to the deck with a satisfied snort but looked back up to find Lash gone.  Suddenly, the pirate dropped onto Max's back, and the remaining length of the whip was thrown across the horse's neck and pulled tight constricting around the stallion's throat.  "That's sword's not much good now huh?"  Lash mocked, but he was right, Max could turn the sword on a rider, and he felt unable to breathe right.  

The monkey surged past the horse leaping at Rapunzel as she attempted to swing herself up by her hair.  One grabbed her barefoot it's strong finger holding on tight as the other monkey grabbed hold of its tail.  Rapunzel cried suddenly finding herself too heavy to swing away and dropped back to the deck. "Eugene!" she cried out as the monkeys descended on her like a furry mob.  

"Hey, get away from her," Eugene ran towards the pile, only to suddenly have a length of Rapunzel's hair shoot out and wrap around his sword.  With a surprising strong tug, the sword was ripped from his hand and tossed away,  a second length captured his wrist and with an even stronger tug, drew him into the pile.  

With a twist, Cass pulled her sword free of the distracted captain's hook.  She growled, he had been ignoring her, like she was no threat at all, it was worse than being beaten by him, he was acting like she was no threat at all.  Cass shook the worst of the anger off, she needed to be clear-headed, she underestimated the lame man, but he was a skilled swordsman, and she couldn't afford any more mistakes.  However, it was then that, as it is want to do, the ocean suddenly shifted and the change in motion throat through Cass like a blow.  Her stomach churned violently, her intestines spasmed, and Cass had to fight to keep herself from retching, it all zapped her strength, and suddenly it was hard to stand.  

The pirate captain looked almost confused for a moment; then he smiled wide showing his yellow teeth.  "Aye, I see what we have here, yer just a sickly little landlubber."  He chuckled and kept a grip on her sword and glared up hatefully at him; it was all she could manage.  "Well don't worry lass I got an ol' pirate ready for that," He said raising his sword, "Tell ol' Davy Jones that Captin Wylie sent ya."  

"Cassandra!"  Cass heard the cry before she saw Rose dive between her and Wylie.  She had her sword up, but Wylie's sword slammed into her's with such force that it drove Rose's sword back into her shoulder.  The blacksmith crashed to the deck with a cry of pain as her brown shirt grew dark then a deep red across the shoulder.  Cass' will gave out, and her sword clanked to the deck as she dropped down and wrapped her around Rose's chest.  Cass cradled Rose in her lap and as the other girl writhed in pain from the fresh wound.  

The Captain just chuckled again, "Two fer the price of one, oh happy day."  He raised his sword again posed to skewer them both when suddenly there was a defining snapping sound and a thump as the captain lost his balance.  Cass and rose looked down to an arrow buried in the deck, the captain's pegleg broken in half.  

The captain fell to his knees, and this time the pair heard the sound of something cutting through the air.  The sound of snapping rope caught up to their ears, and Cass turned back to see one end of Lash's whip come way free in his hand.  Max heaved in a breath of air and bucked violently throwing the now unsecured man from his back.  

"No not now," Wylie cursed and looked back in time to see the sails of his ship burst into black smoke billowing flames.  Out of the corner or his eye, he saw some creature flapping around obscured by the fire and the flames.  He heard it more than he saw it as the smoke poured across the decks faintly obscuring everything.  There was a heavy swoosh, and thump Wylie looked up to see a figure standing over him, a wild figure in a brown fur clock and a main of hair to match their face covered in an eerie mask that made their face look flat.  The captain swung out at the figure who suddenly caught Wylie sword with their own which had suddenly appeared in the figure's scaly hand, its blade tinted green.  Sparks flew from the clash, and the figure's sword burst into flames.  Wylie jumped in fear at the sudden flames, and the figure's foot swung out and kicked the sword from his hand.  "Kill 'em, ye wretched seadogs!"  

The pirates hesitated for a moment and jumped as a gout of flames that made Pyrepy's look like a torch flame, shot out across the back of Rapunzel's ship.  Everyone searched for whatever had attacked, but all they heard was another whoosh of the wind.  Suddenly the hoard of monkey's raced across the deck back to the safety of their master; several tails licked by tiny flames.  

The figure didn't wait another moment for the pirate; they leaped into a group of them knocking one down with a slam of their shoulder.  The immediate danger spurred the pirates into action, but the figure was almost supernatural in how it fought.  Impossible fast, explosions of fire dazing pirates before they could strike, Cass could almost swear she could see smudges of green in the air the figure would slice with its flaming sword before causing the bursts of fire.  Soon, what pirates remained on their feet ran for the safety of their burning ship.  Suddenly the pirate ship surged up in the water knocking several of the fire-fighting pirates to the deck.  

"Looks like I won't be takin' another part of you today Onesie."  The figure spoke, the nature of their voice impossible to discern through the muffling of the mask.  The figure grabbed one of the grappling hooks the had fallen loose of the banister and hooked it onto the captain's jacket.  

The pirate ship surged unnaturally away from Rapunzel's ship and dragged Wylie over the side, "I'll kill ye ya bas-" Wylie curse cried up from over the ship and were cut short with a splash.  

The figure turned back to face Cass and the other's again as the pirate ship plunged through the water away from them.  Cass realized that Rapunzel and Eugene had come up behind them the Princess' hair disheveled and Eugene still trying to untie a length of it from his arm.  "Yer safe now friends," the figure reassured, though Cass silently eyed them suspiciously.

"Thank you~!"  Rapunzel had no such suspicions as she raced past Cass and practically jumped at the stranger throwing her arms around their neck laughing with relief.  The stranger's laugh joined the Princess', their arms wrapping around her returning the tight hug.  

Finally, Rapunzel released the stranged her who continued to chuckle reaching for their mask, "Och lass that's the best thank I've ever gotten savin' someone befer."  As the mask came away it was clear the stranger was a woman, a pretty one too who looked down at Rapunzel with smiling green eyes.  "The name's Ardra!"