2012-07-12 Supergirl Solo Interview

Today started off like just about any other day for Supergirl. Namely, stopping a bank robbery in progress downtown. But after turning over the crooks and the getaway car to Metropolis PD, the questions started coming in from onlookers and the press present. Mainly one question in particular: who is going to be on this 'Titans of Tomorrow' team? Supergirl had no idea what they were asking her about, until someone points her to the report on CNN. She's leading a team? This is the first she's heard of it...
As Kara continued her day, stopping crimes in progress and helping to put out an apartment fire, everyone wants to know about the Titans. Kal's busy rounding up his own team, so Kara can't quite ask him about all this. There's only one thing she can think of to do to delay the questions until she's had a chance to speak with Kal and get some answers herself...
She flies by the Daily Planet building a couple time, hoping to attract the attention of Lois Lane.
Rubbing at her eyes as another long work day draws to a close, Lois looks up from her desk, where she's been typing at what is quickly becoming the Never Ending Story, to glance out the window. The blue and red catches her eye, and she moves to the window for a better look. 
"Supergirl," notes the reporter, a faint smile on her face. Moving away from the window, Lois goes to make a couple cups of coffee (both high in the sugar and ccream content) before she steps out onto the roof. She holds up her coffee cup in mute offer, waiting for the flygirl to drop down into what had always been Superman's landing place.
Seeing Lois move up onto the roof, Supergirl lands on the helicopter pad. She's looking a bit nervous, but trying to put on a brave face. "Ms. Lane. I'm glad I got your attention. I wasn't sure of the best way to contact you." She takes a deep breath and sighs. "I have a slight...problem. And I need your help here."
Coffee cup still held out, Lois eyes the young Super with the faint tilt of her head. She notes the brave facade covering the nervousness, and so step closer to make sure the Girl of Steel sees the offered coffee. 
"Buzzing the Planet's a good start. Though if you have a cell phone and your cousin's okay with it, you could just txt me," the reporter quips lightly, hoping to make light of the situation and gets Kara feeling more at ease. She knows something's wrong and a few guesses are starting to form.
"What can /I/ do to help, Supergirl? I'm just a reporter." Yeah.... /Just/.
"I'll keep that in mind," Supergirl says with a smile when Lois mentions the texting option. "My problem is this report about the Titans." She sounds rather flustered about all this as she explains. "I didn't know of any of these plans; the first I heard about it was when reporters were asking me about the group. And I'm supposed to be leading this group?" Kara sighs. "I haven't even had a chance to speak with Superman because he's gathering his Justice League. That's why I'm out on patrol more. So, I need your help in figuring out what to say while I find out what's going on myself."
Lois smiles at the girl as she just about rambles like a typical teenager. Stepping forward the rest of hte way, Lois sets her cup down on the edge of the building, before taking Kara's hand and putting the cup porcelein into her hands. 
"First. Calm down. That you're still visible is a good thing, so just take that in stride. Second, I'm goig to give you a little put of Superman's book, whenever he knows I've got questions for him that he just really doesn't want to answer." Lois pauses a moment, turning to collect her coffee and sip. Her smile fades a bit as she looks out over the skyline of Metropolis. The wind tugs at hair and skirt.
"Just smile and fly away," Lois says at long last, turning to settle her violet gaze back on Supergirl. Her eyes seema bit tired at that, almost sad as she adds, "And try not to fly off with any reporters while you do it. It only leads to more questions."
"But doesn't that just look like we're trying to hide something?" Supergirl looks a bit puzzled. she takes the cup that's been put into her hands and sips at it. "I don't want to do anything that make it seem that we're trying conceal things, especially not something that has an impact like this. And I don't want to make it seem that Superman and I are...disorganized. I'm sur this report caught him by surprise as well; I can't imagine him setting this up and not telling me." Kara sips more of the coffee and looks out over Metropolis, blonde hair gently waving in the breeze. "People need to have confidence in us. To have faith. And not talking about something like this...I think it erodes that faith."
"Yes. Yes, they do. And being as open and honest with things as possible is going to be the only way to make that happen," Lois says, voicing the burr that's been under her tail about the Super Family for a while. Well, since that day in the park when Kara tried to start that alien death match right in front of her. She sips her coffee, watching the girl to see if she's a quick to catch on to the hint as she's sure Kara's cousin would be. 
"But being on the same page is important. Journalists are trained to look for that, and the ones after the heart of the story are going to poke at it. The silent treatment is only going to last for so long, I agree. But until you know something more... and if you're dying to say something, say the truth: With Superman working on the JLA there's been little time to officially discuss things with him; you're flattered, of course, but you're also young and still new to heroing; if the President makes that call, you'll do you're best, as you're sure would any other young hero selected for the job, but you're not in the position to be able to make any further speculations or guesses on the matter; like the rest of us, you're eager to see how the Titans form up."
