Tweak

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Tweak says, "I hate my tonsils!"

Dinah Lance (pretty_canary) wrote in we_coexist,
@ 2012-07-21 11:39:00

Entry tags:

jack napier, worlds collide

The Joke's On You (Joker, Kitty)
After the tremors, Dinah found herself in... a city? She looked around at the buildings, even recognizing some. Others, however, were completely out of place. Where was she?

It wasn't Gotham or Metropolis or any other city she knew about, even if she did see Fieri brothers on the corner.

Dinah did a double take as the aroma of home-made Italian food wafted toward her.

"I have to be dreaming," she told herself.

All the same, just in case she wasn't dreaming, she moved closer to the restaurant. Her mouth was watering at the idea of eating pasta again. Hell, at this point she would take any food that wasn't postapocalyptic food. If chocolate and wine were added to the mix, she might just have to conclude that she'd died and ended up in some sort of Heaven.

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	pretty_canary 2012-07-22 02:19 am UTC (link)
	Dinah blinked. There was something vaguely familiar about that voice and face, but she couldn't place him, nor did she particularly know what the deal was with the rudeness. "Excuse me? I think you've got me confused with someone else." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	i_jest 2012-07-22 05:02 am UTC (link)
	"I don't." Jack smiled. "You're Dinah Lance. But since you've got different hair, you could be a different girl." He thought about things for a moment, and his insides warmed up with glee. "We're good friends here. My name is Alex. I work in your flower shop." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	pretty_canary 2012-07-22 12:53 pm UTC (link)
	Dinah frowned. "Well, I'm not the same Dinah as the Dinah from here. Like you said, the hair." While she did prefer her blonde, she didn't think the brown hair was that bad. Her eyes did light up for just a bit at yet another reason to be envious of her double. "My shop is here?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

i_jest
2012-07-25 01:43 am UTC (link)

Jack nodded. He didn't really care where she was from, or if she didn't belong here, or anything else that might have come along with the statements she was making. He cared that she was Dinah, and that she was so wonderfully within his grasp at the moment.

"Yes indeedy!" He smiled brightly. "Now, it might be hard for us to find, since everything here moves, but all you've gotta do is be determined to get there, and it'll happen."

He took her hand in the most loving and familiar way that he could imagine, and began to tug her along.

"I bet that you've got some of that special hair gel hidden in the back somewhere. Or even upstairs, since you live there. We could get you all back to normal."

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pretty_canary
2012-07-25 03:11 am UTC (link)

Dinah blinked in surprise as the strange man took her hand, but she didn't fight it. Right now she was just feeling lost and finding her shop sounded really appealing.

"It's going to take a whole lot more than 'hair gel' to get me back to 'normal,'" she said. "Besides, if I'm not staying there's really no point in visiting a salon. It'll grow out soon enough."

All the same, visiting a salon and getting back to blonde sure as hell sounded tempting. Getting back to some semblance of normal after all of the crazy she'd been through over the past few months sounded good to her.

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i_jest
2012-07-25 09:32 pm UTC (link)

"We'll work on it." Jack promised. "Don't you want to at least have a day where you don't have to worry about it and pamper yourself? We don't even have to go anywhere. You have me dye your hair all the time."

Inside, he was giggling. Inside, he was plotting. Inside, he was absolutely seething with glee and enjoying every minute of the farce. He had Dinah in his grip now - literally - and she was just trudging along with him. He could have kissed her. But of course, that would have given away the game.

"I wonder if that means the other you is gone forever." Jack pouted. "Or do you think there's two of you?"

Two. Two pretty birds. He could lock them in a cage and make them sing for him.

Or not sing, given what her voice could do. He wondered if they would survive with their voiceboxes cut out.

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pretty_canary
2012-07-26 08:27 pm UTC (link)

Dinah frowned, not sure what to think about the idea of the doubles. She certainly didn't want to edge out the other Dinah-particularly since it seemed like the other, blonder (and apparently prettier according to Alex) version of her had found a life here. She didn't want to be the one responsible for taking that away from.... herself.

"So you work in my shop, but you also do hair?" Dinah asked for clarification.

He wasn't exactly the stereotypical person she would imagine for either of those professions. Something was off, but she still couldn't put her finger on the what. All the same, if he did do her hair, well... it'd be really nice to actually pamper herself for a day. After being in die Festung and the wreckage around it for so long, she really missed some of the things that were regular parts of her old life-like ordering carry-out, wine, being blonde, having a working phone.

Of course, she missed the people more and she had the sinking feeling that this place would no more hold Barbara, Helena, Zinda, Ted, or anyone else than the place she'd just come from.

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i_jest
2012-07-27 01:27 am UTC (link)

"Both were kind of on accident." Jack shrugged, dragging Dinah along in the direction of the shop. "We had a city wide incident here where everyone was confined to the asylum. After, you were the only person who would hire me. Even when everyone else is in there too, when you're an average guy, being in a crazyhouse doesn't look well on a resume.

