wareffort: (pic#14906557)
Dick Grayson ([personal profile] wareffort) wrote in [community profile] gourmetburgers2021-05-21 12:28 pm

[dickva] love in a hopeless place ;(

[ The Magistrate held Gotham City in a tighter chokehold than any before it. Where Gotham has seen corruption swell in the ranks of its police before, ameliorated only by the interventions of Batman in his early career, the city has seen the entrenchment of a more dedicated police state in recent years. The gerrymandering towards the interests of politicians acting as puppets for the Magistrate, in a more clandestine and concerted effort than even the Court of Owls had ever mounted, divided the city. Swayed public opinion to favor and rationalize the excessive force of the police, who then could dispense gratuitous violence upon Gotham's citizens with impunity. Every little thing was micromanaged, the slightest mistake punished with the severity of a Special Tribunal.

This couldn't have happened at a worse time. Justice League personnel were either missing or scattered, mired in turmoils of their own. Though Bruce had a plan in motion and was ready to execute it against the Magistrate, he had suddenly vanished. As time passed, it was becoming increasingly plausible to just presume that Batman was dead. But Bruce has pulled a disappearing act before, lost in time thanks to Darkseid's omega beam, only to restore himself to the present. Dick wants to believe Bruce is still out there, biding his time with some miracle he's preparing-- something to put an end to the Magistrate's impositions of martial law. Though the Magistrate represents a larger tide of authoritarian power moves across the globe, Dick sees a chance here to flip hegemony's chessboard.

Because he can't wait for Bruce. He can't hold out for something not guaranteed.

Nightwing has to act.

And his first measure was to found an insurgency, comprised of allies and former enemies alike. Gone now were the days of mysteries, conspiracies, wars for criminal capital. The stuff that Gotham's heroes tended to fight had become a bygone luxury in hindsight, a luxury compared to the violent surveillance of the Magistrate. Nightwing has had to spread himself thin, fighting the Magistrate's forces at every step. Protecting independent subversives from being targeted in their homes, protecting innocent people from being attacked out on the streets... it's everything Dick has ever done, with greater intensity. A political urgency.

Without the Justice League to call upon, Dick has had to expand his network of contacts. Pull from the world of heroes he grew up in, whose ideas raised him as much as Bruce's have. Clark had the Legion of Superheroes to count on, at times. Hal, the might of the Green Lantern Corps. Bruce, the Batmen of All Nations. And while Dick had the Titans, who were themselves spread thin across all corners of the globe, he had the Outsiders here in Gotham. He had everyone who's ever been impacted by him and Bruce enough to join their war on crime.

And now, he has Overwatch.

There's no denying that the Magistrate was getting extra firepower from Talon, supplying the regime with organic and omnic muscle alike. The escalation this brought forth warranted Dick's own, bringing him to his multi-monitored terminal in Arkham Asylum, whose inner chambers he's turned into his own secret headquarters. ]


Connect me to Winston, Tim. It's time.

[ In a text message on the screen, Tim assents. Winston appears on screen, ready to address Dick. ]

I know you have some action ongoing in Gibraltar.

But for the mission ahead, I'm gonna need some extra firepower. Cover for what I plan to do in the shadows.

Anybody on standby?

[ Upon receiving confirmation, Dick receives coordinates. He knows who's being sent his way, and where. Amidst the chaos of everything necessitating this situation... it's who he hoped it would be. But part of him has to bury that hope, for now, the joy of anticipation so at odds with his task.

The coordinates Winston sent correspond to a rendezvous point on top of Oracle's former clocktower. ]


Thanks, Winston. I'll debrief when I reach the rendezvous point.

[ Best not to communicate everything here. Dick knows better than to be too candid on encrypted channels.

With that, Dick gears up. Puts on a reinforced version of his typical Nightwing ensemble, all to protect him when facing down more cybernetic threats. Clandestinely, he exits the asylum and grapples high, keen to avoid detection by the Magistrate's searchlights. He anticipates reaching the clock tower in five minutes, the speed and fluidity of his body utterly compelled by the importance of his mission. Everyone has their place, active throughout Gotham to make the Magistrate fight a war on all fronts.

As leader, Dick has his place. Making sure everything goes according to plan. He just needs a little help to do it.

