metalogs | [OPEN] Leave that old record spinning~

Who: Jason Todd

robintohood and you!
What: Grand Opening Week of Descendant Karaoke Bar and Lounge
When: Week of November 28th
Where: Central City
Content Warnings: N/A for now. Will edit if needed.

[Throughout November, you may have seen posts across all the major social media platforms about a new Central City karaoke bar opening up. They even include some nice professional photos of the interior taken by Mark Bryant. Or maybe you’ve heard vague rumors in the criminal underworld about a new safe haven for discussing and doing some illicit business.

Meanwhile in Central City, the renovations of a two-storied building with a basement and an attic were being done swifter than any legally permitted construction project. The owner made sure it was good work done too.

And now at the tail end of the month, there’s a newly opened karaoke bar and lounge known as Descendant. Everyone is welcomed, regardless of their meta status or if they’re part of any guild.

Descendant’s entrance door is relatively innocuous. As soon as you step into the building though, you’re in the security check area and met with bouncers holding metal detector wands. No one’s allowed further in until they get checked. Once you check your weapons, you’ll receive a key labeled with the number of the locker your weapon(s) are in.

In a nod to Ascendant, the previous bar that attracted some of Central’s criminals, much of Descendant’s interior basic layout is similar but now with a speakeasy-esque decor. Once you walk through weapons check, you’re greeted with the first floor being an open space for mingling, drinking, and eating. The walls are visibly brick and the tables and chairs aren’t too fancy. The first floor is also where the bar is.

Further towards the back of the first floor are private rooms for guests to enjoy if they reserve ahead of time and pay extra. The cheapest karaoke rooms are simple and while the most expensive are more luxurious.

One room that makes Descendant unique is the reading room everyone is welcome to use. You're free to drink and enjoy some quiet reading time. Take a book for keeps or donate a book! Quiet conversation is welcome, but overly noisy patrons will be kicked out.

On the second floor are a couple of arcade machines, pool tables, and a stage for live performances. There are plush lounges for people to sit and enjoy the shows, or to take a break between rounds of pool.

With the exception of the reading room and the employee-only areas, you’ll hear music throughout most of the building. It’s either coming from the karaoke machines or from a separate playlist.

Whatever you decide to do, the owner and other attentive employees hope you enjoy your time at their establishment.]

((OOC: Mingle post! Enjoy yourselves. More information about Descendant is here and here, including an opt-in form for the BatFamily to spy on your character.))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yeah, clearly. No problems so far?

[Things are still awkward between him and Cass but he genuinely does want the staff to be okay while they work]

Nope. I'm... getting it handled. [She looks around the room for a way to escape the conversation. Jason is... meaning-well but still awkward. Around her. She wishes they could just fight. Hitting people is... easier than talking.]

Good. Let me know if there are any problems.

[He doubts anything will come up but best to make it known at least]

Also, can we talk after we're done with our shift? Just you and me.

[After talking with Steph and mulling over some things, Jason wants to clear the air now with Cass. He hasn't enjoyed the awkwardness that's bee hanging around them since their fight]

[Cass pauses. She... doesn't want to talk. Doesn't like talking.

But Steph must have talked to him. She said she would. And Cass doesn't want to... waste Steph's time. Her kindness.]

Sure.

Thanks.

[Jason walks away so they could both do their jobs for now. Externally he's calm but internally he's nervous about his talk with Cass backfiring again]

[Cass sticks around at the end of her shift. Waits for Jason by the door to his office.

She thinks she knows what this is about. That doesn't mean she's... looking forward to it.]

[Jason arrives shortly afterwards]

Hey. Thanks for waiting.

[He's still a little nervous as he unlocks the door and walks inside. But he knows he shouldn't delay this talk any longer]

[She shrugs in response. He asked. He's... trying to be nice. She may not like it, but she can see it. She won't be cruel for no reason.

She sees his nerves. Doesn't comment. At least she knows neither of them want to be here.

