When What You Are Is Violence

[doubled_speed]

WHO: Tommy Shepherd, Wanda Maximoff, Open
WHERE: Near the Hangar, Later In Wanda's Home
WHAT: Rage Bug Bite, Bonding with a dragon
WHEN: During Bug Issues
WARNINGS: CW: Violence, potentially attacking other characters in one prompt. Possible Discussions of violence/abuse with Wanda.




The Violence Begins

For all that he's seen how the bites affect people, that doesn't save Tommy from his own issues. The bite of a bug, on the back of his neck. Happened not long after he left Altair's attentions, getting the electrical burns on his arm looked at (not to mention other pains). But it didn't overtake him quickly, strange given how prone he was to having everything happen. It's nearly half a day between the bite and when Tommy can't take it anymore. Half a day that he spends alone, near the hangar, hiding out from everyone and trying to put together a really awkward project of potting some seeds from the greenhouse into whatever containers he can find to move onto the Twin Roses.

But when the fury comes, it overtakes him suddenly.

The problem with a speedster with rage is just how much damage he can do. And near the hangars... Well, the targets are obvious, aren't they? So there's Tommy Shepherd, with super human strength, pulling up looks stones the size of people's heads, throwing them toward the hangar walls, like he's trying to bring it down. Strength is one thing. The fact that he can hurl the things at well over a hundred miles per hour is what gives the greatest bit of force.

It wouldn't be very safe for someone to be around that. But he wouldn't hurt a person, right? Tommy's a good guy.

Comments

[doubled_speed]

It's a parasite. A tiny little life force so tangled up with Tommy's that telling one from the other might well be impossible. But as it itches and demands it drives the rage, leaving Tommy lashing out at the nearest thing. And the nearest thing is still Cal.

HIs hands raise and he holds them before him, and they absolutely start to vibrate and blur int he air. Maybe he can't make things explode, but he can damage things, and the ground under Cal cracks. And once that happens, Tommy's moving again, there in a blur of motion, his fists flying almost faster than he's thinking. Because he's not really thinking. he's acting.

[out_of_order]

Discovering the source is hardly a triumph, not when there's no time to try to do anything about it. Tommy doesn't allow it.

Cal stumbles as the ground begins to shudder beneath him, but he senses the true threat as it comes, throwing his arms up over his face at the sudden barrage of fists. BD-1 swings around behind him, shrieking in panic as the padawan staggers back.

Tommy's blows do more than sting, but there's no method to it, only movement. Cal draws himself inward, and in his mind's eye the blows slow, the world around him separated by a bubble. He exhales.

In some delicate space between the next strikes, Cal swings out his arms as he pushes again through the Force, first focusing on driving Tommy back. He then sweeps his hand up, using the Force to try and pick the speedster off his feet.

[doubled_speed]

The push of the Force drives Tommy back a few feet. The push makes him angry, and he snaps back, ready to lash out. Which doesn't get him very far, given he's being lifted up by the force. Which earns a shocked, half fearful yelp. Tommy isn't big on not having his feet on something solid.

[out_of_order]

No friction, no movement. Cal keeps his hand outstretched, ignoring for now the throbbing pain as he looks up at Tommy. He can't keep this up for long, but he's feeling calmer now. But then there's the matter of how he's supposed to get a parasite out of the speedster when he won't stand still.

"...stop this," he says quietly. "I'm putting you down, but if you attack again, I'll have to keep you up there." It's a bluff, but he doesn't want to give Tommy another chance to attack, not when he's out of tricks.

[doubled_speed]

Tommy snarls. There is no way he's going to obey, and anyone who thinks differently doesn't know him. Not by half. The second he's put down Tommy is gone, in a flash. Running away isn't his thing, but this place definitely stopped being fun. And this one? Not the best place to leave his anger with. He's going to find something else to break.

[out_of_order]

There's a tense second before Cal sets Tommy down, and when the speedster vanishes, the padawan braces for another attack that doesn't come. He forces himself to remain standing at the ready until BD-1 gives an all clear, slowly resting his hands on his knees.

"...this...is not good..." he mutters to his droid friend. He can hardly hope to go after Tommy, especially not when he's exhausted and without a plan. Wincing, he turns to start towards the hospital. Get his thoughts together, get a warning out, fixed up.

Behind him, BD-1 hoots worriedly.

"...me too, BeeDee. Me too."