I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S REALLY A CATCH-ALL

[khajidont]

WHO: Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle III and YOU
WHERE: ALL OVER.
WHEN: ALL MONTH.
WHAT: Shenanigans. As per usual - just PM me or contact me on plurk @ WISDOMBITCH if you want to sort out a thread! This month, Jaime is doing his superhero duties, going to college, drowning himself in a prodigious amount of caffeine, and taking care of the two dogs that have fallen in his lap... but if you have any ideas, please just let me know and I'd be happy to hash it out with you!
WARNINGS: None anticipated.

Comments

BATMAN

[khajidont]

[ Jaime had already gotten hard evidence about these guys to the cops, he knows, but there's still more work to be done - there are more criminals than the ones that were implicated on the data that he managed to get his hands on, and they, predictably, have fraternization with other gangs. Jaime could have just handed over the evidence and called it a day, but if he's going to do the job, he's going to do it right. The cops already have the evidence on file, but they have it on record that Jaime's going to be pushing the envelope a little further, see if they can't take the whole thing down in one fell swoop.

This sounds a little more exciting than it is. What it really means is a lot of sitting around, watching, and waiting. When Batman arrives in the dead of the night, he'll see the younger Beetle sitting on top of a tall building across a warehouse, squinting through it and intermittently hiding yawns behind the back of his hand and sipping on coffee in a cardboard cup, having long since cooled in the brisk night air.

Dang. He's way too sleepy for this. Would they just hurry up and do some crime already? ]

[the_caped_crusader]

Anything yet.

[More of a statement than a question, as though Batman is expecting something from the Jaime, securing his inevitable disappointment when his young teammate tells him that he has nothing. Rather than crouch quietly beside the boy, he stands brazenly, foot propped at the edge of the rooftop, like he's done this sort of thing a million times before.

Well, he has, hasn't he?]

[khajidont]

Gah!

[ Jaime jumps, just a little. He wasn't expecting any company on this particular rooftop, and certainly not for this incredibly mundane task. The look he shoots Batman is a little peevish as the scales along his suit smooth back down, much like a startled cat regaining its equilibrium. ]

If there was, I'd be down there, and not up here. It's a waiting game.

[ He'd ask why Batman is here, or why he knows what Jaime's getting up to in his spare time, but -- well. It's Batman. ]

[the_caped_crusader]

[He stares at the boy for a moment like... this kid is telling him how a stakeout works. The moment of silence is palpable enough before he turns his head mechanically back towards the adjacent building they're watching and nods his head towards the roof.]

Come on.

[...and he's gone before Jaime can protest. Not that he should. Batman opens a rooflight that he'd picked just moments before Beetle reaches the roof and he's already slipping inside before any protest.]

[khajidont]

Wha --

[ Okay, that's just rude. It's not that he doesn't trust Batman, but he's not the boss for this case - Jaime's the one who's been working it for months, not the Justice League, and if working on the League meant losing his independence, he wouldn't have done it in the first place. He values doing things his own way too much, barring huge emergencies and cases too big for him to tackle alone. ]

Oh, for the love of God, [ Jaime mutters to himself (and to Khaji, who seems to agree not because he agrees with Jaime, but because he dislikes Batman), and flies on over. Once he gets there, he whispers, ] You know there's this thing called talking, right? Communication?

CISCO

[khajidont]

[ Jaime made a terrible mistake.

Mistake number one: becoming a superhero. It's a bad life decision. Nobody can dispute that.

Mistake number two: agreeing to two jobs. Why did he do that? He knew at the time, but now realizes it was a bad idea.

Mistake number three: going to college. This is, by far, his biggest mistake. In his haste to improve himself, he forgot the cardinal rule that school actually really sucks, nobody should do it, and especially not himself.

Which is a long way of saying that once Cisco gets to the coffeeshop, the only available seat will be across from the guy with a laptop and a stack of textbooks, who's looking very much like he's trying to drown himself in caffeine, and half-way succeeding. ]

[picksthenames]

[ Cisco's all over the place. He's been commuting between Heropa and De Chima, between his garage-workshop and the Hall of Justice-- and really, couldn't Batman have come up with literally any other name for their headquarters? But Cisco's already gotten a talking to from big and sulky, so he's got his foot in his mouth for all Leage-related matters lately. In any case, Cisco's been commuting, and he's been doing so by using his own breach powers rather than trusting the Porter to get him where he needs to go, so it's fair to say that it's taking a lot out of him.

And so, he fills up on caffeine whenever possible.

