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Warning! Bit of nasty language. Also, this is a long one.
@cardwrecks @captainbaddecisions
Song: Don't Let Me Get Me-P!ink
The alcohol both numbed and lifted him, blending with the thrumming music to create a fizzy, dizzying sensation in his head. The dance floor spun along with him, the lights a spangling rainbow in the dark. A writhing human ocean of bodies and hands pressing against him, a hundred clashing perfumes and colognes rising to the ceiling, buoyed on a cloud of sweat.
Swag loved this feeling.
Usually.
Tonight, the dizziness wasn't a release, it was just disorientation, and he wobbled across the dance floor, to wind his way upstairs. On his way there, he somehow latched arms with a few people, who ended up in his room with him, but he didn't have any complaints. And he made sure they didn't either.
When he dragged himself out of bed in the morning-well, midmorning-well, noon actually-only two of them were still there. He hoped the others hadn't fucked with any of his stuff on their way out, but his reputation still held on enough that most people didn't.
He was well aware that a lot of the people who found their way into his bed were in it for the thrill of who he'd used to be. The challenge, the bragging rights, the curiosity. Whatever. He didn't mind; he got to have a good time too, after all. Most of them didn't stick around for long afterward though.
These two, however, seemed to at least want breakfast.
“So big boy, you as good in the kitchen as you are in the sheets?” one asked.
His laugh was rough with sleep and residual alcohol.
“Unfortunately, no. I put all my extra points into my hips, if you know what I mean.”
“Oh, I do. That's okay, I can throw us something together. How d'you like your eggs?”
“Scramb-” he began, cutting off as he noticed her face fade from flirty, to frightened.
“What the fuck is that?” she whispered, pointing to one corner of his bedroom.
An anomalous form hunched there, pale gray and shifting, just barely humanoid. One of those damn wizard aliens! He didn't have much patience for these things.
“i'm curious about you”
Its voice slithered into his mind, nothing more than a whispered breath, as lacking in detail as its blank face.
“The feeling ain't mutual. Now scram!”
“Is it talking to you?” the other one asked, both partners taking shelter behind him. He glanced back.
“Hey, don't worry, okay? It's weird, but it'll be all right. Hey, you're freaking out my guests! Beat it!”
“i'm curious about how you were once one way but are now another way
how is that
humans can't really change so how are you doing it”
“Man, it's a long story, and I don't really feel like telling you. I just decided to, okay?”
“just decided to act differently and dress differently and be different
what part of it allows you to be different”
“The indomitable human spirit and my slammin' fashion sense. Go away.”
“ah your 'swag' as you humans put it
what a quaint concept
all that garish color and pointless detail
what if you didn't have that”
“Then I'd be naked.” Swag sneered. “Well...more naked.”
“then I expunge your 'swag' and all it entails
i want to see what will happen”
“Bro, that is so fuckin' stu-”
Magic flipped him inside out like a photo negative, a spool winding backwards. A spurt of malevolence splashed though his veins, making his fluffy bathrobe uncomfortably hot. He tore it from his thin form, and dropped it on the ground. Everything in the room felt wrong. Stifling. Everything was so...so fuzzy and soft, so clogged with dust, the perfect home for mites and allergens, and who knew what other kinds of potential pests and infestations?
It wasn't just the clothes. It wasn't just the clothes that made him who he was, it was the attitude, the demeanor, the coping mechanism he used to direct his mind away from its old paths. The Gray had lumped everything under the umbrella term of 'swag' and snatched it all away.
And who was he without that?
He knew. Unfortunately, he knew.
His sideburns itched, unnecessary, extraneous growths that served no purpose but to gather dirt. Everything was dirty; when was the last time anything in here had been cleaned?
“Eddie? Baby, are you okay?” One of the strangers placed their hand on his arm. He shoved them away immediately.
“Don't touch me!” he shouted, eyes wild. “You're filthy! All of you are covered in disease! Don't-”
They recoiled in fear.
“Fuck. Sorry. S-sorry, I didn't mean that.” he stammered, battling back a flood of anger and disgust. “Sorry, just...just don't touch me. You should...you should probably leave.”
“What happened?” the other asked, reaching out. “Do you need help?”
“Get out!”
He shoved them again, and this time, he didn't feel nearly as sorry.
They ran from him, but it didn't matter.
He needed to go check his cameras.
?~?~?~?~?
Something was wrong. Something was wrong.
It scuttled up the back of Detective's scalp, ruffling hairs along the way.
Something was wrong.
They hurried into their study, snatching up a small velvet bag along the way. Seating themselves at their antique leathertop desk, they lit a candle. They stared into the little flame, breathing deeply to push back against rising panic.
Once they had regained control, they opened the velvet bag, removing an ornate tarot deck.
What was the universe trying to tell them? They asked the cards while shuffling, slipping out three, and spreading them out on the desk.
The Five of Cups. The Tower. And off to the side, Temperance, reversed.
Regret. Failure. Terrible upheaval. And...
Swag.
They had to go find Swag. Something was wrong.
The world of the Question Mark shimmered at the edge of their vision. Swag. And danger. A faraway figure out on the horizon.
By the time they realized they were walking, their feet had already taken them to his doorstep.
Inside, everything was quiet and still. Detective heard muffled voices, and followed them to their source.
Swag perched on a chair in the kitchen, sketching on a roll a paper spread over the table.
“Crushing is always such a fun possibility.” Arkham's voice floated, tinny and harsh, from Swag's phone. “The walls closing in, just slowly enough that the victim can see what is going to happen, and panic at their own helplessness. The desperation. The inevitable ending. Such a good time. Well, when you're on the outside anyway. I have some of the parts you might need, if you feel like swinging by.”
“Hm. Not a bad suggestion.” Swag said. “But you'll forgive me if I don't jump at the opportunity to make myself vulnerable in somebody else's lair.”
“Will I?” Arkham said. “I suppose I will. Just this once.”
“Poisoning, perhaps.” Swag mused. “Something slow-acting. Pose the riddle and watch their terror grow as they begin to drop on the dance floor. If someone solves it, they get the antidote, but only the one who answered. Make it competitive.”
“Desperation and selfishness. A delight. But I thought you wanted blood?”
“Perhaps more metaphorically than literally, but I certainly wouldn't mind. Actually, there's enough space in here that I could put together a whole gauntlet without much trouble. I think I'll do that.”
“Swag?” Detective asked, worried. This kind of talk was...uncomfortable.
Swag held his hand up in a silencing gesture.
“How do you keep an idiot waiting?” he mumbled.
“What was that?” Arkham asked.
