Otherworld Lullaby

[sahoni]

Characters: Ghostdance, Robin
Setting: Streets, abandoned building
Previous Threads: Wet highway blues
teen-titans-go-guild.proboards.com/thread/2579/wet-highway-blues?page=1&scrollTo=14114
Plot Summary: Lang (Ghostance) decides to explore Jump. But when Robin wants to find out a bit more about the mysterious newcomer, Lang decides to give him a firsthand demonstration of his average day. The two confronting the violent ghost of a rock star.

[sahoni]

Lang slept longer than he meant to. He hated that. He hated being late for anything. Lang was the type of guy who would rather be there an hour early for the party and help set up than be five minutes late. He didn't know whether to blame his his own road-weariness or the fact this was the first time he slept in a real proper bed for months.

Sky and stone, part of him just wanted to go back to that bed with it's soft pillows and warm covers. Just forget about waking up to remember you were never technically human to begin with. He wanted to pretend all those monster, magic, and myths were just things on his bookshelf. He wanted to pretend the past few months had all been a really happened and he was still that straight(ish)-A student on the path to college still. It'd be so easy.

"But it wouldn't be right." he muttered out loud to his reflection in the mirror. as his copper skinned-hand ran over his smooth skin, feeling over the occasional red scratch, making the tattooed flesh of his arm twitch. The cuts on his body from his last "case" were starting to heal now. As much as he wanted to lie and tell himself this was someone else's job, that there were real superheroes with training and mentors that could do this, if he hadn't been there those scratches would have happened to someone else. Someone who couldn't heal like he did.

Lang splashed his face with water and went back to his morning routine. Brush his teeth, take a shower, normally he hated eating breakfast, but there was real actual food here. He couldn't pass that up. There was also a place to do laundry that didn't require pocket change so he too advantage while he could too. He didn't wanna stay here in this...bunker too long. He didn't wanna feel in anymore debt to them than he already did.

Lang tossed his mp3 player, a midnight blue gadget with protective magical symbols etched onto it's back, a preventative measure to keep the sensitive electronic from braking on him. Electronics just didn't seem to like him sometimes. But his mp3 player was like an old friend, while other stuff just tended to fail around him, the music device automatically jumped to something with heavy guitar and thumping drumline that got him ready for the day. Lang tossed on a black t-shirt and jeans, It wasn't much, but he didn't really expect any big trouble on his first day in a new city.

But he still had his backpack, just in case. That'd be enough.

[Silv]

Robin was there when Lang opened the door to leave the room. The Boy Wonder wasn't exactly an imposing figure. Anyone opening the door and staring at eye level probably wouldn't have seen anything without looking down, though, the scent of hair gel probably marked his presence better than his soundless feet. His posture was relaxed, and his expression was neutral, even if his sudden appearance was markedly Batman-like. Whether he had just arrived, or had been creeping in the doorway for awhile, was something the world would never know.

"Hey," the Titan leader greeted. "I'm Robin."

He'd yet to meet anyone who didn't already know that, but sometimes introductions were the polite thing to do. "Cyborg told me you were here. Thought I'd come meet you myself," Robin said, his expression tipping towards a friendly grin. His teammate had told him about the hitchhiker he'd picked up, and the Titan leader had no problem with using the space for whoever needed it short-term, but Cyborg's mention of Lang's magical knowledge had caught the other teen's attention. "Cy said you know a lot about magic," Robin said, one side of his mask tipping up as though in question, as he studied the other teenager. "Any good at it?"

TAG: sahoni

[sahoni]

Lang gave one last bag check. "Hoodie, chalk, communicator..." he began listing, peaking into the bean up backpack. Finding it to his satisfaction he slung it onto his backpack. It felt so much light than the night before. It was, but still, it felt lighter than it should. Lang clipped the sunglasses lenses to his square framed glasses and made his way to the front door.

He didn't try leaving the way he came in. Without a car he had little reason to bother with the garage. One of these days I should get a bike. An old motorcycle with one of those travel packs like grandpa use to have. Lang thought to himself. Certainly would help the whole having to hitchhike thing. I'll just need to learn to ride one. That and get the money for one. He thought glumly. Good luck on that.

But he ruminated on motorbikes and pleasant fantasies he was surprised to find someone else standing in his way. The figure was short. Not that Lang was a towering giant himself, and carried himself with a confidence that struck Lang as weird for being in that much spandex. He recognized him as Robin before the introduction. Partner of Batman, leader of the Titans, he's seen his face enough on the news between reports of tragedies and feel good fluff stories about animals. He figured that after the events of last night it'd only be natural that Cyborg told the other Titans. He just didn't expect this speedy of a response.


