Heading Into The Storm

[doubled_speed]

WHO: Tommy Shepherd, Twin Roses Crew (or , OTA anyone heading into the Storm
WHERE: In the Storm
WHAT: Tommy can't help but be a hero; Seeing people who aren't there; Finally collapsing in a cave to wait out the storm.
WHEN: During the Storm
WARNINGS: References to the death of a teammate who was only a teen, possible discussion of his family history.

Storm Watch | Open to Twin Roses Crew or a ship heading into the storm

Agrii need you.

That had been all Tommy had needed to hear to know he was going into the storm. He'd stayed silent on the bridge while the thing had been talking, and once it was done he was gone to the dorms. Tommy stripped the pillow from his bed and then immediately started stuffing what clothes he had in there, as well as other items. Things that will help him get through the storm.

And then he heads to the cargo hold and waits by the hatch.

"You going?" he asks whoever comes close. "To the storm? I mean, that's why we're here. The sooner we fix this shit, the sooner we go home."

And later, once he's bummed a ride on another ship heading into the storm, he has a similar enough question as he waits in their cargo hold.

"You ready for this? It's not going to be easy."


Storm Warning | Anyone in the Storm

This, it turned out, was a bad idea. Tommy hadn't gotten too far into the storm before it happened. Before he could feel the weakness, draining his energy. It almost makes him sick, makes him keel over. He's had this sensation before. The way the 'juvie' he'd been in had devices all over to suppress his powers, radiating the power outwards when he wasn't in the cuffs. There's no strength, no energy, no speed. And he hates it. But he's not a coward, and he keeps moving, at a normal person's pace.

But what stops him are the people. A flash of lightning, a peal of thunder, and there he is. Vision.

"Pops!" Tommy shouts. The Agrii said he was gone, but clearly he wasn't, he was right there. Tommy runs, as fast as any other human, and he can't get there. Can't MAKE IT. No matter how fast he runs, now matter how much he reaches out, he can't catch up. Another strike and there's a voice nearby.

"Speed?"

Cassie. Tommy turns and spins and Vision is gone but there she is, on the ground, crumpled up in pain. Again he's running, and this time he closes the distance. Or nearly does. It's so hard to see, the winds and the water so hard to deal with. But the ground's uneven, and he doesn't see it coming. A crack there and Tommy's foot gets caught and he falls, his hand outstretched. But she isn't there, and the pain is there, so much pain. His ankle is... Tommy just curls up and holds his ankle because it hurts so much.


Storm Shelter

He doesn't even remember getting to the cave. Maybe someone carried him here, maybe he crawled here on the what he now realizes is broken ankle. Or maybe only sprained. But definitely hurt and the pain has Tommy curling up well away from the mouth of the cave. He can't heal as fast, and his bones are clearly weaker than they normally are. But mostly he's just curled up on himself, trying to stay warm despite his soaked through clothing.

He's a coward. He should have been out there, trying to find answers, and instead...

You're a useless boy, you deserve to die out here.

Tommy shudders against the memory of one of the things he'd seen in the storm. And he'd run away as fast as he could. For a given definition of run, since he couldn't get to his feet. But he'd crawled away and the next thing he remembered, he was here.

"I... wanna go home," he whispers, shivering. "I just want to go home to my stupid shitty apartment and my stupid shitty job and all the food I can buy and my favorite blanket. I just... I can't take this anymore."

He's a coward, and he hates it.

Comments

[doubled_speed]

"Going into shock," he says, knowing it. "Rain isn't helping."

[wearingthestars]

"Shit- Um...okay." Billy tries to think back to his first aid training, knowing that's not good. Under different circumstances that would be immediate cause to stop, but instead he tries to hurry them, taking more of Tommy's weight and trying to gain him more distances with each hop.

"We'll get you out of the rain and you can rest. I'm sorry, Tommy- just- just a little further and you can rest, I promise."

[doubled_speed]

"Rest sounds good," Tommy agrees, shivering against his brother. He wants to pass out. Needs to. Doesn't dare.

Just keep moving the finish line billy. That's all he needs.

[wearingthestars]

"You're doing so good," he encourages, trying to keep the anxiety from his voice. "Just a bit more."

