CATCH-ALL FOR JANUARY

[khajidont]

WHO: JAIME REYES / BLUE BEETLE, MAGNUS BURNSIDES or CAPTAIN REX
WHERE: Everywhere!
WHEN: Throughout January!
WHAT: A catch-all! This worked better than spamming the comms with three catch-alls, so i'm doing it again. This is where I'm going to set up log threads for Jaime (who will be around as the blue beetle, at the garage, doing various domestic things, etc.), Magnus (who will be volunteering at the shelter, carving, wrestling, all his burly boy things), and Rex (who will be training, doing police work, otherwise doing that thing stoic characters do where they seem to glare at nothing in particular).
WARNINGS: None anticipated! If you want anything, please feel free to set up a thread, or if you'd like me to do so, PM me or hit me up on plurk @ wisdombitch and I'd be happy to get something started. I always like new CR!

Comments

ARCHIE

[burlyboy]

[ In the middle of January, Magnus finally brings over the last chair to complete Archie's new home, strapped across his back as he knocks merrily on Archie's door. In truth, he's been worried about the big lug. He knows there's a limit to how much you can talk about how sad you are that your friends are gone and have most likely forgotten you, so instead he shows support the way he can: by providing literal support. His chairs are pretty damn good for the lumbar system!

He knocks loudly on his door. ]

Hey, bud! Special delivery!

[ Everyone else has gone, sure - but Magnus doesn't think he's going anywhere. He hasn't yet, right? ]

[h2no]

[honestly, archie is vastly well off for magnus's support. literal and figurative-- he'd taken it hard the first few days, but with the unrelenting support of his friends, he had managed to crawl his way back to something of a functional state. he's still a little antsy, but it's mostly because of what had happened around this time last year, rather than sadness for losing red and blue. his stupid kids... it's probably for the best they're not around at this time.

he opens up the door, grin splitting his face the moment he sees who it is.]

Yo, Mango! [he laughs lightly, standing aside for him to come in.] Did it come with extra cheese on it?

[.........bad joke.]

[burlyboy]

We-ell, normally my furniture does better without slopping grease all over it, but I'm pretty sure I do have some cheese in my pocket, actually. So that could be arranged!

[ ...Is he joking?

Either way, he bustles into Archie's home. He doesn't bother putting the chair down; instead, he just toes off the heels of his boots and wiggles his feet around until they inevitably fly off into a disorganized heap at Archie's door. ]

Let's get this guy with his brothers! I call this... The Lounge Lad.

[h2no]

I'll take it greaseless, thank you. [he says with a snort, leading magnus inside. the other pieces of furniture he's made are all laid out... y'know. where you'd expect the furniture to be. he's clearly made himself at home using them as he would normally. not gonna be weird about this.

he barks another laugh as magnus says the name of the piece of furniture.] Good for a lad to lounge in... you gonna model it for me?

[never mind, he is being very weird about it.]

[burlyboy]

[ Magnus sets the chair down and plants his hands on his hips, whistling lowly as he looks at the bounty of his hard work. That's a complete set. He whistles. ] Man, I haven't done a complete set of these in years. Must be going on ten years now.

[ It still doesn't feel right to run an actual carpentry business, but... hell, maybe he'll get there someday. Right now, though, it feels right to do this sort of thing for friends. And it feels good, getting back into the swing of things again. He missed it.

As for Archie's question... he topples into it sideways, over the armrest, legs akimbo in the air. ] Sure thing, bud! Nice and sturdy, see? [ He twists in the seat, resting his chin on the heel of his hand, just like one of those French girls... sort of. ]

If it can handle me, it can handle you.

[h2no]

And so quickly, too! [unaware:] Why don't you start a commission business?

[archie laughs loudly and good-naturedly when magnus topples over into the chair. magnus's work is always and always will be incredibly impressive, but it's still pretty neat to see the chair withstand such a large lad lounging in it with nary a problem.]

If I had a dollar for every time I heard that... alright, gotta decide where it's goin'!

[burlyboy]

Nope! I'm good!

[ Well, that was a fast response. He hops off of the chair and watches Archie move the chair around, figuring out where he wants it. The guy's looking good. Better than he thought he'd be, honestly. It's a relief - and proof that Archie's forward momentum is cumulative, not something that can be derailed as quicky as it used to be.

He scratches at his stomach through his shirt, contemplating how to bring this up. ]

Hey Arch, do you have any tattoos?

[h2no]

Fair enough.

[it's an easy enough answer for him. being good at something doesn't mean he has to do it to sustain himself. besides, magnus is plenty good at other stuff. archie still vastly enjoyed those wrestling matches, even if he found out the hard way it was staged.

it takes him a few moments, but he finds a good spot for it. living room area, near the couch.

at the question, archie doesn't verbally answer. just pulls off his tshirt to reveal a full back tattoo of a strange looking image in a dark, dull navy blue with teal outlines. he even puts both his arms up in a flex, because since joining aegis he's been working on increasing the buff to a good degree, and gives magnus a moment to take it in. then turns and grins.]

