avenging angel.

miss silhouette ex member of the now defunct minutemen. current "masked" vigilante working to save children from various horrendous crimes. -------------------------- an indie watchmen rp blog for ursula zandt. tracking 'ursulazandt'

[drunkenmoth]

Rorschach used to tell me he wasn’t always that big, maybe— but we did already have an Owl. I don’t think Laurence could have dropped Hollis if he wanted to, it would’ve been what they call “political suicide”. Take away the good ol’ American cop one all we’d have left is the show girl and a bunch of nuts, right? 

[He snorted. Well, and Bill but we— shouldn’t mention that one. 

Byron let a grin crack. Ah, yes. Multiples.] It’s better for the rest of the world if there’s only one of me, I uh, I think. Though enough of us together we may be able to overthrow the fat pigs of our government. — That’s probably a good reason to keep it down to just me. Lil’ ol’ harmless Byron.

— Manhattan, I think it was. Rorschach tried to explain what he knew but honestly it was uh, just about as much as we know. He’s blue, and according to my source he’s— he’s incredibly suspicious.

If it’s him doing this, I would love to know why. 

[ursula-zandt]

I suppose so, yeah.

[She cracked a smile, despite the fact that she'd been looped in with the 'bunch of nuts' statement by default. Sure, she knew her relationship with Gretchen had been her downfall, but to loop her in with attempted rapists and nazi-apologists because of it had always rubbed her the wrong way. She didn't mind it as much coming from Byron as much, however. After all, he'd looped himself in with them as well. Even with mental instabilities, she felt he didn't deserve that either.]

I would love to know why as well. ...and more about him in general, if I'm honest. I assume Rorschach's met him, with them both being adventurers together, yes? What does he find suspicious about him besides ..the obvious?

From what I've read, the media liked to talk him up a lot before that huge scandal.

[gabbiegross]

You may have seen Phil Noto’s Hank Pym photo archives illustration series; I decided on a whim I wanted to do something similar (much less nicely drawn, of course) with the Minutemen. Full of Easter eggs galore! I’m hoping to do another set of ten, so stay tuned if that’s your thing. 

[drunkenmoth]

He’s— he’s uh. [Byron shuddered at the question, at the memory of meeting him. The first had been so odd, practically at his throat just for looking at Rorschach the wrong way. Mean, bittered, and more than enough man to take him down if he’d had the thought. 

The heat remaining on his cigarette was pinched out between two spit-slick fingers until it was out, completely, shredded apart with a rub.] One was an ass. N-not like, not the kind you’d expect. Cop On The Job.? He was like—

He was like a jilted lover and I was the chippy on the side.. Nothing I did was right and I couldn’t imagine Hollis’ would’ve had a hand in him. Maybe some alternate world or— [Byron laughed, shaking his head as a free hand ruffled his hair.] I don’t know. The other Daniel’s I’ve met were nice fellas. M-most down to earth guys you could find next to the owl suit.  Hollis swore by him. But he was, uh.

Fat. 

[The moth tried to keep a straight face as he turned to the woman and grinned like that was a big state secret. A heavy-set hero riding on the coat tails of a group that had people like Nelson with his military and Schexnayder with his business strategy up in their tights making sure physical appearance didn’t lag less the job quality lag.] I would have paid to see ol’ Laurence try to sell that. 

[ursula-zandt]

[Ursula put a hand to her mouth, attempting to cover her laughter. It was nice to have a laugh after her very emotional return to 'reality.' Even if that laugh was half born from the built-up nervousness of the conversation. It was unfortunate that it had to be at the expense of what seemed like a decent man, but damn if it wasn't funny to imagine.]

Oh, be honest. Do you think he would've even considered him? Even if Laurence had taken him on for whatever reason, he'd surely be out in months. "Any press is good press" just isn't a motto that seems to fly with him.

It's still weird to think that there's multiples of people running around. That's definitely a new one for me. I imagine you're the only Moth though, yes? You would've mentioned if you'd run into yourself.

...There has to be something behind all of this supposed doubles nonsense. It's not that blue radioactive adventurer, is it? I'm not sure if I trust him. 

