fourth leap | from a tablet in no way traceable to that other kid Robin's

[pixieboots]

[ Dick’s sitting in a nondescript corner of what’s probably the cafeteria, facing the screen at a front and center angle that could almost pass for a little rehearsed. He’s tired and drawn, posture curled in and oddly small. He has a hand in his hair, awkward and unsettled. If he's been practicing this, it's not showing much. ]

I, um. Hey.

I just wanted to say I’m turning myself in now. As one of the guys who brought down the systems and took over the base. [ Specificity is important. His eyes aren't on the tablet anymore, but he's still speaking. ]

-Which I know I could’ve done couple of days ago. But I didn’t because I thought maybe... [ a faint, rushed breath out. ] –maybe I could still fix it. And maybe it’d just be easier if I didn’t say anything. [ For the people in jail. And the people on the outside. ]

...But it wouldn’t be. That would just be me letting somebody else take the whole rap for something a lot of people already know I had a hand in. And then not speaking up is on them too. So it has to be this way. [ He’s thinking about you, Kate. 8( ]

...Anyway. That’s just the good news. Just- I wanted to do the right thing. Not just now, but then too. And I still believe in all the same things I did before, which is... [ he has to say it, he can’t let it go. ] –yeah, they’re real people. I know they are. But when it comes to fighting their own war they’re just getting people killed.

But what- what I did about it wasn’t okay. Guys like me, we- [ It's a little specific, that word. ] -we have to follow the law even when we don’t like what it says. When we start to let the system go, that’s when everything falls apart. That’s when people get hurt. And that- I know me knowing that now doesn’t change what happened, but... [ It’s a thought that trails off unfinished. ]

But whatever the other guys get, that’s what needs to happen to me too. [ the word "mutineer" is pretty noticeably pissing. And there’s a belated moment where he stops, halfway out of his folded up pose. He’s not in a position to make demands, he knows that. But- ]

...The one condition is that you don’t get a package deal out of this. You just get me.

[Barely five minutes later, there's an addendum to this post, coming from the same tablet but in audio, and the voice is very much not Dick Grayson's.

Steph's tone is sharp, but steady:]

I want you all to know that this will be discussed with Rosyln, but no one is to even think about laying a hand on him. The same goes for any accusations or harsh words you might wanna start throwing around, regardless of what he claims to have done. From this point on he is under my supervision and protection, and he won't be harmed.

[She might have been against the mutiny, but she doesn't trust the people on "her" side either, not when so many of them were howling for blood.]

Don't test me.

Hey, I didn't!-

[The feed cuts again. Replies by Dick probably delayed ICly! ]

Comments

private text within like maybe a minute tops of this going up

[boughtabookstore]

Get him somewhere safe immediately.

private text; from Steph's tablet

[controlledvariable]

already done

[text; private]

[pixieboots]

i'll be ok.

what do you want me to do now ?

text;

[totallytrustworthy]

[ DICK WHAT ARE YOU DOING]

he wasn't one of ours

someone manage this before it gets out of hand would you christ

text; batcryptions

[pixieboots]

i'm trying to help

text;

[controlledvariable]

i think it would be best if you didn't say anything

text;

[boughtabookstore]

I'm coming to talk to you.

video

[onblackwings]

[ puzzled, yes... but mostly amused. child, you are so dramatic. ]

Who would want you?

[ she means that well. sort of. honest. ]

voice; private; steph would probably take the tablet again if he videoed her room 8(

[pixieboots]

I'm going to the police. They don't want me, I'm just-

[ and wow does he not feel like explaining it again. ]

...I'm telling them what happened. Go watch the video again.

[Text]

[angel_of_death]

[His response is simple, unadorned. The kid is probably the first of the lot he can manage a tiny, minuscule shred of respect for.

--No, really, it's microscopic. But at least the kid has more guts than anything Walter has seen from the boy's comrades.]

Accepted.

[Text]

[pixieboots]

thanks.

not here

[gevurah]

[ She's proud of him, but this might have been overdoing it. ]

not here

[controlledvariable]

[kate help]

AUDIO.

[badnewsboy]

This is exactly what you're not supposed to do!

[can you hear the sound of his hands on his face?]