Because if Bruce isn't here to produce a miracle, Dick will. ]
dva: (pic#10416788)

[personal profile] dva 2021-05-21 11:30 pm (UTC)(link)
[ It's... been a while, hasn't it? The world was starting to come to a boiling point – rebellions, invasions, cults, whatever you want to throw a pin in, it happened. Each country had something going on, cities sometimes engulfed with their own issues where they couldn't help their neighbors. It takes a bit to get back to helping – for Overwatch to fill a void that was so clearly growing bigger and bigger.

Hana hasn't been here since... she got a call back home. When her people and her city needed her. It was like domino blocks after that, one by one and bringing her further away. They called it quits before it even got deep – maybe on a sour note, maybe on one that was understanding. They both may have thought of 'what-ifs', but life worked in weird ways even when they were tugged apart. So much had changed... and ah! She feels like a tourist again! It was not as technologically advanced as Seoul, but what was? There, for a time, omnics were helping advance instead of small sectors of them trying to destroy. The Gwishin always showed at inopportune time... so any hope of stability was gone. Less gaming, less acting, less play and more mission.

But, there wasn't a complaint. It was her duty, her promise to her people. With joining Overwatch, she has help back home. She knows they can keep her people safe too – even if she's just learning to stop being the star of the show.

When Winston contacts her, it wasn't simply because of who was available. She knows Gotham, supposedly, but a lot has changed since she was here. She knows what's at risk and how to handle herself solo or with a team. There was a bit of doubt at first, but hey? Duty wasn't picky, so she takes it with pride.

Meka was piloted here in Gotham with a low hum, a darkened paint job helping blend into the clouded sky. That damn invisibility mode wasn't quite set up – she'd never be quiet about not adapting Sombra's stolen tech to her mech before their latest mission, but... she doesn't argue. Hana finds herself slowing her speed when she seeds a shadow move up the coordinates clocked into her console.

She didn't think it would really hit her – but, she's glad he's okay and there's a small smile tugging onto her lips. With her hands leaving the sticks, she tugs her hair back into a ponytail, letting the mecha hover to a suitable stop. The hiss of decompression gives her a leeway to instead lean halfway out of Meka, laying over the edge with a sly smirk on her face. ]


Hiiiiii, heard you needed a second player.

[ She keeps it light, even if her eyes were more attentive – as if trying to grow familiar with the form in front of her... there was that sunny accent kicking in. ]

Been a while, huh?
dva: (pic#10416762)

[personal profile] dva 2021-05-22 04:04 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Life took them in two different directions. Their responsibility was to a city that they called home. Halfway across the world. All dealing with their own problems. It would have been simple for Hana to stay in Gotham, if she was any other girl... but she couldn't. Her people gave her a life of happiness before this crisis and it was her way to thank them by keeping them safe.

There are times she thinks about the world – how traveling it was her dream as much as stardom was. How Dick was part of that, maybe, in some idealistic teenage crush kind of way. 19 year old Hana had a different bit of concerns than she did now.

Seeing him here, it was as if time had stopped. There's that cordial smile and when they shake hands – it was D.Va and Nightwing making a connection. Deep down, she wonders how rough it had been here. A Boba shop was far from the only notable loss in the past... god, who knows how long. There's some level of confidence she puts out there even when she doubts herself, it was a persona that she needed to keep up. It's why her people looked to her and the other Meka units for 'salvation', even if she was just happy to help.

By the time they pull the hand back, Hana crawls out of Meka with a thud of her boots hitting the ground. She's still short, looking up to Dick with a tilt of her head. He lays things out like a drill instructor, no fluff and no other lingering. It was ... different, she feels – and she wonders if that was how he was now or if he was purposefully doing it. There's no real need to bring it up, but she had to be cautious. ]


Talon has been making moves by making allies. Not just figureheads anymore... it's weird. When Winston told me they were in Gotham, I couldn't believe it! [ last she knew, they were in Italy, causing quite a ruckus with some omnic-rights crowds and leaders. ] Wonder what is in it for them...?

[ She muses only a second before looking back at Meka, knowing that her big metal bestie was the opposite of stealth, even in its new paint job. ]

How far away was their last known position and am I giving you a ride, Nightwing?

[ There's a smirk, almost as if she's been dying to show off her mech's newest additions and upgrades. There's that part of Hana sneaking out before she gets back to business. ]

If we can get them quickly enough, it minimizes risk of it flooding out to the city, doesn't it? They will need to retreat, to hide. Aaaaaaannnd the last place I want is for them to find shelter in your city.

