[Video]

[wherethestoryis]

[What is visible of the room is obviously in Earth Sector, both from the décor and from the view out of the large, open window over Lois’ shoulder. As for Lois herself, she’s still somewhat damp and visibly grumpy about it. Her sigh is explosive as she runs a hand through her hair.]

Kidnapping, fine. Another day in my life. Alternate universes? They’re not so much my thing. I try to leave that to the heroes. Murder and mayhem are plenty for headlines.

[Lois rolls her eyes as she says the latter. Despite the few sentences, she manages to convey even more information, even subconsciously: her face and tone are expressive. Exasperation, impatience, and the voice of experience shine through. So too does her underlying concern, though. She is absently twisting some hair around a finger. Her engagement and wedding rings glint as she does.]

Lois Lane, Daily Planet, if anyone’s heard of it.

The last time I ran into an alternate world, at least it was someone’s… misguided attempt at a paradise. Nice enough place, but even that ended in a fight. One day I’d like to get a freaking vacation with one of these things.

[Pause.]

So… are there any competent newspapers around this place?

[So much for wanting a vacation.]

Comments

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[controlledvariable]

Hello, Ms. Lane. [She doesn't really know Lois, but she's heard good things from - pretty much everyone.] I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I don't think you're gonna get the vacation.

[fair warning]

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[wherethestoryis]

It was probably too much to hope for anyway.

And just Lois is fine.

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[controlledvariable]

The Emperor seems to have a plan for us. Maybe you can get your vacation once that's done.

It's nice to meet you, Lois. My name's Steph Brown. [She's not sure how much Lois knows about Gotham's vigilantes, but maybe her name might mean something.]

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[wherethestoryis]

Does he? [She takes on a slightly peeved look.] I've never been one for taking orders.

[As Sam Lane could attest to very, very well. In the meantime, her frown turns more pensive.] Steph Brown? I've heard your name, I know, but...

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[controlledvariable]

She. They seem to use Emperor as a gender neutral title.

A little birdy might have told you. [That is a terrible joke, but at least it's a subtle enough way to hint that she was a Robin once.]

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[wherethestoryis]

Well now, at least they're doing that right.

[She frowns a little.] Maybe, but I don't remember the context now. [Steph's removed enough from Bruce that Lois doesn't immediately know.]

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[controlledvariable]

They're shape shifters, so I don't think they have the same ideas about gender that we have. [Steph hasn't really put a lot of thought into it, but she's made a note to.]

Um, what was the last big thing that happened back home? Just so I know what I can say.

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[wherethestoryis]

Well-- in Metropolis, at least, Brainiac attacked and nearly bottled up the city. We've got a bunch of Kryptonians living on Earth now. Superman's going to have his hands full.

[She's uncertain what, if anything, to say about the whole thing with Bruce dying.]

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[controlledvariable]

Oh, right, that. You're not too far behind me, then.

[Bruce is probably going to be mad at her for this, but-] I had some trouble during the Gotham gang war.

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[wherethestoryis]

...Oh. Right. That.

[Awkward Lois is awkward.] We were all-- it hit hard. I mean, it always does, [she lost Clark once] but...

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[controlledvariable]

It's okay. [Steph's smile is gentle, despite the fact this place seems keen on dragging it up, she doesn't want Lois to feel awkward.]

But uh, just to let you know who I am. I've talked to your husband a bit, he can probably fill you in.

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[wherethestoryis]

[That gentle smile makes it hurt a little more, but Lois pushes that aside.]

I'm sure he will. Does he know about all of this?

[She won't say 'Batman' or 'Bruce Wayne' without a little more indication of what Steph knows--but the emphasis makes it obvious it isn't Clark she's talking about.]

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[controlledvariable]

Depends what "this" is? [She saw Bruce respond to Lois, which makes life a little easier.] If you mean me talking to you, I'm afraid I don't have official clearance. [her expression conveys that she doesn't really fuss about that sort of thing.]

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[wherethestoryis]

[Lois' eyebrows go up, briefly.]

What I don't know, someone can't get out of me. But if Batman and Oracle relax enough to trust the reporter?

They're worse than Clark. [Her smile is whimsical.] And it took him long enough. I usually pry up to plausible deniability.

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[controlledvariable]

Bats is way worse than Oracle. [at least in Steph's opinion, since Bruce wouldn't even let her boyfriend tell her his name, while she was allowed to hang out with Oracle at the Clocktower.]

Anyway, I've always thought that whole "they can't get hurt if they don't know" routine was a bit of nonsense. [if someone's involved with a superhero, they're a target regardless of how much they know.

At least in Steph's experience.]

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[wherethestoryis]

He's had more years of becoming paranoid.

[Lois rolls her eyes a little.] Yeah, no kidding. Even though I'm married to Clark, people still use me to get to Superman. There was this time with Dracula--

But that's only part of it.

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[controlledvariable]

Wait, like, actual Dracula? [Focus, Brown, that isn't the important part] What's the other part?

[She could make a guess or two, but it's simpler to just ask, since she's not entirely sure]

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[wherethestoryis]

It was... complicated. [Lois sounds reluctant to talk about it, now that it's occurred to her.]

The other part is-- you know the phrase 'three can keep a secret if two of them are dead?'

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[controlledvariable]

I imagine it would be. [her tone is gentle, this is Steph's way of suggesting it's okay to not talk about it]

Yeah... [this is not quite where she thought it was going] Isn't that usually about like, the bad kind of secrets?

[poor wording, but Steph knows what she means; I Know What You Did Last Summer type secrets]

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[cowled]

Yes.

[And we have a deviation from the playboy demeanour, his expression is now closer to the usual hyper-focused, 'I am Vengeance/The Night/Etc' deal.]

It's fine, Lois, she's with me.

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[wherethestoryis]

Good to know.

[Even Lois doesn't usually get to see that Bat-mode expression outside the cowl.]

My sources in Gotham can't keep straight who works independently. I should really get new ones.

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[cowled]

[A Look.]

Is that a hint?

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[wherethestoryis]

If you'd rather I prove I don't need to make the hint, I'm happy to.

[She grins. Never let it be said she isn't arrogant.]

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[cowled]

Is that so.

[His tone is so very wry. Arrogance is a door that swings both ways, here. And while Lois is every inch the reporter that Vicki is, she doesn't have the same history that lead Vicki to learning his secrets. And Bruce gets a touch territorial about his secrets.

Still. This is Lois, and despite his knee-jerk reaction to having someone imply they can just ferret out vital information, he trusts her. If he's being perfectly honest, he probably trusts her more than any other non-League individual he didn't handpick for his line of work. Part of that, of course, is the measure of reliance he has on Clark.

But part of it's because Lois has proven herself. Maybe in less sturm und drang than your average vigilante, but she has earned his esteem in other ways.

He sighs. It's a... tolerant sound, all things considered.]

Tell Kent I'd like to speak with him later.

[He raises an eyebrow.]

And Lois? Welcome to Keeliai.

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[wherethestoryis]

[Lois looks visibly surprised for a moment. After all, this is Bruce; more to the point, this is Batman. Somehow, despite his having a larger adoptive family than Clark has ever had, she always finds the insular nature of the Gothamites striking. Bruce himself?

Fond as she is of him, he's compulsively paranoid. Justifiably, true, but nonetheless. And for all that she knows some of the most sensitive identities, for all that she shares Superman's life, she's still a civilian.

Knowing that as she does, though, she feels the weight of that trust.

Then again, she trusts Bruce with Clark's life. He's earned it, maybe more than anyone outside herself and Martha.

After a moment she nods, smiling sincerely.]

I will. Thanks, Bruce.