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The phone rings at Warriors -- the one in the back, out of sight of the customers. Really, only two things ever happen on that line: private calls for Guy, and sometimes the Atom travels through it. The bartender -- who's been startled too many times -- now reflexively checks the caller ID when it rings. Seeing it's an Ivy Town number, he picks up the phone handle and steps back, as Ray Palmer and a young, handsome Chinese man suddenly appear through the phone line.
"Hey," says Ray to the bartender, who orders a couple beers and heads out to grab a table.
"I don't know if I can handle this, Ray," says the young man. "I mean, running around as the Atom is totally cool, and fighting Chronos was awesome, but meeting the Justice League ..."
Ray smiles.
"It'll be fine, Ryan. Trust me, it's better to meet them in a casual environment, first."
Ryan Choi looks unconvinced.
"Right. Becasue casual is so happening right now."
"Have a beer, Doctor Choi. Trust me, if you can map the electron flow at a particle level, you can handle Hal."
Of course, he doesn't know who all Hal's roped into this sit-down, and some of the others are a bite more difficult than particle physics ...
"Hey," says Ray to the bartender, who orders a couple beers and heads out to grab a table.
"I don't know if I can handle this, Ray," says the young man. "I mean, running around as the Atom is totally cool, and fighting Chronos was awesome, but meeting the Justice League ..."
Ray smiles.
"It'll be fine, Ryan. Trust me, it's better to meet them in a casual environment, first."
Ryan Choi looks unconvinced.
"Right. Becasue casual is so happening right now."
"Have a beer, Doctor Choi. Trust me, if you can map the electron flow at a particle level, you can handle Hal."
Of course, he doesn't know who all Hal's roped into this sit-down, and some of the others are a bite more difficult than particle physics ...
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Date: 2006-08-29 03:55 pm (UTC)Right.
The girl with the pixie bob haircute that reveals distinctly pointed ears and gogo boots makes her way over to the table, "So, what brings you in for a drink?"
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Date: 2006-08-29 04:10 pm (UTC)"Good to see you, Arisia. Supposed to be meeting Hal here in a bit. You working or can you join us?"
Ryan seems to be quietly staring in awe at the alien woman.
"Ryan, this is Arisia. Arisia, my colleague, Dr. Ryan Choi."
"Uhm, uhm. Hi."
He looks totally embarrassed by his lack of words.
"Ryan's just moved to the U.S. from China."
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Date: 2006-08-29 04:16 pm (UTC)Instead, she smiles brightly at Ryan, "Welcome. It can be hard to get used to a new place. How are you liking it so far?"
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Date: 2006-08-29 04:33 pm (UTC)"Well, it's certainly exciting," he says. "Mostly, I've just been getting set up at the university ... the job came rather suddenly."
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Date: 2006-08-29 04:42 pm (UTC)Arisia slides into a seat, smiling. There is a look toward Ray, "And you? How are you doing, Ray?"
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Date: 2006-08-29 05:50 pm (UTC)"Got a lot on my plate, dealing with Jean and all."
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Date: 2006-08-29 06:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-29 07:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-29 07:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-29 05:53 pm (UTC)"Hal Jordan," he offers.
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Date: 2006-08-29 07:15 pm (UTC)"Hi," he says, rising a bit and shaking Hal's hand. "Ryan Choi. Pleased to meet you."
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Date: 2006-08-30 12:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-30 12:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-30 03:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-30 03:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-30 01:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-30 02:34 am (UTC)Not all of Ray's friends are open and trusting.
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Date: 2006-08-30 03:41 am (UTC)Arthur never comes out to these things.
"This isn't an intervention, is it?"
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Date: 2006-08-30 03:44 am (UTC)It's more of a professional assessment.
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Date: 2006-08-30 01:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-30 04:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-31 09:10 pm (UTC)That last said with no sarcasm or humour whatsoever.
So, Mr. Choi. Your scholastic record at the University of Beijing was impressive, your subsequent career equally so. Why does a scientist want to become a superhero?
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Date: 2006-08-31 09:34 pm (UTC)"Actually, it really wasn't my goal. I mean, I've known Dr. Palmer for years -- we've been corresponding since I was a kid -- but in China, being a superhero means working for the state, and well ..."
He shrugs.
