OPEN

[republicrelic]

WHO: Captain Rex (ordinarily ct_7567), all aged up to Grandpa Rex & YOU
WHERE: In his home in Maurtia Falls, generally around Maurtia Falls!
WHEN: Throughout the Feywild Event
WHAT: Rex is all aged up physically & mentally and, somehow, tries to carry on his normal life.
WARNINGS: Probable canon-appropriate discussions of war, but nothing much! If you'd like a dedicated starter, please feel free to wildcard it up or plot with me through PM/chat with me on plurk @ wisdombitch!



o1. home.

[ Rex winds up spending most of his time at home. It seems easier that way, where he can get his bearings and choose who comes in and who comes out. Anyone who sees him will see that he's changed, of course. He's put on weight, his unnaturally skinny frame good and filled out by now, skin dark and covered densely in freckles from too much time left in the sun, but his demeanor's different too. More comfortable in some ways and less comfortable than others, but people have rarely seen him kick his legs up before.

At least now he's figured out how to cook. If you come to visit around mealtime, you might even come to the smell of bacon crackling merrily away on the stove, Rex standing before it and poking it around with a fork. He might not be so nice to look at - not that anyone considered him as such except for Andy - but at least you'll get something to eat from him other than bacon burnt to a crisp or under-rendered and flabby. It's a trade-off. ]

o2. gossip.

[ The last time Rex was here - last month, in fact - he had been the subject of some gossip from some of the bored househusbands and housewives he'd gotten to know at Martin's soccer practices, gleeful over that brand new ring on his finger. Now, it's something else entirely as he stumbles upon them having coffee outdoors together, heads simultaneously turning to gawk unashamedly at Rex, now much, much older. When he confirms that he is indeed Rex, he takes one look at their faces, plants his hands on his hips and lets out a sharp bark of laughter, more mirthful than most get the chance to see him. ]

Hah! Not so interested now, are you? And here I'm more age appropriate for you now than I was before.

[ He even winks at one before he walks away, chuckling to himself at their scandalized expressions. ] Ladies. Gentlemen.

[ He really didn't enjoy this enough when he had the chance. He's aware that he's probably a sight, mouth twisting underneath that snow-white beard, still stubbornly wearing that old, scratched up chestplate and gauntlets of his, evidently too secure in them to even play at trying to fit in more the way he did before. He can't quite bring himself to care. ]

o3. headbutts.

[ Rex technically looks like an easier target now, especially on the mean streets of Maurtia Falls, but he's far from harmless. Which is why when he gets approached by a motley group of muggers (there really aren't enough of them to take him on, he thinks), one of them hooking his hand into the divot of Rex's armour and tugging him towards him, sneering, give it up old man, Rex operates on instinct alone.

What this means isn't that he punches the man. It doesn't mean that he reaches for his blasters, hidden underneath the coat he's wearing over the whole ensemble. It means that he rears his head back and headbutts the man as hard as he can. The man goes down and Rex grimaces, rubbing at his forehead. He's really got to stop doing that. It's not good for what brain cells he's got left. ]

o4. coffeeshop.

[ It's one thing to be on the move. It's another entirely to actually slow and take in where he is and how different it is from where he's been. To become used to this when he was still a young man had been an upward climb after the life he'd had. Now, he may be better equipped to exist in public as a concept but after years of relative solitude, of being on the run, of scarcely being able to show his face for fear of what would happen next save for in the seemingly endless bunkers and ships of the rebellion, it's hard. Maybe it was never destined to be easy for him.

He finds a corner to sit in facing the door as he sits and watches the people come in and out, not a care in the world, gaze distant and faraway. It's not so odd, seeing someone sit and quietly drink their caf, but his knuckles are white where they're gripping onto the handle of the cup. ]

Comments

4 sonboy

[republicrelic]

[ Once Andy's been told, it's time for a different conversation. He doesn't know if it will be easier or harder. All things said and done, Martin might take it easier, aware that it, like all things in this place, will be temporary, less gripped than Andy by what the passage of time truly means for those around her.

