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[besainted]

So … has anyone experienced, um, spontaneous teleportation? I’ve definitely noticed the age alteration and … the talking rabbit, so I was wondering if this is part of it. It sounds reasonable, right?

[ Damian’s got a meekly embarrassed smile, and a row of gently swaying palm trees behind him. He fidgets awkwardly. ]

I ended up in Tahiti, according to the signs. It’s a long flight back. Does anyone out there have any kind of teleporting powers, and would you mind doing me a small favor with them? I could really use a pick up.

[ all lies, Damian copied Hentzau’s teleporting power and then Hentzau PORTED OUT, TOOK THE POWER WITH HIM, AND LEFT DAMIAN STRANDED. very rude. at least the timing is convenient. time to sniff out a new person to hopefully borrow from! ]

Comments

Private Audio

[helpdesk_hero]

I'll see if I can't find anyone who owes me a favor or two.

permaprivate

[besainted]

Much appreciated. Do you know anyone who fits the bill?

[helpdesk_hero]

One, but he's a telepath as well and... given when we are in the month, I'm not sure how good of an idea it would be to have Judd around you. I'd hate to have you found out.

[besainted]

Mm. It would be better than nothing. I'll let you know if I get desperate.

[helpdesk_hero]

I'll keep him on speed dial in case you are. I'm not sure if he can travel with another, though. I just know he can get there, given how he swept in when our last flight from the cities was... interrupted.

[besainted]

[ he tries to muffle the irritated sound, but it comes out regardless ]

Off the list, if he's just him. I'll keep looking.

wow almost typed 'darkling' and I don't know if that's very affectionate.

[helpdesk_hero]

Good luck, darling. I'll see what angles I can work over here.

video

[khajidont]

You might be able to find someone with, like, actual teleporting powers, but if you're really in a pinch, I can help you out.

[ ... ]

So long as you're not afraid of heights. And so long as you can trust a stranger. Which are pretty big asks, but it's better than being stuck in Tahiti.

[besainted]

I don't mean to seem ungrateful, but have you seen Tahiti?

[khajidont]

...no. I don't travel a lot.

But mainly I'm thinking about the fact that air travel from that sort of distance is, like, a month's rent.

[besainted]

That's fair, there is that. [ He'd WAY rather pay a month's rent than trust a stranger, but there are extenuating circumstances here. So after a pause: ] How long would it take, do you think?

[khajidont]

Eh, couple hours, maybe, depending on your tolerance for speed. If someone can teleport and is offering that to you, do that. It'd be shorter if I dropped you off at, like, San Francisco and you could take a domestic from there.

[besainted]

[ there's a quick breath of relief ]

No teleporters so far, it sounds like I'll have to make peace with any acrophobia. And I had a commitment I really didn't want to miss, so a couple hours sounds great.

[khajidont]

Oh yeah? I guess this is your lucky day. I'm Jaime, by the way. Also known as Blue Beetle, if you wanna give me a google. Which I would, personally, before letting someone carry me off like that. I've got a one-hundred percent no drop rate so far, but if I were you, I'd still wanna do my research.

Go ahead and give me your location. And where your commitment is so we can triangulate the most efficient route. And double check against the flights.

[ He's almost run into a plane before, and boy, he does not want to do that again. ]

[besainted]

Isn't there supposed to be some level of secrecy when you have a code name?

[ He's quickly sending off the current location, though, along with one toward the edge of Maurtia Falls. ]

[khajidont]

Yeah, that sorta stopped being a thing when I got outed on national TV. It was a whole thing. Verrrrrry dramatic. I don't recommend it. Don't look that part up, it's super gross.

[ The Negotiator ripped out his spine while broadcasting live, which meant he was naked, which also means the whole world saw his dick, which might be even worse than having your secret ID outed in Jaime's opinion.

He tries not to think about that very hard. ]

Okay, cool. I'll meet you there.

[besainted]

Thanks for the heads up. [ like he isn't instantly googling that in particular ]

So, are we ... actually just flying? Superhero style?

--> voice

[khajidont]

[ Jaime switches to voice so they can chat while he suits up and heads out, sparing Damian from that particular vision. ]

Oh yeah. We do it old school. I got wings and everything. [ A beat. ] I mean, for our purposes, a jetpack. But I have wings when I'm not, like, flying across a whole ocean.

Text - Gambling_Man

[xth_gambler]

Is this 'Tahiti' place within the bounds of the United States?

[For if not, Luxord can do little for the man. Perhaps he could twist Roxas's arm, if the boy can go further.]

[besainted]

It's off by about 4,000 miles, unfortunately. Could you help if it were within the US?

[xth_gambler]

[Now he didn't say that. Of course, he didn't not say it either. Luxord is a very vague man like that. Forgive him, but the answer shall be a disappointing non-answer.]

