Application for Logan Echolls, "Veronica Mars"

[thebadboyfriend.livejournal.com]

Logan's flipping through old photos on his cell as he walks, trying to find a saved shot of Homecoming night, with Lilly and Duncan and Veronica and himself all together and laughing like idiots, and for a fraction of a second he doesn't notice he's stepped into new territory. Then the change in the light registers, and he looks around, surprised, alarmed and searching.

He's tall, and angular, with features that seem caught somehow between sharp handsomeness and little-boy softness of cheeks and lips. There are more shadows around his eyes and lines on his forehead than any boy his age should have. He rubs the back of his head with one hand, and adjusts the laptop he's carrying.

And then Mickey comes forward, and his mouth twists into a disbelieving smirk. He notices the 2-D effect, and shuffles from side to side trying to see it work.



Mickey coughs theatrically. "'What is your name?'"

He straightens, and looks solemn. "Arthur, King of the Britons."

"What is your quest?" asks the Cat. It's perched, suddenly, on the roof of one of the gate-stiles.

...Well, that just takes all of the fun out of it. "As of about forty-five seconds ago, to find out where I am and what the fuck is going on here." Noting the lack of helpful information-giving, he adds, "Yeah, I'm pretty used to waiting on that kind of thing. But I will find out! And on that day...I'll probably be the last to know and/or in mortal peril."

"'What is the average w..?'" Mickey frowns down at the notebook. "You know, I don't really see why that's important."

"Because it's a Python reference," he explains with exaggerated patience. "Nothing's more important."

He flips a page. "'If you could be granted three wishes, what would they be?'"

"I believe world peace is the accepted first answer. Preferably not because suddenly everyone on the planet is dead or lobotomized, but whatever. Does that make one or two? Let's say one. Then, let's see, an end to world hunger? Or disease? I suppose disease could be number three, but then where does the harem of lingerie-clad tequila-bearing sexbots fit in?"

"Or," the Cat says, examining its tail with interest, "if you were a genie and someone you were trying to give three wishes to was trying to trick you into giving him more, what would you say?"

"What's he wishing for and do I like him?"

Mickey looks rather nonplused at the next, but reads, "'When the revolution comes, what skills will you be able to barter for food?'"

"Well, I think most of the people back home are really looking forward to me being first against the wall - what can I say, I'm irresistible. I'd be banking on my charm to get me by." It's said with utter sincerity. A cheesy grin would just be over the top.

"Otherwise...uh, I can consume impressive amounts of alcohol and party drugs, so maybe I could be used as a guinea pig for dangerous substances? Or I suppose there's always kicking the shit out of people or selling my ass. Would you say this is more of an American Revolution, a French Revolution or a," dramatic mushroom-cloud hand gesturing, "full-scale The Stand or Left Behind-style apocalypse?"

The Cat rolls its eyes in a friendly (and rather disconcertingly out-of-sync) way, and asks, "Milk, dark, or white chocolate?"

"Milk or dark. Just not anything that's been left out in the open by persons unknown." He's starting to think maybe he ate a "special" chocolate or something himself. Because seriously, Disneyland? His bar for insanity is set pretty high these days, but 2-D Mickey Mouse? What the fuck?

"'Choose the two coolest: robots, pirates, fairies, bears, ninjas, monkeys, vampires, or humans,'" says Mickey, giggling a bit as he goes through the list. "'Explain.'"

"They should put you guys in charge of writing essay questions for AP Art History. The answer to everything could be 'What is Dada?'" Deciding nothing's currently about to jump out and kill him and he needs a drink to get through the rest of this, he pulls out a flask and takes a swig of bourbon. He rolls it around in his mouth for a minute before saying, "Pirates, for my beloved alma mater. And ninjas for the essential light-dark, yin-yang balance of the universe, and 'cause they're awesome."

"Great!" Mickey flips through the blank pages of the notebook at top, cartoon-y speed. "Well, I think that's just about it! Oh, and I'm supposed to ask, 'for your safety: are you carrying anything sharp?'"

"You're just asking? You're not actually going to ask me to turn out my pockets? Damn, security around here's getting lax."

He puts away the flask and smiles sweetly. "Nope, no sharp objects here."

((Logan Echolls, from Veronica Mars. Post hogwarts_hocus, where he was subjected to various emotional traumas and took various stupid risks. So, par for the canon course, pretty much.))

Comments

[john-adams-1776.livejournal.com]

"French Revolution...?" asks John, looking puzzled.

[thebadboyfriend.livejournal.com]

Logan looks John over cursorily and quirks a smile. Whatever time he might have wasted at Hogwarts, at least he's learned how to deal with people stuck in the wrong time or universe. "It was a revolution. In France. 1789 to...like, half of the nineteenth century, I think. Only funny if you've got a really sick sense of humor. Which, some people do."

And then, still pleasant, but somewhat more coolly, he looks at Crowley. "I get that a lot. Sometimes on twenty-fifth impression, from mass media providers. Think what you want." He'd liked Crowley at Hogwarts, but for all he knew this 'different' Crowley could be that Crowley's evil twin. More evil twin. Whatever.

[john-adams-1776.livejournal.com]

"Incredible!" exclaims John. "Only thirteen years afterward," he mutters to himself, then bows distractedly. "Oh, do forgive my ignorance, sir. I'm from the year 1776. I'm afraid that hasn't yet occurred in my timeline. My name is John Adams."

[anthony-crowley.livejournal.com]

Crowley looks askance at the man beside him. John Adams? Well, at least he wasn't fictional... But what the hell was he doing at Disneyland? The demon shook his head. Not important now.