AUDIO; private

[pixieboots]

I know what I'm doing. I made a mistake.

text.

[motherofnemesis]

what the hell dick you weren't involved

[ so mad she can't private right now this is the worst ]

thanks for keeping him safe steph

[ if she were a little less focused on being terrified for Dick this would be where she added 'funny how you care about all of those death threats when they're directed at someone you care about'. ]

text.

[controlledvariable]

[She cares about the other death threats

But she didn't want to publically step in front of them until now.]

i'm doing what i can

Voice

[hellosailor]

[He's clearly directing the question the Steph when his voice comes online]

And who are you to decide something like that? It "will be discussed"? Last I checked we weren't allowing vigilante justice, what makes you think you get to decide what happens to him? None of the rest of them have been proven guilty, either.

And if the nice police lady has said that they're all safe in her little jail wouldn't that be the safest place for him?

voice

[controlledvariable]

I'm his sister.

[There's no hesitation in it; even if they're not related by blood, he's family.]

I don't get to decide, what I'm trying to do is let people know that this will be handled officially, with Rosyln, so that vigilante justice isn't necessary.

[Despite, you know, being Batgirl.]

I'm not sure where Roslyn stands on locking up children.

video

[highhealplz]

[ welp, looks like everyone else has got the "that was really stupid" angle covered, so... ]

That's brave.

private; voice

[controlledvariable]

Please don't encourage him.

[She sounds so tired.]

[voice]

[highfrequency]

...Dick......

[His voice has the tired note of a worried parent]

[voice; private]

[pixieboots]

[ that's... that's not good... ]

...Are you-

You're okay, right?

Audio;

[of_the_lake]

Well, now. [Somehow, he recognized this voice.]

You're considerably more ambitious than I took you for.

Audio; private

[pixieboots]

...Me?

[ He knows that voice.

Oh no oh no he knows that voice, he knows it in the pixie boots and that means somehow he'd put it together. Somewhere he'd slipped up.

He works on keeping his voice steady, steady and even and just quizzical enough. ]

-Who are you again?

voice; private

[shotup]

Are you sure about this?

voice; private

[pixieboots]

...Yeah. I-

[ Roy. ;; ] I have to.

[ voice | Private to Steph ]

[oldsoldiersneverdie]

Get a hold of yourself - you're only making the situation worse.

private

[controlledvariable]

I've got a hold of myself, thank you.

[She thinks she's done the best she can under the circumstances, considering all she wants to do is shout at people and make a significant amount of threats.]

text;

[doubleoohbaby]

I don't remember you, kid.

not here (for now)

[controlledvariable]

[would everyone please stop "helping"]

video;

[bloodthirsts]

[He's so young.

That's her overwhelming thought. Seras finds herself in complete agreement with Steph's action at the end.]

Thank you for your honesty. No one's going to hurt you.

private voice

[controlledvariable]

[Oh hey it's the person she was just about to call.]

Can you make that guarantee on behalf of your friend?

[Walter is one of her primary concerns right now, especially after how badly he lost it at Saul.]

[video]

[legal_eagle]

[fuck
her
liiiife]

So, that makes me your lawyer. Hi; Sofiya Karimov. Pleasure.

private text

[controlledvariable]

can you please do this privately, sonya?

video;

[individualist]

There's nothing wrong with fighting for what you believe in.

[Although no points for giving yourself in.]

Though I suppose it all could have been handled better.

[There's the last minute add-on since he sees a lot of people around against what Dick has done.]

voice; private

[pixieboots]

You really think so? [ No one yet has said anything like that. ]

So what would've changed that?

video

[vaccination]

[Hello, this is Ellie squinting at her tablet, very much unamused.

You certainly... don't... look... familiar...]

video; private

[pixieboots]

[ He actually keeps it mostly together, expression blank with what could probably pass for a total lack of recognition. ] ...uh. Hey?

[eyecontact]

be safe

[pixieboots]

i have baby sitters now.

[ and there's that sinking sensation again. ]

are you ok?

voice;

[kneecaptain]

You're allowed to make mistakes, you know.

I mean, it ain't in the rules. But it's still allowed.

private

[controlledvariable]

thank you

[because the more people that tell Dick it isn't the end of the world, the more chances are he might listen.]