[ There's concern there, even as he mentions the need for stealth and misdirection – but she needs to keep things realistic. She can't be impulsive, can't be some hotshot know-it-all... A lot has changed, but she wants to do right – this was how. ]

dva: (pic#12526005)

[personal profile] dva 2021-05-22 10:24 pm (UTC)(link)
[ From her short time in Gotham, she never had seen such divide. It made her heart hurt for Dick and all of his friends – for all that he had to deal with. The root of it wasn't some uprising, some conflict between morals... it was quite literally based on chess. Where one piece moves forward, another is lost. She'll never understand how the government didn't better regulate it – but, the government didn't show support like it did back home. It wasn't part of some moral boosts. Nightwing was lucky if he had allies and he was lucky if he only had to deal with one threat at a time. It ... was just different.

Long gone were the days where D.Va was proudly printed on cola cans or doing press conferences. The glitz and glamour of a supposed role was different... and after she saw how Nightwing handled things... she backed off. Preferred to stay in the back, work and learn. It wasn't a government approved change, but Hana knew there was no spotlight anymore – not when the target got wider. Talon... civil unrest... and then whatever else the world goes through...? It took her a while to join Overwatch, but when she did – she was here without questions. That's why Hana did what she did ... to make the magic happen and change the world. ]


It does! Not by much, but Winston says it's sneaking under Level 3 security drones now. Baby steps. [ She's hopping back onto Meka's leg, hand stroking at the surface where a few old sponsorship stickers remained, painted over. She can still feel the texture, know they were there. Her eyes glance back and she gives an awkward laugh. ] It can fit two! You saying you put on a few pounds?

[ She's joking, instead pointing right to the top of her unit – a small latch visible. ]

Other option here: just hold on really tight, you know?

[ She's learned a lot – tuned her own machine up, added some upgrades... Overwatch helped her bridge the gap to who she was and who she needed to be to really help. She leans back onto her machine, eyes shutting a bit as she tries to soak in such an in-depth run-down. It was not the first time, they had talked for hours both professional and unprofessional... this felt like old times. He can see her smirk a bit when he quips about the asylum. ]

Okay. So we basically clone ourselves and split! Jay-kay! [ It was a tough read, and if they were all timed... there was no real way that they could meet all of them on the outskirts. Meka was fast, but not Tracer fast. She taps her head back, thinking deeper. ] Did your notes suggest a plan of attack? Priority? Bigger numbers mean bigger risk, but... makes me wonder if it could be just moving bodies, you know?

[ Maybe the ones with easier means of going incognito had the more important, pressing issues. She asks, hoping to get his thoughts on it. Hana's eyes open when he talks about her ride – and she's left scrunching her face up at it. ]

All you need to know is that it's faster, stronger, and way more badass than before! Guns are firing with a 50% improved accuracy per shot! Great for damaging vehicles and – oh! We improved the Defense Matrix last month. It's cooldown is finally manageable and – ah.

[ Sorry, she's rambling! ]

It will help us out. And.. you were right. Needed to get some skills outside of Meka in case it goes down. [ She isn't hand-to-hand by any means... but maybe he inspired her to seek training in that. :') ] I can help if we disembark.
dva: (pic#12526001)

[personal profile] dva 2021-05-23 01:55 am (UTC)(link)
[ This was far from Hana's first strategic formation. It's what kept the Meka Units flying high as long as they did. They had to make sure they were all on the same page, all moving to the same goal but working on different means to accomplish it. It was different with Nightwing, however. It was about compensation. He does things she can't do, she helps with things he can't do. Even as he speaks now, laying things out – she trusts him enough. Trusts in herself more. ]

Ehhhh? You called OW for a reason and you're getting the best! Operatives or not, we know how to handle less ideal scenarios. We will put a stop to this.

[ Truthfully, it sounds like a lot. Numbers games weren't usually her opponents. Big baddies, ones that could take down entire city streets were. Not a giant dragon looking for chocolate, but.. y'know, same principle. She doesn't show doubt on her face. There was no room for it. They had a job to do and it would do best to make sure to do it enough to benefit them all. Gotham City and Overwatch can benefit.

He earns a laugh, one that was still youthful and sunny despite the weight she feels on her shoulders... The adorable mech was able to carry both of them easily, but by the time he boards, she's sliding in and avoids eye-contact. Huh.

