(no subject)

[inmyothertights]

WHO: Billy Kaplan, Loki, Kate Bishop, John Mandrake, and some girl who goes by "Lizzie"
WHERE: At a stakeout which is actually a confrontation
WHEN: Saturday;
WHAT: Billy and Kate are tired of being lied to, Loki is being a stellar teammate, Mandrake is around to deal with his world stuff, and Lizzie is being confronted.
WARNINGS: Will add as needed

[Billy is there with Mandrake, half of his focus going to keeping the disguise - yes, he picked Teddy, but that's because he is really familiar with Teddy's face okay there is no other reason stop implying there's another reason - on Mandrake up and going, and the other half of his focus looking out at the place where Kate implied the Hornet might be.

The Hornet, of course, not being a real Hornet at all, but being a certain young Asgardian god.

He looks over at Kate, his eyebrows up a bit.]

Here's to hoping this works.

Comments

[selfequipped]

[Kate, for that matter, doesn't look like Kate. Her outfit is impractical: she's wearing a belt, a short blonde wig, and a face mask, all of which have never been seen around, along with a black cat suit that looks one size too tight. She hates it. But with the coming and goings, she doesn't mind if she looks a little ridiculous. Sure enough, she'll be able to remove all of it before long.

Besides, she got it for a Halloween costume before she realized the brilliance of the Hawkeye thing. And it's not like "Lizzie" needs to know that.]

It'll work.

[She fiddles with her sword a little and chooses not to add much more.]

[doneproperly]

[Mandrake-in-Teddy's-guise (thanks Billy) is lounging nearby, but not too closely-- leaning against a wall and reading something on his communicator as they wait; the very picture of bored disinterest. It's not a pose he would usually take, but he wants Lizzie-- whoever she is-- to overlook him.]

It may, it may not. [He doesn't look up as he speaks. His voice hasn't been altered, so it isn't Teddy's voice that comes out, but Mandrake's rather post British one instead.]

She's quite careful. I would not exactly be surprised if she chose not to show.

[selfimage]

[ Loki's tucked away far from their sight, and hidden to everyone. he thought it best that his reveal surprise them, if there was part of the reaction that was genuine, it was all the easier to fake the rest. he awaits quietly for Kitty to accompany them, trying not to roll his eyes at Mandrake's Teddy-guise. (really, Billy?)

he was as suspicious of this Lizzie as Kate was—there were too many drops, too many lies not properly accounted for, and all too pushy to be of any comfort, especially in the vicinity of Billy. Loki knew how easy it was to tie Billy up just write to get what you want, and having an all-powerful being at your manipulative whim was dangerous. (and he won't admit that he's a tad against it because only he is allowed to do that.)

the illusion fits snug, and to anyone looking at him, he fits the description to a tee.

all they have to do is wait for Kitty. ]

[rathercommon]

[ She hasn't done this since her Resistance days, and so doing it now feels almost a little bit...silly. She half feels like a grown-up playing with dolls, honestly - dressing in black, carrying weapons, playing at being a spy, was so much a hallmark of her adolescence that doing it now as an adult (or an almost adult) feels like grasping for some lost youth.

She's in black from head to toe. Black shoes, black jacket (and she's not quite prepared for the chill, and shivers soon as she hits the cold northern winter), black cap on her head. On her hip is a satchel with a knife and a half-drunk bottle of soda. She'd like to have more, better weapons than that, but buying a gun was a far more involved process than she was able to navigate, and the makeshift incendiary weapons that she'd looked up on the internet took some knowledge of chemistry that she'd lacked. So just the knife in her back, another on her leg, and her wits and resilience. That's all she brings with her from Heropa.

Oh, this is a bad idea. Oh, this is going to go really, really badly, isn't it. Oh, she's making a terrible mistake.

