2013.05.21 - Flying Buttress

Monitor duty! No one is exempt. So it is that upon this beginning of third shift, Rokk comes in with a couple of coffees-- he looks up past Jazmin to the monitor banks and squints. "What the hell are CeCe and Booster doing with that ship?" he asks, baffled, nudging Jazmin to take one of the drinks he's holding. "Here, you're relieved. Do-- you know I don't think you're supposed to put ships on top of buildings to get them out of the way of mutant electric whale-sharks. Or whatever the hell that is."
No one is exempt, and some people seem to end up in here slightly more often than their shifts strictly warrant. Jazmin turns away from watching the show at Rokk's voice, reaching for the coffee as she's nudged with it. "I have absolutely no idea whatsoever on what they're doing, but it's been a riot to watch for the last while, I have to say. They are getting really creative in their approach to the situation, regardless of 'supposed to' or not."
Coming in with a tray of soyburgers and sweet potato fries for everyone on duty, Garth sets the tray in front of the other two, reaching to take his food and settles in to watch. "... Huh. How'd electric megamouths end up here? Ooo ouch, that's gotta smart for Booster... oh, he's got his force field up on time. Hnnnh... you know, I always thought those buildings would look better with a bridge between them..." 
"Oh yeah, no, they both tend to think laterally when they're-- oh jeez, grife," Rokk starts, then interrupts himself and puts a hand over his eyes, peeking through his fingers. He puts his coffee down and shuns the soyburgers, but definitely goes for the sweet potato fries, plonking down in a seat between Jaz and Garth. "That looked like it'll leave a mark. --is that a submarine? Did it just throw up a submarine?"
"I.. hunh." Jazmin reaches for fries first, they're the important ones to eat first, setting her coffee down to cool. "It's too soft for a submarine.. air ship maybe? I.. it could be a submarine, I suppose." She leans back in her chair, looking for all the world as if her feet are going to be up on the console in a moment. "I love the little postures, without even realizing they're doing it. Just adorbs."
"Grife... I think you're right, Rokk, it might be a submarine. Hard to tell... it looks like scrap metal by now. Huh... is that a ballet move CeCe's doing? That's a pretty good pirouette... what? Hey, I'm not a total culture illiterate, you know." Stuffing his mouth with a soyburger, Garth manages to mumble, "Fhghh ....!" at a particular Booster move. A cough, a swallow of his food, and then Garth manages to point a finger at the screen. "Sprock! Did you see that? Did he dive into the mouth, or did it swallow him?" 
"'Adorbs'?" repeats Cos, glancing aside to Jazmin, quizzical. "What does that even mean? --holy cats, she is doing ballet. Oh gross I think that was a dive, I hope he goes swimming before coming back..." Sweet potato fries get put back down, because despite the adorable posturing, exploded electric whaleshark thing is not very appetizing. Oh no! She's gonna whang him on the head with that yacht if she's not careful!"
"Adorbs." Jazmin replies confidently to Cos with a little smirk. "I heard it at the mall. Shush, I'm 'fitting in' to my current timeline." She apparently can eat fries through anything and gestures with one of them. "Totally a dive. Besides.. it's Booster. Of course he's going to dive." She chomps in silence a little bit longer, watching the ballet and yacht maneuvers. "She's got it.. he'll duck. Or he won't, and his forcefield'll get it. I feel sorry for the yacht."
"I don't think she's going to... oh grife, she is! Wait a minute, that shark is expanding like Bouncing Boy... sprock, Booster's force field is expanding... Oh holy sprock!" Dropping the soyburger onto the tray, Garth covers his eyes, peeking at the screen through his finger. "Christ, bat meet ball. That got ugly, fast. Awww poor Cece... Look at her. I'd totally go 'ewwww yuck!' too if I just exploded a shark the way she did. Uh... anyone seen Booster after she whacked the shark?" 
"That is so gross," Cos says reverently, after shoving Jaz lightly in the shoulder because mallrat, lol. He picks his coffee back up and then points at a monitor a little higher up. "He just splashed down over there, northwest of CeCe. At least I think that's him, it could be some stranded surfer. Oh that's just-- Laurel was right. Why are they zooming in on Thunder's butt?"
Jazmin pffts softly at the shove, apparently still able to eat through the gross. At least fries. They aren't squishy. She snorts softly and shakes her head. "Of course they zoom in on her butt. It sells them ad time. Sheesh. At least devote equal time to Booster's butt." She squints a little at the screen. "Maybe not right now, he's still kinda gooped."
"Just remember to watch your butt when you're out there, Jaz," Garth replies, as he picks up his soyburger again, and begins munching. "Grife, I feel guilty looking at Thunder's butt. It's... it's sort of like looking at a kid sister's butt." Pause. "... not that I've ever looked at Ayla's. Uh... are they done now? Man, Booster's going to need a long shower there."
