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seriousficTitle: Duality
Fandom: Nolanverse Batman, Superman Returns
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 2,600
Characters/Pairings: Batman, Superman, Kara Zor-El
Previous Part: Chapter 25
Next Part: Chapter 27
Summary: As Batman and Superman fight over her future, Kara finds she has more in common with her cousin than she ever could’ve imagined.
“I told Luthor I trusted you.”
Clark said nothing, shame-faced and flushed with guilt. He rubbed his chin, finally knelt down to examine Kara. Batman wasn’t worried. The radiation burns had already healed.
“Did you hurt her?”
“Only as much as I had to. She was going to kill him.”
“If I’d told you, you would’ve tested her…”
“I wouldn’t have let her attempt murder,” Bruce replied cruelly.
“She lost her entire world. She doesn’t understand yet—“
“She’s dangerous.”
“We all are.”
“With her power, that’s not a risk we can take.”
“What do you want me to do? Kill her?”
“The Phantom Zone—“
“No.”
“Then what?” Bruce demanded. “You just let her run free? It’ll be on your head, not hers. They’ll use her to get to you. You’ll pay the price.”
“She’s my cousin, Bruce. I’m willing to.”
Bruce felt the start of a headache, like his cowl was torturously closing on his head. “If you don’t take care of this, I will.”
“I would never ask you to give up on Gotham. Don’t ask me to give up on her.”
Batman shook his head in disgust. “Hopeless,” he said as he turned and walked away.
“Her name is Kara!” Clark shouted after him.
***
Kara woke. Kal was wiping the mud off her with his cape. “Did I get him?”
“No. And thank Rao for that. Lex’s survival is the only thing keeping you out of the Zone.”
“He was the one who tried to have you killed!” she protested.
“So I figured.” Kal helped her to her feet. “Kara, we can’t meet violence with violence. We have to be better than that.”
“It’s irrational,” Kara growled. “Luthor attacks you at every turn. Back home, it wouldn’t take five minutes for the Council to condemn him. Letting him live unfettered is not the Krypton way!”
“Maybe not. But it is mine.”
Kara’s eyes flashed red, the heat glowing through the orbits of her eye sockets. “You’re a disgrace to Krypton!”
He staggered back, a hole burnt in his emblem. Then the trees shook as if slapped when Kara sped off. Clark took off and caught up to her. She was running under the canopy, he was flying over it. “Kara, listen to me—“
“Shut up! I hate you!” She accelerated past the speed of sound and that was it for conversation.
There was only so fast Kara could go. She had to weave between the trees, while Superman didn’t.
Then Kara just started barreling through the foliage. Clark watched, wincing, as acres of forest were ravaged. He swooped down to grab her up. She shrieked and was suddenly gone. Clark looped around. She hadn’t burrowed; her scarring footprints in the Earth had simply stopped.
Then he looked to see a hole torn in the canopy, letting in the light.
***
Kara felt feverish, on the verge of frenzy. Kal didn’t understand, and if he didn’t then no one understood. All she wanted to do was run and never come back, but he wouldn’t let her get away. She just needed to escape!
There was a sudden rush of cool air and then Kara couldn’t feel Kal’s pursuit anymore. The world was blurred, like there was one diamond-precise point in the middle of her vision and it was burning so hot that everything else she could see was distorted. What she could see was blue, a great blue blur. She blinked and it resolved itself a little. It was the sky. But what were those elongated white—clouds. Clouds that dawdled in her eyes, leaving weird trails. She blinked again. She was going fast, very fast, but with an effort she could speed her perception to match. She concentrated and the world slowed down. But the blue had already become black, shot through with stars. She had left the Earth’s atmosphere.
Experimentally, Kara tried to turn with the new power she had accessed. She whirlwinded around in either direction a few times before getting the hang of it. She wasn’t short of breath yet—on Krypton she’d explored the seabed of the Ocean of Reason for what’d seemed like hours before coming up for air. She looked up at space, but couldn’t distinguish the light of the stars, red from yellow. She wondered if she flew to them, how far she’d get. Could she get close enough to see if one was red as home?
She heard something shatter when she blinked and realized she was crying, her tears freezing and breaking in the cold of space. Stifling her tears, she flew back toward Earth. She still had her father’s mission. It was reason enough to keep living.
***
“Kent!” Richard’s voice carried pretty far without being a shout. “Got an assignment for you.”
