9437/Blue Beetle: Homecoming

Blue Beetle: Homecoming
Date of Scene:	03 January 2022
Location:	Penthouse - Kord Co
Synopsis:	Ted is back... and on his way out!
Cast of Characters:	Ted Kord, Dmitri Pushkin, Peter Parker, Joan Wright, Booster Gold

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Ted Kord has posed:
Home felt good. It felt damned good. The Christmas bonuses did not go out... some people got a scolding for making the kids wait till the boss was home. Then the boss and his drones hit every floor and handed them out. In cash. he still had the beard. He might keep it in some form. Or the long hair. It felt natural.

Ted lolled in the hot tub, despite one Melissa Alcott's best efforts.

"Boss you gotta have to sign these at least then I'll leave you alone till tomorrow."

"Prove it... go get a swimsuit and climb in. Then there's no place for you to hide more forms."

"You know from anyone else, told to anyone else this would be grounds for sexual harassment?"

"A little swimsuit."

"A one piece."

"Top or bottom?" This results in Ted getting a pitcher of lemonade dumped on him.

"Good to have you back Mr. Kord. Ted."

Dmitri Pushkin has posed:
     Dmitri swoops down in full regalia. He's little more than a blurr till he touches down on the outside of the penthouse suite. He walks forward towards the door to the patio with a confidence that only Dmitri could truly have in himself. That sort of genuine confidence that's not quite arrogant tempered by his own self awareness.

     The door swings open and he walks in stopping to one side only for his suit to split down the middle before sliding open in a completely unnatural manner as it splits to either side revealing the massive bearded Russian within. He's 6'7" and full of muscle wearing a simple brown berwick suit and red tie with a little yellow hammer and sickle on it, a Russian flag waits on his lapel.

     "Comrade Kord!" He calls out walking over to the side of the pool. He stretches his arms out as he walks along the side of the pool. "It is beautiful day for a flight around the city, you should try it." He smiles a bright shining white grin one of his two front teeth missing completely to this day.

     He steps his way behind a little courtesy blind that only covers up to his chest and begins to get changed into his swimsuit. His burly chest is covered in bright redish brown hair and puffs over his collection of Soviet Era Tattoos. Each one is baked with Cold War meaning and symbolism dedicated to the Russian state and his various accomplishments.

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter was working on the fullerine cloth project when he got the memo.
He was so surprised he nearly dropped the sample he was testing.

Mr. Kord was back?!
He had been startled when Ted abruptly took leave from the company, even though Peter continued to work on the projects he assigned. He wondered what had happened.
It was the memo that gave him the opportunity. Giving out Christmas bonuses, in person. It sounded like Ted, really.

Peter didn't think he'd get any kind of bonus, but it did provide a good excuse to go up and see him. He missed the guy.

Peter secured the samples, locked up everything, and then headed to the elevator to take a ride up in the elevator to a floor he hasn't visited in months...

Joan Wright has posed:
As the elevator door dings open, a woman with short brown hair steps forward. So, the prodical business owner has returned. Considering this, it is just a matter of time until the various forms of representatives that Kord industries deal with would get the notice. And being that a Miss Joan Wright is boarding the elevator to head up, it is apparent that she's got a pretty good source of information.

Unlike those up much higher, Joan's attire is a tad more conservative. Dress pants, dress shirt, and a satchel that is slung diagonally across her chest are her chosen items. As for her chosen weapon today? Paperwork. Lots and lots of paperwork built up over Mr. Kord's absence.

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord says, "I'll fly around tomorrow maybe. I'm dealing with Kord stuff first, then Beetle stuff. Though I will make an exception to work at the embassy... for that thing for you." He trails off seeing the business woman approach in her own power suit and leaps out of the tub with a smooth motion, sliding for a couple yards before he runs over to grab her and spin her around. All six wet feet of him. Six and a half feet if you count the beard.

"Joan!!! Come join us, so much to talk about! SO good to see you."

Dmitri Pushkin has posed:
     Dmitri steps out from behind the courtesy blind now wearing a speedo that shows off his MASCULINE CURVES. For a man in his 50's he really looks in quite excellent shape as he runs for the water. He dives off the side of the pool on the deep end and touches down against the floor of the pool. Immediately he rapidly swims back up to the surface propelling himself out of the water like a dolphin before slamming with grace and poise back down cutting his way through the waves.

     His red spandex speedo holds a yellow hammer and sickle on the left cheek visible as he throws himself through the water at extreme speeds bordering on the Olympian as he makes his way from one side of the pool to the other practicing good exercise habits.

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter stepped into the elevator, taking a deep breath.
He wasn't sure what to expect. He didn't want to just walk in like he'd been out of the office for a chunk of minutes, instead of months.
*Just...take a deep breath, walk into the office and assess the situation...*

The elevator doors opened and Peter Parker, work-study lab tech, stepped in, dressed in his street clothes with a KordCo anti-static lab coat over it.

Mr. Kord is in the hot tub...and a Russian bear wearing a speedo is swimming pool lengths as fast as any Olympic swimmer. Maybe faster. Plus, a rather official-looking woman carrying a lot of paperwork.