Cass leans against his desk and waits for him to speak.]

[Jason shuts the door but leaves it unlocked. It's an easy escape if either of them want to storm out. He then takes a deep breath and exhales before diving right into why he wanted to talk to Cass]

I'm sorry for making you feel like I wanted to use you like a weapon. That wasn't what I was trying to do. But even though it was an accident, your feelings got hurt and that wasn't right. I talked with Steph and she gave me a better understanding of why I upset you.

For a moment I thought talking with you was like fighting with Bruce again. That's my fault for getting angry at you like that.

[There. Straight to the point and hopefully with no ambiguity anywhere. For all his family issues, he'd rather get along with his alternative universe siblings than not. He still doesn't agree with Cass in regards to killing, but he'd rather not hurt her feelings again if he can help it. They were getting along so well before. It was... nice. And Jason would like to have more of that]

[Cass takes a moment to watch. To listen. To... hear and see what he's saying. He means it. That's he's sorry. He's still... angry-hurt. But that's at Bruce. Not at Cass.]

Thank you.

[She means it. The apology is. Good. It doesn't change what happened. But Jason wants to do better. She will give the chance to try.

But...]

I want to... clear-ify... something. I chose Batman. Because I believe in what he does. But my opinions-- my beliefs-- they're not his. They're mine.

[Batman never had to tell her. Never had to... teach her. Not about what being a Bat means. How a Bat acts.

She and Bruce. Their pain is not the same. But they're... familiar. Similar. There's a... understanding.

Jason doesn't have that. Not with her. Not with Bruce. But he and Cass share a different pain. A different understanding. One of... loss. Loss of self. Being left behind. And death.]

[Jason listens patiently and without any anger or resentment. He's trying to respect what she has to say. He hasn't forgotten how difficult it can be for her to speak]

No one made you do anything, not even him. What you do will line up what he does but that doesn't mean you're not your own person.

[She nods. Yes, that's what she's trying to say.]

You... want to do good. Want to help people. I respect that. Even if I don't agree with... your methods.

[Understatement. But they're having a calm talk. He knows how she feels. At least, some of it.]

Yeah. I know my methods are extreme and that most people wouldn't even agree with them. But it's not like I'm doing this for shits and giggles either.

[His voice is still calm and he still doesn't regret his choices. He's only stating things in a matter-of-fact tone]

[No one does, she wants to say. But if they talk about it they'll get angry-hurt all over again. She doesn't want that. But she can't dismiss it. She can't say it doesn't matter. It does. It matters more than anything else.

She wants to-- to-- argue. Not, not argue, fight. Because her body has always been able to say what words can't. But Jason wouldn't understand. Wouldn't... hear.

Cassandra looks away. Clenches her fists. Forcefully releases the tension in her body.]

Okay.

[Words are always harder when she feels the need to move.]

[Jason can't read body language as well as Cass but he knows enough to sense she wants to say more but can't. Be it because she doesn't know the right words or she wants to avoid another fight, she's holding back. Jason thinks he understands. It's a delicate situation they're in. He doesn't want to fight her again either]

And... I'm glad you met Bruce. From what it sounds like, it was really good for both of you that. Bruce has always been terrible about letting other people help him.

[Jason is still angry at Bruce for so many things. He'll probably stay angry at him for the rest of his life. But Jason knows he can't invalidate everyone else's experiences with him either.]

[Cassandra nods. She agrees. Her life was better after Batman. It gave her... purpose.

Jason's anger is always-there. It's more-there when anyone talks about Bruce. She doesn't understand it all. Jason's anger. But she sees it.

She is always-angry too.]

Are we... good?

Yeah, I think so. I just want things to be okay with us again so... thanks.

[There's still a bit of awkward tension on Jason's end. He's not going to change the way he works as the Red Hood anytime soon but he could at least do better with his siblings somehow]

[OPEN] Leave that old record spinning~

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