Bold New World #2
====GCPD- Rooftop====
*Ah, good ol' Gordon. Still hanging around on rooftops for us. A normal guy probably would've quit, but not Jim. Good cops are in short supply back home. He hastily stuffs his pipe in his pocket- I'm pretty sure he still thinks we think he's quit, and turns around to meet me*
Gordon- You know, you aren't who I was expecting to see tonight.
Dick- Sorry to disappoint Commissioner
Gordon- Not at all. Honestly I'm quite glad you're here. It's about Julian Day.
*I smirk*
Dick- Calendar Man? The guy with exploding birthday candles and green beers that permanently dye your face?
Gordon- The very same. He wasn't always like that though. Anyway, there was an incident at Arkham.
*Ah. *Of* course there was. I mean the Blüdhaven scene isn't exactly crime free, but at least they don't have riots every other Tuesday*
Gordon- Strange tried covering it up, but as it turns out he's been supplying Day with these pills. Or rather he *was*. Stopped a week or two ago. That's why I'm glad it's you and not your..? ... Don't answer that, I don't need to know.
Dick- Why me then?
...
Gordon- These pills... It's diaxamyne. It's what they give my son.
*Suddenly things don't seem so funny. I know James Jr, and if Calendar Man is anything like him, when he runs out of pills we're in serious trouble*
====City Hall====
*After I got out of Arkham a month ago, I've had some difficulty adjusting. I miss being mayor, I miss people admiring me and respecting me and so on. It was pretty great for a while, signing papers and baking cake while people cheered my name. It's why I kept putting the tights on. I loved being somebody. Coming here just makes it that much more real- knowing I'll never get to sit in that delightful spinny chair ever again*
Sally- Mr Walker!
Drury- Just Drury please Sally. I'm here for my meeting with... The meeting with the mayor.
Sally- I'll buzz her now. (on speaker) Mayor Grange? Your 2:15's here.
Grange- I'll be there in a minute Sally.
Sally- Oh, these are yours by the way.
*Sally goes under the table and passes me a box of my old stuff- things like pictures of my family, drawings Cammy did and so on. I smile. I always smile*
Drury- Thank you. So. How is she? The new mayor I mean.
Sally- Oh, she's not too bad. Like she doesn't have a cake day or anything like you used to have, but yknow. She's nice.
Drury- That's... That's good to hear. I'm glad she's treating you well.
*A couple of men walk past, they're wearing blue uniforms and body armour*
Drury- Sally? Who are those guys?
Sally- Oh they're the security force the government's employed. A group of mercenaries. Task Force... STRYKER, maybe? No relation to that Metropolis prison.
Drury- Huh. Good to know...
*The door swings open and there's my replacement. I'm reminded that I promised Miranda I'd play nice*
Grange- Mr Walker, I'll have you in here.
*So that's the new mayor. I recognise the bags under her eyes, I'm more than familiar with that. She puts on a half hearted smile, and beckons me into her office. Sally mouths a cheery "good luck" as the door closes behind me. The office is near unrecognisable. The wall is a striped white and pale blue pattern, and there's a shelf of trophies to one side*
Drury- You've redecorated.
Grange- Yes, I wasn't really a fan of the floral pattern myself. Coffee?
Drury- I prefer tea thank you
*She gives me an indignant stare*
Drury- ... Coffee would be lovely thank you.
*It's weird sitting on the other side of this desk for once. She passes me a cup and I sip my coffee quietly- I wouldn't have minded some sugar, but I don't want to upset her. This is going to be hard*
Grange- You wanted to talk Mr Walker?
Drury- Call me Drury. Please. So, yeah. I know that there's nothing I can say that'll change your mind about Arkham City. It's not like it's not needed- the Asylum really is fucked- uh, ineffective. But I'm hoping you learn from Hill's mistakes. I've seen his plans and well...
Grange- Go on.
Drury- Now I know this probably breaks a few laws, but, I'd like you to consider amnesty, on behalf of the C-list community. We're talking about a fully functional town populated by the worst of the worst, and the Misfits, that's what we call each other- I think it's endearing... they aren't that. They're good people. Most of them that is. Like half of them haven't gone as far as to commit murder. Ahem. I- Look. I'm just asking you to consider going easy on them. From one mayor to another
*There's a silence. I think she might want to punch me? I hate it when they do that*
Grange- We're not the Gestapo Mr Walker-
Drury- Please, it's Drury.
Grange- We're not just going to start rounding up people and throwing them in internment camps.
Drury- And I didn't mean that-
*Is it too late to change the subject? Perhaps we can bond over our love of chairs*
Grange- I'm just trying to keep Gotham safe.
*Oh.*
Drury- I get that.
Grange- You have kids, don't you ...Drury...? I know I've seen photos of them.
Drury- Yes ma'am. Three boys, one girl.
Grange- Then you understand the necessity for Arkham City, not as a mayor, or a criminal, but as a father and husband.
Drury- I do.
*My phone buzzes. It's Gar*
Drury- Sorry, I-
Grange- No, I understand. Listen, I don't want to arrest people without just cause. I've inherited a difficult position after all. I'll... I'll see what I can do.
Drury- Thank you.
*Long may she reign I mutter, then I leave, answering my phone*
Drury- Gar! I'm glad to hear from you, how's- Wait, what?