"I do. And at the moment I'm thinking that being asinine is your way of throwing off people who only look on the surface. Not that that makes it any less obnoxious, mind."

[thebadboyfriend.livejournal.com]

Logan smiles sweetly. "Yeah, I'd hate to think all the hard work had gone to waste. Granted, underneath the surface I'm still kind of a prick."

[anthony-crowley.livejournal.com]

The demon snorts. "Aren't we all." He keeps the rest of his impressions to himself.

[thebadboyfriend.livejournal.com]

"Well, there's also the option of being a complete asshole. And/or a hypocrite. Though I guess there's a little 'aren't we all' there too."

[anthony-crowley.livejournal.com]

Logan only gets a raised eyebrow for his trouble.

[thebadboyfriend.livejournal.com]

And Logan's ability to take weirdness in stride momentarily deserts him. Fictional characters are one thing. He can deal with having friends who aren't human, or who hail from worlds carried on the backs of giant space turtles. But does this mean that the entire history of America isn't real? And, beyond that...did one of the Founding Fathers seriously just address Logan as 'sir'?

After a second or two, he remembers to shut his mouth. And then manages, slightly weakly, "Um. Hi. Mr. Adams. Shouldn't you be, like, in Philadelphia, holding truths to be self-evident, or something?"

[john-adams-1776.livejournal.com]

John smiles. "You know of the Declaration, then. And yes, I should very much like to be in Philadelphia, though I never thought I'd ever say such a thing. I didn't have much choice in the matter, however. On the eve of the vote on independence I found myself in Scotland, presumably to learn magic." He shakes his head. That part is still so odd.

"Some months later, Miss Sto Helit became popcorn, though she left her notes behind. I followed them and found myself here. Perhaps I am returning by stages."

[thebadboyfriend.livejournal.com]

"I...yeah. I mean, there's a lot you can say about the American public school system, but I think I've got most of the stuff that's actually pictured on the currency."

"So you're a friend of Susan's? Wait, so are all the people who turned into popcorn coming here?" Lilly, he thinks. He'd been sick, holed up in his dorm for a couple weeks, and then when he came out her name was on the plaque in the popcorn room. But maybe she's here, or on her way, or...something?

[john-adams-1776.livejournal.com]

Most of Logan's first sentence goes over John's head, but he does understand the latter and colors slightly.

"I have that honor," he says a little stiffly, wondering if this is one of the people she'd warned (http://community.livejournal.com/hogwarts_hocus/839485.html?thread=41188669#t41188669) him about. "And I'm afraid that not all the people who turned into popcorn have come here. I've not seen Master Dib. Perhaps they've gone to another place."

[thebadboyfriend.livejournal.com]

The name 'Master Dib' summons vague images of a hiphop singer in Logan's brain, and the combination with Adams nearly breaks it. It never occurs to him that he could be mistaken for one of the Bad Guys, though. At least, not in regard to Susan's welfare. "She used to tutor me," he explains, since that was their cover story for exchinging information. "We got to be kind of friends."

At least he can be reasonably sure Adams is a good guy, he thinks.

[john-adams-1776.livejournal.com]

((*sporfle*))

Susan had never mentioned that she'd tutored anyone when they spoke of being useful. In fact, she'd said she hadn't had anything of that nature to do... John doesn't let his suspicions show, however.

"Indeed. I believe she is a formidable instructor. May I ask, Mr... sir, on what subjects she was able to assist you? I still have my wand, but I can do very little with it, I'm afraid."

[thebadboyfriend.livejournal.com]

"Logan Echolls. And it was Charms," lies Logan, without missing a beat. "I was working on an independent project. I was trying to..." he frowns suddenly, and pats himself down. "Crap. I left my wand in my room." And his gun. "Well, great."

[john-adams-1776.livejournal.com]

"Mr. Echolls. Miss Sto Helit was kind enough to help me with my magic as well." Mostly due to demonstration and her notes, but it counts just the same. "I fear many of the people here who attended Hogwarts previously no longer have their wands, either."

[thebadboyfriend.livejournal.com]

Logan's not one of those kids who associates 'Mr.' with some undesirable version of adulthood; his father's always Aaron in the media and from his fans, so mostly being addressed as 'Mr. Echolls' reminds him of a thousand trips to the vice principal's office. His smile is correspondingly cocky and bright. "Damn, I was just starting to figure out what I was doing. Should've carried it around in my back pocket, danger of losing a buttock or no danger. Would've come in handy around here, I gather."

[john-adams-1776.livejournal.com]

John is momentarily silent. "There doesn't appear to me much need for magic here, as there is so much already."

[thebadboyfriend.livejournal.com]

"Oh really? Who's got control of it, though?"

[john-adams-1776.livejournal.com]

"I do not believe anyone knows."

[thebadboyfriend.livejournal.com]

"Hence why it would be useful to have a little of my own to control." He shrugs, and folds his hands up on his head. "I'll manage, though. I always do. Things must be pretty weird for you, though, huh? Or is that putting it mildly?"

[john-adams-1776.livejournal.com]

John laughs and echoes Logan's words. "I'll manage. I always do. It helps to have respectable and understanding friends."

[thebadboyfriend.livejournal.com]

"I'd imagine it would. The scandalous and unreasonable ones have their points, too, so." He looks up, and then adds, in fairness, "Susan being the exception as far as my friends go, usually."

[john-adams-1776.livejournal.com]

He smiles. "Sometimes, perhaps." Though he can't really number any of the men of Congress amongst his friends. John wonders if he really has any back home.

Looking slightly conscious, he says sincerely, "Miss Sto Helit is an extraordinary woman."