[center][u][b]December 25th, 12:37 AM
Kasimir Castle, Gotham[/b][/u]
[color=2E2C2C]'Hm... Two boys fighting during the One Week War. Amazing none of the Justice League have sicced Child Services on Grim.'[/color][/center]
An almost deafening silence filled the cavernous room known as the Grim Grotto once the call disconnected, the weighty matters pressing down on the eldest occupant. A heavy sigh escaped Grim’s mouth, rumbling out like a quaking growl. For a moment she remained leaning over the console of the great computer encompassing her wall, but finally the vigilante’s posture straightened and she turned, staring at the two others present in the room - animals excluded. It seemed almost lonely, after how much was going on earlier. 

The glowing white of the battle armor beta settled on the two boys, underneath the helmet a frown hidden. For a moment, Zoey wondered if it was unethical to gas her sons to keep them safe.

… [i]Probably[/i].

Another heavy exhale before she raised a hand, despite not feeling it rubbing her palm across her face. [color=IndianRed]”You can’t come.”[/color] Grim finally stated in that artificially deep voice.

David could only stare at his mother in disbelief. [color=black][b]”... I get that we’re in trouble, but you’re telling me that when the world is in danger, when it needs us, when we can actually [i]do[/i] something that will matter… We can’t come.”[/b][/color] He took a deep breath, then shouted: [color=black][b]”GODDAMMIT!”[/b][/color]

The eldest foster brother would tear off his helmet, throwing it to the ground. [color=black][b]”You’ve gotta be [i]fucking[/i] kidding me…”[/b][/color]

[color=orangered][i]”...Seriously?”[/i][/color] Malcolm chimed in, head turned slightly away from the other two as his eyes scanned over the death metal album being reenacted outside their home and through the city at that very moment in time [color=orangered]”Look, before you give us the schpeel about keeping us safe, I don’t think sitting here [i]twiddling our thumbs[/i] is gonna keep Dave and me outta harm’s way with all [i]that noise[/i] going on outside.”[/color] 

The boy’s glowing eyes locked onto Zoey as he said that, burning orange locking onto emerald green, even through her helmet.

[color=orangered]”...And let’s not forget that they [i]definitely[/i] know we’re here now anyway because we all just spent the past hour or so decorating the yard with their [i]broken asses.[/i]”[/color] 

[color=IndianRed]”[i]This isn’t a punishment![/i]”[/color] Grim almost snarled in return, throwing a hand to gesture to the screen. [color=IndianRed]”[i]Look[/i] at that thing! It’s more than just some mythological beast, it’s a [i]Titan[/i]! And we’re going to use it to lure what is potentially a [i]God[/i]!”[/color] Another growling exhale escaped the billionaire, her metallic hands raising up to run over the helmet, a movement that almost seemed like she was attempting to run her digits through her hair absently.

[color=IndianRed]”Listen to me. I know you don’t want to hear it but I [i]need[/i] you two here. You’re only children,”[/color] A pause here, the metal helmet raising to gaze upon them. [color=IndianRed]”But you have the same drive to fight, to protect others that I do. That’s why I need you here - I’m not asking you to cower down here and protect yourselves, even if part of me wants to do so in an attempt to keep you safe. While I’m out there, fighting this [i]thing[/i], I need you out [i]here[/i].”[/color] She jabbed a finger to the screen, a side window showing a mere hint of the carnage being wrought across Gotham.

[color=IndianRed]”There are people in danger. People dying. Those are the ones you want to protect, isn’t it? This is our [i]home[/i], and while I’m gone it needs you two … even if I don’t like it.”[/color]

David stared blankly at the screen showing the chaos in the streets of Gotham. Slowly, his lips curled into a smirk. [color=black][b]”You’re damn right it needs us.”[/b][/color] PIcking up his helmet, he turned to his foster brother with a grin. [color=black][b]”Wanna fu- I mean screw some shi- I mean stuff up?”[/b][/color] His one-liner sounded far less cool when censored. Didn’t need a chewing out from ma right now.