"Yeah," says Rokk with a faintly uncomfortable laugh. And it's followed by a faintly uncomfortable silence. But then he just barrels right on past, since it looks like the fight's over and they're going into cleanup. "Man, Jeckie was right, by the way. The Charma I hadda deal with wasn't half so... very. As that one. I kind of feel bad for Booster! But that was really funny. Jaz did you watch the replay of Diana's tryout?"
"If I can actively see my own butt, I'm in bigger trouble than I like to think about." Jazmin points out with a smirk and a half laugh. She watches the screen, no matter that there's nothing going on during that silence, finally reaching for her burger. She nods at Rokk's question. "I did watch the vid of it." She pauses there, chewing thoughtfully for a moment as she considers it and then smirks a little. "Chains are an interesting look for Booster. Diana did really well, though. She's patient."
"I'll watch your butt for you," Garth volunteers, returning the smirk, before looking back at the screen. "They're gone? Huh... can't blame them for not sticking around for clean-up. Who wants to be picking shark bits out of everywhere?" 
Attention turning back towards Rokk, Garth nods. "She's really good. Everything the stories said. I have no idea why Clarkie didn't go for her." 
*WHOOSH* And there's the sound of an arriving Thunder. Mostly cleansed of Super Jaws of Space bits. She must have gone for a dip before returning, since her hair's still wet. "Good morning!" she says cheerfully. "That was fun! I felt kind of bad for those things, though, even if they were trying to eat us!"
When Booster does show up at the base, his force field is a translucent golden bubble around him, thoughtfully preventing water and worse things from getting all over the floor. He appears at the doorway, speaking to his little robot pal as he points into the room. "...and please research appropriate foundations for it, after you start on the apology. Thanks--oh," he gives a wave to the Legionnaires when he spots them, points at himself with one hand and gestures with his thumb to elsewhere, "I'm taking a shower." With that, he leaves again, although Skeets continues on into the room.
"She probably wound up with a Garth of her own," Cos says vaguely, waving a hand around and then pushing himself up out of his chair. "Besides, he's usually got human girlfriends, right? Whichever timeline. If you're gonna be here a couple minutes longer, I'm gonna be right ba-a-a-aaACK!" (Yes, ack. WHOOSH plus startlement. He tries, then, really hard, not to actually start laughing. "Hi, guys. I felt kind of bad for them too, Thunder. But at least Booster didn't have to eat his way out. Want me to get you a towel?" (This as he's going out the door; he'll hear.)
"I'm sure you will, Garth.. cause you'll totally be hiding behind me." Jazmin quips back at him with a smirk. She waves a burger in Thunder and Booster's general direction as they join the group, even if only briefly for one of them. "The pair of you make a good team." She leans over a moment to watch Booster (wisely) head for a shower and then waves. "Hey Skeets."
"Hey, that's so not happening," Garth retorts, though the smirk is returned with a grin. Looking up towards Booster and Thunder, Garth gives a thumb up. "Great job, guys. Couldn't have done better. Hell of a finish, though." 
"Hello, ma'am!" Skeets replies to Jazmin, in a cheery and polite tone. "Hello, sirs!" he greets the others, and then explains, "Booster wanted me to check into appropriate environmental agencies in order to make some kind of donation since they often frown upon the destruction of fauna, even if said fauna was attempting to eat innocent citizens." The little robot goes to hover over a control panel. "He also feels it would be prudent to issue a statement of apology, perhaps even to Atlantis. Apparently they can get very upset over such things."
"No thank you! I'll go ahead and get one!" CeCe says to Rokk, and suits action to words, going *WHOOSH* and then *WHOOSH* again (she is, at least, considerate enough not to break the sound barrier indoors) before reappearing with one so she can dry her hair with enthusiastic alacrity. "Thanks!" she says to Jazmin and Garth, beaming. "We did our best! It was really Booster doing all the hard work, though! I just tried not to get in his way!"
"There's Atlantis here?" Jazmin asks and sits up to poke at the control panel to look it up for herself even while she's asking. She looks over to spot CeCe already with a towel, having mostly missed her departure and return in the moments she was poking at the computer. She twists up a half grin. "I should thank you both for making the last half of my shift the most interesting one yet."
Skeets has his own little holo-display up like a tiny windshield just before his red 'eye'. "I believe Atlantis does exist in some form in this era, although I do not know what its status might be with regards to the other nations of the world." The little egg-shaped robot turns and tells CeCe, with bright enthusiasm, "I'm certain that Booster could not have handled the situation as efficiently without your involvement, ma'am!"
"Got to admit, that worked quite well, you two. Give you any ideas who work well with each other, Jaz?" Garth replies, glancing over at Jazmin before working on finishing his burger.
CeCe turns a fetching shade of pink, and may in fact have scuffed her toe on the floor. "It's very nice of you to say so! Both of you!" she says, both to Skeets and to Jazmin. "I learned a lot!" And now she's curious to see what sort of response Garth's question garners.
