Boardwalk -- Avalon City The sound of the surf crashing and the smell of salt in the air are two of the first things you notice here on Avalon Boardwalk, or the boards as almost everyone calls them these days. Stretching along the beach and then out over the water as a pier where it ends with Avalon Aquarium. The boards are kept in great shape and it is a biker and joggers haven in the early hours of the day and at dusk. Kids skateboard and rollerblade along it's length at all hours of the day, and sometimes night as well. During the summer months the boardwalk is filled with people and there is a almost carnival like atmosphere nightly. Games of chance and myriad arcades and small shops selling T-Shirts and novelty items line the boards along both sides. The Avalon Beach Mall is here as well. Much smaller then the mall in town it is more outlet shops and smaller sister stores to some of the larger ones in town. The pier even has a small ammusement park on it, complete with a tiny roller coaster and a ferris wheel, before ending with the aquarium. It's an absolutely stunning day - early afternoon, early summer - Avalon's boardwalk reminds Sandy of Coney Island. And not the run-down present-day version, but Coney right before the War, before they had to close all the rides down and shut off all the coastal lights at night, afraid of air raids. He's sitting on the edge, feet hanging over the side, arms resting across the lower rail, dreamily watching the beach. The spray-filled sea breeze ruffles his hair and makes the pennants along the shore flap audibly, and the sun keeps everything from getting too chilly. "You're a hard person to find, amazingly enough, btu I suppose if I had looked here first it would have gone much faster. My searching that is." The voice is behind you, as, with hands on hips and looking rather... pitifully small.... is Impulse. Does this kid ever leave you alone? Hair blowing in the wnd, as he looks down to you, he shuffles his feet a little. "I suppose if had thought about it... water, sand, Sandy.... but I..." He didn't slow down to think about it. he just rushedout as soon as Max turned his back. Why? Well, he needed to say something to you. "Thank you, Sandy. For what you said, you know, back at Kid's place. To Max." Glancing up and behind him, his blue eyes piercing and perceptive, Sandy looks serious for a moment - but just a moment, because then he grins, and it's as sunny as the rest of the day. "Hey, no worries. I know Max is kind of a stiff guy to be around. Have a seat!" He turns slightly, feet still hanging off the edge, and moves his jacket and shirt (yes, he's still wearing his undershirt, thanks) over to make room for Bart. "Also, thank -you- for the ride home. Hawaii! Sheesh!" "Oh, that was nothing. I man, we were going that way anyway and sides, for you I woulda' sure. I ... I've never had anyone do that for me before." And it's a little shocking to him, actually, and he's trying to adjust to it. Someone standing up for him, that is. Superboy, well, he stands up for bart, sure, but he also makes fun of him just as much. Bart may *seem* like he doesn't notice those things, but... he does. He just can't let it show. "I just... I mean... I..." Hrm. He stops for a moment and then realizes what you offered, and well, he sts, letting his feet dnagle as well. "You know Max?" he peers at you through his goggles, "You aren't another one of his kids, are you?" Sandy Hawkins laughs! surprised and a little shocked, himself. ".../another/ one? Jeez, Imp, how many kids does the guy have? Are -you- his son?" Then he shakes his head, eyes still wide, and crosses his arms over the railing again. Lightly, he rests the side of his head against his arm, still facing the costumed boy. "And - no. I know Max from back when all the heroes were in the All-Star Squadron. Except...I'm not sure, but I don't think -he- was. He was around, though. Doesn't look very changed -- but then, neither do I." "Oh.. wait, you mean from before?" Bart knows that Max has been around for a long time, or rather, he's been at points int he past. "So, like... wait, you're a kid hero ike me and yet you know... oh! I know! Like Jay! You wer ein the frozen city as well and like missed all that time and stuff, so, you're like the Eternal Kid or somethign! No wonder you have neat-o gadgets and stuff, like any kid would want. Sweet. But, I mean, that's a neat codename and all, now, not as fun as Impulse, but eternal Kid has a nice ring to it." But then Bart, who is sitting (in costume) with Sandy at the edge of the docks (feet dangling!), just talking. Shaking his head, Impulse nahs. "Max isn't my dad, though he kinda' is. My dad is fromt he future, liek I am, only well, I never knew my dad and my grandma wanted my cousin to help me but he was a jerk about it so then I ended up with Max." "From the future, huh? Kid from the future, kid from the past," muses Sandy, shifting his head so his chin's resting on his wrist; he looks out at the ocean again. He scratches his nose idly. "And no - my codename is Sandy. I mean, the Sandman was my mentor, so, you know, it was the Sandman and Sandy." He pauses, and eyes Bart sidelong. "I didn't go to any city. Is that why the JSA all look so young? They got frozen like Captain America did after Bucky died?" "wait, Captain America was frozen? Why doens' anyone tell me all the cool stuff? What's next, someone going to say that there are *two* Captain Marvels?" Just sighing and shaking his head, Bart just slides back a little, so that he can rest his chin on his wrists, his arms crossed as he just sighs and tries to keep up. "Yeah, I'm from 2980, which is where Barry went and married grandma. Er, you