video ◐ un: man of still

[figureitout]

[ Good day, recruits! Today, the network graces you with the image of a teenager, sitting in front of... a wide array of weird things. There's a pile of coconuts, some broken tree branches and some obsidian scattered around him. Stiles' expression can be best described as a determined grimace, and the brief wave he gives before starting to talk is haphazard at best. ]

Okay, so-- I don't know about you guys, but I'm definitely not going to wait around for the goddesses to get wind of what the Timeline told us to do, so I thought I'd, uh, start a self-defense... thing. In case Ryba decides she'd rather get rid of all of us before we even start thinking about getting rid of her.

[ Not that he is all that opposed to killing both Ryba and Nalanni, really; if the goddesses are gone, the world survives. If they live, the world dies. If they're sent somewhere else, who knows if the same thing happens there, too, and they just inflict this same situation on some unsuspecting planet. He has no trouble picking out the lesser evil here. ]

I wasn't around when people were building the bomb, but I heard the bomb itself was fine, even if the result wasn't. I still need some more stuff [ he gestures at the pile of things in front of him, a pile decidedly lacking some necessary ingredients ] and no clue how to get them so... I guess my point here is, those who were involved in building the bomb? Some help would be helpful.

[ It seems like that's going to be it, but then the video swims back into focus, almost like another thought has occurred to him. ] Also, before anyone gets on my case about "how can you do that we can't kill anyone", please notice how I said self-defense. That means exactly what it sounds like, I'm building these to make sure no one kills me. Or, uh, anyone else out of the recruits, actually. I mean, have you seen me? I'm not exactly goes-out-to-kill-people material. [ As in, he has literally zero knowledge in martial arts or shooting a gun or any powers whatsoever. (Nogitsune notwithstanding, he's trying very hard not to think of that.) Sarcasm is his only defense... outside of the bombs, thankyouverymuch. ]

Oh, and if anyone has a clue if these even work against divine beings, now'd be a good time to tell me. [ Loki, he's looking at you. You and everyone else god-material around here. ]

( ooc: stiles doesn't know it, but the bombs do work! and if anyone would like the threads to go from video to action and help building the bombs, that is a-okay with me! for anything else regarding the use of these particular bombs, hit me up over on plurk @ celen c: )

Comments

( audio | un: skywalker )

[apoptotic]

What are you missing?

[ guess who's out of the force and out of fucks to give.

eeeeeeeeeeeey. ]

i'm so sorry for this kid

[figureitout]

Everything that's not coconuts, wood and obsidian.

[ As... you could see, in the video. That is why he showed the whole thing, wow, way to miss the point Anakin!!

Stiles, though, pauses and. and stares. at the username. The voice itself doesn't reveal much, but-- ]

So... nice handle, by the way. [ Is he a fan or is he an acTUAL--

NO HE CAN'T EVEN THINK THAT THAT IS TOO EXCITING OF A POSSIBILITY.

Also he should probably focus on the bomb-building here and the fact that this guy is maybe offering him assistance. ]

are you tho

[apoptotic]

[ wow, he doesn't know if you're storing the flowers somewhere no one can accidentally breathe them!! ]

It's my name. [ drily, dryer than the atacama desert, in fact ( so dry it receives an average 15mm of rainfall per year. ) ]

I can get the the sea urchins. [ metal hand, yo. ] Where should I drop them off?

[figureitout]

Really? That's, uh, an unusual name.

[ BREATHE, STILES. DEEP BREATHS. Meditate like a jedi!! ]

Really? Thanks, man, that's a huge help, I mean, I already got warned about the hallucinations-slash-touching-faces thing, so if I can avoid that, then great. [ Look at him, having a normal conversation. Such normal, very casual. ]

Uh, here? [ pls concentrate carefully on that mental video Stiles shows of his surroundings, near the Pu'ulai temple. ]

[apoptotic]

[ much normal, good job man ]

I know the place. Give me a couple of hours.

[ also to scope out this bomb maker. not that anakin doesn't trust, it's that—

no, it's that. ]

[figureitout]

[ hey now HE TRIED ]

A couple of-

[ No way does it take him that long to get those, seriously man. But also, this is a Skywalker, and given how the choices there are sort of limited, if he complains, he's either antagonizing the biggest hero in the entire multiverse or the most well-known villain of all time who... is also a good guy, sort of, maybe.

(Also he would totally understand the mistrust, absolutely. It's sort of his M.O., too.)

ANYWAY. ]

Well, I'm not exactly going anywhere, so. [ He shrugs, as if to say sure, get here whenever you can, and for a moment it seems that's it-- ]

-- and, uh, maytheforcebewithyou! [ ... said all jumbled together, so fast it's near impossible to make out the words.

ALL HIS HOPES AND DREAMS, OKAY?? don't judge. ]

[apoptotic]

[ a flicker of surprise crosses him at a farewell unheard of in months. rather than respond, he disconnects. true to stiles' estimation, it doesn't take him two hours. even after listening in on the other conversations for a while like a creep. ]

Sea urchins. And the hearts. [ #overachiever

anakin sets down the ( borrowed ) basket full of black spikes and a glass jar ( also borrowed ) and folds his arms inside his sleeves. don't mind him, he's just going to stick around to watch. you're on your own with the flowers, though. ]

[figureitout]

[ At least Stiles has the small comfort of, you know, not realizing he actually heard that -- spares him one bout of anxiety, that.