"I am not in charge of sending people out on actual scenarios." Jazmin points out as she reaches for her coffee. "I'm matching people up for training purposes, and for that, I want all sorts of mismatched and ill prepared and just bad ideas mixed in with the good ones. Because sometimes, like this, it's pretty random on who is free for whaleshark goo missions. It was great to see CeCe and Booster working together though."
Booster Gold flies in, looking clean and groomed and smelling nice again. Even his super suit looks polished. "Hi!" he comments brightly as he comes in for a landing near Skeets. "Hey, I'm curious... are we insured? I'm not sure how that's handled in this era, but it's probably worth looking into. If one of us accidentally brings down a building, that could be pretty expensive, and if we didn't help cover the costs of something like that everyone would think we were jerks!"
"Very good," Garth says, grinning as he grabs more sweet potato fries, pausing to offer a few to the newcomers. 
Wrinkling his nose at Booster's question, Garth comments, "I'm pretty sure that's somewhere in the pile of Rokk's paperwork, not that I'm going anywhere near that. Jazmin?" 
Coming back in, holding an omni and pulling a face of massive annoyance, Rokk glances up. "Skeets, what is this? We don't need to apologize to Atlantis over space sharks. They would've effed up the local ecosystem at best if they stayed. We should tell them to let us know if they spawned before attacking, though." He waves the omni around, like it's guilty of a crime. "And what about my paperwork?" He eyes Garth. "Are you making more paperwork for me? It's not actually a hobby, y'know." Then he points at Booster and CeCe. "And you guys were perfect. You should watch the replays, one of the monitors was showing the newscast of it. Um, except maybe CeCe shouldn't watch."
"Insurance is a requirement to be recognized by the government as a legitimate group." Jazmin nods at Booster's question, sounding confident enough that she may actually have looked into this. "How much or the details, that you'd have to face the paperwork, and honestly given the choice of whaleshark or pile of Rokk's paperwork, I think I'd take the whaleshark."
Booster rests his index finger and thumb against his chin, eyes glancing upwards thoughtfully. "Well, I mean Atlantis can get really touchy if you mess with things that might be sea animals. I figured we should just let them know they weren't actual sea citizens? As a sort of 'hey, about those sharks, they weren't yours'." He moves his hand away from his face to vaguely point Jazmin's way. "Okay, cool. That's good to know... not that I intend to bring down a building."
"Not intentionally, at any rate," comments Skeets.
"That was an accident and it was in Minneapolis, anyway," Booster glares at his robot.
"Why shouldn't I watch?" CeCe says, sounding vaguely hurt. "Did I not get something right? I'll be sure to try and get it right next time, one way or the other!"
"Err-- no, no, they just-- took a lot of pictures of your... posterior," Rokk says to Thunder, half under his breath, his own ears turning kind of red. He pushes a lot of buttons on the omni, very busily. "And yeah we have an account with Damage Control. That doesn't mean go nuts with the property damage, it's not like we're the X-Men." He clears his throat, then smiles brightly at Booster. "Damn good point. So a letter of reassurance and goodwill, then. Just-- no apologies unless we do something wrong, and then let me handle it."
"They took good angles, though, Thunder!" Garth replies cheerfully. "Very flattering."
"Ideally no one intentionally brings down buildings." Jazmin ahems softly. "But.. depending on the villain, there's kinda inevitable collateral damage." She crosses one leg over another as she leans back in her chair drinking coffee. She glances to the blushing Rokk and then looks over to CeCe. "The obligatory butt shots. And irritatingly, no equal time for equal butts." She translates for the blushing and stammering Rokk and leans over to casually smack Garth in the arm.
Garth cheerfully ignores the smack on the arm. Prosthetic arms... awesome for ignoring blows.
"Haha, yeah, the media in this century loves butts," Booster Gold acknowledges, with an attitude of 'oh, those scamps'. Apparently, he is not fussed about this. If he were, he probably would not go around wearing tighter than skin-tight gold pants as part of his costume. "Don't worry, Cos. I wouldn't send out anything without your explicit approval, first. I figured I should get on top of damage control, it's not a big deal if you ultimately decide the paperwork doesn't need to be used."
"That's because I'm the one who ends up writing it," Skeets murmurs in electronic sotto voce.
*blink* *blink* CeCe is ... to put it mildly, somewhat taken aback by this news. "They ... but why ... " Eyes wide. And *WHOOSH* she's off again, probably to go TAKE A SHOWER and try to feel slightly less icky. Because .. well.
Cos asides to Skeets, "We'll talk later." Then he spreads his arms out and shrugs at Booster, before clipping the omni to his belt. "Hey, it's fine. It's just that places with royalty and grievances generally want to have it out with the person unlucky enough to be in charge, and I've got a lot of experience dealing with pissy heads of state... aw, nass," he finishes, watching CeCe book it out of there like a cat on fire. "Jaz... maybe you and Zoe can... can take her out for ice cream or something..." That is a sad Moy face.