Clark looked up from the wire. Still nothing that pointed toward Kara’s location. Was this how the others had felt when he left? Damn… I suck. “Kinda in the middle of an assignment.”
“Put it on the backburner. Luthor’s called a press conference. Says he’s found a second Kryptonian. Could be a publicity stunt like those ‘If Superman Went Bad’ specials he hosted.”
“I saw those!” Jimmy said, jumping up from the chair he’s been sitting back in. “The one on heatvision was so cool. Did you know Superman could boil away fifty metric tons of seawater and the steam would parboil an entire city…” He noticed how the newspapermen were eying him. “Or so I heard.”
“But if it’s not a hoax, I want a vet on it,” Richard finished.
“But if it is, I’ve just wasted my time on…”
”It’s the Planet’s time to waste. Perry may swear by you, but I want to make sure you’re up to snuff before I hand you anything juicy.” He clapped Clark on the shoulder. “Hey, least you’re getting this much.”
Richard left and Clark restrained himself from giving Mr. Lois Lane the evil eye. After all, in his case, looks really could kill.
“Alright, Clark, ya got me, I’m the second Kryptonian.” Steve Lombard, the Daily Planet’s sports reporter, splashed down on Clark’s desk. “I mean, have you felt these quads? Outrageous!”
“You’re sitting on my notes for the Kryptonite robbery.”
“You should be glad you don’t have the great responsibility that comes with my power, Clarkie. You’d just waste it on… making a stamp collection at superspeed… or something. Me, I’d rob every bank in the world, fuck all the hottest women, and if anyone had anything to say about it… heatvision, baby! Ka-pow!” Steve glanced around to make sure Richard was gone, then stole Clark’s coffee. “And you can be damn sure I wouldn’t leave Lois Lane quality trim just lying around for give years. Now that’s a MILF, haha! Up top!” He held up his hand.
Clark heated his coffee with a burst of heatvision. Ka-pow. “Careful, that coffee’s a little hot.”
“Haha! Clarkie, when a man like me sees something that’s too hot for a man like you, that means it’s just hot enough.” He sipped, and then spat.
Clark pointed. “Water cooler’s that way.”
As Steve ran off, Clark wondered what Jor-El would have said about that. Using his powers to teach jerks a lesson… was pretty much what he did every time he failed a crime. But he shouldn’t be petty, or wrathful. And yet it felt good. He could only imagine how it felt for Kara, powerless to stop the death of her family, to now be able to impose her will on a world of cardboard.
He had to do something, otherwise Bruce would never trust him again. And he’d never be able to trust himself.
***
Kara could fly wherever she wanted to go, see as far as she wanted, hear everything. But her powers couldn’t bring her to where she belonged. That place no longer existed. Weeping bitter tears, she flew north until the ice reminded her of Krypton. When she reached the Fortress, it was so reminiscent it hurt.
She entered, hovering listlessly through architecture that still bore the scars of Luthor’s presence. Kal wasn’t there, and none of his warmth had stayed either. Dejected, Kara approached the atrium where stories-high holograms could hold dominion. With a touch, she summoned up the face of a dead man.
“Jor-El, why did you send your son to this… wasteland? Why not send him to be raised as a Green Lantern, or grow up in the paradise of Tamaran? Why here?”
The crystal lit up and Kara stumbled back in shock. Something in her question had triggered a response from the AI.
“They can be a great people, Kal-El. They wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all - their capacity for good - I have sent them you. My only son. “
Kara considered the words as if they were still echoing through the great hall. They could be a great people. They could rise above their petty squabbles, as Krypton had. But hadn’t Krypton had help? The Green Lantern Corps had helped protect them from natural disasters until they had asserted their mastery over the environment? Hadn’t they had allies to fight against invaders?
She couldn’t make Earth chose to be paradise, but she could give them the choice. She could save the world.
***
The Kent farm seemed so different now, so transformed. It was as different as night and day! Martha Kent had made her choice, the right choice, and Kal-El had clearly learned from her example. Because of the Kents, Kal would never have to hear of Flamebird.
A quick burst of X-ray vision and Kara could see Martha on the second floor. A little bit of flight and she was up there. “Mrs. Kent! Mrs. Kent! I finally understand!”
***
They talked over hot apple pie and vanilla ice cream. Kara did most of the talking, gesturing wildly while Martha listened patiently. She’d been here before, when Clark had first returned from the Fortress.
“We’re not supposed to lead them! We’re just supposed to inspire them, err, you! And Clark and I are supposed to learn from you humans as well! I should have a secret identity, what’s a good secret identity name?”
