revivalproject | Rage has such focus

Entry tags:

Rage has such focus

Who: Billy Kaplan, OTA
What: Return of the Rage Bugs
When: Before the Mermaid Event
Where: Temba (Various)
Warnings: Violence, TBD

Working on building the cabin meant a lot of time outdoors. Thankfully Billy was a lot more used to that than in the past. If the weather stayed nice, he might even get a tan. Less fortunately, a hidden nest of rage bugs had awoken to the pleasant weather as well, and one had ventured out and found itself a host. Billy didn’t feel the bite, and life carried on for a while. He was testier than usual, quicker to anger, and then abruptly the rage took hold.

Eyes a glow, he banished a tree, fragments breaking apart and disappearing piece by piece. However it had offended him was unknown, but it revealed his next target to him, eyes narrowing and lightening crackling at his fingertips as he sets his sights on you.

Maybe you know Billy. If you do, you know this is very out of character. Before you have long to think about it you better start dodging.

(ooc: Set before the mermaid event. There is a planned resolution/end to the thread, so anyone tagging in won’t be able to stop Billy, but they can try their best. If you want them to get hurt/not hurt please let me know and I can make that happen for you. Also feel free to encounter Billy in a different place/set up than the one started here, he'll be flying about causing havoc all over.]

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“Like I ever ‘walk’ anywhere.”

By the time Tommy’s said that he’s standing on top of the next nearest bit of ruins. He looks so bored, and tired.

Under that he’s hurt.

“Did you have to try and kill my boyfriend? Made more sense when you tried to kill me. Seriously, though. How do you keep getting possessed so much. This is, what, three?”

Billy attempts to freeze him in place with his magic since he's decided to stay so nice and still for him there.

"He was there," he supplies. It hadn't been targeted. "You talk too damn much. Always talking! Always whining!" There's a crack of electricity, one that seems designed to miss, ramping up the fear as the cracks draw nearer.

Dude, can’t even look at him before he’s in a new place, arms crossed over his chest.

“That’s no excuse, and you know it. It’s a ragebug again, isn’t it? I mean, we both know I talk a lot, but you whine more than me, so it’s really not a good point in your favor.”

The lightning does make him flinch from his new location, though. He still had that scar.

“Billy, you promised me you wouldn’t use those powers on me again. Are you going to let an insect break your word?”

His teeth clench, not in the mood for Tommy's quipping or his speed. The lightening crackles dangerously at his fingertips before Tommy's words break through enough to cause momentary doubt.

"Get out-" he growls, tries to plead-

He magically hurls a piece of rubble at Tommy's current location, and once he moves Billy sends an electric pulse radiating out through the ground around him, aiming to taze his brother into stillness.

Yeah, the witches never like the speedy quips. That’s just how life goes. Thanks, Momda, for that curse. Once more Tommy flinches at the sight of sparks. But hey, sparks are better than magic. Because if Tommy ended up in the air, well, he’d be less useful.

“You’re the only one here who can get it out, Billy. Come on, brother. I believe in you!”

And of course he’s throwing rubble. That’s stupidly easy to deal with. Tommy darts aside. Except fuck, little witch got smarter. He’s left falling over from the pain in his legs. Fuck. Fuck that hurts.

“Wow,” he pants out. “Fucking rude. Real Assgardian move. But right now I need you to be Wiccan, man. I need you to dig yourself free. No one controls Billy Kaplan but Billy Kaplan!”

And maybe a bit Loki because he’s so good at manipulating.

He's been training with Soldier since then. Lucky for Tommy, Billy's still relying more on his magic than strategy.

He gives a self satisfied smirk as Tommy falls, and tries to zero in on the current that will keep those muscles from picking himself back up. "Shutyourmouth," he growls, shaking his head and trying to free himself from the effect of those words.

"You aren't even my brother!" he throws out cruelly, before bringing a second building crumbling down over top of him.