“Nothing to worry about. An interruption has arrived. I'll see to it.”
“Shall I call back?” Arkham offered.
“I think not. It's not that your company is unpleasant or anything, it's just that I know you're trying to distract me, and I'm not inclined to let you continue. Clever attempt though. I'm sure we'll cross paths later.”
Better hope not.” Arkham said, and they both laughed. Swag hung up the phone.
“I'll tell you later.” he finished the riddle, a drawl of challenge in his rolling tone. “So. You.”
“I can't help but feel as though you are on the edge of doing something you might later regret.”
“Something you might regret perhaps, but I'm feeling better than ever.” Swag asserted, holding his arms out wide. His eyes held no happiness that they could detect, just a manic sort of fervor. “I'm leaving behind all of my guilt and anxiety, ditching the false face. I'm letting that moron die and rising back up from the ashes. Call it an act of self care.”
“I shan't.” Detective said. “The Swag I know-”
Swag slammed his fist down on the table. Detective flinched.
“You never knew me.” he growled. “All you knew was a mask. A fucking jester. A coping mechanism that rose as a defense to too much thinking. He was, by nature and by design, my lesser.”
“He is loved.” Detective insisted. “What has brought this on? If you were truly so dissatisfied with things, why not speak with us about it? It's terrible to see you like this.”
“You will learn to like it!” Swag snapped. “Just like everyone else. Honestly, you act like I've killed somebody's best friend...which I have. Just not today. Not yet.”
“I will not allow-”
“It isn't your choice.” Swag cut them off. “Really, this infatuation of yours is pointless. Don't mourn that disgrace, Detective, welcome his restored superior! And also, leave. I have work to do.”
“Swag-” Detective stepped forward, stopping abruptly as the tip of Swags pen came up beneath their chin.
“Think you can take me?” Swag asked. “You aren't armed, are you? You don't bring weapons here. Swag's not dangerous, after all.”
Detective backed away.
“I shall take my leave.” they said.
?~?~?~?~?
No answer.
“Maybe he didn't hear?” Narci suggested.
“He'd better not be 'occupied'.” Puzzles grumbled, typing into his phone. “He knows we were coming, and I am not playing second fiddle to some floozie.”
He rang the doorbell several more times.
“Come on you strutting voluptuary, don't you dare leave us waiting.”
The door slammed open. Narci jumped. A stranger shoved his head out.
“What do you fucks want?” He snapped.
It was Swag, Puzzles realized with a shock. Clean-shaven and divested of his jewelry, hair slicked back under an olive green bowler. He glared coldly at them, and Narci shifted uncomfortably.
“You, uh, you were going to show me how to rewire an intercom system?” Narci said quietly, staring.
Swag sneered.
“Too stupid to figure it out on your own?”
“No!” Narci protested. “Of course not! You just said you were going to show us some tricks.”
Swag scoffed. He was actually in a suit for once, and...carrying a cane?
Something felt wrong here. Swag wasn't just in a bad mood. He felt different somehow.
“All right, spill it. Something's wrong with you.”
“How about you go fuck yourself.” Swag growled.
“How about I don't, and you tell me what's going on?” Puzzles shot back. “What's happened to you?”
“Nothing that needs to concern you. I had a change of heart, nothing more. I'm just trying to get something done, and I am out of patience with these interruptions.”
“What are you trying to do?” Narci asked.
“None of your business. Let's just say that Gotham needs a reminder. They've grown too complacent in my absence. I've been far too frivolous. Well, I mean to remedy that mistake.”
“Wait!” Narci cut in. “I could help you! If you could use another great mind, another pair of hands. We could punish this city together!”
Puzzles glanced aside. Narci had that weird look in his eyes again. The kid just got like that sometimes, like a curious dog, he just wanted to be involved in everything. Puzzles was vaguely aware of his isolated childhood, but there was a time and a place, and this definitely wasn't it.
But Swag-well, not Swag exactly right now, more like Less Swag, Opposite Swag, UnSwag-laughed mockingly.
“You? The constant failure? You're worthless. You don't have the respect of a single member of this wankfest of a Family, and you're going to help me? More like you need me to help you look better. Get lost you over-inflated fuck suit. You too, Autism Speaks, shove off before I bury you both.”
Puzzle's lip curled as Narci drew back, obviously hurt.
“No wonder you wanted to be anything other than this. You're insufferable.”
“Oh no, the twerp doesn't like me, how will I go on with my life? Go cry to mama, and get out of my parking lot.”
The UnSwag waved his cane threateningly at them. Puzzles eyed it cautiously. A Riddler's cane could be a dangerous thing; Puzzles own had a battery powered taser just under the question mark curl, a fear toxin dart in the bottom, and a short blade that could flick out of the side. Swag's preferred arsenal while he was a Riddler was a mystery to the Family.
“Perhaps a calculated retreat is in order.” Puzzles said quietly.
“He didn't have to say it like that.” Narci muttered, but he followed Puzzles away without arguing. “That's not...That's not actually true. I don't always fail. I'm not worthless. That's not true.”
“I'm sure you'll become capable eventually if you just keep at it.” Puzzles said, ignoring the betrayed glance the boy shot him. It was true. For the most part. Not many among them genuinely liked Narci, mostly just tolerating his antics for Nash's sake. Narci did have a lot left to prove, and whining about it wouldn't fix the problem. “More importantly; what's gotten into him? He has never acted that way since I've known him. We've argued before, and I know he is capable of being unreasonable, but I've never felt actually threatened before.” Puzzles mused, Narci sulking alongside him.
“Maybe he's just had enough.” Narci grumbled. “It could happen to anyone. Even m-even him.”
“Enough of what? The man is a bottomless pit of hedonistic debauchery.”
“But he wasn't always like that, was he? He was somehow else before...before all this. Maybe he got tired of people only thinking of him in one way. Maybe he needs to remind people what he's capable of.”
“Doesn't sound right.” Puzzles said dismissively. “But strange things do happen. We should probably let him be until this passes. Come on, we still need to talk about that sapphire heist.”
“I said I was sorry!” Narci groaned. “I just misunder...I just...”
“You were just wrong, and it cost us! Now come on!”
?~?~?~?~?
Nash spotted him near a wall panel tugging at a mess of wiring. This place was probably an electrical labyrinth, though maybe not quite as bad as the small lairs and foxholes Nash typically hid out in. Nash knew the Question Mark had once been an old warehouse; refurbishing those into hotspots for the night life was pretty common in Gotham, but Swag had really gone all out. On the inside, at least, it was impossible to tell what the building had once been.
Swag turned to look at him. Was he wearing a hat? That was odd.
