oo1 [ voice ]

[mrbigshotarrow]

So I have to say thanks for the swanky new digs here. Not that I’m going to start complaining or anything, just it would have been nice to be told that I need to find a new couch to lounge on now, and Lian isn’t here with me. Seriously, you go and do something nuts like pluck a guy from his home and set him up with a room that gives you a crappy little couch? I know other people out there can hear me.

[Pauses and sighs.]

Okay, fine. Change of plans, which yeah, I’m allowed to do, there isn’t a rule against it. Anyone like stories? I love stories, I grew up with stories, and I tell them to Lian all the time. Okay, here’s a story for you. Well, they say that this should really be told 'round a campfire, but I'll keep it short and simple here.

A long time ago, Killer-of-Enemies vowed to save his people from the monster eagles that carried off children. Killer-of-Enemies tricked one monster eagle into carrying him up to the eagle nest on the cliff, where he killed the monster eagle and its family. But Killer-of-Enemies did not know how to get down from the cliff. Just then, he saw an old woman approaching. It was Old Woman Bat.

"Grandmother, help me. Take me down," Killer-of-Enemies said. Old Woman Bat saw him high in the eagle's nest. She came over to the cliff and began to climb.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, when she reached the top.

"Monster eagle carried me up here," he said. "Please take me down."

"Climb in my basket," Old Woman Bat said. Killer-of-Enemies looked at the burden basket on the old woman's back. Its carrying strap was made of spider's silk.

"That strap is too fine," he said. "It will break and I shall fall."

"Nonsense! I've carried a bighorn sheep in this basket," Old Woman Bat said. "Get in and close your eyes. If you look, we will fall."

Old Woman Bat clambered down the rock, singing a strange song. Her burden basket swayed wildly from side to side. Killer-of-Enemies thought the spider thread would surely break, so he opened his eyes to look.

As soon as Killer-of-Enemies opened his eyes. He and Old Woman Bat crashed down from the cliff. Old Woman Bat landed first and broke her legs. Killer-of-Enemies fell on top of her and was safe. Old Woman Bat's broken legs soon mended but from that day on her legs were short.

[Laughs.] Pretty good story, huh. They always have some kind of ending that's supposed to make you think.

Comments

[mrbigshotarrow]

Weeeeird. Wait, is everyone like that? Do you have a goatee?

[supes]

Not everyone! Just Lois, Oliver, myself and two others, too, but I'm not sure that you know them.

And no, no goatee. I don't think Lois would stand for it, even if I wanted one.

[mrbigshotarrow]

What're their names?

You did always rock that clean boy thing the best. I tried, but you know what they say. The ladies love a little hair.

[supes]

Lana Lang and Tess Mercer.

[Clark figures Roy might actually know of Lana, given that she is apparently the First Lady, but...]

I'll stick with a spitcurl.

[mrbigshotarrow]

Never heard of them. [What's keeping up on current events that don't directly affect him or his daughter?]

You know, I never got to ask... is that real spit, or what?

[supes]

[He laughs]

No, it's just the name. It just rolls off the tongue easier than "that one bit of hair that likes to fall in my face constantly."

[mrbigshotarrow]

That can't be aerodynamic. Not that my hair is, but I can't really fly, so it's not like I would need it to be. Does gel not work on that, or something? Maybe a bobby pin to hold it down. You could bring back the eighties with a sweatband.

[He doesn't like situations where he feels out of control. Can't you tell?]

[supes]

[Clark smiles at his journal, a little wryly.]

I can fly through the upper atmosphere and into space. I don't think the aerodynamics of a bit of hair will bother me.

How are things at home?

[mrbigshotarrow]

Yeah, that's... that's pretty true.

[Oh. Back home?] Not bad! I finally got into the JLA. Crazy, right? Shows you were a side kick can get to, if he puts in the work. Lian is good, the Titans, last I heard, were doing pretty good. Everything is going... right.

[supes]

Good. I'm happy for you, Roy.

[mrbigshotarrow]

Hey, thanks, uh... Clark. Something good came out of all of this, right?

[supes]

Right. And a big congratulations on the JLA membership -- I know the younger crowd has problems getting us to make room.

[mrbigshotarrow]

[Oh man, that makes him feel so good.] Thanks. Long time in coming, but it felt great going on that first mission.

[supes]

Well, we're a little short on Justice League here -- a little short on adults, even. It's you, me, Green Arrow, Starfire and Batwoman, and then a handful of Teen Titans.

[mrbigshotarrow]

You, green Arrow that's a little weird... Kory's here? [Oh yeah.] Original Titans or those Young Justice kids?

[supes]

Young Justice kids. Well, that age group, I don't think all of them are officially Teen Titans.

[mrbigshotarrow]

They're from a different timeline, right? Not the same time like from what I was from. [Pauses.]

Or Lian. She's from... sometime in the future. It's killing me, not knowing what's happening.

[supes]

Well, same timeline, different time period.

I think Tim is the furthest along on that timeline. He would probably have answers for that.

[mrbigshotarrow]

He probably won't give out information about the future, huh? I know how those Bats work. Well, one of them, anyway, but they're all the same when it comes to intel.

[supes]

I don't know... when we first met, he was pretty open. The Bats also let us know pretty fast when Batman was killed. I wouldn't doubt them.

[mrbigshotarrow]

...Batman was killed?

[supes]

They thought he was. He's back now.

[Pause]

What year is it for you, then?

[mrbigshotarrow]

2009. What year is for you?

[supes]

2011.

I guess you're not too far off from when he died.