There's a dance of her fingers – precise and knowing exactly what comes next. Coordinates set, engines purring a soft hum, and he'd feel the shift of her unit lifting off its stationary state. ]


We'll see, yea? [ We made a good team. She wants to say but it stumbles into a grunt as she grips the joysticks and guides them up into the air – masked by clouds nearly instantly. ] We play your way and if things go south, we do my way. Winston already told me it's a no-go for an ejection blast – so only way I'm popping out is if I need to.

[ Her confidence was still at a high, her eyes looking away from the open expanse of the city and looking over her shoulder to her partner for the day. ]

They won't even get a shot on me.
dva: (pic#12526003)

[personal profile] dva 2021-05-23 05:37 am (UTC)(link)
[ There would usually be a smart-mouthed, confident quote that was just begging for newspapers to use for their headline. There would be undoubtable confidence that bordered arrogance. There would be sloppiness and recklessness that would put others at risk whether she wanted to or not. That was then and now they were on the same page at least. Her glance to him was only for a moment. Enough to let him see understanding in her eyes. If this was how he wanted to do it, she follows orders and plays her role. There's a reason why Winston didn't send Tracer or even Mercy – he needed the big guns.

And fortunately for him, the best things in life came in small packages.

Hana pilots with concern – slicing the air with a speed that puts the Egypt air units to shame. Sorry, Pharah. She minds the controls, minds the changes in their altitude when her quiet ship uses the clouds as a cover to guide them close enough for Dick to call out the scene below. Fortunately, her radar was zoomed in on the screen in front of them, providing a more detailed view. Hugging the bottoms of the clouds, her mech skirts incognito until taking a harsh dive down. That'd maybe throw Dick back in his make-shift seat a bit, but it makes her giggle under her breath. ]


I have a score to settle with them after they ruined my birthday weekend – so, you got it! [ So many things have changed, but talks of some other albeit childish thing that happened since they last talked was almost like a therapeutic admittance. She smirks when she comes to a hover on a building's roof, just as he asked. Hana leans up out of the edge of the open cockpit before giving him a thumbs up. ] Don't get too ambitious, okay? I know, I know... coming from me. Going to try and wrangle the troops backwards on the bridge so I can minimize. My back will be to you, so be careful and goooood luck! See ya!

[ It's sweet how she gives a forced smile, knowing duty above hang-ups mattered most. It was just her and Meka now. The speed of her machine was admirable, but Hana's view of getting the troops to circle back would make it easier for her to open fire. A bridge can be repaired far easier than storefronts and people's homes...

Nightwing will only hear a whiz zip by – diving down once more like a bunny hopping down. Meka lands with a thud in front of a sector of Talon troops that open fire on her – and fortunately, that Defense Matrix already goes to work. Each lumbering step her machine takes forces rows of the troop to step back. She keeps her own readers on looking for the power of her machine, hoping to shoot into the sky when her matrix was set to reload to minimize ricochet. It seems she had to deal with troops manning assault rifles, no sniper or heavy tank in sight. ]
dva: (pic#10416788)

[personal profile] dva 2021-05-23 09:04 pm (UTC)(link)
[ How is Hana doing? She's nursing a case of jitters from an ill-timed energy drink, but all else considering – she's on schedule. Her Matrix keeps eating away at the incoming fire, less concerned with the wane of its charge by now. If she was going to make a proper impact, she was going to really steal the show. Some things never change, huh?

It was a ticking timebomb, though. Even if she took lumbering steps to lead them back – to make Talon retreat block by block, she can't last forever. What she does us hop from side to side, wrangling them in like a damn Australian Shepard to sheep. ]


5 seconds and it's offense time.

[ Her native tongue rolls off like honey, speaking to herself as her fingers flick a few buttons on her command dash to bring the defense grid down. It welcomes a flurry of bullets impacting Meka – a siren flashing red inside of her cockpit to indicate the health of her rig. It was clearly not going to cause a horrible drain just yet, which is why she needed to do something else. With a slam forward of her joystick and repetitive thumbwork to the button resting at the top – the gatling energy-fueled guns begin to whir to life. Instead of Talon, she aims for the street – impacting only a few if they were dumb enough to step forward. Forces were retreating fast – and it takes only a bit of attention from Dick to make her break her concentration. Her comm lights up first: ]

You good?! They're retreating back - distance between them and you growing. I'm on cooldown, so – taking flight in 5.