[drunkenmoth]

[Byron’s face fell into a frown around his cigarette. A year, a whole year— jesus, Ursula.] I know what you mean, I uh— I tried to look up everyone when I first got here. Museum after museum, libraries. There’s not a whole lot on us anymore. It was—

[Hard.

The shaking was returning, slowly, to his hands first as he tapped out the ashes.] I should have taken your route, I think it uh, I think it would’ve saved me some rough nights. Trust me on it, you don’t want to look up the newspaper articles. Graphic is, its uh. I don’t know how the me you know lived through it.

[Thank you, Ursula, for topic changes he could latch onto.]

Y-yeah, he’s the one with the inkblot mask. Rorschach tests. I think it’s a load of crap but psychologists seem to like it pretty well. I guess it works for him. He’s— he’s different. I’m surprised he puts up with me. The others are what you’d expect; they’re bigger, polished versions of what we wanted to be, Sil’. 

[ursula-zandt]

[Ursula frowned, taking another long drag of her cigarette before tapping out the ashes. Maybe she should have lied to him about how long she'd been here. The truth only seemed to hurt him more. She saw before her how selfish she'd been to hide from her past when she knew the very real danger she had faced in her past had decreased significantly in this new, modern world. People didn't care about the minutemen, and with a few obvious exceptions, they certainly didn't care that she was still alive.

She dropped the subject of her return, similarly grateful that there was the opportunity to discuss something new.]

He seems interesting enough. I do have to say I respect him for keeping up his work after that law was passed, even if I don't know much about what that "work" entails.

It's so strange to me that people have followed in our footsteps. I obviously understand the appeal but it's such a thankless job at its core when you're not appealing to the press and general public.

I don't know how Hollis deals with the responsibility knowing that one of them is following in his footsteps so literally. ...Have you met him? The younger Owl, I mean. I think I would like to meet him some day.

[drunkenmoth]

So you’re a vigilante? O-or, I guess, still are. 

If you’ve managed that much, jeez, Ursula just how long were you hiding? [If his voice sounds strained, he doesn’t realize it. Being dead and in the past is one thing, you can’t always come back from that. 

Being here and just avoiding? She didn’t know. Maybe she didn’t care to know.

Byron shook his head and took a drag to clear that creeping bout of paranoia out. What was she going to do, look up their names and hope? Not everyone is a dreamer.] Ah, nevermind.

I know a vigilante, actually, I’ve been helping him when I can wing it. He’s my — Rorschach, my housemate. Hol’ doesn’t like him much but he’s one of the second waves. Fights like the uh, fights like the Comedian, but more restrained like Hooded Justice was. [He laughed]

Scares the shit out of me sometimes. You should meet him.

[ursula-zandt]

I guess you could call me that..

I've been around for about a year now. I know...I should've contacted you all sooner. I guess I was just afraid to. Not so much you or Hollis...but.. I knew opinions had changed about me after all that happened. I didn't know if I was ready to deal with that. I'm still not sure I am.

As much as I researched about what happened to you all I ...never wanted to know the specifics. I didn't want that temptation. Not until recently, that is.

[She took another drag, closing her eyes for a second as he spoke, cringing at the comparison of his new roommate to their old fellow vigilantes, but smiling at his final wording. Scary but worth meeting. That seemed true for a lot of their kind.]

Rorschach? He's the one with the inkblots on his face, yes? I think I've seen some about him. Maybe you can introduce me some day if I don't run into him on my own.

[drunkenmoth]

[He couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled out, nor did he really want to. Sweet, innocent Byron, right? 

It took a couple flicks before he could get his own cigarette lit. Deep inhale, pass the lighter back over after a quick once-over.] It tends to make uh, flying a bit harder after awhile but you probably wouldn’t be too surprised if I told you I’ve put worse in me. Done worse.

You— you uh.

[He took a drag, stifling the cough that tried to come from smoke he wasn’t used to. Hanging out in bars second hand was one thing, putting it in yourself— He would not cough and laugh at himself, he would not. Even if that’s probably what this tense situation needed and… hell. 

Byron coughed into his elbow with a curse.] 

Shit, sorry. You, have you been hiding here for a bit? I can’t imagine you would just sit back and— and let retirement take over. Even Hollis keeps an old police radio tuned in.

