(Untitled)

[master_wayne]

It's been a year for him, and it shows, if you met him before. He's far more muscular from the training he's been doing and currently, the muscles are accentuated still further from hunger. But it's self-imposed this time, rather than just from being unable to afford food.

He's seen a lot, learnt a lot and is tired, of many things. And this means he

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[gotham_knocking]

Knox is seated at the bar, reviewing some notes on the serial killer stalking Gotham. Not exactly fun stuff, but it's what news. He nods at the man, who bears a vague resemblance to that guy from the world with all the dragons.

[master_wayne]

He nods back with a small, tired smile.

"Working? I guess this place is good for it."

What with time tending to stop on the outside of the door and everything.

[gotham_knocking]

"Yeah, I can get a good cup of coffee and clear my head for a while. Or just do nothing and miss my deadline." He in fact has a cup even as we speak.

[master_wayne]

"You're a writer?"

He looks the man over and changes his mind immediately.

"Journalist?"

They all seem to have a certain look about them.

[gotham_knocking]

"Newsman. Or columnist. But not a journalist." Journalists go to fancy graduate schools. Newsmen report. Everyone knows that. Or should.

[master_wayne]

"Is there a difference?" he asks politely. In his experience, they've all seemed to be pretty much the same.

[gotham_knocking]

"The latter has eight years of school and someone insisting that you can learn how to report the news by taking classes. A reporter learns by actually reporting the news." It's that simple, right?

[master_wayne]

He smiles suddenly and a bit of life returns to his eyes.

"And a journalist seriously can't do both?"

[gotham_knocking]

"He can, after he forgets all the stuff he's been taught that is useless. Or if he's going for something besides straight news, like movie reviews or economics." He's a bit animated about this, but doesn't really expect everyone to agree.

[master_wayne]

Bruce actually sees his point.

"That's what getting a job is about though, isn't it? Learning what's real outside of the theory."

He's never worked at a normal job, obviously, but what he's doing now certainly qualifies, in his mind, as a steep learning curve.

"Sounds like these young journalists could do with a newsman to teach them what's what. Do you have any working with you?"

[gotham_knocking]

Knox laughs since this is remarkably close to things. "I've had two rookie crime beat reporters working with me for a while. One's pretty much on her own now, the other still needs some seasoning. But when I switched papers, part of the deal was that I play teacher. It's actually been kind of fun."

[master_wayne]

"I bet it stops you getting lazy too."

From what he understands of teaching, it keeps you on your toes and makes you stay at the top of your game. His dad told him that.

Not that this guy looks lazy. He's in a bar where he could rest and he's working. That says a lot.

"What paper do you work for? Or maybe I should ask what world you come from first."

[gotham_knocking]

"I came from a world with a Gotham, if that makes any sense." It usually doesn't. "And I'm with PM, which is a respectable tabloid."

[master_wayne]

Bruce freezes for a moment. That was the last thing he was expecting and it's never even crossed his mind that he might run into someone from Gotham. Its blindsided him and for a second or two, all he can do is blink.

'What's your name?' he says, carefully, with a dry mouth.

[gotham_knocking]

"Alex Knox? What's the problem? What's your name?" He knows not everyone loves Gotham, but he didn't expect this reaction.

[master_wayne]

He swallows and tries to look more relaxed.

"My name's Bruce Wayne."

He knows the chances of anyone from Gotham not knowing his name are next to zero.