justlittle | inbox - Mask or Menace

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.

[ Poe arches an eyebrow. ]

Uh - I mean, as much as I would love to watch you bench press an RV, Apollo, I can just fly it if Bean wants to save on gas.

[ Apollo stares at Poe incredulously. ]

Seriously? Have you been holding out on me, Dameron?

[ He glances at Bean. ]

Did you know he could do that?

[ From the way he is staring at Poe-- as though he's just grown a second head-- Apollo can probably guess Bean's answer. ]

I knew he was a pilot. I didn't know that extended to non-flight capable vehicles.

Edited (Phone too) 2019-04-30 19:31 (UTC)

[ Poe blinks at them. Oh. Right. Guess that's not something that everyone on Earth just knows about him anymore. Neither of these guys were around when he was on TV. ]

Uh - yeah. I can fly anything. I mean, other than things than can fight me on it. Tried to fly a horse once, did not go well.

Usually I use a carpet just because it's easier, but. I mean - you guys can just get in and I can show you.

[ Apollo grins, his expression lighting up. ]

Hell yes you're going to show us exactly how you fly this thing.

[ And he doesn't even wait for an answer before marching in the direction of the RV. ]

Bean, I hope you've got good insurance. [ Wait hang on: ] Not that I'm glossing over the fact that it feels kinda weird to know that a seven year old can own and drive an RV.

[ Bean sighs at the fact that another relative stranger is getting into his top secret RV, full of high tech security and surveillance equipment, that's supposed to just be for himself and Finn.

He lets Apollo go first then pulls Poe aside and tersely whispers: ] Not a scratch.

[ Yeah. He's self insured. ]

[ Look he didn't know the RV was top secret, you guys told him you were building something and didn't tell him what it was, it's not his fault.

He offers Bean an amused, reassuring smile. ]

Don't worry, she'll be just fine. I'll take us back into town and set her down easier than-- [ Wait. 7 year old. ] -- marshmallows.

[ ... Nailed it? ]

[ He waits for Bean to climb in, and then climbs in himself - but lets Bean take the driver's seat, as he doesn't need it. Instead, he just shoves himself in between them.

He doesn't reach for the steering wheel, or touch the keys. He just puts his hand on the dash and says: ]

Alright, here we go.

[ There's no sound save the sudden rush of wind as the RV rises into the sky. It shakes a little as Poe begins to speed up, the air buffering it, but the ride smooths out quickly as the desert disappears below. ]

[ Apollo knows he should be more worried about a very young child taking the driver's seat (how can he reach the pedals? does he even have a license?) but he holds his tongue for now. Far be it for Apollo to worry about the legalities of a thing; he isn't quite that hypocritical.

He watches as Poe does his thing - it's one hell of a thing - and laughs incredulously as they swoop away in to the sky. ]

You literally can fly anything, can't you? [ A beat. ] Really hope you can land things, too.

As do I.

[ Bean grumbles, buckling himself into the driver's seat. Even though the vehicle is rising steadily into the air and there's no need to steer or drive, he sets his feet into the rigging that allow him to reach the pedals, just in case. There's an easier way to achieve it, if Bean would just use his porter-given ability to grow in size until his legs are long enough to reach, but he would rather rely on his own ingenuity than any "superpowers" granted by a force he doesn't trust.

He looks up at Poe, studying him closely as if trying to discern how it is he's flying the RV from the inside without touching any controls, but there really is no visible trick to it. It's just... magic. Which frustrates Bean to no end. ]

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