“Kara’s fine, I think.” Martha served Kara another helping of pie. “Kara Kent, even, if it’s not too presumptuous.”
“Perfect! Just like Kal! And this pie is delicious!”
“I’m glad you like it.” With the pie pan cleared, Martha got up to do the dishes. In a flash, they were stacked and dry in the cupboard. Kara smiled proudly, hands on her hips.
Martha smiled back. “Clark always had faith you’d come around. I’m glad he was right. It’s not that he’s a poor judge of character, but he always wants to believe the best in people. He asked me to make something for you. I just finished it yesterday.”
She went to an old box, the kind used many times over to hold that Christmas gift or this birthday present. Without hesitation, she presented it to Kara.
Kara opened it. The first thing she saw was a red S on a diamond-shaped field of yellow.
“This is just an old farm girl’s opinion, but there’s something special about going into the family business.”
***
Kara looked at herself in the mirror, wondering how a blue shirt, red skirt, and cape could make her feel so… loved. She hugged herself, feeling the raised El crest on her arms. She was part of something, something beyond even the culmination of her father’s mission. She had a destiny. Krypton’s death had not been in vain. It had brought her here to be the hero she was born to be, like a flamebird from the ashes.
Henceforth, she would forever be known as Superman’s loyal right hand, his trusted lieutenant. And the Earth would know her as… Power Girl!
No, that was terrible.
Heck with it, she’d let the humans name her, as they had her cousin. After all, she was doing this for them.
“How does it fit?” Martha asked when Kara stepped out.
Kara was too polite to inquire why a costume she’d be flying around in had a skirt. Apparently, there was this thing among humans called ‘senility’.
“Like a second skin. Now if you don’t mind, I have a job to do.”
***
Lois rampaged into the bullpit, heels clicking smartly on the tile floor. She switched on the TV, turned to the newsroom, then jerked her thumb over her shoulder at the TV. “Dibs.”
The seal of the Presidency appeared, the bald eagle replaced by a turkey, while a nightmarish circus version of the Looney Toons theme played, kooky and distorted.
“And now a message from the Clown Prince of Crime,” a bored voice intoned.
The tape switched to a view of a card table in a basement. The Joker sat on the folding chair behind it. An American flag with purple and green stripes flapped behind him in the breeze of an electric flag.
“Fellow inmates of Gotham, I come before you tonight announcing my candidacy for mayor. My platform is simple: vote or die. To be more specific, vote for me or die. While other candidates might promise to 'bring down the Bat,' I promise to let you live.” He uncrossed his fingers. “For too long the good people of Gotham have oppressed us, keeping this city from becoming the anarchic wasteland I know it can be. One little Bat starts flapping around and there gets to be this dangerous talk of Gotham being a nice place to live. Gotham City!”
He spun in his chair.
“Murder capital of the world, twenty years running! So don’t listen to those yay-sayers who think you’re decent people, just afraid to take a stand. I know the only thing you’re afraid of is to be like me, like you want to be. Well, the only thing you have to fear is me! The Bat won’t be able to do a thing after I’m finished with him, the cops can’t stop you, and no one else cares. So the bad old days are here to stay. Let’s see some rioting, let’s see some looting, let’s see some gratuitous sex and violence. And let’s make Gotham great again!
“But I’ve always believed true change begins at home. So let’s focus on you, the people. Enough about me, let’s talk about you. Specifically, you, Bruce Wayne, husband of no one, father of none, owner of everything except perhaps a soul. I’m going to kill you next week. There, isn’t that a load off your mind? A hundred and sixty-eight hours and then you’ll never have to worry about anything again… not even when you’ll die! I’ve always held that the secret of a good joke is the unexpectedness of the twist, so here’s mine… there will be no ransom demand or other little foibles. I’m strictly freelance. Bruce, old boy, you’re dying no matter what you do. Gordon can’t protect you. Batman can’t protect you. Any of you. The Joker has spoken. Four more years!”
He blew into a blowout, sending a long purple tongue unrolling directly into the camera.
Clark was in motion as soon as Bruce’s name was spoken. Lois caught sight of him loosening his tie on his way out the door. “Where you off to in such a hurry, Smallville?”
“Sorry, Lois. Gotta fly.”
***
Kara flew to the top of the world… and waited for someone to cry out for a savior.
