[The Daily Planet] The Princess and the Protégé
- From: Moria McEntire <bansheec@xxxxxxx>
- To: The Daily Planet <thedailyplanet@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2006 09:31:00 -0400
The Princess and the Protégé
Bruce Wayne, Elias Nunne, Diana Prince
Pulling up the long drive to the large impressive looking house, Diana
couldn't help but laugh. The call from Bruce had been cryptic, though
all his calls were cryptic, but this one seemed a little odd. Stopping
the car in front of the house, she slid out and headed for the door. It
had been a very long time since she'd stopped to ring the bell, she
simply knocked, opened the door, and let herself into the foyer. "Bruce?"
"In the sitting room," came the gruff, deep tones of the manor owner as
he stared at the child before him.
Diana smiled at the sound of her friend's voice. Despite being men, she
wouldn't want anyone other then Bruce and Clack at her side, in and out
of the suits. Walking gracefully into the sitting room, she sat her
purse down on a table, just as her eyes caught sight of the child. She
raised a brow as she looked down at her friend. Her eyes asked what she
dare not voice, 'I thought you vowed never to take on another Robin'.
Verbally she asked, "And who might this be?"
"Ely, meet Diana," Bruce said as he met his friend's eyes, a pinch to
his own that spoke volumes about Dick's meddling. "Diana, this is Elias
Nunne. My prodégé."
Between the look on her friend's weathered face, and the term he'd used,
Diana thanked the Goddess. She adored her friend, and he was an amazing
man in and out of the suit, but he was getting to a point in his human
life where their work was taking a toll on him. Good for you, Dick, she
thought as she offered the boy her hand. "A pleasure Ely."
Ely stared at the hand but took it very carefully. "Hi," he whispered,
his eyes lowered.
"Make eye-contact, boy," Bruce chided gently.
When Ely raised his eyes, his cheeks were flushed and he was clearly
upset that he'd disappointed Bruce.
Diana smiled warmly at the boy as she shook his hand. "It's alright,
Ely. It must be strange meeting new people. When you get use to things
I'm sure you'll have no trouble making eye contact with those lovely
blue eyes." This explained the oddness of her friend's call. He wasn't
very good with children, when Selene was small he cringed every time she
called him uncle, and the little girl had clearly made him nervous and
ill at ease. This one couldn't be any more then eleven or twelve.
Again Ely felt his cheeks darken but he offered her a lop-sided smile.
In a voice that was deeper than most people thought was possible, he
said, "My Momma had blue eyes too. Hers were brighter."
Kid remembers his mother's eyes, Bruce thought with a mental grunt.
"I'll get us tea. Alfred's a little busy at the moment."
"That sounds lovely, Bruce." Diana said as she lead the boy over to one
of the large leather couches and motioned for him to sit with her. There
was grief in the way he'd talked about his mother's eyes, so she knew to
tread lightly. "How long have you been with Bruce, Ely?"
"Week," the boy shrugged. "The Di... Dick Grayson brought me over after
Batman handed me into the cops." Pale blue eyes stared at nothing as he
admitted, "I really hate Batman."
So he didn't know the truth yet. That made sense, the boy needed time to
adjust. "Why is that? Because he busted you?"
"Coz he's a self-righteous prick who wouldn't know a hard night in the
cold if he was kept in a freezer for a month," he snarled. His grasp of
language was so good that even Bruce had been shocked. Someone had tried
to educate him, but they hadn't taught him to read.
"Well he does come across rather coldly." Diana mused with a gleam in
her eyes. "But how can you be so sure of his past when you've never met
him? Other than to be busted by him, of course." She smiled at the boy
again. "You sound very much like my daughter when she's in the middle of
one of her "you don't understand me, you've never lived my life" rants."
"I'm not your kid," Ely replied coldly, folding his arms and hugging
them around himself. "Ain't no one's kid. Ain't no point gettin' t'know
me either. No common point of reference."
Bruce smirked as he came in carrying a tray with tea and cookies on it.
"He means that until you've been brought up on the streets, you won't be
able to understand him. I got this speech yesterday."