Overlying his mind and perceptions, Lust hissed.
Nash stepped back, wary.
Swag smiled lightly, eyes sly.
“Good instincts.” he said. “But it took you just a little too long anyway.”
“Not from my perspective. Did we have plans? It doesn't matter, they'll have to be canceled, just like the rest. I find myself unexpectedly busy.”
This...this was wrong. Nash could still feel Lust bristling, able to sense things Nash couldn't, but he didn't need that to know something was terribly off here. Swags clothes...well they were always bright, eye-catching, stylish in a way that was either on the edge of going out of style, or just about to come back into style. Swag lived on the edges, shaped them and was shaped by them, but this green suit, that bowler hat, it was somehow lacking in the vibrancy Swag was known for.
And had he shaved???
Was this the same Swag, or yet another Riddler from another world? Nash knew Swag had been a Riddler, but not during the time Nash had known him. Not during the time any of them had known him.
“What happened?” he asked.
“Some kind of vague being came by and we had a talk. I came to the understanding that things were simply not working out the way I'd hoped. Oh well. I gave it a try, but I couldn't deny my destiny forever.”
“A vague... a Gray? Did a Gray do this to you?”
“A Gray? Can't I make my own mind up? Oh never mind, it doesn't matter. I have things to do.”
He didn't even sound like Swag. The easy-going affectation dropped entirely in favor of a mocking, almost angry tone.
“What are you planning?” Nash asked. He eyed the wires worming out of the panel.
“Grand re-opening tonight.” Not-Swag said. “This place will be filled with the most vapid, frivolous socialites middle class Gotham has to offer. How many of them do you think will make it out?”
A deathtrap. Swag was building a deathtrap. It was wrong. That wasn't what Swag did!
“Will Swag ever come back?”
Not-Swag rolled his eyes.
“He never left. I'm Swag. He's me! Ugh, why did I ever allow anyone to call me that? Fucking ridiculous. The disrespect I allowed...well that's over now. I'm him, he's me, we're the same person. I was always here, I was just wearing a different mask. Trying a different mode of being, but it didn't work. Too fragile a concept to build a life off of. Anxiety, pointless hedonism. No direction. No, I had already found what I was meant to be, no use in denying it any longer. It's time for a comeback. Now, why don't you come over here?”
Nash could feel Lust's denial, and he didn't feel very safe either. He backed up even farther.
“I think I'm gonna go...”
“Get over here, Nash. You won't have to do much. Just be tied to a chair so the others don't keep bothering me.”
“~The doorway over there~” Lust whispered in his mind. “~The worlds are thin there. I can get us through~”
“Come here, you fucking brat!” Not-Swag lunged for him.
“~Run for it!~” Lust screeched.
Nash threw himself blindly through the doorway-
-and stumbled into an entirely different building to sprawl, disoriented, on someones kitchen floor. He heard the patter of footsteps approaching and tried to climb to his feet. They were upon him before he knew it.
“Nash? When did you get here?”
“Oh, Nash! Are you all right?”
They helped him up, arms around his thin shoulders to stabilize him. Puzzles and Narci, their concerned faces hovering close to his. He was safe.
“Swag!” he gasped. “Something's wrong with him!”
Puzzles frowned, Narci's pale eyes slid away from Nash's face.
“We know.” Puzzles said. “We had an unfortunate encounter with him earlier. He was incredibly unpleasant.”
“Don't like seeing him this way.” Narci muttered. “Feels wrong.”
The three of them lapsed into an uncomfortably contemplative silence. They were the youngest of their group, just starting out on a journey that Swag had already ended. Narci and Nash were still figuring what the persona of the Riddler meant for them, and Puzzles only had a few years of experience under his belt. Swag was an odd outlier, but he was still a respected elder by now, at least in their youthful perspective.
And yet this thing that they all wanted so desperately to grow into, felt so wrong on Swag, who actually had once been that thing.
“It was a Gray.” Nash said. “He described it to me. He thinks he's made this decision himself, but it was one of those awful things.”
Puzzles sighed in irritation. “I suspected it might be something along those lines.”
“What's a Gray?” Narci asked.
“You haven't seen them?” Nash was surprised. He thought everyone had to deal with the mischievous creatures. Narci shook his head.
“Count yourself lucky.” Puzzles said. “They're some kind of magical being-yes, I know, but they are.” he insisted at Narci's disbelieving expression.
“They don't have any faces.” Nash explained. “They're all gray all over, and they kinda look like they're made out of slime or fog. They only barely look human. They talk inside your head. They're really creepy. They cast magic on you, like curses. They can make you do stupid things, or change your shape, or...practically anything! It's like they're playing pranks.”
“But they have been known to go too far.” Puzzles said bitterly. “Cause major problems for their own entertainment. Mostly they're just annoying, but they can be downright dangerous at times. The one saving grace is that their magic is nearly always temporary. This UnSwag has an expiration date. He'll go back to normal in a day or two. We'll just avoid him until then.”
“What about his customers?” Nash asked.
“What about them?” Puzzles said. “They can go a few nights without practicing their debauchery, I'm sure.”
“But he didn't close the club!” Nash exclaimed. “He's turning it into a deathtrap!”
Narci gasped. Puzzles stared at the ceiling with an irritated groan.
“Of course he is. This couldn't be easy, oh no, no, no. Instead, he has to go and do something that will get him tossed back in Arkham after the Gray magic wears off. This is why these creatures are so insidious, Narci. Their magic is temporary, but it can have long lasting consequences.”
“What do we do?” Narci asked. His feather light voice was laced with a fear Nash had never heard him express. He understood though. They could lose one of their number over this. One of their special Family. He and Narci didn't really have many people to turn to, and Narci had only recently been getting closer to the older members of the group. A few bad run-ins with Arkham had left him shy and demoralized.
But Swag had always been friendly. Always ready with another chance, even when Narci had been rude, or awkward, or-worst of all-wrong about something. He'd shown the same welcoming face to Puzzles and Nash too, even though Nash was technically too young to be allowed into the club during business hours, and Puzzles...well in the interest of being honest, Puzzles could get pretty rude about things too sometimes. Nash thought it must be a way of protecting himself. Even so, Swag still let him in.
“Well...We're Riddlers, aren't we?” Puzzles mused. “So, we stop him. Before he can kill anybody, and before any vigilantes show up. This is our business. We'll take care of it.”
Both boys nodded, dead serious.
“Okay. Narci, you go try to find YJ. I'll talk to Arkham. Nash, I want you to get Detec-”
“No need.” Detective's voice floated up from Puzzles left arm. “I'm already here~”
Puzzles shoved up his sleeve, revealing the tiny computer strapped there.