[ She didn't want to risk chipping away at her shield, even if her bullets do a decent amount tearing into the ground and sending a few limping away with non-lethal injuries. Within 5 seconds, true to her words, Meka hops up and blasts upwards – she gains speed, leaving a blur of motion behind her before she ducks down in a loop. The momentum sends enough force to drive a division between the crowd and send them flying into the nearest buildings lining the street. ]

Aaaaand striiiike! Airborne and in motion. Am I doing a dive run 2.0 or you need a tag in?
dva: (pic#10416748)

[personal profile] dva 2021-05-24 05:17 pm (UTC)(link)
[ She lets Nightwing handle his business without even a second thought. No matter how quickly her mech can move, it wasn't faster than her thoughts. There was no divine skill she inherited from her parents, no eagerness at an early age that showed a gifted spirit – Hana worked hard to ensure she was capable of living up to the smack she talks. It wasn't easy.

She should be in school.
She should have a boyfriend.
She should be putting money into her first real set of acting lessons in Hollywood.
She should, in theory, have a PS6 by now. :/

But... life didn't always work that way. She enlisted, she fought, and that won't ever change now that she is with Overwatch. It was tiring – she's living on energy drinks and junk food lately, but what else was new? It keeps her able and now she pilots the best version of her mech she had so far. It was hers. It leads her to continue her airborne strike – rounds of fire slicing through the sidewalks and cutting off units from advancing. She holds her tongue between her teeth, her hands tight against the joysticks that guide her.

Like a moth to the flame, she catches Firefly's attention and if there was no interference? They'd be testing the pure heat durability to her shield. It doesn't get that far and by the time her mech crashes into Firefly, her face scrunches up. Almost comedically... windshield wipers screech across her - pelting Firefly with an annoyed yell in her native tongue over comms. ]


Yuck! Off, off, off! You'll damage the paint!

[ But, she heard Nightwing and she wasn't one to disobey sound advice. The thing about her role was that she wasn't just a big target, she was a tank. Firefly was effectively peeled off – but Hana uses her boosts at just the right time to act like some wrecking ball (no hamster). He's back onto her windshield, sure, but no wipers smack at him. She boosts, the force sending Firefly down with a meteor-like force to crash into Electrocutioner – whether he can dodge or deflect remains to be seen...

Hana's mobile role keeps her from getting hit but there was one thing she neglects: her blind-spot. Peppered shots from the retreating Talon troopers, the ones Dick didn't get a chance to deal with bounce against her mech. One stray bullet embeds into one of her boosters, leaving a siren to wail in her ears. ]


Ah! Nightwing?! Boosters down to three, I'm grounding and trying a reboot! Can you cover?
dva: (pic#10321021)

[personal profile] dva 2021-05-25 12:47 am (UTC)(link)
[ Life brings them to what they are doing now. Reunited to serve the same purpose that kept them apart: morals and hope. There would be no one else that could fill in the spot they had in their respective cities. Without Nightwing, the weight of responsibility would fall on those who may not be ready. Without D.Va, the hope of a young girl representing the future would be lost to a society tired of fighting.

Nightwing is making quick work of the obstacles in front of them, but it was far from perfect. A few Talon troop agents may gather their colleagues, may try to regroup. Two charge to duck behind cover, taking aim at the armored birdboy whether he may be able to anticipate or not. Just, y'know, to throw some curveballs his way.

Hana wasn't able to do much. If she loses her engines, she can barely get the altitude needed to continue on. Long gone are the days relying on bunnyhops, after all. ]


Thanks! Systems shut down, comms off.

[ Everything is cut down completely. Any shields, any whir of an engine, all lights gone. Hana sits in silence while the boosters completely cool for a solid 60 seconds. Hana's left 10 seconds in before the sound of stray bullets unnerve her enough to act. Hana's unbuckled and out of her seat, kicking the windshield of Meka open. With her pistol drawn, she stands proudly on this big target – firing a few potshots that she can. She'll keep Dick covered too, her hand coming up to wipe a bit of sweat and smudge those good-luck pink triangles she paints on her face before each fight.

25 seconds.