He's looking forward to just taking a break to enjoy an everything bagel and the biggest, sugariest, most caffeine-filled monstrosity this café has on offer, but when he looks around, he doesn't see any empty seats except-- Ah. Over there. He'll have to share a table, but the guy doesn't look like too bad of a table mate. He thinks he's seen him around before, even, so it's better than a complete stranger.

He walks over, clearing his throat a little to get the guy's attention. ]

Hey, uh. You mind if I sit?

[khajidont]

[ Oh -- it's Cisco. They haven't really talked much outside of a couple quips while they were both working on League stuff, but it's not like he's being spoken to by a stranger. Jaime takes a moment to remind himself that he has to pretend not to know the guy (or, at least, this specific incarnation of this specific guy) before nodding at him and gesturing to the seat across from him. ]

Yeah, be my guest, just let me move some of this... here. [ Jaime moves the textbooks to the ground. More specifically, he drops them on the ground, though from a short enough of a height not to make a huge ruckus. Screw you, textbooks. He paid good money for you, so he'll abuse you if he wants to. ] There. Now you got your own corner and everything.

[picksthenames]

Sweet. [ Cisco sits, and puts his very large coffee down on the table, pulling his phone out of his pocket and placing it down too. He looks over to the guy-- whose name he swears he must have heard once, his voice sounds so familiar, but he just can't remember. ]

Hey, I'm Cisco, by the way. I feel like I've seen you around.

[khajidont]

You probably have - I kinda hang around most imPort events.

[ He's easy to miss (he stays near the edges of the events, mostly just hanging around in the case of something bad happening), but he's a familiar sight nonetheless. He contemplates telling Cisco that he already knows who he is - even if he didn't know this Cisco as the Blue Beetle, Jaime Reyes had known the last one - but that trying sort of conversation is something better left to friends, not simply acquaintances, and Jaime hadn't known the last Cisco terribly well at all. ]

I'm Jaime. Nice to meet you! [ Kind of. ] You got a project you're working on too?

MANABU

[khajidont]

[ It's not long after Tara was freed from probation that Jaime got his first real probation officer job - one where he's not just going to become their de facto guardian. He had been given nothing more than a sealed file (with the instruction to go over it with the dreadful criminal in question; evidently he hasn't been deemed teribly dangerous) and an address and, seeing as he's busy enough as it is, decides that that's exactly what he's going to do.

He drives up to Manabu's home and knocks on the door three times, crisply. ] Mr. Yuki? Please open up.

[ He doesn't know a Yuki, but, well, he's about to find out. ]

[siriusly]

[maybe if someone at the office hadn't misprinted the name label as Yuki, Khaji-Da could've tipped Jaime off. but maybe the muffled yipping and yapping behind the door as Scout rushes to the door and begins pawing relentlessly at it (because clearly whoever's there is there to see him).

just as muffled, preceded by some fast steps:] Shh-sh! Scout, take it easy! Come--c'more!


[after some more barking and shuffling around, Manabu flips the deadbolt and pulls the door open, poochyena under one arm.

winded:] Hi! Sorry, I-- [blink.] ... [blinkblink.] Jaime?

[khajidont]

Manabu?

[ Jaime does a double-take, looks down at the file, then back up at Manabu's face. He always knew that he'd have to be the probation officer of people that he knew, but he was expecting someone who seems as goody-two-shoes as Manabu. ]

Geez. Well, uh, this is a little awkward. Hi! Please let me in! [ He holds up his file for Manabu to see. ] I'm your new probation officer. Or... probably your first one, 'cause I doubt you've got much of a criminal record.

[siriusly]

Hhhi...

[it's a weak, quieter echo, one that's drowned out by Jaime's explanation. and boy is it a surprising one; just as Manabu's trying to think up a way to excuse him so he can wait for his probation officer...]

Eh-? What, really? [jaime? that-- wow. Manabu's surprised. but not too stupefied to not back away and let Jaime walk in, Scout's little legs motoring in the air all the while in vain attempts to lunge toward him.]

Wow. This isn't what I expected... [he expected meaner.

...taller.

(sorry Jaime)]

[khajidont]

Yeah, they're not, uh, super discerning when it comes to hiring probation officers, [ Jaime admits with a small laugh. He's not what anyone expects - too young, too small, not hard enough to take on an authoritative role, but they'd let him on anyway. Jaime's not sure why, but he's not going to complain. This way, he can do a little good as himself, and not just as the Blue Beetle. ] But they accepted my application anyway, so... here I am?

