exsilium | 1st story. (voice.)

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1st story. (voice.)

( there's a bit of a pause before anyone speaks. when the voice does start, though, it's pretty low. flat, almost, like the speaker is tired, and her voice sounds pretty rough and husky-- and distinctly australian. she sounds decidedly... detached from what's just happened, considering it's her first entry. )

I remember, once when I was a kid. One of the shearers bought a kangaroo to the farm – not alive, though. It was roadkill. I couldn't tell you if... he hit it, or if he just found it. I don't know if that matters.

Anyway, he brings this dead 'roo over in the back of his ute, and hauls the thing off his trailer. I'm surprised he got it on there, to be honest. He and my dad, they took it over to one of the sheds and started butchering it. It was already dead, but they still went through all the steps they use for lamb or cattle if we're gonna be using them for food. Slice the throat, first. They took the whole thing apart, until there was just this... steaming carcass, and then they froze the meat for dog food, buried the guts so that the foxes couldn't get at them.

That's a bit what I feel like right now. Like I'm a carcass that someone picked up and dropped off here. It doesn't matter if I was alive or not when they found me. ( She laughs a bit, but it's a bitter sound. ) I'm here now, aren't I? Either I've gone bush crazy and I'll be dead soon, or I'm already dead. This Initiative bullshit is just-- Jesus.

( A sigh, and a long silence. )

My name's Ellie. Ellie Linton. I don't know if names mean much to the dead, but that's it.

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Hold up.

( Somehow her frown has become more frowny. ) Different versions? Different versions of Earth?

( She was not entirely sold on time travel, and that is just... ) That's-- what the Hell does that even mean? That isn't possible. That's some kind of, I dunno, some weird sci-fi bullshit when they want to change some stupid plot hole that makes no sense! That isn't real life!

[Steph lets Ellie have her little freak out, then carefully nods.]

Where I come from, it's not entirely unheard of. [She hasn't made a secret about coming from Gotham, so she won't bother making a secret of coming from a world with superheroes and weird science shit. There are so many Transports that she doubts anyone will make a connection between Batgirl and Stephanie Brown.] I'm not much for science, so I couldn't explain how it all works, but there are multiple versions of Earth that exist in mutiple universes. Travel between them is usually difficult, so I'm guessing whatever the Initiative has got is really high tech stuff.

( Steph has the patience of a saint, lbr

Ellie is just quiet, for a little while, rubbing her forehead as if in the hope it might make everything come together in a way resembling sense.

Shockingly, it does not. )

I'm really not much of a drinker, but this seems like one of those times when a bottle or five of scotch would be a really good idea.

[While the quiet stretches on, Steph finishes patching up Ellie's arms and gets up to toss the used wipes and bandage wrappers into the bin. At the comment, she diverts her path slightly to rummage in one of the kitchen cupboards, coming up with a bottle of vodka, holding it up for Ellie to see with a wry smirk.]

I do have this. For emergencies, which I think this might count as.

[Well.]

( Oh, dear. )

Last time I had anything to drink, I did some really stupid stuff.

( Namely a Kiwi guy. I mean, nothing. )

But now I am in an alternate version of Earth in the future, so... where are the glasses?

( their friendship is already the best friendship )

I'd bet you twenty bucks it doesn't top the stupid stuff I did.

[And it's been four years since she's had anything more than champagne as a toast, but Ellie looks like she could use the drink, and Steph won't let her do it alone. So.

She gets out two glasses, sets them on the table, then pours a shot into each, setting down the bottle so she can pick up her glass and hold it out for a toast]

To alternate versions of future Earth? [her tone could not be more dry.]

I'd bet you fifty it wouldn't top stupid stuff my mate Homer did.

( Although it sort of loses it's kick when Homer isn't there to be a dickhead or protest.

With a smirk - she couldn't pretend it's a smile - she takes up her glass. )

May they all be not-completely-shit.

( Mmm. Sweet, throat burning vodka. She is making the best face right now. )

I dunno, it's kinda hard to beat getting pregnant.

[Eyebrows up, in a sort of challenging way, though the way she says it could mean she's joking.

It will be a mystery forever.]

The Wild West wasn't too bad. [and she downs her shot without a flinch, because teen drinking is a serious issue.]

( Ellie looks up sharply. Without saying anything, but there's definitely a you serious? scrawled across her face with a dash of judgment in there as well.

But she could be joking. Right?

Hmm. )

I bet the only reason Homer hasn't done that is because he hasn't got the equipment.

( Wary, cautious. And yet, when is she ever going to pass up a chance to bag out Homer? )

Yeah. Shooting at natives and taking their land, sounds like a great time.

( She has been guiltily reflecting on the nature of invasion a lot, welp. At least it makes reaching for the vodka and pouring them each another shot a bit more moody and dramatic. )

[It's the dash of judgement that tells Steph to play it off like she was joking, so she grins a little, shaking her head]

If he's tried despite that, it'd probably make a pretty interesting sight.

