DAY 006

[inflori]

( Hey. )

[ Petre is unusually quiet when he reaches out to the station as a whole. All the fellow hosts, awake or currently resting, get a pressing nudge that won't relent until he has their attention. ]

( Is anybody's powers changing, sorta? Like. In a way that you don't even know they are. )

[ There's reluctance to show any true uncertainty in his voice. Misato told him that wanting everyone to think you were a threat was only a sign of your weakness... or something like that. All he knows is that this feels like showing vulnerability. He doesn't like it, but he's more curious than proud right now. ]

( ... I keep changing whenever I look in the mirror. )

Comments

[inflori]

( Humans, most of the time. But I eat hamburgers too. )

[batmotif]

(And are you inclined to eat any of the humans here?)

[He's pretty sure if that was a recent development, it would have literally have reverberated through the Nest. Still, not exactly the most reassuring thing to tell a man like Bruce.]

(The answer had better be no, or else you can see how that might be an issue.)

[inflori]

( You just had to threaten me, didn't you. )

[ If only he could see Petre rolling his eyes. like he could do anything about it. ]

[batmotif]

(It wasn't a threat, it was simple fact.)

[Which was basically, in a way, its own threat, in a way that means Bruce would attempt to do something about it, if at all possible. Still, he radiates more caution than actual hostility.]

(I don't know you, and therefore don't know your inclinations. But I prefer to err on the side of caution. Especially if you're having difficulties controlling yourself now.)

[inflori]

( And I don't know you.

Besides, you'd know if I wasn't controlling that part. Not that I'm scared of you, just for you. )

[ Bark bark. ]

[batmotif]

[Bruce was going to say that control is akin to having a line of figurative dominoes placed neatly in the head -- one falls over, and the whole thing threatens to topple. It's usually just a matter of time.

But- wow, defensive much?]

(If you say so.) [Not impressed.] (I didn't start this conversation for the sake of intimidation. Keep your hackles down.)

[inflori]

( Then don't freak out on me. )

[ Super defensive, as brats often are. ]

( What can you do? )

[batmotif]

(I don't do "freaking out".)

[He'll have to deal with a lot of "brats" in his time. Such is the life of Bruce Wayne.]

(Are you referring to my symbiote, or in general?) [Is he being judged now?]

[inflori]

( The symbiote. )

[batmotif]

(I've never tried using it. I prefer to rely on the set of skills I brought with me, rather than something forced into my head.)

[Which reveals two things: 1) This is a very overly cautious and distrusting man and 2) he still doesn't know yet. He wants very little to do with the thing; the fact that he's gotten used to utilizing it for "speaking" like this is nothing short of a miracle.]

[inflori]

( So here I am, talking about how hard it's getting to control mine, and you're just waiting for yours to surprise-bite you in the ass? )

[batmotif]

(If you think I'm not bracing myself for something terrible, or at the very least, inconvenient, you're wrong.

It's not like I can do anything about it until something actually decides to trigger it. A problem to deal with when it arrives.)

[inflori]

( What're you gonna do about it, then? )

[batmotif]

(That depends on what it ends up being, doesn't it? Either way, it all loops back around to the issue of control. Seems to be a trend among the Nest that it's something we all need to work on.)

[inflori]

( Yeah. I guess.

Still think it's gonna bite you in the ass, though. )