Lois Lane adds with a wave of her hand, "Yadda yadda yadda..."
Supergirl smiles as Lois lays out a course of action."I think that's pretty much what I wanted to say. I just didn't know if it's what I *should* say." She drinks more of the coffee, finding that it's actually helping her calm down. "Also...I wanted you to be the one to report it. Because I think I can trust you with interviews like this. That's what Superman said and he's been right so far." Kara's standing a bit straighter, with more confidence. "So, if you'd like to take an official statement from me, I'll say it in my own words. And maybe answer a couple questions to help end some speculation."
Lois chuckles at that, and for ONCE seems not to hasten for the story. Instead, she leans against the builidng edge to look out over the city. "Sure. Did you want to do that interview now, or should we finish our coffee first?" Pause, smile, sip. "Maybe, if we wait long enough, Kent'll actually manage to be here this time. He never seems to be able to be around when I'm interviewing Superman, and I think he'd get a kick outta meeting you." Lois sips again with a soft almost fond smile, completely relaxed and genuine in that moment. No hidden agendas, not fishing for a reaction or information. Nope. The comment's just put out there to be taken for what it's worth.
<OOC> Lois Lane snickers above game. Ah, Lois. You're so lovably DENSE at times!
Supergirl smiles and finishes her coffee. "That would be nice, but I think Mr. Kent prefers more 'human interest' stories. From what I've read in the paper." And not because he's hiding a secret and feels a conflict of interest in writing about himself and his family...."Maybe I'll meet him at a charity event one day. There's plenty of good causes in Metropolis that could use a mention in the news and rasie the public's awareness." with her coffee finished and the cup set aside, kara takes a deep breath and takes a few moments to think about what she's going to say. "Okay. I'm ready whenever you are...."
Lois smiles and nods to that, as she reaches out to collect Kara's coffee cup and start into the building. "Sure. Come into my office, and we'll make this nice and official. Just do me a favor. Don't smile too big at the intern. You might give him a nosebleed," quips the femme reporter with a wink.
The quip brings a huge blush to Supergirl's face. Mainly for the insinuation that she'd flirt with the intern. But it's not like Kara can tell Lois that she's dating someone, much less that her beau is Robin. So, Supergirl quietly follows Lois into the office, keeping her smile friendly towards everyone. Once seated, Supergirl folds her hands into her lap. "Alright. How should this begin?"
Lois leads the way into the newsroom, but instead of sitting at her very open and public work space, Lois just buzzes it, scooping up her pen and notepad. At her computer, her word processor is open, where she's working on what appears to be a rather lengthy piece. The last paragraph reading: "Many good men died, gave their lives, so the weak would never be victimized again, and so the world would learn. But we didn't. That's the hardest thing about waking up; seventy years later and we still don't get it."
barely stopping, Lois ushers the young superhero toward a private conference room, offers the girl a seat by the window before taking one next to her. With practiced ease, the reporter smooths her skirt down to seat, folds one knee over the other, opens the notepad, cues up the digital recorder at the end of her pen, and then looks to Supergirl.
"Thanks for stopping by, Supergirl. It's an honor for you to take some time out of your busy schedule, patrolling the skies of Metropolis, to talk to the Planet today," Lois says, voice all at once professional, somewhat distant, and yet friendly and inviting. Supergirl, be on your guard. Lois is now 'on the clock'.
"Thank you, Ms. Lane," Supergirl replies with a smile. Professional it is, then. "I'm glad to take this opportunity to clear the air and answer questions the press might have regarding the recent news announcement." She clears her throat, finalizing her thoughts. "I am deeply honored to be connected to the rumored 'Titans of Tomorrow' team; but I would like to remind everyone that right now, this is exactly what it is. A rumor. Nothing has been finalized yet, to my knowledge, and Superman is currently gathering members for the Justice League, in addition to continuing to serve and protect Metropolis. I think that this, the assembly of the Justice League, is a more pressing endeavor at the moment. The attacks this weekend show a need for a team that can respond to threats that can overwhelm conventional forces."
Supergirl takes a breath, making sure that Lois has everything before proceeding. "Like my cousin, my deepest desire is to protect our planet and help make this a better world. I consider it an honor and a duty to serve in whatever capacity I am asked to. I have met several teenaged heroes as well, and count myself fortunate to have worked alongside them in protecting people. In fact, my closest friend happens to be a teenaged hero like I am." Supergirl has a wistful smile for Cassie. "I welcome the possibility to work with other heroes my own age in a more team oriented capacity. However, I have to stress that this idea is still being developed, and while I am honored to be mentioned as a potential leader, no decision has been made. Further, I feel that leadership is something that is earned through trust, not solely by an appointment. Ultimately, I think it is the team itself that should choose who leads it, and I will be honored to either lead or follow whoever is chosen."
