driftfleet | 01. video.

Entry tags:

01. video.

Who: Tommy Magnus, and YOU
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: SS CAPRINE
When: 06/04

[ So. As far as Tommy's concerned, he's been born for this moment. For every hour Billy had him sit through the von Trapps caterwauling their way through their problems or whatever other corny classic shlock he was into, Tommy had retaliated with an hour of Big Brother and whatever other reality tv show trash had caught his eye.

So, being kidnapped from an impending disaster and being dropped into this seemed only a logical progression of fate. He figured that his mother would be there soon enough, ripping time and space asunder. So after grabbing a cup of pudding and giving a once-over of the ship, he knew what had to be done. Play along, roll with it, and hope that when the Scarlet Witch gets here she doesn't break the universe too hard.

Which leads him here. Stretched out, relaxed as can be. Might as well have some fun. He folds his arms behind his head, a playful smirk on his face. ]

Hello out there my soon to be loyal viewership. It's me - Tommy. But you can call me Speed if that's a little more your style. I'm honored to be part of this, clearly you received my audition tape and were as impressed with me as I am with all this. This is a total game-changer.

I'm in it to win it, and this season's going to be the best one yet.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

And you said the Blameless right?

[ Well he's already moving because of course he is. WHo needs detailed explanations? Not him. ]

Mmhm. Try not to cause too much of a ruckus.

[ -- because she's not even gonna bother meeting him in the cargo bay. why should she? he'll snoop his way, speedily, room to room until he finds her sitting on her bed in her quarters. she knows these things about tommy; she trusts these things about tommy.

he's remarkably uncomplicated (for her) in that way. ]

[ Of course she's right. And of course the ship ride is boring. Of course he can't stand being seated still for that long, because the second he's cleared to move he's off. Zipping from room to room, checking in, stopping by the kitchens to maybe steal a snack, and then here's there. He pushes the goggles up his head and leans against her doorframe. ]

Fancy seeing you here.

[ -- before words, before anything else, she hops gracefully to her feet and rushes toward the doorway. kate hauls him against her; her hug is tight and needy. she's missed him. aching and angry to have been so far from so much that's so familiar. when she nuzzles her chin against his shoulder, all she can think about is the last time she saw the majority of her team.

sans speed, of course. ]

It's been forever -- [ even before the fleet, it'd been so damn long. she holds him firm as though she could vainly hope to pin him in place. ]

[ Now this is dangerous.

His arms go around her automatically, head dipping to rest against hers. It has been too long. Way too damn long, it's not like its easy to get away from the palace and it's harder to dodge SHIELD long enough to meet with the non-mutants ]

Guess that's one big upside to all of this.

One of the few.

[ she smiles against his shoulder. it's easily done; god, she could close her eyes and almost imagine herself back home. properly. ]

Because I don't know if you've realized it yet, but the food sucks.

Ugh. Yeah, I was kind of hoping that's because nobody's hit up a space store lately.

[ ... ]

But it's better here than home. I'll tell you that much. This could not have come at a better time.

[ although she retreats by a step, kate's hands stay settled on his shoulders. she doesn't dare let him go -- not when she knows how suddenly and immediately he might disappear of his own volition. ]

Back home? Why -- what are you even doing back home?

[ she hasn't heard from him since clint had still been on trial; even then, word had come through billy. ]

We might not be in step. People don't always get yanked from the same points in time.

Still fighting the good fight. Just on parental lockdown lately.

[ He settles his hands over hers, giving a little squeeze. ]

The Atlanteans invaded and according to the news, offed my Gramps. Mom thinks Pietro helped and she just went nuclear. So, he's probably disassembled. Last thing I remember Billy and me were trying to figure out what the hell to do.

Billy and -- [ wait. waitwaitwait.

whatever possible recollection she might hold, it pales into the background as she tries to cope with too many words said too quickly. kate shakes her head; this doesn't make any sense? her confusion is clear in her expression.

and her stomach turns to ice. ]

Tommy. [ tommy. ] What are you talking about?

