Damian Wayne | Robin (
earlybird) wrote in
dreamsanddisasters2014-09-04 09:10 pm
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Tiny Talon Dick (Plus is an E N A B L E R)
[ 'Stay. Inside,' Father had said. 'This isn't your concern.'
And no matter how much Damian had snarled back that it wasn't fair, that there wasn't any sense in barring him from patrol (it was just a boy, just another threat amongst many, what was so special about this one?), Bruce had left Alfred with strict orders to ensure that Damian stayed on lock-down while he left for the streets of Gotham.
Presumably to find that would-be assassin. The child from the Court of Owls. Although Damian wonders if there's anything about it that could be called a child anymore; wonders what might be behind that mask. Something about the voice, quiet and inflectionless as it'd been, declaring that the Waynes were its targets, had set Batman off, had frozen him solid.
Damian's fought the Court of Owls before. He's taken down one of the adult assassins - shot an arrow through its eye, and when that didn't work? Strung it up and beheaded it. Immortal though they were, the monsters could still die. He doesn't see what's so worrying about a pint-sized version of the same.
Pennyworth is being irritatingly clever for a butler, and unusually effective at keeping him caged. He's not falling for any of Damian's tricks, not this time, and both Redbird and Robin remain out of his access. The Cave is closed to him, and Damian's left to pace the boundaries of his room wearing nothing but a scowl and his satin pajamas (no suit, no daggers, no hooded cape), dinner ignored and left to grow cold as he presses his forehead against the chilly glass. Titus is more than happy to lay out in front of the fire, but as much as Damian hates the winters here, he wants to be out there. Fighting crime, throwing his frustration at whatever villain he can dig his fists into. The night is dark, almost inky, with thick, fat flakes of snow silently falling down; he can't even see the grounds through it, just glaring at his own reflection and the powdery puffs of white when they swirl close out of the pitch black.
Drake was allowed out tonight to attend his precious gala, with Cain accompanying him. Todd wasn't, but he left anyway. Smart enough to take off the second Pennyworth had swapped his focus to corralling Damian into his room before the butler tried the same move on him. Ridiculous. ]
And no matter how much Damian had snarled back that it wasn't fair, that there wasn't any sense in barring him from patrol (it was just a boy, just another threat amongst many, what was so special about this one?), Bruce had left Alfred with strict orders to ensure that Damian stayed on lock-down while he left for the streets of Gotham.
Presumably to find that would-be assassin. The child from the Court of Owls. Although Damian wonders if there's anything about it that could be called a child anymore; wonders what might be behind that mask. Something about the voice, quiet and inflectionless as it'd been, declaring that the Waynes were its targets, had set Batman off, had frozen him solid.
Damian's fought the Court of Owls before. He's taken down one of the adult assassins - shot an arrow through its eye, and when that didn't work? Strung it up and beheaded it. Immortal though they were, the monsters could still die. He doesn't see what's so worrying about a pint-sized version of the same.
Pennyworth is being irritatingly clever for a butler, and unusually effective at keeping him caged. He's not falling for any of Damian's tricks, not this time, and both Redbird and Robin remain out of his access. The Cave is closed to him, and Damian's left to pace the boundaries of his room wearing nothing but a scowl and his satin pajamas (no suit, no daggers, no hooded cape), dinner ignored and left to grow cold as he presses his forehead against the chilly glass. Titus is more than happy to lay out in front of the fire, but as much as Damian hates the winters here, he wants to be out there. Fighting crime, throwing his frustration at whatever villain he can dig his fists into. The night is dark, almost inky, with thick, fat flakes of snow silently falling down; he can't even see the grounds through it, just glaring at his own reflection and the powdery puffs of white when they swirl close out of the pitch black.