Or maybe it'll just freak the poor kid out. God knows he loves Martin, but he's not always the easiest to predict. The smallest things will spook him, and then when it comes to something that's big, he'll take it in stride.

Ah, well. Nothing for it. He picks up his communicator and gives him a call. ]

Martin? I need to tell you something before you come home.

[darkov]

Hel-hello? Hello, I--sorry-- [he sounds harried, winded.

after a breath.] Sorry, I had to...to, uh, run outside. It was loud. Sorry. Hello?

[republicrelic]

It's fine, take your time.

[ He can't help the tenderness that blooms in his chest. He only just remembered Martin and never had to miss him, or anyone else from here, in his time spent away. But now that he does, he finds himself missing him terribly. He's a sweet kid. He'd scold his younger self for not appreciating him enough, but he's damn sure that he'd done his best. ]

You don't have to come rushing home. I'll be here when you're finished your shift. You just need to know that something's happened. There's, ah...

[ Well, he's not a fatherly age anymore, that's for damn sure. ]

You remember when I got turned into a tyke?

4 poe

[republicrelic]

[ Rex was scheduled to go over to help Poe with a few things around Base One today. He wouldn't have remembered otherwise for obvious reasons, but luckily for him, his past self kept a detailed calendar of all of his duties, social or otherwise, and he's been able to defer to his schedule for where he's expected.

It's odd, though, coming back and realizing the man that he's come to think of as a close friend is actually the son of Shara and Kes, young spitfires that they were, raring for a fight when the last time he had actually seen the man, he was all dark curls and long lashes and pudgy cheeks --

All right, so Poe's still got the dark curls and the long lashes. He gives the kid a call anyway, knowing better than to just show up. ]

Poe? I'm on my way now, but we've got something of a situation.

[ His voice is different too. Rex is as warm as he gets around Poe on a good day, but he's awkward, stilted, uncomfortable in his own skin. Rex's voice is a little lower, a little more hoarse, but there's more warmth and good humour in there than is usually offered without something to instigate it. ]

I'm sure you've seen what's been happening on the network. It got to me too. I'm a bit older than when you saw me last. [ A beat, then wryly, ] More than a bit, some might say, but it hardly makes a difference after a certain point.

[flightforfreedom]

[ Poe stood up and wiped his brow with a dirty glove, leaving a streak of mud across his face as he answered the call.

His eyebrows raised as he listened. In truth he had been working all morning and hadn't been paying attention to his comm, but, well, he'd lived here long enough now to take these things in stride. ]

Older? Well, uh - how much older are we talking, here? Are you okay?

[ The voice was so much more easy going that he almost hadn't recognized it. He tossed the gloves and the shovel on the ground. ]

You, uh-- should I come over there, or something?

[republicrelic]

No need. I'll be there soon. I had this penciled in.

[ Should Poe be flattered that he was apparently important enough to be written in Rex's planner, or does the man just pencil in everything? That would probably be the real mystery here if they weren't dealing with an anomaly in time. ]

I'm older, not broken. I'm about fifteen years older now. Fresh off the Battle of Endor. You grew up with one or two stories about that fight, I'm sure.

3

[devilishly_handsome]

Anton was avoiding people in general, which means when he saw shady looking characters in the area, he'd tucked himself away in the shadows of an alley, watching what was happening at a safe distance. Of course when he sees them walking towards an old man, he wants to shout a warning, but it looks like the old man is already aware of their presence, and Anton, terrified, stays locked in place.

Fortunately, the old man is able to deal with the muggers quite well, and they quickly flee when they see he isn't the easy target they'd assumed.

Anton, impressed, forgets that his plan had been to avoid people, and he rushes out, curious about the old man.

"That was amazing! Where'd you learn to fight like that?"

[republicrelic]

Rex whirls around, raising his fists as soon as Anton springs out into the open, ready for a fight proper this time, but relaxes when it becomes apparent that the kid isn't intending to attack him anytime soon. It's not a perfect fit, but he looks like a Devaronian by Rex's reckoning, and a young one at that.

