canthandleacape: (Which is clearly superior?)
Michael "Booster" Jon Carter/Booster Gold ([personal profile] canthandleacape) wrote in [community profile] anemoi2012-03-21 08:01 pm

Gold Exchange 9 - [text]

If someone asked Booster yesterday what the worst thing he'd remembered was, he--well, he would've laughed the question off and said that he'd never remembered anything particularly bad, but it would've been a lie. The truth is, he would've had a hard time deciding: it might've been the look on his mother's face when she disowned him or maybe when he learned that she'd died before he ever had a chance to make amends or perhaps he would pick the memory of holding his own corpse in his hands, that was a pretty distressing one. But it all pales in comparison to what he just remembered.

His twin sister, the only family he really had left, is dead. Because of him.

It's a shock at first. He tries to deny that it's true, searches his other memories for any proof that she's still alive. He comes up with the opposite. One of the first things he ever remembered in Sirocco was receiving the Supernova role and costume from Rip Hunter. He didn't think much of it at the time, but now he realizes something significant about it. He accepted Rip's terms without hesitation and took it to heart enough to maintain them even in Sirocco: keep Supernova's true identity a secret from everyone. "Everyone" would include Michelle, but she could always tell when something was up with him, like the gambling, or Dad. He could never keep anything secret from her for long. Her or Ted.

Ted's dead, too.

Booster doesn't remember that, he can't really say he knows it for sure, but in a way, he's known ever since Jaime showed him the Scarab stuck to his spine. He's been trying to justify it away, to come up with reasons why Jaime still has the Scarab, why he would be looking for it instead of Ted, why Ted wouldn't come up in the conversation at all, but now any sort of justification feels pointless. He couldn't even protect his own sister, what makes him think he could've protected Ted?

What makes him think he could protect anybody? At home or here? The moon, the Oni, the dragon.... He certainly hasn't been doing a very impressive job as the League's leader so far. It's mostly dumb luck that the only casualties there've been were from an alternate timeline, but that's still too many. How many more people have to die before he realizes that he isn't really cut out to be a hero?

None, he decides. He's done with it. Screw leading the Justice League, screw being Supernova, and screw whatever it was that Rip wanted him to be Supernova for. He would've screwed it all up in the end, anyway, there's no need to actually give himself that chance. Hell, maybe he's already screwed it up, there's no way to tell with the amnesia.

If he has, he doesn't really want to remember it. And he definitely doesn't want to wait around to remember how Ted died or if any of his other friends have died, too. The decision is quickly and easily made. He sends out one mass text before he throws his phone off the roof of the Suites and leaves:

I quit.

((Aaaand Booster's out! He won't be responding to anything on this post, on account of his phone being a shattered mess of electronics on the sidewalk by the Suites now, so feel free to threadjack around in here and ICly organize Operation Drag Booster Back. I will have a log up for said Operation momentarily. EDIT: Log's up! /o/))
gogoghostpowers: (Phantom: this CAN'T be good.)

[personal profile] gogoghostpowers 2012-03-22 02:02 am (UTC)(link)
[Danny, back in ghost form, runs to the apartment and enters through the doorway, entering like a normal person for once instead of going through the wall.]

...He isn't here?

I--I just saw his message, I got worried! What happened?
the_ko_stands_for_tiger: (A hero saves lives)

[personal profile] the_ko_stands_for_tiger 2012-03-22 02:05 am (UTC)(link)
Booster quit! Just like that! No reasons or anything! Right after that weirdo showed up on the phone too, what the HELL.
trustycrowbar: (Angstrom Focus)

[personal profile] trustycrowbar 2012-03-22 02:13 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah, the town needs all the heroes it can get right now...

[A few moments later.]

Alright. I've got someone saying that they spotted something heading southward without a perceptible vapor trail... maybe that's him. You guys taking off to look for him?

[Oh look, GUESS WHO CAN'T FLY.]
gogoghostpowers: ([P] of what you can't see...)

[personal profile] gogoghostpowers 2012-03-22 02:38 am (UTC)(link)
Well...yeah, of course!

...Aren't you?
trustycrowbar: (The Strong Force)

[personal profile] trustycrowbar 2012-03-22 02:48 am (UTC)(link)
...I can't fly. Hell, I don't have ANY powers. I'm probably better off... not... You know what?

[He disappears and returns, labcoat gone and crowbar at his belt.]

What the hell, I'll figure something out. I'll hail a damn taxi if I have to.
the_ko_stands_for_tiger: (I don't like your tone of voice)

[personal profile] the_ko_stands_for_tiger 2012-03-22 02:52 am (UTC)(link)
*Kotetsu nods.*

Kid, you got the advantage on us, see if you can slow him down or something! I'll get there when I can!
gogoghostpowers: (Phantom: nervous // trepidation)

[personal profile] gogoghostpowers 2012-03-22 02:56 am (UTC)(link)
[Danny pauses a moment, but then nods.]

Okay...got it. Once I find Booster, I'll let you know where he is and try and keep him from doing anything crazy.

[With that, Danny jumps out the window, orients himself to the south, and starts flying off in that direction in search of anything that could be Booster.]
trustycrowbar: (Looking back)

[personal profile] trustycrowbar 2012-03-22 03:02 am (UTC)(link)
[Gordon turns to Kotetsu.]

So, got any plan on how to get there fast? I MIGHT be able to get one of the lab vehicles but since I left in the middle of a shift I don't think they'll be too quick to offer it.
the_ko_stands_for_tiger: (Can't get me if you can't catch me!)

[personal profile] the_ko_stands_for_tiger 2012-03-22 03:05 am (UTC)(link)
We got a vehicle we use for Justice League business, and this is DEFINITELY Justice League business. Come on!

*He leads the way.*
stinglikeabat: (Who is this masked man???)

[personal profile] stinglikeabat 2012-03-22 03:53 am (UTC)(link)
[Joachim, on monitor duty at HQ, has managed to miss everything that happened prior to Kotetsu coming in the door.]

What's the hurry, Tiger?
the_ko_stands_for_tiger: (Not as dumb as you think)

[personal profile] the_ko_stands_for_tiger 2012-03-22 03:57 am (UTC)(link)
Booster's gone and quit on us! We gotta figure out what the crap!
stinglikeabat: (Too many stairs)

[personal profile] stinglikeabat 2012-03-22 04:17 am (UTC)(link)
Quit? Can he do that? He can't do that!
the_ko_stands_for_tiger: (Nowhere to hide)

[personal profile] the_ko_stands_for_tiger 2012-03-22 04:31 am (UTC)(link)
HE apparently thinks otherwise! We're the ones that gotta tell him that!
stinglikeabat: (Behold my rippling muscles!)

[personal profile] stinglikeabat 2012-03-23 02:13 am (UTC)(link)
He won't escape the grasp of true friendship that easily!