It took ages! No regrets. [he doesn't really seem to care why magnus asked? he flops into the chair dramatically.] What about you?

[burlyboy]

[ Magnus whistles admiringly. ]

Damn. That's some good work. [ He slaps Archie on the back. ] And you're looking great, bud! You've been hitting up the gym. Very foxy!

[ As for Magnus himself... ]

I got a ton. Got a smiley face riiiiiight around here - [ it's on his ankle, right on the bone ] - and some designs on my hip right here, and, uh, a few others.

[ He's not embarrassed of them - they represent a fun time in his life - but he doesn't feel like hunting them all down. ]

But the big one's this one, [ he says, raising one arm and, yes, flexing. Right on his bicep is a criss-crossed hammer and tongs. ] It's the only one that really means something. Been meaning to get more like that.

[h2no]

My end goal is to be able to lift you.

[said with a raise of the eyebrows, likely a stupid gymboy flirt if it had been directed at literally anyone else.

archie leans forward, resting his chin on his hand as magnus talks through his own. he expected more, honestly? now he thinks about it. magnus very much seems like the kind of person that would come back with a new tat every time he went out and got hammered. actually, he's kind of surprised that's not the case for himself as well?]

Mmm, the thought's crossed my mind a few times. I wanted to get some more back home as well. What were you thinkin'?

RIPTIDE

[ct_7567]

[ So here's the thing: Rex is very, very good at his job. It's part of why they haven't managed to oust him yet. It's to be expected from someone of his rank - much of the work he does is, quite frankly, beneath him - but it's not something that the MFPD is entirely accustomed to, nor is it something they entirely welcome. At any rate, it would have been good for their reputation for an imPort police officer to see such success in the field, distracting from that which they'd rather sweep underneath the rug.

There's only one problem, and that's that Rex is far, far worse at PR than even their surliest veteran officer. When he's not blatantly telling people he has no intention of answering their questions and marching past them, he's blankly staring ahead at parade rest without a trace of personality to be seen.

So today, instead of getting a start on what Rex considers to be valuable tasks, they've tossed him into a conference room with someone they've hired as a PR expert. And so here Rex sits, looking as dour as most expect he did the day he was born. ]

takes over this catch all

[knaval]

[and in walks the person who could not be any more different from rex if he tried. riptide shows up on time (though it was a struggle to wake himself up properly, he looks quite disheveled) and in a hoodie and jeans, hands in his pockets. he'd recognised rex's name when he'd been asked to do this, but he doesn't... know anything about the guy, really. last they'd even looked at each other was during fanport, and even then...

well, anyway, riptide plonks his big gangly butt into the chair at the head of the room and kicks a leg up on the desk.]

Hello again! Right, I have all day to do this and I've already been paid. We can do about an hour then have a six-hour recess. Sound good?

i just have ALL JABS ALL THE TIME and god bless u for it

[ct_7567]

Oh. It's you.

[ He's actually a little pleased, though. He'd been dreading this since he was told it was something he had to do and it's a gratifying thing, walking in and seeing someone who cares just as little about it as he does. ]

You're the teacher here. My job's to follow your lead. Nothing less, nothing more. [ Which is to say: this is the best news he's had all day. ]

t poses to assert dominance

[knaval]

Don't sound too delighted.

[riptide pulls one of the drawers open on the desk and takes out a small remote for the projector. he turns it on and wildly, the projector projects.]

They put together a presentation I'm supposed to give you and they expect an essay, just so you know. [the title card of the presentation on the board reads The Public And You: How To Interact With Civilians."] Whoof, right. So I'll start--

What's your civilian experience? 'Cause mine is mostly them screaming and running away from me. Back home, I mean.

[ct_7567]

An essay.

[ If anything, Rex looks even less impressed. What the hell is an essay going to do? He doesn't think he's ever written one in his life. Reports, yes. Essays? On this? This is what they're wasting his time with? ]

I hope they're paying you well for this. [ He'd say he's not getting paid enough for this, but, well. He's not used to being paid at all. The fact of the matter is, nobody could ever pay him enough for this. That seems to be one of the tenets of the job. ]

Back home? My experience was mainly attending to them as a guard or leading a military troop meant to provide structure and aid. I had very little contact with them. And I spoke to them even less. Not my job. [ He eyes Riptide curiously. ] And why did they run away from you?

[knaval]

Yeaaa-hh. A whole twenty-page one!

[he clicks the remote again and the slide moves on. lots of pictures of clearly staged photos with cops (possibly actors?) smiling with non-cops.]

Well, they'd always be civilians of other races. We didn't really have any left by the time I was born... [he shrugs.] Turns out most of 'em aren't fans of guys thirty times their size. Who knew? Anyway-- I refuse to believe there wasn't at least one time you had to talk to them.

SABRINA

[burlyboy]

[ Magnus takes a few days to mull over his options before deciding that even if he doesn't entirely want to get everyone else involved in all of his weird shit, he doesn't have any better leads. Everyone else had wanted to help get to the bottom of it or look into why it was happening but nobody had actually had any ideas as to how to get his memories back. His best lead is Sabrina. And she had offered, after all.