[ It was a lot.

Tommy knows, for all his vigilantism and activism, that certain topics shouldn't come up around their friends. Lest other ears be present, listening. Like Pietro's thirst for power, the discordance in the family, like the growing unrest between Atlantis and Genosha. ]

Magneto's probably dead. Lorna too. My mother is nuts, but okay there's nothing new there. But Pietro's claimed Genosha for himself.

[ none of this is right. it stirs a memory -- like maybe some catastrophe she'd learned about in its wake, but never one she remembered on her own. kate shakes her head. ]

I have no idea what you're talking about. I didn't even think you were on Earth right now.

[ Something is wrong.

Really, really wrong. ]

That's because I'm on Battleworld. Y'know... where you are.

Uh, no. [ she steps back -- holding up a hand. ] I'm on Earth. Venice Beach, to be super precise about it. Because New York is now for dummies and I look way better with a tan and...

[ shit shit shit it's not her tommy, is it? kate swallows hard. ]

Quick. Tell me about the Young Avengers.

The Avengers? They're fighting for human liberation. I guess we'd qualify as young Avengers because we're a) young and b) also doing that, but...

[ He'd just had this conversation with Kitty. Hadn't he. He just... hadn't thought too much about it until now.

And now he can't stop. New York is definitely not a place he's been, at least not without an army of guards and an overprotective mother. ]

Kate, you know Genosha, right?

Of course I know it. [ who doesn't know genosha? ] But I've never been there.

[ -- kate shakes her head. ] The Avengers are fighting each other. As per usual. What are you talking about -- human liberation?

[ Oh boy. Oh boy. Oh hell, he's not even sure where to begin. ]

If you have to ask we're definitely not from the same Domain.

[ kate retreats into her room -- beckoning him to follow. he may not be her tommy, but he clearly knows her better than the other alts do. if he does follow, she'll shut the door behind him. ]

But you know me. Some version of me -- wherever you're from? [ it's a strange comfort. ] Look. Stay a while. We can sort this out.

[ she wants so badly to sort this out. ]

Of course I do! And like hell I'm going anywhere else, same Domain or not.

[ Where to... even begin. Doom help him. ]

I have no idea where to even begin. [ Why isn't Billy here. He lives for this. ]

[ that's the question, isn't it? where to begin. kate takes a seat on her bed; futz the differences, she gives a nod like he should join her. ]

Maybe you should tell me a bit about you and Billy. [ it sounds innocuous, but that'll help her drive at the heart of the difference. she thinks. especially with how casually tommy had thrown around the names of a few more family members. ]

[ Down he goes. Flopping like a sack of bricks. A leg automatically sets to jiggling. ]

Well, uh, as you - probably know? Our Grandfather is Magneto -- Erik Magnus, Baron of Genosha, which makes our mom Wanda Magnus. And keeping up with the tradition of speedy-magic twins, he's the nerd that does magic, I got the much cooler power of super speed. Oh, and I'm older, not that age really matters in the whole line of succession.

Hey, Tommy?

[ she folds her legs underneath her -- leaning forward so she can cross her arms against her knees. erik magnus? wanda magnus? kate shakes her head. ]

Could you tell me, like, your name? Your full name.

[ what do you wanna bet it's not thomas shepherd? ]

Magnus. Thomas Magnus.

[ here is as good a place as any to start-- ]

See, I know you as Tommy Shepherd. [ she avoids suggesting that she knows tommy shepherd instead. kate covets this connection; she doesn't want to jeopardize it. ] And I know Billy as Billy Kaplan. You're brothers, yeah, but you didn't know about each other for a damn long time.

What?

[ He can't fathom it. Honestly can't.

Billy has always been like his other half. They've done all the obnoxious twin things - secret twin language, secret twin hideouts, so in sync that they can finish each other sentences without even thinking about it. Growing up without him just wouldn't be... right. ]

Were we kidnapped?

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