“Did you hack my Wrist Buddy?” he exclaimed, irritated and impressed.
“Never mind that. Do let me in. We have something to discuss.”
Grumbling, Puzzles typed a code into the tiny keyboard, and the front door unlocked. Detective entered without further preamble.
They were dressed for business, in a sleek green blazer over gray shirt and slacks, a green derby hiding their vermilion hair. They were even wearing their mask! Nash had never seen that before. They looked...dangerous. Not like the mothering figure Nash had grown to know, but like the debonair villain they had once been.
Narci stared with unabashed awe. Puzzles, on the other hand, crossed his arms and leaned against the counter.
“One would almost think you knew something in advance.” he said impudently.
“I did foresee something happening.” Detective replied.
“Oh, you foresaw it? How inconvenient that you didn't see fit to clue anybody else in!”
Nash squirmed. The Detective had visions. Claimed to have visions, anyway. And while Puzzles acknowledged the otherworldly beings that Nash was friends with, and the Grays with their magic, he did not entirely accept the Detectives oracular assertions.
“I didn't see exactly what it was. You know it doesn't work that way.”
“What a helpful ability.”
“Puzzles, we don't have time for this. Let's argue about it over tea some other time.”
“Yeah.” Narci said disapprovingly. “We have to help Swag. I'll go get YJ.”
“No, dears. I saw this too. YJ is too far away, and Arkham is too curious about the outcome to involve himself. He merely wishes to observe.”
“We'll see about that.” Puzzles typed speedily on his tiny wrist keyboard. “I'll contact him myself...Oh.”
The answer he got pulled his mouth into a frown. Detective cleared their throat.
“As I was saying, I saw something important pertaining to Swag. And then I spoke to him.”
“Odious, isn't he?” Puzzles said at Detective's disgruntled expression.
“Swag made an important decision about where to go with his life, and while it may be different that what you three would do, it was his choice. That has been taken from him, by force of magic, and that cannot be allowed. We make our own fates, and we must support each other in our decisions. We will not allow him to fall. So, suit up dear children. We're staging a coup~”
“How many times do I have to tell you I am not a child?” Puzzles complained, but Nash and Narci were already dashing back to their respective universes, to gear up.
Nash didn't have much; a mismatched thrift store Sunday suit, made for someone much younger than him. A shoplifted self defense keychain he could stab with. A miniature canister of pepper spray. He also had a lockpick that he hid in his department store trilby, and a very sharp hat pin, as well as a pocket knife, a portable usb drive with a deadly computer virus, a set of jewelers tools that he used on wiring, and one of YJ's smoke bombs. Nash tied his mask-just a strip of black cloth with holes cut out-around his head, and returned through the worlds, to Puzzles apartment.
Puzzles had taken the time to gear up as well, in his coveted kelly green suit and brilliant purple gloves. The colors smashed against each other, practically glowing at the edges. The classic bowler perched on his head and sleek mask always made him look older, and Nash knew he had some wicked weaponry hidden away.
Narci didn't have many places to hide things in his form-fitting, hand painted unitard and gymnasts shoes, but Narci carried few weapons or tools. He didn't need them; Narci was actually very strong, and could hold his own well in a fight, all of which was clear by merely a look at him in this getup. Any items he needed, he kept in a slender harness that girded his waist and thighs. He said it was to keep his freedom of movement, and Nash knew he'd been training as a gymnast ever since he could walk, but Nash couldn't help but bashfully notice how the harness accentuated certain of Narci's assets. In fact, the outfit put everything on display, and with his tight black curls, and slim, diamond shaped mask that hid very little of his face, it seemed like Narci wanted to be seen.
He practically posed; shoulders back and chest out, nose proudly in the air. He was only an inch taller than Nash, but seemed much bigger next to Nash's shrinking slouch.
“Have we got everything we need?” Detective asked. All three young men nodded. “All right. You have all been to the Question Mark before. Do you know the internal layout?”
“I've been inside.” Puzzles said. “I know how both floors are laid out.”
“Me too.” Nash added.
“I've only seen the first floor.” Narci admitted.
“All right. So here's what we'll do.”
?~?~?~?~?
The crowd outside the Question Mark was thick with people and irony; scattered among clubbers finery were people sporting Riddler costumes-the gallows humor of Gotham. Everyone knew who owned this nightclub, as Swag had not just not hidden the fact, but had actively banked on it.
Puzzles slipped unnoticed into the crowd, making his way up to the front where he immediately picked a fight with the bouncer. The others used the distraction to find a way into one of the areas few surveillance blind spots.
“Do you think you can do it?” Detective asked quietly. Narci scanned the wall carefully, taking in the texture of the bricks, the decorative façade, the bars on the windows, the height of the roof.
“Yes.” he said confidently, and began to climb. Nash watched him scramble up the building, taking out security cameras and motion sensors along the way. His job was to destroy as much of the security system as possible; especially the flood lights on the roof. They didn't move again until Narci had disappeared over the top, then they sneaked along, hugging the wall, until reaching nearly the back of the building.
This area was employees only, and fenced in with tall chain link. Nash was a Gotham youth, and scaled it easily, pausing at the barbed wire coiled at the top. His jeweler's tools included a wire cutter, and after a few tries, he was able to remove a length of the barbed wire wide enough for him to pass through. Back on the asphalt, he began working on the lock. It was good quality, but nothing Nash couldn't pick. Swag was protecting against the basic Gotham punks, after all, not other Riddlers.
In the meantime, Detective had set down their briefcase and opened it, lifting out a honed woodcutter's ax, with a handle wrapped in blue leather.
“It's one of Jervis's.” They said at Nash's stare. “He insisted I bring it with me. It may prove useful after all.”
The lock clicked in Nash's hand, and he tossed it over his shoulder, letting the Detective breeze through the gate. It sucked they had to cause all this damage, but it was better than letting Swag get dragged off to jail just because some Gray thought it'd be funny.
Detective began examining the power meter, but Nash noticed movement and pulled them back around the corner. The two peeked around to see a pair of very tough looking women approach the employees entrance.
“Oh dear.” Detective whispered. “This could be bad. I've seen those two before; they're this worlds Query and Echo. Rotten luck that they'd be here tonight.”
“I'll distract them.” Nash volunteered. Detective grabbed his arm.
“You mustn't try to fight them.” they insisted. “They are very dangerous!”
“I won't.” Nash said. “Just trust me, okay?”
Detectives lips thinned out, but they let go.
Nash stuck his hands in his pockets, let his head droop and walked into the employee parking lot, kicking at a rock.
