Not quite the local gym...

[cursedhyacinth]

The gym doesn't have a lot of people in it. It's never been the most popular of settings in this place, and the folks who pass through the Hub -- or even make it a home for however long -- are more the type to set up a home gym.

But that's part of why Jacinda likes it -- quiet, but not entirely lonely, and something zie doesn't have to maintain on zir own time. Show up, work out, go.

Zie is currently fiddling with the setup on the lat pulldown machine, increasing the number of weight plates that will be engaged.

Comments

[red_hood_rat]

Jason definitely notices Jacinda's reaction. He's not quite sure what to make of it, but something's a little odd about all this. And why does Jacinda look so familiar, anyway?

But as the follow-up comment, Jason shoots Jacinda a lopsided grin. "No kidding," he says. "Even worse when he lives in a different city entirely. Either I've gotta haul ass down to NYC or he's gotta come here. Not too far, I guess, but sort of takes the spontaneity out of booty calls."

[cursedhyacinth]

Jacinda nods. "Isn't it 'up' to NYC, though? You're goin' north."

Jacinda goes to stand on one leg, pulling up the other and holding it in place with one hand, so as to stretch -- in preparation for going to a new machine. "He worth relocating for, if you want that spontaneity back?"

After a moment, Jacinda switches legs, stretching the other.

[red_hood_rat]

"Yeah, but it's a downgrade," he deadpans.

"Man, I don't even know," Jason says. "We like just made it official... but I love Gotham. I don't really gotta choose, do I?"

"Done with the leg press, if you want," Jason says, noticing Jacinda stretching. He stands, stretching his arms over his head, himself.

As he walks away from the machine, he pauses to glance curiously over the bulletin board on the wall. He tends to pay attention to local announcements, for various reasons.

[cursedhyacinth]

"Oh. Well, probably not, if it's such a new development. Never mind me." Jacinda nods when Jason offers use of the leg press, and says, "Sure, thanks."

Zie is busy adjusting the weights on the leg press, and doesn't notice that the bulletin board has made a (rather sneaky) appearance. Most of the older, out of date messages have been taken off by now, but the explanation of what the Hub is -- as well as the two explanations of what happens to Jason Todd, in either Ethiopia or Sarajevo -- remains untouched.

[red_hood_rat]

Jason takes a few moments to read the board, brows furrowed in surprise and confusion.

"... hey, Jacinda, can I ask you a weird question?" Jason asks.

[cursedhyacinth]

"Yeah, go for it," Jacinda calls back. Zie is in position for using the leg press now, and adjusting the placement of zir feet.

[red_hood_rat]

"Would you happen to be a version of me from a different universe, or?"

[cursedhyacinth]

Jacinda can't resist being a bit of a smartass, and responds, "That's a big 10-4, good buddy..."

But zie is also stepping away from the leg press because these conversations almost always end up needing to be the primary focus.

[red_hood_rat]

"God, my life is fucking weird," Jason says.

"So are you from one of those universes with like Brianna Wayne and Wonder Man and shit, or?"

[cursedhyacinth]

"That is the understatement of the century."

Jacinda walks over and leans against the wall next to the bulletin board. "Nah, I know everyone you'd know, most likely. Bruce Wayne, Talia al-Ghul..." little smirk, "Danny Chase...?"

[red_hood_rat]

"Oh, I do know Danny Chase," Jason says with a smirk. "No wonder you about fell over when I said his name."

[cursedhyacinth]

"I don't know him as well as you do. Didn't know it was an option, actually."

[red_hood_rat]

"Hm, not sure if it would be for you," Jason says, absolutely ignorant of Jacinda's situation. "He's gay in my world, don't know about yours?"

[cursedhyacinth]

"He's dead in my world, so it's a moot point."

Jacinda shrugs. "Never asked, but he could've been. I started out as a Jason, though. Got on the wrong side of a magic spell, and it's hard to figure out how to break."

[red_hood_rat]

"Oh, he died in my world, too, but he's back now," Jason says, waving a hand.