He forces his shoulders to relax, letting his hands fall back to his sides, a little charmed by the boy's enthusiasm despite himself. "If that's enough to impress you, kid, you haven't seen anything yet. I'm a soldier. Have been for most of my life." He crouches down beside the fallen mugger, rooting around his pocket until he finds a wallet, and then... five other wallets. Well, he did say he was a mugger.

"Lowlives like these are no match for a little professionalism." He tosses one of the wallets at Anton. "Do me a favour and help me look through these so we can find his ID. It'll make things simpler in the long run."

[devilishly_handsome]

"I haven't really been around soldiers much," he admits. He takes the wallet flipping through it, not really sure what an ID was, but hoping he'd know it when he found it. He does find a card with a picture of a woman in the corner, and he's guessing the picture should be of the man if it was his, because he can't imagine how else he's supposed to know who it belongs to.

"So I'm guessing the little portrait is supposed to match the person carrying the card? Because if so, this one isn't his."

03 because of course

[bodilesswarrior]

[ She still hasn't entirely grasped what the hell is going on. She's been Batgirl for almost a year now, thought she was prepared for pretty much anything, but "randomly teleported to a city that doesn't actually exist"? That's a little bit overwhelming.

But there's a constant, she thinks, in every world: people need heroes. That's why she ended up in another Batcave. She doesn't dwell on why her suit was in a memorial case; it fits, and it's functional.

It's no coincidence that she ends up in Maurtia Falls; from what she can tell, its crime rate is the most comparable to Gotham's. By the time she sees Rex, a bruise is blooming on her cheek and deep scrapes scar the bat on her chest. That doesn't slow her down any - not until he saves himself with brutal style.

Her gaze is concerned, but her grin is delighted. ]

I've got some Tylenol if you want it. [ Her voice is lower and rougher than normal; she may not need to disguise it in a different universe, but she's not taking any chances. ]

[republicrelic]

I'm fine, thanks.

[ His stubbornness against taking painkillers - even Tylenol - hasn't faded, at least. But when he turns to face Barbara, it's with a wry little smile underneath that beard. ]

If I go around babying myself every time I headbutt someone, I'll never learn my lesson. [ Rex takes a moment to scrutinize her. Wearing a mask isn't so unusual. The rest of her little ensemble, bat emblazoned on her chest included, is. ]

Ah. I remember now. You're one of those superheroes, aren't you? [ Does he understand superheroes? No. Did he ever understand superheroes? No, not really. It's just another one of those little quirks about this place. ]

It looks like you've been having an eventful night as well. Your armour must be more effective than it looks.

[ It hardly even looks like armour, but if it can sustain those scrapes, then it at least gets the job done. ]

[bodilesswarrior]

[ She accepts the refusal with a nod, and familiar frustration only dims her smile for a moment before she's smirking. Okay, that's a good point. (No one wins with a headbutt, even someone with a cowl and pointy ears.)

Then her expression turns rueful, almost bashful. ]

I do my best. The suit helps. It's - well, usually it's a blend of synthetic fibers tough enough to stop knives and bullets. This one is - new. [ And technically kind of stolen. ANYWAY, she's gesturing at his own armour now. ] Is that what you wear at home?

4

[rebelhealer]

[Anders got quite a shock this morning. When he went to brush his teeth, the man looking back at him in the mirror had blue skin, blue-black hair, and red eyes. His sclera is red and the irises are pinkish in color.

Figuring that it could be worse, Anders just goes about this day, deciding to get a coffee while he's out.

He enters the coffee shop, taking note of the old man who looks rather familiar. A few patrons turn to stare at him.]

Expecting trouble, serah?

Re: 4

[republicrelic]

[ Anders' appearance does garner him a longer look than he'd receive otherwise - as accustomed as Rex is to operating alongside non-humans, he's aware that they're something of a rarity here - but it's simple enough to understand that the man simply isn't human. As he approaches, he glances down at the table as if to see what it is that's caught Anders' eye until he realizes how tightly he's been gripping his cup, how intent he's been on keeping an eye on the windows and the door. ]

Ah.

