[video]

[littlecousin]

[There's an extremely attractive blond woman on the other end of the feed, looking a little wet and a lot disgruntled. Nita's features are distinctive--high-arched eyebrows, pointed ears, and if you're looking very carefully, gill slits along each side of her neck.]

PSA. If you were thinking about leaving, bad news. You get about half a mile out and something knocks you back into that same coma we were all in when they fished us out.

[She is so disgusted you don't even know.]

So unless you really enjoyed that six-hour cart ride, I'd start looking at other options.

[And there's Kon in the background looking soggy and miffed. He huffs and pushes away wet hair from his face.]

Yeah, like doing a Dorothy and finding some ruby slippers.

Comments

text; anonymous

[cowled]

['Looking very carefully' is Bruce's middle name. Interesting. An Atlantean.

And a Kryptonian. Not just any Kryptonian, but Superboy. In the uniform he wore prior to his death.

He's not getting a headache, but it's a near thing. Tim, Damian and now Kon. He could do worse where allies are concerned, but the Kryptonian was a little unruly at this age, and Bruce is a little short on Kryptonite at the moment, should anything happen to warrant its use.

He'll concern himself with that later. In the meantime, they've provided him with an interesting amount of data. Nevermind that he never would have expected leaving this place to be that easy.]

How many times did you try, exactly?

text;

[littlecousin]

Who wants to know?

[Anonymous just makes her suspicious. It's always eco-terrorists or the Mad Thinker or freakin' Doom on one of the days he and Namor have decided they don't like each other.]

text; anonymous

[cowled]

Oh, sorry about that. Name's Craig. I'm like everyone else, just kinda got fished out of the ocean a couple days ago.

[Not a first name he's used before, but it comes naturally regardless.]

text;

[littlecousin]

Oh. Video button's on the upper left.

[...Or whatever.

She's not (too) suspicious. She's just being ~helpful~. The obstructionism is merely a delightful side benefit.]

video; anonymous

[cowled]

[Well, why not. He's sitting in a cafe, fully disguised anyway. Whoo for being a master of the craft.

He's aged himself a little, lightened his hair and has applied a scruffy but relatively well-kempt goatee. He looks like a middle-aged business-man of the 'weekend warrior' variety. He projects calm and confidence but of Bruce Wayne there is nary a trace. His voice, when he speaks, has a slight British accent, like someone who grew up in the country but moved young. He already has his backstory firmly ensconced in his mind, and he wears this new life like a second skin.]

Do I pass muster now?

video;

[littlecousin]

[ALL SUSPICIONS ASSUAGED. Nita grins.]

What? You were the anonymous text guy. You coulda been anyone.

video; anonymous

[cowled]

[He affects a sort of congenial sheepishness. The perennial professor.]

I didn't even think of that. I suppose you can never be too careful where the Internet's concerned.

[SO GOOD ON YOU, YOUNG LADY, FOR BEING SO CAUTIOUS. Don't take candy from strangers, either.

Nevermind that you could probably throw most strangers through a brick wall with little effort if you're from anywhere like he suspects.]

So how many times did you try? And were you in a boat...?

video;

[littlecousin]

[Yeah, you try to offer Nita candy, she'll take it and your wallet, then kick the engine block out of your van.]

Yeah, I don't use AOL or anything.

[Welcome to the early 90s, population: Nita.]

Kon and I flew out together once, and then after a breather, I tried swimming.

video; anonymous

[cowled]

[Eyebrow raise? Eyebrow raise.]

So, correct me if I'm wrong, but you're from Earth, right? America?

['Atlantis?' But trolo not saying that outloud.]

... And I'm sorry, did you say you swam? That seems... potentially dangerous.

video;

[littlecousin]

[Hee hee Craig you are ridiculous.]

You know a lot of Americans with pointed ears?

video; anonymous

[cowled]

[he actually recoils.]

Oh dear God, I didn't even notice.

video;

[littlecousin]

[She laughs.]

I'm from Atlantis. Swimming...not really a problem for me.

video; anonymous

[cowled]

Wait a moment. Are you saying that Atlantis exists?

video;

[littlecousin]

Yes, that is exactly what I'm saying.

[Surface-dwellers, man.]

video; anonymous

[cowled]

Wow.

[He's totally star-struck, Nita. Completely.]

video;

[tactile_telekinesis]

[Yup, he'd been reading the text over Nita's shoulder and shows no shame in it at all. He stuck his pinky in his ear and wiggled it about a little.]

Enough to get the hint.

video; anonymous

[cowled]

[He raises an eyebrow.]

You didn't get hurt, did you?

[He says. Of the Kryptonian.

Yeah he knows it's a ridiculous question, but Kon didn't know his identity back then, so he might as well keep it up.]

video;

[tactile_telekinesis]

Nah, was like getting punched in the face by Knockout. [Which hurt. But shh, he's being badass here and hijacking Nita's stuff, still looking over her shoulder.]

Was more hurt by the fact the ex just couldn't let me go.

video; anonymous

[cowled]

By what now?

[Pretending to be a civilian is always so ironic.]

I'm sure he or she would be happy for the comparison.

[So dry. So completely dry. Tim, come deal with your unruly BFF, please.]

video; anonymous

[tactile_telekinesis]

Knockout, she's...someone I know. She is what her name says, in more ways than one.

[He just stares and then huffs.]

Babes only, I don't swing the other way.

video; anonymous

[cowled]

An unusual name, if you don't mind my saying so. Are they common where you're from?

['Craig's' expression ventures into the territory of 'mildly amused', but he manages to avoid addressing that last statement.]

video; anonymous

[tactile_telekinesis]

Codenames are, yeah.

Take it you don't have heroes where you're from, huh?

video; anonymous

[cowled]

We've got police officers and, um, the army. But no one who can do anything like-- well, fly.

video; anonymous

[tactile_telekinesis]

Oh, we have things like too, but there's some idiots that think they can, I dunno, rule the world or something so that's where we come in.

video; anonymous

[cowled]

['Rule the world or something'.

Kent.]

It sounds dangerous.