[video || 001]

[cowled]

[The image opens on Bruce Wayne at his finest. He's wearing (1) new suit designed by Favrielle, and he's looking pretty swank. Because Bruce Wayne. And Reasons.]

All right, Keeliai, I have a business opportunity to propose. As of right now, I'm relaunching Wayne Enterprises. For those of you who've never heard the name before, it's a multi-national business conglomerate with a focus on humanitarian aid and the like, based out of Gotham City back home.

Anyway. For the duration of my stay here, I'm looking to start in pharmaceuticals - I'm sure you've all noticed the kedan have never even heard of ibuprofen - and work our way up from there. Essentially, I'm looking to better the quality of life for everyone on Tu Vishan, foreigner and local alike.

If anyone's interested in working for me, or if you have experience in a pharmaceutical field, feel free to contact me over the network. We can arrange a meeting in person if you'd prefer. Confidentiality is guaranteed in either case. I'm paying twice the rates the kedan offer, and I've arranged it with the local authorities such that any time you work towards me counts towards your overall work 'obligation' [can you hear the finger quotes falling around that word] here in Keeliai.

Thanks for your time.




[ooc; tags will be sketchy, but I wanted to get this up and get the ball rolling on this plot before I poofed from the internet. <3]

Comments

[whatfriendsdo]

[Snort.] What, you mean you don't go for variety in your adoring gold diggers?

[cowled]

They do say blondes have more fun. I've witnessed this first-hand on more than one occasion.

[An air, 'c'est la vie' wave of the hand.]

[whatfriendsdo]

That I can't argue with. [A crooked smile.] The one blonde-cliche I'll stand behind.

[cowled]

I always found the others quite ridiculous, personally.

[Like he's one to talk about stereotypes, tho, lbr.]

[whatfriendsdo]

If you're trying to earn yourself brownie points, it's working. [A twinkle of amusement. She pushes herself down off the table and stretches.] Do you really think the Emperor would be inclined to listen, if push comes to shove?

[cowled]

I think that entirely depends on who's doing the pushing and how long they've been in the game.

[Back to being semi-serious. Which is the only kind of serious Bruce Wayne ever is.]

[whatfriendsdo]

[She stops mid-stretch.] And what does that mean?

[cowled]

[eyebrow.]

Do you honestly think it would be a good idea to send someone with no political savvy up against someone who's been the reigning monarch in this place for seventy years?

[whatfriendsdo]

[She grimaces. It's half pride and half principles.]

Let me think about it. Things might work out with Evandau.

[cowled]

[He nods.]

Don't overtax yourself, whatever you end up doing. This place could use people of a law enforcement bent who are willing to go to bat for the rest of us.

[He's not saying it to tell her to be careful, or imply that she can't handle herself. The 'foreigner' population needs cops, and right now Murphy is really all they have. Oh, there are others with experience in law enforcement of varying sorts, but Murphy's the only cop.]

[whatfriendsdo]

[Her expression softens into surprise, which turns into a genuine smile.] I'm in the business of overtaxing myself - bad coffee and more paperwork than hours in the day is my bread and butter, Wayne.

But thank you.

[cowled]

Don't thank me yet. All that was a devious prelude to asking you to dinner.

[A brief, playful smile.]

Which I will do at a later date.

[ie: probably never. since. maintaining the playboy reputation generally doesn't involve being a jackass to people he actually likes.]

Do you have any other questions for me?

[whatfriendsdo]

[The real smile is back.]

Will you have dinner with me? [And then a little bit of wickedness.] Because I really do have more fun.

[cowled]

[Bruce gives her an appraising look. His biggest concern at that moment is how she'll take rejection. All things considered, she's likely going to be a decent ally. Especially if she's so willing to put in all the necessary grunt work to stay on top of things. And he is curious as to the information she's gathered about the local vigilante population. Whether or not anyone he knows is in danger of having their identity blown.