Drake was allowed out tonight to attend his precious gala, with Cain accompanying him. Todd wasn't, but he left anyway. Smart enough to take off the second Pennyworth had swapped his focus to corralling Damian into his room before the butler tried the same move on him. Ridiculous. ]
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Damian ignores him, and ignores the sounds of Pennyworth puttering around, up until the point his hound's snuffling suddenly shifts to a deep, warning growl, barking sharply at the door with his hackles raised. Damian glances away from the window, mouth thinning.
Titus has good senses, and is well-trained; he'd noticed Ducard hiding in the trees, and he notices now that something is amiss.
(Father, out of the house, chasing after a ghost of a boy. Just him and Pennyworth, caught in the same damn scenario.
At least this time he's not wearing a neck-brace.)
Silently, he slips over to the fireplace, fingers brushing against the fire iron (quick, whiplike, with a nasty hook) before opting for the spade (slower, but with heft, a broad, flat edge that can split a yule log in two - or sever a neck). He doesn't have much protective wear on, not even his gloves, or he'd heat it up in the embers first.
Oh, well. He can make do with what he has. Even silk can become a weapon; she taught him as much.
Titus has already given his location away more than likely, and it's too dangerous to try and slip out into the hall, but Damian can work with this. The pillows are stuffed beneath the covers, and with a quick, silent climb he's perched above the door. A sharp motion commands his dog to quiet, back off, go to the foot of the bed. Titus isn't happy about it, growling and whining, but Damian is firm.
He throws his voice to where the bed is, adopting the drowsy tones that Jason speaks with in the morning before he's fully awake. ]
Hush, mutt. Go to sleep. [ An irritated grumble, words slurring together, trailing off into quiet. Convincing. Just a young boy at rest, peaceful beneath the covers.
And above, a young assassin waits, eyes focused intently on the doors below and spade gripped tight, a furious curl to his lips flashing sharp little teeth.
Pennyworth better be unharmed. ]
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He nudges the door to the bedroom open when he reaches it, barely making a sound as it swings open, and Talon waits just outside the door frame, looking in and investigating, studying from afar. The yellow goggles and dark mask was almost humorous in the way that it made him look even smaller than usual, the way it made his eyes look owlishly too big.
And finally, he creeps inside with a knife slipped into the grip of his hand, stepping quietly across the carpet, almost keeping to some kind of invisible edge, and rounding over towards the bed. But he stops, abruptly, but so calmly that it's both natural and not.
He doesn't see anyone sleeping in the bed. But he didn't think to look up fast enough (no doubt another chastisement, when he returns.)]
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Come into his house, attack his manservant, and try and assassinate him? The monster will be sent back in pieces. Six would be a fitting number, a strong warning.
He drops, a sudden pajama'd swish through the air, spade swinging downwards with his full body weight as he throws himself in an ambush atop the intruder, face set in cold, grim calculation. ]
Nice try!
[ He's not intending for a killing blow to start, but to knock it out; capture it alive and interrogate it. Damian is very good at playing worse cop. He has no doubt he'll get his answers, and Father will be proud of his resourcefulness.
Titus moves when he does, darting out of the way and snarling at the edges of the fight, ready to jump in and protect his boy even if Damian's ordered him to stay out. ]
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He whirls around, unresponsive to the gloat as always-- it's doubtful if he's even listening, if he even cares, or if he even can listen. His focus is too sharpened, and he has to keep track of both this child and the dog.
So he keeps his breadth of the dog, and whirls around to throw the knife in his own hand towards the boy's own hands gripping the spade. And he doesn't even wait for it to hit its target before he there's another blade in his hand, and he makes his own lunge forward towards his prey.]
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Titus, go! Pennyworth! Go!
[ He needs Titus out of the room, unwilling to risk his dog's life, or to risk the distraction. Commanding him to find Pennyworth will help him quickly locate the butler later. Two birds, one stone.