"Did he now?" Lang said, trying to give nothing away on his face as he flicked down the sunglass lenses. Part of him felt a swell of pride at the fact he was described as knowledgeable, but he made sure to not give that away either. "I'm okay at what I do." Lang said after a moment of consideration. I'm not dead yet. So that's something.

"I'm about to explore the city for myself. Figure out where everything is. If you want to see what it is I do you can follow." Lang said with a shrug. "I don't promise anything exciting, but I'd be up to answering some questions at least. I won't answer them if I don't want to. Deal?"

[Silv]

"Sounds fair," the Boy Wonder agreed easily. Robin couldn't complain about the straightforward answer and gave a curt nod in response as he shifted to the side so that Lang could pass him. If there was any Titan who could respect secrets it would be the one who kept the most. He fell into step besides the taller boy. "Anything in particular you're looking for?" Robin asked with a guarded sort of curiosity. He knew Jump well. All of the Titans knew their city well, but Robin had a deeper understanding of it. This wasn't his first city.

TAG: sahoni

[sahoni]

Lang raised his eyebrow. That wasn't the sort of answer he expected from someone like Robin. Truth be told he wasn't sure what kind of answer from Robin. Everything he knew about the Boy Wonder was little better than hear-say. Stuff he saw on the news, magazines, or just plain rumors. He just imagined someone trained by Batman might be a bit more...stern.

"Cool." Lang said, stepping out into the midday sunlight. The scent of fresh rain on pavement permeated the air still, even it Lang was pretty sure it stopped raining sometime in the early morning last night, but the city still felt washed out. Rolling up the sleeves of his open flannel shirt, the bottoms of his tattoos were barely visible. as he slid into a big stretch.



"Like I said, I'm mostly just looking around." Lang said, sliding into a lopping hunched gait, hand shoved into his pockets. "This is my first day in Jump so I might as well figure out where everything is. Groceries, local sights, libraries, places to make money." Lang explained. "Stuff like that." he said, eyes following the fluttering bouncing flight of a sparrow as it took off from a telephone pole above him. "I'll find what I need if I wander a bit. Always do. I have faith in that." he said, voice trailing off.

"But you had questions, right? I assume you're here for more than to play welcome committee. You want to see how much about me you can figure out. Am I right?" 


ooc: Sorry this is so short! I couldn't think of much to say!

[Silv]

Robin looked amused. "I can show you where the libraries and the grocery stores are," he offered, "We've tried every single pizza place in Jump, too. So, if you like pizza..." the Boy Wonder trailed off still grinning. Being a superhero didn't leave too much time for cooking (but enough time to get monogrammed oven mitts apparently) and his team helped keep a lot of the pizza places open and running through their business.

He didn't really need Lang's reminder that this was business first and social second. Robin studied the other teen curiously for a moment. A lot of people didn't even know when he was interrogating them conversationally.  He'd done some preliminary research when Cyorg had mentioned their guest to him, but it hadn't come up with anything interesting.  He didn't have much to work off. The grin faded. "Yeah," the Boy Wonder agreed with a nod. "You're right. So, what brings you to Jump City?"

Ooc: 

Hahaha, you're fine~ I only gave you a paragraph. It's not short. xD
Also, I feel like this is one of those threads that is basically an interview.
So, the posts will vary wildly in length depending on the questions.

TAG: sahoni

[sahoni]

Lang slowed his pace, waiting until Robin fell into step beside him. "Sorry. That was rude, wasn't it?" he offered a small toothy grin that read certain unsureness about his position, his hand sweeping his hair behind one ear. "It's just, if I was in your position that's what I would do." Lang tried to explain. "I mean here you are, Robin, the "boy-wonder". You're a disciple of Batman and leader of the Titans. Those are kinda big deal things and you have no powers to rely on as far as I'm aware." Lang spoke his words at a methodical pace, like he had a million thoughts he was shifting through for the right words or nothing at all because he just finished with a deep meditation. It was impossible to tell. "It stands to reason you're probably a pretty smart guy by most folks standards." he elaborated, sizing up the Titan from behind the dark lenses of his sunglasses. "Skills are nice, but when an opponent can literally put you through a wall and you have no way of stopping that, you ain't gonna last long unless you fight smart, you know?"

Lang had certainly been in his share of fights. There have been a lot more fights lately. His body healed too fast these days for them to leave too many physical scars. But that didn't stop him from seeing some of the stuff he live through when he closed his eyes.

"But then there's me." Lang pointed to himself with a small jerk of his thumb, words coming a bit quicker now. "Some weirdo that showed up on a stretch of forest road last night. Turns out to be able to tell fortunes and has eyes that turn yellow sometimes. I'm an oddity. An unknown variable. You want to make sure I'm not a threat. I get it."

