[network] @jwatson; text; Bite the Bullet [Night 250]

[jumpthegun]

[This is an incredibly embarrassing post to have to make, especially after the one he'd put out a few days earlier. Reading through those replies makes him want to curl up and hide from the world for people seeing what he'd been like straight out of the Army. The messages to his friends are a particular humiliation. But it is what it is and he has to deal with this now. Man up, Watson.]

I'd like to apologize to everyone for my attitude and behavior the last several days. My death price has ended and my memories have returned. I can't take back the things I said to any of you, but I'm really very sorry. I was in a bit of a bad place where I was set at.

For anyone who was asking me, I'm in the Entrance area with America, England, and Ginger.

I'm also sorry to report that the cause for Clint Barton's death was the Joker. He mortally wounded Clint, but I'm pretty sure Clint was able to escape the situation along with Harley Quinn. Clint was able to mortally wound the Joker, as well. I'm not sure where the Joker is right now, but please be on your absolute guard. He is well-armed and he'll have been healed up after his revival, even if he might still have severe MN Poisoning.


Action for Team Blonde
[Prior to sending out the message, John is rummaging around the new building they'd made it to for the night. He thinks he's getting the hang of this and he's relaxed a little more around his companions since they've not attacked him suddenly or stolen from him for several consecutive days.

He opens a cabinet in the kitchen and discovers a bottle of white wine, which is surprising, but not unwelcome when everything returns to him in a flash. It's like someone turning on the lights, full power when he's been completely in dark. It hurts.

John squeezes his eyes shut as the swirl of memories pours in, mixing, jumbling, resorting into the proper order and finally stopping when everything is settled. He's clutching his head, breathing hard. One memory in particular sticks out, though, the last one he'd had before dying...]

Fuck!

[Hope the rest of the house doesn't mind swearing.]

Comments

@Mnemosyne; voice

[bookofnope]

[Beckett clears his throat, and launches into his Dispassionate Academic voice:]

On Norfinbury Day 63, Handsome Jack was revealed to be keeping Angel, Rhys, and Dr. Clayton Epps imprisoned. On Day 65 Enoch and myself tracked him down, freed the captives, and transferred Jack to the custody of Captain Steve Rogers. Captain Rogers in turn took him to a planned 'town meeting', where his fate was to be decided; this meeting was besieged by anomalies, allowing Jack to escape. A group led by Captain Rogers again tracked him down and captured him, but he remained in Rogers' custody only briefly before all Norfinbury residents found themselves scattered across town seemingly at random. On Day 86 Jack killed Vriska Serket, who had given her consent; Rogers again attempted a manhunt on Day 88, but this yielded no results. Jack only ceased to be a threat following his so-far-final death.

On Day 115, Dr. Franken Stein performed a lobotomy on Rhys (I don't know what it is about Rhys that attracts these characters, honestly) and later fled. I chased him down with the help of Fiona, and we were able to kill him. However, Stein soon revived.

The Joker's first known act of violence was the murder of Dr. Gregory House circa Day 100. He was chased down and captured by Alphonse Elric, but was able to escape, also killing House. Later he would hold Luna captive, and was briefly incapacitated by America. Dr. Epps attempted to keep him away from the populace, but was killed circa Day 120 after which the Joker escaped into the ice tunnels and claimed to have hidden bombs in order to lure residents into a search and hunt. Both failed, though no bombs had ever existed. The Joker next had another altercation with Dr. House, who was able to escape by himself, and when Dr. John Watson attempted to apprehend him, proceeded to beat him and leave him for dead, this is Day 143 . He was then hunted down by a group led by Tony Stark and Natasha Romanov, who managed to wound but not kill him. Following a death he briefly revived with sanity intact and surrendered to Elric, who was again unable to hold him, and murdered Fiona circa Day 164. He was captured by Bruce Wayne, escaped and has gone free since Wayne's death on Day 180. None of his bouts of captivity lasted longer than a few days, and no one was ever able to kill him, certainly not permanently.