"I do hope," Supergirl concludes, "That this proposed Titans team does come into being. Younger heroes like myself represent a second generation of heroes to defend our planet, our home. And by banding together early, we can forge bonds of trust that will allow us to better serve the people and stand as an example to the generation of heroes that is sure to follow us."
Lois listens to Supergirl's speech, violet eyes never wavering. Even now and then, Lois gives a tilts of her head one way or another, but never does the faint professional smile fade for the teen hero. 
"Is there a short list of teen heroes, that you're aware of, whose names you can offer that the President is possibly considering to this team, and is your cousin in any way involved in the selection of this younger group of heroes?"
Supergirl smiles, happy to have gotten the main message delivered. The questions, though, probably won't be easy. "I haven't been asked to tender an opinion or make recommendations at this time, Ms. Lane. If my opinion is sought for in creating this team, I will freely give it. Speculation over who might or might not be involved at this point is a bit reckless. I will say, though, that every teen hero I have fought alongside has displayed admirable courage and a dedication to protecting the innocent."
"And which teen heroes would that be, Supergirl," Lois asks almost pleasantly. "Given that I was rescued by a young man that's a spitting image of your cousin about a week or so ago," she adds with faintly pursed lips.
There's the million-dollar question: who is Superboy? Cassie told Kara about him, and Kara's been content to let the situation lie while bigger issues took center stage. But that may not be an option now. "I believe my team-ups with Wonder Girl in New York are well documented. And last night, I assisted Aqualad in capturing the criminals at the Metrodome that had interrupted the concert that was taking place. As for the young man you're referring to, I haven't met him yet, although it is certainly a priority. The attacks this past weekend have kept us all rather busy."
Lois nods, letting a soft smile slip free for Supergirl, bolstering the girl through the answer of a very sticky question. As hard as Lois is hitting, she's still on Kara's side. 
"I heard Cat Grant talking about that, the attack at the Maroon5 concert. What can you tell me about that, and this Aqualad? Sources inform the Planet there were four young heroes present. Do you know who the other two were," Lois asks, lobbying the topic back at Supergirl with a twist to it.
Okay, this is harder than Kara thought it would be. Luckily, she's running through responses at super-speed in her mind, so there's not much of a pause between question and answer. "I have only met Aqualad twice now. And we've talked just enough to know that both of us are committed to using our abilities to the betterment of mankind. However, if you have questions about Aqualad, I would suggest you ask him." Kara smiles, hoping she worked her way out of that spot. Now for the real tough one. "I believe that there were two others last night as well. However, I was concentrating on ending the fight quickly and with a minimum risk to lives and property. Metropolis Police had the situation well in hand very quickly, due to their excellent response time, and other matters called me away before I could socialize with the other teens. I recognized Aqualad from a previous encounter, but I couldn't name the other two." Whew....mental gymnastics routine complete.
Didn't Kal warn you, Kara? Lois doesn't pull her punches, even if she'll offer some nonverbal moral support if she likes her interviewee. Thus, the reporter is nodding subtly as Kara works her way through the answer, only for a brow to quirk at the word belive. Her tilts faintly, neck turning her face slightly away from Kara. The motion is minute, but could speak volumes to the perceptive: Word choice!
"Believe? It's concerning to me, Supergirl, that you were too busy flying around playing the hero to notice who was around you. What if one of those others weren't other teen heroes, but innocent bystanders," Lois slices back, brows pulling together slightly as she lifts then dips her chin at the girl. Wordless: Careful.
The word trap does catch Supergirl by surprise. She wasn't expecting it, but her mind is racing to give a satisfactory explanation. "My apologies for not being more precise, Ms. Lane. When I said 'I believe', I was referring to their characterization you gave of them as 'young heroes'. I was very aware of their presence and actions, but I didn't think to examine them for their apparent ages. So, to clarify, there were four heroes there, myself, Aqualad, and two others. I believe Aqualad is around my age, but I couldn't give you an assessment of the other two."
Lois watches Supergirl carefully, brow quirking as she notes the subtle clues of a racing mind. It sets her head shaking centimetes side to side even as Kara works to explain it away. 
"And what were these alleged 'heroes' doing, precisely, that you'd let them have free reign in a twenty thousand person stadium while you dealt with 'more important' matters," Lois attacks again, shoulders set almost unhappily. Note to self: Try to keep Supergirl away from less friendly papers, like hte Bugle; Jameson would chew this girl up and spit her right out!
This is a turn in the conversation that Kara wasn't expecting. She's starting to think that this was a very bad idea, one that's going to cause more problems than solve. She wants tofly away, hide, and pretend this never happened. But that's not going to solve anything. So, SUpergirl takes a deep breath, centering herself and regaining her composure.
