[open!]

[cowled]

Characters: Bruce Wayne
Location: Whichever sector you fancy.
Situation: Bruce is braving the increasing hostility of the kedan radicals to be his usual arrogant, playboy self out in the public sector.
Warnings/Rating: None yet! To be updated if anything occurs.
Notes: I'll do action or prose with equal verve, so hit me with whatever you'd like. Just pop a note in your subject line about which Sector you want and off we go!






[Reconnaissance is more or less his superpower. He's reached the end of Devin Craig's immediate usefulness, and Batman can only do so much from the shadows. Sometimes, the man for the job is the one he feels least like being: Bruce Wayne.

The blood tests he took from the site of the executions were inconclusive. Hard to do much without the resources to run them through the proper battery of tests. The blood has abnormally low levels of albumin, but beyond that it's structurally similar to that of a human. Close cousins. It doesn't have any of the same markers in common with other shapeshifters he's encountered, and he can't do more without proper equipment.

What he does know is that the scraps of cloth he gathered from the bodies are congruent to fabric samples of the upper east side in the Fire Sector, which at least confirms their territory. A night's tracking lead him to the headquarters of the Black Kirin, formerly one of the most affluent presences in the sector. The place had been left in ruins, and was still a smouldering mess when he found it. Any insignia the gang had used to identify themselves had been smothered with graffiti, torn or burned.

Turf wars.

Not a thought he likes to entertain. Not when he doesn't know the locals, the customs, the movers and shakers of the underworld. Handling such events in Gotham takes every ounce of his not inconsiderable resources and the marshalling of everyone in his network. He has to operate differently here.

But that isn't why he's out here today. Today, he has business of a different sort to conduct. He needs to start amassing capital. Lieuen's little show of wealth wasn't impressive so much as tasteless and wasteful, and Bruce still hasn't abandoned the idea that the entire execution was staged between Lieuen and Evandau. But the question is - was it for the benefit of the kedan, or the 'foreigners'?

And what did they mean about saving? Everyone he's asked about it has been maddeningly vague, to the point that he's considering finding some unsavoury individual and holding them upside down off the tallest building in the Metal Sector.

Hm.

Still. For the time being, he's speaking with shop-owners, negotiating where necessary. He's chatty, amicable. If he happens across any foreigners, he'll smile and wave. Bruce Wayne, ladies and gentlemen. He's a charmer.]

Comments

fire.

[repelled]

[chase is out negotiating on his own, perusing shop's wares and grimacing at the prices. the grandeur of the fire sector means that he's bound to encounter higher prices - a downside to living in such an appropriately nice place - which normally wouldn't be so much as a minor barrier to him. but here, he doesn't have access to his boundless resources. magic is certainly an option, but using illusion to purchase wares is almost insultingly puerile. of course, the idea of actually working to acquire funds is almost as bad.

inconvenient, the whole lot of it.

he's paused at a shop front, eying what can't be more than a decorative bauble, but sometimes, those are the most interesting. it's a well-crafted piece of glass with a flame in it, deep blue, white at its heart. the glass curves and warps in strange enough ways to pull the flame through it without making it look weak or stretched. he can't afford it, obviously, but that doesn't mean he can't look.

at the passing of an unfamiliar figure, he glances up, accidentally meeting the man's eyes. there's a moment where he fights back a sneer and only gives a curt nod, expression impassive (and only a little superior). not a kedan, a 'fellow' foreigner. cheerful. probably too much so, for his tastes.]

[cowled]

[Chase is an interesting case study. He's... antagonistic, but not to the point of needlessly terrorizing those around him, that Bruce has seen. Honestly, there's something about him that reminds Bruce very faintly of Ra's. Perhaps it's the condescension, or the fact that Chase seems to be older than his physicality suggests.

The fact remains, Bruce has decided to keep an eye on him. So when Chase nods, Bruce takes that as an opportunity.]

Enjoying the day?

[Oh, yes, he will be cheerful. Maddeningly so.]