Murphy is smart, competent, attractive-- any one of those points has been his Achilles' Heel in the past, but when combined they're practically a death sentence.

He thinks of Vicki, of Shondra -- of Selina. Even Talia. All of them fell into that profile in one way or another.

One way or another, this has the potential to be interesting.]

It's a very flattering offer, Karrin, but I'm certain you've noticed by now that you're considerably out of my league. Are you sure you want to be caught slumming?

[It's not a rebuttal, but he is giving her an out if she changes her mind. His tone is playful, casually self-deprecating. He doesn't have a problem poking fun at himself, though it's obvious by the confidence to his bearing that he's not at risk of believing his own slander.]

[whatfriendsdo]

It didn't completely escape my awesome detective skills. You can treat if it makes you feel more manly. [She crosses to the door, hand on the knob while she grins at him.]

Do you have any idea how hard it is to find an athletic-looking guy who really understands what 'casual' means? [Not khaki pants and polo shirts.] They all want to know why you're not pining for them after.

[cowled]

Is that what you're looking for, then?

[He follows her a bit, leans against the wall by the door. He's ready to show her out in a gentlemanly fashion.]

'Casual'?

[The word is light, and so far from 'judgemental' that it may as well be on another continent.]

[whatfriendsdo]

If you think you can keep up. [It's teasing. Mostly. She leans against the door instead of opening it, hit by a tired sort of amusement and wistfulness.]

We're in a city full of shapeshifters on the back of a giant turtle in God only knows what kind of crossroad of God only knows how many universes. We don't know why we're here, really, how long we will be, what will happen tomorrow. How can anything here be anything but?

[A pang. She touches her collarbone lightly, remembering the look on Harry's face as they sat together in Thomas's boat, just before it all went turtle-side-up.] Besides. I've got a one night stand waiting for me back in Chicago.

[cowled]

Believe me when I say keeping up has never been my problem.

[Because honestly. Endurance? Bruce has endurance for days. His smile is damn near predatory. It fades, though, as she continues.]

Then we'll have to do our best to solve the great and wonderful mystery of the turtle so you can get back to them, mm?

[whatfriendsdo]

'Great and wonderful'. [She raises her eyebrows.] God, wouldn't that be a nice change.

[Murphy opens the door, resting against its edge instead of exiting completely.] Dinner. Don't ninja out of here tonight - I'll track you down. It's what I do.

[cowled]

[He glances at her.]

Compared to...?

[And then, damnit, he's trapped. There's no way she'd be able to follow him or track him if he didn't want her to, but the fact that she's paying so much attention to the vigilante population is... worrying. Bruce Wayne is easy to distance from Batman in Gotham, where there's a population of several million to offset suspicion. Here, with only a few dozen foreigners? The pool is much smaller, and there aren't many other men with Bruce's build in Keeliai.

He could leave.

But for the sake of his identity, he shouldn't.]

Are you expecting me to cook? Because I left my charming pink apron in my stately manor back home.

[whatfriendsdo]

If we weren't here, I doubt you'd believe me. [She runs a hand through her hair.] Compared to the end of the world. Or at least the end of Chicago.

[There's less rancor in it than... amusement? Resignation? She's not even sure herself. Disaster is so common in her life it's become borderline cliche, and if she doesn't laugh about the way the latest venture ended she'll cry. Which she's not about to do.] That's why I got fired. Disappeared to stop the apocalypse one too many times.

[A shrug, to mask the helpless loss. Murphy musters up a smile.] I'd offer mine, but I don't think it would fit. You don't have to cook. There's plenty of restaurants.

[cowled]

Oh, I have quite a vivid imagination. And I'm no stranger to the unusual myself, frankly. It's hard to be, when you live in Gotham.

[He sounds amused more than anything.]

Frankly, I'd rather see you stopping the apocalypse than pushing pencils. Isn't that mostly what cop-work entails these days?

[A bit of a laugh, and then he rubs at his jaw with one hand.]

All right. We'll meet here and go out. At the lady's leisure.