IC CONTACT - MASK OR MENACE

[performance]

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[performance]

A month? So...

[real_archer]

New Years. [Her mouth quirks into a small smile] Wait, does that mean I'm past you again?

[performance]

Christmas Eve. The circus mission.

... Anything fun happen? And by fun I mean— well. You know.

[real_archer]

The circus mission, of course. I remember that now.

[She's weirdly proud of herself--which is pretty silly considering she was there so of course she remembers. It just sucks being stuck behind.]

And, uh... well... it's kiiiiinda been a busy week...

[Oh boy, she's not even sure where to start with that one. Or if she should.]

[performance]

[ Robin notices her hesitation, putting two hands up, palms out. ]

You know what? It's fine. Table it for now. It's been a busy month here, too.

[real_archer]

[That makes things easier. She sits on the edge of the bed.]

Okay, I'm listening. Tell me.

[performance]

Did you know Wally has a cousin? From the future. Like fifty years in the future.

[real_archer]

Yeah, he said something about that. I met the kid before I, um... left.

[Her brow furrows.]

Wally says he's for real.

[performance]

He's for real. He knows [ my name ] all about us. From history books, or so he says.

It's bizarre, hearing about yourself like that.

[real_archer]

Yeah? [Okay, Artemis can't help but be a little interested in that.] Did he, um... say anything about me?

[SUBTLE]

[performance]

If he did, I missed it.

[ Sorry, Artemis, he was too busy repressing how much he missed you to mention you at all. ]

He gets all cagey if you ask him things directly, but he throws around spoilers like breathing. Be careful, though. You don't always want to know this stuff. Trust me.

[real_archer]

Oh. [Totally not disappointed or anything, but come on, who wouldn't want to know that they're in a history book.] What kind of stuff did he tell you?

[performance]

Team leader, right here.

[ He jerks a thumb toward his chest. He would look more excited about it, except Kaldur is still a big question mark. That, and he's practically going grey trying to do it here. How does Kaldur do it? ]

Future me sounds pretty stressed out. I dunno, Art, I'm pretty sure I get all tense and serious. He's so surprised when I kid around. And—

[ And then there's the stuff Carrie had told him. That he'd had a falling out with Batman, that his successor was killed... He doesn't know how much of that holds true where Bart's from. He's not sure he wants to know. ]

... Look, it's just a lot. Be careful what you ask.

[real_archer]

... Huh.

[She leans back, taking that in. She wonders what happens that makes Robin so stressed and also...]

I mean, I'm not saying you're a bad leader, because you're totally not. [Get traught or get dead, Artemis would pretty much follow Robin anywhere and she can't believe that him suddenly being uptight would change that.] But... what about Kaldur?

[performance]

I don't know. That's about where he clammed up.

And KF says I can't tie him to a chair and pump him full of truth serum. [ straight-faced, this one. ]

[real_archer]

[Artemis scoffs at that.]

So now we're listening to Wally for tactical advice? You get the truth serum and I'll get the chair.

[performance]

He'd probably vibrate right through it. Apparently that's a thing.

[real_archer]

That's a thing? [Color Artemis impressed.] Can all speedsters do that? Why doesn't Wally do that?

[performance]

You didn't know?

[ Robin winces. Ouch. ]

Flash can. Impulse can. KF, not so much. His top speed's not as high as theirs, either. Please don't mention it.

[real_archer]

What? Why would I mention it? I'm not a total jerk.

[Well... maybe like 75% a jerk, but not enough to go rubbing Wally's face in it like that. Especially not with everything the team has been willing to accept about her.

Yeah, the whole team. It was a busy week.]

[performance]

Which is why I'm telling you now. So it doesn't come up.

[ Only he's allowed to pick on Wally about it. ]

[real_archer]

I wouldn't--okay, fine.

[Fair, as long as Artemis gets to pick on him for everything else.]

So... [And here's the thing she really didn't want to ask. It's been a month, but she's just now remembering so it feels fresh.] Did anything else happen with the Colorado thing?

[performance]

... We're working on tracking them down. It's slow going, but we're making progress.

[ It's probably a disappointing answer, but it's better than nothing. Or worse, that they struck again. ]

[real_archer]

Okay. [Definitely not the answer she was hoping for, but better than the one she was dreading.] You know I'm in if you need me on that. Just give me a target.

[performance]

You know I will.