AUTHOR'S NOTE: This was written in response to a list challenge. We were given two quotes to work into a scene, with the proviso that one of them had to be the last line. My quotes were "I'm Batman" and "The prince of darkness is a gentleman."
At the Movies
Methos put another piece of buttered popcorn in his mouth, then turned to MacLeod. "Why exactly did you say we came to this...movie?"
"Quiet!" MacLeod hissed at him. "He'll hear you." He indicated the figure seated on the other side of him, young Richie Ryan. "And it's because you promised him."
Richie's rapt attention was on the movie screen as one cartoonish character after another bounded or flew or skidded into view, each one in a costume more outlandish than the one that came before, each bit of dialog more inane than the last.
Methos shook his head, but managed to speak more quietly. "I thought this was supposed to have some literary merit."
MacLeod snorted, and was shushed by Richie. He leaned toward Methos as he whispered. "It's about cartoon characters."
"No, really, MacLeod. I was told it was a metaphor for man's struggle with his inner darkness and demons." He watched for a few moments before continuing. "Of course, it's hard to be a metaphor in a costume with molded nipples on the chest, isn't it?"
MacLeod clamped a hand over Methos' mouth in a vain effort to stop his ramblings, but let his hand fall when Methos indicated he'd try to sit and watch quietly. He watched as the other man leaned forward toward the screen attentively, hands resting on his fists.
The movie continued on, costumed characters giving way to their mild alter egos. Methos sat back in his seat as he continued to watch, grinning as The Hero held a door for the Damsel. "At least the Prince of Darkness is a gentleman."
A stage whisper from the other side of MacLeod corrected him. "That's Dark Knight. And will you shut up so I can hear the movie, please?" Obviously, Richie had heard everything that had been said. Chagrined, Methos sat back and pretended to sulk, but found himself getting more and more involved as the movie went on.
His concentration increased as he tried to catch up on the plot he'd missed while he was making remarks earlier. In a particularly exciting scene, he was on the edge of his seat as The Hero bounded in to confront The Villains, to an accompanying gasp from the audience, which had the dual effect of drowning out The Hero's dialog.
"What did he say? Mac, Richie? What was it?" He just knew it had to have been some profound revelation he'd missed.
Richie leaned forward to smirk at Methos. "He said 'I'm Batman'."
The End
October 1997
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