[1st wand]

[whitescientist]

[ As all young hipsters should at least once in their lives, Eridan is hanging out in the mall. He stands out like a sore thumb among the plain city residents, and the StarFloraBucks cup he's holding just sort of completes the trashy teenager look.

He seems to be window-shopping, though judging by his looks of confusion, he's probably not in complete understanding of the city's culture - though he doesn't look to be in a particularly bad mood. It's probably a safe moment to approach him if you're in the area. ]

Comments

[batdweeb]

Don't tell me you're actually a thousand years old? [Which Bruce supposes is an actual possibility- it's not like he's an expert on Alternian biology- but since Eridan looks, sounds, and acts like he's around Dick's age it's hard to keep the incredulous tone out of his voice.]

Alright, point taken. You look well enough.

[Eridan, you are an odd kid. Apart from the whole "alien" thing.]

[whitescientist]

[ mildly alarmed: ] GOD, no. ...But I might o' been someday, if I'd played my cards more careful. Or still might be someday. Still not sure what the deal is there.

Just 'cause I'm curious, mind: what's the last thing you remember before all this happened? [ vague gesture to... everything around them. ]

[batdweeb]

[ Yeah, okay, there's no way Bruce can let that bit of mumbling go without comment. ] Might have been? What happened there?

[ Bruce hesitates. ]

Me? Um, I was helping with the cleanup after an alien invasion, actually. [ And wearing a batsuit at the time, not that Eridan needs to know that. ]

[whitescientist]

[ He shrugs the question off, and waits for Bruce to finish. ]

...Nothin' was attackin' you? That you know of?

Like. Nothin' was goin' on that might lead you to believe you ain't alive any more. Right now I mean.

'Cause that might blow my theory outta the water a little.

[batdweeb]

[What the fuck Eridan.]

[What the fuck.]

...No. There was a lot of rubble, but I wasn't in a position where anything might fall on me.

We're definitely both alive.

[whitescientist]

Right. ...No, yeah, that... that theory was a load o' melodramatic nonsense, I dunno why I thought...

[ He trails off. And maybe looks a little tiny bit relieved. ]

In regards to your question maybe I'll be a thousand someday if I don't get eaten by shadow rats beforehand. Highbloods live a long time when they ain't dead. [ duh ]

[batdweeb]

You were in a lot of trouble back home, weren't you?

[ A destroyed homeworld, an Empress disposed- dead?- and a near-death experience, on top of everything Eridan's already hinted at about Alternian culture. ]

[ He doubts Eridan's going to go into much detail however, so his tone slips into a more teasing one. ]

Then you're in luck. I don't think the shadow rats have digestive tracts.

[whitescientist]

[ If you're looking closely, his face-fins flag downwards just for a split second. ]

Doesn't matter now though, does it.

[ ....ew??? but also kinda funny, not that he cracks a smile ] Ugh. I don't wanna think about what happens instead. Speakin' of, has anyone figured out how to kill 'em properly yet?