"The hair dye thing started because you didn't have time to run to a salon, but needed it done. It didn't quite go as well as either of us wanted. I didn't destroy your hair, but you were a bit blonder for a little while."

The lies were just rolling off of his tongue. Meanwhile, Jack thought of the many things he could do to the pretty bird once in the silence of her apartment.

"But practice makes perfect, and every once in a while I touch you up when you're busy." He laughed a little. "I guess I should stop saying you and say something like her?"

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pretty_canary
2012-07-28 02:35 am UTC (link)

Dinah looked the man over more suspiciously. The mention of Arkham sent shivers down her spine.

"Everyone was confined to Arkham?"

She had a hard time picturing that, nor did she understand why people would refuse to hire someone if the 'incident' that confined everyone to Arkham was common knowledge.

"And it's better to say her. I'm afraid we're not as similar as you might think."

After all, everything that had happened to her over the past few months had changed her and she could only imagine that this world's Dinah had been changed as well.

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i_jest
2012-07-29 02:38 am UTC (link)

"Well, not most of the folk who are born here in this City. I guess I was one of the lucky ones on that mark. Which is why I think I've had such trouble after. I'm just a regular guy, lived here all my life."

When the shop came into sight, Jack pointed. "There it is."

He tugged her hand some more. "Oh, I know you're not. Not really. That happens all the time. Different versions coming in and not knowing what went on here. This though, is kind of new."

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pretty_canary
2012-08-01 01:59 am UTC (link)

Dinah looked over at the man who'd given his name as Alex.

"What's new about it?" she asked with a frown.

She stopped short and looked up at the shop. The building looked exactly the same as she remembered it, with the same old bricked up castle tower exterior. It was clear that there was an apartment upstairs, and she wondered just how much it resembled the apartment that she'd shared with Ollie. After all, if the outside looked like the building they'd had back in Seattle... It was a little bit eerie-the resemblance and the memories that it brought back. It even took her mind off the niggling sense of something being not quite right about the man accompanying her.

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i_jest
2012-08-01 09:13 pm UTC (link)

"That there might be two of you. If there's two of you, that's the first time that's happened."

And Jack was so excited for it, he was hoping it was true.

He tugged on her hand and started for the shop. He didn't know if it was going to be open, and didn't know if anybody would be inside. But that was okay if there was, he'd just have a bit of fun with them as well.

"If there are two of you, I don't know if this is going to work the same way. Usually if there's a building that belongs to somebody who is brought in, they have the keys. So if this is locked and you don't have the keys, we'll have to think of something different."

Jack stopped at the door and turned to Dinah, reaching up to pick at a strand of hair.

"Good thing it's not really damaged. I don't know how to fix that aside from cutting it shorter. I have never been a man good with scissors and hair."

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pretty_canary
2012-08-02 01:23 am UTC (link)

Dinah self-consciously brushed some of her hair out of her face. His focus on her hair was making her more than a little self-conscious.

She knew that she probably shouldn't get too excited about this building since it probably belonged to the other Dinah, assuming she was here. It was hard not to wonder a little bit about her other self. She seemed to have things a bit more figured out. From the apartment to Dean to... well, Dinah supposed she didn't know what else, but it was very strange to hear about a version of herself that was making it work with the hunter. For that matter, it was strange to hear about a version of herself who seemed to have fallen for someone other than Ollie.

Dinah put her hand on the door to the upstairs apartment, hesitating for just a minute. She'd checked her pockets at the suggestion of finding keys but hadn't found anything. It didn't stop her from trying the door. She didn't think it would be left unlocked, but you never knew.

Surprisingly, it opened without any trouble. Dinah looked at the stairs hesitantly and then started to walk up. The man with her wasn't forgotten, but she was a little more focused on the odd mix of old memories and new decor, coupled with a few touches that reminded her a lot of Dean. It would appear that they both lived here, which was a bit of a surprise to say the least.

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i_jest
2012-08-02 11:02 pm UTC (link)

Jack waited for the door to shut quietly behind him, watching the pretty bird climb the stairs to an apartment that wasn't really hers. Up one step, then the second. Making himself linger until she was on the third, where he shot out with an elbow toward the tender portion just above the neck. He caught her as she fell.

---

The blade dripped with the sweet red blood of the canary. He'd not done a whole lot to her while she was out. Where was the fun in that? No, he'd wait to make her scream until she was fully aware of the games that he was playing on her flesh.

But there was one pivotal thing he'd decided to disable. There was no need to take risks, after all. The bird could sing, and that song could shatter him in many ways. So he'd taken that note away from her. Careful so that he didn't damage her normal vocal chords, Jack's sloppy hand had dug into her throat to get at the ones that made her special.

"Wakey wakey." He cooed over the fluttering eyelashes. "Eggs and bakey."

He smiled down at her, urging the haze to lift faster. He had things to do and he wanted to do them now. Now now now.