[ursula-zandt]

[She stifled a laugh at his coughing fit, shaking her head as she took a drag.]

No, you're right. I feel like you can never really retire from our kind of work - if you can even call what we did "work."

I have been in hiding, but I've been trying to keep up with my work as much as possible in anonymity.

You know, it's really amazing what's capable with the internet nowadays.

It took me a while to figure the whole thing out, but I do have to say it does wonders in terms of easily finding and researching those terrible people I used to have to find on foot. It takes some of the "fun" out of it - if you can call it that - but it surely gets the job done quicker.

[disappearfrombrendan]

[drunkenmoth]

I’ve uh— I’ve.. there’s no way to say it without sounding like a looney, is there? I’ve seen a couple of Sally’s. At first I thought I was just, too drunk, you know? B-but, no. There were more, same with Comedian. More than one Edward. Like one alone isn’t enough Hell. 

[Byron barely regarded her cigarette pack at first, too busy mumbling off about yes, Laurie, he’s met one and they fought like cats for so long they were practically family. But since he reclused himself again — cigarettes.

He looked at the pack and back up at the woman’s face with an honest grin. Not what he’s used to as far as addictives go, but it will do in a pinch.] Do you mind sharing? 

[ursula-zandt]

God. That sounds horrific. More than one Edward, that is. More than one Sally wouldn't be so bad as long as she kept to herself. ...and kept her opinions to herself as well.

[Ursula glanced down at the pack of cigarettes when he asked, nodding back to him before handing him one and then taking another out for herself, speaking before placing it into her mouth and fishing around in her pockets for a lighter.]

I didn't think you were much of a cigarettes man. I hate to ruin your lungs, but it's your choice. I don't mind sharing with an old friend.

[Finding her lighter, she brought it up to the cigarette, lighting its end before handing the lighter off to Byron.]

[oldniteowl-blog]

No! That’s— That’s al—

I’m just damn glad to see you, Ursula.

[ursula-zandt]

[She embraced him, tears forming more quickly than they did with her meeting with the Moth. She was glad that they had been the first two she had seen in this new world. It felt right that what she knew would be the hardest of her re-introductions were her first.]

I'm glad to see you too, Hollis. It's been too long since I've seen you. It's been too long since I've seen anyone.

I've missed you...and the Moth. The others too at times, although I imagine that's more nostalgia than anything genuine.

[drunkenmoth]

I’ve got the same papers you do, just with Hol’s added “war stories” I got out of him after a beer. [Byron huffed out a laugh, hand dragging across his face a little harder. What was that— count backwards from 10. That’s what Rorschach had said.

A quiet, drawn out count as she kept talking and the moth had to laugh, losing track at 7. God, Hollis—] Hollis will probably lose his damn mind when he sees you. You always came up a lot. You ‘n Sally. I can try and uh, try and t— [Call. Just say call.] I can try and call him up but he’s not famous for answering. I, I can go with you, make things easier if— jeez.

N-no that won’t help. He’s going to to flip either way, seeing you.

[ursula-zandt]

No.. no. It's all right. I wouldn't ask you to do that anyways. It's probably better I see him alone. He deserves to welcome me back or chew me out or whatever he wants without outside influence just as much as you did. Like you said - it's been a while, and I imagine he thinks I'm dead as well.

...and Sally. I'm not as eager to be reacquainted with her, although I do hear that her daughter is one of the new kids. She's still here then? She keeps in touch?

[She pulled a box of cigarettes from her coat, opening and then closing them almost immediately, looking to him for permission before lighting up.] ..do you mind?

[oldniteowl-blog]

Ur—

Ursula?

[ursula-zandt]

--Hollis!

I-I'm sorry for not keeping in touch at all. I thought about sending a letter or calling you but...after so long I felt it might do more harm than good.

[drunkenmoth]

[He would’ve been fine, the relief from her words sinking in making a visible difference. Byron nodded at all the right parts, even the parts he didn’t quiet understand— a time difference, maybe. Ursula did look a bit older than he remembered but it had been so long. So very long, and here he was the baby of the group again with nearly everyone back alive, somewhere. 

They could do this. 

But her hand was out and that was all it took to crumble the moth right into her arms and hug a bit tighter than necessary. He’d care about the broken off sounds that kept coming out instead of words later, if ever. Ursula was a friend who in Hell cared.] 

