002 Second Flight - Video (+Avengers filter)

[isitablurred]

[Here he is at last, on video, Clark Kent holds it at a slightly jaunty angle, and after a little adjustment this way and that manages to get his face and shoulders into view. He's in dull, khaki brown, an oversized duster slung over the top of a smarter looking dark suit and white shirt. A red tie is the only homage to his true colours. The

Comments

voice; batcryptions!

[girlyboywonder]

...Not bad. Guess that makes us even for the sewing job, then.

voice; batcryptions!

[isitablurred]

Good to hear it. Nothing to add, then, Robin? More eyebrow? Less? [He waggles them teasingly.]

[girlyboywonder]

[ pffft. ] None of that, and I figure you'll be fine.

Real test is in person, though.

[isitablurred]

Now that I know. You could tell Lois anything over the phone and she'd believe it; one look at my face, and except for the important stuff she could always see right through.

At least people here weren't seniors with me, right? They don't know what to expect.

[girlyboywonder]

Yeah, you got that advantage. Blank slate, no expectations.

Which codename you gonna give?

[isitablurred]

I don't even know. That's where the expectations come in. Superman...comes with all of that. And compared to what I hear about him I'm only just starting out. Can I really be what people are going to need me to be?

And can I really claim to be anything else, if they're going to know it anyway? I can't expect them to give me any respect at all, like I need them to if this team thing is going to work, if I make it seem like I'm not even ready to trust myself.

[girlyboywonder]

[ And here she's just... silent, for a few seconds. Man. Superman, having an identity crisis. That is so outside her realm of experience. ]

So... work in progress, on that. Got it.

[isitablurred]

[At least it's a reasonable, thoughtful crisis. There's no screaming and brow-beating here.]

Not like I can think about it too long. I'm going to have to pick a name and go with it before today's out. It's just how I follow through that matters.

[Pause.]

If it helps, at all, I think I know what that decision's going to be.

[girlyboywonder]

Yeah? [ Plunge into too-big shoes, or splash around in the shallow end and work toward them instead? ...Maybe it's not really much of a question after all. She'll ask anyway. ] Which way're you leaning?

[isitablurred]

[Sense would tell him otherwise, but all his reasons for staying away from his destiny? They're all in Metropolis.]

It's obvious when you think about it, right? The Blur isn't much of a superhero name.

[girlyboywonder]

S'not awful... I'd have a message for you if you'd wanted to stick to it, though.

[isitablurred]

[A laugh.] Oh yeah, and this message is from a certain squeaky friend of yours, right? Cape? Pointy ears?

[girlyboywonder]

[ Bingo. There's a pause where she clears her throat, and when she talks again? Yes. That is a Batman Impression™. deep and gravelly and as manly as a 14 year old girl can make it. HI BOSS, HOPE YOU'RE LISTENING IN (LIKE USUAL). ]

That's the stupidest superhero name I've ever heard of. And I've heard of many. He's calling himself after a Photoshop effect, at best.

[isitablurred]

[He really can't help himself from laughing out loud at that.]

He seriously said that, huh? That does sound like him. I didn't choose it myself. Lois and Jimmy had their hands in that.

[girlyboywonder]

Well... way I heard it, you don't pick the other name either. That was all headlines, and it stuck.

So I'm not real sure that's an excuse.

[isitablurred]

Well it could have been more honest, like 'The Last Kryptonian', but somehow that seems worse, even if Superman is... Well, ironic in the worst way. Maybe the best too.

[It sounds like a name people can trust. A name people can believe in.]

It'll grow on me.