"Don't worry. I'm not here to stir up trouble. I'm just here to do my job." The scruffy teen assured. "I just have a tendency to end up at the right place at the right time. I dunno how long I'm gonna be here though so any help is appreciated."

"Speakin' of..." He began, flicking his shades up and giving Robin a good look of his brown eyes, a predatory lupine amber roiling out of the center the the thunderhead of a massive storm. The color thickening to a golden yellow, piercing and intense.

[Silv]

Robin didn't look particularly thrilled by the "disciple of Batman" comment, but he couldn't deny that it was mostly true. He also wasn't sure whether to be flattered or offended by Lang's observations. His masked eyes narrowed at the other teenager as he tried to follow what Lang wasn't telling him. Okay, so this guy had powers. Probably more than they had initially assumed after Cyborg had met him and relayed the information to Robin. Powers didn't mean much, though, if you didn't use them right.

The last time they'd taken in someone who's eyes would turn yellow she had betrayed them and become Slade's apprentice. Robin studied Lang warily, offput by this similarity, and the ease with which he dodged questions like a politician. The Boy Wonder wasn't sure what Lang was "speaking of": trouble, his job, or needing Robin's help. His masked gaze scanned the nearby area, but found nothing seemed to be amiss.

"What?" the Titan leader asked, his shoulders stiffening, as his voice became less friendly. "What's your job?"

TAG: sahoni

[sahoni]

When Lang opened his eyes to the sight, he always felt a rush of understanding that bordered on overwhelming and even at times, paralyzing. The sudden rush of information that filled swirled around him in for form or auras, psychic scars and imprints, spirits, and the flow of magic itself was astounding. He perceived it all in brilliant Technicolor. He could still tell what was really there and what was not. The visions were insubstantial, like those pictures where your brain filled in the missing part of the image and overlaid on top like ghostly visions.

Lang cast his gaze over Robin, eyes looking over him in a new lens. Inside, where his heart would be burned a fire. He assumed it was a fire. It burned too orderly. It's tongues dancing in a rhythmic and structured manner like a well rehearsed dance team. He could barely make out the source of the flame itself, a crumpled banner of some kind bright colors tattered but unburnt. A bird made of blue and black laid over his head, ethereal even for half-formed visions with wings that arched over his shoulders, giving it the appearance of an observant grotesque. At first glance he thought it might have been a robin, but it was sharper, raptor like. It's sharp eyes focused back on him with a critical gaze. All of it lit under a bright light that left long shadows, like the ones you got under a stage light. Lang wasn't sure, but he could swear the shadow was in the shape of a bat.

People's auras were always mysterious, puzzles of personal symbolism, some of which might be forgotten or not even relevant to them yet. More times than not you could only make out bits and pieces of what it all meant. Sometimes it changed.

"Woo boy. Now that's a complicated question." Lang said through a solemn expression, flicking back down his sunglasses with a finger. Lang sat on that question, sucking on it like a cough drop as he thought about how to answer that. "I guess you could say I'm supposed to be some sort of magic cop. Something supernatural is in danger, I'm there to protect them and make it right. Most supernatural folk can and do handle their own, but when they step out of line, when they are the ones making the danger. That's where I'm supposed to come in. I'm...supposed to resolve it, using any means I find appropriate."

Lang ruffled his hands through his hair "So uh, about those food places, huh?"

[Silv]

Robin studied Lang while Lang studied him. He didn't glean quite the same level of information, though. Except, perhaps, the hint that the other boy wasn't totally into haircuts. Not that Robin could really talk about that. But he could totally recommend hair gel brands.

The explanation was simple enough, despite it taking awhile for the other teen to put it into words. Protecting people, helping people, that was something that the Titan leader could understand. Even if the people Lang had sworn to protect were more specific than the Titan's anybody in trouble motto. "You're like us," Robin decided with a grin, "a hero. Let me know if you need our help, or want to use any of our resources while you're here," the Titan leader offered, "we'll be more than willing to help. The supernatural people are just as much citizens of Jump as the regular ones."

But the Boy Wonder could also understand that this could be an awkward topic. His grin turned slightly lopsided in amusement. "Sure, what kind of food? We have just about everything."

TAG: sahoni

[sahoni]

Lang felt surprised by that answer. In his experience people weren't usually as accepting of people and things that were different than them. Sometime people got scared. Sometimes they got angry. And sometimes people got hurt because of that. There was a reason a lot of supernatural folk kept themselves hidden.

"I dunno if you could call me a hero." Lang said, trying to hide a blush in his cheek. "It's my duty. I couldn't turn my back on this if I tried." Lang said giving another small laugh. "Besides, I have abilities and an opportunity to help people when they really need it. What kind of man would I be if I turned my back on that?" Lang said, leaving the question hang between him.