The women paused. He let just a little bit of his secret power seep out, a supernatural drug that mentally disarmed anyone who looked at him. These two would see whatever it was that would make them most sympathetic towards him.
“Hey, either of you two got two dollars I can borrow?”
“What's the matter kid?” one asked. “Fake ID didn't work out?”
“Yeah.” Nash said sullenly, petulance seeping out of his demeanor. “And my ride says she's gonna stay anyway, and I don't have any bus fare. Can't call my mom to come pick me up; I'd be grounded for a month.”
He'd slowly made his way over to them, acting exactly like a defeated teenager, and both women smiled condescendingly.
“Ha. It was a nice try kid. Here, take this and come back in a few years.”
Nash was just reaching out to take the money, mind whirring on how to continue the distraction, when the floodlights went out.
“What the fu-”
Nash whipped his hand out of his pocket and threw YJ's smoke bomb to the ground. It exploded into a miasma of choking green. Behind him, the sound of metal striking brick as Detective took the chance to shear the meter clean off the wall. The rest of the external lights went dark.
Beside him, something dropped into the cloud of smoke, landing on one of the searching women with a heavy thud. Nash flinched and threw himself through the employee entrance, hoping Narci hadn't killed her with the impact.
He skidded down the hall, hugging the walls, as the sounds of fighting faded behind him. The area was bathed in eerie green, the emergency lighting casting deep shadows.
“Lust, help me hide.” Nash whispered.
“~Of course. Relax yourself and let me embrace you~”
Nash concentrated on relaxing his body through the tickling sensation of Lusts hundreds of amorphous tendrils breaching his skin. They wrapped tightly around every inch of his body, covering him in a smoky bodysuit of shifting shadows.
Now camouflaged, he slinked down the hall and up the stairs, not entering the dance floor. He was sure it was trapped, waiting for hapless revelers to meet their makers. Maybe they deserved it, maybe they didn't; Nash didn't care about that very much, but he knew that Swag would.
He crept along the second story, the darkness itself seeming to muffle his steps. A door banged open, and Nash threw himself into the bedroom doorway, heart in his throat. UnSwag stalked by and down the stairs, grumbling angrily about the power.
Nash skittered into the newly vacated room before the door shut. It was full of darkened screens and neatly lined computer towers, their whirring hum silenced.
Swag had backup generators. Of course he would. He must have. And that's where UnSwag had to be heading. Nash readied his usb drive. The screens flickered back to life, and Nash jammed the usb in. He might only have a few moments.
Fingers flying he unleashed the malevolent little worm of code, then slipped back out into the now worryingly lit hallway. Down the stairs, towards the exit-
Snatched off his feet, and slammed headfirst into the wall. Lust took the edge off the blow, but it still rattled Nash's brain. UnSwag twisted his arm behind him, held him by his hair, and dragged him out onto the dance floor.
“Hey guys! You looking for this? You fucking looking for this?” He shook Nash hard, who squealed under the pressure on his arm. Narci, Puzzles, and the Detective all turned from their positions creeping along the walls in search of traps.
“Lust!” he hissed through gritted teeth.
“~If I do it, he will be harmed! Perhaps permanently~” the demon whispered from within him. “~I can get you free, but he might not recover~”
“Hold off then. We didn't come to kill him.”
“Stop mumbling, brat.” UnSwag growled in his ear. “Whatever code you're trying to use, it won't work. They won't do a thing while I have you. Isn't that right?”
Detective held their hands up, palms empty. Jervis's hatchet was nowhere to be seen.
“Please. There is no need to endanger the boy.” they said gently.
“He endangered himself. He didn't have to throw in with you and invade my home, but he did. He made his own choice. There are consequences for that.”
“Look, we're not trying to hurt you or anything.” Puzzles said. “We're just trying to save you from regrets.”
“Who asked you?”
“You would have, if you were in your right mind. But you are being controlled right now, by one of those gray beings-”
“Puzzles!”
“Wrong answer!” UnSwag snarled, and flung Nash out onto the trapped floor.
The others began shouting. Nash hit a pressure plate, heard it click.
Nothing.
“What.” UnSwag said. Nash rose from the floor, grinning like the devil.
“Oops.” he said. “I think I broke it. Sorry.”
UnSwag shoved his hand into his jacket. Whatever he was reaching for, he never made it. Narci hit him with freight train force, and he went down instantly. Nash winced. Narci never did pull his punches.
The acrobatic Riddler swiftly had UnSwag tied with a cord from his harness. He immediately started wiggling free, so Narci perched on his back and held him down.
“Wow. One punch.” Puzzles sneered. “You are going to be so embarrassed when you wake up.”
“I am already awake!” UnSwag insisted. “Why don't any of you see? It was all just a pipe dream! It was never real. This is who I have always been.”
“Then why is this temporary?” Puzzles asked. “Why did you have to be pushed back into it by force? You know it's temporary, don't you?”
“It doesn't matter! I am who I'll always be! No matter what mask he puts on, I'll still be here. He'll never be rid of me. And what does it matter to you anyway? Why would you go so far to stop me?”
“We are rather fond of our dear Swag~” Detective said. “And we respect the decisions he has made.”
“Why do you like me that way so much? I've made an imbecile of myself, and I'm only trying to rectify that. You three! Isn't this the life you've chosen? And you! You might have retired, but you didn't put your brain on the shelf! All I do as your precious 'Swag', is waste my time with harlots and drink to oblivion. I hate him as me. It was a mistake.”
“You don't see the value in your own choices?” Detective asked. “You've put in so much effort. Do you see what you've built? The people still dance to your tune, it's just more literal this time.”
“Don't fucking start. That shit might work on these fetuses, but not-”
Narci stroked his hair gently, and UnSwag shuddered.
“Don't touch me!”
“Swag is perfect.” Narci asserted. “In a different way from us, yes. But you are wonderful like that.”
“Bullshit. None of us actually get along.” he jutted his chin towards Puzzles. “That little bitch hates everyone. The brat over there can't be trusted. And you...” he bucked, trying to throw Narci off. “Even as that frivolous idiot, I still don't respect you. No one does.”
Narci sighed, and stroked his hair once more.
“I know. But you tolerate me, and that's important too. In time, I'll earn the rest of it. I know how to work hard to become something great. That's why I can't stand to see you like this. All that effort, taken away.”
UnSwag groaned in annoyance.
“So what about the rest of you? Any more pithy speeches before I fade back into featherbrained worthlessness?”
“Two to midnight.” Puzzles said, checking his wrist computer.
“Nothing to say.” Nash added.