[ Oh. This isn't the best way to go about things. Jaime clears his throat. ]

But I still take this job seriously, just so you know! [ He rallies, wagging a finger at Manabu and then immediately retracting it when he considers that Scout might try and bite it off. ] Let's go in the kitchen and go over your case file? Or your living room? It's your house, I'm not gonna invite myself in wherever.

[ Oh. He's sucking at this again. ]

WE'RE ON A BOAT

[storyseeker]

[Elena might strive for objectivity in her profession as a journalist, but as a part-time underwater photographer/tour guide, something she sticks with from her first days here solely for the discount? Anything goes.

It's the end of her shift, it's a beautiful day, and she's with a friend she hasn't gotten to spend as much time with lately. Now that they're far enough out with a beautiful view, Elena idles the boat and opens the cooler, pulling out a couple of drinks and offering one to Jaime.]

Here you go. Much better than sea water.

WE'RE ON A BOAT MOTHERFUCKER

[khajidont]

Thanks!

[ Jaime accepts the drink and cracks it open, taking a moment of silence to just look out at the water spreading out beyond their view and admiring it. It's been a long time since he's been out on the water like this (the last time was on Will's boat, he's pretty sure), but it's a good reminder to try and get out here a little more. He's not much for fishing, but it's so quiet and peaceful out here. No wonder so many old dudes are, like, way into boats. ]

Man, it's so pretty out here. You've got the best job.

But where's T-Pain?

[storyseeker]

Not bad for a part-time thing, right? I'm so glad I stayed on after picking up more news work. And that they like me enough to let me use the boat for a while.

[She raises her soda in a toast to Jaime and takes a long swig. Ahh, icy cold.]

So what have you been up to? Anything exciting and/or scandalous?

t-pain has been replaced with the true baller, elena fisher

[khajidont]

Uhhhh.

[ Jaime pauses, then laughs. ] You know, I think I'm just not, like, an exciting or scandalous person. I'm mostly trying to work and go to college and trying not to die, but nobody wants to hear about how much coffee I've been drinking... or about my boring classes.

[ They're first-level courses. They're always boring. ]

How about you?

[storyseeker]

I do! I mean, not about the boring classes specifically. But I want to hear about your life.

[Now that he's asked about hers, though..she tucks some hair back behind her ear, looking a little shy all of a sudden.]

I'm good? Things are...okay, you have to promise not to laugh at me about this, because I feel silly. There's a guy.

[axeboyfriend]

[ Following a brief series of texts, Shinjiro shows up at the diner. It's a couple of minutes before the promised half an hour, but it was only ever meant to be an approximation. He glances around when he enters, looking to see if he recognizes Jaime sitting down from that brief glimpse he caught before. His hands are in his pockets, and if Jaime's the type to notice, he might realize it's the exact same outfit he wore at the party. ]

[khajidont]

[ Jaime got there nice and early, and as ever, he's nursing a cup of bad coffee between his cupped hands. He can't help but notice that Shinji's wearing the same damn thing, which makes him wonder if he has any other clothes, if he's homeless by force of habit, or --

Okay, no, none of his business. He doesn't know this version of him, and he can't go down that path quite yet. Instead he just raises one hand and waves Shinji over to his booth. ]

Hey, uh... hey. Over here.

[axeboyfriend]

[ He is in fact homeless by force of habit, but he's not trying to advertise it. Technically, he has a job and a home in Marturia Falls, but he hasn't been there since the beginning of October.

He notices the hand motion from the corner of his eye, and heads over to him. He slides easily into the opposite seat of the booth. ]

Hey, uh.... Jaime?

[khajidont]

Yeah, that's right.

[ There's one good thing about seeing Shinji in the flesh before now, and that's that he's managed to steel himself for the lack of recognition in Shinji's eyes. It's not so bad, once you prepare yourself for it, and Jaime's given a bit of reprieve by the waitress swinging by and taking Shinji's order. ]

It's, um - it's nice to meet you. Sorry about booking it at the party. You kind of took me by surprise. [ Jaime clears his throat awkwardly, averting his gaze for a second as he tries to figure out how to say this. ]

Yusuke told me that he already told you about how duplicates show up here, sometimes. The same person, from different timelines. Stuff like that.

[axeboyfriend]

Yeah, he....

[ Shinjiro lets his voice trail off as he realizes where Jaime's probably going with this. He's quiet for a moment, staring down at the table. There's a million thoughts running through his head, many of them unpleasant— though none aimed at Jaime, at least. When he speaks up, his voice his quiet. ]

You knew another version of me.

[ It isn't a question. ]