A longsuffering sigh from Jazmin and she mmms softly to Rokk. "You get pissy heads of state, I get ice cream? I can get behind this division of labour." She laughs softly at Skeets' comment and looks to Booster, "Want to come help me explain exploitive media over ice cream later?"
Booster seems a little concerned when CeCe races out, quietly saying, "Gosh, I hope I didn't upset her by saying 'butts'." After all, everyone else had been carefully avoiding the word. "Oh, sure, Jazmin. I mean, I'm all about exploitive media." He smiles brightly, parking one fist on his hip, and pointing at himself with his other thumb. "Especially if it's about exploitation of me."
"I don’t think it was the word, Booster." Jazmin shakes her head. "I think she's just not used to .. uhh.. 21st century sensibilities. And you may not want to watch the reply too closely either, cause apparently this century has a fondness for her butt over yours." She lifts her coffee to take another drink, entirely matter of fact about the whole affair. "I'm starting to appreciate the costumes with little skirts, not that they help even a little when you're flying."
Now it is Booster's turn to be offended. "What!" he folds his arms across his chest and scowls faintly. "Ugh, the sexism in this era is ridiculous. When I played football, the men and women on the team got equal exposure."
"Would you like me to issue a press release on behalf of your butt, sir?" Skeets asks, fairly deadpan.
"...shut up," says Booster.
Garth offers, "If it makes you feel better, Booster, go ahead and shower with CeCe..." 
Rokk drops himself into his chair and takes his omni off his belt again, letting it clatter to the monitor bank's desktop counter thing, then grabbing his coffee and fries back. "Butts," he mutters, instead of saying something worse, but it apparently helps his funk. Because sometimes even dads are twelve. Then he waves a hand around in the air and kicks Garth's chair, stuffing his mouth full of sweet potato. "Don't be a jerk to her," he says sternly to the Ginger Founder, with his mouth full. "God I hope I didn't make her cry."
"Pfft. Like anyone would... it's too weird. She's got this aura of being too pure and innocent to go near," Garth replies, unflustered at his chair being kicked. "I'd bet if anyone tried to ask her out, it'd be all 'Sure!' And then before you know it, you're waking up the next day wondering just _HOW MUCH SUGAR_ you had."
"I don't think CeCe would appreciate it if I walked in on her shower," Booster remarks, but without rancor. "I'd only do that if she asked me to." He kicks back in the air, relaxing in a casual hover. "She's very nice. Also, really powerful, which means I'd trust her to take care of herself." Booster looks thoughtful, with his arms folded behind his head. "I mean not in combat, which she clearly can do, I mean in a dating situation. So go for it, Garth."
"Nuh-uh. No way. I like having my teeth unrotted," Garth replies.
Cos very nearly spits coffee out. "Oh my god. No see Booster-- um. Um." He rubs his eyes. "Maybe in a few years she'll start being interested in people... like that."
"... The lightning beasts help whoever she's interested in," Garth mutters under his voice.
And so, eventually, people scatter. Some off to shower, some off to preen, some off to do whatever it is that Garth does in his spare time and the tactical centre grows quiet again. Rokk is, by rights, on monitor duty. Jazmin is, by rights, off duty. And yet somehow, she seems to still be here, still in a seat where she can pay attention to things as needed, and still lingeringly drinking her coffee. Rokk is busy on a call, playing the part of Dude In Charge once again.
Speaking of the dude in charge.. that's why a certain Coluan appears in the doorway. He's wearing casual clothing, all Rokk's, but doesn't quite look as fashionably time misplaced as his father does. Somehow. With a paper bag in one hand, marked with a cheerful logo, the teen takes note of the situation and gives Jazmin a smile. Dad is busy! But not too busy to have a donut dangled in front of his face... Bag rustles as Rene walks over and presents his father with edibles. Nothing needs to be said, and he's soon back offering Jazmin a chance to snag from that bag as well. "They are very sweet, but delicious." He says softly. "It's nice to see you, Miss Cullen."
Jazmin had noted Rene's arrival, but as he headed over towards Rokk, she went back to her reading. When he returns and offers her a pastry, she starts just a touch. "Oh.. thank you." She reaches in to pull out a doughnut. "I need to hang out in here more often, if people get fed this much. And I'm just Jazmin, y'know, Master.. y'know, I don't even know which surname you use. Krinn? That really makes the quip fall flat, doesn't it?"
(Meanwhile, Rokk is, in fact, dealing with a butthurt delegate of some sort; he leans to sling an arm around Rene's waist and hug him because ha not everyone in TwenCen uses videocalls and he can get away with it; he snags a doughnut to eat once he's off the phone.)
Dad hugs are happily returned, Rene leaning down to return it properly, but since Dad has nasty call he's left to it. Seating himself near at Jazmin's hand, the teen grins, "Rene." His name. "And I was far too amused at these things not to share. They are horribly bad for you I'm sure." Which he shows how concerned he is by eating one. "I've been using only Cyx because it gets difficult when you call for Krinn and six people start answering. That's why I don't have a code name like Cosmic Lad or some such." Or as Garth put it, Attraction Lad. "But please, call me Rene. It's easier."
