(Untitled)

[flyboy_shepp]

John wasn't a fan of the changes the island liked to spring on them from time to time, but if pressed, he had to admit that being a kid again was his favorite. Or the one he found least issues with, anyway. The candy and newly decorated New Atlantis sort of put the cap on whatever anxiety John had been fighting off over the past week about

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[anewwaive]

Gideon didn't recognize the kid, but it was hard not to fucking crack up when he saw him suddenly go from walking in the opposite direction Penny and he were walking to suddenly face first on the ground. It didn't take him long to just let it out, snickering pretty fucking loudly.

"Nice fall," he said outloud in between his laughter, cheerfully. Figuring it was the right thing to do or whatever, he at least headed over with Penny a few moments later. He supposed he ought to make sure the kid wasn't bullshitting.

[all_happening]

[flyboy_shepp]

John made a disgusted sound - half at himself - when he heard the kid cracking up. When he looked up, he wasn't surprised to see who he had to assume was Gideon. Or was it Jim? He was pretty sure a tiny Veronica wouldn't be hanging out with Gideon.

Except the way she talked about him, it was definitely Gideon, which meant she was Penny. "I'm fine," he said, checking himself for anything bruised or broken as he made his way to his feet and brushed himself off. "Hey, Penny. Hey Gideon, did you know you look just like Jim did when he was that age?"

[anewwaive]

Gideon only knew a couple of people who knew that'd fucking piss him off, and his eyes narrowed as he looked the kid over. It didn't take him long to realize who it probably was.

"John?" he asked, scowling at him. "Well, it's good to see that fall and you getting tiny as hell hasn't kept you from being a jackass."

It was sort of nice to be taller than him just then, he had to admit.

[crazyspacegirl]

River was hopping carefully over every crack on the boardwalk. It was going to talk her a pretty long time to get home that way, but she wasn't in any rush. Plus, it was fun. Right foot, hop to the next board. Left foot, hop again. Simon Chicago was bored with this pace, but his costume was slowing him down. He wasn't far ahead of River, but he did get to the boy on the ground first.

"Did you break any part of yourself?" River asked, peering down at the boy as her dog sniffed him. "That was a spectacular fall, so it's probably worth it if you did."

[flyboy_shepp]

John recognized Simon Chicago when the dog was suddenly sniffing him, even if he had to hold back a snort at his costume. He blinked when who looked like a tiny River came into view, and gave her question a few moments of thought.

"Nothing feels broken," he said, and worked his way up to a sitting position. He gave River a grin - it was nice when someone else understood that the falling part didn't matter. That was just what happened when gravity reminded you it was always there. "It was pretty cool for a second there."

[crazyspacegirl]

"Yes, it was shiny," River agreed. She adjusted her dinosaur head and grinned back. "Especially if you're not broken. Then people would just fuss over you, and try not to let you do anything fun anymore."

Simon licked the boy's face, and River squinted at him, sure she probably ought to recognize him if her dog did.

"I'm River, smaller than usual. Who are you, usually?"

[flyboy_shepp]

If John hadn't been sure with Simon Chicago there, the 'shiny' would have done it. "Sheppard," he answered, trying to push Simon Chicago and his slobbering tongue away. "This costume is awesome," he said, giving the dog a pet instead s he got to his feet.

[wildlyconflictd]

Despite the fact that the entire point of Pepper's job was looking after a man who might as well have been a child, she'd never considered herself particularly kid-friendly. As such, she was glad enough to forgo the costumes and candy while the island had its fun, and had been on a walk instead, looking as unlike herself as she might were she intentionally costumed, although her jogging suit was well-tailored and her sneakers were brand new.

Whatever maternal instinct was ingrained within her leapt to the fore at the sight of the little boy falling down on the boardwalk ahead of her. She jogged closer, kneeled beside him and tried to help him sit up.

"You sure you're okay?" she asked, blue eyes wide with concern, bright red ponytail sliding forward over her inclined shoulder.

[flyboy_shepp]

"I'm fine," John said, feeling himself flush even as he did. It was a little hard not to feel stupid after having had such a spectacular fall - his own shoelaces, for God's sake - but it was even worse when a pretty woman gave him that concerned look. He actually felt embarrassed.

