Martin Baum (magic_hands) wrote in marvel_nextgen,
@ 2012-08-21 16:54:00

Entry tags:

armadillo jr., bea dayspring, crosshairs, guardian, martin baum, team - thunderbolts

There's only one magic guy on this team!
In the middle of the Thunderbolt's kitchen, a familiar swirl of blue flame comes out of nowhere and the young mage pops in. He'd come on a very important mission.

Ice cream sandwiches.

A species so rare in this freezer that it was almost extinct. Every single time they'd get more boxes of the stuff, it'd disappear almost immediately. Even the ones he'd specifically labelled with his name on it!

Now to find out if there were any left. The freezer door swings open on its own. There were boxes yesterday surely....

"JACK!"

(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)

	magic_hands 2012-08-21 09:45 pm UTC (link)
	Martin says otherwise. "So? There's only one tech person, and we've only got one 'tank'. We don't have two of everything..." Oh no, not other magic people. He was the magic one around here! And he had zero interest in sharing that position. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	no_relation 2012-08-21 10:10 pm UTC (link)
	"I can tank! I'm very durable, remember. I survived Kelly throwing me down the stairs stuck to the bad guys and all that other stuff. What if you get kidnapped by a vampire or horror from beyond the stars? Or get seduced by some evil sorceress or something?" Jack is being very careful not to outright describe Martin as a potential damsel in distress. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

magic_hands
2012-08-21 10:26 pm UTC (link)

"No no, Manny is the tank. You're durable but tanks need to be big and bulky and hard to throw at things. But maybe you could do that Xmen special thing? You know, the one where the big guy throws the smaller one at something?" And he certainly didn't think Manny would mind getting the opportunity to throw Jack at things.

"How do you kidnap a magic teleporter? Besides it's dangerous to touch me. So that takes out a bunch of stuff. Although fighting aliens would be fun..." Poor Martin really is trying to get out of this. Teaching Jack magic? Oh no, he won't be responsible for that. Besides, he was the magic guy. The only magic guy here. And as long as he had that claim to fame, he was useful!

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	no_relation 2012-08-21 11:04 pm UTC (link)
	"...with more magic, I'd guess... probably evil magic. I'm just saying, I want to make sure you can be rescued." He points at him. "You're one of us, remember. We don't leave anyone behind." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

magic_hands
2012-08-21 11:20 pm UTC (link)

"Yeah but anyone who's going to use magic to kidnap me is going to be way better at magic than you anyway right?" There, an attempt at logic to evade what he knows is a train wreck of an idea. Jack with magic? Even the guy with little sense of danger worries.

"Oh. Umm...thanks." To be honest, amid all their bickering over magic, mutations and ice cream, Martin sometimes forgot that as much as Jack could frustrate him, the guy was still his teammate. He just never considered that Jack would look out for him too. Maybe it was the whole Hero thing that he didn't quite understand. "And I'd rescue you too and not let you go splat. Even if you are durable."

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	no_relation 2012-08-22 08:09 pm UTC (link)
	"Hm." Jack seems to consider this. "Maybe you could cook up some kind of magical gadget we could use in an emergency, if you don't think you could teach me yourself." He gets them each another ice cream sandwich, apparently deep in thought now. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

magic_hands
2012-08-22 08:44 pm UTC (link)

"I don't know how to make gadgets. I could charm stuff. Or there's this thing where you can put simple spells in cards that non-magic people can activate once," he muses and casually flips his lucky hat while his next ice cream sandwich unwraps itself midair and floats toward his mouth.

He had considered making some cards with a one time use teleportation spell to him built in. Would be useful if the team ever had to split up then regroup to make a quick getaway.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	no_relation 2012-08-23 06:29 pm UTC (link)
	"Man.... those would make a great accessory for an action figure of you." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	magic_hands 2012-08-23 10:25 pm UTC (link)
	Martin blinks at Jack, clearly confused. "Why would there be an action figure of me?" Besides, he didn't even use those card things. No reason to really, any spell he could put in a card, he could do easily without one. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	no_relation 2012-08-24 07:31 pm UTC (link)
	"Not just for you, but as a pack-in item. A roleplay accessory for the kids buying them. Like... suction cup gloves would go with mine, or a light-up repulsor gauntlet or armor mask for Anya. Stuff like that. And why wouldn't there be an action figure of you? You're going to be my sidekick. I wouldn't leave you out in the cold." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

magic_hands
2012-08-24 09:54 pm UTC (link)

"Wait...you have plans for team merchandise?" Even Martin would admit odd things didn't surprise him much, he was used to it, but somehow he just couldn't understand Jack's thinking. Kelly's he could kind of understand at times, or most of what she said went over his head, but Jack confused him far too much.

"Because I'm not a superhero-" Martin stops before he can elaborate more. Sidekick? Sidekick?

"I'm not your sidekick! I'm not anyone's sidekick!"

