one | video

[bolthead]

[Two weeks on the turtle and Barry has, more or less, familiarized himself with the various locations and populations. He's gotten the majority of his initial questions answered and now it's just a matter of spending the rest of his free time - of which he has a lot - learning as much as he can about the situation on the turtle.

He's also discovered that Hal is somehow still incapable of taking care of himself without roping others into helping him. Hence this tiny PSA.]

If anyone's lent out money to a man named Hal Jordan and hasn't been paid back yet, feel free to stop by EA-2C and I'll make sure it gets back to you. Thanks for [not punching Hal's face in] helping him settle in. I appreciate it.

[He flashes a quick smile at the console before he clicks it off.]

Comments

video

[backwordscompatible]

Which one?

[Kinda need to be a bit more specific than that around here.]

video

[bolthead]

[Bart's told him enough about the other residents of the turtle that Barry stares just a nanosecond longer at the girl on his screen than he would've otherwise. She hasn't given a name yet but there's enough familiarity to her features to completely dismiss possible identities right out of hand.

Also sorry Hal, Barry's going to bash your fashion tastes just a tad.]

The one with the really bad taste in jackets.

video

[backwordscompatible]

[Uh-oh. She knows that look. At least...she thinks she knows that look. On her end, Zatanna definitely did not recognize that face. Not without a mask. But, then again, she hadn't known who Kyle was before meeting him. Or Shayera. Unfamiliarity on her end was slightly more common.]

[...of course, by now, she's also almost used to it, and decides to wait until he realizes first before saying anything.]

Mmm...I'm not sure I've seen both their jacket tastes just yet. I might have to hold back until I know just how harshly to judge.

video

[bolthead]

[There is no judging in that look! Just a few mental calculations. And maybe some 'oh god why are you so young' added in for good measure, if this really is Zatanna.]

You'll know it when you see it. The thing must be ten years old by now but he still wears it. It's like his safety blanket, though he might kill me for saying so.

video;

[wingedwarrior]

[Wow, and she didn't like Hal before.] He's that bad, huh?

video;

[bolthead]

[Hey Shayera, long time no see except yoooou don't recognize him do you? Barry's gotten something of a debriefing from Bart which means he's uncertain enough of where he stands with Shayera to color faintly at having essentially insulted his best friend in front of a potential stranger.]

Not that bad. He's just...very single-minded sometimes.

[And also in need of a few money management classes.]

video;

[wingedwarrior]

[Nope, sorry, Barry. She only knows your nephew.] Figured that out from the first time I met him.

[video; private; ignore the icon: no mask]

[backinakidflash]

[Bart is making this face forever.]

That's how you say hello? You have your address and not your name? Tim's got me so paranoid I'm encrypting mine anymore - my ears are gonna get pointier if this keeps up. Anyway, why can't Hal just handle his own business?

[video; private]

[bolthead]

I wasn't trying to say hello.

[Barry may or may not be acting childishly stubborn because it feels like he's being chastised right now - by his own grandson of all people - and it puts him slightly on edge.

It shouldn't - Bart's family and that should put him right at the top of the priority queue, but between investigating the turtle and catching up on what he's missed being gone and just plain being uneasy, Bart's unfortunately slipped a couple of notches.

He tries not to let it show though.]

And I'm sure he could, but by the time he remembers half the people he owes money to probably won't even be here. [Also it's become sort of second nature by this point anyway.] He's a great guy, just not with money.

[video; private]

[backinakidflash]

[It isn't really chastising - Bart's worried that boom! Barry Allen - is going to upset some people who haven't found out about the alive again thing. Saying hi might have been an easier way to break it to people. Then again, everyone's a gossip, and surely someone else had to have bumped into him by now. Someone besides Bart, who has clamped down on the knowledge because he isn't sure what to do with it. Batman has to know by now - he knows everything, and Superman's probably heard him. Someone would have blabbed. Right?