She recognizes Billy, and someone who must have been Kate a moment after. The third boy, blond and a little loutish, is unfamiliar to her. She nods to them, and turns up her collar against the chill, and says nothing. It feels...bad. Something feels bad about this. Only a few seconds in, and everything just seems wrong, and it's all she can do to keep from turning tail and running back in. Maybe it's the third person, the one she doesn't know, or maybe it's the fact that she hasn't done this for so long, but...Kitty doesn't feel good about this. She glances at the three of them, and then looks back towards the Porter, wondering what would happen if she just turned around.

But, instead: ]

Who's he.

[inmyothertights]

[Billy doesn't say anything to Kate, but he does turn when Mandrake speaks, because damn, he knew he forgot something, voice disguise. Right before Lizzie arrives, he looks up at him, blinks as if to remember that this is not Teddy, and mutters.]

You should probably keep a little qui-

[He is about to finish when he catches Lizzie heading over.]

Teddy. He's a member of this team.

[Of course Billy answers. It's just an automatic response.

He also takes stock of her. She is maybe younger than he anticipated, smaller in a way, as if the force of her personality is what does a bulk of the heavy lifting. He frowns a bit. Okay.

A lot.]

[selfequipped]

[Her eyes wander to "Teddy's" face as quickly as she can, somewhat relieved that this worked. At least illusions are possible, which helps. Still, she's looking for another reason, wondering if any kind of recognition will pass over his features.]

I said all hands on deck. [There's a twinge of irritation in her voice, but whether it's feigned or not is something she won't reveal.] This is the team. [Even if it's weird that Billy went for this as Mandrake's disguise.]

I have a car waiting outside. We can take it to within a mile of our destination, and walk the rest of the way.

[doneproperly]

[Kate's right to look to Mandrake. When he looks up and sees "Lizzie," colour drains from his face almost instantly-- as if he's seen a ghost. Eyes wide, the communicator he was holding out as part of his disinterested guise drops straight out of his hands and clatters on the ground loudly. Mandrake doesn't even seem to notice it.

He opens his mouth, but no sound comes out. He tries again, but his voice is small and choked.]

... Can't be ...

[rathercommon]

[ Her attention is drawn by that clatter. For two quickened heartbeats, her eyes are narrowed as she stares the blonde boy in the face. On the third, her eyes widen.

And yet she doesn't feel afraid. Maybe it's a stupid thing, a sign of real stupidity, to not be afraid when your enemy has found you. After all, here she is, surrounded by a man whose duty it is to see her dead and his closest allies, far away from any source of protection or support. And there's a flood of adrenaline that goes through her, that lights up her nerves from toes up - but in the flush of danger comes cool-headedness. It's almost refreshing. It's like stepping out of a stuffy room for fresh air. That not-fear is energizing more than anything.

Step one: get out of here. Mandrake knows her now. He knows she's here, that Lizzie is Kitty Jones, that Kitty Jones is still active in the fight. That can't be undone. A confrontation will come now. But she can make sure that the confrontation isn't here, in these unfavorable conditions. So:

She'd been going for her soda from her bag, about to take a drink, when the disguised Mandrake had spoken. It's in her hand, now, and with two quick jerks of her wrist she splashes it at the faces of both Kate and Billy. It's just plain, ordinary soda, but she acts like it's a weapon, hurls it at them like it's corrosive acid, and even though it won't do a damned thing it might at least give them pause while they try to figure out what she just threw at them. (It's orange-flavored, and rather tasty.)

And then she turns, and dashes headlong back towards the Porter. ]

[inmyothertights]

[What the hell.

What. The. Actual. Hell.

Billy yelps when he's hit with soda and a wave of his magical hand - meaning a blur of blue light, quick, cleans it up, and he turns to Mandrake.]

What the hell was that?

[God, he is not made for running, why couldn't Tommy be here. He pulls the disguise off Mandrake, though, because clearly it doesn't matter anymore, and he runs to try and catch Kitty, but he knows that someone else is going to have a better shot.

(it's funny how even after three years of powers, the thought you can fly, you moron still sometimes escapes him]

[selfequipped]

[The good thing (Kate would think later, anyway) is that the liquid coming her way makes her react quickly. Her arm raises up and she knocks it over to Billy quickly, and her mind doesn't process that. Instead, the cape is off in an instant, and she's running after "Lizzie." She doesn't need to have flying powers. After her time in Los Angeles, one simple fact is clear: Kate is used to crazy shit happening, and she can react to it.

