one >>> we can't get higher than we get on the long way down (private audio @wiccan)

[expeditiousness]

un: SPEED

[billy shouldn't even need to see the username from this message to know who the sender is - tommy's voice is easy to recognize, though the anxious tightness of his tone is probably a little less familiar:]

Billy ... please, dude, ya gotta pick up. Pick up, I need to know where you are, I need to know what happened to you ...

[the next sound is a loud, frustrated sigh. not knowing where billy is and not having his speed to rely on in searching for his twin makes for one extremely unhappy tommy.]

Dammit ... look, Billy, just call me when you get this, OK? Like, the second you get this.

[he won't say it out loud, but the message should be fairly clear: he's worried about billy.]

Comments

UN: wiccan

[demiurgency]

[It's a while later, maybe an hour when Billy finally calls back. He sounds tired, stressed, incredibly worried, but not hurt.]

Tommy? Tommy, where are you? Are you okay?

[expeditiousness]

Billy!

[tommy’s been pacing the floor for the past hour, all but wearing a path into the wood.]

I’m fine, dude - just been losing my mind ‘cause I couldn’t find you. I’m still at the house. Most of the people in the village disappeared, what happened to you?

[demiurgency]

Thank God. [The relief is palpable.] I'm okay. A bunch of us got teleported up to the mountains, there's this weird shrine place, we all saw things--you're okay? Really??

[He just needs to know, okay.]

[expeditiousness]

[that relief is the same for tommy, he's just still wound up and cranky about not being able to do anything about finding billy on his own. if he had his speed, he could've tracked him down inside of an hour, tops.]

Yeah, I'm fine, just - how the hell did you get teleported? I thought nobody had powers in this stupid place?!

[demiurgency]

Pretty sure it was something the guys who put us here did. Are doing. Whatever. I overheard some of the others talking and it looks like it's gonna take us a few days to get home. Teleport us to the top of a mountain, show us really traumatic memories, make us walk home. Totally just a Tuesday, right?

This sucks, Tommy. This really, really sucks.

[Does it sounds like he's been through some shit? Because he has.]

[expeditiousness]

This whole place sucks.

[tommy exhales an exasperated sigh - not about billy, just the situation in general.]

Are you gonna be OK? Are there wild animals running around? D’ya have a way to get food and water and stuff?

[demiurgency]

I'm--

[He can't lie to Tommy. The automatic words stop, and instead, he sighs.]

I don't know. But I'm with Nida, and Jason, and there's a bunch of other people here, too. I'm sure there'll be ways for us to stay safe, and there's a lot I can forage. Guess all that reading's gonna come in handy, huh?

Try not to worry too much. I'll try and get back soon.

[expeditiousness]

Yeah, who knew you being a big nerd would ever be useful.

[the joke doesn’t quite land. too much strain in tommy’s voice for the true teasing nature to come through.]

No promises on not worrying ... but I’ll try. I just hate that I’m stuck here while you’re out there.

Tell Nida I said hey? And maybe call and give me updates on how you’re doing?

[demiurgency]

[Fortunately, voice means he doesn't have to try and smile at the attempted joke, either.]

You might hate it, but I'm glad you're back there. At least I know you're safe.

[It's important.]

I will. And I'll send you messages every day. I think the way people were talking it's gonna take us four, five days to get back, so it might be a while. Is there anyone else left at the village?

[expeditiousness]

[it's true, tommy's about as safe as can be expected in this weird-ass village, but that's kinda the problem. he's the type to throw himself headfirst into danger, usually. sitting idle doesn't sit well with him at all. and if he's here in the village while billy's out there in the wilderness, there's nothing tommy can do to keep billy safe. he'll just have to trust that billy's companions will take over for him in that respect.]

There's a few of us left, but not many. I think most of the people got sent out like you. It's ... kinda creepy now, with how empty this place is.

[demiurgency]

Yeah, I bet.

[Still definitely sounding worried, here.]

Just...be careful, okay? I don't wanna get back and--

[He stops. He doesn't want to get back to find Tommy gone. Or hurt. Or worse.]

Just be careful. Please.

[expeditiousness]

I will. I promise.

[despite the image he projects, tommy isn't dense, and he's aware of just how much he relies on his super speed, strength, and durability to protect him in a fight. he doesn't have those tools at his disposal here. he's powerless, and he hates it.]

You too, OK?

[demiurgency]

I promise. Be home before you know it.

[Now he has to. It's a promise to his twin, and he can't break that.]