revivalproject | Heading Into The Storm

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

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."

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

"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."

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."

"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.

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."

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."

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."

"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.

"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.

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

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."

Edited 2020-02-14 04:37 (UTC)

"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.

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

Billy sighs, unsure how to convince Tommy, leaning against him and trying to ignore how cold it is for a moment.

"...I know a bit of first aid, but I'd rather not try and take your shoe off until we can get back to a ship," he offers finally, looking to his injured leg. He doesn't have anything near what he needs to help set it even in an emergency, and removing his shoe is going to unleash the swelling worse than it probably all ready is."

"I never bothered to learn," Tommy sighs. He knows he's not a good brother or teammate. Not by any stretch.

"Just school stuff. I don't...remember much," Billy tries to dismiss. He's only really had to use it the once on Nate and- he tries not to think about that. Especially not now. He doesn't want that thought to conjure up his face in the storm next. "I thought my would always-" he frowns and flexes his fingers.

"...I have to find a ship for us, Tommy."

"I... yeah," Tommy says, and he sounds a little broken. He doesn't want his brother to go. But he'll accept it whether he wants it or not.

Billy winces, and leans more decidedly into his side. "I don't want to leave you. But I don't know how else to get us out of here."

"Yeah, I know," Tommy dismisses. "Just go. It's fine. I'm fine."

Lies.

"Tommy-" He's definitely not fine. Billy tries to take his hand. "...I can stay a bit longer. Someone might come..."

"Yeah, just go and find it," Tommy counters, voice firm and trying not to be upset.

"...I'm going to come right back, okay? I promise. But if someone finds you first and they can take you back, go, just send me a message so I know."

Like their datapads are even working here. Tommy sighs and nods.

"Just go, okay? And don't follow the faces. Right to the ships, nothing else."

He's not thinking super clearly, obviously. He just wants to get Tommy back where someone can help him.

"Right to the ships," he promises, "I'll be right back. You won't even know I'm gone. Just...try to stay warm."

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