The sight that greets him at the temple is one (1) teenager, dressed in a t-shirt, his sweater wrapped around his head as a makeshift mask, because breathing in the pollen? not on his list of things to do, thanks.

The basket clatters when it hits the ground. ]

Thanks! Dude, you were a lot faster than you said. [ Muffled words as Stiles gets up, standing taller than one might expect, taking in Anakin's appearance... quietly trying to determine which one this is, okay, black and looking really distrustful, yep, that pretty much confirms it.

... holy shit, Scott will never, ever believe him. Not that Scott would fully appreciate this, either, though, the heretic. (He resolves to make him watch the trilogies the second he gets back, seriously, it's happening. So happening. ]

[apoptotic]

[ through the covers, anakin can easily discern the level of scrutiny. he is reminded of peter, which in turn brings to mind past attention. at some point, he will have to investigate more carefully the planets represented.

for the time being, he settles on answering the implied question. sort of. ]

I was spared the need to go swimming.

[ is he joking? ]

[figureitout]

[ One-two-three-four, one-two-three-four; Stiles' fingers curl towards his palm, hitting it one by one before straightening again, then repeating the motion all over again; even if the makeshift mask conceals most of his expression, that is enough to betray some anxiety.

(It's his default state, nowadays.) ]

That's good, probably not the best idea to go for a midday swim, with the sea goddess at large and all.

[ He isn't joking, light though his tone is. ]

[apoptotic]

[ a tiny smirk. ] Bigger than her have tried. [ when he still had the force so…shut up, anakin.

without the force but not without eyes, anakin takes notice. whether stiles is only twitchy or he's nervous, it's probably a good idea to stick around. anakin could simply ask — or he could motion to the gathered ingredients. three guesses which he picks. ]

How far have you got?

[figureitout]

I have literally zero doubts, but dude, you have noticed we're without any, uh, powers, right?

[ So... maybe some caution could be at least considered. (Says the guy with no powers ever, taking on assassins and werewolves and evil druids.) ]

Well, I've got the stuff you brought, plus the coconuts and obsidian that I got before... and as you can see, I'm getting the pollen now. So, pretty far.

[apoptotic]

[ dude????

speak basic B( ]

Not everyone is without. Not entirely. Some get to feel the energy field being drained.

[ something that is about as fun as it sounds. anakin is among them, though his attempt to hold on may be more driven by spite than others. he picks up one of the coconuts carefully, wary of their explosive tendencies. ]

Have you worked with explosives before?

[figureitout]

[ No he's teaching you the language of the young and the free, Anakin, follow the trend! Don't be stuck in the past, move forward! ]

... that sounds like fun. [ Not. ]

That would depend on what you count as explosives. I've helped make a- [ Molotov cocktail, which would say exactly nothing to him ] -bottle that explodes when you throw it because of its contents?

[apoptotic]

[ what a fearsome bomb-maker. anakin's lack of faith aside ( now reaching levels of negative two ), credit where credit is due. ]

At least it exploded. For a reason or just to see if you could?

[ he feels it's a fair question. ]

[figureitout]

[ Anakin he finds your lack of faith disturbing.... ]

We had to stop a crazy werewolf from killing everyone.

[ Such a matter-of-fact answer. ]

[apoptotic]

[ pray he doesn't alter this deal any further. ]

If there's ever a reason. [ that would be it. ]

Did it work?

[figureitout]

[ throws rough sand in his face ]

What? Uh, yeah. [ Cue scratching his chin. ] I mean... he died, so that kind of accomplished the goal. He's back now, but no one actually knew he was going to bring himself back from the dead, so... [ SO THAT AIN'T THEIR FAULT. ]

[apoptotic]

[ but he's been so good ]

That's annoying. [ that's an understatement. ]

If you don't mind, I'll stick around. I didn't build the first bomb, but I've made my own.

[ and if stiles minds, he'll stick around anyway ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ as you do ]

a wrap?? maybe? c:

[figureitout]

[ wow, ani, w o w. ]

Annoying's not exactly the word I'd go for, but sure.

[ A pain in his ass? Really fucking freaky and terrible and making all their lives really difficult? A horrible abomination of werewolf magic? All of those would do. ]

I don't mind! [ He says, way too quickly. Wait, no, can't seem too thirsty-- ] I guess some help would be... helpful. If you have bomb-building knowledge and all.

puts a pretty finishing bow on thread :')

[apoptotic]

[ very smooth. 11/10, would be convinced again.

which is to say, ] Don't worry. I wouldn't offer help if I didn't think it helpful.

[ the deadpan manner eases into something a little more at ease when he takes a seat. keeping his hands occupied is the closest he comes to a clear mind — and, much like anyone else his age, there's just something about working with potentially volatile ingredients.

grumpy skywalker isn't quite as grumpy. unironic good job, stiles. ]