After they finish dinner - whether Sabrina eats it or not, Magnus tends to cook in amounts large enough for the whole household; it's all humble stews and crusty bread and cheese, huge quantities of pasta in simple sauces, or eggs stewed with tomatoes and other simple cooking of its ilk - and the evening grows older, he seeks Sabrina out in the living room. ]

Hey, Sabrina? You got a minute?

[melodramagic]

[ For the sake of all this, Sabrina has eaten a good sized portion to keep her strength up. She can't be certain attempting to pull someone's memories will drain her entirely, specifically since she's never done something like this before.

When Magnus finds her, she's simply relaxing with Salem, whose ears perk up when Magnus enters. ]

Yeah, I'm not doing anything. [ She picks Salem up and seats him on the floor instead. ] You alright?

[burlyboy]

Oh yeah, I'm fine. Hey there, bud.

[ Magnus bends down to rub his fingers together in Salem's direction, seeing whether or not he wants a good rub behind his ears. He's still getting used to dealing with cats instead of dogs, but at least his stint at the shelter has given him plenty of experience. ]

I was just wondering if you were, uh, ready to give that whole magic thing a shot. What is it that you can do, exactly?

[melodramagic]

[ Unfortunately, Salem wanders away uninterested in the rubbing, but he doesn't stray far. Sabrina knows it's because of the attack a couple of weeks ago that has him slightly on edge, almost paranoid to let Sabrina out of his sights.

She turns to Magnus, sliding her legs off the couch so she can sit upright. Her jaw sets when he brings up the subject of her magic. ]

I'm... I'm a witch. Well, half-witch... but it's a long story. [ And not one she wants to dwell on when she needs a clear mind to enact a spell. ] I've been able to erase memories before, even establish new ones. I've never restored memories, but it can't be too difficult.

[burlyboy]

Half a witch? That one's new to me.

[ As far as Magnus knows, being a witch isn't something you're born as - it's something that you do. You're either a witch, or you're not. There's no half measures in it. But he's been here for long enough to realize that yeah, other people do shit differently, and it's not as though he gets magic anyway. He leaves that up to the others.

He'd be a lot more discomfited by her saying that she erases memories if he didn't work for an organization that erased the memories of an entire world so, Magnus reasons, he's probably in good hands. ]

Well, hell. It's worth a shot, right? [ He drums his hands nervously on his thighs. ] Is there something I gotta do? Some ritual or whatever...?

[melodramagic]

It's... weird to most back home. I'm an "anomaly" because warlocks and witches don't marry mortals.

[ Or have children with them... usually.

But again, she needs a clear mind. She takes a deep breath after shutting her eyes, relaxing her shoulders. ]

Not... that I know of. [ Probably not the best response, so she follows up with a much more confident: ] Just have a seat and relax. Clear your mind of everything except what you're trying to regain. I know that might be tricky, but maybe if you attempt to bring those thoughts to the surface it will be easier to pull them through.

[burlyboy]

Huh. Okay, yeah, we can talk about that later, 'cause that's not at all how it goes where I'm from.

[ But... later. He knows they have more important things to focus on right now. He takes a seat on the couch, planting his hands on his knees, and takes a deep breath, trying to figure out what the hell it is he should be focusing on.

As he breathes, he thinks about all the times Julia asked him about his village and his parents, if he'd ever gone back, the fuzziness of the sky, the nagging familiarity of Refuge, the figure in the red hood --

It's hard to hold on, but he's trying. ]

[melodramagic]

[ Sabrina patiently waits for Magnus to be visibly at ease, though she can understand if he's fretting internally. Lost memories aren't something one simply bats their lashes at; there's a serious, deeply unsettling vibe to it when your memories are tampered with without consent. To be violated in such a way... truth be told, Sabrina feels awful she did it to Harvey in the first place.

It's quiet in the room save for the hum of the fridge in the kitchen and Salem's distant purring as he watches closely. Sabrina reaches her hands out, her fingers gently pressed against Magnus's temples as she attempts to zone in on whatever's walled off his memories.

A curse? Something else? Time to find out. ]

Passage of time, fragments of mind.
Bind chains of the past and present, piece together that what is his to claim.
From beyond an unknown veil, bring back the unseen memory to duly align.

[ On Magnus's end, he'll feel nothing. Because nothing's happened, nothing's changed.

But for Sabrina, all she feels in her fingertips and at the forefront of her own mind is a bizarre white noise that only grows louder. It's almost akin to static and it's aggravatingly loud enough that she has to pull away with a small gasp. ]

Uh...

[burlyboy]

[ Magnus almost, but doesn't quite, say cool rhyme. He only just manages to hold back because he knows that he probably shouldn't interrupt her focus. Still - this is just another way in which her magic differs from any others he's known except, perhaps, an enterprising bard or two.

He stays very, very still underneath her, trying to keep his memories at the forefront of his mind when he hears Sabrina gasp. He jumps a little, eyes flying open, brow creased. ]

What is it? What'd you see?

[ It was bad. Oh boy, he knew it had to have been bad. ]