tushanshu | [Video]

[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.]

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[Once he sets down, Lois gives the whole place a cursory glance and laughs.]

You would like it, farm boy.

[Clark's always had modest tastes, after all, and this place is definitely more than Earth Sector. Still, Lois smiles to herself as honestly, any place on this bizarre creature is grossly more opulent than any place she's lived. But there's a principle to be adhered to, so she shakes her head.]

Well, without benefit of modern conveniences, as long as there's a hot tub, a good couch, and a comfortable bed, I am not objecting. We're still spending some time trying the other place's windows and balconies at some point, though.

[Pause.]

...Modern conveniences. These people probably don't know about coffee makers, microwaves, or take-out. Do they even have coffee?

[Clark smiles at her reaction. As she speaks he's off and back in a fraction of a second, dressed up as Clark Kent now. This is supposed to be Clark Kent's living space as far as the Kedan are concerned, and while he isn't sure how much they even care about them he doesn't want to give them any reasons to figure it out.]

Anytime. As long as I'm allowed to sneak in, having access to two places could also be good. Or we could use one as some secret base or- [He shrugs.] Well, we've seen weirder things.

[He's long past the point where spending so many nights away from her would have made him worry. Rao knows she's earned the right after his adventures around the multiverse.]

And I haven't... actually seen any. We could probably find a place willing to do take-outs but... [He makes a face at her.] I doubt they'll have much in household technology. I can heat and dry things up but... we'll have to improvise about the coffee.

...Oh, are you hungry?

Secret base? [She rolls her eyes at him. He's so cute sometimes.] Well, I suppose you're lacking in a Fortress here, plus it's a city. Maybe it is my turn to have one.

[Still, her expression says clearly she thinks he's a little crazy--why wouldn't he be allowed to sneak in? Unless they're actively in the middle of a major argument, she's glad when he can have a few more hours at home with her. Even when they are, well-- it's better for both if it doesn't fester.]

Oh great. Maybe some gullible teenagers can be talked into starting a delivery service. [It's said flippantly, but it's actually a good idea.] I'll take child labor over cooking.

Hmm. I'm not not hungry?

[Clark is just trying to make sure she knows she'll have her space, he knows he can get pretty clingy and overwhelming. Years of marriage and she still has to remind him it's okay to let her handle things on her own every now and then.]

It's actually not a bad idea for a business. Which reminds me you'll... probably have to find some kind of job to do while I get the newspaper started up?

[He's not going to be able to pay the people who collaborate much, or at all at first. But at least Bruce has already offered to finance it.]

I am working for a local farmer so I get cheap prices in most food [He winks at her, hovering to the kitchen] You'll see, food in here is... different, but still good.

[Lois knows she isn't always consistent, partially due to being sometimes too stubborn in her independence. Even so, she understands what he's trying to do. She can meet him half-way about it.]

While you get the paper started up? Come on, you don't get to have all the fun around here. Besides, [her tone becomes more sincere than light-hearted] this is something I can help with.

[Unspoken is that not working on a paper, even just starting one in 'spare time,' would drive her insane. It's not like she really knows anything besides reporting.]

How different? Is fruit still fruit, even if it fruit we've got at home, or is produce here just... totally different?

[Already in the kitchen, he smiles to himself. He never doubted Lois' willingness to help but it's still a relief to know it's a sure thing. He could have managed a newspaper on his own, and he did run the Daily Planet while Perry was getting chemo and Lois was out... but there is a reason he's known as 'Lois Lane's husband' among their coworkers.

He's a good journalist but Lois is the best.]

I'll show you what I have been getting ready then. And it's... simply different, I'm not sure how to explain, it's like- ever heard of 'sea prunes'? Or cows with feathers?

[She'll never admit it, but Lois is glad Clark's spear-heading the project. If he weren't, she would, but as much as she is more than capable of the cat-herding required to get people in line? She'd much rather be doing, as she thinks of it, 'real work.' Being the editor's favorite reporter is definitely her favorite place.

Besides, editors are probably supposed to trust spell-check programs. That's heresy.]

Huh. Are sea prunes actually fruit? Because I don't think sea cucumbers are, back home. And so long as the pigs also have wings, I think I can handle the idea of cows with them. [Har-de-har.]

I tell you there are cows with feathers and your first thought is if the pigs will have wings as well?

[But he's just laughing. It's not a nice thing to say because it means she's stuck in here with him as well, but still: he's glad she's here. He had to spend years and years stuck without her once, it wasn't an experience he wanted to repeat.]

Luckily we'll have enough information about this land in our next newspaper to get a better general idea on the kind of food and animals it has. They have lived in here for very long, so their resources are limited.

I've always heard pigs being the go-to for unnaturally flying livestock. Seems unfair for the cows to leave them behind.

[No. It doesn't make any sense. But cracking jokes is a good stress relief, and as grateful as she is that he's here (she wouldn't want to be stuck here without him, selfish as it is)... She still got kidnapped onto a turtle. It's a day.]

Now there's a sobering thought: overuse of the land and its results. The number of connected article series you could run on that... Have there been any ideas other than 'watch and wait' to figure out 'why us' and 'how we got here'?

I had actually thought about that.

[It was an obvious threat, really. And the Water sector made it all the more obvious with the carved buildings.] I just wasn't sure how to bring it up yet. We don't know much about their culture and I'm still struggling to understand some of their rules, maybe they actually are careful about it.

And the most prominent theory is we're here to protect the turtle and its inhabitants. We were chosen by a spell.

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