The command works. Titus, pup that he is, whines and pleas but darts out of the room at the second iteration of go, and Damian--
--Damian took his eyes off the enemy for a second too long. He's quick to jump back, but the lunge catches him, the blade slicing through the flimsy material of his button-up top to cut a gash into his side, and he snarls, swinging the spade up at the Talon's head in furious retaliation. ]
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He moves again, but the spade nicks the side of his head, damaging the material of his mask. But he's a Talon-- made of tougher stuff than human. So he ignores it, shakes it off with barely a twitch of his head.
He turns his body sideways and strikes out with his free hand to grab the length of the spade, tightening his grip in an effort to wrench it away and out of the enemy's hands. The hand still holding the knife is poised, positioned out and across his torso with the blade towards Damian, should he try to make a forward move.]
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Damian grunts when the creature gives the spade a yank, tightening his own grip on it and digging his heels in, but the thing is strong and the wound to his side sends a pulse of pain through him when his core tenses. Clicking his tongue in annoyance, he releases the spade, darting backwards to give himself space between it and him.
The rest of the fire iron set is behind it, and Damian is boxed against the window, trapped and weaponless, back pressed to the glass.
Even silk can be used as a weapon. Or curtains. With a yank, he's ripped the curtains off the rod, throwing the heavy fabric at his enemy -- a bid to buy himself the precious few seconds he needs to shove the window open and jump down into the fresh bank of soft snow two floors down. Space. Room to maneuver. And the ability to break into the first-floor study and grab one of the swords off the wall.
(Damian's not making this chase easy on the Talon. Not at all.) ]
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Before he give the spade a swing of his own, however, the curtains are covering him-- it's not exactly restrictive, and he's already taking his knife to the fabric to rip himself free, but it slows him down and he loses visual.
His stare is blank as always as he watches the boy tumble out the door. But there's a slight jump in his chest-- that could almost be construed as panic if he were in the business of being in charge of his own faculties.
He rips the knife through the fabric with more force, more zeal, until he's freed from its grip. He abandons the spade on the wayside and follows the boy's trail, hopping onto the window sill and barreling out into the snow and rolling through the drift once he makes contact with the ground.
Ironically, he appreciates the open space more. But he can't let the boy get away from him, and he immediately starts following the trail left in the snow. He shouldn't have even let him have the chance to run away.]
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Damian has his options. A handful of seconds ahead means he has just enough leeway to sprint down the hall, swing around the corner to where the grandfather clock stands, and quickly turn its hands to the right time. ]
Iftaḥ yā simsim. [ Open sesame, there are the poles, and Damian's spinning down one as fast as he dares. He doesn't care if the creature follows him - he wants it to, because if it's down here, it's not up there with Pennyworth and Titus.
He needs to get word to his father, and he needs his gear if he still intends to capture this thing alive. The Cave has both.
(The Talon really had made a terrible mistake, letting Damian get the slip for even a moment. The boy will stand and fight, but he's smart, and will do everything in his power to make his enemy's life hell at the same time.) ]
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It's their base-- they call it 'the Batcave,' that his feet touch down on the floor of.
The Talon knows that he has made a grave mistake. He's allowed the boy to come this far to his bunker. Even if it affords him a glimpse into their operations, it's a gross mistake.
The only way the Court will let him out of this alive is if he makes sure the boy dies despite this. He has to.
So once again he takes to the shadows-- he can't just go rushing forward like when they were in the house. The boy has the home field advantage, but he stays quiet, follows the trail of blood he's left.
He stays calm. He has to, because it's the only way.]
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He doesn't make any efforts to hide himself. He's bleeding, breathing heavy - no easy way to hide that. So when the Court's agent follows the trail, it leads him right to the Batcomputer, and to Damian, perched stoically on a chair meant for a much larger man. There's a utility belt around his waist, another sword in his hand, and he's wearing the sharp smile of a boy who knows he's already won, the screen behind him flashing emergency red, dimly lighting the memorial cases against the back wall.