Fandom: Nolanverse Batman, Superman Returns
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 2,600
Characters/Pairings: Batman, Superman, Kara Zor-El
Previous Part: Chapter 25
Next Part: Chapter 27
Summary: As Batman and Superman fight over her future, Kara finds she has more in common with her cousin than she ever could’ve imagined.
“I told Luthor I trusted you.”
Clark said nothing, shame-faced and flushed with guilt. He rubbed his chin, finally knelt down to examine Kara. Batman wasn’t worried. The radiation burns had already healed.
“Did you hurt her?”
“Only as much as I had to. She was going to kill him.”
“If I’d told you, you would’ve tested her…”
“I wouldn’t have let her attempt murder,” Bruce replied cruelly.
“She lost her entire world. She doesn’t understand yet—“
“She’s dangerous.”
“We all are.”
“With her power, that’s not a risk we can take.”
“What do you want me to do? Kill her?”
“The Phantom Zone—“
“No.”
“Then what?” Bruce demanded. “You just let her run free? It’ll be on your head, not hers. They’ll use her to get to you. You’ll pay the price.”
“She’s my cousin, Bruce. I’m willing to.”
Bruce felt the start of a headache, like his cowl was torturously closing on his head. “If you don’t take care of this, I will.”
“I would never ask you to give up on Gotham. Don’t ask me to give up on her.”
Batman shook his head in disgust. “Hopeless,” he said as he turned and walked away.
“Her name is Kara!” Clark shouted after him.
***
Kara woke. Kal was wiping the mud off her with his cape. “Did I get him?”
“No. And thank Rao for that. Lex’s survival is the only thing keeping you out of the Zone.”
“He was the one who tried to have you killed!” she protested.
“So I figured.” Kal helped her to her feet. “Kara, we can’t meet violence with violence. We have to be better than that.”
“It’s irrational,” Kara growled. “Luthor attacks you at every turn. Back home, it wouldn’t take five minutes for the Council to condemn him. Letting him live unfettered is not the Krypton way!”
“Maybe not. But it is mine.”
Kara’s eyes flashed red, the heat glowing through the orbits of her eye sockets. “You’re a disgrace to Krypton!”
He staggered back, a hole burnt in his emblem. Then the trees shook as if slapped when Kara sped off. Clark took off and caught up to her. She was running under the canopy, he was flying over it. “Kara, listen to me—“
“Shut up! I hate you!” She accelerated past the speed of sound and that was it for conversation.
There was only so fast Kara could go. She had to weave between the trees, while Superman didn’t.
Then Kara just started barreling through the foliage. Clark watched, wincing, as acres of forest were ravaged. He swooped down to grab her up. She shrieked and was suddenly gone. Clark looped around. She hadn’t burrowed; her scarring footprints in the Earth had simply stopped.
Then he looked to see a hole torn in the canopy, letting in the light.
***
Kara felt feverish, on the verge of frenzy. Kal didn’t understand, and if he didn’t then no one understood. All she wanted to do was run and never come back, but he wouldn’t let her get away. She just needed to escape!
There was a sudden rush of cool air and then Kara couldn’t feel Kal’s pursuit anymore. The world was blurred, like there was one diamond-precise point in the middle of her vision and it was burning so hot that everything else she could see was distorted. What she could see was blue, a great blue blur. She blinked and it resolved itself a little. It was the sky. But what were those elongated white—clouds. Clouds that dawdled in her eyes, leaving weird trails. She blinked again. She was going fast, very fast, but with an effort she could speed her perception to match. She concentrated and the world slowed down. But the blue had already become black, shot through with stars. She had left the Earth’s atmosphere.
Experimentally, Kara tried to turn with the new power she had accessed. She whirlwinded around in either direction a few times before getting the hang of it. She wasn’t short of breath yet—on Krypton she’d explored the seabed of the Ocean of Reason for what’d seemed like hours before coming up for air. She looked up at space, but couldn’t distinguish the light of the stars, red from yellow. She wondered if she flew to them, how far she’d get. Could she get close enough to see if one was red as home?
She heard something shatter when she blinked and realized she was crying, her tears freezing and breaking in the cold of space. Stifling her tears, she flew back toward Earth. She still had her father’s mission. It was reason enough to keep living.
***
“Kent!” Richard’s voice carried pretty far without being a shout. “Got an assignment for you.”
Clark looked up from the wire. Still nothing that pointed toward Kara’s location. Was this how the others had felt when he left? Damn… I suck. “Kinda in the middle of an assignment.”
