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Post by |0+u$ f@ɳԍ on Jan 4, 2015 0:34:36 GMT -5
"I need a gun first," Aleenya protested. "I can't rescue the princess without proper armaments."
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Post by |0+u$ f@ɳԍ on Jan 4, 2015 0:36:55 GMT -5
"fragdaggle," Crane snapped, and then told them where he was before hanging up. Ash was still chuckling. "At least he's reliant on us to ask for help."
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Post by |0+u$ f@ɳԍ on Jan 4, 2015 0:38:30 GMT -5
"Right," Aleenya said in a distinctly urgent voice, "but I need to get this knife out of my gun!" She started pulling on it futilely.
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Post by |0+u$ f@ɳԍ on Jan 4, 2015 0:40:11 GMT -5
Ash laughed and handed Aleenya her own gun. When they reached the area, Crane recognized the car, and dived in, quicker than either of them had ever seen him move. They raced back home, while discussing/whining about the fact of ninjas in Gotham.
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Post by |0+u$ f@ɳԍ on Jan 4, 2015 0:42:14 GMT -5
And then they were home.
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Post by |0+u$ f@ɳԍ on Jul 25, 2015 13:52:16 GMT -5
"Mom," Aleenya said when the door swung open. "I know we were going to meet tomorrow, but I have a favor to ask of you."
Allison studied her for a moment, brushed a few strands of hair out of her eyes. Aleenya half-expected her to start yelling. You want a favor from me? You do, after all you've done to us?
But no. Allison turned around and went inside. She led Aleenya to the living room.
"I don't understand how you can talk to me," Aleenya said once they were both sitting down, "after what I did to Allie."
"It's hard," her mom said, staring down at her hands. They were getting wrinkled, Aleenya noticed, just like her face. "But you will always be my daughter. And, well-- you said you're trying not to kill anyone. If I can help with that, it's worth it. So tell me. What's the favor?"
"You've heard about Commissioner Jaide?"
To Aleenya's delight, Allison's face darkened. "I've heard of her. Why?"
"She took our house, the one where Ash and I live. And, well-- a couple friends of Ash's, Izzy Tennant and Cate Hunter-- they were arrested a while ago, for helping us escape from Arkham. They had a trial and everything, and got off, and by all rights should be free now. But Jaide tried to arrest them the other day, and when they ran she shot them both in the leg." Aleenya paused, then said, "I know it's a lot to ask, but we'll be moving around the city, maybe fighting the cops, and it would be safest--"
"You want them to stay here."
"Only if you're okay with it," Aleenya said quickly. "Only if it's not too much to ask."
"Why even help them, Aleenya?"
Aleenya frowned at her mom, looked closer. Behind the lines on her face and the brown eyes there was a kind of hardness that hadn't been there when Aleenya was growing up. And her mother had never listened to her this well, either.
"Ash cares about them, and they've grown on me, a bit. I don't know. I just think they deserve as normal a life as they can get, at the moment. But it would be risky for you. Jaide might find out, and--"
"You've been changing lately," Allison said. "For the better. I'll do it. What do you say you bring them over today? I'm going to meet someone at a café soon-- actually, I should get going-- but bring them in about three hours and I'll be here."
"You're sure, mom?" Aleenya said in a quiet voice. "You're absolutely sure? It would be risky. And two more people in the house. You don't--"
"I watched the trial, Leenya," her mother said. "Or parts of it. They seemed nice enough."
Aleenya stared at her mom. "You-- what?"
"I was looking for you. Anyway, I have go to change, but I'll see you later today?"
"I-- yeah," Aleenya said. "Right. I'll see you later today."
She readjusted the wig on her head and made her way to the front door as her mom climbed upstairs.