There have been a few other more minor cases of revenge-hunts and killings, however, at no point in Norfinbury's history has any hunt by an individual or group succeeded in permanently capturing, disabling, or killing the threat.

I bring you this record in the expectation that residents read and consider it carefully before making any decisions.

@Spoiler ; voice

[spoileralert]

I still vote somebody cut one of his legs off. Just sayin'.

[ AND SHE WILL KEEP SAYING UNTIL HER DREAMS COME TRUE ]

[jumpthegun]

Odds on, he'd just make himself a peg leg.

[spoileralert]

It'd still slow him down. And it would make me so happy.

[bookofnope]

For all we know he'd take someone else's leg. That'd be typical.

[spoileralert]

So we take another limb. That should be the rule, a limb for every crime.

[jumpthegun]

Ta! That wasn't at all condescending. [His tone is dry.]

But all of that aside, speaking as the bloke who was killed, I'd prefer no one go running after the Joker to murder him on my behalf.

[bookofnope]

I wasn't condescending to you. [Whether John decides to hunt down his own killer is his own business.] But thank you for the contribution, John, somehow I imagine your personal appeal would be more effective than my reasoned one.

[jumpthegun]

It may well do for the people most likely to actually go after him because of me or Clint.

[Like Mary or Sherlock.]

[bookofnope]

You think so endearingly well of your friends, John. Nonetheless, it's good to have you back.

[jumpthegun]

[John rolls his eyes, but lets that pass.]

Good to be back. Egg on my face and all.

@carcinoGeneticist; text

[quadrangle]

[What.]

OK THANK YOU FOR THE HUMAN BEDTIME STORY AND ALL BUT CAN YOU MAYBE EXPLAIN WHY THE FUCK VRISKA CONSENTED TO THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE.

voice

[bookofnope]

It was a gamble. Jack was attempting to force Winter into revealing information for us under threat that if she does not, he will murder others. Nothing came of it, but I can assure you that she consented.

text

[quadrangle]

[Goddammit, Vriska.]

OH, A GAMBLE WAS IT!! THANK YOU, THAT CLEARS UP EVERYTHING.
UGH I'M JUST AMAZED SHE DIDN'T HOLD OUT UNTIL DAY 88 FOR IT TOO, BUT WHATEVER.
SHE CAME BACK AFTER THAT, RIGHT? OR WAS THAT THE LAST ANYONE HEARD OF HER. I'D LOOK IT UP BUT YOU'RE HERE SO JUST TELL ME ALREADY.

[bookofnope]

She did, and was very disappointed in all of those who were outraged on her behalf. A remarkable young woman.

[quadrangle]

[Remarkable, he says. What the fuck is wrong with these people.]

HOW WELL DID YOU KNOW HER, EXACTLY?

@gravedigger; voice (cw: suicidal ideations)

[harlequinofhate]

"No one was ever able to kill him, certainly not permanently. "

Bah, as if I'd be so lucky.

voice; cw: suicidal ideations

[bookofnope]

I believe no one has yet tried the option of getting the culprit to kill himself.

voice; cw: suicidal ideations

[harlequinofhate]

If that worked Doc House would be gone by now.

voice; cw: suicidal ideations

[bookofnope]

Dr. House has never murdered anyone that I know of. Maybe that would count in your... favour?

voice; cw: suicidal ideations

[harlequinofhate]

He's a doctor, I'm sure he's whacked somebody.

@mewatson, voice, private

[agravating]

[Wisely, Mary chooses to respond in private. Her tone is equally dispassionate and relatively deadpan:] This certainly discourages me from planning to hurt the man who murdered my husband just for the sake of it, should I come across him.

voice, private

[bookofnope]

Oh, I'm not about to start pleading with you not to risk your life. I'm simply tired of watching history repeat itself.

[agravating]

I am not afraid for my life. That's of little consequence here. [She can take the Joker. She's sure of it.]

With little other justice system here, what other punishment is there if not townsfolk retaliating?

[bookofnope]

A better question is what's the point of a punishment that clearly achieves nothing. Unless you're in this for the pure fun of retaliation itself. [Which he supposes he can respect. It's an honest motivation.]