know who Barry is, right?" Seems like everyone in this time does, save for him, as he hasn't met his father or his granfather. he's a little sad about that, but he doesn't try to think about it. "Sandy? That's... well, it makes sense. I think. So, ah, what do you, you know... do?" Sandy Hawkins shakes his head and grins. "I dunno - I've seen pictures of a couple of different costumes calling themselves Captain Marvel. Could be the same guy with an extensive wardrobe - could be different guys. " He sits up slightly, stretching, then yawns and leans back on the railing, glancing at Bart once more. "2980 - that's when you were born? 1928 for me. And I've got -no- idea who Barry is - sorry, kiddo." This is when he spots Robopaladin coming up the boardwalk - that guy who'd been in that inn, the one who had been, he thought, extrordinarily tolerant of the two screaming metas. He watches for a second, then looks back at Bart. "What do I do? Hm. Fight crime! Same as you." Robopaladin patrols north, from the direction of the pier. It has been a quiet day so far-- no unlawful activity to put a stop to. The boards creak lightly under his weight. "Well, yeah, because you're a ... kid hero, kinda, I mean... 1928?" That takes bart a moment, as to him, he's used to going *back* in time, not forward, like everyone else. perhaps this is why he has problems wrapping his head around the idea of aging as well, since the only forward motion he's used to is his running? "So, in a way, really, you are a lot more like me. Out of time but not out of place. Well, grife, you should have said that sooner, Sandy. It makes sense now." Smirking, Impulse turns to look at Sandy more, which is when he spots Robopaladin. But, in his mind, in this world, he's used to seeing strange folk running around, and well, he *did* grow up n a video game, basically. "Wait, you don't know who Barry Allen is? He was only like the greatest Flash ever!" And then Bart realizes somehting, and clamps his hands over his mouth, before 'Paladin can get too close. Leeann isn't technically on duty, she got off about 45 minutes ago and walked straight here. Its probably one of her favorite places to just stroll and take in the night air mixed with the salty taste and smell of the ocean that crashes nearby. She idly whistles a tune to herself, it sounds vaguely like 'The Rose'. Giving Bart a skeptical look, Sandy shakes his head slightly. "Only Flashes I know of are Jay and your cousin. And him, only because Jay made me go meet him. Can you -believe- he thought I wanted to be his -sidekick-? Man alive, /ego/!" His shoulders droop a little when Bart makes the 'out of time but not place' comment, and he shakes his head. "No, I...no. New York of nineteen forty-three is really a very different place from Avalon of two thousand. And I...listen, you don't really wanna hear all this, it's boring. Ancient history. Really, Impulse, I know what I look like -- but I'm not a kid." Robopaladin catches sight of the off-duty officer, and adjusts his course to intercept. "Well, maybe not, but kinda'. I mean, does it really matter? If it does, then I'm only three. Almost four. If you want to get technical." And he doesn't want to, trust him, as that isn't Bart's deal. Robin's maybe. "Yes! Finally! Someone that agrees with me that Wally is a jerk! Thank you, Sandy. Geez, he did that load on me too. About the sidekick deal, to a degree and when I didn't want to have any of it, well... like I said before, I ended up with Max." Shrugging his shoulders a little at that, bart looks down for a moment, and then, making himself smile, he nudges Sandy with his shoulder. "well, now you know someone who's going to become the best Flash ever, in the future." Leeann stops at the edge of the pier, near the beginning of it. Right under a lightpole, where she can watch the waves better. She hears Robopaladin coming long before she needs to see him, hard to miss that trademark footfall. She idly listens to the two gentlemen talk about odd things. Robopaladin comes to a halt before the officer and presents himself. "Greetings, officer Lowe. How may this unit be of service?" Leeann lets a smile creep on her lips, as always that simple phrase amuses her. He never fails to ask it, maybe one of these days she'll tell him something not work related. "Hello Robopaladin. I trust your partrol has been uneventful?" Robopaladin nods affirmative. "No unlawful activity sighted." He looks to the two boys at the edge of the boardwalk. "Do you know them?" Coughing quietly, looking a little entertained and a little uncomfortable, Sandy leans closer to Bart and whispers something, then straightens and lets go his arms, so they're hanging over the railing instead of resting atop it. "So it's not really getting technical. It's just...that's -actually- how long I've lived. Objective /and/ subjective. No time travel, no being frozen, no nothin'. Just not getting older." A beat. "Okay, so tell me how he was a jerk to you." You whisper, "Look, I was locked in Sandman's basement, transformed into a giant monster made of sand, for about fifty years. I was awake. I really /am/ seventy-two, Imp." to Impulse. Leeann flicks her gaze toward them. "Met the one once before." she nods toward Sandy Hawkins. "Don't know the other one." Robopaladin inclines his head slightly. "Most of the time I see a citizen dressed like that, a few cars are overturned and a building is missing a wall or corner." Leeann gives a small shrug. "Not all mutants or superfolk are bad Robopaladin." she pauses, "Remember your talking to one." she says the last lowly. Blinking behind his golden goggles after that whisper, Bart only has one reply. Really, it's the