Everything Nightwing does keeps the stragglers from attacking her way. It helps and she can't help but give a smirk his way. Concerned, but still a smirk. The system flickers, bit by bit one light coming on at a time. Did she have enough of a good aim to keep shooting from afar? She was a decent shot, but it wasn't until the thoroughly pissed off Electrocutioner was taking aim to Hana – hm.

40 seconds. ]
dva: (pic#10416788)

[personal profile] dva 2021-05-25 02:21 am (UTC)(link)
[ It was unfortunate that the numbers game could still overwhelm something as strong as Meka. Hana had taken it through the routines, tried to get it approved by Winston before getting the OK to take it out. It took weeks... back and forth, suggestions and tests of endurance to ensure the durability matched the machine's power. Hana was not necessarily a technical expert, but she knows her machine. It was built out from a shell and customized to suit her needs.

And now, even as it failed her, she picks up the slack. Protectively she stands rooted in the cockpit – aiming at any Talon troop that may get close to her and down the street, may be getting close to Nightwing. Her shots were accurate at times, flustered by a reload at other. The bunny charm sways with each frantic pull of her trigger, smacking against her wrist.

He helps thin the herd by any means necessary, her eyes barely catching sight of his antics – of how he survives by any means necessary even when numbers are against him. She lets herself off guard for a moment, Hana's issue... not D.Va's. There was a sudden tug at her hair by one of the spare agents who leapt up onto the machine, yanking her petite form up.

He gets messy, so does she, dropping her gun into the cockpit within 5 seconds and left frantically tugging at the hand pulling that ponytail up off her feet. Hand to hand wasn't her forte, but it was enough – the momentum tugs him down and flips him off in front of her right when Nightwing brings her attention back to him. In... time for him to get yoinked up. Firefly's turn to get mad, to swear revenge and deem the typical villain speech like it was right on cue!

Hana drops into her seat with a choked sob, your pistol echoing in her head. Her eyes catch it before it's too late. A crackle of electricity, ready at the gauntlet to blast a hole right through her. She has to be careful – to push her luck.

Weren't rabbits known for that? ]


Eat me, electronerd!

[ Systems online. Reboot complete. Boosters at 89%.

Her hand fumbles with the gun and takes aim – instinct guiding her with a pulled repeated trigger havoc. The first shot misses, cracking against a sign but the second? Catches right into the gauntlet with a sudden explosive reaction. The distance was close enough or her to panic – slam her hand down and close the cockpit glass. The electricity sizzles to her machine, static display draining the booster's power to 75% – but it was enough.

A surge of momentum sends her flying forward, slamming and embedding the man into a building – sorry. The rubble comes around her with a furious cry. Bricks and metal swallow the pilot up, but within seconds – the bunny erupts out of the rubble and in pursuit of Nightwing. ]


Comms back on! Sounds like you can use a ride, yeah?
dva: (pic#10416748)

[personal profile] dva 2021-05-25 05:14 am (UTC)(link)
Keep your pants on, yeesh, yeesh!

[ She dismisses him with a playful tune to her voice, all in good fun. The little fun that they can afford at a time like this. Now that they were all airborne, there was no 'safety net'. Which... when it comes to Nightwing? Not good. D.Va launched her Meka up in sky chasing Firefly like he was some shooting star. True, she has no doubt him and his people know how to handle things – gadgets and gizmos aplenty and all that – but she was responsible for the follow-up. The boosters don't bring her fast enough, it doesn't give her enough juice to catch up just yet. They're on comms, bickering back and forth every so often but she's on the way. There's no denying that. ]

Catching up...! Almost, almost...!

[ Nightwing was something in the sky... There was some sense of amazement as she watches the 'show'. He works well, works with purpose and when there was time for her to support him, she does her best. Always did.

A mech incoming was no difference. When he was in freefall, she pushes up on the joysticks, letting her aim the unit a bit better so he didn't recoil off – and he can grasp onto the metal support bar added to the top for piggybacking. See? Aren't you happy she added it? When he thumps onto the 'hood' basically, she aims the cannons and fire. That improved accuracy catches nicely and before either of them knew it – the explosion of force that sends Firefly into uncharted territory. Rambunctious, wild, they are left trying to desperately speed up. There's a flicker of her lights and Nightwing can feel the altitude drop suddenly before picking back up. ]


Be careful – I think ... shit! I think the reboot won't fix the booster failure! We have to – HEY! Don't be stupid! Always with the ominous plans!