"Ms. Lane. I realize that we are getting a bit far afield of the original topic of this interview. But I will answer the question becasue I recognize that it is only through honest, unbased review and examination of our actions as heroes, that we see our mistakes and strike to do better. To live up to the trust that people place in us. The facts of the encounter are that Aqualad fought and defeated the speedster now identified as Two-Four. One of the unidentified heroes was fighting the woman identified as Strings, who was trying to drop a catwalk onto the retreating crowd. The other unidentified hero used a mental power to incapacitate the man identified as Amadeus, preventing him from using his abilities in the fight. I was aware of all these actions as I engaged Baby Grand and The Conductor. The truth of the matter is that four individuals with unique skills and abilities stood forward becasue they recognize that having such gifts means a responisbility to use them to protect and better mankind. And they fought 5 individuals who would deny that responsibility. In the end, those four saved lives; and for me, that's the bottom line. I don't care about glory, or headlines or popularity. I want to save lives, protect the innocent. And last night, I and the other 3 did that."
And to that, Lois Lane smiles. She hadn't leaned forward the entire interview, not having enjoyed dragging Superman's cousin through the verbal mud, but seeing her resiliance is heartwarming. Supergirl'll get the hang of it; she just needs exposure. 
"If you had input into the members of this newly forming teen hero group being called the Titans, or if you could speak to the person or persons that do have an influencing voice, would you vouche for the actions of these three heroes, two of whom are as of yet unnamed," Lois asks, smile back on her face, a soft nod given. Good girl. Nice resuce. You're getting it.
Again, Supergirl smiles in relief. "Once again, Ms. Lane, I haven't been asked for my opinion or input into the matter. And saying I would or wouldn't vouche for someone would probably cloud the issue and put pressure on the people that are making the decisions. I will say this though: if I am asked to vouche or give a recommendation, it won't be for someone I have only met once or twice, even if we've fought criminals together. My opinion of someone would rely on what I know of them through talking and interacting with them. People can still be heroes and save live, yet have the worst motivations for doing so. For example, I wouldn't want to be teammates with someone that was being a hero just for media exposure; for fame or personal profit. Would I work with them to protect people? Yes. Would I personally vouche for them? No."
Lois gives a nice firm nod at that, her smile broadening, almost proud at the answer being given. 
"I see. That's very mature of you to say so, Supergirl. I can see why there's speculation of you leading the team," Lois says, her tone honeyed. And yet, while her tone is sweet, her voice warm, there's an odd tension to her eyes, like the sweetness doesn't quite reach her face fully despite the smile on her lips.
"I'd rather not dwel on the speculation, to be honest," Supergirl says with a smile. "I'd actually rather not to address the topic of the team at all, since everything is just in a proposal stage. But, understanably, there's a lot of questions right now. And I hope by giving these answers and clearing the matter up, everyone can go on to report real news stories, not wild rumor and speculation. I'm sure that when the time is appropriate, there will be an official announcement. Until then, I'm not going to comment on the matter any more. I'm just going to concentrate on serving Metropolis and the world in the same manner people expect from my cousin."
Lois is smiling brightly now, nodding tiny little nods at the super girl. She resettles in her chair, sitting more straight. 
"Of course, Supergirl. Thank you for taking the time, again, to speak with us. The Daily Planet, and Metropolis, is always grateful for the service that you and your cousin provide," she says, sounding like she's drawing things to a close.
Supergirl nods and stands up letting out a breath of relief. "Thank you, Ms. Lane. Hopefully, this lets some of the speculation die down. But, I'm sure you have articles to write, and not just mine. So, I'll leave you to your work." She nods her head, smiling. "Thank you again."
Lois, too, stands. Left hand collects the pen and turns it off, while her right is offered in a handshake.
"And we're off the record, Supergirl. Good job," states the reporter, warm smile and easy tones once more.
Supergirl reaches out and shakes the offered hand. "Thank you. I'm probably not as good at these interviews as my cousin is. But I think I had to stand on my own here, sooner or later. I just wish that the speculation hadn't made it sooner."
"We're always forced to do things that make us uncomfortable, Supergirl. That's part of growing up, and it never ends," Lois replies, leading the way back toward the roof. Most of hte Daily Planet employees have left for home during the neraly hour long interview. 
"You'll get there. He's got a lot more experience at dealing with me than you do," quips Lois as she pushes open the rooftop door.
With the door opened, Supergirl steps out onto the roof. "Hopefully, I won't leave as much sweat behind with the next interview..." Her head cocks as she hears the sound of emergency vehicles on St. Martin's Island. "Gotta run, but thank you again, Ms. Lane. I look forward to reading the article...." And with a *woosh!* Supergril flies off to avert disaster.
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