"And its easier for me just to be Jazmin. I confuse things now and then with using my brother's code name. So every so often, people get very confused when I'm not the gender they're expecting." Jazmin can relate, clearly, on name confusions. She takes a bite of her doughnut and mmms softly. "If you want to mix this with something else crazy sweet, you should see some of the coffees you can get. I ordered a caramel something or other with thingies and I thought I was sipping a cup of pure sugar." She pauses a moment and then grins. "It was delicious, come to think of it. But.. I wouldn’t want to do it everyday. It was so sweet." She takes another bite. "Are you settling in?"
"I imagine you do." Know what it's like being confused with others. "It's almost a good thing I look Coluan. People don't mistake me entirely for my father." Not that this would happen, but it's fun to joke about it. Finishing off his donut, he chews and nods. Doesn't talk with his mouth full. "I can't imagine eating this every day, much less the flavored coffee. It's too much for me as well." Shakes his head. Looks a little serious of settling in. "Well." Things are implied with that word. There is more. "I miss home, my friends and family, but all things considered how could this be bad? I could be living in an alley, wondering when I'll eat next." A shrug. He knows he's lucky.
Jazmin is quiet, letting Rene consider the more serious question as she licks sugar off her fingers. "It's hard, to suddenly find yourself somewhere and somewhen else, and surrounded by familiar and yet unfamiliar people. You've gone the optimistic route, I see. It's true.. we could all by living in an alley, or found ourselves in a time and place where our powers and abilities aren't accepted and we were on the run or in hiding."
A tilt of the head. "Optimistic? No, realistic." Rene disagrees. "I could make your eyes glaze over with how many ways this whole situation could have gone wrong. Horribly so." A shoulder lifts and lowers. "Yet here I sit, in a building devoted to the very group I've been wanting to be a part of, eating sweets and speaking with you. I have shelter, food, and those I can trust. I call that merely being realistic. Ask me of optimism when everything has turned against us and I claim things will all work out in our favor in the end." A smile spreads for this and he offers Jazmin a napkin. The bag is placed to one side, another couple pastries inside it.
"And you get to spend time with your father." Jazmin adds, with a gesture towards Rokk and then can't help but give a wry twist and a half chuckle. "I thought I was going to fall off my chair when I heard Rokk had a son. The one I knew wasn't old enough to be a father yet." She accepts the offered napkin to wipe the sticky off her fingers. "Most reassuring that you seem to be pretty cool, the shock of your existence would be even harder if you were weird or something."
"I do." Agreed with pleasure. "It's been a wonderful three years." Which might not make total sense at this time. Rene does laugh over the Rokk having a son, and that smile spreads, "To be honest he wasn't really old enough when I was born for the circumstances are a little strange." Speaking of weird! "And I am weird. I merely hide it well. That Coluan upbringing." The brief waggle of eyebrows helps loads he's sure. "There was no romance involved in my creation, Jazmin, no great story. Beyond that Rokk took as much responsibility for me as he possibly could, and made it so I could be relatively normal. The Krinns did everything they could to show me what a family was like, and didn't care the color of my skin. My father I'm optimistic about."
"I'm an Xanthuan from the 31st century who is enjoying a doughnut on 21st century Earth. I suspect we have more than enough weird to go around all in all, so Coluan isn't quite that weird." Jazmin points out with a gesture of her coffee cup at him. "I might argue that the lack of romance makes it more of a great story. The romance stuff is the usual assumption." She smirks a little. "But even I haven't specifically started quizzing anyone, let alone you, on Rokk's love life." Ignoring completely the fact that the gentleman in question is right over there.
Rene nods about the weird, "We are Legion. That guarantees weird. It's a matter of scale." More being silly than disagreeing on anything here. He tilts his head about a lack of romance. "I hadn't considered that." The teen admits. "Romance is the last assumption anyone on Colu would have made, being as they are." Mentioning he's father's love life has Rene smiling back over a shoulder briefly. "All I know is that I have a step mother who is anything but of the evil type, and two half-sisters I miss horribly. Unfortunately it leaves me with some hilariously high expectations."
"It really does guarantee weird." Jazmin agrees with a half snort of amusement. "Colu is an exception rather than the rule on that, you know." She points out as she resettles in her seat, tucking a leg up under her as she does. "Although I really don't know how Earth girls are going to react to green, so I've no clue if you're going to get hit on left right and centre or not." She leans anew, holding her cup in both hands as she considers Rene, "Two sisters? Hunh. I wonder if they'll end up here eventually."