Time dulled memory. Time took the edge off pain but so too did it mute promises, fading them into the background of life's tapestry, forgotten but for echoes of old brilliance. But for a man who owned very little of the memory of his own life, those parts he did remember he clung to with conviction and care, not letting them fade. Those memories included a promise, and a magically crafted collar that the Soldier carried on him at all times.

The Soldier had been away from their construction site; he'd missed the earlier confrontation. But even out training as he was he hadn't missed the aftermath, figures flying through the air, the faint (imagined?) echo of a scream. He couldn't get there fast enough to stop all of it but he had to do something. And hope that the target of Billy's anger could hold out a little bit longer.

Following the sounds of confrontation and his own instincts, he came into the clearing in time to hear Billy yelling out at his brother. Luckily for Tommy, the Soldier emerged close to his position. Even more luckily, the training he'd been doing had been with a certain shield. Tommy might have a building coming down on him one moment, but the next he had a black-clad figure above him, vibranium shield and metal arm protecting them both from falling debris.

He can't move and he can't speak. Trites to move his mouth, repeatedly, tries to plead with his brother, with tears in his eyes over that last jab. And instead... Nothing. Nothing but destruction about to rain down on him.

And instead there's a large form over him, shield and arm both up. Steve? No. Winter. Tommy wants to thank him. To explain what's happening. To plead for him to help his brother.

All he does is whimper.

Billy wasn't quite clear of the path of the building either, but he threw up a magical shield . Dust and debris fill the air, and Billy still doesn't feel that rage sated. Dropping the shield, along with the rest of his spells, Billy squints and approaches the rubble, swatting at the dust in the air as he moves to confirm he's buried this target for good at least.

Quick thinking dulled the impact of rubble but it still hurt. The Soldier couldn't think about that right now though; he didn't have the time. "Get away," he murmured to Tommy, eyes not wandering from where he least saw Billy. "You're not gonna want to see this."

There was no way Tommy would enjoy seeing someone attack his brother, even out of necessity. But more practically if Tommy managed to get through the Soldier, hopefully Tommy would be far enough away to get additional reinforcements.

Then he started moving, using the dust and debris to his advantage. Billy might be powerful but the Soldier had far more experience in combat. He flung rocks in Billy's direction, moving constantly and steadily away from Tommy to distract one brother from going after the other.

Literally asking the impossible here, man. His muscles haven't recovered yet from the mess. And that is his brother, no matter what Billy said. That wasn't him in control though. Wasn't him talking. So no, he wasn't leaving. Until he could at least. He needed to find Jon. Big time.

But for now he just has to stay still, thankful that Soldier saved him. For now all he can do is wait.

The distraction worked especially well with Billy in this state, easily shifting focus to his new target, knocking the rocks away with increasing annoyance. His eyes sting from the dust, and he's definitely been using too much magic, but the rage pushes him on. He takes flight to try and get a better view, shooting bolts of electricity blindly into the rubble.

The problem — aside from the rage — was Billy's flight. The Soldier really needed to be able to get in close and if Billy could just take to the air at any time, he'd have a hard time catching the guy. But judging from the way Billy flung lightning around, he hadn't yet found his target. The Soldier could use that to his advantage as well.

"Billy!" he cried out from behind half a wall, and immediately left that spot for another hiding place. Whether or not Billy recognized his voice, and how he reacted, would determine the Soldier's next move.

Hearing his voice, Billy's head snapped to follow it, and what was left of the wall was quickly reduced to crumbling rock.

"You shouldn't be here-" he called, and there was a twinge in his voice, eyes scanning the rubble like he was seeing it for the first time. He tried to shake that distraction away, lowering through the air.

"I am here Billy. You have to find me without magic, remember? Our training?" Something they did often enough, the Soldier having Billy rely on nonmagical skill. Maybe he could spin this as another training exercise, convince Billy to end it quietly. Maybe his words would get through to his partner, and the Soldier could corral him without incident. But maybe the rage would surge back, forcing him to defend himself. He couldn't know.

