tushanshu_logs

Characters: Dinah Lance and OPEN
Date: July, all after Clueventure
Location: Wood Sector, and wherever you need her.
Situation: There are ideas and commitments that Dinah started before being distracted by detective work. Now she intends to follow up on them.
Warnings/Rating: Blood, wounds in the Arthur thread.
I started with prose, but will switch to action if you'd like.

General Starter: She found it in the wood sector, a courtyard formed by four trees growing from each corner, growing and intertwining together above, walled by hedges that have been growing out since the last master left. As soon as she had a spare morning and the presence of mind to do so, it is here Dinah returns.

She keeps the name and cleans first the sign painted so neatly in Chinese: “The Jade School of Kung Fu, overseen by Grand Master Shifu.” She doesn't know what happened to the Grand Master, but a dojo cannot be left unused, and she plans to honor this Master she never met by returning his space to the use it was intended.

She sent messages to the people she knew were interested in training with her, to let them know where they could be found, then she set about trimming the hedges, sweeping the building and the courtyard, and transforming it into a usable dojo again.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

She stares right back at him, leaning back in her chair with the flashlight still sitting in her lap.

"And you had to keep the gizmos for that."

Thank goodness for the shadow provided by the light. She can work on keeping the smile out of her voice. Tim didn't need the devices, but that he'd throw himself on the line for his friends... she'd do the exact same thing.

"Well. We wanted to get back to the site quickly." Because Hei To and company were planning to take over the investigation, and none of the three of them had wanted that. "The Bart Express was the quickest means. Obviously."

"Obviously."

Oh, to actually have speedster friends and not have to rely on motor vehicles to get yourself around.

"You couldn't think of a way less..." likely to draw attention to themselves. No, not that, Not those words in the prison, where anyone can hear them, anyway. "...obviously illegal?"

Well, it's not that he's not half in love with his motorcycle, but it's just not here.

"We were a little pressed for time. I mentioned wanting to get back to the site quickly?"

She honestly can't help herself with the reply:

"And how did that work out for you?"

Instantly, she regrets it.

That gets a sour look from Tim before he finally answers.

"Clearly not as well as we'd hoped." He shakes his head a little, obviously a little frustrated. "They asked for our help. And the minute we got somewhere they decided to take over. That's kind of crap."

"Well, asking for help isn't the same as lighting a searchlight on the roof," Dinah points out. "They asked you to do a very specific job and from what they've told me," (which she will admit might be one sided, but not out loud and not here) "you completed that admirably.

"We're here to help, Ro.. RR. That's easier if they can trust us."

Tim makes a face. "They asked us to do a job, and then pulled us off it before we could finish. That's not--" He makes an irritated noise at the back of his throat, and a vague, frustrated gesture with one hand. "I know this isn't like home." God, does he ever. "But we're not automatons that they can just turn off when they've decided they're done with us."

"No one said you were," she says levelly.

"I know it's not fair, and you wanted to finish. I get that."

Tim leans back a little, slightly mollified by her words. He still doesn't think they were wrong. Perhaps trying to use the damned devices again was a little hasty, but arguing wouldn't have gotten them anywhere.

He's really only sorry that it ended in arrest, rather than further investigation.

"It's how they're treating us."

"I know."

Or at least, she thinks she knows. She has an idea from him and Bart what exactly their gripe is, and while she doesn't look at it that way, she's not going to deny them.

"It's the theft, that's why you're here. That's what they told me, anyway."

The faintest trace of a smile crosses Tim's face. "That may have been a little ill-advised."

With a more obvious smile: "You think?"

It's starting to become an effort for him to keep the smile out of his voice, actually. "Maybe. Just a little."

But again, is he sorry? Not on your life.

Being sorry? Admitting to mistakes? Having regrets?

Those things aren't what Justice Leaguers do, and they're definitely not what Titans are expected to do.

"Well, I hope you're ready for your punishment. I gave Superboy a chess set and he's going to - whatever the young person's vernacular for winning a lot is these days."

Damn right they don't.

He makes a show of considering her words. "I believe it's still acceptable to use the phrase 'kicking ass,' though some of the kids these days seem to enjoy the use of terms like 'schooling' and 'wasting.'"

Pause.

"Okay, actually, I really have no idea what kids these days are saying. I'm not really up on current youthful vernacular."

Then what is the point of you, Tim?

She sighs dramatically and shakes her head.

"Let's go with ass-kicking. You're going to get your ass kicked by Superboy at chess. Don't take it too badly."

She is not going to use the word 'schooled.'

What's wrong with 'schooled,' Dinah? All the cool kids are saying it.

Maybe.

"I'll try not to, but you know how our egos can be."

It makes her feel old, okay?

"Your egos could probably use the workout."

Nah. You're never old.

He snickers at that. "Well. Maybe."

[Open]

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