“Now we simply wait.” Detective finished.
“Fine.” UnSwag said. “If that's the official consensus. Just know that if this ever happens again, you're all on the list. So nobody better ever bring me back.”
“It'll be okay.” Narci said, stroking his hair one last time. “It'll be over soon.”
“Don't touch me.” UnSwag repeated. “Just...let me sleep, I guess.”
Instead of looming over their defeated foe, Detective, Puzzles, and Nash gathered to sit on the floor next to Narci and UnSwag. He lay quietly, as they all waited together for the last moments of the past to trickle away.
Puzzles wrist computer beeped. Everyone held their breath. If they were right about the temporary nature of Gray magic...
“Hey Narci? You're a handsome young man and' all, but would you mind getting the fuck off? Kinda crushin' my ribcage here.”
Narci hopped off his back immediately. Nash reached out for the rope binding him.
“Wait!” Detective commanded. “Relief cannot be allowed to overcome caution. If you would all be so kind as to move away...”
The young Riddlers drew back.
Detective knelt next to their captive and raised him up by the shoulders. Looked into the clean shaven face, the deep blue eyes, and kissed him, long and deep.
Narci gasped, but Nash knew they were like that sometimes.
“Disgusting.” Puzzles muttered. But when they parted, Swag was smiling.
“Hell of a welcome home. Got any more for me? I'm already all tied up, after all. But we probably better send the kiddies home first.”
“It's him.” Puzzles said flatly.
Nash and Narci cheered.
They untied him, checked him for injuries-Narci had hit him pretty hard after all. Narci apologized endlessly, but Swag waved it off.
“Not like I didn't earn it.”
“Um, can you apologize to the ladies for me too? When they wake up, I mean.”
“N-Nina? And Deirdre? You took them out? By yourself?”
Narci stood straighter.
“Well, Nash dropped a smoke bomb, and I didn't really want to hurt them or anything...but yes. I did.”
Swag patted Narci on the shoulder.
“I'm impressed, kid. Now never ever do that again.”
The young Riddlers didn't stay long; technically it was illegal for Narci and Nash to be in the club during business hours, even if the Question Mark wouldn't be opening tonight. 'Electrical malfunction' they had told the disappointed crowd. But for a while after that, Detective stayed by Swag's side, comforting arm around his shoulders.
“You guys did right.” Swag said. “There's a reason I didn't want to be like that anymore. Like, yeah, that's me, and that's still swimming around inside me. Everything I did, and everything I thought and felt. That's entirely me. But this is also me. This is what I chose.” he stroked his chin. “Ugh, he shaved me. Damnit, that's gonna take weeks to grow back just right. And where are my earrings?”
He got up and began searching around for his jewelry.
“Swag.”
“Yeah?”
“If you are serious about letting go of the past...may I suggest that you actually let go?”
They gestured at the green suit Swag was still wearing. He plucked at the lapels.
“Yeah...guess I've grown out of it, huh. Doesn't fit quite right anymore. I don't know why I kept all this stuff. Contingency, I guess. But...I don't need it anymore. Tell ya what, I'll pack all this stuff up, the suit, the hat, the cane, all of that. And I'll... I dunno. Throw it in the bay. Donate it to a museum. Something like that.”
“I could help, if you like.”
“Nah...this is really somethin' I should do myself. 'Sides, you guys already helped me out plenty tonight. Guess this whole Family business is worth somethin' after all. If you can see me at my worst and still stick around...I dunno, it's giving 'hope for the future', you know?”
Detective stayed the night, just talking while Swag packed, bathed, rested. And though they did see that hope Swag spoke of peeking through as he chattered about future plans, they couldn't help but to let their mind drift to the mystery they knew hung on the horizon.
A more difficult question than you might think. Gotham, as a part of the DCU is aware of the various supernatural and superhuman entities that exist within their universe, and the Riddlers would be aware of even more than the average person. What makes a god? What makes something worthy of worship? How does a culturally Christian society like America reconcile these entities?
The Riddlers each have thoughts about god or gods, but only Helix and Narci actually worship anything, like with prayer and ritual and offerings, the trappings of religion. The others? Well, this is the best I can really give you:
Arkham: Antitheist-If gods exist, they need to die.
Detective: Ietsism-They are part of reality, but there are parts of reality beyond them. There is an overarching, transcendent reality that they can occasionally see into. They believe the existence of the Nexus proves them right.
YJ: Agnostic-If there are gods, it doesn't matter. We are the ones that built the pyramids, we are the ones who invented writing, and we are the ones who impact each others lives. Worship yourself.
Swag/Unswag: Apatheistic Omnist-Yeah gods exist. Probably all of them. But they aren't worthy of us, honey.
Helix: Draconolotrix-Worships dragons. Especially a specific dragon, who is also a deity among dragonkind. She is technically also a priestess of this goddess, though her clerical powers are weak and very specific.
Puzzles: Staunch atheist, no matter what he sees or learns.
Narci: Syncretic polytheist-Xie worships Thoth, Hermaphroditus, and (somewhat ironically) Persephone, in her role as a goddess of death and rebirth.
Nash: Demonolotor-while he wouldn't claim to worship demons, he does consort, trade, barter, and deal with them very often. Since Lust is technically a minor deity(an elevated daimon), Nash also has minor clerical powers.
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He was a bramble in the spring thaw, too early to bloom, all soft new leaves and red thorns pointed outward. Approach with caution.
But...
This was what had them all so unsettled? This was the source of such hurt and fear, such concern, such silence? He was barely more than a child.
He was curled in on himself to seem tiny, a tumbleweed of onyx strands ready to blow away, and he looked up at her, the very picture of innocent bewilderment.
Cornflowers blooming on the side of a road, clinging tight to thin soil strewn with litter and salt. Tension tight piano strings, one snap away from sharp notes.
“Who are you?” A weak, warbling clarinet, hollow, lilting, tempting, leading.
“My name is Helix. Have you heard of me?” He shook his raven head. “Well, I'm friends with Swag. And YJ, and Puzzles too. And several other people I suspect we both know.”
There was an unwinding, a spooling out of sinew, a revelation of form. This body was built for strength, grace that showed through even in its crinkled state.
This was not the first body, not the first life. She did not know this shower of garnet and diopside, because he had been dead these past two years, his corner of the Nexus an empty space in the edge of her vision. A face cut out of a photograph.
This being, this Narci, was a wight. A spirit, returned from wherever it had once gone, to make a new place for itself here. All worlds were full of them. They resided in rocks, trees, and homes. They were people, animals, mushroom circles. Free willed entities, possessing their chosen homes through their own agency. He still wore the bracelets she had created to house him while this new body was being built specifically for him, a copy of the one he'd left behind. He was dangerous, a betrayer, untrustworthy, mad. Or so she'd been told.