Oh yeah, Legion and weird go hand in hand. "It is." Colu being the exception. "I was simply trying to explain why romance wasn't considered the norm." Rene nods, glancing back at his father again. Red ears going on? That's always a sure sign. React to green? He arches a brow at Jazmin as he refocuses. "I hadn't considered that either." Thoughtful for that one. "It wasn't a concern to be honest. I'm not even an adult yet, and I have much to learn." Another shrug. As for his sisters he shakes his head, "I truly hope not. They are still too young, although.. I suppose with time travel that doesn't matter." Jaw firms slightly. "I'd rather they were safe with their mother." And speaking of mother, "I'm more concerned of their mother appearing." No, Rokk doesn't get to hear that one. Hushed voice.
In the background, Rokk actually flubs a sentence. He gives the two gossiping teenagers a punched-muppet face and slides his chair alllll the way to the other side of the monitor bank, phone glued to his (red) ear, and jabs at the omni screen.
"From what I've witnessed outside our HQ, Earth doesn't feel obliged to wait for adulthood to engage in flirting. Some of those girls at the mall looked younger than my guesses on your age. Not that I am especially good at guessing on Coluans." Jazmin mmms softly, nodding at the quieter comment. "Is their mother anyone I might know? It seems unlikely, but never hurts to ask." Her own voice, also much quieter as she asks. She glances briefly at Rokk, catching just the edge of that punched-muppet face and then looks back to Rene.
There's something of a dubious expression there. "I'm not entirely sure why my not being concerned of it has to do with flirting, but very well. I'll be mindful." Rene is a bit too Coluan for that. "I'm seventeen." Just a baby! As for mother, he looks back to his muppet faced father and chuckles. "Yes, yes you do." His tone gentles however, "And seeing her isn't going to be easy for either of us." A glance away and a little shrug.
Jazmin pauses a moment at Rene's comment and then laughs, giving her head a shake. "Well you could probably make one of their days by noticing, but that seems unlikely. Hunh, you're only a couple years younger than I am, you're hardly that young." She quietens at his comment, her brow furrowing. "Why? Who is it?"
Hardly that young? The smile returns for it, "In Coluan terms I won't be an adult until after I reach my first century. What's seventeen years?" Nope, he doesn't consider himself all that old. "I'm only glad they had to abide by the United Planets age of majority or I'd still be there." Which would have been horrible! But Jazmin asks and he considers. "Why? Because it's likely not to be his wife, no matter it's technically the same person. So we'll have to see the same face and know that part of our lives isn't really here." And certainly more difficult for Rokk. "It's Jenni. I'm honestly not sure I should tell you, but this is never the kind of thing that remains hidden. Especially not if XS herself arrives. One look at him and everyone would know." Him? Rokk of course.
"Xanthu also follows the UP age of majority, but I am highly unlikely to live to be a century old in a standard linear timeline." Jazmin shrugs, easily accepting of her own mortality. Mostly. She considers the revelation about Jenni, quirking her head, sipping her coffee. "And if she does turn up, and isn't the mother you know.. I hope you don't have to cope with that. I expect it'd be really challenging." Any personal opinions on the mysterious who, Jazmin is quite adept at keeping to herself, apparently.
"Thankfully most worlds do." Follow the age of majority. "You don't know that for certain." Her death. "Especially not with Legion. You could live a very long time and I could die young. One never knows. I suppose I'm optimistic in that as well." Amused over it. "I'm expecting it." His mother, and Rene's expression is serious again. "It will be far more difficult for my father, and sad for me. She's one of those people you can tell anything. I'll sorely miss that." The teen lifts his head, eyes focused on Jazmin, "You need to consider this issue as well, Jazmin."
 
Finally, Rokk's off the phone; he doesn't look pissy, or even red-eared anymore-- just sort of tired. Drained from dealing with whatever that call was, and relieved it's over with. He execu-glides his chair back over toward the other two, face full of doughnut, then leans back and props his boots up against the edge of the monitor bank. "You worry too much," he tells Rene without preamble once he's swallowed his mouthful. "Your mom'll either eventually get here or the multiverse'll collapse in on itself. Another Jenni coming here couldn't stop her." He gestures with his half-eaten pastry. "I'll admit I'll be pretty jarred when a Gim shows up." Half-glance at Jazmin. "Or a James." Then there is breaking of remainder of doughnut in half, and before he sticks one of those halves in his mouth, he adds, "No matter where we are in our timelines, we can't break anything by telling each other our pasts. We're all living proof that the future's unwritten."
"No, I don't know that for certain, but perhaps call that sense my own optimistic realism." Jazmin comments, a touch dry. She is startled, as rare as that is, by Rokk's arrival into the conversation and she blinks at him, and again. "I.. hadn't even considered that James could turn up here. I.. " She gives her head a little bit of a shake and looks back to Rene. "Need to consider it? Why? It's got nothing to do with me directly, not really."
