??? [ He's the only person she sends nothing but punctuation marks to, because he's the only one shady enough to confuse the shit out of her.
Not that it means she won't be showing up. Because she definitely does, a solid 15 minutes or so later — some part of the boardwalk she has yet to explore, which means she's spending just as much time looking around than looking for Jason.
But. She finds him. ] Jason— [ ... ] What is it that you wanted? [ Straight to business, apparently. ]
[He's leaning in the shade of a storefront, when she finds him. Waits until she's close enough to say hello to return the favor. But since she opens with asking what he wants from her—]
Anyone ever tell you you're a very suspicious person?
[This is rich, coming from him. (He is not unaware of this. Hence.)]
[Don't say that where the natives can hear it, Jason, you remember how it went last time. Before she can even wonder if she should take this bullcrap seriously—]
I saw you were in the neighborhood on my way to scoping out the shore. [Trackers are still a thing, right. Lets say they are. Otherwise...not like the blue hair doesn't stand out.] If you need to go back to charming the locals, I'll understand.
[ In her defense he'd try very hard to play it cool and she's seen through enough of his bullshit, maybe. Sort of.
Anyway it takes a moment as she processes what he's asked. Or what he hadn't asked, actually, because Jason still can't do this correctly, and her face softens. Nods easily, without hesitation— ] Of course.
He tips his head down the length of the boardwalk, as if in an "after you, then." Pushes himself up off his perch to join her and match her pace onto the boardwalk, as the fishermen pull their nets out of the sea. Mostly facetiously, while they get their bearings—]
All this place is missing is a couple coneys and a big wheel. Think the city'll take it under consideration?
[ She literally has no idea what a coney is Jason why do you keep doing this. At least she's learned to ignore the shit that she doesn't understand, except — ]
... I don't see how the city would benefit by having a large wheel on the beach. [ She knows what a big wheel is ( it's not the big wheel that she's thinking of ). ] What would its purpose be?
[ ?????? Wheels on their own can't do much of anything???? ]
[ Great now she has a mental image of young(....er) people putting their loved ones on a large carriage wheel, thanks asshole.
Which probably means that they're definitely not talking about the same thing, which means she's definitely not going to ask about it because that won't actually get her anywhere. Except more confused, maybe. ] Is that so. [ Is probably a perfectly neutral response. ]
Had you been close to the water? Back in Gotham? [ Because it sure sounds like it ( why does she never stop to think that he could have seen it on tv, who knows ). ]
City mostly sits on an island. A few of them, actually. Ocean on one side, bay on the other. [He walks in silence for a beat or two, then—] Wasn't exactly all boardwalks and beach bums, if that's what you're asking.
I imagine this [ She means the vastness of the sea ] is a familiar enough sight to you, regardless. [ How nice.
Except her curiosities never quite end there, because despite living by a peninsula, this hadn't the most common sight ( hard to be, when the sea isn't a viable path to escape ). She looks out to the sea, seemingly in thought, before she turns to Jason once more. ]
Did you ever have the chance to swim in the sea? I've heard that the salt in the waters allows you to float...
[Kids from Crime Alley don't hit the boardwalk, much. But being Robin means risking a dunk in the waves on a nightly basis. It all evened out. Anyway, that's clearly not the point.]
Don't tell me this is your first beach day. You would have gotten a real kick out of deer island.
Of... sorts. [ Apparenntly it's story for a story ( which, in theory, means that Jason owes her his entire life story, but ). ] Ylisse had been by a peninsula — though I don't have very much memories of visiting the ocean as a child. [ Mostly because she was stuck in the castle in the early years, and then running for her life in the later years. But whatever. ]
When I did have a chance — the sea had looked suffocating at the time. [ Given it was just another escape route that would never work; the ships had long since burned. But she speaks all of it in a casual enough manner, more like recounting the weather a month ago than anything else. ] This is much more pleasant in comparison.
[Hey, she's gotten more of it than most. Don't be greedy.
He's listening, though. Which might have something to do with the way he leads them down the boardwalk and onto the sand, past the fishermen and the pearl-divers, toward the water.
Lucina follows, at least, but not after a healthy pause for curiosity's sake. She's stupid enough to trust him blindly now, eyes on the horizon as she speaks. ] With everything that's going on, this is a rather nice change of pace. [ You know, spring break for mercenaries, because they didn't actually get to have a spring break.
... But they probably end up at the edge of the water, and she stops just before the waves. ] ... Jason?
[He told you he was scoping out the shore. What more do you want from him, Lucina, an itinerary?
If he can hear the hesitation and the question in the pause, he doesn't let on. Walking slowly along the waterline toward the fishing ships in the distance while she stalls.]
[ I mean he's the one who led them out to the water.
Not that she's complaining, exactly, because being far out in the water is ... nice. Calming. She could sit by the beach and let her problems just wash away, for a while.