"Well you're right in a way." Diana said as she took the tea from Bruce.
"I can't understand what it's like to have lived on the streets. There
are however other hardships in life, our experiences might not be
exactly the same, but they often lead to an empathy, and some
understanding for others." She looked at Bruce and grinned before
looking back at Ely. "You don't think he got this grumpy from all the
sunlight and rainbows in his life do you?"
All Bruce did was grunt as he set out the cups. He gave his friend a
withering look then threw himself into a chair.
"He's more cheerful than the last person I stayed with," Ely shrugged,
sniffing the tea. He'd only recently been introduced to it and he liked
his with at least five teaspoons of sugar in it.
"You have found a good home here, Ely." Diana said as she tried not to
cringe at the amount of sugar the boy was using. "Despite his
grumpiness, Bruce is one of the best men I know. Though his knowledge of
children is beyond limited." Turning to look at one of her closest and
dearest friends, she asked, "Have you set him up with what he needs or
is that why I'm here?"
"He's got a room and some old clothes from Ro..." Bruce coughed loudly
to cover himself. "Ahem, from when Dick was here."
Ely wrinkled his nose. Those clothes were kind of old, all looking like
something out of the eighties for goodness sake.
"Oh for the love of.." Diana groaned. "Ely, go get ready to go. We're
going out."
"Out?" both man and boy said together, both with a look of total
confusion on their faces.
"Dick's clothes are perfectly fine," the old man objected. "He liked
them, they were very fashionable."
"Yeah, for someone thirty years older than me," Ely snorted.
Diana nodded in agreement, then to make her point asked, "Would you wear
Clark's clothes because they were perfectly fine and fashionable?"
Bruce grimaced then actually shuddered. "He's a reporter," he said as if
that explained everything.
"And Ely is a young man of this day and age, he's not Dick." Diana
pointed out primly. Turning to Ely, she repeated, "Go get ready, please."
The boy gaped at the woman. She was talking to Bruce like he was just a
guy. He shrugged and slumped out, shaking his head and muttering all the
while.
The moment the door closed, Bruce sagged and blew out a soft breath.
"I'm lost, Diana."
"Welcome to the wonderful world of parenthood." Diana teased as she sat
across from him. "He's a little younger than the others isn't he?"
"Fourteen," Bruce shrugged. "Had Robins who were thirteen before." He
didn't say who, he never mentioned their names, those who had died
before, as if he was honouring their deaths by paying silent homage.
"He's strong too, I got first hand experience of that. I had one hell of
a headache the next day."
"You're really going to train him to replace you? He's not another
Robin?" She knew it was a touchy subject, but she had to know. She
worked closely with Batman, just as she did with Superman and she was
still finding it odd to work with a Superman who wasn't Kal.
"I've got to, Diana," Bruce sighed. "That puney little kid, that
fourteen year old gave me bruises that are still healing." The greying
man sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Alfred still calls me
young man sometimes but I'm not and I know it. Dick was there when Ely
started on Batman. I made mistakes, Diana, I dropped my guard too many
times."
She nodded and in her heart grieved a little. Her best friend was human,
he was growing old, he would get older and someday he would even die. A
thought she tried not to have very often. It wasn't the same for him as
it was for her and Clark. They had a choice as to went to given up their
mantels, he didn't. "You're doing the right thing, my friend."
"That's what Dick said," he snorted. "The kid tell you how much he hates
Batman yet?"
"Yes," Diana laughed, "about as well as Selene likes Wonder Woman."
"Gonna be fun when he finds out why he's here, huh?"
"Why?" a small, southern voice said from the door way. Ely had his coat
in his hands but he was now staring at Bruce and Diana.
Diana smiled at the boy. "Don't mind him he's being sarcastic and
grumpy." With that brilliant smile of hers she walked towards him. "Now,
tell me about what you like, Ely, what are your tastes?"
"I don't have any," the boy shrugged, still staring at Bruce, who gave
him a hand motion to make him explain. "I've been watchin' cartoons and
stuff since I got here. Tryin' to do the things kids are meant to? At
least, what Bruce says kids are meant to do. I don't get most of 'em."
