justlittle | inbox - Mask or Menace

I've heard that. [ He peers at Poe sidelong, expression curious. ] Is it really true?

[ A thought occurs to him, that Poe probably won't want to hear, but because the thought occurred to him, he has to say it aloud, to examine its validity. ]

If Finn died, would his memory be restored upon revival?

Yeah. It’s true. I’ve seen it. Technically I’ve done it but none of my deaths really count.

[ For someone who just mentioned deaths plural, his expression gets very hard at Bean’s question. ]

I don’t know. But it doesn’t matter. There’s always the chance that he doesn’t come back. And more importantly, I am not going to kill someone just because they don’t remember me. He’s scared, and thinks he’s alone, and I am not letting a single damn thing happen to him, even if it means losing him again.

[ He hadn’t meant to say “again”. ]

...

[ Bean had been about to counter Poe's argument with a, "Well, it's something to keep in mind as a last case scenario," until that "again." That, coupled with the "deaths," plural, really cements to Bean that Poe has been through more here than he can really ever know. It was enough to spur him to create Base One. Sure, Bean and Finn had jumped straight into the idea of a secret base, but they shared that paranoid, military-kid background, and the mindset that goes along with it.

What could lead to a mindset like Poe's, but innumerable suffering?

When Bean speaks again, it's softer, kinder. Like he's talking to someone he cherishes, and somewhat pities, and wants to hide from the cold, harsh truth. Someone like Nikolai, or Sister Carlotta. ]

Fine. It won't take us long to get to the spot where I found him wandering. He said he was trying to retrace his steps, so whatever happened shouldn't be too far from there.

[ He’s grateful that his slip didn’t encourage follow up questions, and pulls out his comm to start looking at a map. ]

Depending on who or what did it. But we should be able to find evidence regardle—-

[ He froze, staring down at his phone. ]

Oh, shit.

[ Bean continues to drive, resisting the urge to glance over at Poe again. ]

What, what is it?

I think I might know what it is.

Bodhi just posted about a creature he knows about back home.

[ A second later, he’s having this conversation. ]

A creature did this?

[ Bean is quiet while Poe has his conversation with Bodhi, trying to listen in for clues as best he can while still focusing on driving. ]

[ After Poe unceremoniously hangs up on Bodhi, he shoves his comm away and pulls open his jacket to pull out a gun.

He’s only fired this gun twice. Both times at Hux.

This one would be worth it.

He carefully opened the magazine and counted bullets. 10 ice bullets left. ]

Yeah. It’s from our universe. Bodhi’s encountered them before. We have to take it out, if we can find it. But if it touches us, it can wipe memories, just like with Finn.

[ If Poe and Finn's universe has creatures in it that can induce amnesia upon physical contact, Bean has to reevaluate what he thought he knew about their universe.

He steals a glance at Poe-- specifically at Poe's gun. ]

I don't have a weapon, so I think I'll let you handle the offensive maneuvers.

This won’t be enough to take it out.

The bullets are magic - yeah, I know, don’t ask - and will case it in ice for a few minutes. But I have no idea of the physiology of this thing - I don’t know where to hit it that would actually kill it.

... I do know someone who could definitely take it out, but I don’t know if he could do it at a distance. I’ll call him.

[ And he’s gonna just pull out his comm again to call Apollo. ]

If we can find it, freeze it, maybe he can come and finish it off.

The head usually is a good start.

[ But then, Bean was too busy driving to see a picture of the creature they're looking for. For all he knows, it doesn't have a head.

But, while Poe is calling someone, Bean arrives at the spot where he picked up Finn, and slows the RV to a stop. ]

We're here.

That's assuming it has a recognizable head, and that the head is the centre of the nervous system. [ He sounds wry, but. In his experience, giant tentacle creatures tended to be a little more complicated. ]

[ After arranging with Apollo to blast a creature to pieces, he hung up the call and focused on where they were going, when Bean pulled to a stop. ]

Okay. If we find it, we freeze it, then call Apollo for an air strike. But we should clear the area before he gets here, I don't wanna get burned.