[ Yup. 65% failure and he's doing something like that. She's pissed he doesn't let her in on it, scared she won't be able to help. The thought of watching him tumble down – it rips a shiver through her core that makes her grasp on her dash get tighter. They're against time at this point, but Nightwing was one to risk it all, it seems. There was a small window. They had to thread a needle here and it was not exactly safe as well. With the added tension, the booster stalls and they were sent into a freefall.

Hana pries her cockpit shield open, giving him access if he wanted to get in – a hand if he needed it too. Either way, her foot hikes up and slams into the joystick – sending them to a stable height, even with the extra weight. ]


Hope you tip well!
dva: (pic#12526002)

[personal profile] dva 2021-05-25 10:03 pm (UTC)(link)
[ They worked well together.

He had a sense of stability with planning and tactics.
She had the heart to do what was needed, to play ball no matter what kind was thrown her way.

And... Dick and Hana? They did too. It was upsetting to know that something like this is what brought them together again. No call. No message. No... anything. Distance was the best thing they offered one another when their worlds turned upside down, when the line between duty and living a life selfishly until one side had to be chosen. They both mutually chose that above themselves.

And there are times when she returned back to the Meka base, where her bed was small and her room cold... that she felt alone. Posters from years ago of her Nano Cola sponsorship hung on the wall, a few empty bottles of water and old laundry still needing washed was proof of a disconnect. Yet, when she sat down with some energy... sometimes she'd find a news station. Sometimes she would see glimpses of Gotham City and wonder how Dick was. It reminded her how lonely it was now, with the glitz and glamour gone... with the weight of her city on her shoulders.

But, the way he talks to her among the perilous climb on her machine – she's left wide-eyed and face red. Congratulations, you shut a shittalker up.

He doesn't give in. Giving in would mean he would be in the cockpit with her, that they would have a moment of reprieve before jumping into the fray. Hana and Dick would, maybe in their own desires to feel a normalcy in their lives, but D.Va and Nightwing? No. ]


Got it. Thanks for letting me in on the plan this time. [ There's a sting to her words, but it was all in good fun. With the signals sent, it's one less thing to worry about. ] Should be taking a nap under a blanket of bricks! Tell him I said he sucks if he's awake.

[ They split up and D.Va contends with her own thought to follow him – to ensure that even if the signal was sent, he had back-up. With the struggling booster, she wouldn't be able to take too many risks but she was a solid tank, yes. The city streets here were wider than back home, condemned buildings and dead-ends, shorter stories than the ever futuristic Seoul. She hovers and keeps an eye on the prize, monitoring and ready to shift herself from defense to offense when needed.

When Dick's comm lights up, she sits there for a moment. Was it pride? Was it giddiness? What bubbled in her heart with the same excitement she had after winning some game or signing her first movie deal?

She chews her bottom lip with a dumb smile on her face, silent. A few moments pass before she bunny hops onto the ledge of a building – towering over with the mechanical buzz of an ever-watchful mecha rabbit?

She doesn't comment, doesn't tease. Instead, business: ]


We wrapping this party up or what, huh? We have some more losers to take down, don't we? Don't keep a girl waiting!
dva: (pic#10321021)

[personal profile] dva 2021-05-26 02:42 am (UTC)(link)
[ The thing about being fast even with a limited supply of power for her mecha rabbit... she has to wait for others to catch up. It was one of the more painful moments of this whole heroics gig, where her mind was able to actually think instead of being on a constant go, go, go. It was the same with gaming for her – if she had a moment to try and recollect herself in a single player game, she overthinks. Should she take the route on the left? Maybe go back and save? Orrrr go in guns blazing? She isn't an analytical technician, but she's ambitious and sometimes that gets her in trouble.

There wasn't any word for a while, so she was ready to truthfully leave the location she had been designated to meet with him at, as if something was calling for her to just check. Just provide back-up. Part of her was angry at herself. She knows better. Even if her militant training was limited in scope, was less of a focus after the celebrity aspect came in... she remembers that she has 'orders'. That can be the difference between a mission success or a mission fail. She can practically hear the annoying Snake? Snake? SNAAAAAAAKE? Metal Gear Solid soundbyte in her head at the thought of compromising their mission.

Meka takes one step forward by the time a familiar voice is heard behind her. A lumbering hop to the side and the cockpit shield comes down and she's punching the air in annoyance. Half-heartedly, actually. ]


'Bout time. Was ready to hunt you down and give you a stern talking to, mister.