"Except.." Bruce urged.
"'Cept the Pink Panther," Ely smiled tightly, his cheeks red again.
"He's cool."
"That's a very good start." She put her arm around his shoulders and
then looked at Bruce. "Are you coming?"
"Alfred wants to show me some stuff to do with the car," Bruce said as
he rolled his eyes.
The car, not a car. Ely wondered which of Bruce's vast collection was
"the" car. "Where're we going?"
As she lead him out to her own car, Diana wondered where she would take
him. She'd have preferred Metropolis, but she couldn't explain how
they'd get there. "The mall," She answered at last, "Gotham has a fairly
descent mall."
"I know," Ely said softly as he climbed into the car. "I've been banned
from there." He gave her a shrug and an unrepentant grin. "Shop lifting."
"They'll let you in with me," Diana replied as she got into the car and
started it up, "but I advise you not to try any of that while your with me."
"Bruce said he'd tell Batman if I did," the boy snorted at that. He
stared at his fingers for a while then admitted, "I'm more scared of
disappointing Bruce than that over sized rodent."
The boy respected Bruce already, maybe it wouldn't be so hard to explain
to him after all. "Most of the time knowing that you've disappointed
your parent, or the only person who's ever shown you kindness, and given
you a chance, is far worse then any punishment that could be given."
Ely just stared silently out of the window, feeling shivers start. He'd
only known the old man for a while but he was one of the few people who
didn't assume he was rotten inside just because he didn't always agree
with the way society dictated right and wrong.
Diana watched him out of the corner of her eye and then grinned. "Yes,
you two will be very good for each other."
"Huh?" Ely blinked then turned to tilted his head and stare at Diana.
"How come you're not his wife?"
It was a good thing she'd pulled into a parking space, cause Diana was
pretty sure she'd have driven into a tree or something. That was the
last question she'd have ever expected. "We're friends, we work
together, and neither of us are the marriage type."
"He is," Ely said with a smirk. "So are you. You're just kidding
yourselves. Marry him, it might improve his moods."
Diana looked at the boy and blinked. Then she laughed as she got out of
the car. "I don't think anything at this point could improve his moods.
He was even grumpy as a young man, it's just his nature."
"Hmph," Ely chuckled as he climbed out of the car and followed her
again. "Still think you'd be good together."
They were, as friends, as Batman and Wonder Woman, but anything more?
"Lets get you some clothes first." She looked him up and down and then
nodded. "Hot Topic, American Eagle, nothing to preppy, maybe a little
punk, a little grunge?"
"Baggy jeans, more room to move around, but not so baggy that they'd
fall down." How was he meant to know what she was talking about? Weren't
punks the dudes with weird hair cuts? "I'm not dying my hair pink," he
told her firmly. "I like it like it is."
Diana laughed as she lead them through the mall. "I didn't mean that
far, I meant the baggy jeans, the print t-shirts, cargo pants, a new
jacket." She smiled at him. "You have lovely hair, I wouldn't want it
touched by dye." She was enjoying this, she'd never gotten to take care
of a boy before. She wondered if it would be so very different then
shopping for Selene.
"Combats," Ely asked, his eyes hopeful. "With lots of pockets to put
useful things in." A thought struck him and he cringed. "I can't afford
this stuff. We gotta go..."
"Bruce can afford this and more." Diana reassure him. "As can I." She
pointed to a shop window with the combat pants he was talking about.
"How about those?"
"They're green," he observed with a sniff. "Don't see many Gothem
buildings that colour to blend into. I'd like 'em blue or black." Then
he shot her a look of remorse and added, "Please."
She liked this kid, he was gruff, yet sweet. Goddess, he reminded her of
Bruce exactly! "Lets go in and see if they have those colors."
Like Bruce Wayne, Diana Prince was well known. She was a political
figure, and ambassador for her island nation, so when she walked into
the shop the sales people hopped around like hyper Jack Russells. She
waved a sales girl down and smiled sweetly. "We're looking for combat
pants like the ones in the window, only in black and dark blue."
