[Nooooooooooooooooooooo. WHY IS THERE A WOLF DOG?! The boop startles him at first, but then he just looks disgruntled at the fact he is a dog man and there is a dog-sized wolf. He has also stopped. To look at the sparkly wolf. Pup...]
You aren't interested in trading.
[The wolf came to him first, so he doesn't bother asking. He simply reaches out carefully to let the dog sniff him before giving some pets if it wants.]
[ Because Niah is luggage and he's here now. It looks like this has worked to Niah and Joonghyuk's favor. This wolf is black, but his fur sparkles like the starry sky. ]
If I wasn't, I wouldn't have mentioned it.
[ Niah sniffs his fingers and stays, deeming Jason not a threat (for now). ]
[Joonghyuk does not deserve a cute and cool wolf like this, Jason thinks, but he does not say this because the wolf has placated him momentarily. Don't just say FOR NOW. Wow.
[ Is he going to pet the dog? Niah is just here. If Jason doesn't, the wolf will gently bite his hand, making sure it doesn't hurt, and tug back a little. Away from the doors, fool!!
Also, that is bad, but he doesn't offer pity. ]
The tentacles and monsters were people from different worldlines, specifically the worlds I abandoned when I regressed. They turned into that. [ ... ] The chains are probably a metaphor.
[STOP, HE DID PET THE DOG! After being sniffed checked, he gave it some attention. DON'T BITE HIS HAND. He will just give it more attention to make up for the idea he didn't give it attention initially despite being a dog man.
It's fine, it's fine. He isn't going into anymore doors! (For now.)]
Sounds like a lot of mumbo jumbo. You regress in age, or do you mean regressed through time? Not a fan of the chains; I don't care if they're a metaphor.
[ It is a gentle play bite. Good. Niah is pleased that Jason isn’t being an idiot without Joonghyuk. If they choose to both make bad choices, then wolf can’t do much about it. ]
The original term means to go back in time, like loading your last save file now with the knowledge and experience you gained from your last playthrough.
It isn’t so simple. If you’re familiar with quantum physics, then you can consider each regression creates a new timeline—or that you hop to an alternate reality.
[He sort of gets it actually. It isn't so far-fetched for him thankfully. Hooray in being a really good modern. It comes in handy......sometimes. He looks like he might say something else, but then he doesn't.]
Yeah. He held my mom hostage, then tortured me when I got there before blowing us both up.
[ If Jason looked or even implied he was a non-modern, Joonghyuk wouldn’t even try to explain. The effort isn’t worth it.
Damn… A child and mom. Kaboom. His expression doesn’t budge. Niah, on the other hand, will lick Jason’s fingers—animals SENSE sadness. He wants to ask certain questions, but the most important one is: ]
[ Niah allows, getting fluffed and panting as a dog does. This makes Joonghyuk squint, but he doesn’t comment on it. ]
The clown killed their apprentice and his mother.
[ Joonghyuk is like ??? Why would you let that go, but he tries to move his thoughts around. This time there’s more consideration. Why wouldn’t someone kill—sometimes just to kill? What is the point of a no killing rule? ]
… Justice and doing good must still mean something where you’re from.
[Joonghyuk can squint all he wants. Jason likes dogs, so this wolf, who has been nice to him also, will get some affectionate petting. The funnier thing is that Jason has learned already these are daemons, so he, like, halfway knows what he's doing here. And he's doing it on purpose.]
It's not justice, it's cowardice. And ego. [Joonghyuk can see where Jason stands on this matter, at least.] It only means something to him. And maybe the police commissioner.
[And the other Bats, but Joonghyuk doesn't need to know he has about eight adoptive and non-adoptive siblings.]
He thinks the killing makes you no better than them, no matter who it is. Even a psychotic clown who doesn't care about anything but seeing what sadistic buttons he can push.
[ Jason. Well, Niah doesn't mind, him not being much of a daemon anymore.
It's interesting to hear this coming from someone who seems to care about people's well-being, but it makes sense. Sometimes you care too much. Joonghyuk understands nobility—he has seen it. He has also seen it crumble, but... ]
The blood on your hands doesn't always define you. You have to be a privileged fool to think it's black and white.
[He patpats the dog's head, and then he stands up again. His neck cracks when he rolls his head from one side to the other.]