If anything, her instincts are more honed after being beat down left and right.

While she's moving, she pulls off the wig, revealing a wig cap underneath, but it makes the weight of her head less strange while she's hoofing it and trying to reach out to the running girl.]

Not so fast.

[selfimage]

[ the sudden clamor is enough to alert him, with half a second and a mutter of a spell, he's dropped the illusion of their poor, unfortunate Hornet, and this Lizzie finds herself face to face with an Asgardian god in full armor. ]

You heard her.

[ he says smoothly, as if every moment was at his disposal. ]

Not so fast.

[ the words drip from his lips and he makes a dart to keep in front of her until Kate can catch up. ]

[rathercommon]

[ She can feel Kate bearing down on her. When this...other man (a demon? maybe? only a demon could appear so suddenly) appears in front of her (Loki, she realizes, Loki, also from the network - she should have been expecting him, she should have), she's got too much momentum and nearly crashes into him.

She twists to the side, trying to change direction mid-run. But her traction isn't good enough: her feet go out from under her; she falls with bruising force onto her knees, letting out a strangled curse of pain when she hits. But she doesn't allow that to keep her down: she's immediately scrambling back onto her feet, pulling the knife from the sheath strapped to her calf, below the flared hems of her pants. She's already short of breath, and she's lost her momentum - but she turns towards them, deep in a fighting stance, brandishing that knife at them like she knows how to use it. ]

You want me to slow down, make me.

[ Which is...maybe a ridiculous thing to say, now that she's decided to stand and fight rather than flee, but - well, it sounded cool. Emboldened by that coolness, she addresses all of them: ]

Believe me. I can hurt all of you far, far more than you can hurt me. Back off now, and you'll wake up tomorrow completely intact. Keep after me, and you'll learn all about the ability that the Porter gave me.

[ It's a bluff, but she sells it with enormous conviction. ]

[doneproperly]

[Too slow to react in the heat of the moment, Mandrake just stood there in shock while Loki, Kate and Billy sprung into action. Now that she's still, however, he takes her in. She's older than he remembers. Hair shorter. But he still remembers her mannerisms, the way she thinks and acts. As if he couldn't.]

She's lying. [It comes through gritted teeth, and he feels like he's struggling to catch his breath even though he hasn't moved a muscle. Gone is the polite, reserved, distant Mandrake. He stares her down with an intensity of emotions that are hard to make out. Anger. Betrayal. Hurt.]

It's what she does, she's-- she's a liar, and a terrorist. Her name isn't Lizzie Temple. It's Kitty Jones. And she's supposed to be dead.

MOVING THIS DOWN HERE

[selfimage]

[ Loki slips from between the Porter and Kitty, giving her a Significant Look as he strolls casually toward Mandrake with a flair of his jacket. he takes Kate's order without question, someone (god, specifically) with dangerously powerful ability bending to the will of someone of authority, perhaps. they were Young Avengers, and no matter where Loki stood, Kate brought him back and tied him to the team. she was the leader.

of course that didn't mean that he wasn't going to be as annoying as possible.

as if he's completely unaffected by the melodrama, he raises a dark nailed hand to silence any words that may come from Mandrake's mouth in protest. ]

Hello, Mister Mandrake, my name is Loki, and I'll be your guide for today. I take it you'd rather walk than have me sweep you off your feet, so shall we get moving? We have a lot of ground to cover before this tour ends.

[ he makes a motion for him to turn, deliberately putting himself in Mandrake's line of vision of Kitty and the others. ]

[doneproperly]

[Mandrake is still livid from his confrontation with Kitty, but he lets Loki cut in. Eyes narrowed at Kitty once more for good measure, he then turns his attention to Loki and away from the scene of the melodrama-- his face suddenly schooled to blankness once more. As if the whole thing isn't even worth his attention.]