At Jacinda's follow-up comment, Jason sucks air in through his teeth. "Oh shit, man, sorry, I assumed from the name. You want me to use male pronouns for you still, or?"

[cursedhyacinth]

"...Okay, I'm gonna address the rest of your points in a moment, but -- what year is it where you come from?"

The difference in reactions between Jacinda's home universe and the Hub is starting to really bother zir.

[red_hood_rat]

"2011?" He asks. "Wait, what year is it for you?"

[cursedhyacinth]

"Huh. I wonder if that's the usual timeframe... everybody in the Hub is way nicer about the gender thing. And most of them use 'he' when I explain."

Jacinda shrugs. "It's 1999 where I come from."

[red_hood_rat]

"Maybe?" Jason says. "When I did my multiverse hopping stint, I saw some, like, Victorian Era shit, but most of it seemed pretty modern."

"Oh shit, though," Jason says. "1999? Man, that's just... it's not the worst time, but it's sure not the best," he continues. "Can only guess the shit you must be putting up with."

[cursedhyacinth]

"Mm... one time, after some magic users stabilized this place, I found the way back home. I wanted to update everyone I left behind... you know, not dead again, still working on finding a solution..." Jacinda sighs. "Cass and Steph were working a case, some kind of new drug making the rounds, invited me to come along downtown to help look for leads. Not a smart move when folks can't tell if you're a boy or a girl, I guess.

"Got separated from them. Got jumped. Got my face kicked a few times before the Hub snatched me back."

[red_hood_rat]

"Jesus, man," he says. "You couldn't--"

Nope, nope, he can not let his mouth run away on that one. He actually clears his throat, putting his fist up to block his mouth, at which point the other implication hits him.

"Hang on. So you're on good terms with the Bats?"

[cursedhyacinth]

Jacinda nods, thinking that zie is finishing his sentence when zie says, "Couldn't run. Got surrounded." Jacinda scuffs the toe of zir sneaker against the floor, eyes on the motion while zie says: "It's hard to fight in a body that's different from everything you trained with before."

Jacinda looks up. "Good enough. As long as I 'behaved', most of 'em were willing to give me a chance. Had some plans, but it's all derailed now, so..." Another shrug. "Cass is decent, and Steph's getting there, even if she was way too fuckin' chummy over being 'the poor kids' to start. Dick is weird, but when's he not? And I just stayed away from Tim the Terrible so he didn't get new things to whine about."

[red_hood_rat]

"Shit. That makes sense, yeah. How long ago did you get cursed? Who did it, anyway?"

Jason looks honestly more perturbed by what he perceives as kowtowing to Bruce's bullshit rules than by any other part of Jacinda's situation. "Yeah, who the fuck cares about Tim. But... why'd you go back to 'em?" He sounds genuinely confused.

[cursedhyacinth]

"Time runs weird here," Jacinda replies. "It's been a while. And it was the Faerie goddess of Summer, Aine. I got a little too punchy with someone who invoked the goddess before a heist, and She took exception."

There's a wry smile on Jacinda's face when zie answers the next question.

"Funny thing about it... you ever stop to think how close some of 'the family' comes to killing, and how often? How Cass can go on a rampage and because it was drugs it's fine? How Dickie-bird can work for Slade or beat a man to death but be real real sorry about it afterward and it's fine? How fucking Tim can straight up kill Captain Boomerang for revenge but he's not a lost cause?

"Maybe some of them just need the right push. Maybe if you figure out who'd be willing to go that far, you can get them to take the heat for you, because B will look the other way for one of them."

Of course it's not right. Of course it's not fair. But when has life ever been fair to Jason Todd? Since when has he ever not worked under the handicap of people's double standards? May as well make it all work for him... one way or another.

[red_hood_rat]

"... huh," Jason finally says, after processing it a long time. "I can't decide if that sounds to me like giving up or if that's the most brilliant Goddamn idea I've heard."

"Faerie goddess of Summer... let me guess, Mr. Freeze?" Jason drawls sarcastically. "But actual guess... Poison Ivy?"