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	no_relation 2012-08-24 11:50 pm UTC (link)
	"Of course I do. Licensing likenesses to stop bootlegging is one thing, but you have to be proactive about branding. And of course you're not my sidekick. Not yet. We'll need to do something about a codename, and a coordinating costume first." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

magic_hands
2012-08-25 12:00 am UTC (link)

"But I'm not a superhero," he repeats. Superheroes had action figures, sorcerers didn't need ones. They were cool enough already.

"I'm not going to be your sidekick," he glares. "And why do I need a costume and codename? We don't have codenames. And my hat is more than good enough." A sorcerer with a codename was silly to him. None he knew personally had one really, and besides, the costume idea was terrible. His hat was not only magical and great storage, it was his lucky one! Why should he replace that for something too colourful?

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	soft_inside 2012-08-26 08:40 pm UTC (link)
	Manny just got back from picking up his order of dvd's from the post office when he noted the discussion. "Hola guys. Did I miss something? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	magic_hands 2012-08-26 09:12 pm UTC (link)
	"Hi Manny! Jack has weird plans to make action figures and stuff of us. He also doesn't understand that I'm not a superhero." Although those weren't really new things around here. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

no_relation
2012-08-28 08:48 pm UTC (link)

"You're going to be a line of plush toys." Jack explains to Manny, without even missing a beat. He gathers up some of the sandwich wrappers and heads for the nearest wastebasket.

As he's doing so, he catches sight of himself in a mirror.

And Martin's words about his hat echo in his mind.

...that is a pretty stylish hat.

Jack shoots a line across the room, snatching the hat neatly and tugging it over. He slips it onto his head and glances into the mirror again.

"Nice lid, man."

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

magic_hands
2012-08-28 09:24 pm UTC (link)

Martin's head whips around the moment he feels his hat swiped from him. That was his hat! His lucky magic hat! His.

"Hey! Stop! That's MINE. Give it back!" Martin looks far too mad and slightly crazed for what on the outside looks like a simple hat steal.

They just didn't understand. That was his hat. Dr.Strange had given it to him for doing so well that first year. It had been layered with countless charms and spells for him. It was the One Thing he could touch, tap, throw around, stuff his hands into, and deal with without for one moment worrying about the consequences. The One thing he could use his hands on. And the One thing that made him feel less like an untouchable mutant freak.

And nobody was going to be taking it from him.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	soft_inside 2012-08-28 11:36 pm UTC (link)
	Manny wrinkled his nose. "Not sure that's an image I needed." "Eh, Jack! C'mon now, that isn't yours," Manny said trying to head off a potential fight. "Stop acting like a bendejo." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m0wsyes0tA1qcj4i9o1_500.gif no_relation 2012-08-29 08:00 pm UTC (link)
	"Don't get so tense!" Jack huffs, looking the hat over, not sensing anything more than usual possessiveness. "I'm not gonna hurt it. I don't own any clothes, so I was curious. I'll give it back in a minute..." Probably. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

magic_hands
2012-08-29 08:52 pm UTC (link)

Martin has already worked himself into a boil, he barely notes Manny telling Jack to stop as his eyes begin to glow blue and his hands madly spark in anger. That was his most important possession. Nobody took it from him.

The air feels charged and audibly crackles with magic with the feeling that, at any moment, Martin might blow.

But that's all before he sees how nonchalant Jack is about stealing his hat and that there's a possibility that Jack won't give it back Right Away. A slow sound of rattling begins, and becomes louder and faster as anything loose in the room begins shaking. The glowing blue eyes now leak magic and his hands are shaking with rage.

"Give. It. Back."

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	soft_inside 2012-08-29 08:58 pm UTC (link)
	Dios. "Martin, calm down hermanito," Manny said trying to sound soothing. He glances back at Jack. "Give him back his hat." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	no_relation 2012-08-29 09:27 pm UTC (link)
	Jack, lacking one particular ability of his image-base, is oblivious to the swell of energy. "Dude... why so aggro?" Jack puts the hat on again, tilting it to one side this time. "I'll give it back in a second. Have another ice cream sandwich or something..." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

magic_hands
2012-08-29 09:47 pm UTC (link)

Martin could never explain or stress how important it was that he had that one possession with him at all times. Without it he was sure he would have gone mad not being safe touching anything. As long as that hat was around, there was something to make him feel normal and less like a walking destructive mess.

His power levels are already spiking like mad and he can feel the seals holding back his excess magic bend and let more leak through. Oddly enough, the rattling gets slower and quieter, but not because it's stopping. It's as if time around them is slowing down and everything shaking is only doing so in slow motion now.

But seeing Jack wearing the hat again is the last straw and something snaps inside Martin. The final almost roar of rage they'll hear from him comes both audibly and telepathically as his hand reaches out.

"Didn't you hear?! I. SAID. STOP!!"

An explosion of bright blue light bursts from his hand and spreads rapidly like a wave, engulfing not only the room they're in, but the whole Thunderbolts HQ.

Time has just stopped.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	soft_inside 2012-08-29 10:04 pm UTC (link)
	"Martin, wait!" Manny called, trying to get through to Martin. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	no_relation 2012-08-30 03:18 pm UTC (link)
	Jack just looks back, stunned. "....dude?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)