tushanshu | Video

[ The image of a rather ordinary, unremarkable looking man fills the screen. He’s clean-shaven, wearing a pair of black-framed glasses, and he’s got brown hair, cut short and though it’s a little messy, there’s something about it that suggests that it had been styled at one point earlier in the day. He’s just slightly disheveled, which those familiar with the comings and goings of individuals to Keeliai might recognize as a sign of a new arrival. ]

So this is… [ There’s a moment of silence, as he trails off and glances away from the camera. ] …different.

[ It only lasts for a second, before he looks back and rolls his eyes. ]

The whole—I mean, well… Whatever.

[ He takes a deep breath, lets it out, and pulls himself together. ]

Right, okay. I was given a place to live but no job, and I’m guessing that it isn’t free rent forever. So if there’s, I don’t know, a job center? Help wanted ads? Some turtle world version of Craigslist? Something? Could someone point me in the right direction?

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I can deal.

[ There's a faint edge to his voice as he says it, the first real show of a spine he's made since he got here. He may not be a superhero, or a super anything, but he's not a hysterical coward either. He can deal. ]

I was just asking. What the locals say isn't always the same as what others do. I don't what you've heard about me, but I'm not stupid.

[Well, it's kind of encouraging that he's not... simpering. Bruce still doesn't have a lot of, or even really any, respect for him aside from as a human being, but he does prefer people that stand up for themselves.]

I've never thought you were stupid, [he says, level and mild. It's true.] I just don't have a, positive relationship with weaponry.

... But you're right that the locals don't have the real information. [He might dislike him, but that doesn't mean Bruce will withhold information about their circumstances from him. He's just a guy, and he's stuck here, too.]

I don't usually have positive experiences with cab drivers, but I try not to be a dick about it to every cabbie I meet.

[ He says it mildly, matter-of-factly instead of aggressively, and keeps talking, going back to the topic at hand. ]

Judging from the fact that the city's on a turtle, I'm guessing no one actually has any real information. They just want to go home. That's what we should be focusing on. Making sure we get home. Instead of snapping at each other.

[A little dryly,] Was I being a... dick? [He hesitates slightly saying the word because Bruce is not apt to being obscene, or to swearing. But really, that'd been him at his mildest disapproval.]

Some people have real information, [he corrects.] It depends on who you know and what you're willing to investigate. We'll get home when we get home. Rushing into things is a bad idea.

Weren't you?

[ Justin's a little sensitive to dickish behavior. It's Tony Stark syndrome. He can't help it. ]

So it's the good old boys' club? That's what you're saying? Everybody keeps secrets from everybody else? [ He snorts. ] It's like dealing with Congress all over again.

That? No. No. [Maybe the way he repeats it, just a touch ever so faintly incredulous, makes it clear that Bruce thinks he could be much worse.]

It's nothing like Congress. [And he sounds kind of disgruntled about it.] It's not a, a club of any kind, it's just dangerous to speak about openly. This is a public network. If the Emperor isn't keeping track of what we're saying, then she's-- I don't even know what she is, but it's not that.

[ Justin's nose wrinkles. ]

So it's like spy stuff? Espionage? No one knows who's on who's side?

[ After running into the hell-bitch from SHIELD, he's kind of had it with spies. ]

If I encrypt the transmission so no one can monitor this feed, would that make you feel better about it?

Except I'm pretty sure we're all on the same side. But I still wouldn't trust anyone, necessarily.

[Ah, paranoia.]

Not really, [he says bluntly.] I'm assuming the government wouldn't establish a network where they weren't privy to every conversation that goes on.

[Even more paranoia. He thinks it's more than justified.]

[ It crosses his mind that either there's something wrong with this guy or what he's really saying is that he doesn't believe Justin's savvy enough to do it. If he turns into some big green dude, the first is probable, but if he's part of Stark's little superhero club, then it's most likely the latter. ]

That's why you outsmart the machine. Reprogram it. Then it doesn't matter who built it.

But hey, what do I know, right? Don't say I never tried to help.

Sorry, but I don't take chances. [There's a beat in which most people would qualify that, but Bruce just lets it stand.]

It's not personal. You can help someone else. I'll just... keep things off the network.

[It's maybe a little personal. Just a smidge. But it's not because Bruce doesn't think he could do it-- he's pretty sure he probably could, based on his company's reputation, which couldn't arise out of the ether. It's because he flat out dislikes him on principle for creating weapons to be used against him, and he doubts that that instinct toward dislike will go away any time soon.

So he's definitely not about to trust him. He does, however, maintain that he's not being a dick. This is still mild and reasonable, for Bruce, compared to what he's like when he tends toward active dislike.]

[ Uh huh. Right. Of course it's not personal. Justin doesn't believe it for a second. It's always personal with these people. ]

Yeah. Sure.

[ He's not going to argue with him. Why bother? Stark's people are always right and he's always wrong. It's been that way since he got into the business and he knows that it's never going to change. ]

Good luck with that.

[ Maybe he even means it. They need all the help they can get, all of them. But he's not opening himself up to more opportunities to be insulted. Without another word, he terminates the transmission. ]

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