1° }} VIDEO, id: Mick Rory

[pyrogue]

[ Heat Wave turns on the video, wearing his signature costume, and tries to smile a little. ]

This is convenient, isn’t it? It's like having a support group for people stolen to an alternate universe. At least that's something. [ He wonders if it’s really a good idea, though. Mixing criminals, civilians and superheroes seems like a surefire way to get things heated. But he figures it's better than nothing.

Mick got here yesterday and has been figuring out his bearings. He’s less in shock now, so he might as well introduce himself. There’s also something he wants to address, especially given some of the folks he’s noticed merchandise for around. Just in case. ]

My name’s Mick Rory. They call me Heat Wave. I’m a hero. [ It almost sounds, very slightly, like he’s trying to convince himself when he says that. ]

I know I wasn’t always, so I wanted to make it clear. Save us all a headache. [ Pause. ] If you don’t know what I’m talking about, don’t worry about it. Just remember I’m one of the good guys.

[ Not sure what else to say, he’s about to turn off the camera when he remembers something important. ]

The pamphlet said Registration included health care – anyone know if that covers therapy?

Comments

[airshow]

[ He might, okay. Mick gets a nice pally clap on the back, and then James is waltzing inside. ]

Man that guy's nosy! What happened, you said "therapy" and he came running to offer his services out of the goodness of his heart?

[pyrogue]

[ Mick shuts the door and follows him. ]

Got it in one. He do that a lot?

[airshow]

I don't wanna call him a one trick pony, but, well, let's just say he has a gimmick.

[ Just gonna throw himself onto the couch like he owns the place, nbd. ]

[pyrogue]

It ever end well?

[ Mick sits down next to him. He's really glad he has a friend here, honestly. Trickster could move in and he probably wouldn't blink.

For the first day, at least. ]

I'd offer you something, but haven't had time to pick anything up yet.

[airshow]

How hospitable of you. It's fine, don't worry about it! Porter saddled me with endless candy pockets. No foolin'! Catch.

[ Trickster reaches into his pocket, pulls out a tiny wrapped packet of — candy corn? okay then — and tosses it in Mick's direction. ]

And if he has any satisfied customers, I sure as hell haven't heard of 'em. Guy fear gassed a swear-in last year.

[pyrogue]

[ Mick catches the candy corn, raising an eyebrow. ] That's what you got?

[ He still opens it and tries one. ]

Seems like a pleasant fellow.

[airshow]

That and I can talk to chickens, apparently. What'd they saddle you with?

[ Thanks for rolling with this, Mick. ]

Extremely. Course, guys like that give the rest of us a bad name. Hard to be convincing about not being like that. We need better PR.

[pyrogue]

Or we take them down ourselves. That'd be good PR. [ With the FBI. Which sure is a good suggestion that in no way went south when attempted.

As for the question he looks away a moment, unsure how to feel about his. ]

According to my file, I can heal burns and... whatever a "human thermometer" is supposed to mean.

[airshow]

I mean, if we wanted to do the official big time hero thing here...

[ He trails off, letting the thought hang in the air without a real direction. The idea makes him twitchy; it went so badly before. But maybe second time's the charm? He doesn't know. But hell, he sure could use the redemption, huh? Well, they both could, even if Mick apparently doesn't realize it, whenever he's from. ]

Human thermometer, huh? [ James taps his chin, cartoonishly thoughtful. ] What's the current temperature?

[pyrogue]

We could, pick up where we left off.

[ In the meantime, he should probably figure out his powers.

Mick almost rolls his eyes, but he tries to think. The minute he does, a number pops into his head. ] It's 79° Fahrenheit in here. [ Beat. ] You're 98.6° Fahrenheit, by the way.

[airshow]

So I guess that's what it means. That's... kinda niche. Think it'll come in handy?

[pyrogue]

Let me know the next time you think you have a fever?

At least I still have my gun.

[airshow]

It's like you're asking me to start calling you Nurse Rory.

[ It's an ironic set of powers, but weirdly appropriate. Funny how the Porter worked sometimes. ]

At least there's that. I'm not saying you'll need it, buuut you might need it.

[pyrogue]

[ He eats another candy corn and pointedly ignores that first bit. ]

Lemme guess, fear-gassed swear-ins ain't the only thing to worry about.

[airshow]

It's mostly safe, don't get me wrong, but a guy needs to be prepared. Y'know, in case of emergencies and whatnot. You remember our old pal Eobard?

[pyrogue]

The Reverse-Flash? Please don't tell me what I think you're gonna tell me. [ Timeline shenanigans + Talking about danger = Ugh. ]

[airshow]

All right, [ James says, hands splayed in a "don't shoot the messenger, but yes, the message sucks" shrug, ] I won't tell you.

[pyrogue]

[ Well now he HAS to ask. THANKS BUDDY. ] Is he here and is he gonna be a problem?

[airshow]

Yes and maybe. He's not the one from our universe, but, y'know, he's still himself, and I'd trust any Thawne about as far as I could throw 'em. And I don't have great upper body strength.

[pyrogue]

Just what we need. [ Years of reformation haven't trained out that knee-jerk reaction to Reverse-Flashes. Worsened it, probably. Playing friendly with the real Flashes does that. ]

Watch out for him, is what you're saying.

[airshow]

Goes without saying, but yeah. Honestly, I can't predict the guy.

[pyrogue]

[ Mick crosses his arms. ]

Why do you say that? [ Which is both a "Why do you say that" and a "why are you talking about him like you know him personally" ]

[airshow]

[ Trickster has absolutely never made a bad decision and thrown mustard into his window in the dead of night, if that's what you're asking. ]

All these guys from other versions of where we're from — they're weird, is all. Kind of like people we know, but a lot like people we don't. So I'm saying, don't go in assuming anything.

[pyrogue]

Because what this place really needed was alternate versions of people we know on top of younger ones. [ Since Superboy is from earlier - he remains completely oblivious to the fact he is too, from James's perspective. ]

[airshow]

Right? I swear we're gonna need one of those crazy bulletin boards with the string and the pushpins at this rate. Actually, we should get one anyway, they make a guy look like he's keeping busy.

Speaking of which, [ James says, with all the casualness he can manage (which is an awful lot), ] what's the last thing you were doing before you got here? Broadly speaking.