Wherein spoilers probably lurk.

[oneword]

What? What? What do you want from me? Tears? A heartfelt speech about vengeance and how I'm going to make the Reach pay and that they'll soon taste the swift, unforgiving hand of justice? Nah man, that's not my style.

And... honestly? In the grand scheme of things, nothing's really changed. My mission is still all about crashing the Mode. Or... keeping it from even getting on-mode, I guess. Kinda blew that one I think. But hey- I knew from the start this wasn't gonna be easy.

... and yeah, okay, I admit I liked him. A lot. More than I thought I would.

But that doesn't matter, mun, because this is about more than just us. This is about the future and everyone who won't get one if I fail. So I'm not giving up and I am not letting them win, no matter what. We're not out of the game yet.

Comments

I AM SO SORRY! ;__;

[hasnomentor]

What if I like being this way more? Got a plan for that?

NO YOU'RE NOT ;A;

[oneword]

News flash, this isn't you. [wait] Isn't Jaime, I mean. You're not Jaime. [Is he? What does the scarab even do to its host besides take it over and make it a Reach operative? After all, it still talks like him, so... is Jaime still in there? Or...]

And I'm kinda working on that. [He's so moded right now.]

BUT I AM!

[hasnomentor]

I am Jaime hermano. Just not the Jaime from before. I'm of the Reach now. Like I should be.

[It's complicated. The real Jaime is in there somewhere, buried under the Scarab and this new Jaime.]

BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW

[oneword]

You're not Jaime. You're nothing but a puppet, put back on-mode by the Reach because you weren't doing what they wanted. [And here's an irony:] You're just as much of a slave as I was.

[hasnomentor]

[Jaime just sighs and shakes his head.]

I should have known you wouldn't understand. Doesn't matter now. The Reach have War World. They have Reach distributed across the world. Everything is going well.

[oneword]

[... wait- why would he try to make him understand?]

No it isn't. I just have to think of something. Just have to figure out how to get you off-mode. [In a way that doesn't involve... whatever they did to Blue Beetle in the future. Because pretty sure that end sup with someone dead.]

[hasnomentor]

You could always kill me. [He says it without even the slightest sign of emotion on his face.]

[oneword]

[And there it is. The answer he had been trying so hard to avoid. The solution he thought he'd been prepared to do when he'd arrived. The solution he lost the conviction to commit when- somewhere along the way? Blue stopped being a target and started being a friend. How could choosing between Jaime and the world be so hard?]

... sorry, I'm strictly in the business of saving people only. Kind of a hero thing.

[hasnomentor]

[Jaime just stares for a moment. His face betrays nothing. His eyes are hollow as he looks at the speedster who was quickly becoming a second best friend to him once upon a time. Now though?]

You maybe need to rethink your policy. Not that it matters. This world will belong to the Reach.

[oneword]

[And Impulse? Behind the thousand emotions warring to take shape on his face, the one thing he's got going solidly is the determination. It's a step back, a personal one, but he isn't giving up. He didn't come back 40 years, meet his family and save his grandfather just to quit now. He will see this through, dead or alive.]

Hate to burst your bubble Reach-Jaime or Jaime of the Reach, whatever you're calling yourself now, but there's no way I'm letting that happen. That whole "enslaved humanity" and losing the people I love to you guys again? Not part of the plan, dude. Not part of the plan at all. Hope you didn't take out a mortgage or anything.

Oh, and it case it didn't get through? I am gonna save you, whether you like it or not.

[hasnomentor]

Blue Beetle. You can call me Blue Beetle. I am of the Reach. And try all you want. Your Justice League is shamed. The Team has no credibility with the people of Earth. I'm seen as a true hero. It's only a matter of time. But if you feel that strongly hermano, I guess I can't stop you.

[oneword]

[Now whose the one who's not understanding?]

Thanks for the go-ahead, Blue Beetle. [Just calling him Blue seems... awkward.] Just remember that when I kick your butt, you're the one who gave me the go ahead.

[So easy to boast, so hard to follow-through. He still has no plan and no idea how to get the scarab back off-mode or get it off without killing Jaime.]

[hasnomentor]

[As if on cue, Jaime armors up.] And remember that when I crush you that you're the one who wanted to do it this way.

[oneword]

[Aw man, he should've thought this through. On his gravestone it'll read: Here lies Bart Allen, killed by his big mouth and lack of foresight.]

I've seen the other way, trust me. It's not worth it. [And then, a little more quietly,] I should've stuck with you, bro.

[hasnomentor]

And stopped me from getting fixed? I'm glad you didn't.

[oneword]

"Fixed," sure. The better question is: what exactly was broken?

[hasnomentor]

I was off-mode. Now I'm not.

[more_afraid_of_you]

Ain't hopeless. Jus' gotta get that damned spider off'a him an' hope tha' he's still fightin' it so's he'll still mostly be himself when 's off.

[oneword]

[Stranger mode- activate!]

Never said it was strange... ink... girl. [... he's seen weirder?] This is just a minor setback, totally fixable. All we gotta do is get the scarab off-mode and bam! Everything's crash.

['cept he has no friggin idea on how to do that but deeetails.]

[more_afraid_of_you]

Name's Zimmy. I kin pull it off'a him an' squish it. Done it before. [...with an etheric spider that came from her own head, so. Not nearly as confident as she's making out.]

[oneword]

Hi Zimmy, I'm Bart Allen. Also known as Impulse. Also known as Bart Impulse Allen, whatever's crash.

And that'd be great, 'cept for the part where the shock would probably kill him.

[more_afraid_of_you]

Hmph. Think there's a you in my game. Jaime wanted t' invite some Bart hero-friend t' our tea party, but he didn' wan' t' go tha' far.

[Long, thoughtful pause.] Maybe he'd become a ghost then. 'F he did, he'd be free. Ghosts kin hang 'round the Court, kin prolly hang 'round other places too.

[wing_of_night]

Don't worry, Bart. The Scarab was altered once, it can be altered again. You'll figure it out.

[oneword]

Yeah, no prob. I'll have Blue back before you can say Chicken Whizee. [brief pause] Which, speaking of, you wouldn't happen to have, would you? Cause I am totally starving.

Allen family metabolism and all that.

[wing_of_night]

[Blank Stare followed by a sigh and small smirk. Dammit Bart, why are you so amusing?]

I have no idea what a Chicken Whizee is. ...Also, I said it. Got a plan yet?

[oneword]

[Default setting, also another Allen family trait.]

Seriously? Oh man, you are missing out. It's only like one of the greatest snacks of all time. Kid got me hooked on them and now I'm addicted. Practically eating them in my sleep- which might actually explain why I've been finding crumbs on my shirt in the morning. Can you sleep walk and eat?

[DODGING THE QUESTION.]

[wing_of_night]

[Yeah, well, Dick's flair for being sarcastic and the like is in the Grayson genetics as well.]

I don't know. Salt and Vinegar chips are pretty good. And yes, you can. Beast Boy did it quite often back at Titan's Tower.

[You may be able to run faster than sound, but you can't escape a Nightwing hair ruffle.]

[noooted]

We'll get him back.

Here, have a Smallville!Lex

[cueballthegreat]

You shouldn't underestimate the satisfaction one can gain from revenge.

because reasons.

[socrash]

The swift, unforgiving hand of justice does sound better than a concussion though.

[But....he's with you there. All of this? Not crash, in the least.]