... Indeed. Well then, I look forward to your tour, Loki.

[That momentary slip, that lack of control, all suddenly gone. The cool and reserved Mandrake mask is back in place, as if nothing ever happened.]

[selfimage]

[ but it did happen, and he means to keep it that way. ]

That was quite the spectacle.

[ there's a noncommittal shrug as they head from the building and toward the city, leaving the tense voices behind. there's a lingering calm that hits like a cold wind to the face, and Loki takes a breath (in something that could be mistaken for relief, but it's just a satisfied sigh). ]

Mud slung from both sides.

[doneproperly]

... Indeed.

[Mandrake walks in relative silence, not really trusting himself to speak any more just yet, looking at the ground as if deep in thought. In actuality he's really just trying to get himself under control. It's taking every inch of his willpower right now not to just run right back to Kitty and have it out with her some more. How could she-- how could one person be so wrong? She doesn't know anything. She's so ignorant. And alive! So wonderfully, terribly, frustratingly, amazingly alive. His stomach ties itself into knots. This can mean only one thing: Bartimaeus lied. He's livid about that, too.

It isn't until they've well and truly rounded a street corner that Mandrake speaks again.]

... She's wrong, of course. But not about everything. I am in charge of propaganda back home. It is my job to get young men to sign up for war. ... I am not proud of that. But she is also too naive-- there is much she doesn't understand.

[Spoken like a true eighteen year old.]

[selfimage]

[ and here he thought that he would need some provocation.

instead here they are, Mandrake suddenly spouting an explanation for an event that Loki didn't even ask for. it was like watching a pot of water boil over from a simmer. ]

Of course not, the world isn't the black and white she believes it to be. It's made of grays. A shade here, a shade there—so many things are not so plain and simple.

[doneproperly]

[Mandrake looks up at Loki then, like he's found an ally.]

Yes. That is it, of course, exactly. ... You understand.

[He doesn't realise yet that his eyes are wet.]

[selfimage]

[ there are a lot of feelings there, Mandrake. Loki can see them in your tears. ]

Yes, well, I can't say that there would be those that would call me "good" exactly. Perhaps even downright no-good dirty lying cheater. I've heard that one before.

But not all things can be solved with kittens and rainbows, you could say. It seems she does.

[doneproperly]

[Ah, but "no-good dirty lying cheaters" are something Mandrake's familiar with, at least. That's familiar ground. He can work with that. It's altruism he doesn't know what to do with.

Belatedly, he realises with not a small degree of horror that his eyes are leaking and goes to wipe at them surreptitiously. Why is this happening now? In front of someone who is practically a stranger to him, of all people. He hasn't cried in front of anyone else since he was twelve. How shameful. Even if this Loki fellow is polite enough to pretend it isn't happening, it doesn't change the fact that he knows. That thought fills him with dread. Ugh, he has to speak. Say something.]

No, it's not-- I mean. Her ideals are naive, yes. But I think she has more than demonstrated that she is willing to get her hands dirty. Capable of it, even. I will not deny her that credit.

[selfimage]

[ Loki takes Mandrake around another corner as he wipes his eyes and they're on one of the main streets, the lamps already lit as it's past dusk. there's a light fall of snow and a very crisp nip to the air, it's enough to blame the tears on the weather. (and a much better excuse than rain.) ]

Then what you said was true. She carried out a rebellion.

[ he had a hunch from Kitty's constant "I'm just a commoner!" mantra. ]

[doneproperly]

... Well. She tried, at any rate. She was not successful.

[Even Mandrake is impressed with how clinical and unattached he made himself sound for that sentence. Yes, congratulations. Good job being a robot, me.]

[selfimage]

Odd. She seems to have tenacity pumping through her veins.

[ he says, not incredulous but maybe just a tad surprised. ]

[doneproperly]

... To call it a proper rebellion is perhaps somewhat misleading. That brings to mind a picture of widespread discontent, riots and suchlike. In actual fact, her co-conspirators were not that numerous. Rather, a small number of extremists making a large amount of trouble for everyone else.