Reminiscing...

It's no surprise when you are barely able to keep the metaphorical skip out of your step. All these years and you never realize how good, contact with people other than your sister feels. Interestingly enough, the past hour had been major win win for you; completing your quest and earning a new friend in the process. Speaking of which, you are excogiating whether to sneak a peek at Barbara's profile page. The thought makes you pause. Doing so, undoubtedly means you're infringing on her privacy without her knowledge. Wow, you can't believe that actually makes you feel a bit inculpated. You mean, you've looked at your sister's, extrospecting a mere acquaintance shouldn't be much difficult... right?

Oh man, You're really going soft, aren't you? Before this rollercoaster, you are this **** kind of person who gives absolutely no shit about this kind of stuff. That's the reputation you've built in high school... Looking down, you see Barbara's folder sitting at the top of yours and Tessa's in the standard alphabetical order.

What to do... what to do...

But seriously speaking, you are not going to stop being a bastard on day one, it's a gradual process that is going to take time and you're naturally itching to know the kind of secrets the daughter of the GCPD commissioner may have. It's not even like you are looking at her nudes or anything... although that would be quite the sight to see. Before your conscience gnaws at you any longer, you stamp your thumb on the option and its content whirls to life.

NAME: Barbara Gordon

AGE: 19

RACE: Human

OCCUPATION: Intern, ??? (unlockable at 50 affection pts)

RELATIONSHIP: Single

Current status: ???, ??? (unlockable at 50 affection pts)

LIKES: ??? (unlockable at 50 affection pts)

DISLIKES: ??? (unlockable at 50 affection pts)

BIO

??? (unlockable at 50 affection pts)

Extrapersonal Entanglements

Affection: 35

Love: (locked)

Lust: (locked)

That... That doesn't even tell you shit.

It just ??? smack dab, on all the juiciest part and leaves only the basic information you already know. You can't even bring yourself to be upset at the app, because you actually deserve it and the info about this sort of thing is already included in the tutorial. 'Oh well,' you think as you duck your phone back into your pocket, 'that's what you get for rummaging other people's stuff and finding nothing worthwhile; a queerish feeling of dissatisfaction.' Nevertheless, next time, you meet with Barbara, her higher affection will be your priority. And so, your thoughts wander back and forth till you reach the cornerstone of the building that hides your apartment from view, and that's when you hear a familiar voice holler your name.

When you turn to look, it is without the shadow of a doubt, the very same mug you punched and yelled at, to get lost almost two year ago. And that mug is attached to a not so good friend of yours all the way from high school, who is now panting and judging by the greenish tint on his face, barely keeping his lunch, probably winded from all the running.

"You-," he wheezes and cough, still bending over while you watch the display with cold eyes, devoid of pity. "You... You a- re a hard ma-n to find, Jackie Chan."

You don't deign to reply.

Finally recovering, he stands to his full height, overshadowing you with a few inches. He then spreads his long limbs as if inviting you for a hug. An invitation you know better than to accept, primarily because he's sweating profusely.

His name is Heep Templeton. Looks like your regular crook, dresses like one too. He was your stereotypical right hand man and bud back in highschool, after you saved his ass from being tapped by homosexual bullies. No one lies better than Heep, no one knows better than him and no one certainly smokes better, in all parts due to his rather faulty background from Gotham slums. You were a sociopath then yourself, so the two of you fitted together, like paper and glue, ruling the school with your licitly questionable skills. It was you that gave him the nickname, 'Uriah Heep', for his ugly and manipulative nature. A little while later, after you both (barely) graduated, the both of you had a falling out, mainly because of his waxing greed and his patulous lust for your sister and partly due to the stupid nickname he never stop calling you. Fists flew, you won, and Heep retreated to lick his wounds. Since then, he shut down all form of contact and you've never heard from him again. Until now, that he has resurfaced, like a cursed chicken coming home to roost, looking surprisingly, in good condition and clothes. Although his new sideburns are a total eyesore.

Probably sensing you're not going to hug him, he withdraw his arms and smile, a very crooked, wretched grin. "Is that how you greet an old friend? With oppugnancy."

Okay, a bit of a surprise that Heep could manage a word like that, but one thing, mostly annoying about him is his sticktoittiveness, which means you can't keep up the silent treatment forever and you really don't want him to find out where you reside. So in the end, you shrug and say, "no hard feelings Heep, I am just a bit scared for my wallet, your hugs tend to make them walk away, after all.

Ironically, even for you, Heep is very bad, bad company. All your missing possessions can attest to that.

He gives a raspy, ugly laugh. "Always the joker, ain't you, Jackie Chan? How's your little sister? I'll bet she ain't little no more?"

Your stomach churns and a veil of red clouds your vision. You couldn't help but growl, "you come, even a mile near Tessa and I will-"

He cuts you off. "You'll kill me, hit me in the face like last time, blah, blah, blah. you've no idea how much of that I've heard in the past few years. But, your fire is exactly what I need or precisely, what my employer needs."

"What the fuck do you mean?"

"We have got some unfinished business, one we gotta finish."

"The dogs will eat your corpse, I don't do that shit no longer!" you spit before turning on your heels, you've overstayed anyway.

"This isn't something you can just walk away from."

"Watch me."

"I'm not just talking about you only, Jackie. Your sister's fanny is in this too."

The blood dries up in both your legs and you can't find yourself taking another step.

"He'll kill me, he'll kill you, he'll kill your he- Gah!"

At that, you snap.

He doesn't get to finish before you backpedal very fast, to interrupt him with a right hook that sent him spiraling to the ground. The onlookers wisely confer you a wider berth, before continuing onward like they see nothing, after all, such random acts of public **** are nothing new in Gotham's street, plus all the 'see-no-evil-bear-no-evil' mentality

"Blimey! You still punch like you use to, Jackie." Heep groans while trying to prop himself up against the wall. He now owns bloodstained lips that he cringingly dabs at, to keep the red from flowing. Unfortunately, you give him no reprieve before you catch him by the throat and slam him into the bulwark.

"Nobody threatens my family."

He unsuccessfully tries to look at your seething self, before attempting to smile, but his endeavor only result in a pained grimace. Regardless of his agomy, he focuses on you one more time and smugly coughs out, "hah, I always loved your ferocity, Jackie. But this is all just a waste of time."

"Tell me one good reason why I should let you live?" You intone dangerously.

His grin is telling. "Because, Ghost, do you remember five years back, the Pandora's box operation?"