Feeling the aster

[justdickingaround]

Well, so far, so good. It took some guts taking a new muse on a dry run, but the results have been worth it, haven't they?

I know, you wish the rest of the team was there, even if it is an AU. So do I. After all, it's not like that much would have to change to make everyone fit. Except maybe Miss M, but that would just require some creative thinking.

Don't worry, we'll just plan for it in case it happens. As it is, I'm sure you'll give me plenty to do in the meantime.

Comments

[mgann]

I can adapt very well,, I'll have you know.

[justdickingaround]

I know you can, M'gann.

But a non-alien origin might take a little extra effort.

[mgann]

Is that really required?

[justdickingaround]

Yeah. Everyone in the game's a 'mutant.' Think like the people on Earth born with a metagene, except that it can 'naturally' activate, without an outside stimulus being necessary.

[mgann]

That's a mixed blessing, though, isn't it?

[justdickingaround]

It really is, though it seems to have worked out for the best, for some people already there.

[arbadacarba]

I do hope this plan of yours goes better than the last one.


[...no, really, it was kind of bad.]

[justdickingaround]

I will point out, the last one did work out in the end.

But you're right. I'm not going to make the same mistakes again.

[arbadacarba]

You do realize how many counterpoints I could argue in the meantime?

[But she won't. You get a reprieve. For now.]

Good luck, though. I hope you don't have to be there yourself for long.

[justdickingaround]

Probably as many as I can argue against myself, at least.

[No one beats up Dick Grayson better than Dick Grayson.]

It's actually kind of nice, you know? Sort of a 'fresh start' scenario. Mun's giving me a chance to be... something a little different from what I've been lately.

[arbadacarba]

[Well, stop that.]

Yeah?

Like, undercover? Or are you just not going to be "you" anymore? [Or are you actually going to go back to being the fun-loving, optimistic, snarky Dick we all used to know and love.]

[justdickingaround]

More like the second, but not in a bad way. I'm still me, but some of the events that led up to this point are different, since it's an alternate universe. So the same, but not.

That does make sense, right? [Because saying it out loud, it makes him question himself.]

[arbadacarba]

About as much as everything else in our lives, sure.

Are you...okay with this? Changing things about who you are?

['cause she's okay with it if you're okay with it.]

[justdickingaround]

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned, but... the guy cares about who I am. He's made sure that the right things happened at the right times to shape who I ended up becoming.

I'm... interested, to say the least. Which is funny, any other time I'd be much less chalant about someone changing... me, my past. But there's a respect here that keeps me from worrying too much.

[arbadacarba]

[She smiles a little at their oldest running joke. Ah, memories.]

Sounds like it could be fun.

I'm almost jealous.

[justdickingaround]

Jealous? [He returns the gesture with a nod.]

You want to start over, too?

[arbadacarba]

Sometimes.

There's really not much in my life I regret. But you know what I could go back and do again if I ever had the chance.

[Her Father.]

[Years later, and she still had not fully forgiven herself for that. She might never.]

[justdickingaround]

I know, Zee. I think we all would.

[He knew he would, at least. He still felt it was one of the more Pyrrhic victories they'd ever had.]

Though I don't know that any of us could have changed his mind.

[arbadacarba]

Hmm.

[She hates to admit that he's right. Very little would've convinced him not to surrender his own soul in favor of his daughter's. Not putting on the Helmet almost seemed like a viable option at one point, too, Except that was how they won the battle and reunited the worlds.]

[It was basically a lose-lose situation. Which is why Zatanna decides to immediately change the subject to something slightly less depressing:]

So tell me more about this "other" you.

I need to decide for myself how interesting he is.

[justdickingaround]

[Good call.]

Not much to tell that's different, really. I mean, other than the powers, and how I ended up wearing the costume. I wasn't the Batman's sidekick, but I did train with a team of other teenagers with powers. Ended up pretty successful, for as long as I was around. I graduated at 16, went on my own for a while, and actually did some good out in the world.

Decided to come back to the school where I'd met my team, take some college courses and help out on the faculty. Keep fighting the good fight.

So, like I said. [Chuckle.] Not all that different.

[arbadacarba]

In other words, you're still the same Boy Wonder, only now you're a Boy Wonder with Powers?

Showoff.

[justdickingaround]

Hey, I can't help it! Totally his idea, not mine.

Claims he didn't want to 'change who I am' too much. Besides, the power's not anything amazing. It's not like I have super-strength or extra arms.

[arbadacarba]

[She laughs a little]

Still a showoff.

That's pretty cool, though. It's always nice when you a mun who actually knows you enough to tweak all the right things for an AU.

[justdickingaround]

Never said I wasn't. [It's hard to grow out of, after all.]

It is. He's played me before... or rather, a different version of me, so I'm giving him a chance to show he knows what he's doing. So far? It's going pretty well.

[arbadacarba]

[At least he's honest about it.]

Glad to hear it.

I hope you remember to have some fun there while you're at it.

[flashtastic]

Dude, what have you gotten yourself into now?

[justdickingaround]

A school, believe it or not.

[flashtastic]

[He raises an eyebrow.]

And how are your grades?

[justdickingaround]

Hey, I just started, all right?

But I think you can guess.

[flashtastic]

I have a pretty good idea, but I still want to see your next report card to make sure.

And they better be up to task. I mean, I'd really hate to have to show up there just because you can't take your academic responsibilities seriously.

[justdickingaround]

Hey, I'll compare math test scores with you any day.

If you came, you might not want to leave. It's nothing but superpowered teachers and students, as far as the eye can see.

[flashtastic]

And I'd run laps around you when it comes to science.

[And in Wally's world, everyone important knows that science trumps math.]

So it's a school of superheroes? That doesn't sound too bad.

[justdickingaround]

But not in the 'creative use of puns' department.

Superheroes and superheroes-in-training. It's an AU... 'alternate universe,' where everyone involved is a metahuman. Mutant. Roughly the same thing, in this case.

[flashtastic]

Don't you teach that class?

Does that mean you got powers?

[justdickingaround]

I do have a master's degree in the subject.

I do. 'Perfect Eidetic Memory.' It's come in really handy in the past, apparently.

[flashtastic]

You say that like it's something to be proud of. [He's teasing, of course.]

I bet. But to be honest, I was hoping you'd have a really lame power since you don't even need them.

[justdickingaround]

You say that like it's not. [It's why he can get away with it.]

Trust me, I'm still as well-trained. Being able to remember things with perfect clarity doesn't help when you're fighting mutants who can breathe fire or teleport. Might as well not have a power.

[flashtastic]

I suppose some of them could be a little clever.

Hey, like I said, you never needed them anyway.

[justdickingaround]

It's bound to happen, right?

Yeah, you're right. And, hey, at least I don't have some power that would steal your thunder, right?