metalogs | ( open-ish ) dedicate and sacrifice my everything

( or he'll push it all down until it's more or less ignored. who knows with bruce sometimes. )

The area you indicated where she'd be is a spot Dick and I followed up on. A man lives there. Neil Perkins. Family lawyer who seems to be having secret meetings with Anne and Max.

( a beat. )

Fantastic's parents.

Her broken heart.

[ Softly mused, almost to herself, before she turns her focus back on him. ]

What did the Shining God do to Fantastic, Bruce?

Manipulated him, from the looks of it. Physically and emotionally.

( the others have more of a history of sorts in having dealt with or being around fantastic than bruce does, but. he'd seen the end result of everything. )

Turned him into a beast that had to be taken down.

So he's dead?

[ Is. Will be. He hasn't even been born yet, in this world, she thinks, and his future is already written. ]

I don't know. He hasn't been seen since he was taken down. Since Chaos Gate took him with her.

( he's not so sure he's dead, personally. )

[ She hums, thoughtful, and leans back on her hands on the bedspread. Her voice is wry as she goes on. ]

I have some experience with people who have become beasts. In that case, it was a curse... but one that could be broken. I wonder if he might still be saved.

I was able to listen in on what was being said between the younger versions of his parents as well as this Neil Perkins and his aide.

( when being able to lurk within the shadows as a superpower comes in handy. )

Seems they feel they live in Starstruck's shadow and don't want to anymore. ( a beat, recalling the things discussed. ) There was talk of possibilities concerning the difficulties of altering ones DNA... and how taking out Starstruck might be an easier option.

[ Her brows draw together at that, concerned. ]

He'll need protection.

[ Unless this is how it happened. Could their jealousy have been the thing that turned Starstruck into a bomb, that shaped the future of this world? ]

I realize I have no leg to stand on when it comes to children being created for a specific reason... but that seems shortsighted of them.

Edited 2023-09-25 02:59 (UTC)

Dick's looking into it.

( possibly tipping off an atomight that might be able to intervene in some way. )

The aide that was there... Agatha. Something didn't seem... right about her. I couldn't put my finger on it. Just a feeling.

[ Her frown deepens, but she nods. Bruce's gut instincts, after all, generally shouldn't be ignored. ]

I could go back with you. Use the lasso.

But that would let them know they're being watched.

I'd rather get a better feel of who or what we're dealing with first. It's why Dick and I are looking into whatever we can.

( you know. detectives doing detective things. )

We're still out of our element here with being in a time we're not supposed to be in.

Edited 2023-09-25 03:14 (UTC)

[ The lasso would be a much quicker, if far more obvious, path to the truth, but she nods, acquiescing. ]

If you change your mind, let me know. In the meantime: how can I help with the investigation?

[ It's not her strongest suit, but she's perfectly willing to give it her best shot, little as she's enjoyed being Agent Prince back home. ]

( seeing her there on the bed like she is... it's hard not to think of tangled limbs and desperate lips — of the way she looked straddling his lap, the way it felt to find himself between her legs over and over again. he wears his poker face well, like always, and lets his gaze drift down for a moment. collecting himself. pushing aside those moments last night. )

Don't you need to check in with your boss first?

( he dryly asks that as a way to focus — to latch onto another thought, lifting his gaze to meet hers. )

Edited 2023-09-25 13:41 (UTC)

[ Faint exasperation settles into the curves of her face, levelling her gaze as he looks back up at her. It's not unusual for Bruce to lash out when he's feeling aggravated, but knowing why it happens doesn't make it less annoying. ]

Is there a particular reason why this is upsetting you? Or do you simply dislike not knowing it would happen beforehand?

Edited 2023-09-25 14:04 (UTC)

I don’t trust him.

( he says it matter of fact. )

We’re already chasing down one meta who has the capability of causing a catastrophic butterfly effect here. I don’t need more complications thrown into all this.

Fortunate, then, that it has nothing to do with you. Your trust in the god is not required.

[ She would prefer he trust her, of course, but that's his choice to make. But what he says, the words he chooses – more complications – makes her furrow her brow again. Is he really just talking about her connection to the god, or is he thinking of other complications? ]

We now have an ally in this world, one with godly abilities, one who has now endowed me with some of his power. I suggest you consider how that could best be used, instead of lingering on negative possibilities.