It was one of the only things she'd been told. The Family had otherwise been strangely quiet about all this. One would think that the return of a lost brother would spark celebrations, joyful reunions. But the men who never shut up, their lips were sewn, like Loki forced to bear the ire of his own cleverness.
They were afraid.
And she had tried; she had gone to the Detective once Puzzles had dropped the news, once everyone had reacted like iron filings to the wrong end of a magnet. They had only said one thing to her.
“Do you know what it is like to truly fail?”
And she could find out no more before Jervis had chased her off. Nash would speak to no one, YJ was all a-fret, but still gave no straight answers. Even Arkham, who simply looked at her, no words needing to be spoken for them to know that they were, and would remain, on opposite sides of this.
She didn't even know what this was yet, but damn him, he was almost certainly right.
So, of course, she had gone to the Question Mark in search of answers.
And was flatly refused.
Startling, to say the least, because Swag never told her 'no'. But the twins had sat there, identical shaking heads, in complete accord for once, in saying no, please, don't you fuckin' dare-in futility, because they also knew she would go anyway.
“Just don't let him get his hands on you.”
That last, a warning from Unswag of all people, a man she knew would have blood up to his elbows that very moment if not for her. A warning from someone who knew.
It was so very wrong to see the Family-her family-in such disarray.
And so she had come, because of course she had come. And she had her chalk, and her tools, and her magic. She had come to assess if this was a problem that she needed to make Go Away.
But he was just a young man.
“You know Puzzles...is that why you're here? To visit him? He's never mentioned you. Do you have permission?”
“I come and go. It's something of an understanding between all of us. And I don't doubt he hasn't mentioned me. I'm not terribly important.”
Despite her role in helping Puzzles get this new body created, he had apparently seen fit to keep her involvement secret. But if Puzzles was as unsettled as the rest of them, neglecting to mention her might be his way of trying to keep her safe. He was complicated like that.
She crouched down to get on eye level, his Xerces blue stare coiled with viper caution. There was little curiosity there, unusual for his 'kind', just a wild, animal instinct to puff up.
“Then why are you here?”
“Personal curiosity. I wanted to assess the situation for myself, and also, I always greet new Riddlers when they show up. And maybe to annoy Puzzles just a bit. Don't tell him, but he's cute when he gets all bratty. But it's all right, I don't think he-”
“Don't talk about him like that!” the piano string snapped, its metaphorical twang mirrored by the hand that whipped out after her neck. The fingers met her shields, not with a crash, but with a simple cessation of forward movement. She could see him pushing, straining against the force that solidified the atoms around his hand, see him eventually give in and draw back.
“Oh my.” she said quietly. “You're really going to have to get a handle on that. But I guess I get it. You owe him a solid, right? For helping you out.”
“What are you? How did you do that?” the woodwind lilt was even meeker than before, as if he hadn't just tried to tear her throat out.
“I didn't come into this situation with nothing, darling. It's just that my weapons and armor are not as visible as most.”
“Then...I can't hurt you?”
She shrugged.
“It would take more than I think you can currently muster. Do you want to hurt me?”
“N-no. Not really. Just...just don't talk about him like that. He's better than us.”
She tilted her head. Us? She knew most Riddlers considered themselves to be on a higher level than everyone else, but this was the first time one had not considered themselves among that number.
“Than you? Are you not a Riddler too?”
“No! I mean...yes. But not really. I never earned it. I don't deserve it. They're perfect. I'm...broken.”
“Oh honey, are you really? It's okay, I might be broken too.”
“Broken and entering more like.” Puzzles said from the doorway, and she only jumped a little. “No, that was awful, I'm trying that again.”
“Good evening, Puzzles. As you can see, I was just-”
“Just doing what you do, I know. It's not that I haven't been expecting you to pop by, it's just that I'd thought this time you might wait for an escort. Don't know why I thought that, it's not as if you've ever shown an ounce of caution, but this might be, I don't know, a mitigating circumstance?”
You see, she mouthed to Narci, who scowled and reached out for her again.
“Narci.” Puzzles warned sharply. He drew back instantly.
“She's a liar.” he sulked. “She said she had permission to be here. And she called you a brat.”
Puzzles glanced down at her, lips pursed, and she lifted an eyebrow, daring him to deny it. He stepped closer to them, interposing himself to where he could get between them if necessary, crouching down to be on their level.
“She does have permission to be in my home. Mostly because no one seems to have any way of keeping her out. She is, however, a...friend. This is Helix, and I would like you to treat her nicely. She's...” He searched for a proper description. “Family-adjacent. She's one of those things that happened while you were gone.”
“I can't hurt her.” Narci said, still pouting a bit.
“That's the spirit.” Puzzles praised.
“No, I mean I can't. I really can't.”
Puzzles fixed Helix with a quizzical stare.
“Uh, well, he might have tried to touch me earlier. And found out he was unable to do so. So it's all fine! Nothing to worry about.”
Emerald eyes bored into her. Curiosity flavored the more or less good-natured irritation, and she knew this time she wouldn't be getting away without an explanation. Though not cruel by nature, Puzzles was a Riddler and, in his way, he'd draw the information out like a winkle from its shell.
And maybe it was about time he came to understand better what she was.
“Well...Don't try it again. She might not exactly be one of us, but she's earned a place. For instance...Do you remember Unswag?”
Helix frowned. Why would he bring that up? She still had very mixed feelings over what had happened there. Narci nodded, looking deeply uncomfortable. Unswag was one of those contentious topics, or at least, he had been once. Terribly dangerous, until she'd forced him to become something else. She hadn't meant for that to happen, but she couldn't change it now.
“Well,” Puzzles said. “She defeated him.”
“It was an accident.” she muttered, and Puzzles elbowed her as Narci's eyes went wide with awe.
“Yeah.” he continued. “Bested him so decisively that he doesn't even look the same anymore. Just remember that. She might not look like much-”
“Hey!”
“-but she's got the respect of the proper people.”
Narci still stared up at her like she was something unexpectedly amazing. He held his hands out, in supplication rather than aggression. Something, some little spark of his desperation reminded her so much of how lost she had once been. She dropped her magic shields and, ignoring Puzzles swift intake of breath, drew Narci into a careful embrace.
The boy froze for a moment, entirely unsure what to do, thawing slowly, his hands ghosting over her sides until they came to her hips. His fingers dug in suddenly, then he jerked, flinging her away into Puzzles waiting arms, and crumpled to the floor begging forgiveness.