"You fucking heroes are all the same, you know that? So goddamned predictable. A smiling face and an offer to play with your hair and you wander into some strange apartment without even checking your rearview mirror. I bet you'll flounce off to the Bat, too, 'Oh, Batman, he did such horrible things to me! Beat him up Batsypoo. Beat him good!'" Jack's voice affected a falsetto and his eyes rolled into his head dramatically. "Idiots. Idiots. I do love you for it, though. How else am I suppose to play with little birds if they don't flutter into my cage?"

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pretty_canary
2012-08-04 03:41 am UTC (link)

This wasn't the first time Dinah had woken up to a madman leering down at her. Not that it made her any less angry that she'd let herself get in this position. Her neck hurt and she felt the sticky liquid right where he would have cut her.

She suspected that he would have disabled her scream, but all the same she opened up her mouth and gave it the best try she could do. All that came out was a strained normal scream. She could just hope that it wasn't heard from the street, because she didn't want civilians getting in the Joker's way.

"I don't need Batman to beat you up for me. Just wait til I get out and I'll handle it myself," she said.

Even when she was beaten and tied, she still had some spunk in her. Dinah wasn't the damsel in distress type. Never had been, and if she had her way, she never would be. She just had to find a way out of this.

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i_jest
2012-08-08 01:33 am UTC (link)

"Will you? Will you handle yourself?" Jack laughed as he slowly made his way down to the bird's feet. "Because that makes me think you're an idiot. I've already disabled you, why on earth would you think you're getting away?"

Jack traced the bloody knife along Dinah's leg, though not playfully. He left a trail of torn flesh in his wake. Jack wasn't the type to try to make people scared with the threats of violence. He found that real violence did the trick much better.

"Scream again, chickadee."

He stopped at her feet and drew the point of the knife along the sole of her foot.

"So does it tickle? Or hurt like a bitch?"

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prydefulshadows
2012-08-08 10:36 pm UTC (link)

Kitty had decided to go looking for her wayward charges on her own. Hank was somewhat the man he'd become, but there was something different about him. She'd guess that it was the place. It let him be freer perhaps. That and he was from a completely different universe; he wasn't the right age at all. Why did reality hopping have to be so damned confusing?

Fortunately, or unfortunately, the phasing phenom heard something she would call not at all confusing. The scream caught her attention, and she started running. It had come from somewhere close by, very close, as it didn't sound like something coming from some open area. No...this was from inside?

She wasn't sure about using her powers, but she didn't see any other way. Up she went, ignoring the few looks she got. None of the store fronts seemed right. They were either occupied or seemed empty. The sound didn't seem to come from her level either. She wanted to thank whatever experience she'd had in the past that actually let her find some evil doing by a scream.

Just a peek inside. Kitty really didn't like peeking into strangers' homes, but...she heard someone calling for help, even if they didn't use the words.

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pretty_canary
2012-08-09 10:00 pm UTC (link)

Dinah wasn't an idiot. She knew that her chances of getting away were low. But she also wasn't going to just throw in the towel. If she could get out, there would be hell to be paid.

She gritted her teeth as the knife raked along her skin. It hurt like hell, but she wasn't giving him the satisfaction of screaming. Instead, when she caught her breath she fixed him with a glare.

"Tickles just a bit."

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i_jest
2012-08-10 01:56 am UTC (link)

"Just a little? OH, I'll have to do better, then."

Jack looked down at the little tootsies attached to the leg strapped to the table.

"I know."

He put the point of the knife under the toenail and began to dig at it, intending to remove the whole thing from the root. He'd never done anything like that before, but he'd heard that it was really really painful. He wanted to test the claims.

"I'll do this for each of your toesies and then we'll think of another game to play, hm? Maybe something along the lines of what I played with my dear Babsy. You know, making her a cripple and all. Gosh that was fun. But, it did fly by so quickly. I think I'll take more time with you."

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prydefulshadows
2012-08-10 02:34 am UTC (link)

Kitty heard the screams again, and this time she had a better chance of finding their origins. She ignored the world around her, running through second stories with ease, and somehow the moving buildings didn't bother her. Then again, she was used to having weapons move through her like butter and not cause a scratch, mostly. What were a few buildings that weren't made of alien materials?

She came to an almost screeching halt, and might have been funny if the mood of the room had been different. Perhaps the guy with the knife would think it was an amusing sight.

"I suggest you put the knife down." She didn't seem to have any weapons, but did a ninja really need to bring weapons along? They also didn't talk much, but who was going to quibble about that? She was already moving toward the psycho.

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pretty_canary
2012-08-10 03:00 am UTC (link)

Dinah was in agony. Despite her best efforts not to scream, a scream had escaped. The Joker knew how to inflict pain better than anyone she'd come across. He lived for it.

"Fuck you," she spat out in between gasps. Barbara and what he'd done to her was the right choice to push her buttons.

Dinah almost thought that she'd imagined the young woman who walked through the wall and threatened Joker.

Almost.

"Get out," she tried to warn the woman. "You don't know what you're dealing with."

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