( is this a thinly veiled argument they're having? one that's about to happen? it wouldn't be all that out of character for bruce to dig his heels in about something — to scoff at another thinking they have it all figured out. so when she goes and says what she does, he just blows out of a huff and looks off to the side, tongue swiping over his bottom lip as he does. )

Not considering any alternative outcomes lands us in trouble and being unprepared.

( because that's bruce for you. always having some sort of plan to fall back on.

getting himself up from the chair, he closes the notebook he'd been writing in — drops it off there to the side table. )

Do what you want with Eros. But if it blows up in our face, don't think I won't tell you I told you so.

Only you would think that I might have made a decision without considering the possible outcomes... even the worrying ones.

[ There's something a little sharp now, in her tone, though her expression remains mild. ]

What you're really saying is that you don't trust me.

( while it seems as if he means to leave, instead, he simply stands there, hand rubbing over his mouth before he lets it drop, staring off across the room. quiet. thinking. )

Can I?

( this bruce, prior to finding himself here and even regardless of that, has seldom worked with others. alfred excluded, of course. to have to rely on anyone who isn't himself... it's difficult. it's new. and with that newness comes a needing to trust the judgement of those who aren't him. where he isn't the one in control and that lack of control makes him feel antsy. makes him feel like he's back in gotham, constantly one step behind riddler no matter how much he thinks he has the situation figured out. )

Yes.

[ Very simply, though she's certain it won't be enough. If he doesn't trust her, why would he trust her word? ]

I've been doing this for a very long time, Bruce. And I've been a champion before.

[ She gets up from the bed, comes to look him in the eye. She stands as tall as he does, with the easy grace of a warrior perfectly at ease in her own body and the assurance of someone who sees him as an equal, rather than an intimidator. ]

But you know there's a way for you to know for sure. Will you take it? Answer the question for yourself?

( when she comes to stand there before him, he lets her. doesn't think to move or touch her. just stands there, firm, like her and when she offers him a sort of suggestion to this, he only considers it for a second or two. )

I'm not taking your lasso.

( he's told her why he won't. how he doesn't want that vulnerable part of him exposed. )

Are you really so afraid for me to see the truth of you? You think I don't see it already?

[ She shakes her head at him, her eyes and jaw both firm, though she lacks his mulishness. ]

I have nothing to hide from you. Your guiding force might be vengeance; mine is the truth, and always will be. But regardless: I have given you no reason not to trust me. Whether you do now or not is up to you.

( maybe it's me i don't trust is there on the tip of his tongue, but. in typical bruce fashion, he keeps it to himself, though it might reflect within those blue eyes of his. if even for a moment.

a slow shake of his head, jaw tight still accompanied with the tenseness rolling through his muscles, he lets go of a sigh he hadn't realized he'd been keeping in before staring off behind her. maybe wondering what alfred would say to him in this situation. )

I can't afford things to go wrong here. It's not just us that could end up suffering. But everyone we've left back in the present.

( the jasons, the tims, the younger dick, kyle... and so many others who aren't from some neck of their woods. )

If you think this will work, then we'll go with it. But if something goes wrong...

( and he just lets those words die there on his tongue. because he doesn't want to think about it. doesn't want to think about losing someone else he doesn't know how he feels about. )

Bruce.

[ Her voice gentles, and so does her expression, as she watches the muscle in his jaw tense. She doesn't reach out for him, though she considers it for a moment before setting the thought aside. ]

You don't have to carry that worry alone. We can't afford for things to go wrong here. And I swear to you all I've done, all I will do, is in service of keeping those people safe, and to help you and Dick.

Perhaps something will go wrong. But perhaps it won't.

[ She smiles, slight but warm. ]

I will leave the detective work to you. You can leave the gods to me.

Edited 2023-09-25 19:55 (UTC)

( he doesn't want anything to go wrong here and he knows that's asking a lot, especially with there seemingly so much more to all of this than simply chasing down chaos gate through time. he worries they're a little more underprepared than he originally thought they might be, but. it's too late now. they have to make do with what they have here... whatever they can find.

even if that means getting an assist from a god of love. now there's something he can't claim he'd ever thought he'd get. )

Fine.

( and it's not said as flippantly as he might have said before. )

But we deal with Chaos Gate together.

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