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Post by |0+u$ f@ɳԍ on Sept 4, 2015 0:04:59 GMT -5
“Allison,” Cate said after dinner one night, “can I talk to you about something?” “Sure,” Allison said, with barely a glance at her. “Mind helping me with the dishes, first?” One thing Cate liked about Aleenya’s parents was the way they made her and Izzy feel at home. Asking them to do chores, letting them decorate their own rooms—all of it made Cate feel like this was an actual home, not just a hideout. And that was wonderful of them, it was kind, it was enough. She didn’t want to push it. But Allison could help. So she had to ask. She started off soaping up the pans and dishes in the sink, as Allison moved about, filling the dishwasher. They talked idly about dinner for a few minutes, and then Cate commented, “You spoke against Commissioner Jaide in an interview the other day.” “I did that,” Allison said, still not quite looking at Cate. She dried off a beautiful, expensive plate and disappeared off to the dining room to put it in the china cabinet. When she got back she continued, “What she’s doing is wrong. Not just annoying—it’s ruining this city, just as any criminal ever has. More than my daughter ever did.” Cate nodded slowly, thinking. She didn’t say anything else quite yet, just finished off the dishes. When the kitchen was clean Allison said, “Come up to my studio, will you?” Her studio, Aleenya’s old bedroom. She’d told Cate once that art had actually been a passion of hers all her life, it just took until the last few years for her to actually show it to anyone. Cate had only seen the room once, when she first got to the house. There was art everywhere: some hung on the walls, some piled messily on the floor. So much of it showed Allie and Aleenya. There was one particularly striking painting, still on the easel, that showed Aleenya holding a bloody knife. “You wanted to talk about something,” Allison said, sitting in one of the armchairs crammed into a corner. “Shoot.” “Are you going to continue to speak out against Jaide?” Cate asked. “I am,” Allison said. “You realize the risk of that, don’t you? She’s taking over the city, laws don’t apply to her anymore. It might not be the best idea—” “Cate,” Allison said gently, “I’ve been around much longer than you, remember that. I know what I’m risking.” Cate watched Allison closely, the roots of gray hair that were just beginning to show, the wrinkles on her face. She was older than she looked, older than she acted. And maybe she had been closed-minded and strict when Aleenya was growing up, but that was years ago. People change. “Would you be willing to announce, on the news, that Izzy and I are staying with you? To make the point that if we get killed—if we die for no apparent reason—it’s because our deaths are in Jaide’s interests. To make it sound like we’re the innocent friends of a criminal who got dragged into this whole thing, that Jaide just wants us dead. Say that if we die, it’s proof of her corruption.” She paused. “In a way I’m asking a lot. Like I said, opposing her is a risk.” Allison didn’t seem concerned about the risk. She only said, “What are you planning, Cate?” “Something,” Cate said. “Nothing. It doesn’t matter. I just need some kind of assurance that she will hesitate to kill me. Some kind of leverage.” “Does Izzy know about this?” Allison asked. “She knows what I’m asking you, yes. I asked her if she was okay with it, and she said yes.” “What game are you playing, Cate?” Allison asked. Cate laughed a little at that. “It’s not a game.” “I have an interview tomorrow, for my upcoming movie. I can turn the conversation to politics for just a little bit. I’ll do what I can. But be careful.” “Always am,” Cate said with a little smile. “Thank you, Allison. It means more than I can say.” With that, she got up and walked slowly out the door.
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Post by |0+u$ f@ɳԍ on Sept 13, 2015 15:50:44 GMT -5
At one point when Cate and Izzy were hanging out in their room, Cate turned to Izzy and said, "Can you do me a favor?"
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Post by lilylaughs007 on Sept 13, 2015 15:56:21 GMT -5
"It definitely depends on what it is," Izzy said skeptically.
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Post by |0+u$ f@ɳԍ on Sept 13, 2015 15:57:30 GMT -5
"Okay," Cate said. "So. Basically. I found out that the Joker is Scarlett Jaide's sister, and I'm going to blackmail her. Don't tell this to anyone because the Joker will brutally murder me. But if Jaide kills me or arrests me or something, I need you to tell all of Gotham somehow."
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Post by lilylaughs007 on Sept 13, 2015 16:00:05 GMT -5
Izzy was silent for a bit. "This sounds like a horrible idea that will get you killed and also me. In some horrible way, with no chance of our bodies ever being found. Also, how the fragdaggle am I supposed to do that?"
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Post by |0+u$ f@ɳԍ on Sept 13, 2015 16:02:13 GMT -5
"Um. Tell the famous actress we are currently living with and she can tell everyone? The whole point of you knowing this is that I have some leverage for Jaide to not murder me." Cate looked hopefully at Izzy. "I don't want to be murdered."
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Post by lilylaughs007 on Sept 13, 2015 16:06:15 GMT -5
"But then she'll kill me." Izzy could think of no solutions here. "We have no finesse, no connections that will help us hide while you're trying to negotiate with that nutcase...besides, what do you even want from her?"
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Post by |0+u$ f@ɳԍ on Sept 13, 2015 16:07:40 GMT -5
Cate waved a hand. "The more you know, the more it puts you in danger. Tell Allison Moss, she doesn't have announce her source."
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Post by lilylaughs007 on Sept 13, 2015 16:11:02 GMT -5
"But she will definitely know it's me, if it's you trying to get her to do stuff. Is there any way she can find me? Because if so, I'm out."
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