040 [video]

[batmanschmatman]

[Dick's already spent a decent amount of time investigating the situation - always be prepared might as well be the Bat motto rather than the Boy Scouts - and the communicator's not all that hard for him to work around. So, instead of fumbling video or accidental audio posts, you get a steady image of him in his room, sitting on one of the couches in the penthouse. He looks somewhere in his late teens - he's actually seventeen, but appears a little older - and is dressed in a white t-shirt and jeans. His left arm is in a sling, but he's handling things just fine one handed.]

Whatever this is, assuming there's a shot I've just swapped places with my counterpart instead of actually just... whatever else could be going on, I would really like to know when I can get back to where I'm supposed to be. Or go back to being the correct age or whatever. I still have some things that need to get taken care of back home.

[Which basically means I need to get my life back on track, because he's just been fired and dropped out of college and tossing this on top of the pile is kind of a bummer, if you can imagine.]

How much does time pass while we're here? Is there a difference, or are we basically moving in real time?

[He looks around the apartment. It's pretty clear that he lives here, but this particular penthouse is unfamiliar to him - Bruce bought it and converted it into a safe house a while after Dick's current timeline. He hasn't investigated the closet and found his Nightwing gear yet, nor has he found Costigan's file - which is safely locked away - but he's been skimming backlogs like crazy.]

And I guess I'm supposed to be making contact with Bill Costigan?

[Private to Bruce]

Why did you call me Batman?
I know you're here.
Assuming you give a damn

[lol no real message for Bruce. :c]

Comments

[gingerspeedster.livejournal.com]

Moving in time? This dream just gets weirder and weirder.

Private

[batmanschmatman]

Do you remember where you are?

Private

[gingerspeedster.livejournal.com]

Not really. I either fell asleep at the bar or watching movies at home. Bar seems most likely. That nice waitress will probably wake me up any minute now.

Private

[batmanschmatman]

... What were you doing at a bar? How old are you?

Private

[gingerspeedster.livejournal.com]

Eating breakfast. Graveyard shift at the garage, you know how it is. Or maybe you don't.

I'm not 18 again, am I? I can show you my ID if I can find it...

[ He actually looks around in his pockets. No such luck. ]

Hah, it's one of those dreams.

Private

[batmanschmatman]

Wally, this isn't a dream. What garage?

Private

[gingerspeedster.livejournal.com]

The garage where I work. Come on subconscious, you can do better than this.

[littlebirdagain.livejournal.com]

You're here too? [He's only a little surprised.]

OMG BB TIMMY C:

[batmanschmatman]

Yeah. Who are you?

I KNOW HIS CHEEKS ARE SO PUNCHABLE. C:

[littlebirdagain.livejournal.com]

...Hah hah, very funny Dick.

... punchable? :|a

[batmanschmatman]

How do you know who I am?

...it's code for pinchable. :|

[littlebirdagain.livejournal.com]

...

How old are you?

well okay :|

[batmanschmatman]

Seventeen. Why?

voice; private;

[fivestepsahead.livejournal.com]

[ Wait. What? Dick- you look-

MOVING ON-- ]

Apparently no time would have passed since we're here.

voice; private;

[batmanschmatman]

[You can hear the scowl.]

Apparently.

How long did it take you to find a replacement?

voice; private;

[fivestepsahead.livejournal.com]

[ FUCK HIS LIFE HE HAD HOPED HE WAS WRONG ABOUT THIS-- ]

Dick.

Don't be ridiculous.

[ So. We were saying about Dealing With Things? ]

voice; private;

[batmanschmatman]

How long?

[Stubborn. :c]

voice; private;

[fivestepsahead.livejournal.com]

[ ... A few months. ]

We have been over this, Dick. I'm not going to waste my time. [ :| :| :| ]

voice; private;

[batmanschmatman]

No, we haven't. We haven't spoken since you kicked me out.

;private ;text

[lostundercover]

Fucking Damn

Hey, kid. I'm Bill Costigan.

;private ;text

[batmanschmatman]

Hi.

I can't find your file - I think it's in the panel behind the closet, but it's password protected and I'm working on figuring out what it is, hopefully shouldn't take too long - but I know you know about the whole night job thing and I guess we talk a lot. Do you need me for anything? I'm guessing you're not affected since you haven't made a where the hell am I post to the network.

;private ;text

[lostundercover]

No, I'm not affected. If you can't get my file, I can tell you the basics. I don't know if you'll trust them, but it has to be worth something.

;private ;text

[batmanschmatman]

Go for it. I obviously trust you in the future, so, don't see why it'd be an issue.

;private ;text

[lostundercover]

Why are you so sure of that?

I was an undercover cop for the Massachusetts State Police. I worked directly under one of the worst drug lords in Boston's whole history for two years, until myself and this guy.. this fuckin' rat. We brought him down. Then the bastard killed me.

;private ;text

[batmanschmatman]

Because I did my homework. [Meaning, he's skimmed a lot of old entries.] And I wouldn't have told you half the stuff I apparently have if I didn't trust you.

Okay. And we've been assigned since I got here?