“I think he likes you.” Puzzles murmured into her ear. “Now get out.”
He shoved her into the hall and grabbed the doorknob.
“Wait!” Narci cried. “Can she stop me? If I...Can she stop me?”
Puzzles uncertain gaze flicked to the hall where he'd pushed her. She smiled gently back.
So Unswag is the parts of Swag that he hated about himself, and he still expresses traits Swag tries to suppress. He’s introverted, aggressive, gets angry. He only gave up under extreme coercion, and is still dangerous, but he is not the Riddler reborn. Like Swag, he is looking at trying out new possibilities. He is not becoming like Swag, he expresses himself differently, relates to people differently, feels and processes emotions differently.
Unswag can still see. He’s one of only three Riddlers capable of touching magic (Himself, Detective, Narci) It’s very clear when he is doing it, as his eyes glow, and he usually uses it to measure the possible outcomes of an action, but he can also see unnatural beings like ghosts or fae.
He’s slowly getting over the germ fear, but still feels most comfortable with his gloves on, even in situations where nothing else is.
There is still plenty of tension and friction between them, but he and Swag actually work very well together. Neither feels any remorse about leveraging this to their mutual benefit. These occasions are some of the rare times Unswag feels a real sort of self acceptance.
The two of them refer to each other as twins, but never as brothers.
He has the potential to be a good dancer, but not the experience.
His relationship with Helix is a complex and slightly twisted thing. It’s based on old, possibly false memories, having the same tastes as Swag, the fact that she bested him, and bone deep terror. He is very afraid of Helix, but expresses it as attraction due to the aforementioned things. Like Swag, he has a very hard time denying her anything. (No seriously, go back and look, Swag literally never tells her no, and she never calls him by his nickname to his face. They’ve been like this since the beginning, and I have written it into their dynamic.)
He’s the only one in the entire Family who knows what she’s actually capable of. Arkham thinks he knows, and Narci thinks xie knows, but they do not. But Unswag saw in those thousand worlds, what happens when a less soft Helix decides you’re too much of a threat, and it was gruesome, creative, and very, very persuasive. He does not step out of line with her, and rarely initiates anything without Swag nearby. If only so that he’s sure there will be a witness.
Still really likes apple pie though.
Good cuddler, almost clingy, but he’s not as, uh, friendly as Swag, so very few people know it.
Secretly likes K-pop.
What Actually Happened
While there is no such thing as fate, there is such thing as probability. In the context of worlds, there are certain occurrences that have an impact, decisions made that lead the timeline in a certain direction. But for every decision, there was another that could have been made, and if the result is important enough, a new world can develop from that. For example, Bruce Wayne's parents NOT being murdered is an occurrence significant enough to cause a reality mitosis, a whole new universe coming into being like cellular mitosis.
This can also lead to mutant universes, where things that would be completely impossible in mainline universes can occur. Things like the Justice League being actual dinosaurs, or the Scarecrow being inexplicably gigantic and cannibalistic. Mutant worlds tend to have a lot of extra ambient magic upholding their aberrant realities.
Swags world is one of these mutants. His world is not a cell, it's a blastocyst, a myriad possible worlds that never fully separate, but cluster together in ever greater numbers, the metaphysical membranes remaining thin and permeable. Occasionally, they bleed into each other, showing glimpses of worlds where Swag is converted into a computer program that has to build its own android body, where he's a traveling rock star, a magical girl.
When Helix created her circle, she didn't mess up. The circle did exactly what it was supposed to do: trap Unswag by placing him slightly out of sync with the world. In a normal universe, this would have had no other effect. In this mutant universe of worlds within worlds, it exposed him to all of those possible worlds and all their underlying magic, all at once and for a prolonged time.
He couldn't interact with those worlds in anyway, but he could see what happened in them, and still can, if he tries. The power doesn't work and magic is inaccessible to him when he is not in his own universe. So, if he was visiting YJ, say, he wouldn't be able to do it. Even in his own world, he can only look into the other parts of his own universe.
The color never comes back. Some mechanism in the process of creating it was destroyed. He remains that pale forever. With magic, anything permanent comes at a price.
Narci
Our baby would be about twenty-eight now, all grown up, healthy and strong. Xir clone body ages more slowly than xir natural body would have.
Narci is kind, thoughtful, gentle, loving, and absolutely obliterates people on occasion. Like Helix, xie is no vigilante, but xie is compelled to help if xie sees people in trouble. Unlike Helix, xie sometimes opts for more permanent solutions.
Xie has a lovely singing voice, a useful thing in casting spells, or team building exercises with ones mentor.
Xie is engaged in some mild gender fuckery
Narci has settled into a specialty in conjuration and energy manipulation. Yes, that means xie can cast magic missile.
Narci doesn't metabolize the magic very efficiently, causing light to leak from xir eyes and mouth when casting, and permanent black staining on xir fingers. Visually, Narci's magic appears as a ghostly, pale green glow.
This is Narci's third body, the second lost in a reckless attempt to help someone else.
Narci can't fly, but xie can double jump. Also, xie can control xir own local gravity-slow falls, run up a wall-and glide from heights like skating on air. These skills, combined with xir gymnastic and parkour skills make it so that, in a city, it doesn't matter that xie can't fly.
Xie is very gay.
Narci occasionally goes berserk, and the magic gets a bit fucky. People familiar with xir know to get out of the way, but the targets rarely get the chance to learn.
Xie does eventually learn how to walk the worlds unassisted, like Helix can, and regularly patrols for outside threats, earning a reputation as a cryptid on some worlds.
Narci never returns to Xir homeworld. The Riddler remains dead there, as far as anyone is concerned.
Narci's relationship with Helix is much closer and more intimate than friendship, but not at all sexual in nature. Xie would consider it a form of soulmate.
Some updates:
Nash can access magic, but only when Lust is with him, and only that which falls under Lust’s domain (enchantment, illusion), because it’s actually Lust doing it.
Unswag still can’t use his predictive capabilities on other worlds, but he can see unnatural or invisible things.
The magical staining on Narci’s hands comes from overuse of magic, is now dark red, and fades over time.
Really needed to update this little serial killer. I wasn’t satisfied with the previous hair texture, and his expression was just too serene. Serenity was not a word I would associate with Narci’s return.
This fellow was absolutely bugnuts, and I love him dearly. He had a major character arc that took him from mass murderer to sorcerer. Narci’s doing much better these days, with a great deal of help, and a great many eyes watching at all times. This is representative of Narci as Penitent, the middle section of his arc, and the end of the (first half?) of the meeting Shards.