[color=orangered]”As a kid from Blud, it’d be my [i]shit-eating[/i] pleasure to save a bunch of Gothamites from the end times.”[/color] Malcolm replied in a tone that heavily implied a cheeky grin had come into existence beneath his visor, though his eyes lingered on Zoey’s for a few seconds after the fact, quietly perturbed by something, though hiding it with practiced smoothness.

It wasn’t that he was annoyed he wasn’t going with her- she needed him [i]here[/i], and so here he would be.
It wasn’t that he was scared about handling all this alone with Dave- His foster-brother was [i]pretty adept[/i] at handing big steaming cans of ass-whuppin’ and any notion of fear had been beaten out of Malcolm [i]the hard way[/i] by that point anyway.

Was he… [i]worried about her?[/i] That’s just stupid, Zoey’d been at this for [i]years.[/i] [i]Longer than he’d been alive.[/i] She knew what the hell she was doing. He didn’t have to worry about her going up against [i]literal Gods[/i] with people he’d only read  about in newspapers he’d used as bedding and occasionally as toilet paper during the [i]end of the fucking world.[/i]

So firm was he in that last thought that he immediately (and forcefully) tossed it right to the wayside of his mind and moved over to one of Zoey’s many (many) equipment lockers to restock on some goodies, voice not wavering from it’s plucky confidence even for one second.

[color=orangered]”So what’s the plan, then? Get in touch with the Cops and see where they need help?”[/color] Malcolm floated to either his foster mom or brother as he plucked up a pair of flashbangs and slid them into one of his many pouches [color=orangered]”...Maybe make sure your friend Jaina’s alright?”[/color]
 
[color=IndianRed]”Language,”[/color] Zoey intoned absently, gazing down at her two adopted sons as they got ready. [color=IndianRed]”That’s a good idea, though. See if Jaina can tell you where you’re needed most. Stick together. Take the Grimmobile, too - don’t be afraid to use it for protection if you’re in trouble. I want you both coming back, alright?”[/color]

Especially since it was entirely possible that she wouldn’t be.

Watching them for a moment Grim stepped forward, only to pause. After a moment she straightened out, the metal armor hissing as the back opened up. Climbing out of the suit of armor Zoey moved around it, only to approach her eldest son.

[color=IndianRed]”Malcolm,”[/color] She said simply, gesturing the other boy close.

[color=orangered]”Hm?”[/color] The boy in question intoned with an inquisitive tilt of his head as he looked back toward the other two, but complied all the same, zipping his pouches shut and flicking up his visor as he did so. [color=orangered]”What’s up?”[/color]

Zoey reached out, hooking an arm around Malcolm and David’s shoulders respectively. Hugging them close she squeezed them tightly, keeping them against her, muttering lowly. [color=IndianRed]”Be safe out there, and watch each other’s backs. There’s no shame in not being ready for anything, if you need to pull back. Just… I’m already [i]so proud[/i] of both of you. Nothing will change that.”[/color]

It was true, too, not just simple empty platitudes brought on by the destruction being wrought across the lands. Zoey [i]was[/i] proud of them. Even if the words usually died on her tongue. David has grown up so much in the years she’s had him, and even though it’s been only a few months with Malcolm he’s been working so hard. They’d both grow up to be men others would look to.

David found himself freezing slightly as his mother trapped himself and Malcolm in a hug and told them how proud she was of them. However, after a moment he found himself wrapping an arm around his mother, and his other arm around his brother. Zoey could die out there. Malcolm could die out there. Hell, even he could die out there. This time it wasn't just a group of low-life gangsters, this time it was something really serious. He was going to protect the people of Gotham tonight from those beasts, at all costs.

After all, isn't that what heroes do?

[color=black][b]"... I love you guys."[/b][/color] David had said this to Zoey on a few occasions, but he had never said this to Malcolm. Here they were, all together, as a... [i]Family[/i]. He had been living with Zoey for years, had constantly called her mom, and had even started referring to Malcolm as his brother, but it was only now that he felt like they were really, truly a family.

For his part, the younger of the Brothers Grim remained stock still and silent as Zoey wrapped both of them up in a tight hug, an unreadable expression lingering on his face for a few moments before his one free arm slowly and awkwardly extended outward before suddenly snapping back and wrapping around his foster-mom and returning the embrace with all the strength he could muster.