“Put it on the backburner. Luthor’s called a press conference. Says he’s found a second Kryptonian. Could be a publicity stunt like those ‘If Superman Went Bad’ specials he hosted.”
“I saw those!” Jimmy said, jumping up from the chair he’s been sitting back in. “The one on heatvision was so cool. Did you know Superman could boil away fifty metric tons of seawater and the steam would parboil an entire city…” He noticed how the newspapermen were eying him. “Or so I heard.”
“But if it’s not a hoax, I want a vet on it,” Richard finished.
“But if it is, I’ve just wasted my time on…”
”It’s the Planet’s time to waste. Perry may swear by you, but I want to make sure you’re up to snuff before I hand you anything juicy.” He clapped Clark on the shoulder. “Hey, least you’re getting this much.”
Richard left and Clark restrained himself from giving Mr. Lois Lane the evil eye. After all, in his case, looks really could kill.
“Alright, Clark, ya got me, I’m the second Kryptonian.” Steve Lombard, the Daily Planet’s sports reporter, splashed down on Clark’s desk. “I mean, have you felt these quads? Outrageous!”
“You’re sitting on my notes for the Kryptonite robbery.”
“You should be glad you don’t have the great responsibility that comes with my power, Clarkie. You’d just waste it on… making a stamp collection at superspeed… or something. Me, I’d rob every bank in the world, fuck all the hottest women, and if anyone had anything to say about it… heatvision, baby! Ka-pow!” Steve glanced around to make sure Richard was gone, then stole Clark’s coffee. “And you can be damn sure I wouldn’t leave Lois Lane quality trim just lying around for give years. Now that’s a MILF, haha! Up top!” He held up his hand.
Clark heated his coffee with a burst of heatvision. Ka-pow. “Careful, that coffee’s a little hot.”
“Haha! Clarkie, when a man like me sees something that’s too hot for a man like you, that means it’s just hot enough.” He sipped, and then spat.
Clark pointed. “Water cooler’s that way.”
As Steve ran off, Clark wondered what Jor-El would have said about that. Using his powers to teach jerks a lesson… was pretty much what he did every time he failed a crime. But he shouldn’t be petty, or wrathful. And yet it felt good. He could only imagine how it felt for Kara, powerless to stop the death of her family, to now be able to impose her will on a world of cardboard.
He had to do something, otherwise Bruce would never trust him again. And he’d never be able to trust himself.
***
Kara could fly wherever she wanted to go, see as far as she wanted, hear everything. But her powers couldn’t bring her to where she belonged. That place no longer existed. Weeping bitter tears, she flew north until the ice reminded her of Krypton. When she reached the Fortress, it was so reminiscent it hurt.
She entered, hovering listlessly through architecture that still bore the scars of Luthor’s presence. Kal wasn’t there, and none of his warmth had stayed either. Dejected, Kara approached the atrium where stories-high holograms could hold dominion. With a touch, she summoned up the face of a dead man.
“Jor-El, why did you send your son to this… wasteland? Why not send him to be raised as a Green Lantern, or grow up in the paradise of Tamaran? Why here?”
The crystal lit up and Kara stumbled back in shock. Something in her question had triggered a response from the AI.
“They can be a great people, Kal-El. They wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all - their capacity for good - I have sent them you. My only son. “
Kara considered the words as if they were still echoing through the great hall. They could be a great people. They could rise above their petty squabbles, as Krypton had. But hadn’t Krypton had help? The Green Lantern Corps had helped protect them from natural disasters until they had asserted their mastery over the environment? Hadn’t they had allies to fight against invaders?
She couldn’t make Earth chose to be paradise, but she could give them the choice. She could save the world.
***
The Kent farm seemed so different now, so transformed. It was as different as night and day! Martha Kent had made her choice, the right choice, and Kal-El had clearly learned from her example. Because of the Kents, Kal would never have to hear of Flamebird.
A quick burst of X-ray vision and Kara could see Martha on the second floor. A little bit of flight and she was up there. “Mrs. Kent! Mrs. Kent! I finally understand!”
***
They talked over hot apple pie and vanilla ice cream. Kara did most of the talking, gesturing wildly while Martha listened patiently. She’d been here before, when Clark had first returned from the Fortress.
“We’re not supposed to lead them! We’re just supposed to inspire them, err, you! And Clark and I are supposed to learn from you humans as well! I should have a secret identity, what’s a good secret identity name?”
