the truth serum meme.

[batmotif]

The Truth Serum Meme
The cliche and tired trope used to create conflict or acts of realization.

And congrats, now your character is inflicted by such a trope! Be it magic, drugs, or other means. Regardless of how, your character has lost the ability to lie or be dishonest.

Are you going to tell your childhood crush how you really feel? Or maybe tell your best friend about the double life you live? Perhaps this is a good time to admit to murder... hm.

Leave your character's name in the comment section.

Characters ask you a question, you must reply truthfully.

Have fun, no lying.

Comments

[snaphiss]

Have you ever been caught?

[batmotif]

[A moment passes before he decides he needs some clarification.]

"Caught" at what, exactly?

[snaphiss]

Breaking and entering, a hobby with which you clearly have storied experience.

[batmotif]

[He'll answer her question soon enough, because technically the answer is "yes", but-]

Are you implying that I'm a criminal?

[snaphiss]

Don't tell me you're the sort that would prefer to be called 'entrepreneurs'.

[batmotif]

No.

[ugh.] I'm a vigilante. [...which is technically a crime, too.] However, to answer your question, yes, I have been caught breaking and entering before. But I've never been brought in.

[snaphiss]

...You broke into places to stop crime.

[batmotif]

Sometimes detective work requires access to otherwise restricted areas. I'm creative in my problem solving.

[snaphiss]

And when guards happen upon you during your 'problem solving'? What happens to them? When you steal information and disappear, who gets blamed?

[batmotif]

Depends on the guard. If you think I'm of the inclination to go around beating up civilians or police, you're wrong.

People can toss the blame towards Batman. Bruce Wayne makes sure to stay out of that kind of spotlight.

[snaphiss]

So when you're caught, as you've admitted you have been, you never attack the people who are just doing their job? And you always make it obvious that this... 'Batman' has stolen information, so blame won't fall on innocent workers?

It used to be my job to capture people like you for just these reasons.

[batmotif]

Like I told you, I don't attack innocents. And the places I investigate? Usually hideouts for criminals, or overrun by the mob. The kind that like to shoot first and ask questions later.

Is that so? The same job you said you didn't want to return to?

[snaphiss]

And you always know who is innocent and who isn't? Criminals are more likely than not to prey on the naive and destitute to guard their facilities. But, of course, you're a professional. You know better than the people actually trained to do this.

That doesn't mean I wasn't good at it.

[batmotif]

I know the difference between a hardened thug and a desperate man squirming under the thumb of corruption, Mara. If you're going to patronize me, I'd suggest you take it elsewhere. You make broad assumptions without knowing what my city was like.

Hypothetically speaking, do you think you could have caught me? Since we're playing the truth game.

[snaphiss]

You don't want me to patronize you or make broad assumptions, but you ask me to 'hypothetically' guess whether or not I could have beaten you? You can't have both.

[Someone's enjoying themselves.]

[batmotif]

[Obviously. Bruce is used to it by now.]

You have a general idea of my fighting style. And you certainly are familiar with how I operate where stealth and subtlety are concerned. So yes, I think you have a reasonable amount of information to hypothesize.

[snaphiss]

It would depend on several factors. Could I defeat you here, or in your natural environment? Would it be when I was working as Hand, or as I was now? How would my resources be depleted away from the Empire? Would your resources be depleted under Imperial rule?

But, yes, I think I could defeat you. In some hypothetical scenarios, though, I think it would be very close.

[batmotif]

[This hypothetical scenario is both enlightening, and vaguely amusing. He doesn't show any signs of the latter, though, besides the smallest lift of a brow.]

I was thinking more in terms of here and now. The playing field is relatively level.

[snaphiss]

That is one of the scenarios where it would be very close.

But, of course, I'd need motivation. I have no intention of harming you, Bruce.

[batmotif]

I wasn't asking because I was worried, Mara. I just like to cover all my bases.

[snaphiss]

Hm. Do you think you could defeat me? Kill me? In your preferred scenario, of course.

Do you think you'd ever have a reason to?

[batmotif]

I don't think it would be easy, but I think I could defeat you if I needed to. But I wouldn't kill you. [Or... anyone.]

You haven't given me a reason to think that it'll come to that. However, none of us actually know what the next mission will bring. What the next day might lead to. I like to be prepared.

[snaphiss]

[Wait.]

Why wouldn't you kill me?

[batmotif]

Because I don't kill people.

[snaphiss]

[uuuUUUGH]

Why?