Okay.

[ Bean begins driving slowly in expanding circles from the spot where he'd picked up Finn, angling in the direction Finn had been walking. His eyes scan the horizon for anything out of place. ]

[ An hour and a half later, Poe and Bean are shielding their eyes as the dust settles next to a brand new impact crater in the Jeopardy desert. Poe's ears are still ringing a bit as he trains his eyes upward, squinting in the sunlight. ]

That'll be our boy. Let's see if we can get him to come down and say hello.

Apollo! Good work!

[ Act of God, on demand. Apollo's (relatively small, Apollically speaking) thermobaric explosion cuts a glassy crater in to the floor, leaving nothing but glittering ash and an unmistakable smell of barbecue in the air.

Job done. Apollo descends, flushed and golden with residual energy, and gives the pair of them a wave. ]

Poe! We should do this more often. [ He turns to Bean curiously. ] I don't think we've met, have we? Hi.

[ Bean wasn't sure what he was expecting when Poe mentioned calling in Apollo. He'd done his research on Apollo, sure, after reading about his antics on the Nets and being turned down for Impact. But seeing it in person is something else. ]

Ho. We've spoken, online. You told me I was too young to join your team.

I know exactly who to call any time I want to smell like barbeque, now. [ Poe said with a grin, but then frowned and blinked when Bean spoke up.

Oh. Awkward.

Uh. ]

Well, you were good for my team today, buddy. Thanks. I owe you one.

[ Yep. That is pretty awkward. Apollo glances uncertainly at Poe, briefly, before turning his attention back to the boy in front of him. The Oxford-level intelligent strategist, military tactician. The seven year old. ]

So you're Graff? I did wonder if we'd ever meet again... [ He smiles ruefully. ] And yeah, it seems like you're pretty damn heroic without Impact anyway.

[ Bean doesn't wince, but it's a close thing. He'd almost forgotten that when he spoke to Apollo, it was under his alternate Net profile. There goes that anonymity. ]

The name is Bean. [ Apollo already knows he's a kid, so he might as well know his real name. ]

The question is... what now? The thing is dead. What does that mean for what it's done?

[ Poe was just about to ask about the pseudonym, but Bean's response changed his mind. You know what? Not his business.

At the question, though, his face fell, and he looked back to the crater, his shoulders slumping.

Yeah. They did the part of the equation that involved blowing things up. But did that mean anything to Finn, at all...?

He swallowed. ]

... I don't know. [ He answered, honestly. ] But at least we know it won't... do it to anyone else. I really doubt it's a special kind of magic where Finn is suddenly better again...

Woah, woah, hang on.

[ Apollo holds his hands up, visibly confused by Bean's questions and the sudden turn in mood. ]

Who gets better with the what magic?

[ Bean stares up at Apollo, face deadpan. ]

That creature you just destroyed. You know what it does?

[ Presumably he wouldn't just zap unknown beasts willy nilly. ]

It did that to our friend already.

Finn.

[ Poe is half distracted, looking back at the RV and frowning. ]

He doesn't remember a thing. Bodhi says that he recovered after he encountered one back home, but it - it's dangerous. Really dangerous. And it was never meant to be here.

But that doesn't mean what it did to Finn is reversed, no.

I should - I should get home.

[ Apollo's expression falls in dismay as he slowly realises what must have happened. His relationship with his own amnesia had always been straight forward, but only with the benefit of nearly fifteen years of adjustment. And some of those fifteen years had been... trying. Apollo has no idea who Finn is besides 'that guy who did the video with Archie' but he wouldn't wish amnesia on anyone. And this particular anyone clearly means a lot.

He follows Poe's gaze back to the RV and jerks a thumb at it, glancing between him and Bean. ]

Do you guys want a lift?

[ He means that literally. Lift the RV. The whole thing. Yep. ]

[ Bean feels powerless and he hates it. But they're nothing more they can do out here, so might as well let the flying man carry them home. ]

Don't damage it.

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