[The whole thing was never really a Big Deal, and occasinally she'll make throwaway comments about it, but now she's worried Ellie might be a jerk about it, and she doesn't want to deal with that.

So: she takes that second shot of vodka]

Fortunately we didn't have to participate in that, we were just swaying a vote.

[Not that she helped with the vote, either, but she would have purposefully fucked shit up if the Initiative had asked them to help fight against Native Americans.]

If he tried breeding at all I'd fear for the world.

( He's a great leader when the fan gets hit, but the chauvinism, the ego, the way he behaves when your lives aren't critically endangered? The world did not need baby Homers running about.

Despite Ellie's kneejerk reaction to judge, realistically, with some time to let it filter through her head, she'd not be a jerk. One day... one very distant day. Her pride forbids her from letting herself fall behind in the drinking, but at least this time she braces herself for the burn. )

Hope the people getting voted for deserved it.

( Perhaps her total loss of faith in adults and people running things is just a wee bit apparent. ) How often do you have to do stuff like that, anyway?

I'll have to take your word for it.

[Since she doesn't know any Homers, but she does file the name away in case it ever shows up on the network. The way Ellie talks about him might be a little mean, but it reminds Steph of how she'd pick on Tim, so she doubts it's actually mean spirited.]

So do I, not that I actually cast a vote. [Fuck yo' Initiative.] Seems like things have been a little busier later, I think 'cause of the United Earth, but I know of people who'd been here a few months without having been on a mission.

[So the answer is "I don't know" basically. Steph hasn't been in the city long enough to make a proper guess.]

Being about to take someone's word about him is a real blessing. ( SHE MISSES HER SMELLY STUPID HAIRY LOSER FRIEND. I mean, nothing. Huff. )

Huh. I guess nothing actually likes to be too predictable? It's familiar, at least.

( A little eye roll, but at least there's a vague hint of a smile there, as well. ) I always though time travel was meant to really screw things up. Like in those sci-fi movies? Never a good idea, there's always unexpected outcomes. How do they know they're even getting what they want by doing all this?

( Not that she actually expects Steph to have the answer for that one. )

[She's not really sure what to say about Ellie's friend, so Steph just smiles for the comment and figures it can be left there. (It might be a little selfishly motivated, in that she doesn't want to think about the friends she's left behind).]

I guess it's different when you trying to screw things up. Or the Initiative have no idea what the fuck they're doing and are just hoping anything they can change will make it better than how things are right now.

[That all came out in a bit of a angry huff, and Steph promptly looks a bit sheepish, glancing at the bottle of vodka.]

I'm gonna make myself a sandwich. [Let's not drink on an empty stomach] You want one?

( The angry huff hardly registers on the Ellie scale of things to look sheepish about. She almost prefers it when people can get fired up and angry. Shows they aren't robots, or at least that they care. If you get angry, then it means you got enough fire to live. That said, she really didn't like it when the people on the other side of things had that fire. It made her odds of getting out alive that much worse when everyone is scared for their lives.

On a lighter note: ) I never turn down free food.

( Not any more, at least. Maybe once upon a time. ) You aren't vegetarian or anything, are you? ( Because MEAT. )

Our next toast'll be to the Initiative getting their heads outta their arses.

A girl after my own heart. [Steph can definitely understand that, although in some cases she can be suspicious of free food, and gets antsy if she interprets the offer of it as charity.]

And no, definitely not vegetarian. I think there's some chicken and salad if that sounds good for a sandwich?

[She's standing as she talks, heading into the kitchen proper to start making said sandwiches.]

I think we might need a crowbar if we ever want that to actually happen.

Mm. Hey, but did you ever wonder with that-- the "after my own heart" thing-- did it ever make you think of those old fairy tales and stuff? People stealing hearts or demanding hearts and stuff getting cut out and... I don't know, put on a mantelpiece of something. Like those creepy queens in stories?

( She mulls that over for a second. ) I just mean it could actually be a bad thing, if someone was after your own heart. Not that I am. I'm happy with a sandwich, but there's enough weird stuff going on around here that a few people have gotta gone troppo.

( However, she is apparently pleased with the prospect of such a sandwich, tagging along after Steph and... hovering. In the hopes of being useful but without actually saying anything. Actually, she starts opening drawers to look for a knife or something to be helpful but quickly realises she is just getting in the way. )

Maybe some explosives would work.

[That's... really morbid, Ellie, and she can't help thinking of the Black Lanterns coming to take people's hearts. None of them came for her specifically, but she heard about Tim and the corpses of his parents.

She manages to keep her expression neutral, her tone light.]

I can't say I've ever put that much thought into it, kinda figure it's "after" as in "takes after", not "is after". [And she's just - going to put a chopping board, a knife and a tomato in front of Ellie to give her something to do while Steph assembles the rest of the sandwices]

I'm not sure about anyone having gone troppo, but I think the Initiative lock people up if they make too much of a nuisance, and I think people going after hearts would count as that.

