twenty-five. video. backdated to late last night.

[goryteller]

[The feed is filled with the sound of heavy breathing. Then choked laughter. Then the video snaps on.]

I'm so fucking bored today, City. What should I do?

[Something has snapped quite palpably in the man who was playing with shadow puppets only days before. The feed is focused on his face, on his manic eyes and disheveled hair. He's rocking on a chair that isn't meant to rock.]

I know. I know what I'll do. I'll kill someone!

[He stops rocking. Drums his fingers on the bottom of the seat.]

Maybe I'll blow up a hospital, show that off. Maybe I'll kidnap a bunch of other fucking imports, tie them to chairs, torture them, and broadcast their sorry, knife-ridden bodies to the network. Maybe I'll shoot a child in cold blood, you little bastard. [He affects, quite accurately, Ladd's accent.] Torture with spells. Slash throats. Decapitate. Trick people into solving madlibs and then beat them to death with sticks. Kidnap people weaker than me and cut into their heads ahah-ha--

[His breaths dissolve into something like the beginning of tears hitch hitch hitch and then spits into laughter instead. He drags his hands over his face. His voice is a frail whisper:]

Oh my God. You monsters.

Comments

video;

[phobic]

Delightful.

And I say this as a man who's had the singular privilege of witnessing numerous breakdowns.

video; encrypted

[maskurbates]

Isn't it? I'd forgotten he and Bernard were so close.

video; encrypted

[phobic]

[damn he has actually turned on a TV for this and Roman can hear it in the background]

Certainly whoever did it wanted to send a message to Riddler - that message, so bold - anything else would be bonus collateral. Most imPorts don't have an excess of family to grieve, sadly.

video; encrypted

[maskurbates]

It was a last minute plan, I admit, but I did the best I could under the time constraints.

video; encrypted

[phobic]

Ha! It was you?

What happened? In gruesome detail, if you please.

video; encrypted

[maskurbates]

Nygma sent me a singing telegram in a Catwoman costume. I just sent him a response.

[a beat and he sounds slightly disappointed]

All it took was one punch and Bernard spilled the beans. He fainted when he saw the drill.

video; encrypted

[phobic]

[scoffs] Proving he could find you if he wanted? Or did he want the pawn out of the way? [a pause] ...a thought occurs.

video; encrypted

[maskurbates]

The former, if I had to guess. He was fairly offended when I sent him a holiday card in December.

Go on.

video; encrypted

[phobic]

You are a wicked man.

[and he's totally fine with that]

Based purely on my observations, a man like Edward Nygma will have a great deal of trouble working under his potential. His mind's like a rat, it needs to undergo the occasional thegosis for his own sake. He's not being challenged right now--how could he be?

Much as tipping him over would serve your interests, Roman, I think a part of him may want it.

video; encrypted

[maskurbates]

[he rubs his chin.]

I think the trouble is that he's not living up to his full potential to begin with. Going from the Riddler to Deputy Mayor?

[he scoffs]

What do you propose?

video; encrypted

[phobic]

I won't pretend to know what joy he draws from public service. Prestige, perhaps. [evidently Jon does not appreciate political power.]

Target the little troll child. Eridan. And expect him to retaliate with considerable force--he skipped to public threats immediately when I asked after the boy. There's something there.

video; encrypted

[maskurbates]

[he snickers]

Last month he warned me not to speak to Ampora. He finds the kid's preoccupation with torture distressing.

video; encrypted

[phobic]

You work quickly.

How does the child feel about you?

video; encrypted

[maskurbates]

He's been annoying me since the day I arrived. The least I could do is return the favor.

[a contemplative pause.]

It's hard to say. He seems a little impressed, but not enough to sway him from whatever misguided loyalties to Nygma he has. He threatened me when I suggested Nygma should be brutalized to determine if he's an alien.

[another beat]

I think you could work the psychological angle easily with him.

video; encrypted

[phobic]

Ahh. Violent, lonely, more than likely alternating low self esteem and intense self aggrandizement, drawn to loud and confident personalities.

It would be difficult, if not impossible, to pry him permanently from Nygma, but.... mm. That depends on your endgame. It may not be necessary to win him completely.

video; encrypted

[maskurbates]

Excellent. I only need Nygma off my back. As much as it would please me to break him completely, someone else has already staked a claim in that.

video; encrypted

[phobic]

...Who?

video;

[goryteller]

[He swallows a laugh and rubs at his nose, eyes averted.]

And how m-m-many of those did you cause, Doctor?

video;

[phobic]

Need new material for your next short story?

video;

[goryteller]

I don't need inspiration from the likes of you!

video;

[phobic]

No. It's inside you already. You're just not brave enough to let it out.

video;

[goryteller]

N-No, I--

[A pause.Then, a hushed yell:]

I have my own inspiration from my own personal demons and I wield it so much better than you could even hope to wield yours.

video;

[phobic]

[disconnected]

[ comment not here ]

[futurebatwoman]

[ wow, it's like every gotham villain in this post is just conspiring to give everyone a massive headache and make everything even worse. but it's not like that's the norm for them, right? ]

[ comment not here ]

[phobic]

[perfectly normal behavior.]