Scum always needs to be wiped off the planet. [He isn't yelling here, but there is quite a red wrath in his tone.] He can keep thinking he's better by not killing anyone.
But I don't mind making them beg before I put a bullet between their eyes. No one should have to keep suffering or living in fear just because some jackass who thinks the city belongs to him won't off the worst of them.
[ There is so much to unpack here when Jason just admits that he doesn't want to call this mentor his father figure. He is going to touch it because he respects people keeping their issues and pain bottled, kept close.
He won't perceive since that's what Jason wants. ]
Probably. So I could turn out like you? [He gives Bruce a lot of shit like this, thinking he won't ever be that kind of man. But unfortunately for Jason, he is still a small piece of Bruce anyway.] You remind me of him. [joonghyuk: insulted] Not about the morals. Just how you act. He hates dealing with nonsense when he's working, likes to do everything himself, likes to be efficient. In and out, quick. Likes to do it his way.
[...]
What'd you do to get shackled to regressing all the time?
[ Your daddy issues are so strong. Also, yeah, he's offended to be compared to Bruce. Jason can see it in how his eyes narrow, frown deepening with distaste. If this is what Jason wanted to see, then he gets it.
Niah just tilts his head. ]
Survivors are all different. [ To imply they're not all like him. ] I wanted a power to kill the Constellations. Regression doesn't directly accomplish that, but it afforded me time and experience to slay them.
This matches with the guestbook, he thinks. Not that he believes Joonghyuk is the type to lie except maybe by omission possibly. Me checking the date of this thread and then being like Joonghyuk is having a bad time Weds evening seeing staff named after actual constellations.]
So you just keep going through and abandoning timelines until you're strong enough to kill them? Then what? What do you get out of doing all of that?
[ It's okay. Until he's learns their identities, he's fine with them masquerading as stars. It really is super funny though and he will have a bad impression of them based on their choice of aesthetic. ]
I don't abandon them by choice. [ Only sometimes. ] Without gods, humans won't need to play their stupid games. We can live instead of survive.
Now you’re just stuck playing another game. Maybe one by different gods.
[He will not say whether he commends Joonghyuk or not for this explanation. He refuses. He glances down at the wolf, but it’s more of an idle gesture than anything else.]
[ Niah, noticing he has someone's attention, circles around Jason. Joonghyuk is debating on what kind of answer to give. Jason gave him more than he really asked for and he can't imagine anyone wanting to exacerbate trauma or put themselves in a story worthy of pity. The words and emotions seem genuine.
He closes his eyes. ]
For a long time, I was. [ ... ] Are you done asking questions?
[It doesn't sound like he disbelieves Joonghyuk, just he enjoys giving the man hell, like, at all hours. Also, okay, yeah, maybe he is a bit baffled cutie Niah is the familiar.
Squishy insides...
He sort of nods his head to the side at Joonghyuk for Niah. Go on. Return...to thyself. He will turn in the other direction to move down to the next door.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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You aren't interested in trading.
[The wolf came to him first, so he doesn't bother asking. He simply reaches out carefully to let the dog sniff him before giving some pets if it wants.]
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If I wasn't, I wouldn't have mentioned it.
[ Niah sniffs his fingers and stays, deeming Jason not a threat (for now). ]
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He glances skeptically at Joonghyuk.]
A psycho killed me when I was a kid.
[But that's all he says.]
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Also, that is bad, but he doesn't offer pity. ]
The tentacles and monsters were people from different worldlines, specifically the worlds I abandoned when I regressed. They turned into that. [ ... ] The chains are probably a metaphor.
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It's fine, it's fine. He isn't going into anymore doors! (For now.)]
Sounds like a lot of mumbo jumbo. You regress in age, or do you mean regressed through time? Not a fan of the chains; I don't care if they're a metaphor.
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The original term means to go back in time, like loading your last save file now with the knowledge and experience you gained from your last playthrough.
It isn’t so simple. If you’re familiar with quantum physics, then you can consider each regression creates a new timeline—or that you hop to an alternate reality.
[ Since Jason asked him a question: ]
Was it the clown?
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[He sort of gets it actually. It isn't so far-fetched for him thankfully. Hooray in being a really good modern. It comes in handy......sometimes. He looks like he might say something else, but then he doesn't.]
Yeah. He held my mom hostage, then tortured me when I got there before blowing us both up.
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[ If Jason looked or even implied he was a non-modern, Joonghyuk wouldn’t even try to explain. The effort isn’t worth it.
