video; backdated to 10/28

[you_tried]

[ Squint your eyes a little everyone, when the feed opens the camera catches the direct glare of the hot sun. Whoever is holding the communicator has it positioned at an odd angle, so the video captures clear blue skies, though the sound of the ocean can be heard with the occasional tropical bird cawing somewhere in the distance. The camera jolts without warning, dipping low enough to capture what appears to be a boat deck.

Off camera, Karen’s voice can be heard snappishly saying: ]

Are you still trying to take a selfie? Could you put that down for one second?

[ The camera jerks again, capturing an image of a chest that might be familiar to those of you who own the Booster Gold Mancalendar™ (you’re welcome). ]

Is it sooo wrong that I want to document this?

I guess we can document the part where I throw you off the boat.

You wouldn’t. There’s jellyfish in there! Probably. And besides, you never said there was a rule against selfies. It’s an American tradition.

Just try me, and Jesus, would you focus on steering the boat? [ Something splashes up beside the boat, seizing Karen’s attention for a moment. She groans loudly. ] We’re getting too close to those things.

Those things are Hawaiian squeaking sharks, and they’re our friends. Say cheese, guys!

[ The camera’s focus wobbles down off the side of the boat, zooming in on a group of splashing, smiling bottlenose dolphins, which are indeed getting very close. And then: a thump. ]

... oh, God. What was that?

Uh… maybe start guessing what it wasn’t and we’ll narrow it down…

[ The clicks and whistles of dolphins grow louder. If you happen to speak dolphin (or even if you don’t), they sound… pretty pissed. ]

MICHAEL.

WHAT? It was an accident!

[ The camera jerks again, horror movie shaky-cam style, as more dorsal fins rise from the water. Did you know dolphin pods can get really, really huge? Well, now you do. ]

Crap. Does anyone know how to say sorry in dolphin?


( ooc: red is karen and blue is booster! replies from karen will have the ID read as “karen starr”. booster's reads “booster gold,” but who cares. no dolphins were harmed in the making of this post. )

Comments

[you_tried]

Really? You're having fun too?

[ He gives her a slightly wobbly smile, though that might be from the combo of seasickness and airsickness. ]

We could always stay here. Fight specifically island-based crime. Justice League Hawaii has a nice ring to it.

[boobwindow]

Even if I could, I wouldn't. I've still got a lot to take care of.

[ Osborn, work, and in general making sure nothing else gets gassed or blown up. ]

Besides, after some time my tattoo will mark me as AWOL if I'm not back in the US.

[you_tried]

Jeez, so responsible.

[boobwindow]

I'm a superhero and I've got a duty to carry out.

[ She drapes the towel around her neck now. ]

So do you.

[you_tried]

Yeah, technically.

[ He waves his hand dismissively. ]

... Okay, okay, I don't mean it like that, but... I don't know, Karen, do you ever miss the days of alien invasions and stuff? Just a little? Because I'm really not cut out for solving mysteries and I don't think playing whack-a-mole with jewelry store burglars is doing that much good, in the long run. And if it's something really big, oh, hey, Superman! Good thing you live two blocks away.

[boobwindow]

[ She's about to retort they were in a UN sanctioned team and Booster should be familiar with the messy world of politics, but remembering the complications plus the problems they had in the team and outside of it... well, it's not exactly a surprise he isn't eager to jump back into that. She hates dealing with politics herself. ]

I definitely prefer punching the problem than wracking my brain over it, but it's not like alien invasions were ever fun.

[ She leans against the edge of the boat, looking out over the calm waters. ]

I don't know. I don't like to think about the past too much.

[you_tried]

[ He half knows that feeling, and he's well aware from all that time travel (that he really wishes he could talk about) that he remembers the glory days as a whole lot more glorious than they actually were. Still. Can't shake nostalgia. ]

I can't help it. Thinking about the past, I mean. I know it was messy and complicated and everyone was fighting all the time, and I know there's a reason it didn't last forever, but— we were happy, right? Or, I was. Happier, anyway. And okay, it's not like I want things to go wrong, that's not what I mean, but it'd be nice to... I dunno, to really be needed again.

[ But... then he just feels silly for saying it out loud at all. What kind of hero does that make him? Maybe exactly the kind everyone thinks he is. ]

But I guess you already have that with your whole... thing. Look, ignore me, I've probably just been in the sun too long.

[boobwindow]

[ As her eyes trail back to Booster she wonders, was she ever truly happy back then? For a long time her past and her identity were lost, then her powers went haywire. She didn't feel she was a whole person back then, always longing for things just out of her reach.

She still longs for certain things, mostly her Kal and her universe, but at least she knows who she is these days and she's in total control of her mind and body. ]

It was different for me, but I didn't hate it. I don't regret it either.

[ Her shoulders roll forward. ]

I think we're here for some reason, Booster. We are needed. Think about everything that's happened: the Hornets, the Soviets, imPorts causing problems... we can do something about it.

[you_tried]

I know, I know. I'm not... nngh.

[ He drags a hand through his hair, feeling suddenly even more ridiculous than usual moping about the past in the tropical sunshine. ]

Sorry. You're right. I don't know why I got off on that all of a sudden.

[ Shrug it off, it's fine, everything's fine. ]

[boobwindow]

Sounds like I'm not the only one who needed a vacation.

[ Barring dolphin hit-and-runs, this has been a pleasant experience overall.

Her brows furrow, wondering what could be getting under Booster's skin. She might call him an idiot and treat him like one at times, but she knows he's not a complete dumb blond and on occasion he thinks and feels like a regular person. ]

What's going on?

[you_tried]

Nothing. [ A pause. Well. That's not entirely true, but— ] I mean, nothing specific. You know how it is... sometimes stuff just piles up, right? Happens to all of us.

[boobwindow]

What kind of stuff?

[ In their line of work, in their own lives, that could be anything. ]

Come on, Booster. Hell, we're out in the middle of the ocean in Hawaii. If that's not some kind of [ slight pause ] friendship we have, then I don't know what is.