So, yeah, explosives are probably a good idea.

( ISN'T SHE JUST DELIGHTFUL.

Just as well Steph has a good pokerface, or things could've gone a bit pear-shaped. ) Well, yeah, but language is weird. It'd be really bad if you were referring to a serial killer and no one realised because of an assumption about the words.

( Oh, good. Ellie almost gleefully sets into slicing tomatoes. And hey, this is a good knife. She's tempted to pocket it, but since Steph has been more than accommodating, she'll resist the urge to hoard her kitchen goods as weaponry. )

We can hope. ( Hmm. ) Get me some farmyard supplies and I can whip something right up for you.

I'll keep in mind to be clear about my meaning, if I'm ever discussing serial killers.

[Which happens more often than one might think, considering her line of work.

Once the tomatoes are done, she puts the slices on the sandwich, adds a sort of mayonnaise thing (it's a little more peppery than actual mayonnaise, but Steph isn't sure what it's called), then puts each completed sandwich on a plate, handing one to Ellie.]

I'm not sure how easy it'd be to get farmyard supplies, but there are other ways to make explosives.

[She's - serious there. It's something she's been considering, since she can't expect her supply of batarangs to last forever. The Initiative do allow them access to weaponry, but she should learn to be self-sufficient.]

( It could be bright pink mayonnaise with sparkles, for all the rats arses that Ellie gives - it's food and it's fresh, rather than scraps of this and that and freeze dried leftovers that the Kiwis had left with them. Suffice to say, she's taking an inelegantly huge mouthful while Steph talks, which only proves problematic because Ellie so loves the sound of her own voice.

Just give her a moment, if you will. )

What does a clinic volunteer know about making explosives?

[Steph is glad she decided to give Ellie something to eat, if the girl is that hungry. She wonders if she should give her a protein shake or something too, but that can wait for a bit.]

Daddy dearest was a crook. [a shrug, like it isn't a big deal.] I picked up a few things from him and his friends.

Oh.

( Well, that feels a bit awkward. Her shoulders are tensed up as she suddenly takes an immense interest in studying her sandwich before taking another bite. This one isn't quite so giant, doesn't need to be swallowed almost whole to allow her to talk. Baby steps, and all that. )

Was as in "he was a crook and now he isn't" or "he was a crooke when he was alive"?

( She's watching Steph with sharp interest, and sometimes wanting to know the facts gets in the way of things like empathy. You like to think you get numb to stuff in the war, but it's not really the truth of it. )

Sorry.

[In constrast, Steph's posture stays carefully relaxed, watching Ellie subtley as she takes her own bite from the sandwich. She remembers how people would react, when they found out who her dad was, and she tries not to let it bother her too much.

The question - actually startles her a little, because she didn't realize she was still using past tense. It's been a month, since she found out he was actually alive, and she hasn't really - processed it.

It takes until after the apology for her to actually find an answer.]

It's fine, he's... in prison now. For a long time. Forever, hopefully.

[She hates that she can't be sure of that, while she's stuck here.]

Hell of a way to talk about your dad.

( On the one hand, maybe she can get it. A little. She couldn't say, because her mum and dad were good, hardworking people. The idea of either one of them being a crook was laughable, but then maybe a little while ago so had the idea of their little girl being a terrorist.

She's still studying Steph, trying to figure out exactly what her deal is. )

He sounds like a piece of work.

DONE also i sort of just want to shop Ellie's head onto The Hulk for all her rage

ELLIE SMASH

the role of Black Widow will be played by Steph in this movie

can she be thor she wants a giant hammer. also i'm not sorry for this tag.

something something CAN'T TOUCH THIS also never be sorry. this is perfect.

i like that hammer time is where you went with that

I may have considered making a "godshammertime" a Thor journal. But... new characters vs. lazy.

i'm disappointed tbh, that is the best usernmane for a thor

i spent the last day in penance for this failure. Or, more accurately, packing for moving

they are basically the same thing

so so true. also never fill a giant box with books and then try to carry it, you just feel useless

that is sound advice, i'll keep it in mind

i am an encyclopaedia of things that most people could have avoided with common sense. Alas.

take heart! you are serving future generations by allowing them to learn from your mistakes

my next lesson for future generations will be that moving is 100% excuse for ALL THE PIZZA

my future lesson should be "don't fuck up your html" that text was tiny i am sorry

it's okay, after i cried myself to sleep worked through the pain. It helped me grow as a person.

i'm glad i could be of service

nominating you for australian of the year tbh

wouldn't be the first time it's happened

when your competition is mostly spiders it's probably not hard

i lost to a huntsman last year

Is that better or worse than losing to a trapdoor?

worse, at least trapdoors are poisonous :c

I'd rather be beaten by a platypus. Poisonous AND adorable.