*...Did Aunt May slip me a pot brownie by mistake...?* he wondered to himself.

Joan Wright has posed:
Unbeknown the soggy fate that awaits her, Joan steps out of the elevator. The name is the first warning, which causes for her to look intime to see bare arms wrapping around her. "HEY NO-YOU'RE WE-AIIEEAAAAGHHH!" There is a shrill cry as Joan comes to the realization rather quickly that there's no escaping the contact damp as she's slung around in the Ted Kord spin cycle (TM). (No? Oh give it a week, it will be soon.)

As she's set down and another elevator door opens up to allow for Mr. Parker to join the party, Joan looks down to the Kord shaped wet imprent from her neck down to her feethere's the momentary thought that. Well, at least she wore the blue dress shirt today. "Dammit Ted, you made me wet!"

Booster Gold has posed:
     The only real warning is a keening cry which sounds kind of distorted as if from the doppler effect, and then a blur of gold and blue flashes into the room. "My music video worked!" exclaimed Booster Gold, not slowing much as he continues on. "TedI'msogladyou'rebackIfoundastraythatIthinkyoucanhelpandthenIfoundsomescienceystuffandSpider-manstolesomeofittoobutthat'sokIthinkhe'sagoodguy" Words pour out of Booster as he zooms into the room. Spotting Joan, all of a sudden he drops down to an almost casual slide, all momentum vanishing. "Hello there," he says, with a far, far lower voice than the rest of his rapid exposition drop. Once he is outside of the small bubble of being "in front of" the lady, the speed resumes as does the speaking. "And we TOTALLY need to have a party to celebrate your return!" he concludes after doing a loopytoloop to land on his feet in front of Ted. He grabs the man in a giant bear hug.

    Much, much after his arrival, a small golden robot comes in. Despite the fact that it does not actually breathe, it sounds like it is wheezing as it pipes up. "Sir, I am so happy that your Mr. Kord has returned."

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord is grabbed in the hug and by necessity, Joan is dragged along with him. he gives her a couple quick kisses on the cheek. "Hey put me down! I... I'm mad at you!" He gets free. Bobo, the drone, flies over with a towel for Joan.

"You keep disappearing on me and I keep thinking you're gonna show but be old, or I'll be old or something fucked up, where Rod Serling is droning on with that goddam cigarette in his mouth! You... where or when have you been! I... I went through Hell a couple times! Oh hey Peter... check is on the desk, also a gift card for Aunt May. Tiffany's."

He turns back to Booster and lets a big breath out... "I heard about the rickrolling. It was nice of you. I guess I worried you too..." He punches Booster on the shoulder. "Big doofus. What you couldn't get Batman in on it?"

"Peter, this overgrown adolescent is Booster Gold, my best friend... when he's here. Booster this is Peter Parker. Be nice to him... we'll probably be working for him in five years."

Dmitri Pushkin has posed:
     Dmitri dives out of the water full pelt and joins in on the hug splashing everyone with a wall of water as he manages to perfectly stick the landing. He drags the group into that big bear hug of his with a pair of manly and hairy arms.

     "Comrades! I'm so happy to see you all in one place." He looks down towards the set of people with that bright white grin of toothy teeth. "The boys are returning to the city!" Completely butchering the phrase as water rains down from his little stunt.

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter is about to say how he has no interest in taking Ted's company away from him before the tsunami hits.
"Ackpth!" he says as he is inundated with water. He just...stands there for a moment, before saying slowly, "Uhm...nice to meet you both. Mr. Kord is exaggerating, of course..."

He glances around, then back to Ted. "It's good to see you back at the office again, sir."

Joan Wright has posed:
Joan's head turns as the sound of a hyper hyper HYPER exclamation of joy just demands for attention from those within hearing distance. Watching the blue and gold blur approach, the architect gives a bit of a baffled look as she tries to parse out what he's even saying.

And then he's slowed down to a more visible spectrum. Joan stares. That's about all she can do with Ted's arms still on her before she ends up experiencing herself all a spin as Booster grabs on to Ted and Joan ends up skidding along with them while getting kissed on the cheek by someone. She certainly hopes it's the one she knows doing that. "ACK-"

Freedom is soon granted and Joan takes advantage of it by taking the offered towel. "Thanks Bobo." Joan says, pressing the towel to her chest. "You guys are ve-"

SPLASH!

Soaked, head to toe, satchel included, Joan frowns. Looking sadly to the drenched towel, she drops it, getting rewarded with the KWSSH! of wet fabric hitting the floor. There's not much time to take note of it as she's being pulled into a hug yet again. "OOf-"

Booster Gold has posed:
So much water. Booster Gold grins at the chaos that has unfolded because he is of nothing else an agent of chaos (just don't the Specter). "You and I both know that if Bats had shown up he'd have found a way to undo the hacking and out the kibosh on the whole thing." Booster looks over at Dmitri and grins. "He was there, it was great. I met yet another Wonder Girl, apparently, who questioned by League membership. I met Spider-man, although I think he was on laundry day."

