tushanshu | video; anonymous location

[Kal-El seems to be posting from a cafe in the water sector, judging by his surroundings. A cafe that has seen better days. Kal's face makes it obvious he wasn't expecting the cafe to be in such a state when he got there, seeing all this go on without being able to help is really hitting him hard.]

Superman here. I'm aware the rationing is the hot topic nowadays but there isn't... much I can do about that. I will do my best to help out Roger's food bank and if anyone needs me to do so don't hesitate to contact me but for now you will have to forgive me for deviating from the topic.

This last month I have noticed a lot of foreigners that happened to have powers with them that were... not sure what to do with them at best, outright scared of them at worse. I want to help with that.

I am a super-powered being myself, we are called 'metahumans' in my world. I was thinking maybe there should be some kind of... way for us to meet, to talk about our problems. To train each other if our powers are similar, to help us out when it's needed. I'm not sure where I was going with this but that... well, that was my suggestion.

[A little shrug and a smile] I would like to hear people's opinion in it?

[Private to Evandau]

I was told you were in charge of the rationing?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Clark why do you never discuss these things before you pony up to the boyscout salad bar.]

This isn't a good idea.

[Oh, in theory it is. But a public announcement like this? The transparency? No. It gives the Emperor a target, something to track.

Something to shoot at.

And Bruce? Does not like that.]

[Because Bruce always says 'no' that's why. Especially when it involves metas.]

Care to tell me why?

Not here.

[Which, if Clark is listening, is about as close to an invitation as he ever gets to drop in for a visit.]

[He gets the warning, he has superhearing and he still doesn't hear Bruce until the last moment. How he does it he will never understand and he's sure he does it because he can, at this point.]

B?

Explain to me why you thought it was a good idea to paint a target on every metahuman in this city, Clark.

[NOT. IMPRESSED.]

I didn't mean to do that. ... I don't think I have done that.[He isn't in the least intimidated by Batman's... batmaning, but he will always hear him out.]

How is providing them of an ear for their troubles and some training painting a target on their backs?

[Clark, you are Bruce's best friend and someone he'd die for without a moment's hesitation.

But that doesn't mean he doesn't think you're about as smart as a brick sometimes.]

Unifying people, giving them a common goal. Doing so publicly. And you just told the Emperor point-blank that you're going to be training them. A group of metahumans capable of wiping out this city and everyone in it. It doesn't matter what your intentions are, she's going to see it as a threat.

[Kal frowns, his lips tightening in something that isn't anger but it's pretty damn close to it. Not towards Bruce though, not entirely anyway. People thinking that way is what had him hiding all those years. What had him thinking he was a freak.

People assuming things like that are what makes the meta too frightened to seek help, to get the training they need to not make things worse.]

Doing under the ropes would make it look even more suspicious whenever they found out. And in case you hadn't noticed the population is growing exponentially B, we wouldn't be able to hide for long. Doing it publicly makes it clear I have nothing to hide, and they can ask anything they want about the project. Or watch us train if they are so scared of us turning rogue.

I just couldn't stand seeing them so frightened anymore.

There are a dozen other ways you could have gone about it, Kal. This is foolish. Even when you're being transparent in your intentions, there are those that will think that transparency is hiding some other motive.

[And then he scowls, his jaw tightening.]

The metas here aren't your responsibility, frightened or not.

I'm not feeling responsible for them. [But as soon as the worlds leave his lips he realizes he isn't exactly being truthful. He does feel responsible in a way- the same way a teacher would feel responsible for their students, or adults would feel responsible of a lost child.

But he just wants to help out, is that really so bad?]

Maybe they won't trust it at first, but with time my intentions will become clear enough. [A lot of time fake-Superman or Superman's own death had caused everybody to mistrust him. He hadn't cared, he kept on doing what he thought was the right thing and eventually it all worked out. This is the same to him.]

Look I- if this wasn't about metahumans I would have consulted you, you know that. Maybe I should have anyway- but I wanted this to be done my own way.

To be open and free. Is that really so bad?

Yes. It is.

[His tone and his posture both communicate the fact that he is ready - more than ready for a fight about this.]

[Kal crosses his arms] Tell me why, Batman. You're supposed to be the rational one.

If you don't know why, Clark, you haven't been listening.

[Gurl don't you cross your arms at him.]

Unknowingly or not, you've just made everyone who replies to you a target. If the Emperor wants to make a public example of anyone, she'll start with them. And you know it. She's powerful enough to bring us here. She's powerful enough to keep us here. There is absolutely no guarantee we could take her down in a fight.

[He'll cross his arms at you all he wants gurlfrand]

You said it yourself, she brought us here already. We already are a target, we are already despised and hated. Everyone things every single bad thing that happens here is because of us.

So why would me trying to make things better for metas make things any worse?

[THE POINT, YOUR HEAD. GODDAMNIT BRO. Why can't he just solve arguments by punching you until you get it.]

Just remember who's going to be the one to clean up your mess when this backfires.

[Because you would break your hand. Mostly.]

I will. Don't act like you're my babysitter B.

Not yours. Theirs.

[He knows Clark can look after himself. Sometimes he even trusts him to. And although Clark would never willingly or knowingly endanger others, that's exactly what Bruce is convinced he's done.]

video; anonymous location

[batcrypted | audio]

[batcrypted | audio]

[batcrypted | audio]

[action]?

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]