"We carry them in many colors, your Highness." The girl bubbled.
"We'll take three black pair, two blue, all in his size please." The
woman replied firmly before looking at Ely. "Go and have a look around,
Ely. Pick out whatever you like, and let them know your sizes."
"Dunno my size," Ely shrugged. "Ask Alfred, he measured me." He wandered
away distractedly, poking at tops that looked entirely impractical. He
pulled out a hoodie that was at least two sizes too big but the extra
size gave you space for more layers and to conceal things. "I like
this," he told her over his shoulder then pointed at a set of plain
t-shirts. "And those in black."
Diana sent Alfred a quick text message asking for the boy's sizes and
then looked up. "Another hoodie wearer. Selene all but lives in one when
she's not on the island." She smiled at him, knowing not to ask why he
wanted it so big. She'd asked Selene that once and got a very odd look
for her troubles. "Add them to your pile." When her cell beeped she
looked down then called out the boy's sizes.
"Can I have walkin' boots? They last longer and don't rub sores even
when they're full of holes." Ely picked up a pair of sneakers and
snorted at them. "Totally impractical."
"No, impractical are four inch heels." Diana laughed then stuck out her
foot. "Walking boots are fine, you'll still need a pair of trainers
though, we'll get those at a sporting goods store. The dress shoes we'll
get when we go to Brooks Brothers."
Ely made a sour face and shook his head. "Don't need dress shoes. Bruce
ain't exactly gonna want me goin' t'his dinner parties, is he?"
Diana smiled warmly at the boy as she let the sales woman know to give
them two pairs of the walking boots in the proper sizes. "There may be a
party or two where his young ward would need to make a brief appearance.
Making anyone you age suffer through one of those things for more then
an hour is torture."
All Ely did was snort as he wandered off again, prodding at the silly
looking clothes. He picked out a pair of baggy black jeans that were
certainly three sizes too large and passed them over to the assistant.
"Got any in dark green or grey?"
The young woman kept her snippy remark about the young man being more at
home in an army apex to herself, and simply smiled. The kid was pretty
classless, but you'd be a fool to act rudely in front of the Princess.
When word got out she'd shopped here the store would become the hottest
store in the area. "Of course, Sir. We also have them in a very dark blue."
Diana smirked at the look on Ely's face every time the sales girl called
him sir. When the young woman walked off to get the jeans she moved
closer so only Ely could hear her. "I'm afraid that's my fault. You'll
get it a lot when your out with Bruce as well."
"I ain't a sir," Ely grumbled. "Besides, she'd be the type t'look down
on me if I was t'come in by myself. Bet if you weren't here, the whole
story'd be different."
"Unfortunately Ely I'm afraid you're right." Diana frowned a moment. She
remembered when she'd first arrived and Julia had taken her to get more
fitting clothes for Boston then the island dresses she'd brought with
her. No one knew who she was then and to most of the people in the
stores she was just some foreigner, she didn't even speak English then.
"What's even sadder is that this type of thing has not changed in all
the years I've been here."
"Bet too she'd be all over me if Bruce was here," he growled. "I hate
bitches like that.
Diana put a hand on Ely's shoulder. "Actually, they would see to what
you wanted, but they'd pretty much be throwing themselves at Bruce. He's
single and rich. Women in Patriarch's World still befuddle me."
"They don't know I ain't single and rich," he huffed. Glancing up, he
tilted his head to the side and asked, "How come men ain't throwin'
'emselves at you then?"
"There have been a few." Diana laughed as she picked up a black zippered
hoodie. "But it's different when it's the woman with the power and
status. Women with power scare most men, Amazons scared a whole lot of men."
"Why?" Ely said with a frown. "Just means you got a better survival
instinct, don't it? Don't men find that sexy?"
"Some do, most find it intimidating. They'd rather have a woman who
depends solely on them in one form or another." Pulling her wallet from
her purse, she handed the sales woman her credit card. "There aren't
many men like Bruce and Clark in the world."