There was a beat of hesitation. He remembered. And while the magic glow didn't leave his eyes, his feet hit the ground.

"Why shouldn't I use it?" Billy asked, moving as silently as he could manage through the rubble towards the last instance of Soldier's voice.

The Soldier heard the footsteps and changed his own position, easing a little closer. He had to keep Billy talking, keep Billy focused on him. He had to give Tommy a chance to get away. And he had to try to get close enough to get that collar around Billy's neck.

"It was your idea. You didn't want to rely only on it. Remember?" A pebble skittered against rock to Billy's left, the sound it would make if someone had shifted his footing.

"You can't beat me if I use it," he countered, and when the noise drew his attention a hand shot out instinctively to cast a spell, stopping himself with considerable effort.

Billy frowned belatedly and turned in Soldier's direction, still not able to see him, but apparently able to recall his lessons well enough in this state to suss out the general direction.

"That's not the reason."

He didn't even have to lie about that; hopefully it helped his case. Billy seemed conflicted with himself now, not just outwardly. He had to use that confusion to his advantage.

"No magic for you, no knives for me. That was the deal. Think you can still find me?" His voice came from a slightly different direction now, moving as Billy moved. He had to keep trying to get closer.

"But it's the truth." The magic pulled and pulsed threateningly at the joints of Soldier's arm, just to show it could, before letting up, "I could take you apart if I wanted-"

The rage didn't seem to be able to keep quiet, and it was hindering Billy's ability to observe his environment. He turned with Soldier's voice, and tried to move to cut him off, stooping to grab a chunk of rubble in a fist, apparently fully prepared to take on the Winter Soldier with his fists and a bit of rock.

He forced himself to ignore the threat at his arm. It wouldn't be the first time it had been ripped off. It wouldn't be the first time he dealt with the pain. "Do you want to? Take me apart?"

But apparently the lessons to use whatever the environment presented had stuck well enough see Billy grabbing rock instead. Good. The Soldier came out from behind his shelter, close to Billy. The shield was on his back and his knives sheathed, giving truth to his earlier words. Might be best to continue reminding Billy of their lessons. "Come on then. Remember your left shoulder."

Billy seemed to wrestle with the answer, and the ground shook as that rage found release, sending further debris toppling. He didn't bother to deflect it this time, taking a few good hits that left him groaning in pain and eradicating the offending debris.

Left shoulder. He turned his head reflexively and growled in frustration before he spun round to finally spot Solider.

"Found you without magic," he panted, blood in his eyes making it hard to see as it streamed over his forehead. He shot a stripe of electricity his way, evidently done with fighting fair.

Good. Billy fighting himself meant his focus wasn't fully on the Soldier, and he had to use that to his advantage. He could bring Billy down with some carefully thrown knives or a bullet or two, but he truly didn't want to harm him. He just had to stop him, and only long enough for Tommy to escape.

If that meant dealing with attacks like hurtled Billy's of lightning, well, the Soldier hadn't had a true challenge in some time. He extended his arm too catch the bolt against the metal palm; the leather glove wouldn't insulate it completely but it was better than taking it on his squishier bits.

"Now beat me without magic," he growled out, shaking off the effects of the lightning. He pulled himself to his feet, pulling the shield from his back and whipping it in Billy's direction. He'd charge in after it, using it as distraction and cover both.

Billy would have insisted that was still impossible, despite their training, if he'd been in his right mind, but the challenge had him smirking. A least in the fraction of a second before the shield hit him. He tumbled back ungracefully, a concussive force blasting out around him to try and push Soldier back.

"Are you going to kill me, Soldier?! That's the only way to stop me. Can you still do it?"

At least Billy remained fully focused on the Soldier. And he hadn't abandoned their locale; with Billy's ability to telaport himself things could have gotten much more complicated.

"Will you make me?" Even as he pushed the Soldier back that metal hand dug straight into rock, holding him in place and providing an anchor from which to launch himself at Billy again.

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Stop fighting boys

He is TRYING, thanks

No

Billy, behave

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