only reply that he can give. If you were in his big shoes, you'd give it too. "Cool! That's so... hey, can you..." And he leans in to whisper back, asking sandy that question in private. Hey, he wnats to know! Sandy may think that this is awful and horrid, but to Bart it is *so* unique and just, well, grife, he wishes something that interesting would happen to him! "Oh, how was Wally a jerk to me? Well, since day one here, when i arrived, he was all in my face and everythign and just being lame in his ways of trying to hide how jealous he was on me. I mean, grife, how could you *not* see it! But then he was going through soem stuff and wouldn't tell me what was going on and then he decided to try and lecture me on stuff, built me all up for this thign and then gave it to someoen else! Just a pain, I suppose, but then... after that he just kjinda' tossed up his hands and walked away. We don't talk much, and when we do... well, he talks down to me." Shrugging his smal shouldrs again, Impulse finds himself looking down to his hands, which are now together in his lap, his feet swinging bac and forth. "Not much, I suppose." *> From afar, Impulse whispered wondering if you could turn into it still? Robopaladin says, "In a way, ma'am, I suppose I am one myself. It would not surprise me to find fashion in general leaning in that direction." Leeann had been gazing at the two gentlemen as Robo spoke, she looks back at him. "which one do you suppose you are? A mutant or a superhero?" she asks, she is curious. Robopaladin says, "I would have been told of any deviations in my genetics, ma'am." Leeann nods slightly, "You'd be right about that." she agrees, of course to the lady officer there's nothing wrong with her larger male officers genetics, even if he is encased in steel (or an equivalent) and some sort of hard plastic (or its equivalent). "Nope, can't," grins Sandy to Bart. "Back to my old skillset, thank God. Fists, feet, brains - gasgun and wirepoon." He's silent as Bart describes Wally's treatment of him, starting to frown. Finally, he shakes his head and leans back, hands on the warm wood of the boardwalk. "You shouldn't let him. You've gotta learn to stick up for yourself. And be smoove - that's definitely a must. Take everything anyone says and turn it to your advantage. Really, it's not as hard as you'd think." He tilts his head back, hair finally falling completely from his face, and looks sideways at Bart. "Really, that's all I did yesterday." "But,t hat's what Robin's around for. Or Superboy. Max keeps telling me I have to focus and plan ahead, but... I don't know. I think that I shouldn't have to. Use what I have, what I am and use that to my advantage. Everyone wants to make me into something, someoene else, but really, I can't be anyone else but me and they don't seem to know this, but then I don't want to upset them as they're all already rather upset with me." Impulse sighs, his little chest heaving, as he moves to stand. For him that taks an instant, and then, when he's stopped a moment later, he's sitting on the railing, elbows on knees, leaning forward. Shruggng his shoulders again, Bart knows that when he thinks he gets into trouble, but yet,t hat's what everyone wants him to do. "So, since you're not the Eternal Boy ... you belong tot he JLA or something, right? You one of those X-Men? 'Cause, if not, i was going to ask about something else, but..." Sandy Hawkins shakes his head vehemently! "No -- no, I'm not asking you to be anyone else. Personally, I like you as you are. Sticking up for yourself, taking what other people say about you and making it work for you - that's all just part of protecting who you are. And *I'm* not upset with you, for what it's worth." Much more slowly, but equally fluidly, Sandy pulls his legs up and gets to his feet. As he speaks, he starts to put his overshirt back on, buttoning it. "Be yourself -- but don't be /afraid/ of being yourself, since you're the only one of you there is." This said, and his shirt back on, he raises his head and looks questioning. "Hm? No, I'm not in any groups or anything. Just taking classes." Spinning and slipping off the railing in all of the time it takes for Sandy to get one button done, Impulse is back on his feet, looking to (up at?) sandy with a smirk. "Why didn't Wally just abandon me to you, instead of Max?" You listen to him. Max doesn't. But then, Max really does care for him, and bart knows it. It's just hard at times, as well as being great. Anyhoo... "Well, good, 'cause, well, there's this group, ya' see, and we... well, I have classes too! Grife, homework! I have to get that done before morning, man-o-man... ah, where was I? Oh! Where can I find you, normally? 'Cause, while you may be old you're also still young and if the others don't mind, I mean, I think I can invite people in...." Sandy Hawkins has -no- idea what Bart is talking about, and it shows. Yes, he's a bit taller - but only as much as any seventeenish boy would be to another who hasn't had his growth spurt yet. "Huh? Well - I go to the university here. I...here, hold on a second." He fishes in his pockets for a second, and comes up with a pen and a bubble-gum wrapper. Quickly, using the railing as s writing surface, he scribbles out his dorm address and hands it to Bart. "This is where I'm at. You can come by any time - my roommate cut out early this year and hasn't been back since, so no one'll bug you." Watching you write, and then taking the address. "Cool! Well, I'll be by then for sure, Stop in on my way home form school? Ah, junior high for me." He shuffles,a little embarassed about that. Why, he's not sure. With his speed, he could be in university by now, right?