"But yeah, thanks. Any aid would be welcomed. I've been on the road, not really a lot of chances to build up that stuff for myself. I carry everything I own on my back. So it's mostly just my laptop, a pocket knife, and a couple books." Lang said, carefully omitting the other things like "basic spell supplies" or "Dowsing pendulum." that made their home in his bag.

"Groceries and anything cheap but good." Lang specified. "And anything open late. I get really hungry sometimes."


(ooc: After a bit of fleshing out and maybe another question on your end, I'll get this plot rolling)

[Silv]

Even though Lang didn't seem to be of the opinion that he was describing a hero, that was exactly how Robin would describe one: anybody with the means, and the heart, to make the world a better place. The Boy Wonder gave a quick nod in understanding as Lang described how he'd been working. It was similar to the detached way Robin had been for awhile after he'd left Batman, but before he found the Titans.

"I know all the late night places," Robin reassured as his grin turned slightly lopsided. "Crime never sleeps, after all." He shrugged his bony shoulders in an almost bird-like manner. "Slice of Italy is open until 3am. If we're fighting an early-morning sort of villain Grounds for Thought is open all night and has double shot espresso," he informed Lang in a manner that made it pretty clear they frequented these locations at odd hours. "How long have you been doing this? Being a Supernatural hero, I mean."

TAG: sahoni

[sahoni]

"Those sound nice." Lang said, bending over to pick up a piece of litter of the ground and tossing into so some city municipal recycling bin. "I'm not much for coffee myself. Too bitter. I like the smell though and as long they have tea or italian sodas I should be fine. Yah ever had one of those? Syrup, ice, carbonated water, and whipped cream. Pretty great." He wasn't much of a city person, but the availability of options were nice, he had to admit.


He had been in so many places since he first changed. Cities along the east and west cost and all those small corners of America in between. But long had it been since he first felt the call of the wild crackle deep in his bones? How long had it been since that stupid party he never wanted to go to in the first place. How long had it been since he fought off that man with those dead hungry eyes. It felt like it'd been years with how tired he felt somedays, but he knew it couldn't have been more than a few months. Truth be told, he didn't even know what day it was without looking it up. "I think about nine months. Might be ten." Lang said, voice a bit soft, tinged with regret. "But that's like life of a stray, right?" Lang trying to cover it up with a small laugh.

Lang turned his head towards a tall boarded up boarded up building, side stepping to look at it while he walked. "What the heck was this place?" He asked, more of a rhetorical statement than anything else. The building itself had no visible signage And painted lettering Lang could spot had long since flaked away. Never the less he couldn't shake the feeling he had seen this place before somewhere. Darn if he could figure out from where. Heavy aura hung from the air like cheap cigarette smoke. Faded emotion of good times and sorrows drowned long since past. But something deeply sad still made it's home there, clinging tight.

"You wanted to see what I do right?" Lang stood on his toes, looking to make sure no one was looking before sliding into the alley between buildings. Due to a bright green dumpster he was unviewable by the street, but he wanted to move quickly. "We'll you're gonna get a hands on demonstration." Lang declared, bringing his kneed up to his chest before striking out with a perfect and polished front kick, busting the door inwards and breaking the wet rotting boards off their nails. "You coming?"

[Silv]

The Boy Wonder nodded when Lang admitted he didn't like coffee and preferred tea. That was another thing he had in common with Raven, on top of magical knowledge, and the Titan leader had a good feeling that Lang would fit in just fine. "Not for a long time," he replied to the question about Italian soda with a nod. Maybe they could find a place that had them. Explaining new earth food and beverages to Starfire was always entertaining.

Robin stared up at the building the boy he was with had brought attention to. He'd probably seen the building dozens of times and never given it much thought. His masked eyes stayed blank as he tried to remember if this had ever been more than an old forgotten building. It was a good thing Lang's question was rhetorical, because the best the Boy Wonder managed was shaking his head. He had no idea.

Lang was moving, sneaking around like he thought they might get caught, and the Boy Wonder raised one masked brow in confusion. Was this how supernatural heroes operated? Sneaking around like thieves? Not that Robin could really talk considering that was exactly how his own mentor operated. He followed Lang around the dumpster, his masked eyes narrowing uncertainly as he watched the other boy kick open the door.

Breaking and entering might not have been very heroic but Bruce wasn't here to lecture him. The Boy Wonder hesitated perhaps a second before following after Lang. It was gross in the old building, but the boy who often went through Jump's (surprisingly roomy) sewers had no real right to complain. He pulled a light from his belt, clicking it on as he paused by Lang, and illuminated the musty space around them better than the boarded up windows managed.

OoC: Maaaan, sahoni , now I want an Italian soda. xD