"Totally fine, I promise," he continued, and as if to prove that, he worked his way back up to his feet and held out a hand. "John Sheppard. I'm usually older and less clumsy. Do you know Angua?"

Asking first was probably more polite than telling her she had a blonde clone on the IPD.

[wildlyconflictd]

The blush didn't go amiss, but Pepper was exceedingly good at ignoring things like that, especially when the person was a child, and not normally so. Still on her knees, she accepted the little hand and gave it a perfectly professional shake, not wanting to make him feel any worse about his size than was necessary.

"Pepper Potts," she replied, and nodded. "And yes, I met her when I first arrived. Kind of a shock, but she seemed nice."

[flyboy_shepp]

"Oh, good. I didn't want to break it to you badly, or anything," he said, giving her a nod. "And she is, I work with her on the IPD. I've got two clones of my own, so I know how weird it is."

[fallen_ancient]

Rather less serenely than usual with the island decorated in orange and black and young-again adults running all over the island, Morgan strolled the boardwalk, lips quirked in perpetual amusement. Amusement faded into concern when a small form launched into her path and landed with a thud near her feet.

I'm fine!

She suppressed the decidedly inappropriate urge to laugh, in case whoever now rolled to their back was injured, and crouched beside him. "Are you certain? That was an impressive...flight."

[flyboy_shepp]

John blinked up at Jill - no, Morgan, and he gave her a smile. As far as he could tell he was fine, even though the smile was more to ward off his own embarrassment than anything else.

Then again, Morgan was an Ancient. He pretty much felt clumsy and embarrassed just being around her. "Nothing seems to be broken," he confirmed and sat up, giving each of his limbs an experimental shake.

[fallen_ancient]

Such a smile could charm an Ori, Morgan decided. Her own brightened in response, as she offered her hand to the small boy to help him to his feet.

"I'm pleased to hear it. I would introduce myself, but I suspect we may already have met." Her eyebrow lifted in inquiry to match the lilt in her tone.

[flyboy_shepp]

John took the hand, bouncing on the soles of his feet once he was back on them. "Oh yeah, I'm John. Hi, Morgan," he said, and gave her another smile. "At least you weren't turned into a kid, right? I don't think being seven again when you're ten thousand years old would be pleasant."

[agent_dean]

Brendan had been quietly freaking out in his hut for the better part of the morning when he had finally decided that it might be better if he not-so-quietly freaked out somewhere else. After all, Ronon might need a doctor, if the doctors weren't all 9, that is. But then even if they weren't nine, Brendan wasn't sure this was anything they could do anything about. The only thing he could hope for was that Ronon's candle didn't go out and that when everything turned back to normal, he was his old, grumbly, if occasionally manically-cheerful-when-beating-the-crap-out-of-people self.

So that was how Brendan found himself on the boardwalk, a rather sizeable Jack-O-Lantern in his arms as he lumbered toward the Compound, trying very, very, so very hard not to drop it. Because if Brendan dropped Ronon, and Ronon's pumpkin-y bits splattered all over the boardwalk and his candle went out, Brendan might just die. And you just didn't recover from death

[flyboy_shepp]

"What do you mean me, I was the one who &mdash" John blinked at the kid staring back at him. "...fell. Brendan? Or Lionel? No, you're totally Brendan." He sat up, decided nothing was broken or bruised, then made it back up to his feet. "Why are you carrying a pumpkin?"

[agent_dean]

"Brendan," he confirmed with a nod, and he wished he could push his glasses up but his arms were rather full right then. "So I guess you're John." It certainly gave the term 'flyboy' a whole new meaning, Brendan nearly giggled, but John's question made his whole face feel wobbly again.

"It's not a pumpkin. It's Ronon! He's ... transmogified."

[flyboy_shepp]

John nodded, then reached out and carefully pushed Brendan's glasses back up for him.

He gave the pumpkin a confused look at Brendan's explanation. "What? How did he turn into a pumpkin? Is that even possible? That's never happened before!"