He shrugs at the explanation.]

It's only money. [Which is downplaying it more than he would back home, but he doesn't have a job anymore there and he does here. Besides, the only thing he's worried about is feeding himself, and even if he was penniless, his friends wouldn't let him starve.] There's not a lot of bills here.

anonymous; audio; Batcryption 100%

[hackingyoursensors]

People actually loaned him money?

audio; Batcryption 100%

[bolthead]

Surprisingly, yes. I'm guessing they weren't familiar with his monetary habits.

[Just like Barry is not familiar with this voice filtering over his console speakers. There's heavy implication that whoever's on the other line is familiar with Hal's habits - and thus Hal himself - which narrows the pool down a little but not enough.

Either way, it won't hurt to be cautious.]

He doesn't owe you anything, does he?

anonymous; audio; Batcryption 100%

[hackingyoursensors]

[He laughs]

No, no. I know better. I wouldn't give him money expecting to get it back.

You have no idea who this is, do you?

voice;

[barebacking]

Oh dear... what happened to it all?

voice;

[bolthead]

He probably spent most of it. He [ah, how to put this politely] has a hard time holding onto money.

voice;

[barebacking]

Gambler?

video;

[imaginate]

[So. Barry Allen. He's only seen pictures and heard stories - it's a little like meeting Hal all over again, all those years ago. The other League members have memories of this guy, and Kyle can't help but feel a little resentful at possibly having to go through hey I'm the new guy again. And part of it at Wally, for having the confidence (arrogance?) to try and surpass his predecessor, something Kyle knew he'd never be capable of, let alone do.]

[He's never had to consciously choose how to present himself, but eventually he elects for civilian clothes, everyone can see the ring anyway, and when the video feed switches on he's smiling, albeit nervously.]

If you need a hand with that, we're just a phone call away.

video;

[animosus]

[Kyle, stop encouraging him.]

He doesn't need a hand.

[If he ever stopped to think about it, he might figure out that Kyle's potentially nervous about this. But in his opinion, Kyle is great and what hang ups about being his replacement? There are no problems with being a legacy character.]

video;

[imaginate]

[Hal, you should've been around to see Kyle get compared to you all the time, with Oliver Queen as the ringleader. Well, Kyle ended up spoiling the X-Files for you, that's suitable revenge.]

Well, you do, or he wouldn't be offering.

[Lanterns watch each other, that's how it goes. This is kind of embarrassing that Barry got there before Kyle did, even if Barry's technically Hal's best friend.]

video; anon location; 100% batcrypted

[demon_brat]

[Because why would Damian deviate from Dick's example? Hi, Barry, have another tiny Robin.]

And how much did you loan him?

video; anon location; 100% batcrypted

[bolthead]

[At least this one had the good sense to use video, even if he still doesn't know who's behind the mask. Damn it Bruce, what kind of methods are you using to train your Robins and why have you not taught them basic manners?]

During my short stay here so far or during the entire time I've known him?

[Because the answers are vastly different.]

video; anon location; 100% batcrypted

[demon_brat]

[... hey, this is Damian on reasonable behavior. You should see how nicely the conversation went with Peggy. Carter.]

I'd like to retract my question and change it to 'why do you keep doing it?

[video]

[flamingshortshorts]

[It's none of his business and maybe Toro shouldn't laugh about it, but this guy sounds like he's all right, if he's already trying to pay off his friend's debts.]

You know a good friend when they pay the tab for you.

[video] oh my god I'm sorry this is so late

[bolthead]

The tab and everything else.

[Thankfully the everything else is once in a blue moon, but.]

I'm guessing you know this from experience? Though I hope you're not the one always paying off the tab.

[video] considering i've been late before, you're fine /pokes

[flamingshortshorts]

[Toro laughs.] He pays the tab, I get dragged into crazy situations he comes up with. Pretty sure somewhere in there he's getting the better half of the deal.