i am a cage in search of a bird

[crocodiline]

[ The figure inside the frosted glass snaps her fingers, and the glass falls away, sliding into grooves in the ground below. Inside, behind additional bulletproof glass, sits a woman, legs up on a transparent glass desk, absentmindedly petting a... whatever this thing is.

Say hello to your mastermind, everyone! ]

Hey there, everyone. Nice to talk to you in person - my name is Cipher, welcome to my city. Sorry I took so long to show up in person. No need to get up on my account - how about we talk business?

[ Let's drive. ]

Comments

[specialyellthing]

You are hidin behind bullet proof glass.

[crocodiline]

Says the woman with the gun.

[specialyellthing]

Two guns!

We’d be justified in killin you at this point, awful haircut aside.

[crocodiline]

You're not wrong. I did come in here knowing there's a fair chance you'll kill me. If murder's the impulse that lives in you when you're pushed, then so be it. I'm not a fighter, Zinda.

[specialyellthing]

It ain’t murder at this point. But I won’t argue that you’re not a fighter. You’re somethin else. Somethin way worse.

[crocodiline]

Ending someone else's life is murder, Zinda. You can tell yourself it's justified, and it may be, but don't pretend there's a way to end a life that isn't murder. But if I've ruined your... heroic impulses this much... that's impressive. I didn't think they were particularly weak.

[specialyellthing]

Oh, no you did not just—-

You tormented us! People are dead, an you think lettin you exist after all this is anything less than heroic?

[crocodiline]

Ah, yes. An eye for an eye, right? You can kill me if you want, I don't really expect to live at this point, just don't pretend it's heroic. It's revenge. The same thing that drives me. The same thing that drives half of Arkham.

[honeyedtea]

[ . . . ]

Why are you so determined to die?

[crocodiline]

It's what you all want, right? You've all been calling for my blood for weeks now.

[honeyedtea]

Perhaps. But that's not what I asked.

[crocodiline]

... Is that how it looks?

[ She's thoughtful, for a moment. ]

I tried being a better person. Alex and I joked about it, how going through this was making us too nice. And it got me betrayed and her killed. I'd prefer that not happen again.

[inaclearing]

...you trusted someone you shouldn't have in the game?

[MOOD]

[crocodiline]

Gunnar and Jack. They helped me kill Fontaine and set up the holding area where we Vita-Chambered all of the Founders. Where we had your friends, until someone helped them out of it. We were just going to wipe everyone and send them home, but Jack and Gunnar processed Alex first.

[inaclearing]

...what, on purpose?

[crocodiline]

They thought I was getting distracted from the goal. That I'd do something stupid or, God forbid, heroic.

[specialyellthing]

Couldn’t have that.

[crocodiline]

Funny thing is, I can't say I hadn't contemplated it. This game changes you. But Gunnar and Jack taught me better than to keep letting it.

[specialyellthing]

… Yeah. It does, doesn’ it? I’ve been tryin not to let it change me. But… [Well. She’d seen Nandor, and the way he’d grown. Her hand drifts to ring hanging from her neck.]

And what about this game. Has it changed you? If we let ya live, how do we know you’re not just gonna try this shit again.

[crocodiline]

Without a reason? I'm not exactly the "beg for my life" type, but I can say I'm not going to do another one of these just for kicks.

[specialyellthing]

I’m not askin you to beg. If it were up to me alone? We’d be done with ya. I made a promise to someone that I’d be relentless.

But, thankfully, it’s not just up to me.

[inaclearing]

...well, I'm sorry that happened to you.

[sucks to relate to the mastermind!]

[crocodiline]

Wouldn't be who I am today if it hadn't.

[inaclearing]

...I'm...very sorry, then.

[like what did you want him to say to that]