Billy & Teddy's not so excellent Halloween

[halfscarlet]

For all the anxiety they've had over the past month and doing whatever preparation they can, once the day actually comes, it's almost kind of familiar.

In a terrifying, oh god the world is ending again kind of way.

The only exception is this time, there are no powered heroes to step in to save the day. Cap and Tony can still help, but they're only two people against everyone's deepest fears and nightmares. Two guys and Thor's giant hammer, anyway.

With no powers and a couple month's worth of self-defense classes, Billy feels completely helpless as he and Teddy make their way to the New Atlantis safe zone. Being under a shield and doing nothing while people are in trouble is not their style, but without powers he can't do much to help anyone, let alone keep Teddy safe.

It's his nightmare that will eventually be coming to life today, and there's no way he'll let anything happen to Teddy. Not today, not ever. Not if he can help it, and if that means hiding under a shield for they entire day while everyone else goes off to be heroes, then so be it.

The New Atlantis shield is kind of pretty - much prettier in person than it ever looked on television - and he can hear it coming down and going back up to let people in before they even approach it. Once they're in, once the shield goes back down, a quiet settles around them and Billy relaxes a little.

Comments

[notaparker]

"I had spider-powers! What was I going to dress up as, a bunny?" Poor choice of example, poor choice of example. "Because that just seems like it'd be confusing."

Why am I cursed? I am pretty sure I'm cursed at this point. Doc Strange or whoever was throwing out curses and one landed on me, and it means I cannot keep anyone unaware of my secret identity for more than five minutes. I should take refuge in the fact that it's apparently genetic, but I don't really. Feels like I should be able to correct certain mistakes, but, nope.

Really hoping for someone to interrupt this by being punchable soon.

[just_dance_it]

This day has taken so many weird fucking turns already that Maxxie doesn't even react when Chase and Jess saunter onto the scene, one with some kind of glove gun and one talking about spider-powers. While in a spider costume.

"...Hey, guys," Maxxie says, sounding as wrung out as he feels, and weakly waves a hand.

[halfscarlet]

Knowing Jess is Spider-Woman in her world is a completely different thing from actually seeing her all dressed up and in the act. Billy only wishes he had the time to appreciate seeing another superhero in costume, something he hasn't seen in a while.

"We need help," Billy says, not even bothering with greetings. He knows they'd understand. "Maxxie needs to be taken to the clinic."

[apoorupbringing]

Chase frowned, changing direction to beeline directly over to the pair. He glanced Billy over, to make sure he wasn't hurt or bleeding and ignoring it, then started looking Maxxie over.

"What the hell happened? You okay, man?"

[notaparker]

"I know we're all teenagers and, like screw the rules or whatever, but c'mon," I say, wincing as I look Maxxie over. "There are really too many people running around out here. I recognize the hypocricy. Uh, do you want me to get the other arm, or..."

Man, I wish I had a way to easily flag the hover ambulance. Kind of ridiculous that I built it and can't get it here.

"...someone could run for a call-box?"

[just_dance_it]

"I can walk," Maxxie insists. He aches and his head hurts, but nothing's wrong with his legs (thank God). Having someone try to half-carry him sounds more painful than moving on his own.

"You can call me a dumbass later," he adds to Jess. "First you've gotta keep Teddy away from that lizard."

He just kind of assumes that, since everyone around him has got something weird going for him or her, that they'll understand what the hell he's saying.

[halfscarlet]

"Skrull," Billy corrects unhappily. "The Skrull that tried to kill him and Xavin in New York," he elaborates, for Chase's benefit.

He begins to help Maxxie up, and glances at Chase. They've fought Skrulls together, the Young Avengers and the Runaways, but it's different without powers. He doesn't know how Chase does it, even if he does have fistigons and a dinosaur who does anything he asks.