The bag is shifted over to Rokk even as he's told he worries too much. "That's ironic." Rene claims with a smile. "I'm not worried of reality collapsing. There will either be something I can do, or there won't, but it will still hurt seeing mother's face in someone else. And I was trying to suggest, without being obvious, that it would hurt you too. She's smart, she'd pick it up." Dad gets a poke. "You should show her the twins. They are adorable." As for Jazmin, he hears her out, listening first. "Mostly because it will hurt." Matter of fact that. "No one knows how they will react at such times, but considering it a possibility could help you. Especially considering strange things like maybe James lost you. I can't not consider such options. That's merely how I think."
"So far, I've weathered all the oddness, the hurts, the lonely without too much challenge. I admit I hadn't considered that James could come here, it makes sense now that I think of it.. but no. I hadn't considered it." Jazmin traces the side of her mug, watching the now empty mug instead of father or son. "But of course, now you're right, I'll have it on my radar, so to speak. I generally do fairly well at mitigating my reactions."
Rene watches with a soft smile. Not quite reaching his eyes. "The only thing I can offer, Jazmin, is that you aren't alone. I don't know what this place will throw at you, but in spite of the note quite familiar faces, I hope you won't try and face everything by yourself." A glance to his father, and a bit of a wry expression, "I have to work on that too." Almost a stage whisper, but this time the smile does light up his eyes.
There is a distinct pause as Jazmin just considers Rene and then quirks a brow. "I thought you were supposed to be analytical and objective. You don’t get to be insightful on top of it all. That's just not fair even in the slightest, you know that right?"
Rene actually makes a bit of a face and sticks his tongue out at Jazmin. "That's what I was designed for." A smile spreads. "I wasn't made to crunch numbers. I was made because he's scary." A thumb motions at Rokk, but the teen seems delighted at this prospect. "If you want cold and distant I'm afraid I am the wrong Coluan. My parents did too good of a job for that."
"He." Jazmin gestures vaguely in Rokk's direction, much in mimic of Rene's own gesture. "Isn't scary. Not to me, perhaps that's my bias from my background showing through though. I.. no. No I don’t want cold and distant. Most of us are.. not cold and distant, just still sort of wary. Uncertain, I suppose. Or that's just me."
"He only seems normal." Teasing Rokk some. Then a shake of the head, but he is actually agreeing. If in a strange way. "It's not just you. There's a lot of smiling and quiet freaking out going on. But we are nothing if not adaptable, and the ties we've made with alternate reality variants really helps. There's trust there. That so helps." A glance at his father, but it's a fond look. "One day at a time. Until either the multiverse collapses, or mom shows up, tapping her foot and wondering why we are being so slow about getting ready to return."
 
"I am completely normal," Rokk says benevolently, now finished with his doughnut, and clasping his hands behind his head; his feet are still up on the edge of the bank. "Normal for me," he amends. "Anyway, you really-- you really don't have to worry about any of this hurting me. You can lean on me and I won't bend, nevermind break. I can't-- I can't tell you why, exactly. But if you can trust me on it, that weight off your shoulders'll make it easier for you to worry about every other damn thing. I'm -- a lot more used to this than anyone could reasonably expect." Then he spins down and drops his feet to the floor before reaching over to push the side of Jazmin's chair, lightly. Wobble. "One more thing you should probably get used to, which is going to suck, is the idea that any of us could leave as suddenly as we came. It's only happened once so far, but-- it's happened once."
"We're pretty good at quietly freaking out." Jazmin has to agree with Rene on that point and then twists a little as Rokk shoves her chair. She considers him a moment and then shrugs, looking between the both of them. "So far, from my timeline, I'm pretty much alone. Or it feels that way. I knew a Garth, who is nothing like this one. I knew a Rokk, who is less and less like the current you the more I get to know. So... not a whole lot of continuity for me. Yet, I suppose. It's alright." She nods to Rokk at his mention of vanishing. "That.. doesn't surprise me. Frustrating I'm certain, but I'm not wholly surprised."
Rene totally agrees about the quietly freaking out, but he says nothing on it or that his father is normal. He does have to give Rokk a look though. "What? I can't be worried about you being happy or unhappy? It has to be all dramatic and drastic? Dad.." Chiding there! "I don't think you will break. I know you too well for that. And I do share with you, all the time." Honest! He's not a do it alone kind of guy. But let's not forget Jazmin.. "I'd think that easier in a way." Not a lot of history. "I'd like to believe so at any rate. But my suggestion, and the offer that accompanies it, are still there."
 
"I'm just saying you don't have to, Rene," Cos says gently. "I can keep up a holding pattern indefinitely. Time stops having much meaning after a while, and distance doesn't mean anything at all." Then he straightens up to move some of the displays around, hovering or ensconced above, and keeps talking as he does. "And Jaz, I told you. What's fundamentally me doesn't change unless I'm completely nuts, and that hasn't happened in over a decade. I'm just--" His hands still, hovering over the controls, and one side of his mouth quirks up. "old. As old as everyone keeps telling me I am. And the older you get, the more like yourself you get, good and bad alike."
