[Action / Voice]

[selfhelp]

[Today something strange is going on in the plaza; Billy and Tommy are there and hanging out, chatting awkwardly and messing with their powers. "Billy" is tossing bursts of blue light into the air like fireworks, and "Tommy" is flashing between one side of the plaza and the other, skidding a bit over the pavement like he's out of practice. They don't seem to be there for any particular reason, but if people happen to question it, they're more than happy to strike up a casual conversation. Just don't expect a straight answer...

At some point they split off to visit their usual haunts (the battle dome, the coffee shop, the school, some of the other stores, and in Billy's case, the sky) but they never seem to be very far from one another, for some reason.

Eventually they'll be back at home, and that's when the journal comes out:]

Hey, people, got a question for you. My little bro is really fixated on getting a piercing. It's probably the boyfriend's fault. Anyone know how to do that in a way that won't make him lose an ear? Like, not involving ice and a needle?

Oh my God. Tommy, shut up... okay, well, kind of what he said. Minus the gore.

You're getting holes poked into you, dude, that's gore by definition.

Not if it's done professionally.

Yeah, I'm sure you'll find a real pro on Paper Facebook.

Don't you have somewhere to be? [ With the most put upon, quietly frustrated sigh. ]

With my speed? I'm already there. At the same time. [With a smug tone equal to that frustration.]

Thanks for making this a total wash. Sorry for wasting your time, everyone. If you know the answer just contact me privately.

Hey, are you getting a Prince Albert while you're at it?

OH MY GOD. [Maybe a little over dramatic. The journal is slammed shut.]


(( this is a JOINT POST between Billy selfhelp and Tommy dickmoves. At Tommy's request they have SWAPPED APPEARANCES, so Billy is pretending to be Tommy and Tommy is pretending to be Billy. As such, their powers are being faked - Tommy via enchantment and Billy via disguised teleports - and their personalities might not be up to par with what their CR is used to. They're identical twins aside from hair and eye colour (which is easy to fake) so it's a pretty good swap. The game is to see how many people can be pranked! So, you know, have fun with it. Journals used will be selfmoves and dickhelp.

Please specify in the subject line who you're tagging! If not, you might get a random or both of them. w/e. Three-ways are not discouraged but they are slow, so bear that in mind...! ))

Comments

[maximoff_girl]

Pietro... understands things quicker than I do. I'm... not very smart. Pietro gets the point, and then he can explain it to me, at length. ... It's like a system. It works.

[selfmoves]

[And that? That, he has heard before. And it's upsetting because he understands. How it feels, and... how wrong it is.]

Who says you're not smart?

[maximoff_girl]

Oh-- no one says it. That would be rude. And most people are too afraid to be rude to me. They don't have to say it, though. I know. [She shrugs. This isn't a fishing expedition, she's not looking for affirmation or complements. This is just a fact of life, to her.]

[selfmoves]

[In a lot of ways, that's worse. Worse than anyone saying it to her face. It can show in other ways, more subtle ways that dig their awful little fingers of doubt in and make you question yourself constantly. With this, in the eyes of the world the blame is all on her.

It isn't right.]

I don't think it's that you're not smart, Wanda. I think it's that people look down on you.

[maximoff_girl]

[There is a slight pause, as she opens her mouth to respond, then shuts it, uncertain of what he's actually saying.]

... What?

[selfmoves]

You said that Pietro gets the plan first and then explains it to you in detail. That means you've got questions about the plan, doesn't it? You want to know more. The quick and dirty isn't enough for you. Learning things at your own pace has nothing to do with how smart you are, it's just that you want more information. Curiosity, a thirst for knowledge- there's nothing wrong with that.

If Magneto doesn't have the patience to make sure everyone involved knows and understands his plan properly before the mission starts, then that's his failing as a leader.

[maximoff_girl]

Oh, no, that's not-- I mean. There's not always time for questions. There's a sentinel being dropped on you, or some gang of gun-toting humans out for blood. My "Why's" don't-- help. I mean. I never change the plan. And there's... never not been a reason for everything. It's not Father's fault if I don't understand everything.

[selfmoves]

[The way she justifies everything is so... hrngh. It's disquieting, but it also means he doesn't have much of a leg to stand on when it comes to arguing the point. Not unless he's willing to reveal more of what he knows about Magneto and their relationship.

He's... not sure he's there, yet. But it might be good to ask around a bit, more privately.]

Doesn't it bother you, though? That he treats you like that? Even if you understand his reasons, he's still your father.