It does seem to be a rock face, but there's an over hang that leads to a bit of a sheltered cave.

Billy untangles himself from Tommy's arm once they're under the overhang and gets him situated against the wall.

"I'm going to make sure it's safe to go further, I'll be right back, okay? Don't fall asleep yet-"

[doubled_speed]

"Don't go," Tommy protests as he settles down, staring up at his twin. "If you go you might not come back."

Don't leave. Please. Don't abandon him.

[wearingthestars]

"I-" Billy pauses, looking torn. It would be better to get him settled deeper in the cave, but Tommy sounds so desperate that Billy can't possibly leave him.

"I'm not going to leave you. I just want to make you more comfortable."

[doubled_speed]

See, Tommy was more afraid of his brother going back out into the storm. Damn, this is breaking him. He doesn't know what to do with himself.

"There's no comfortable that is ever going to happen."

[wearingthestars]

He sighs, and settles down beside Tommy, trying to press close to offer some body heat, pushing soaked hair back from his face.

Muttering under his breath, he tries again to coax his magic to work. Something to get them out of this. Something to fix Tommy. A damn towel. But he can't conjure anything.

"I'm sorry..."

[doubled_speed]

"What... is the point of being a hero if we can't even beat a storm?" Tommy whispers. "What was all it for? Everything was for nothing."

Apparently it was his turn to spiral.

[wearingthestars]

"We've beaten tougher things," Billy tries to encourage. This is just...an unfair fight. "And we've been in tougher spots than this and come out the other side." They had their powers then, but...still. "We just have to figure out a different way to come at this. We don't have to beat it first shot."

[doubled_speed]

Without his powers, Tommy is nothing. Is no one. Billy had a family. Billy was loved. Billy had a fiance and all those sorts of things. He had a life. Tommy had powers. That was all.

"And if our powers don't come back?"

[wearingthestars]

That's...a scary thought. More for Tommy than for Billy, he knows how much his sense of self is tied up with his powers. But...

"...We'll be okay. Even if they don't come back. We're more than our powers, Tommy."

[doubled_speed]

"You are more than your powers," Tommy hisses, through the pain and through all of his sorrow. Because he knows he isn't.

[wearingthestars]

"Tommy-" Billy frowns and gives his brother a look, "Do you really think all the good you've done is just down to going fast? It's you. You're a good person. And brave. And selfless. And your powers don't mean anything without all of that backing it up."

[doubled_speed]

The good he's done?

"The only good I've done is only with the team. Or other hero teams. And I'm not a good person."

[wearingthestars]

"You're one of the best people I know." Billy does at least seem to be earnest in this belief given how frustrated he looks with Tommy.

[doubled_speed]

Frustrated? No, he's just being honest.

"You're the best person I know. I'm not anywhere near as good. All people want me for is my speed."

[wearingthestars]

Billy looks ready to argue his own goodness, but they don't need to turn this into a competition of who thinks less of himself.

"I don't care about your speed. I care about my brother. My friend."

[doubled_speed]

They aren't friends. Tommy doesn't say it, though. Brother and friend is different. Family you can ditch. Friends you choose. Then again, they've gotten close here, like they were before the team broke up. Or they had been getting there, before Teddy showed up.

"You wouldn't want me around as much without it though."

[wearingthestars]

"I don't care about whether you go fast. That's not why I want you around. I want you 'cause you're Tommy. That's it. With or without your powers," Billy insists.

[doubled_speed]

"Tommy's useless," he counters. "Everyone just wants Speed. They like him better. He saves people."

Rather than stands around and is annoying. Massively so.

[wearingthestars]

"I'd take Tommy over Speed any day." All the best part of Speed are Tommy, how can he not see that for himself?

[doubled_speed]

To Tommy, they're two different people. Strangers like Speed. He's a hero. He's respectable. And people don't much like him. They don't like Tommy who talks fast and loud and doesn't smile because he means it and doesn't have a happy background.

"You... don't mean that. Speed's useful."

[wearingthestars]

"I mean it. I don't need Speed. I need Tommy. So don't you dare tell me he's not good enough." It's a lot easier to believe these things when he's directing them at someone else.

[doubled_speed]

"I know better than to believe that," Tommy rolls his eyes. He leans over a bit to rest against his brother.