"I came over here to do science, but when someone like Dr. Palmer asks for your help, well, you don't say 'no,' you know?"
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Date: 2006-08-31 09:38 pm (UTC)This is important to know.
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Date: 2006-08-31 09:50 pm (UTC)Palmer smiles and takes a swig of Atlantean Ale as he watches Choi's face go from wide-eyed excitement to passionate-clinical in about a heartbeat.
"I'm a scientist," says Choi. "We solve problems. As the Atom, I've got a chance to help solve some of the biggest, most important problems facing the planet at any given moment. What's risk next to that?"
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Date: 2006-08-31 09:51 pm (UTC)Finally:
All right, I'm satisfied.
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Date: 2006-08-31 10:13 pm (UTC)"And as a point of information, I'm not nominating Ryan for JLA Membership. Just the science advisor job."
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Date: 2006-08-31 10:16 pm (UTC)Yes, Ray, because advisors always get to stay on the sidelines.
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Date: 2006-08-31 10:26 pm (UTC)Ray shoots him a look.
"Well, you know I would. How many opportunities do you get to see that sort of thing?"
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Date: 2006-08-30 01:28 pm (UTC)She still pauses looking out of place before heading over to the table.
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Date: 2006-08-30 01:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-30 02:02 pm (UTC)"It is good to see you."
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Date: 2006-08-30 03:02 pm (UTC)Arisia all but flies across the space between them to give her a hug. It's a rather unelegant sprawl she ends up with but that's okay. She hasn't seen Diana since she died and she'd heard that she'd said some very nice things at the funeral and she'd always really liked her.
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Date: 2006-08-30 03:05 pm (UTC)"Arisia! It is very good to see you as well."
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Date: 2006-08-30 04:20 pm (UTC)"I missed you."
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Date: 2006-08-30 04:25 pm (UTC)"How have you been? Are you keeping Guy in line?"
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Date: 2006-08-30 04:28 pm (UTC)She leans up and whispers in Diana's ear "Guy's got a girlfriend." Arisia doesn't know if it is a big secret or not but ..... this is /Diana/.
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Date: 2006-08-30 04:31 pm (UTC)"Well you and I will do something soon, when you are not working."
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Date: 2006-08-30 04:38 pm (UTC)"Just call me some time. We'll go somewhere and I can ask you questions!" She hasn't really heard anything about how things are going with John and John'll get all stoic if she asks him.
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Date: 2006-08-30 04:42 pm (UTC)"I will do my best to answer them then." Because no, she doesn't want to get into that here with all the others around. It wouldn't be as bad as Plaz interrogating her but it still wouldn't be what she chose.
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Date: 2006-08-30 04:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-30 04:29 pm (UTC)And he's still smiling about it.
When he got the word from Hal, his schedule lined up. And fortunately, nothing earth-shattering (literally or figuratively) was going on.
Despite Warriors being a supers hangout, he always felt out of place relaxing in his costume. After some trial and error, he's come up with a standard "Superman out of costume" dress code - jeans, hooded sweatshirt and sneakers. This particular sweatshirt had the old-school "Justice League of America" logo over the upper left chest.
He walks in through the kitchen (He worked out a secret way in with Guy so not to attract onlookers) and saw the crowd gathering. He was surprised, yet pleased, to see Arthur there.
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Date: 2006-08-30 05:02 pm (UTC)"Diana, Kal. Glad you could make it."
There's something unidentifiably professorial in his genial tone.
"Guys, this is Dr. Ryan Choi. I'm sure everybody saw the bit with him on the news the other night."
Ryan -- still overwhelmed -- waves "hi."
"Grab a drink. Hal's buying."
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Date: 2006-08-30 06:55 pm (UTC)He then offers his hand to Dr. Choi. "Pleasure to meet you, Dr. Choi. I'm Kal."
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Date: 2006-08-31 03:04 pm (UTC)"It's a pleasure ... Kal, was it? I've got to say, between the people at the university and meeting Ray's ... friends ... America seems a very friendly place."
He thinks about it for a second.
"You all aren't going to shark me at poker like they did, are you?"
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Date: 2006-08-31 04:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-31 04:27 pm (UTC)"You're OK playing cards with this bunch unless it's Plastic Man, Major Disaster or Red Tornado. Tornado particularly ... he's worse about counting cards than the Ivy Town science faculty combined."