tushanshu | i ✪ video

( diana is seated at one of the consoles in a café when the video feed begins. it seems she’s already gone a bit native—there’s a kedan-style cloak draped around her shoulders, apparently all she needs to keep warm. still, the glint of gold from her armor is perfectly visible, as is the tiara set amongst her dark curls. she’s making no pretense of who she is, should anyone be able to recognize her.

she lifts a hand in simple greeting, smiling. she’s perfectly calm, though anyone who knows her well can probably sense just a bit of tension in the set of her shoulders, the way her eyes are focused. )

There’s many of you here that I know. And many more that I do not.

My name is Diana, and while I’m newly arrived I believe I’ve gotten most of the basics of the situation. It seems you’ve all been busy, recently.

( there’s nothing mocking about her words, and her smile is genuine and honest. she pauses, for a moment, as though to give her audience a breather. then, she continues— )

I’m sure there’s a lot to be done, and I’m willing to offer my assistance to anyone who should need it. But first, I would like to be better acquainted with all of you. If we’ve met before, I’m sure you’ll come and say hello. And if we haven’t, it’s never too soon for introductions.

( both before and after this broadcast and subsequent conversations, diana will be flying over the same café. in effect, she’s using herself as a beacon. feel free to run into her in person if you’d prefer. )

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( she certainly does notice. as she steps inside her own demeanor changes, but more subtly-- there's less of a distinction between how she'd been acting and how she is. so now she just seems more irritated, less inclined to smile and go along with the flow. she crosses her arms over her chest and leans against a wall upon entering. )

Kal, Hal. Arthur. I didn't realize we were having a reunion.

But I'd think I'd rather hear the whole story from you.

[He hnns, and heads into the kitchen to begin a pot of tea. Somehow, it's become a habit. Alfred would have fits if he knew how badly Bruce mangled his old recipe. He begins to talk as he prepares it, his movements precise and exacting. He's never been a fan of wasted motion, or breath. He has nearly eighteen months of Keelai's history to go through, including the dangers it's faced and the friends and foes both who've come and gone.

Selfishly, he excludes Maxwell Lord. He doesn't want that hanging over them now, although he supposes she'll find out eventually.

He tells her about Malicant, without ever saying its name, and about what he knows of Keeliai's history and its past attempts at fighting the creature. Diana is a diplomat, but she's a warrior first, and he spares her none of the gory details. When he's finished, he holds out a cup of tea, prepared in the style she prefers.]

The Emperor that brought us here, Eshai, was killed approximately a month ago by a man named Hannibal Lector. That's the last event of any significance to have occurred.

( she takes a seat in the kitchen and listens to everything with her hands folded in front of her. she interjects, occasionally, to ask a question or clarify. but for the most part she just listens, knowing that bruce's version is going to be the clearest, the least biased. at least, in the ways that matter at the moment.

eventually she just nods, and then shakes her head a moment later. )

I hate to think that you've all been here, dealing with this on your own. I'm sorry I'm late.

( that last bit is said with more levity than when she continues-- )

I trust you're already working on things, Bruce, but we can't leave this world to its fate. We fix things here, then we go home.

[Bruce tilts his head to one side. It's half a lecture, and it rankles to hear it just enough to make his tone a touch dry when he replies,]

I had no intention of doing otherwise. If the circumstances of this world are to be believed, this creature is planning on a repeat performance in our respective universes. We've fought and stopped worse.

[One corner of his mouth turns up into something very nearly a deprecating quirk.]

And recent events have proven that Gotham can survive without me for a time, when I'm needed elsewhere.

( she inclines her head. she trust him, of course, knows that nine times out of ten they'll have the same aims and likely also the same means to get there. but certain things have to be said aloud, for her own sake as much as anyone else's. )

You're irreplaceable, Bruce. Donna has a lot of theories about our uniqueness in the universe, despite all we've seen that might seem contrary to that.

We'll all get home, because we have to.

[Diana, you are so quick to consider his feelings, and try to assuage them appropriately. It actually comes dangerously close to making him smile.]

I didn't say I was replaceable. I said Gotham can survive without me, which is true.

[He exhales, and glances at his tea, watching the steam curl upwards.]

We will go home, however. I'm certain of that much.

Oh, I'm sure the entire world would survive without any of us. But how well is another matter entirely.

( she waves a hand, shooting him a biting grin. )

And yes, we will. Our work is never done, is it?

The world always needs heroes.

[It's a quiet statement, more speculation than assertion, and then he lifts his tea and takes a sip.]

No. But I don't think you'd have it any other way.

What about you, then? How would you have it, Bruce?

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