"Bruce thinks you're sexy," Ely shrugged as he watched her pay so
blithely as if it didn't matter that he'd just cost her several hundred
dollars in clothes. "You ain't my type though. Too tall."
Bruce thought she was sexy? Diana blinked before covering herself by
laughing at his last statement. "It comes in handy when you have to look
Clark or even Bruce eye to eye. I don't think I'd have the same effect
if I had to stand on tip toe."
"Bein' short's not a problem really," he said, shifting uncomfortably
from foot to foot and stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Means you get
to dart in and out of people without bein' seen."
After signing the sale's receipt and taking her card back, Diana grabbed
the bags and smiled as she lead Ely out of the store. "I think that has
more to do with your survival instinct."
Shivering lightly, Ely glanced up at Diana and frowned. She was wearing
less layers than him yet it was freezing in the main mall. "Don't you
feel the cold?"
"Not physically no." Diana replied as they made their way through the
mall. "If I feel cold or chilled like on a cold Boston night, there's
normally an emotional cause rather then actual temperature."
Ely hmphed softly. He didn't get that, it wasn't something he'd felt or
if he had, he couldn't recall. "I get cold when it's cold and hot when
it's hot. I don't feel emotion as such I don't think."
"Everyone has emotions, Ely. Wither we feel them, ignore them, or hide
them for survival, depends on how we've lived." Walking into a Brooks
Brothers,she waited to see if Ely would bolt. Fitting him for suits and
a tux could be done at the manor if he'd prefer. "You and Bruce fall
into that last category."
"Bruce thinks no one can see his emotions," Ely said as he eyed the
totally impractical clothing with absolute distaste. "And I ain't
wearin' that. I'd look like a penguin in drag."
"I've seen the Penguin in drag and trust me you'll not come close."
Diana smiled at the boy as she sent the other bags aside and took Ely's
hand. "You're a very handsome young man, Ely. And yes, Bruce thinks
that, but we know differently, those of us who love him."
Ely's face screwed up and he shuddered. "Dude's a guy. I don't love a
guy." He let himself be led into the shop but he deliberately dragged
his feet. "I already look like a kid. Putting me in this shit's just
gonna make it worse."
"You look like a child Ely because technically you are one." There was a
very clear motherly undertone to Diana's voice now. She couldn't help
it, the more time she was spending with this young man the more she
found herself caring about him. "Trust me, you'll look like a very
handsome young man of your age." She gave him a bright smile that pretty
much told him she was getting her way.
He grumbled under his breath but let her talk to the assistant and give
the man his size. "You'd think I was gonna be a paige boy at someone's
wedding or somethin'."
Having spent several formal evenings at different events with Bruce,
Diana had a pretty good idea how he'd want Ely to look, but more then
that as she picked out several dark suits, shirts, shoes, and two formal
tuxedos Diana tried to keep in mind Ely's comfort level. She wanted him
to see the astounding young man that she could see and that she had no
doubt Bruce saw as well. She'd have to get his full story from Bruce
later, but it was long past time Ely was given a decent life and raise
his self worth. Handing him one of the dark suits, a white shirt, tie,
and shoes she pointed to a dressing room and smiled.
Shaking his head, he handed the white shirt back to her and pointed at a
black one. "Not bein' a penguin, remember." With the sweetest smile he
had, he batted his lashes and bright blue eyes at her. "Please?"
"Fine, black," Diana chuckled then pointed to a very nice black dress
shirt which the salesman handed to Ely. She then picked out a different
tie and switched it with the one she'd picked out before.
With a grin, Ely conceded and bounced off to the changing room. As he
tried it on, all that could be heard were several muttered swear words
and a final exclamation as he burst forth from the curtained booth in
his pants, shirt and shoes but the tie in his hands in a knot. "I ain't
wearin' it. You can't make me!"