[ Slowly, his fingers unfurl from the handle. ]

No, [ he says, forcing some levity into his voice. ] Old habits die hard. That's all. I wouldn't expect any more trouble here today than any other day.

[ Which is to say, there could be trouble. Rex never rules it out. But it's unlikely, just the wandering mind of an old soldier. ]

[rebelhealer]

Guess it doesn't hurt to be prepared.

[He waves a finger at his face.]

I'm just hoping this isn't a prelude to me turning into a blueberry or something, like in this book I read a while back.

[He thought it was just a book about a candy factory, he wasn't expecting awful things happening to kids when he read it.]

4.

[resoluteandunyielding]

She doesn't need to ask. She doesn't. This isn't Naboo. She's not in Theed. She's not in charge of this city here. She doesn't know any of the protocols for this place, or any of the people who are on the planet, no less in this caf dispensary, at all. She doesn't need to ask. She doesn't. Everything is weird, and the lack of other species is still even more so. But it's probably fine. Probably. She doesn't need to ask.


She doe- "Are you alright?" Okay.

Maybe there was a reason people called her serious studious precocious.

[republicrelic]

Rex doesn't recognize the kid. Not yet. He might not ever, if she doesn't tell him her name eventually; he hasn't got a good eye for what kids look like when they're grown up, and certainly not the other way around, not when by the time he'd met Padme she was already a woman grown, as regal and determined as she'd ever be. That, and he's tried not to think of her too often, over the years. It's just too damn sad.

He snaps back to attention when she speaks to him anyway, blinking hard to ward away whatever was threatening to get dredged up from the back of his mind.

"Ah. Yes. I'm fine, thanks." He looks her over. She's just a kid. "Are you all right? Your parents close-by?"

3

[killtime]

[ Rex might look like an easier target to the untrained eye. He's older now, sure. Much older. But the frailty of old age hasn't caught up with him just yet. Andy has half a thought for whether or not that's by design — but if anything, he fills out that armor even better now than he did when he was younger. The man is solid in the way that people living off the land sometimes get, if they know what they're doing — the functional bulk of hunting and building. Andy's not even sure she could throw him without breaking her fucking back now.

Watching Rex slam his forehead into his wouldbe mugger's face, she makes a mental note to herself — it would definitely be fun to try.

She takes her time catching up with him, glancing down at the crumpled figure on the ground and offering only the small effort of nudging Rex's victim with the toe of her boot. Wryly, with the corner of her mouth quirked up: ]

Can't leave you alone for a second, can I?

[republicrelic]

He started it, [ Rex says mildly, crouching down beside the man and rooting through his pockets. He comes up with a few wallets with, as he's sure, a few more that are probably hidden elsewhere. He tosses a couple to Andy to flip through as he searches for the man's ID. ] Here.

[ Andy won't find the right one, on account of the fact that Rex found it first, eyes lighting up with recognition. ] Ah. Looks like we've got ourselves one Joseph Reid. [ His eyes flick over his prone body. ] I don't buy for one second that he's really 6'2", but the face measures up. [ He raises a brow at Andy. ] Think they'll still let me book him?

1 hello older bro

[loyal_soldier]

[The files that Sergeant TK-622 left for him had included more than he knew what to do with. More than he'd been allowed to listen to. He'd stopped the recording before it ended, on orders from his older self. But most importantly, the files had contained a list. People that the sergeant had considered potential threats and friendlies.

And one of them in particular had absolutely jumped out at him. A captain from the 501st? The original 501st? That was almost as wild as seeing what he was going to look like in five or six years.

He'd done the responsible thing first: He'd reported in to Aegis, where his older self was deputized--the sergeant, he kept thinking of him as the sergeant. He'd been given more orientation then, and done a shift helping with the response in HQ. But when that was done... he started thinking about the files again. And about the captain.

And about how alone he felt, without a squad of fellow trainees.

There was an address for the captain in the files. With no other direction to go in, that seemed like a good idea. Regroup with friendlies.

Of course once he got to the doorstep, everything was all back to nerves again. You weren't actually supposed to go seek out superiors on off-hours unless you had a reason. Did he really have one? One that mattered?