Bold New World #2
====GCPD- Rooftop====
*Ah, good ol' Gordon. Still hanging around on rooftops for us. A normal guy probably would've quit, but not Jim. Good cops are in short supply back home. He hastily stuffs his pipe in his pocket- I'm pretty sure he still thinks we think he's quit, and turns around to meet me*
Gordon- You know, you aren't who I was expecting to see tonight.
Dick- Sorry to disappoint Commissioner
Gordon- Not at all. Honestly I'm quite glad you're here. It's about Julian Day.
*I smirk*
Dick- Calendar Man? The guy with exploding birthday candles and green beers that permanently dye your face?
Gordon- The very same. He wasn't always like that though. Anyway, there was an incident at Arkham.
*Ah. *Of* course there was. I mean the Blüdhaven scene isn't exactly crime free, but at least they don't have riots every other Tuesday*
Gordon- Strange tried covering it up, but as it turns out he's been supplying Day with these pills. Or rather he *was*. Stopped a week or two ago. That's why I'm glad it's you and not your..? ... Don't answer that, I don't need to know.
Dick- Why me then?
...
Gordon- These pills... It's diaxamyne. It's what they give my son.
*Suddenly things don't seem so funny. I know James Jr, and if Calendar Man is anything like him, when he runs out of pills we're in serious trouble*
====City Hall====
*After I got out of Arkham a month ago, I've had some difficulty adjusting. I miss being mayor, I miss people admiring me and respecting me and so on. It was pretty great for a while, signing papers and baking cake while people cheered my name. It's why I kept putting the tights on. I loved being somebody. Coming here just makes it that much more real- knowing I'll never get to sit in that delightful spinny chair ever again*
Sally- Mr Walker!
Drury- Just Drury please Sally. I'm here for my meeting with... The meeting with the mayor.
Sally- I'll buzz her now. (on speaker) Mayor Grange? Your 2:15's here.
Grange- I'll be there in a minute Sally.
Sally- Oh, these are yours by the way.
*Sally goes under the table and passes me a box of my old stuff- things like pictures of my family, drawings Cammy did and so on. I smile. I always smile*
Drury- Thank you. So. How is she? The new mayor I mean.
Sally- Oh, she's not too bad. Like she doesn't have a cake day or anything like you used to have, but yknow. She's nice.
Drury- That's... That's good to hear. I'm glad she's treating you well.
*A couple of men walk past, they're wearing blue uniforms and body armour*
Drury- Sally? Who are those guys?
Sally- Oh they're the security force the government's employed. A group of mercenaries. Task Force... STRYKER, maybe? No relation to that Metropolis prison.
Drury- Huh. Good to know...
*The door swings open and there's my replacement. I'm reminded that I promised Miranda I'd play nice*
Grange- Mr Walker, I'll have you in here.
*So that's the new mayor. I recognise the bags under her eyes, I'm more than familiar with that. She puts on a half hearted smile, and beckons me into her office. Sally mouths a cheery "good luck" as the door closes behind me. The office is near unrecognisable. The wall is a striped white and pale blue pattern, and there's a shelf of trophies to one side*
Drury- You've redecorated.
Grange- Yes, I wasn't really a fan of the floral pattern myself. Coffee?
Drury- I prefer tea thank you
*She gives me an indignant stare*
Drury- ... Coffee would be lovely thank you.
*It's weird sitting on the other side of this desk for once. She passes me a cup and I sip my coffee quietly- I wouldn't have minded some sugar, but I don't want to upset her. This is going to be hard*
Grange- You wanted to talk Mr Walker?
Drury- Call me Drury. Please. So, yeah. I know that there's nothing I can say that'll change your mind about Arkham City. It's not like it's not needed- the Asylum really is fucked- uh, ineffective. But I'm hoping you learn from Hill's mistakes. I've seen his plans and well...
Grange- Go on.
Drury- Now I know this probably breaks a few laws, but, I'd like you to consider amnesty, on behalf of the C-list community. We're talking about a fully functional town populated by the worst of the worst, and the Misfits, that's what we call each other- I think it's endearing... they aren't that. They're good people. Most of them that is. Like half of them haven't gone as far as to commit murder. Ahem. I- Look. I'm just asking you to consider going easy on them. From one mayor to another
*There's a silence. I think she might want to punch me? I hate it when they do that*
Grange- We're not the Gestapo Mr Walker-
Drury- Please, it's Drury.
Grange- We're not just going to start rounding up people and throwing them in internment camps.
Drury- And I didn't mean that-
*Is it too late to change the subject? Perhaps we can bond over our love of chairs*
Grange- I'm just trying to keep Gotham safe.
*Oh.*
Drury- I get that.
Grange- You have kids, don't you ...Drury...? I know I've seen photos of them.
Drury- Yes ma'am. Three boys, one girl.
Grange- Then you understand the necessity for Arkham City, not as a mayor, or a criminal, but as a father and husband.
Drury- I do.
*My phone buzzes. It's Gar*
Drury- Sorry, I-
Grange- No, I understand. Listen, I don't want to arrest people without just cause. I've inherited a difficult position after all. I'll... I'll see what I can do.
Drury- Thank you.
*Long may she reign I mutter, then I leave, answering my phone*
Drury- Gar! I'm glad to hear from you, how's- Wait, what?