Damn… A child and mom. Kaboom. His expression doesn’t budge. Niah, on the other hand, will lick Jason’s fingers—animals SENSE sadness. He wants to ask certain questions, but the most important one is: ]
Did you kill the clown? Once you revived.
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No. [Haha.] Not because I didn't want to. My brain was scrambled. So it took... [...] ...a while for me to be myself.
My mentor is who the clown was really after. The unfortunate part? The mentor has a strict rule about not killing.
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The clown killed their apprentice and his mother.
[ Joonghyuk is like ??? Why would you let that go, but he tries to move his thoughts around. This time there’s more consideration. Why wouldn’t someone kill—sometimes just to kill? What is the point of a no killing rule? ]
… Justice and doing good must still mean something where you’re from.
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It's not justice, it's cowardice. And ego. [Joonghyuk can see where Jason stands on this matter, at least.] It only means something to him. And maybe the police commissioner.
[And the other Bats, but Joonghyuk doesn't need to know he has about eight adoptive and non-adoptive siblings.]
He thinks the killing makes you no better than them, no matter who it is. Even a psychotic clown who doesn't care about anything but seeing what sadistic buttons he can push.
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It's interesting to hear this coming from someone who seems to care about people's well-being, but it makes sense. Sometimes you care too much. Joonghyuk understands nobility—he has seen it. He has also seen it crumble, but... ]
The blood on your hands doesn't always define you. You have to be a privileged fool to think it's black and white.
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[He patpats the dog's head, and then he stands up again. His neck cracks when he rolls his head from one side to the other.]
Scum always needs to be wiped off the planet. [He isn't yelling here, but there is quite a red wrath in his tone.] He can keep thinking he's better by not killing anyone.
But I don't mind making them beg before I put a bullet between their eyes. No one should have to keep suffering or living in fear just because some jackass who thinks the city belongs to him won't off the worst of them.
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This raises another question: ]
Why are you still calling him your mentor?
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Because I'm not going to tell you his name.
[Which may be kind of telling on Jason's part, but whatever. Don't perceive. Don't look at him. He's just pretending it doesn't mean anything.]
And I'm not going to call him my dad.
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He won't perceive since that's what Jason wants. ]
You might survive in my world.
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Probably. So I could turn out like you? [He gives Bruce a lot of shit like this, thinking he won't ever be that kind of man. But unfortunately for Jason, he is still a small piece of Bruce anyway.] You remind me of him. [joonghyuk: insulted] Not about the morals. Just how you act. He hates dealing with nonsense when he's working, likes to do everything himself, likes to be efficient. In and out, quick. Likes to do it his way.
[...]
What'd you do to get shackled to regressing all the time?
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Niah just tilts his head. ]
Survivors are all different. [ To imply they're not all like him. ] I wanted a power to kill the Constellations. Regression doesn't directly accomplish that, but it afforded me time and experience to slay them.
[ It really is simple. ]
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This matches with the guestbook, he thinks. Not that he believes Joonghyuk is the type to lie except maybe by omission possibly. Me checking the date of this thread and then being like Joonghyuk is having a bad time Weds evening seeing staff named after actual constellations.]
So you just keep going through and abandoning timelines until you're strong enough to kill them? Then what? What do you get out of doing all of that?
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I don't abandon them by choice. [ Only sometimes. ] Without gods, humans won't need to play their stupid games. We can live instead of survive.
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[He will not say whether he commends Joonghyuk or not for this explanation. He refuses. He glances down at the wolf, but it’s more of an idle gesture than anything else.]
Aren’t you tired? Of doing it over and over.
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He closes his eyes. ]
For a long time, I was. [ ... ] Are you done asking questions?
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No, but I’ll give you a break since you’re an old man.
[:P
This time, the patting he gives the wolf is more of a final thing.]
I’m going to check out the rest of the rooms. See if they have anything of value.
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If it means you'll stop being overly familiar with my soul, then go.
[ Stinky. ]
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[It doesn't sound like he disbelieves Joonghyuk, just he enjoys giving the man hell, like, at all hours. Also, okay, yeah, maybe he is a bit baffled cutie Niah is the familiar.
Squishy insides...
He sort of nods his head to the side at Joonghyuk for Niah. Go on. Return...to thyself. He will turn in the other direction to move down to the next door.]
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