He glances over towards Peter. "'Sup, NERD!" He leaves it for Ted to explain that that is a term of endearment coming from him. Finally, he turns to regard Joan, sopping wet. "I am sorry for my rather rude colleagues." His force shield fizzles for a moment, eradicating the moisture that was lingering near his body, rendering him the only dry one.

"I can help with that," he offers, raising up his hands to aim his blasters at her. "I learned a new trick..."

    Skeets tries to warn him. "Sir, that only worked the one time!"

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord jumps in front of Joan. "No! Drones, take Miss Wright to the guest rooms and show her the available outfits!" Several drones fly over, shielding Joan from any attacks. "And get us beers! Please."

"Peter, this is Dmitri Pushkin, Russia's Rocket Red. he's another of my friends from the JLI. Dim, this is Peter Parker, my discovery. I'm sitting down. And Booster, always listen to Spider-Man. He's my fellow bug after all. He's cool." A drone returns with a six pack and begins distributing them."

Dmitri Pushkin has posed:
     Dmitri lets go of his hug standing there in his speedo with full confidence. "That is correct, I am leader of the Rocket Red Brigades fourth squadron, former leader of the seventh and first squadrons." He brims with pure unadulterated joy from his every pore. "Though the fourth squadron of the Rocket Red Brigade is more aligned with diplomatic endeavors, so I am diplomat to America while other members of the fourth squad are diplomats to other nations of the earth."

     He holds out a soaking wet hand towards Peter for a firm handshake looming tall over the much smaller man with his massive beard and long flowing hair. "Booster and Kord are very good friends of mine so I have no doubt you and I will be very good friends."

Peter Parker has posed:
"Uhm...sure. Why not?" Peter reaches out to shake Dmitri's hand politely.

And then Stupid Mouth shows up for the party.
"Have you been the one giving Mr. Kord beard lessons?" He glances to Ted. "'Cause I gotta say, kudos."

Joan Wright has posed:
Well, as jovial a gathering this may be. Joan does have to take stock of the situation. She is soaked through from her shirt to her dress pants. But to add to that, while the satchel may have provided brief protection from the hugs, that tidal wave came at such an absurd angle. There's no way the paperwork didn't get hit as well.

Well, looks like she'll have to get some replacement paperwork. But on the bright side, it can't get any worse. Right? Booster's sincere sounding apology causes for her to look back over to the blond man. And ok the hint of maturity being displayed does start to help with the mood. Until Booster aims his blasters at her.

"OH N-" Joan's already stepping back as Ted jumps in front of her to stop Booster from following through on his idea "Ohthankgod." Joan responds quickly as the realization she wasn't going to get killed that moment registered. There's no arguing with Ted at the moment as the suggestion of her getting dry clothing seems like a great idea. Beats blaster to the face. That's for sure!

She follows after the Drones and starts looking through the clothing selection.

Booster Gold has posed:
"Ted, I find your lack of faith...disturbing." As if demonstrate, Booster Gold turns the blaster off to the side, pointing it at one of the chairs beside the pool which was drowned by the wave. "See?" He fires a blast, and sure enough it blows all of the water off the chair, as if somehow simply dissolving the molecules of the moisture. "I don't know why you never seem to trust me." He casually aims his other hand at another chair, firing his blast. That time with a flash the chair is gone, briefly allowing the shape of the former chair to be seen in water suspended in the air before it comes crashing down. "Um. Forget about that one."

    Skeets floats up beside Ted. "A spider is an arachnid, Mr. Kord, not an insect."

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord shoots a sidelong look at Skeets. "Thank you, Skeets. Bug is a generic term for arthropods. Stick to correcting Booster, that's job enough for you."

He takes a long drink from his beer. "Sorry, Dim, I'll buy some Grey Goose tomorrow. So what's new guys?"

Dmitri Pushkin has posed:
     Dmitri takes the beer in hand with a smile before popping off the top and kicking back a bit of the bottles contents. He smiles before shrugging his shoulders. "Life is short, it is best to be enjoying the good things, and moving past the bad."

     Dmitri makes his way over to a poolside chair before flopping down onto the spot to relax. He smiles lightly as he settles himself into position looking towards the waters with a friendly expression on his face. "So, comrades what does the day bring?"

Peter Parker has posed:
Peter looks to Ted. "Well, you should check your emails. I finished the metal brace project by putting two alloys together. The improved packet-sniffer code is available for your perusal. Dr. Stanton and Dr. Wellesley are probably already emailing you about the new eco-friendly packaging project, and I'm still making slow progress on the fullerene cloth side project while waiting to be assigned to something new, so...oh, and I emaiiled you my transcripts from Empire State University. I've been able to maintain a 4.0 average."

Joan Wright has posed:
"Oh my G- Ted?! Did you keep that dress from the costume party?!"

Booster Gold has posed:
As the list accomplishments spills out of Peter's mouth, Booster Gold turns to look at him. "NEEEEEEEEEEERD!"

    Skeets floats over behind Booster. "Sir, I think Mr. Kord needs a shave. He is grumpy with all of the food stuck in his beard."

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord nods listening to the reports and the nerd shaming. He swallows the beer and says matter of factly, "I declared war on a sovereign nation."

Freeze frame.