S-sorry, sorry I uh, I thought I was— I thought I was past all this. Like I could ever get past all this, right? God Hollis will lay eggs if he knows you’re here, actually here. We’ve seen the whole ol’ gang in hiding trying to blend— blend into the crowd except you and—

[Byron pulled away to let the Silhouette’s shoulder breathe; the heels of his palms dragging across his eyes to dry them.] I’m too green, Sil’. I wasn’t there for— for Bill getting shot. Yours—, your gal’s, I’m missing too much time. Maybe you can fill in what Hollis couldn’t. I need a drink.

[ursula-zandt]

[Ursula's smile widened, although there was still a sad sort of heaviness to it. Her eyes were tired and she could feel the start of her own tears forming as the Mothman pulled away from her. She felt she needed to apologize again, but she knew it was much too late for any of that. He seemed to understand. Being here - coming out of hiding and talking to him seemed to be apology enough.]

I'll try to fill you in on what I do know but I wasn't there for much of it either. Most of what I know is from the papers. I dug through microfilm trying to find you all in some form or another. ...I imagine some of what I know could even be half-truths. The press was never all that concerned with accuracy. Not as long as they had their shocking headlines.

...Jesus. I can't imagine what Hollis' reaction will be. I shouldn't have waited this long to talk to you two. Here's hoping he won't have a heart attack and make this even more of a situation.

I assume you two still keep in contact then for you to mention him? Maybe you should warn him before I can see him. Based on your reaction, I'm not sure he'll believe you, but ..it's worth a try to protect his health.

[drunkenmoth]

I’m, I’m not sure honestly. I’ve met a few of the new kids, h-hell, I’m living with one to save rent and what’s left of my sanity. I’ve seen Hollis, he’s— old. We’re all old.

[His only options were to either laugh or cry and the moth wasn’t sure which one was going to happen first so he just made a noise; some choked off scoffing sound as his shoulders went from gentle shakes to flat out quivering. Thin glass about to break. Oh Ursula you had no idea how happy he was to see you—] 

I’m not, uh, Gretchen. She w-was your… I wasn’t there. I wasn’t old enough and I got here and everyone was dead and maybe if I’d been there— I could kiss you if I wasn’t scared you’d break my arm for it. 

[ursula-zandt]

She was my girlfriend. You can say it. It's not like the entire world doesn't know by now. Although, I suppose this world may have forgotten or..lost interest. It seems to have bigger problems than two women shacking up together. 

What happened..it wasn't your fault. Not at all. None of us could've prevented it. ..Maybe I could've been there for her, but ..I imagine even then things would have turned out the same way, if not worse.

We were all in over our heads. I still think what Hollis, you and I did was right, and I wouldn't change it for anything. There are children alive and grown now because of us. There are parents with answers. ..but ..we were all very fragile. We didn't have any superpowers or fancy technology. We were all just very ...human.

[She gave him a small half smile - warm but pained as she saw him breaking at the sight of her. She felt guilty for leaving them so completely, but she hadn't felt she had any other choice. Hesitantly, she reached out to hug him.]

It's been so long, Mister Moth. We're all past our prime,

[drunkenmoth]

I’m— I’m not sure what I’m seeing. 

You’re really you, aren’t you? You’re actually— Gosh, Silhouette, I never thought I’d..

[Man up, suck it in. Steady yourself, Byron.] 

Shit, Ursula, I heard you— you were dead. 

[ursula-zandt]

I really am. The Silhouette - in the flesh.

I suppose I should be dead, all things considered, but ...here I am. I've sort of been in hiding since the whole incident. I had to be a little more careful after what they did to Gretchen. I'm sorry I couldn't keep in contact with you or Hollis. I know you probably worried...

I heard the Minutemen were disbanded though...or you all retired? ...and apparently some new kids in masks have been running around with that blue man? Even one that's taken to Hollis' old identity. It's all a lot to take in, if I'm honest.

[drunkenmoth]

I— I’m seeing things

[ursula-zandt]

What's wrong, Mister Moth? You look like you've seen a ghost. Are you all right?

[rubberrings]

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[cabronallorona]