[repelled]

[there's a flicker of disapproval at that cheerfulness. ingratiating, irritating, obnoxious ... surely there's one word out of the thousand thousands that he knows to properly explain how he feels.]

As well as it can be enjoyed. [he gives a careless, one-shoulder shrug.] Out among the everyday and the common with no real resources to make it bearable.

[cowled]

[Oh he's going to just run right over those social cues and fall into pace beside Chase as he walks.]

So it's resources you're interested in?

[repelled]

[he doesn't quite fight off the sneer this time, and it curls the edge of his lip very briefly. he remains fairly amicable otherwise, though.]

Isn't everyone? There's not much you can do without them, after all. [much as he prides himself on his power and independence, food is a necessity. as is the grandeur he's used to. but, small steps.] And yourself? You seem to be enjoying the afternoon.

[this would be so much more polite if it wasn't for the slight condescending hint to every word.]

[cowled]

That depends entirely on what sort of things you wish to accomplish with them. I've seen Tibetan monks survive on fewer 'resources' in an entire lifetime than what an American household would consume in a week.

[He'll just fight that condescension with feigned ignorance, shall he? His tone remains quite blithe.]

Mm. I am. I'm considering starting a little business venture here.

[repelled]

[he appraises the other man carefully now. that's an interesting observation to point out for someone who seems to be so ... grounded. down to earth, maybe, or just human. chase raises an eyebrow slightly at him, but doesn't say anything to that; besides, he's not quite ready to start giving away his various and forming plans that require said resources. subtlety may not be his strongest suit, but he does know how to use it.]

Are you? [the condescension is replaced by at least vague interest.] What kind? I don't know if the kedan are entirely in support of us strongarming our way into their economy, even if they don't quite share the opinions of the less morally-minded among them.

[cowled]

[Bruce smiles, though the expression is purposefully enigmatic.]

That, my friend, would be telling. I've been a bit too long in the industry to want to share my business model before I've got it up and running. You understand, I'm sure.

[repelled]

Of course.

[his smile is almost friendly, except for the fact that he isn't capable of it without looking either dangerous or just wrong.]

Whatever it is, I'm sure someone will be fascinated enough by the workings of a foreigner to invest in it. Probably someone among the higher class ranks.

[he glances up meaningfully at the various buildings around them. the fire sector is a good example of precisely who he means. there are kedan here with the sort of money any business-minded individual could get off to a roaring start with.

or so he assumes.]

[cowled]

[Gee where has he seen smiles like that before--

oh. right.

rogue gallery.]

I'm actually not planning on involving investors, believe it or not.

[repelled]

[he raises both eyebrows this time.]

I somehow doubt you already have the funding to support whatever you intend. I am intrigued now.

[cowled]

Not yet, no. But I'm working on it.

[this is actually his first day off since arriving. Because the term 'workaholic' may as well apply to a couch potato as far as Bruce is concerned.]

I imagine I should have adequate funding within a few weeks.

[repelled]

I'll look forward to finding out how you did that, then, and what it is you're starting up.

[he really is interested, despite the aloof attitude. someone with this kind of confidence and reach ... he either wants to see him succeed and figure out how, or watch him fail in flames. could be interesting either way.]

Which I'm sure will be apparent eventually ... I don't think I caught your name.

[cowled]

Wayne. Bruce Wayne.

[Handshake? Be careful, Chase, he might try to make off with skin cells of yours.

Always a valid concern where Batman's involved.]

[repelled]

[he eyes the hand for a moment, skeptically, before reaching out to shake, if briefly.

and unintentionally combating any attempts at getting his dna by wearing full gloves. it's a habit at this point in his life.]

Chase Young.

Good luck, Mr. Wayne. I'll keep an eye out for your imminent success with some interest.

[cowled]

[Curses. Foiled again!]

I don't believe in luck, Mr. Young. But thank you. Until then, mm?

[And with a cheery wave, Bruce heads off into the crowd. He's definitely going to want to do some more research on this dude.]