He taps the sword against one of his heels, still barefooted, snowmelt soaked into the hem of his pants and toes curling and uncurling to ward off the cold. ]
Batman. Red Hood. Red Robin. Black Bat. [ Almost conversational. ] Batgirl and Oracle, too.
[ Everyone had received the distress signal. The smile drops off his face as he slips off the chair back to his feet, spinning the swords in his hands in clear challenge as he advances on the Talon. ]
Come on then - come try and finish the job.
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That was not a trait he had ever been trained or allowed to posses.
So; it seemed like no matter what, he was dead either way. Even if he managed to get away, the Court didn't like that kind of attention. So he really should've known better.
He wasn't afraid of dying, if there was nothing he could do.
But some part of him was still scared. And it makes his stomach feel sick. But he doesn't know why.
Talon's still like he's already a dead man; he's quiet until suddenly he's not. He's moving and there's a knife in each hand now, and he's actually yelling, a grunt like he's angry, and rushing forward to meet Robin in his advance and swing his weapons without hesitation, and without discrimination, but still an alarming degree of precision.
The least he could do is not disappoint them completely.]
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The yell is the first time he's heard one of them express anything like emotion. He's never looked under the masks, has never wanted to look, assuming the immortal fighters were little more than animated husks, jiangshi commanded by their masters, but suddenly he wants to see.
Damian meets the Talon's attack, short swords flashing up to block the daggers with ease. Swords are his specialty, especially dual-wielding. Blades in hand, even without armor or shoes and even bleeding heavily from the stab wound to his side, he is a force to be reckoned with and a fury in battle.
And this fury is throwing everything he has at knocking that stupid mask right off the assassin's face, switching from defense to unrelenting offense. ]
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His armor is solid protection, and he can deflect the blade of the swords even with the smaller knives, swiping and stabbing at any opening he can find (to the boy's credit, there's not very many). But it's no longer completely clinical, and he's grown a fury to match Damian's own.
He doesn't realize it as first when his mask is hooked and ripped right off his face by the tip of a blade.
And underneath he somehow still looks so much like a kid. His face is still round. His black hair is tangled and messy like he just got roughed up at school. But his tan skin almost looks like it's been drained to look sickly and pale, there's a hint of something in his veins just under the surface, and his blue eyes have been steeled and dulled during his service.
At least up until he realizes he's exposed. And he stops again, withdrawing himself from the engagement, looking at Damian with owlishly big eyes. Surprise. Maybe even so far as shock. Maybe even panic. This has never happened before. Was never supposed to happen.
He tries to swipe the mask back in a gesture that seems way too normal, all the grunts and yelling dissipated.]
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But the anger (and that is anger, radiating from it) is just enough to give Damian an upper hand, and the mask is stolen with a deft swipe of his sword-point, revealing--
Revealing a boy. Although at first glance, it's not a boy, more like the husk that Damian expects; not dessicated, but lifeless, almost like a doll whose porcelain form is dulled and crackling with age. No self-awareness in its eyes.
But then something changes in its expression once it registers the mask is gone. It backs off, and emotion floods its (his) face.
Something in his chest grows cold, seizes, and he feels sick. Damian doesn't recognize the face, doesn't know about Dick Grayson (not like Bruce knew, not like the horror his father had felt when he realized who the small assassin was), but he's never dealt well with this kind of violence against children.
It's one thing to see the assassin as a soulless shell, long dead before it became what it is. It's another to see him as a child, twisted and manipulated as they chipped away at everything that makes him human.
(Strikes too close to home.)
It -- he -- lunges for the mask, and Damian automatically dances back, instinctively engaging in the unexpected game of keep-away. ]
No. [ Denied. As uncomfortable as he is with the realization that he'd almost been about to kill a child, Damian's been raised to show no weakness, and he has no trouble with leveling a haughty stare at the other, as if daring him to try and take it back. ]
I think I'll be keeping it as a trophy.