I must say that I am impressed by how far off the mark you have found yourself. Not as bad, of course, as the distances that some were shunted in the past, but still impressive.

Though I must say, if one is to be trapped somewhere, at least the place that was given to you is beautiful, if one can comment from the appearance of the area alone.

[besainted]

There's no denying it's a beautiful place to be. I was just in the middle of a few things, you know? I'd love to get back to them.

[xth_gambler]

Oh, that is an aspiration I could quite understand. To be drawn from one's business is rarely fortuitous.

Surely someone of a heroic disposition will offer themselves up to be marked as a laudable hero to you in no doubt short order. It would elevate them so, to provide rescue in trying times such as these.

[besainted]

If I didn't know any better, I'd say that almost sounds a little cynical.

[xth_gambler]

I assure you, it is not in me to be cynical. To even attempt would be a waste of energy.

No, I merely expound upon the prevalent behaviors I have observed since arriving in this particular corner of the worlds. And I have found there are many who act in ways that can be seen as potentially foolish.

audio;

[redcosmedic]

[ Knock Out's voice is so dry with humour, it's Saharan. ]

Yes, it would be quite convenient to move from one place to another without the usual travel time in between, wouldn't it? A shame you don't know anyone like that.

[besainted]

[ Glumly: ] He's gone. Trust me, he was the first person I tried to reach.

[ what good acting, when he is in fact FURIOUS with hentzau for having the audacity to port out!! ]

[redcosmedic]

Ah, the Porter's been busy then. New arrivals, fresh departures, and whatever anomalies we're classing these... changes... as.

[besainted]

It always is, huh.

Did you get caught up in any of this?

[redcosmedic]

Yes. I seem to have displaced a good deal of mass to Pit knows where. I can't use my lab or my quarters like this.

[ He's grumpy about this, even though he acknowledges it's a minor inconvenience compared to what some are going through. wait until later in the week when a different effect takes over ]

[besainted]

You displaced mass? That sounds ... um, bad. Are you alright?

[redcosmedic]

It's not bad, I displace mass all the time when I change forms, but normally I know where it goes! This amount is just missing.

[ the question is unexpected ]

Yes... I'm fine. It's more aggravating than anything.

[besainted]

Well, as long as it's not somehow painful. You say you displaced mass, and you've got me picturing you without any legs, or something. You still have legs, right?

[redcosmedic]

[ Fair enough, most humans didn't deal with concepts like these on a regular basis. ]

I should have better specified. Yes, I have all my limbs intact. Right now my height is about 1/3 my normal, but my overall mass is only about 1/20th. That's... concerning, but not immediately dangerous.

[ Beneath armor and plating, protoforms are incredibly dense, that's why Cybertronians weigh as much as they do. With the reduced mass ratio, Knock Out's form is actually quite fragile by comparison right now. Thankfully, he's not planning on getting into any brawls, so it shouldn't be a problem. ]

[besainted]

Well, better than what I had in mind ... but I'm still sorry to hear it. That must make you ... almost human-sized now, is that right?

[redcosmedic]

Thank you and nearly, yes. I will admit getting to see everything from this vantage is illuminating.

[ It's not like he wasn't able to perceive small details, if he paid attention for them. It was just that his senses took in so much — Damian might remember what it was like having eight of them all vying for attention — that a lot of the tiny intricacies got tuned out. And suddenly they were all at, literally, eye level. ]

[besainted]

Well, now I really wish I weren't across a third of the planet. I'd like to see that.

[redcosmedic]

ImPort talents are widely varied, hopefully someone will have a solution for that before too long.

[ He doesn't recall anyone offhand that has teleportation, besides what Hentzau had had, but he's hardly been keeping an active record of imPort abilities either. ]

[besainted]

[ yeah, before too long being the key phrase here. it's almost the full moon, and his containment room is on a different body of land.

nonetheless, cheerfully: ] When I get back we should go for coffee. I'll drink it, you can just ... enjoy the experience.

[redcosmedic]

[ The suggestion prompts a moment of silence that stretches just a smidgen past awkward before Knock Out answers gamely. ]

Certainly. Any particular reason why?

[besainted]

It's a quintessential human experience. You should really get a chance to try it, if you're going to be on a planet of so many of us.

[redcosmedic]

[ dryly: ] I've been in cafes. And bars. And stores. None of these are uniquely human inventions, and we weren't wild savages hunkering in a barren wilderness where I'm from.

[besainted]

No, that's true, and I'm sure you weren't. But have you been to human cafes and bars?

[redcosmedic]

No...

[ They can't be that different, can they? ]

[besainted]

Humor me, then.

[redcosmedic]

[ What's the harm? ]

All right. When you get back, assuming this is still in effect, let me know when and where.

[besainted]

I will. Until then, Knock Out.