“Kara’s fine, I think.” Martha served Kara another helping of pie. “Kara Kent, even, if it’s not too presumptuous.”
“Perfect! Just like Kal! And this pie is delicious!”
“I’m glad you like it.” With the pie pan cleared, Martha got up to do the dishes. In a flash, they were stacked and dry in the cupboard. Kara smiled proudly, hands on her hips.
Martha smiled back. “Clark always had faith you’d come around. I’m glad he was right. It’s not that he’s a poor judge of character, but he always wants to believe the best in people. He asked me to make something for you. I just finished it yesterday.”
She went to an old box, the kind used many times over to hold that Christmas gift or this birthday present. Without hesitation, she presented it to Kara.
Kara opened it. The first thing she saw was a red S on a diamond-shaped field of yellow.
“This is just an old farm girl’s opinion, but there’s something special about going into the family business.”
***
Kara looked at herself in the mirror, wondering how a blue shirt, red skirt, and cape could make her feel so… loved. She hugged herself, feeling the raised El crest on her arms. She was part of something, something beyond even the culmination of her father’s mission. She had a destiny. Krypton’s death had not been in vain. It had brought her here to be the hero she was born to be, like a flamebird from the ashes.
Henceforth, she would forever be known as Superman’s loyal right hand, his trusted lieutenant. And the Earth would know her as… Power Girl!
No, that was terrible.
Heck with it, she’d let the humans name her, as they had her cousin. After all, she was doing this for them.
“How does it fit?” Martha asked when Kara stepped out.
Kara was too polite to inquire why a costume she’d be flying around in had a skirt. Apparently, there was this thing among humans called ‘senility’.
“Like a second skin. Now if you don’t mind, I have a job to do.”
***
Lois rampaged into the bullpit, heels clicking smartly on the tile floor. She switched on the TV, turned to the newsroom, then jerked her thumb over her shoulder at the TV. “Dibs.”
The seal of the Presidency appeared, the bald eagle replaced by a turkey, while a nightmarish circus version of the Looney Toons theme played, kooky and distorted.
“And now a message from the Clown Prince of Crime,” a bored voice intoned.
The tape switched to a view of a card table in a basement. The Joker sat on the folding chair behind it. An American flag with purple and green stripes flapped behind him in the breeze of an electric flag.
“Fellow inmates of Gotham, I come before you tonight announcing my candidacy for mayor. My platform is simple: vote or die. To be more specific, vote for me or die. While other candidates might promise to 'bring down the Bat,' I promise to let you live.” He uncrossed his fingers. “For too long the good people of Gotham have oppressed us, keeping this city from becoming the anarchic wasteland I know it can be. One little Bat starts flapping around and there gets to be this dangerous talk of Gotham being a nice place to live. Gotham City!”
He spun in his chair.
“Murder capital of the world, twenty years running! So don’t listen to those yay-sayers who think you’re decent people, just afraid to take a stand. I know the only thing you’re afraid of is to be like me, like you want to be. Well, the only thing you have to fear is me! The Bat won’t be able to do a thing after I’m finished with him, the cops can’t stop you, and no one else cares. So the bad old days are here to stay. Let’s see some rioting, let’s see some looting, let’s see some gratuitous sex and violence. And let’s make Gotham great again!
“But I’ve always believed true change begins at home. So let’s focus on you, the people. Enough about me, let’s talk about you. Specifically, you, Bruce Wayne, husband of no one, father of none, owner of everything except perhaps a soul. I’m going to kill you next week. There, isn’t that a load off your mind? A hundred and sixty-eight hours and then you’ll never have to worry about anything again… not even when you’ll die! I’ve always held that the secret of a good joke is the unexpectedness of the twist, so here’s mine… there will be no ransom demand or other little foibles. I’m strictly freelance. Bruce, old boy, you’re dying no matter what you do. Gordon can’t protect you. Batman can’t protect you. Any of you. The Joker has spoken. Four more years!”
He blew into a blowout, sending a long purple tongue unrolling directly into the camera.
Clark was in motion as soon as Bruce’s name was spoken. Lois caught sight of him loosening his tie on his way out the door. “Where you off to in such a hurry, Smallville?”
“Sorry, Lois. Gotta fly.”
***
Kara flew to the top of the world… and waited for someone to cry out for a savior.
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Date: 2009-02-28 05:56 pm (UTC)superpowered teenage life... never gets old.
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Date: 2009-02-28 10:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-28 11:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-01 05:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-01 04:36 pm (UTC)