Blue Beetle / Ted Kord (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
better_ted_than_dead) wrote2017-02-18 11:23 pm
better_ted_than_dead) wrote2017-02-18 11:23 pm
Down El Paso Way
Ted brings the Bug to a gentle landing in a large junkyard outside El Paso - just discreet enough that no one will notice, except perhaps a security guard or two who will have interesting stories to tell at the bar.
He'd arranged to come down and meet with El Paso's only super-hero sensation - The Blue Beetle. Somehow, the scarab Dan Garrett had found in Egypt had turned out to be some kind of alien.. thing, and who better to do some investigation?
Ted descends the ramp of the Bug, and immediately remembers why he doesn't do more meetings in junkyards.
"Jesus, the smell.."
He'd arranged to come down and meet with El Paso's only super-hero sensation - The Blue Beetle. Somehow, the scarab Dan Garrett had found in Egypt had turned out to be some kind of alien.. thing, and who better to do some investigation?
Ted descends the ramp of the Bug, and immediately remembers why he doesn't do more meetings in junkyards.
"Jesus, the smell.."
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.. still, he manages to offer an adequate handshake in return.
"What, like the secret identity thing? That's up to you. I figured I'd offer my first name so we wouldn't have awkward conversations that sound like we're both talking in the third person."
He offers a reassuring smile.
"This is kind of weird, right? I wonder if Superman feels like this every time someone Kryptonian turns up to become a Super-something."
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"You're kind of a hero to me, Mr Kord. I only took the name to honor you. I thought you were dead and I was too busy being caught in this um - time bubble after helping Booster Gold with Brother Eye. I haven't even looked at a phone book."
Jaime winced at the memories of the scarab dimension shifting him to escape the Green Lanterns. The year lost was a grim reminder of how little control Jaime actually had over the scarab.
The whittering from the scarab was getting louder. So loud that it was becoming hard to think. Jaime took a moment to listen to what the Scarab was saying.
"What do you mean by 'continuity error'? " Jaime said. seemingly to himself.
Suddenly Jaime's arm snapped up. His hand morphed into a high yield beam cannon. It was aimed at Ted.
"Hey, stop that!" Jaime yelled. "He's a friend!"
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"It's talking to you, right? I assume it can hear me, so.. uh.. Scarab? If you can hear me, you need to scan local space-time. There was some kind of time infarction, and things got put back together a little differently than they were before, but it's okay. I have the assurances of top experts on that.."
Well, Booster, anyway.
"If it starts trying to destroy every glitch in space-time, kid, you are not going to have much of a social life. There are a lot of them now.."
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Jamie tries to lower his arm. But it might as well of been made from steel.
"I don't know what's up with this thing dude. It's like a scared animal."
On and on the scarab clicked away in it's alien tongue.
"Whatever messed up the Timey Whimey ball is really messing with the scarab."
Jaime sighed internally.
"If I can just shut this thing d̬̤͔̪͍ͮ͂ͅo̰̬͓̠̯̖͑ͅẉ̢̜̥͔̹̤̒̇̆ͣ͛̿n͇͉ͪ͒ - "
Suddenly the beam cannon heated up and fired at Ted.
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"Kid, you are the only one who has a chance to calm that thing down, it's not listening to me."
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Jaime's voice was muffled within the suit. He could barely breath.
The scarab had taken full control of his body and every second was a struggle to regain control.
Was this it? Would the scarab consume Jaime? Leaving nothing but a shell. A puppet to be walked around by the suit.
No!
Jaime went to space. He took part in the fight against Brother Eye. He could beat a scared and twitchy scarab.
With an effort of pure willpower. Jaime turns towards Ted.
"Shoot me, trust me. Just do it!"
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"I'll give you the best I got, kid - I hope this helps you find the reset button on that thing."
He squeezes the trigger.
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Jaime's nervous system was hooked up to the scarab. If Jaime's theory was correct than that meant it felt pain too.
The electromagnetic ray coursed through Jaime. He could feel the scarab cry in pain and confusion.
The armor melts off Jaime. Leaving a shaken young teen. He nearly collapses from the exhaustion but manages to mitigate that into just falling to his knees.
Jaime smiles weakly.
"So how much XP do you think that was worth?" He asks meekly.
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"At least enough to pick up a couple levels in bad-ass. Are you okay, kid?"
He walks over to Jaime, offering him a hand up when he feels he can stand again.
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Jaime struggled to find the right words.
"It's like - basically the scarab and I are one. But it has a mind of it's own too. Ever since coming back from where ever I was the Scarab has been acting like a scared animal. I can keep it under control most times but something about you really messed it up"
Jaime accepts Ted's hand and pulls himself up.
"It's calmed down now but I think, if I'm being honest. I need some help. Maybe even some bad ass training from the coolest Super-Hero around. If you're willing?"
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He's kidding. It's a defense mechanism against praise.
"Honestly, I'd be honored to help any way I can."