What was going through his head at that moment? Hell if he knew, he was never good at this kinda thing. The only thing he [i]did[/i] know was that he… wanted these two to stay in his life. And he’d be damned if some namby-pamby half-naked storybook bullshit creatures were gonna take them from him.

Staying like that for a solid few minutes in silence, the boy finally broke off and abruptly snapped down his visor before the other two could see the look etched into his face at that moment. The voice modulator in his helmet thankfully stopping the feelings in his head from leaking into his voice with it’s mechanical growl.

[color=orangered]”So… shall we?”[/color]

[color=IndianRed]”Be safe,”[/color] Zoey reiterated as she drew back finally. Ruffling David’s hair and patting Malcolm’s shoulder one last time she turned back to the Iron Fang beta armor, once more going to climb in. Before she did she glanced around it, adding on, [color=IndianRed]”Malcolm! Make sure David drinks lots of water on the way or that buzz of his is going to get him killed!”[/color]

[color=black][b]”Already on it, mom!”[/b][/color] David called to her, opening up the fridge that was kept in the Grim Grotto (his request, which he made once upon a time when he didn’t want to leave the Grim Grotto to get food) and pulling out a whole package of water bottles. He took one out, chugged it down, and continued.

[color=orangered]”Aaaand, you might wanna head to the can first, too.”[/color] Malcolm added in such a way that you could almost [i]hear[/i] the sly grin working it’s way onto his face beneath his helmet as he glanced back at his older brother [color=orangered]”...Because in about thirty seconds, that pizza you had earlier with all the spicy crap on it’s gonna wanna exit, stage rear.”[/color]

There were some benefits to seeing literally [i]everything[/i]. Cracking jokes at the expense of others was one of them.

Though the humour in his tone faded slightly as his head turned back to Zoey, staring at her in silence for a few seconds before reaching a hand out and giving hers a quick squeeze.

[color=orangered]”...Take care of yerself, Zo.”[/color]

And just as quickly as he’d quietly muttered those words, Malcolm spun around and left her to go get himself ready for he and his brother’s big night out on the town. 

David scoffed at his brother’s comment, chugging down another water bottle. [color=black][b]”I’ll be fine, you don’t know what you’re talking abo-”[/b][/color] He stopped, and began to sweat. [color=black][b]”... Oh fuck me with Anarkee’s hammer!”[/b][/color] With that, he ran as fast as he could to the bathroom.

As Dave ran like hell to the crapper, Malcolm’s head just swivelled slowly back to his foster-mom for a few seconds. Visor deliberately flicked back up just so she could see the [i]insufferably smug[/i] look that was on his face at that moment.

[color=orangered]”...Don’t worry, I’ll look after him.”[/color] He snorted with a slight wave as he went back on his way towards the equipment lockers.

As the Iron Fang armor came back online and Grim straightened out once again. Gazing after David and Malcolm as they seperated a slight grin curved her lips beneath the helmet, but finally she turned to the computer across the back of the Grim Grotto. They were good kids, they could handle themselves with each other’s help. Plus the Grimmobile, moving tank that it was.

Now it was time to finish up her own preparations for meeting Tank and Trident Man by the harbor.

[color=IndianRed]”Bring up Metawatch sightings.”[/color]

[hr]

[center][b][u]December 25th, 12:43 AM
North Springs, Dakota[/u][/b][/center]

North Springs was a small town by any standard, but any modern city had an amount of electronics available inside it. After scouring Metawatch for sightings of heroes - of which there had been many, as people deemed it necessary to post about despite the crisis befallen their homes - Grim had located where the “Emerald Knight” had been spotted. His popular status between his interview and helping in the Arab Federation Crisis had been helpful, as Grim couldn’t remember his name for the life of her…

[color=IndianRed]”Emerald Knight,”[/color] The deep, slightly synthetic voice of Gotham’s hero boomed out of various speakers around town. Mostly those in commercial properties, used to advertise products and even let music play throughout buildings. It had been a hassle to get so many working, but to get the message to him, it was needed.

[color=IndianRed]”It’s Grim. Meet me in Gotham Harbor as soon as possible.”[/color]