[ Sarcasm in her voice, but there's always something light there. Even when she was 'mad', she had that almost-childish tone. For now, it was out of relief instead of some stubborn anger or bitterness.

She sits back down into her seat, the tight fit of both of the costumed heroes was not lost on her but she had a job to do. Sorry, Dick, she was all business too now she got a slap back to reality. Leaning forward in the seat a bit, she enters the coordinates needed to their next destination. Not too far off and the map in front of her makes her smile a bit. It was about 6 minutes if they go at a steady pace, and she does intend to milk it. ]


You mean, that makes me a biiiiiiiig fat target, huh? I like a challenge, though! [ She cuts him off, already clasping down the pre-flight bar in her machine before the unit lifts off once again. If they wanted to keep themselves covered, they have to go high. The clouds were thin over the water – how she cuts across the open expanse instead to save any targeting that may happen from spare rogue agents monitoring the rooftops... The detour was enough, though. Lets Meka find the perfect altitude to disguise and hide. Well, as much as a giant mecha rabbit could be disguised. She had an answer ready: to say proudly that she's handled worse and got into detail about some outrageous encounter back home. Meka's been scraped and rebuilt multiple times. No worries, right? It was hyperconfidence, but it was needed. It keeps things where they need to be. An optimistic view that matched the speed of their flight – right to the next goal they set together. For most of their time, she follows his lead and is here for support but when he says her name ... she twists her hips enough to look to him, her grip tightening onto her joysticks. D.Va was put on the back-burner enough for Hana to act with a tilt of her head and eyes clenched. A forced smile, crinkles on her nose and warm on those smudged-cheeks of hers. ] A-OK! Like old times, right? You got a fancy new suit, I have a fancy new suit. New tricks for both of us, but same attitude.

[ Her eyes open and she looks out in front of her again, keeping Meka steady. ]

I can't keep up with you sometimes, WTF, tell me how that works?

[ At least she knows how to deflect, keep things light. It'd be a headache to open new wounds that never properly healed. She wants to still tell him Meka'll manage... that they'll make it through, but the words fail to leave her lips. ]
dva: (pic#12526003)

[personal profile] dva 2021-05-26 05:49 am (UTC)(link)
Depends on how the next six minutes go.

[ The slyness in her voice... it was muffled by the bite of her bottom lip. Old habits, focus. She doesn't complicate things. She was trained not to. Missions were missions, duties were duties. From the serious kind, battling the worst the world has to offer or the more...casual like attending movie premiers prior to the shitshow going on now – she sacrifices. And she doesn't complain one bit for it.

It was all in the hope for something better. That the building blocks of sacrifice, loneliness, and tall expectations would be worth something. If Nightwing was out of the picture... who would help lead those silently working to restore the city? D.Va accepted the mission because it makes sense... but deep down, maybe Hana wanted to see what changed. If he changed. There was a weight she didn't feel when they toed what could have been – his responsibility had been nearly bred into him by the time they met. Now? She feels it too. She won't admit it, instead the smile was forced and she doesn't give him much to work with at first.

But... little by little, she comes undone.

She doesn't respond to his faith in her, only a small smirk. Her eyes don't look for answers to him, doesn't linger at all. She needed to get him to their next point and this? It was idle chit-chat at this point. She knows it is. Even with the clouds obscuring them, that was clear enough. ]


Helloooo, I mean all of it! You have to let me help you out. Somewhat squishy birdboy versus a giant friggin' mech? I have more defense than you!

[ She makes it sound simple, but there's some territorial tone to her voice. Protective in a sense, but... she rounds it off clearly: ]

If you need my help, take it. That's my objective... and you can't – ugh!

[ She takes a moment to nudge him with the elbow roughly out of frustration. ]

You can't do that again, OK? Team. We are a team. [ She emphasizes in her native tongue, to make him listen. To make him parse it together. He wasn't reckless, but she overcompensates. She uses that as a buffer to handle his questions. To give her time to think before she says something stupid. ] I would not be here if it was not fair. I know what to expect with you.

[ Even among the gripes, there was honesty. Whether he takes it as disappointment, longing, excitement, pride... her words were scattered among the unsaid and the what-ifs. ]

I can ask something of you, you know. If you think you are being unfair. We can even the playing field - 1 to 1.

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ignoring this mfing monkey......

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