No. He did. He was reporting in with a status update. Hello sir, I'm smaller than you probably remember.

He pressed the button for the doorbell before he could stop and think harder about how dumb that sounded.]

[republicrelic]

[ When, from Rex's perspective, he suddenly remembered years of a life he'd never known, he remembered all of it. That includes 622. That includes how 622 had died. So he'd thought about that for a while, thought about the fact that he came here days off of his participation in a battle that was key in making sure that 622 and countless others would meet their untimely ends and then made the conscious decision not to think about it. Or, at least, if he had to think about it, it should probably be closer to the bottom of that booze Andy keeps under the bottom sink than something to be dealt with on top of everything else. If he remains like this, he'll be able to deal with it in time. Later.

What he isn't expecting is for 622 to show up at his doorstep. He stops and just stares for a moment, struck dumb. This could be some other kid, still undergoing training. If Rex were anyone but himself, that would be a very real possibility that passed through his head. But even some fifteen odd years away and a few years away on 622's part, he'd recognize that expression anywhere. Earnest in the way that's usually beaten out of a trooper as experienced as 622 will become, something stubborn and eager all at the same time at the tilt of his jaw. ]

622? Is that you, kid?

4

[codeofiron]

[Brandon always scans a room when he enters it, a habit he's had no reason to give up. Here, though, part of the motivation is to see if Rex has also stopped in today.

The older man in the corner has a familiar face, bearded though it is and unframed by any blond buzz cut. Another clone? But what are the odds of a newly Ported-in clone turning up here? And the way he's gripping that handle...

A Port out, and back in?]

Rex?

[republicrelic]

[ There's at least one good thing about Rex's hypervigilance - well, there are many good things, not that everyone in his life wants to hear it - and that's that he noticed Brandon around the same time as Brandon noticed him. His eyes widen a little. ]

Brandon? Well, I'll be.

[ He recognized him. That's a start. ]

I'm surprised you recognized me.

03

[kraythero]

He'd escorted Padmé to Maurtia Falls but she's requested to finish her errands alone. After making sure they could contact each other and promising to, they'd split up.

Anakin might only be a Padawan but he'd felt...something strange here. A disturbance in the Force. So he walked, letting the Force guide him, trying to understand it.

As it was then he saw an older man ram his head into another, the group surrounding him looking (feeling) like they were going to turn violent. Anakin rushed over, saber hilt in his hand, concentration tight and pushed shoving them away from the man they'd surround.

"Disperse!" He attempted to bark the order, as he'd seen and heard Obi-Wan do, but his voice was his highish and squeeky. There was still some weight to it however.

[republicrelic]

Rex stiffens as soon as he hears the sound of a lightsaber behind him. You'd figure after all this time - after all this time working with Jedi in the rebellion again - he would get used to it, but for some reason it always puts him on edge until he can get his wits about him again.

No. Not for some reason. For damn good reason. He's seen people wield it poorly, has faced lightsaber wielders in battle before (not that he ever had a chance of winning or ever really tangibly won), and knows what butchery they can inflict if the person holding it knows nothing of kindness, of honour. But quickly after hearing the sound of the lightsaber, he hears a squeaky voice and realizes it's a kid.

God save him from Padawans. They always manage to worm their way into his heart, every single one. It's because they do this. Jump into things half-cocked. The muggers do take a step back, rightfully worried about a lightsaber and a kid capable of telekinesis.

"You heard the kid," Rex says, planting his hands on his hips. "I could finish up with you lot with one hand tied behind my back. And now I've got back-up. With a laser sword? You ever see what happens to someone hit by one of those things? Because I have, and it's not pretty. Go on. Scram."

What Rex lacks in the Force, lightsaber acumen and other extraordinary powers, he makes up for in a quiet confidence. Maybe it's his words that makes the others run. Probably not, he thinks. It's probably the terrifying laser sword.

He turns to look him over, taking measure of him. He does look awfully familiar, doesn't he? Mildly, he says, "I did have it handled, you know."