OURPOWERS ( VIDEO ) PUBLIC

[wordiness]

Display Name: Billy Kaplan-Altman
Profile Photo: Here
Notes: Threadjack to your heart's content.

[ the video opens to billy perched on his bed in what is decidedly not the hotel. he's dressed, unsurprisingly, in black, though when he reaches up to push a few curls back from his face, his nails are red. (gotta rep he and his mom's color.) ]

Hi. Soo.. I was thinking. [ a beat. ] Oh. Wait, uh, I'm Billy, by the way, for those of you that don't know me. I'm a witch, which-- [ heh. ] --is sort of what this is about? .. Right. [ wow, embarrassing. this is why he doesn't do public speaking. ]

Anyway, I was thinking about magic-- [ jazz hands. ] --and people that do magic here. Specifically those of us that, uh, came out of one of the Confluences? Though I guess if there are natives here that want to get in on this, that's probably fine, I don't know. Loki mentioned-- [ another beat. ] My Loki-- [ no. ] Young Avengers Loki? [ ugh. ] .. Whatever, a Loki mentioned magic club, and I don't know how serious he was.. [ leaning back and peering off-camera like he's expecting loki to pop up in the doorway (entirely possible). ] .. but I think it's a good idea?

[ he glances back at the camera again. ] Personally-speaking, it's nice to have other people to bounce ideas off of, test spells with, learn from.. that kind of thing. And who knows, maybe we could figure this Confluence thing out and get the hell out of here, though I'm not holding my breath yet.

[ a pause, and he rolls his eyes at himself, blowing a breath out. ] Which is all to say that if you have magic, are magic, come from a magic world and have a pretty strong understanding of it, or you're just really interested in magic and want to learn or.. whatever.. let's get brunch? What do you guys think?

[ he hesitates, then starts to sign off, then pauses. ] Also, I guess at some point in the future, possibly not even all that distant future, I probably have to create at least one new reality, maybe more? So if you have experience with that kind of thing, I'd really like to talk to you.

[ you're fucking welcome, little loki. ]

Comments

[wordiness]

I'm not planning to do it here. Did I say I was? I've spent years being terrified of breaking reality, I'm not going to do anything to risk it.

[resurrxion]

You don't need to plan for things to go wrong. You -

[ he breaks off with a frustrated sound. ]

I. Do. Not. Care. Who. Your. Mom. Is. I don't give a shit about your mom. It's not like she's the only person who has screwed mutants over by playing with reality at this point. Nate Summers just did it. It doesn't change the fact that it ruined my life even more than it was.

[ chill, josh. reign it in. ]

Point is, you can't just drop creating new realities where mutants can hear and not expect us to ask that you don't do it where it can fuck us up.

[wordiness]

Oh, for fuck's sake, Josh. If you'd bothered to ask me about it instead of just assuming the worst, you'd know I'm talking about America Chavez and her entirely separate dimension that already exists. Maybe just have the tiniest amount of trust in me, the way everyone else trusts you?

I'm sorry I didn't clarify enough for you, but it doesn't mean you get to be an asshole. It wasn't just mutants affected by people breaking the world. And--again!--I'm trying to learn. So I'm, you know, responsible about it when it happens? Where the fuck else am I supposed to do it?

wait 2/2

[wordiness]

[ no, stop. he flips up a hand in a halt gesture. ] Wait, look. I am sorry, alright? I'm sorry I scared you, and I should've clarified better, and that's on me. But like.. please understand that I have the best of intentions and I'm not actively trying to create any new realities here or anywhere, and the only reason I'm really worried about it is because I would really like my friend to continue to exist. And I have plenty of other magical oversight here. No one's going to let me break the world.

[resurrxion]

[ his back is up and that's never a good sign. he's gotten fairly good about reaching zen.

he should let this go. but one thing about this itches at him. ]

The thing about people on our power level? Nobody has to let us do anything. [ there's a beat.

he takes in a breath. ]

... I don't care if you mess with things back in our universe, but don't pull anything here. That's all I'm asking. And it isn't for my sake.

[wordiness]

[ a pointed glance. ] Yeah. They have to trust us not to fuck up. But you're wrong that there aren't people that could stop us if they needed to. That's why I built rules into my abilities.

[resurrxion]

If you're omega level those rules don't matter, dude.

[ is he? whatever. his mom was technically one. ]

Speaking from experience.

[wordiness]

Believe what you want.

[resurrxion]

Is it like, a pre-requisite to think you know everything when you tack Avenger onto your team name or somethin'?

[wordiness]

Don't. Please don't assume you know how my powers work and I'll do you the same courtesy.

[resurrxion]

[ there is a long, long pause. josh sucks in a breath through his nose, holds it, and lets it out. ]

Look. I don't know anything about magic or whatever, but I know a thing or to about being so goddamn powerful you need to be careful about it and your power suddenly jumping and ruining how you thought it worked. I'm not talking about your stupid mom, I'm talking about what I've learned from being one of the last living omega level mutants. So like if you ever feel like being less of a defensive asshole you know where I'm at.

[wordiness]

I am deeply uninterested, but thanks.

[ikols]

Nobody is going to erase your girlfriend, say it for what the fear is instead of barking at Billy.

[resurrxion]

He's the one that started freaking out.

[ikols]

You are in a constant state of Freaking Out. If freaking out was an island you would be its mayor, and I understand why but it's a bit much to bite his head off.

[resurrxion]

I'm not freaking out! I just happen to know a thing or two about underestimating your powers and then fucking everything up because you suddenly cross a boundary you didn't know you had!

[ikols]

You are projecting. Josh, calm down.

[resurrxion]

[ there's a long, aggrivated sigh. ]

He's the one who immediately got weird and made it all about his mom!

[ikols]

Well, in his defence, he has a weird mom that it often pays to get weird about.

[resurrxion]

Yeah, and his weird mom ruined my life. We're not talking about that.

[ikols]

Then what are we talking about, Josh? What has you so angry with Billy beyond your fear he will miss a crucial step and scatter our atoms across the multiverse? I find that scary too, because he could. He could make it so that Laurie never even existed in any reality. Does that scare you too?

I could achieve the same thing, if I so wished. So, do I now scare you and pose a threat?

Not everyone is out to ruin your life, Josh.

[resurrxion]

I'm not talking about it where other people are gonna overhear.

[ikols]

Alright, then summon me.

[wordiness]

Loki, please don't.

[ikols]

I'm only talking with Josh, there's no harm done. Away with you and have that nap!