[Closed] Happy Deathday

[robintohood]

Who: Jason Todd robintohood and whoever has CR with him
What: Jason dealing with his deathday anniversary
When: December 20th to 21st
Where: Central City
Content Warnings: PG-13 level violence and mentions of self-harm and suicide ideation

[The closer it gets to December 21st, the less present Jason Todd the civilian is. It's harder to catch him at the Descendant during this month because he hasn't been there as often as he usually is. He's not spotted as often at other places either his favorite libraries or any bookstores. Meanwhile, there's an increase in Red Hood appearances.

At first, the crime lord is seemingly burying himself with his work and trying to regain what his gang lost last month. Plenty of fights with other gangs, muscling in on territory, dodging bullets from mobsters. The beatings he dishes out on goons seem to have intensified. But as December 21st creeps closer, even most of that work gradually gets less attention from him.

The beatings continue though with a change in what information Jason wants out of his victims.

In place of most of his crime lord work are solo recon missions. Lots of decrepit properties are checked. Unused fairgrounds, warehouses, and even empty properties that used to be toy stores get searched. Jason's always on the lookout for reports of gruesome crimes involving things like deadly laughing gas, frozen smiles, and clowns too. Jason knows the Joker loves gimmicks.

For all of Jason's vigilance though, there's not even a chuckle or any other hint of the mass murderer. The quietness feeds into how unsettled Jason feels. He’s expecting something to happen. That's how the Joker works sometimes. He’s a sick freak who likes to put his own twist on special occasions.

So Jason keeps searching around Central City. That's what he tells himself what he's doing. He has so much rage, fear, and other negative feelings he doesn't want to contemplate. Once he finally kills the Joker he’ll finally feel at peace.

It’s either December 20th or it's December 21st when one might spot the Red Hood in Central City.

He could be zooming all over the streets on his motorcycle. He could be curbstomping and bludgeoning someone with a tire iron outside of a dive. He might be lurking on a dark rooftop overlooking the city, or staking out a waterfront warehouse.

Whatever the case is, he’s clearly in an extremely foul mood]

((OOC: My contact information is on this journal's profile and I'm in the game's Discord server. Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns as well. I also have a feedback post.))

Comments

[robintohood]

[The steps sound too deliberate to be just a rat scurrying around. Night vision isn’t giving him a better read so he switches to thermal vision on his helmet as he keeps approaching. That’ll at least tell him if what he’s dealing with is human or human-ish]

[purplexing]

[Nope, not a rat. Donnie's goggles cycle through energy signatures, signals and electronic equipment, although anything that comes up on those readouts would still indicate he's dealing with someone sentient by the time he does briefly switch to infrared.

On Jason's end, infrared results are...kind of weird, really. It's not nearly as clear a reading as one would get from a human, with perhaps only the barest signs of something at all registering. Cold-blooded mutants, funny things.

Uuuugh what do, what do... Whoever it is is coming towards him and it's a good ways getting back to the window Donnie had come through. He switches back to night vision as the figure nears the corner, thumbing the switch on his weapon to extend it, just in case. He never thought it was that loud a sound, but in this instance even the subtle whisper of metal against metal is hard to ignore.]

[robintohood]

[Oh… He’s seen readings like these before from one other time]

Looking for a new shell or something?

[purplexing]

[It takes him a second to place the voice. An exasperated sigh sounds out in the darkness before Donnie unfolds and steps around the corner, still holding his staff.]

I'm not sure whether to be relieved or annoyed. [Mostly the former, but he still can't help but sound a bit dry.] Hey, what brings you to this dump?

[robintohood]

Trying to look for someone. Why are you here?

[For now he’s a little relieved it’s not something worse but he’ll have to resume his search soon]

[purplexing]

[Donnie shoves his goggles up, glancing around. Looking for someone isn't really strange in itself.]

Looking for an empty place to use. This one might be too big though.

[robintohood]

You’re looking for a workshop space?

[Jesus, all that anxiety just now for nothing]

[purplexing]

[Think of it as good exercise to keep on one's toes! -Donnie hates it.]

Kind of, yeah.

Can't really do a whole lot of stuff in an apartment.

[And he's not going to just tell everyone he does most of his tinkering in the sewer.]

[robintohood]

What kind of work are you planning? More lasers?

[The battle shell was pretty impressive when he saw it]

[purplexing]

Not everything I do is lasers, believe it or not.

[But his battle shell is, thanks for noticing. The staff's new too, not the usual wood. He's fallen back on some old practices ever since magic-nullification proved to be a thing.]

[robintohood]

Heh. I figured. This place doesn’t even seem to have power.

[Jason starts looking for an exit. It’s clear now no one’s around and there’s nothing here that has what Jason’s looking for]

[purplexing]

That can always be remedied, depending on the look of things, but I wouldn't want to put in the effort for something like this. Who're you looking for?

[Donnie points back the way he came. The window opening he'd come through is wide enough that Jason can probably slip out without a problem.]

[robintohood]

[Grimly]

A mass murderer from my world. He calls himself the Joker.

[Might as well put out some kind of warning if he’s going to keep searching for him]

[purplexing]

-you mean that guy that was dressed as you during the whole...Fantastic and Shining God thing?

[Donnie remembers the face...and the warning Red Hood gave back then. It hadn't sounded like the guy was still around, but he supposes he can't blame Red Hood for being vigilant about the possibility of otherwise. Kind of strange to be doing so now, though.]

[robintohood]

[Darkly]

Yeah. He might be popping up again so I’m not taking my chances by just waiting.

[purplexing]

Fair. Although what makes you so sure?

[robintohood]

Something happened that’s related to him. December is the anniversary of that and the bastard likes his celebrations.

[That’s far as Jason’s willing to go in regards to details about himself and this month]

[purplexing]

[It's enough of an explanation at last. Donnie grimaces. What rotten timing. December's supposed to be a pleasant month. If chilly. He really should wear a jacket or something when he goes out.]

Well that stinks. Sorry to hear it. I'll be sure to keep an eye out for any weird clown activity.

[robintohood]

Thanks. He’s dangerous so be careful if he’s nearby. I hope you got a gas mask in that shell of yours.

[purplexing]

Noted. I've got more than a few tricks up my figurative sleeves.

[robintohood]

[Darkly]

Can never have enough when it comes to him.

[Jason sees the window and walks towards it]

What other spots have you already checked?

[purplexing]

[Someone's sure in a cryptic mood. Donnie shivers, pausing a moment before he resumes following Jason towards the partially unboarded window.]

Couple of places about a block or two east of here. Is...this not a great neighborhood to check out? Not that Central has a great track record to begin with, but I figure you'd have a better idea of things.

[robintohood]

[Jason makes a mental note of those locations. If Donnie hasn’t found anything about them then it’s unlikely Jason will find otherwise]

There’s plenty of spaces for you to pick at.

[Jason then gives the addresses of several warehouses he’s already checked out and confirmed are clean of clowns]

Maybe those will work for you.

[purplexing]

[Donnie brings up his holocomputer with a swipe over his left forearm, bringing up a map, the addresses in question seemingly marking themselves as he zooms out to figure out their relative distance from where his current position is. He nods, giving a spin of his tech-bō before collapsing it, though he keeps it in hand.]

Cool, thanks. I'll check those out.

[robintohood]

Tell your brother to watch out for the Joker too.

[Jason’s picked up that Leo’s a big enough hothead that he might pick a fight instead]