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[He started to speak. The word sounded cracked and dry, and he hadn't even hit puberty yet. He wanted to yell, Give it back, and it was utterly childish in the way he wanted to vent his own frustration and bury his face in the mask's hidden safety.
He cuts himself off immediately. A flash of panic cuts behind his eyes again, but this time both more immediate as well as far away, one more like remembering than dawning recognition.
The Court didn't like it when he spoke, because he was never very obedient when he spoke. And they always demanded absolute obedience. A tool was supposed to be obedient and silent.
He feels like he's going to be sick. He was-- he was letting too much emotion out, he had to focus, bring it back in, get back to the job. The boy could easily hand the mask over when he's dead. (But that, he doesn't like the sound of that anymore but it's his job and he has to.)
He tries to steel himself again(he can't lock it all away again, not right now on such short notice), and moves to bodily tackle Damian to the ground in response to his stupid game of keep away. He needed to finish this and get away and leave now.]
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[ He smirks, taunting, immediately hooking onto the fact that he's accomplishing something. He's not sure what it is, what he's trying to do, beyond egging on a response from the boy. Signs of life.
(And how wonderful for him that all he has to do is be his own, asshole self to do it.)
Robin barks out a laugh at the attempted tackle, flipping and rolling out of the way. He slings himself up to crouch atop one of the memorial cases, reinforced glass easily supporting his (less than hefty) weight, and, to add insult to injury, one sword is sheathed so he can twirl the mask in hand. ]
I think it will look good on my mantle. Even though these goggles are stupid.
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(But really, he doesn't like the goggles very much either. They're a bit big for him and make it hard to see the peripherals.)
If Robin was going to keep running, then Talon was going back on he offensive, and sends one of the knives flying towards the target on top of the display case. And now he's aiming all for vital points, not just to disable.
Still, it's kind of hard to look like a serious assassin when you don't realize there's an angry pout on your face.]
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The boy is moving noticeably slower, and the mask is tucked into his utility belt so he can keep one free hand pressed against the wound on his side, though the damnable smirk won't leave his face as he jumps back out of the way of the knife (the blade scraping just shy of his throat).
(Normally, he would just knock him out rather than trying to lure him in, but Damian isn't faking his delayed responses, the heavy breathing or the squint to his eyes that says he's fighting off the haze of blood loss. Stakes raised, tactics change, and he needs to stay out of close combat unless absolutely necessary.) ]
Maybe you should try aiming for something a little easier to hit. Something more your level.
Have you tried the broad side of a barn yet?
[ Such a dick. ]
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He doesn't know the terrain, and Robin can still move and talk, but the open wound is starting to take its toll. If he waits it out long enough, he can win by attrition, make the boy bleed out from exertion. It's messy. He'll have to deal with the consequences on both sides of the fence. But he hopes it'll be enough to get the job done.
The taunt is aggravating, but it doesn't stop him from rushing forward with the full force of his own agility and keep taking a swipe at his jugular.]
Maybe you'll bleed enough to match the barn.
[He's spoken again, the words are angry and stilted and it feels awful in the pit of his stomach no matter how much he actually wants to talk, but-- it's a clearly phrased threat. Robin's likely close to losing consciousness and probably knows it, and once he's dead he'll have his mask back, and no one will have any clue he'd even said a word.]
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Just a few feet, right across the threshold of the cell.
A bloody palm slams against the activation panel, and the force field hums into existence, closing the space off.
Damian's smile is a snarl of victory, even as he sinks down like his strings have been cut. ]
I can't believe you fell for that. And here I thought I was boned-- [ Jason's vocabulary, now Damian's. ] --when it turned out the belt was empty.
[ Thanks, Father, for your thoroughness in ensuring that he was left trapped and defenseless here. ]
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He doesn't wait, doesn't think; he springs back up to his feet, whipping around, driving for the only exit but he's too slow and the force field is already in place when he reaches it.