Except they can't do that, because they're working, and Lucina doesn't understand the concept of having a nice time. ]
What are we looking for, exactly? Something to help us with the mission?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Perhaps about 3. [ She took it seriously. ]
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Is that a "hanging my laundry" kind of 3 or a "cake in the oven" kind?
[i.e. please elaborate.]
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I had been speaking to a local about the current affairs.
Is something the matter?
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Nothing that can't wait 'til you're sub-3 again.
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She had to go pick up her children from their grandparents.
I am back at 1, for the moment.
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Great.
I'm on the north end of the boardwalk, if you've got the time.
[For what, who knows.]
> action
Not that it means she won't be showing up. Because she definitely does, a solid 15 minutes or so later — some part of the boardwalk she has yet to explore, which means she's spending just as much time looking around than looking for Jason.
But. She finds him. ] Jason— [ ... ] What is it that you wanted? [ Straight to business, apparently. ]
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Anyone ever tell you you're a very suspicious person?
[This is rich, coming from him. (He is not unaware of this. Hence.)]
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Not in particular, no. [ Because she's not Jason, probably.
... ... ... ] Oh.
[ Oh. ] I thought that — perhaps something had ... gone awry. [ Or something. Now she sees that's not the case. ]
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This lack of faith. I'm hurt, Princess.
[Don't say that where the natives can hear it, Jason, you remember how it went last time. Before she can even wonder if she should take this bullcrap seriously—]
I saw you were in the neighborhood on my way to scoping out the shore. [Trackers are still a thing, right. Lets say they are. Otherwise...not like the blue hair doesn't stand out.] If you need to go back to charming the locals, I'll understand.
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Anyway it takes a moment as she processes what he's asked. Or what he hadn't asked, actually, because Jason still can't do this correctly, and her face softens. Nods easily, without hesitation— ] Of course.
I'd love to. [ And she would. Gross. ] Shall we?
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He tips his head down the length of the boardwalk, as if in an "after you, then." Pushes himself up off his perch to join her and match her pace onto the boardwalk, as the fishermen pull their nets out of the sea. Mostly facetiously, while they get their bearings—]
All this place is missing is a couple coneys and a big wheel. Think the city'll take it under consideration?
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... I don't see how the city would benefit by having a large wheel on the beach. [ She knows what a big wheel is ( it's not the big wheel that she's thinking of ). ] What would its purpose be?
[ ?????? Wheels on their own can't do much of anything???? ]
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Wasting time, mostly. Give the young and the restless somewhere to take their dates up with their cotton candy.
[That isn't helpful at all. Quick, Lucina, change the subject.]
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Which probably means that they're definitely not talking about the same thing, which means she's definitely not going to ask about it because that won't actually get her anywhere. Except more confused, maybe. ] Is that so. [ Is probably a perfectly neutral response. ]
Had you been close to the water? Back in Gotham? [ Because it sure sounds like it ( why does she never stop to think that he could have seen it on tv, who knows ). ]
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The answer, as it happens, is both.]
City mostly sits on an island. A few of them, actually. Ocean on one side, bay on the other. [He walks in silence for a beat or two, then—] Wasn't exactly all boardwalks and beach bums, if that's what you're asking.
[More shipyards and subway stations, etc.]
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Except her curiosities never quite end there, because despite living by a peninsula, this hadn't the most common sight ( hard to be, when the sea isn't a viable path to escape ). She looks out to the sea, seemingly in thought, before she turns to Jason once more. ]
Did you ever have the chance to swim in the sea? I've heard that the salt in the waters allows you to float...
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[Kids from Crime Alley don't hit the boardwalk, much. But being Robin means risking a dunk in the waves on a nightly basis. It all evened out. Anyway, that's clearly not the point.]
Don't tell me this is your first beach day. You would have gotten a real kick out of deer island.
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When I did have a chance — the sea had looked suffocating at the time. [ Given it was just another escape route that would never work; the ships had long since burned. But she speaks all of it in a casual enough manner, more like recounting the weather a month ago than anything else. ] This is much more pleasant in comparison.
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He's listening, though. Which might have something to do with the way he leads them down the boardwalk and onto the sand, past the fishermen and the pearl-divers, toward the water.
Briskly—]
Oh yeah, a regular spring break for mercenaries.
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Lucina follows, at least, but not after a healthy pause for curiosity's sake. She's stupid enough to trust him blindly now, eyes on the horizon as she speaks. ] With everything that's going on, this is a rather nice change of pace. [ You know, spring break for mercenaries, because they didn't actually get to have a spring break.
... But they probably end up at the edge of the water, and she stops just before the waves. ] ... Jason?
[ Why are they here? ]
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If he can hear the hesitation and the question in the pause, he doesn't let on. Walking slowly along the waterline toward the fishing ships in the distance while she stalls.]
What's up, Princess?
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Not that she's complaining, exactly, because being far out in the water is ... nice. Calming. She could sit by the beach and let her problems just wash away, for a while.
Except they can't do that, because they're working, and Lucina doesn't understand the concept of having a nice time. ]
What are we looking for, exactly? Something to help us with the mission?