Diana laughed loudly as she took the tie from him. "My daughter said the
same thing about the native dresses that are worn on Themyscira. It took
me three months to convince her wear anything else after she'd returned
from the island." Diana unknotted the tie and then proceeded to put it
on him properly. Once the tie was on, she straightened the collar of the
shirt, took the jacket from the salesmen, and then held it out for Ely
to slip on. "I'll have to bring her with me next time. I think you two
would hit it off." She slid the jacket into place and then grinned
brightly. She slowly turned Ely towards the mirror behind him and
grinned even more at their reflections. "You're a very handsome young
man Elias."
He had to admit that he actually looked kinda neat, sorta like a young
James Bond or something, but all he did was shrug and snort. "Yeah, like
a real stiff."
She kissed his cheek again. "You could hardly be a stiff." She nodded at
the salesman to let him know they'd take everything she'd picked out.
Alfred would make sure it all fit like a glove. She then picked up a tie
she'd caught sight of while Ely was changing. It was black with the Pink
Panther on it and she couldn't resist. "You'd never caught Bruce wearing
one like that, but I thought it might be more your style."
Ely actually grinned but again he shook his head and leaned around her
to point at another of the Pink Panther ties. This one had the panther
leaning against a martini glass with a smirk on his face. "Classier," he
sniffed in amusement.
"We'll take that as well." Diana told the salesman. She then looked down
at the other bags and decided to play her privilege card. "Could you
have someone meet us at the front entrance with all of this stuff in
about an hour?"
The gentleman smiled. "Of course your Highness."
"Wonderful, thank you." Diana once again handed out her credit card and
made sure to authorize a nice tip. She then lead Ely from the store
again. "Now, fun stuff. How boring is your bedroom at the moment?"
"It's kinda bland," he shrugged. "But it's a bedroom. Ain't never really
had one've those before so I guess I can't complain too much." He
glanced back at the store as they weaved away and started fidgeting
again. "Um... that was all kinda expensive... I, er, I can't pay."
"We've been through this Ely." Diana said gently as they went to the
home decor store. "Bruce can more then afford, and if he wishes to pay
for half then he may. As for me, not only am I an Ambassador, I'm a
princess for Hara's sake. Plus I'm enjoying this. You're a good kid,
Ely. I can see why Bruce cares about you already."
"I'm a nobody," Ely said softly, still glancing back at the store. "I
beat up Batman, y'know. Enjoyed it too."
Diana stopped them and turned Ely so they were facing each other. "You
most certainly are not a no body. If you truly were nothing but a street
thug with no glimmer of being anything but, you'd be Gotham Prison or
Arkham, not living at Wayne Manor. I know that maybe that thug is all
you can see right now, but it's not what Bruce sees, and it's not what I
see either. You've been on your own a long time, Ely, but not anymore.
"You don't get it," he said, his pale blue eyes frosting slightly. "Only
reason I'm here is some cop cut me a break, put me in touch with Grayson
and he spoke to Bruce. I ain't some charity case. I ain't gonna feel
guilty for doin' what I did. Just coz y'all goody two-shoes are takin'
pity don't make me a prince in frog's clothin'."
"Bruce doesn't take pity on anyone. Even if Dick did talk to him that's
not why you're with him. Bruce doesn't just share his life with anyone."
Diana replied. The kid had had a hard life, she understood that so she
took no offence. Hades, there were people in the J.L.A that called her a
goody two-shoes. "You're the one who's not getting it, Ely. No one
expects you to be sorry for who you are or what you've done to get
through life, and no one," She titled his head up then put her hands on
his shoulders and looked him in the eyes, pale blue to blue, "no one,
sees you as a charity case."
He kept eye contact for as long as he could but he finally dropped his
sight to the floor. "Then how come you don't want me t'pay?"
"Because despite the fact that you think you're not, you're a child Ely.
Children shouldn't have to take care of themselves. Now I don't know
about your past, what ever I do find out will be up to what you tell me,
but I do know that as of right now you have Bruce and you have me to do
that." Diana reached out and caressed the boy's cheek. "I know you might
not believe me, Ely, but I can't lie."
"I'm not gonna tell you," he said softly. "It ain't coz I don't trust
you. It's just that I don't talk about it. That okay?"