"I don’t think many of us will break, if any of us." Jazmin points out and then frowns at Rokk's back. "It's not just an age thing.. it's a shared history thing. And don't lecture me about the meaning of time being a nebulous thing. I make time a nebulous thing. Even if that's all I do." She gives a shrug and then nods to Rene. "It is easier, not having a whole lot of history. I'm meeting everyone .. nearly everyone.. for the first time. Easier on confusion, harder on trust and shared history."
Rene simply has to smile at the exchange between Jaz and Rokk. Sorry, he isn't mocking for it. Honest! "Dad, you aren't old. Weren't your parents older than you are before they started their family? If anything, you are young. Merely experienced and burdened with many responsibilities." Much more seriously Rene replies to Jazmin. "I really hope you can experience that trust here. It's very different for me in that I grew up with Legion. This is family. I'd love to share some of that with you if you'd allow." But he doesn't reach for the woman, and merely remains in his chair. Hasn't been moving a whole lot. "Of course family doesn't always mean good." Rueful warning, if strangely fond.
 
"Oh physically I'm young, sure," Rokk agrees, surveying the rearrangement of monitors and then stepping back to sit down again. "I think I'm in my thirties?" He doesn't sound a hundred percent positive, but he waves a hand around. "That's not the kind of old I was talking about. And pf, Jaz, I'm not lecturing you. It's just that you're from a pretty small subset of alternate timelines, which I happen to also come from. If I were one of the other Rokks I really would have less in common." He finally glances over, more or less to see whether or not he's lost Jazmin. "I understand that you didn't really get to know me; that you weren't a Legionnaire long enough in your home timeline to get the shared experiences you're talking about. I'm just saying that I'm still me. That under everything I'm still the guy you worked with, however briefly."
"I spent most of a lifetime fighting with, and fiercely defending, my brother. I understand that dichotomy of love and frustration with family. No matter that some of us fight like cats and dogs, we're all Legion. All different Legions, but all Legion. I.. have known the Legion longer than I've been a part of it. And.. I am trying to keep assumptions of the past in the past. This Legion are different people with similar ideals." She considers Rokk a moment and then shrugs again. "You are still you. Now and then, you are absolutely the you I knew well, and then I remember that we're on a different path, and that.. that's okay."
 
"Probably when I'm cranky," mutters Cos, slouching back again and putting his feet up once more.
Deciding not to reply immediately, the teen chuckles. Mostly at his father, but also at the conversation as a whole. Once Jazmin is done Rene offers, "I'm sorry if I crossed a line. I never meant to." It's earnest as well.
Jazmin rolls her eyes briefly. "Well, alright, when you're cranky too. But you're not always cranky, and sometimes you're downright adorbs yourself." She informs Rokk briefly before looking back over to Rene and shaking her head. "No, no. It's fine. Although I probably should quit while I'm ahead and go yell at Garth or something to offset all the feels."
"... you really have been hanging out at the mall a lot," the Cosmic Dad says skeptically, eyeing Jazmin. "Besides, what're you still doing here anyway? You're off shift, and ice cream awaits you. As well as a somewhat traumatized CeCe." He inclines his chin at Rene. "You should go too. Get some sunshine. Oh, wait, it's night. Get some moonshine. Oh-- wait. You're underage. Uh. Streetlightshine."
Quit while he's ahead is rather why Rene stopped talking. He nods understanding and doesn't attempt to talk her out of going. But dad... Oh dad. "How do you think I got donuts?" Asked in amusement. "I spent all day exploring the city. The reactions of the people were very interesting. I think I'll want a shower and then some quiet time." Time to parse it all. "You aren't trying to kick me out so you can brood, are you?"
"Dessert masquerading as coffee, and a music store. There's nothing wrong with spending time at the mall." Jazmin points out and then waves a hand at Rokk. "I'm going, I'm going. I get to explain exploitive media and butt shots to CeCe with Booster's help. I think you may have gotten the better deal with a pissy head of state." She pushes herself up to her feet. "Rene. Thank you. Rokk, I'll see you later I'm sure."
 
Very minor slap of the forehead; Rokk is acting out the d'oh. "Of course. Sorry!" Then he grins very wide. "No, I'm trying to kick you out so I can queue up my X-Files marathon." He blows Jazmin a kiss. "Sooner or later. I'll try to keep the red alerts to a minimum."
A smile spreads as he baps his father, "I hope so, Jazmin." Seeing her again. But to Rokk he does the muppet face, clearly imitating his father. "What? I can't watch with you? You are a cruel man." Rene mock woes and rises to his feet. "Love you, Dad." Clearly going to let the old man be. "Comm me if you need me." Dads also get squishes if they want, but the teen doesn't linger, following Jazmin out.
"Try and keep at least half an eye on the rest of the monitors while you're oogling the skeptical redhead." Jazmin smirks at Rokk and shakes her head before heading out.
 
Oh there are squishes, yeah. But then there is queueing up skeptical redheads. "Yeah yeah, if you do anything illegal, don't get caught," Rokk calls over his shoulder, waving a hand in absent farewell. 
Category:Log