video.

[langsyne]

[For someone who's just found himself the winner of a cheap turtle cruise, Scott looks pretty calm sitting in his suite with his chin propped on the palm of his hand. He's skimmed the console posts and wheedled tiny bits of information from the kedan. He knows something is up with the turtle. ]

God only knows I deserve a vacation on a tropical turtle paradise right about now, but usually when I take my days off I like them sunny, not sickly. [Here he straightens, features losing some of their humor.] I know I'm the new guy around here, but if there's anything I can do to help, let me know.

[Admittedly, this might not be his best move considering he still has no idea why or by whom he was brought here, but no one's killed him (yet) so Scott's taking that as a good sign.]

Oh, and.

[The levity's back in his voice now but it's harder, more forced, and anyone paying attention can hear the undercurrent of worry slowly rising to the surface. He's already asked Tea but she'd only been one person and this turtle place is massive. Can't hurt to ask around more.]

If anyone's seen a group of nine kids - including two fish kids and a head in a jar - I'd also like to know, thanks. You can't miss 'em. Really.

Comments

[langsyne]

Sort of.

[Does it count if the only thing he teaches is How Not To Act Around Kids 101? More importantly: what kind of barrier? The kedan hadn't exactly exactly explained that part.]

Is it a magical barrier? Or something else?

[backinakidflash]

Sort of? So... substitute teacher? Guidance counselor?

[Sadly, yes, it does. Also, hey, he's looking for them. That's more than some would do.]

I think it must be. Also, can this not go the same way as the last new guy I told about the barrier? If you have to see for yourself, it's called a belay line.

[langsyne]

[After a long pause:]

More like a short-term-turned-indefinite babysitter? [ANYWAY MOVING ON.] And what happened with the last guy?

[backinakidflash]

Ouch. Sucks to be you.

[Bart shakes his head.]

He ignored the sage advice of a teenager - yours truly - who was totally trying to warn him that the barrier saps your powers if you've got any. Keep going, and it can knock you out. He tried flying up and out, and he found out the kid was right the hard way when he went careening back to earth. Luckily for him, I'm the permanently grounded sort. He's fine.

[langsyne]

[A sigh.]

Yeah, I know.

[Weirdly enough, he doesn't mind it too much anymore. Walking into the cacophany that is the dining room at breakfast still gives him a headache each morning, but it's part of his lifestyle now and he's pretty sure that not hearing that now that he's here and the kids aren't is going to take some getting used to.]

Good to know. I promise I won't use my non-existent flying powers to go check out the barrier. Any other barriers around here I should know not to smash into?

[backinakidflash]

How do you deal with nine? I'm pretty sure I got on Max's nerves, and he was only stuck with one of me.

[Nine > (Doodle of Impulse) ????? The thought bubble might as well be hanging over his head.]

It's a dome? Don't swim out too far either, with your equally nonexistent swimming powers. Everyone's powers are nonexistent right now, especially the ones that normally aren't theoretical.

[langsyne]

[Truthfully? He doesn't. He just kind of shoos them off to the watchful gaze of Dragon Man and proceeds to hole himself up in his room and tinker with his gadgets and toys. Except he's already gotten enough bad press that he doesn't feel like adding to that by sharing this little tidbit.]

Nonexistent forever or nonexistent temporarily until whatever's bugging the turtle goes away?

[backinakidflash]

Temporarily nonexistant. I hope. This whole average thing sucks.

[langsyne]

[That earns a laugh.]

Hey, average isn't so bad. [He's only ever been average and nothing more so he's quite used to it.] I take it you're one of the lucky kids who's always had powers then?

[backinakidflash]

[Whoops.] Hey! I don't have anything against average folks. I'm just addicted at this point.

[He has to think about the rest of it though, weighing the abnormal childhood against 'hey, I get to be a hero.' Bart's not used to thinking of it as lucky or not, and it's not an easy call.]

I think I'm lucky. And yeah - more or less always. I lost'em once before. It wasn't a good time.

[langsyne]

Well, you know what they say about addiction...

[There's no bite or warning in his words though. Actually, they're almost mocking in nature, because there are worse things than addiction in the world, and addiction to superpowers, no less.]

What is your power anyway? Or powers, plural, I guess.

[backinakidflash]

That the DSM-IV lists it and other compulsive disorders as a disease?

[Bart didn't actually mean that he was addicted, only that he was so accustomed to them as to miss them like hell.]

Heh. That's becoming part of the standard introduction around here. I should just start greeting people with "Bart Allen. Speedster." Watch - first person I try that on won't know with that means.

[langsyne]

Close enough. And what, speedster? Who doesn't know what that means?

[Shut up, Scott, not everyone gets to spend their adult years as part of a superhero team.]

But that's pretty cool. You have a fancy code name and everything too?

[backinakidflash]

No idea. But maybe there's someone? Somewhere out there. Who's never heard of one. I haven't met them yet though.

[Okay, even he knows not to answer such a direct question like that.]

Nope.

[langsyne]

[Fair enough. Scott's kind of given up on secret IDs considering who he hangs out with but this kid still has life in front of him, and probably lots of family and friends.]

So the next time I see a kid who looks remarkably like you wearing a jazzed up set of pajamas, I should avert my eyes and pretend like it's not actually you?

[backinakidflash]

[Bart is snickering at this, because, well. Teenaged Wally is here.]

I legit turned up in my pajamas. Went to bed. Woke up here. But if I had a 'jazzy' set, I think it's safe to say you'd never see me.

[langsyne]

[Bart can be amused when Scott accidentally calls Wally Bart one day.]

They really weren't kidding when they said life, death, or dreaming, huh? [That's actually kind of funny, though he's glad he himself didn't wake up in his PJs.] And wouldn't I technically not see you now if you ran fast enough?

[backinakidflash]

[Oh, he will be.]

Nope. 100% honest. I'm hoping everyone's just asleep somewhere.

Technically. But I can't run right now.

[langsyne]

Right, the power thing. But if it weren't here, how fast could you run? [Tiny eyebrow lift.] Or is that classified info?

[backinakidflash]

I think... right now, it's around light speed, the last time I was checked out. I've been faster. There were weird circumstances.

> threadjack; video; 50% encryption

[sciencewhizard]

What speed?!

[ Did Wally seriously just hear that his little future-cousin is faster than him? ]

video; 50% encryption

[backinakidflash]

[Bart is not little! They're around the same age. Just because you were born a millennium before him does not mean you're always older, Wally!]

Light? More than that and it's not safe for me right now. I can feel myself getting pulled in.

video; 50% encryption

[sciencewhizard]

[ Ffff. Don't rub it in more, Bart. ]

Light. Great. So what, I'm the slowest speedster in the bu-

[ Wait. ]

What do you mean, "pulled in?" Pulled in to what?

[langsyne]

[Consider Scott duly impressed.]

Wow. Not bad. [He has no idea how fast Quicksilver runs, but for a kid that's pretty damn good.] Wish I could run that fast. You ever tried racing the sun while it's rising or anything?

[backinakidflash]

Thanks. I'm not the fastest. Yet. I'm gonna get there.

Maaaybe. The sun cheats, man. It doesn't have to fight with terrain.