[maximoff_girl]

[It does bother her, actually. More than she would ever like to admit. She pauses, uncomfortable, trying to find the correct words to respond with, but not disparage her father.]

I... do wish that things could be-- like the they were, sometimes. Before he started working all the time on the crusade for mutant rights. ... or even before that. When-- mother and Anya were still alive.

[She would not, normally even mention her mother. And 'Anya' is a name she hasn't dared to speak for years at a time. It sounds weird in her mouth. But Tommy is family. It's ok to talk about family things with family.]

... But! [She tries to follow up quickly, trying to override the surge of emotion in her chest.] It's-- selfish to want to keep him all to myself. He is trying to help the world. What's-- one girl's selfish wants compared to all of mutant-kind's suffering?

[selfmoves]

It's not selfish. And I think a good person - a good father - should be able to do both.

[He pauses there, though, looking thoughtful. It's so unusual for Wanda to be so forthcoming with this stuff... and that's a name he hasn't heard before. He knows next to nothing about the rest of his mother's family.]

Who's... Anya?

[maximoff_girl]

[She wishes she could convince people of what she knows to be true; that her father IS a good father. For some reason, though, no one ever seems to believe her. And she doesn't understand why her words fail her so much, when she tries to explain it. She feels it. So why can't she put it into words that would help others feel it too?

It is something for her to ponder. She wants Tommy, and Billly too, to like Magneto. He is an important part of her life, as are they, now. For now, though, there is another question being asked. It's hard to answer. The words are easy enough, but there is so much emotion behind them. Not to mention the general flinching fear. In the past, mentioning Anya has earned her nothing but her father's ire. Her Pavlovian response is certainly kicking in, but Tommy is family. He deserves to know about his own history.]

... She was my sister.

[selfmoves]

[Billy is silent for a long moment at that, stunned. He knew there was a half-sister, though what he knew of Polaris was severely limited. But this...? This name is completely unfamiliar to him.]

I didn't... know you had one.

[And- "was"?]

[maximoff_girl]

[Maybe, someday, they can trade stories. Wanda knows nothing about Polaris. ]

... most people don't. It-- upsets father when we talk about her. So... we don't. But he's not here right now. And it's... part of your history. Sort of. So... I guess you should know.

[selfmoves]

[...Oof.

So, okay. He's got an aunt he never knew about. And probably never will, if she existed in his universe. God, is it some rule that says most of his super-family has to die or turn evil? Maybe Teddy really should think twice about marrying him.

Focus, Kaplan.]

...Sorry. That... she died, I mean. It can't be easy, talking about it.

[maximoff_girl]

It... happened a long time ago. Honestly, I... I'm not even sure I remember her any more, or just the idea of her.. [She sighs, heavily. How did they get on this? And why does it feel so... liberating to talk about it? Is that why she can't shut up?] It's only difficult in that-- I'm just not used to talking about her. We just-- don't. ...It's like an unspoken rule.

[selfmoves]

...Well... you can, if you want. With me. [Wait, shit-] With us.

[maximoff_girl]

That's-- very kind of you. [She smiles to herself. Tommy is a lot gentler than he lets on. ] I don't even really... know what to say. ... I wish I had a photo I could show you or-- something.

[selfmoves]

That's okay. Just knowing here name is a lot, considering.

[It's more than he knew before, anyway.]

I wonder if she existed in our universe, too.

[maximoff_girl]

... I don't see why she wouldn't have. Are we-- sure we're not from the same universe? ... That business always confuses me. [She shakes her head, an admission of defeat to herself.]

[selfmoves]

Dunno. I mean, I guess we could be, but a lot of things don't add up. You guys are all too young. And Rogue wasn't a member of the X-Men until-

[Somewhere during the course of the conversation, Billy had forgotten he was supposed to be playing Tommy.

Guess who finally remembers now?]

...I mean. Billy's the timeline nerd, he'd know better.

[maximoff_girl]

... Rogue wasn't always an X-man, it's true. She used to be on our side. [Wanda muses, before smiling.] ... You... sound a lot like Pietro did, when we were children, before he learned how to lie as well as he does. ... are you-- secretly a 'timeline nerd' too?

[selfmoves]

No way! It's just his nerd rubbing off on me. He talks about it so much I can't forget.

[maximoff_girl]

You poor thing. [She's teasing him now, though gently.] Surely, a fate worse than death.

[selfmoves]

No idea how I survive day to day life.

[maximoff_girl]

'Bored'? 'Agonizingly slowly'? [She offers, from what she's heard from her brother.]

... Anyway. If you ever want to-- talk. Or whatever. Just let me know. Or-- feel free to come over. However you like.