Caged in. He's not exactly un-used to it. But usually it's not in the hands of the enemy.
The Talon backs away from the threshold (he can recognize that getting past it from this side is pointless). He throws a glance around the cell, looking for any other kind of weakness or opening for him to exploit, but he knows that the Batman wouldn't make that kind of mistake. The man is good and that's exactly the problem.
He's trapped. And still exposed. He wants to go back to the Court but they'll never take him back now. He's not as afraid of dying as he is at the thought that he is now completely alone.
He doesn't really care what the kid is saying anymore, or that he's gloating and smirking and everything else that made him feel angry before. He's stopped, that weird way he has of hesitating that looks like he's waiting when he's not, and with his mask gone it's easy to see the roll of emotion in his eyes-- shock, anger, fear, most of it dwarfed by shame-- that he's trying to hide, and all in all he just looks a little lost, like he can't comprehend the new state of the surroundings.
In the end he just sits on the ground, crossing his legs in front of him, placing his hands between them, and staring at the floor. Waiting for a repercussion before he can plan another move.]
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(Distantly, he can acknowledge that it is -- upsetting, to watch the gamut of emotions run across the child's face. But Damian has other priorities at the moment.)
Secure in the knowledge that the assassin isn't going anywhere, he straightens out, allowing himself a slow hiss at his injury before turning on his heel and walking, stiffly, to the elevator.
He finds Pennyworth, Titus still waiting faithfully beside the fallen butler. He's safe, he breathes, and the fall didn't hurt him except for a few bruises, and Damian laboriously drags him onto the couch, left to wake on his own. Next, he circles back down to the medical bay, briskly stitching up his stab wound, slapping a cotton pad over it, and calling it good. The cut to his neck he can ignore; it stings, but doesn't warrant treatment in his eyes. Then, a call to the members of Batman, Inc., who are still a ways out but rushing back.
(Yes, they are okay. Yes, he has received medical treatment. No, it is not life-threatening (anymore). Father, he captured the assassin unharmed (are you going to praise him? No? Fine.).)
Batman had gone quiet at that last piece of information. Damian can't help but feel -- stung. A little. Here, Bruce had stripped him of defenses, yet Damian had still managed to fend off and trap an agent from the Court of Owls, without seriously injuring the boy (in fact, the assassin is in better shape than he is!), but the man sounded troubled rather than proud.
Concerned...for the other boy. Even more so than he sounded concerned for Damian. He can gather from the conversation that the Talon means something to his father.
Finally, after ending the conversation thoroughly rankled, he sits cross-legged in front of the cell, staring at the other boy in plain irritation. ]
Who are you?
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But there's still a hole burning through his stomach. If he even realized he could, he might've cried.
By the time Robin returns to his confinement, he's taken the time to collect himself again, shoving everything down and locking it away again to make life easier to deal with (he's not even sure why this boy has gotten so under his skin in the first place). It's less effective now, but at least it keeps his composure steeled when he finally looks up, even if his eyes look exhausted.
He's silent; it seems like he might simply return to his mute act (this isn't the first time speaking has gotten him into trouble, though it may be his last). But all he really can do now is talk, and the boy is still expecting an answer.]
Talon. [Simple and professional. Stating the obvious, but not condescending. More like he doesn't really understand the point of the question, but he's obliging anyway.] You already know that.
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[ He drums his fingers against his knee. It seems they're both waiting. This is his chance to get his questions in before his father returns and -- and does what, Damian doesn't know. They can't keep the Talon, but Damian doesn't know what his father intends at all. He'd just been planning on dismembering the creature and sending it back to the Court in boxes, but that plan's not going to hold up, now.
Unfortunately, he doesn't think the boy has any answers to the only questions Damian wants to ask.
Why do you mean so much to my father? Why does he seem to care for you more? ]
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hmmm is this a good place to wrap-up this scene??
ye sounds good to me!!