metalogs | [OPEN/CLOSED] A Robin came a-knockin’

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[OPEN/CLOSED] A Robin came a-knockin’

Who: Jason Todd

robintohood and you
What: Jason’s been deaged back to his early Robin years. Antics ensue. Also contains one special closed prompt
When: January 3rd-4thish, during the age swap event
Where: Central City
Content Warnings: None for now. Will edit if needed.

[Somewhere in Central City is a small boy in a red, yellow, and green costume. It’s hard to forget someone in a colorful suit like that.

That is, assuming you can catch a good enough look at him. He’s effortlessly using his grappling gun and parkour skills to swing around and jump rooftops. You might see him as he tries to get a lay of the land.

Alternatively, you might see him fearlessly (or recklessly, depending on how you look at it) pounce right on top of a would-be armed mugger. He might not know where he is but that doesn’t mean he’s going to stop fighting crime. It’s what any good sidekick would do.]

Attic Safehouse above the Descendant Bar (Closed to people who use the safehouse)

[Later that night, Robin is exhausted but isn’t ready to trust just any place to rest for the night. For now, he’s just perched on top of the Descendant, near the attic window]

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[Mayuko lift a hand to her mouth with a "ooooh". She probably shouldn't be endorsing vigilante justice... but also this nice lady was going to be mugged? So the goon had it coming.]

I think he's done.

[She pulls out a phone and takes another look at the mugger. Not content with medical tests, the Alliance had had her using her powers to see if they were working. It left her with a headache and the kind of exhaustion that felt like she had been sprinting all day. It was tempting to tap into the man's energy, draw some off to re-energize. But how to do it without attracting the traffic light's attention...]

He better be. You okay now, miss?

[Just in case, he zip ties the man's hands behind his back]

I, uh...

[Mayuko looks around for the other lady, who took the chance to thank her lucky stars and bolt. Does he mean me? I guess so....

She finishes her text, straightens her coat and smiles.]

I think the auntie just had a fright, and I just showed up myself. But you made sure he won't target anyone else. Thank you--

Anytime!

[He zip ties the mugger's ankles next]

And thanks for the help too. That made things easier for me.

[That is the mugger's mobility taken care of. Now the question is how soon the authorities (or his buddies if he's got any) will make it to him.]

No problem! The cops should be here soon, but there's a lot going on. All the kids and all.

[She looks around for any prying eyes, before an energy field wraps from her back across her torso. A trio of tendrils emerge from it, and they latch up into the rungs of a fire escape landing-- they aren't elastic, so multiples are needed to pull her up at any sort of clip.]

You coming?

[Jason smirks]

Where do you think I came from?

[Jason takes out his grappling gun, fires it at the rooftop above Mayuko, and swings right up]

[WHAT A CHEATER. Mayuko had aimed for the landing to be close enough to observe the mugger and the surroundings (and maybe sneak in before the police make it) but now she feels shown up.

A pink sparkly tendril pops up into view, and smacks around. There's definitely a sense of her groping blindly, irritably for something to latch onto before Mayuko bites the bullet and climbs up the rest of the way.]

Neat toy-- didja get it for Christmas?

Naturally. Why wouldn't I be on Santa's good list?

[Of course he can't say how he really got it so some quips will have to do]

That's a useful power you got there.

Depends on how many other people you've been knocking out. And if they deserved it.

[Mayuko tilts her head to the side. She thought she had seen strange things since arriving here. But a sprout with gadgets hopping and bopping along the rooftop fighting crime in the cold? That's another level. Any sign of energy has been tucked away as she tries to appraise the situation.]

It would be more useful if I knew how to control it better. It showed up when I got here. Did you get anything?

Nope. What you see is what you got here. So you weren't born with it?

There's nothing like this back home... well. Maybe there's some psychics not out to swindle people. Or people with divinity, or ties to nature who can do things. I dunno, I'm not a paranormal investigator!

[She pauses, collects herself.]

Everyone new, not from this world, gets something. That's what the guild says.

The guild seems to be in charge of a lot of things here.

[Which Jason's not sure if he likes. The Justice League's control isn't like this]

What else can you do?

If you have powers, you gotta join a faction. That's how things have been around here. Then all the newbies showed up with their different ways of doing things, and now the guilds are mad at having to catch up.

[Bold of babybird to think she'd spill the beans that easily.]

Mmm, that's it! But I can make it a barrier, too or... I guess armor.

[She gestures around herself, as if being surrounded by the field.]

Downside is it makes me tired. If I do it too much... it'll be bad.

That makes sense. You're using up your energy like anyone without powers. You'll probably get used to it though and last longer.

I hope so. If something else comes up, I want to be able to help. Not fade out after th first hit.

Have you been out on patrol long? It's starting to get colder.

Yup! Been out here a while now. It's a big city to watch over.

[And he's... lost but he can't admit to that. What kind of superhero does that?]

Yeah, a lot of arrivals end up staying here, helping out. It's probably the roughest of the main cities.

How about when you're done? You have a place to stay?

[In a cheerful tone]

You don't need to worry about me. I can take care of myself!

[And hopefully he can find Batman soon]

How about you? How are the guilds treating you?

You know who're the most suspicious? People telling me not to worry!

[She stomps her foot at his glib comment. A city like this could gobble a kid on their own up. She's heard stories and all!

When he mentions the guild, she frowns deeper, hand partially covering her mouth.]

It's been fine. A lot of the local heroes are gone, so they're mad at whoever did this. They called me here from the town I woke up in to run tests. After all the poking and prodding, all they can say is it's magic, what's happened.

That's it? And where're you from?

That's it. "It's magic. It's wearing off but it'll be a while." [She huffs again.] There are normal people in Sunset Falls who knew that much, but they're around magic all the time....

[Mayuko decides to risk it for the energy biscuit. A narrow dark tendril, sans sparkles, creeps from the back of her calf, down her leg, along the roof and over the edge.

While she's doing that, she's pulled out a notepad and started writing. There was one address in her contingency letter that might be useful.]

I'm from Tokyo. It's funny because you're speaking English, right? I can understand you as if you were speaking Japanese. Not just you, either, everyone. And everyone's understood me.

[Jason's watching Mayuko's powers with interest]

Weird. I just figured you're talking in English. I can't tell you're speaking anything else.

[It takes willpower to not stand more in front of the trailing tendril. She's not doing anything wrong! Just checking on the mugger!]

Oh no, I do well enough for English class, but in a real conversation? It would be a trainwreck. Must be more magic....

[She finishes writing on her notepad and tears out the page.]

Here. You might have things sorted out, but I saw an address on my phone. The guy this place belongs to is unaligned; he's not going to get on your case about... you know.

[Frowning, Jason takes a look at the piece of paper Mayuko hands him]

What makes you so sure?

He seems to respect people with conviction. No matter their age. Besides, if I didn't trust him, his contact info would have been trashed long ago.

[The sounds of a vehicle draws Mayuko's attention back to the street. It seems a police cruiser has finally arrived.]

Use it as you will, little hero.

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robintohood - 2023-02-22 12:53 (UTC) - Expand

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