Diana smiled at him. "That's more then okay. Your past is your past.
It's the here and now that matters, and like it or not the here and now
means you're stuck with old grumps and me."
"I can deal with that," Ely laughed as he peered into the new shop.
"What we wantin' in here?"
"Bedding, stuff to make your room more your room." Diana replied as she
lead him inside. "Trust me, you're going to want a space all your own at
the end of the day. I love Bruce, but his taste is a little stuffy."
"Kinda like livin' in a museum," Ely nodded.
Diana laughed as she weaved them through the store. "He gives new
meaning to the gothic period. Not that I'm one too talk, I've a
classical Greek taste myself." She spotted something a few displays down
that she thought was perfect, but she was unsure how Ely would react. It
was kid-ish for sure, but it was something he liked so she pointed it
out. "A little of that maybe?"
His eyes lifted to the display of very pink bedroom fittings but they
fixed on the character and he beamed brightly. "Hell yeah!" he called as
he jogged over and started picking up the cushions and bedside light and
such.
Lidya was having one of those days. Her supervisor was breathing down
her neck for allowing some of the produce to be shop lifted so now she
was being extra vigilent. The moment she caught sight of the young boy
pawing at the pink panther bedroom display, she narrowed her eyes and
marched over to him. She had, of course, not seen the princess. "Excuse
me young man, but I hope you have enough money to pay for that. We're
not running a charity, you know."
Ely looked over at her, a hot water bottle holder in the shape of his
cartoon hero in his hands. "Ain't got any money at all," he said stiffly.
"Then put that down and get out of this store," Lidya said sternly.
"Before I call security."
It was very rare for Diana to be rude to anyone other then the
occasional villain, but the young woman's behavior was uncalled for.
"Why don't you call your supervisor as well, miss. I highly doubt they'd
want such a rude and judgmental young lady on staff here, especially
since you've just cost them a rather large sale. I know of at least two
of your competitors who offer the same merchandise, so we will just be
going there instead, after I file a formal compliant of course."
Ely's and Lidya's eyes widened at the same time and the boy tightened
his grip on the bottle ever so slightly.
"I... I didn't see you there, ma'am," she spluttered. "Pl... please,
I've already cost them a hundred bucks today. Kid just walked straight
past me. I'm s...sorry. Please?"
"Profiling someone can be hazardous to your job. You never know who
someone might be or be with. Every person who comes into your store
should be respected. Learn a new way to prevent shopping lifting, miss."
Diana said in a very firm, yet less icy tone. "Come on Ely, there's a
large store on the way back to Wayne Manor," She wanted the extra dig in
there to teach the girl a lesson, she hated snobbery. "They'll have all
of them and more I'm sure."
Lidya watched the boy put down the bottle cover reluctantly and sighed
to herself as he was led away. He was kinda cute too when she looked at
him. So he was the new Wayne ward? She'd read about him in Hello
magazine but they hadn't said a name or given a picture. She really
hoped he didn't make a complaint, she needed this job.
As they left the shop, Ely glanced back and saw the girl staring at him.
"It was okay, y'know. You could've still bought stuff in there. She was
way politer than most of 'em are."
"And now she'll be more careful and a lot politer to others." Diana
replied. "If we'd gone ahead and bought the stuff there, it would have
had less of an effect. We'll come back in a few months."
"She was pretty too," he mumbled under his breath then sighed to cover
it and hurrumphed. "My bedroom's fine, y'know. I'll just paint it or
somethin'."
Diana finally smiled again. "Of course we'll have it painted, but we'll
need to know what décor you've picked first. We'll go back, I'm sure
she'll be rather impress that you've gotten me to change my mind."
Ely's face brightened even as it flushed red. "Dragon lady melts in
front of street kid's crush, huh?"
"A very special young man finds a very special place in a mother's
heart." Diana replied sincerely before grinning. "And quickly learns
which string to tug, so come on lets get the rest of your stuff so I can
call some people about the painting and such. Besides, if we miss dinner
Alfred'll be the grumpy one."
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