What's the difference between self discovery and self destruction

[iamtetsuo]

WHO: Tetsuo Shima and YOU
WHERE: Any city; just place it in the subject line or mention it in a thread. He'll be doing a lot of roaming around.
WHEN: Month of September
WHAT: Catchall open log for chaos or general activities - Tetsuo's been unleashed on America and intends to play garrys mod with it. If you wanted an excuse to fight an out of control psychokinetic, here it is
WARNINGS: General villainy (property damage, violence, possible drug use mentions, theft...) and potentially interrupting Kanedas at the end of threads

[It's a brand new month, and a brand new start; and with it comes so many brand new ways to find trouble.

You can expect to find Tetsuo engaged in normal shenanigans, like any ordinary sixteen year old. Things like threatening natives! Causing accidents or generally ignoring all traffic laws! Raiding drug stores! Hanging around on park benches or generally wandering aimlessly! Suffering from extreme migraines! All this and more in your hometown!

He's taken his motorcycle and psychic powers and hit the streets of America on a quest for ... you know what, we just don't know. The good news is, beyond checking churches for Crane, and making sure that his (glove-covered) wrist could say CRIMINAL from here until forever, he doesn't seem to have any set goals in mind on what to do. All that's clear is he can do what he wants, and he's not taking no for an answer to anything.

Feel free to fight him, talk to him, join in, what have you -- you're free to stop him but he's going to either run at the end if it's clear he can't win, or get you out of the way somehow. If you'd like to change this, talk with me and we can work something out.

I'll throw starters out on request, but please feel free to make your own. If you'd like to fight, check out his permissions first, but this is a general invitation to fight without any preamble or excuses.]

Comments

Wanda; Nonah abandoned building

[iamtetsuo]

[No sooner had Tetsuo got Wanda's last text than he was already moving on his way there, getting his bike out and headed towards that direction. He's glad he's still in Nonah for the moment; one hour was a pretty steep demand for someone who has no access to the porter network. Not for the first time or the last, Tetsuo finds himself desperately wishing he could teleport.

If he wants to meet? There's no way he doesn't. No way he won't. He'd been planning on demanding to meet up with her in person anyway, so that worked out fine.

It was just... for some reason, it was hard to figure out what to say. After a connection like that, words almost seemed superfluous. There was that guy who'd offered to teach him how to use telepathy, but the swear-in happened. This is the first time Tetsuo's even remembered that offer since then.

Someone with the same kind of power as me could just walk right into your head and wreck it.

Was that what she'd done? She'd said something about reaching into his heart, or something like that... whatever that meant.

He coasts to a stop, getting off his bike gingerly - he's still fairly chewed up from the swear-in, but nothing he can't handle - and walks the bike in after him, using his mind to steer it. He leaves it just inside and continues in, boots echoing faintly with each step, scanning his surroundings. He's going to get some damn answers.

Right now.]

Wanda!

/SCREECH five years later

[witchplease]

[ Like the hurricane he comes in, emotions boiling over and soaking into the ground underfoot. Though the fear toxin is gone, it seems that some things remain the same.

As he nears, Wanda rises from where she's crouched against a peeling wall, dropping her cigarette and crushing it under her heel. ]

Hello, Tetsuo. Now we can talk.

/forever welcomes

[iamtetsuo]

[There she is. There...

This is about as far as he'd planned for - get there, and get answers. It'd be easier if he knew what answers he wanted, but the easy way is not the path Tetsuo tends to end up on.]

Yeah. So start talking.

heropa. did you miss me, friend? also let me know if this works lmao.

[deadtective]

[well, would you look at that. a pretty serious car accident and for once Hazel is on foot rather than obliquely causing them by being a terror on her moped. she slows her pace to get a good look at it because, shit, that's a pretty bad one, when she thinks she spots a familiarly stupid hairstyle in the middle of it all.

only one way to find out. she hops off the sidewalk and begins threading through the chaos, wholly unbothered by the fact that there's still a very good chance she could get run over by something or other. the person she thinks is Tetsuo looks to be fine himself, but it'll still take him a few minutes to get around all this. that's plenty of time to wander over.

she finally makes it and, yeah, she'd know that surly face anywhere. she doesn't turn on her null abilities though, because she wants Tetsuo to know she's doing that beforehand no matter where they are; it's the principle of the thing, about respecting someone's wishes and not making them vulnerable unless they want it. after all, maybe he's having a good head day. (HAHAHAHA)

instead she just raises a hand in casual greeting, like they're not surrounded by vehicle carnage and she hasn't accidentally come over so that Tetsuo would have to ram her with his bike to get away and pretend he hadn't seen her. she really ought to work on faking those self-preservation instincts a little better.]

Oh, I thought you might've died or something.

[not now, but in the radio silence following the swear-in. if Tetsuo takes it as just her commenting on the current situation that's fine, because she doesn't want to talk about how she had tried to look up everyone she remotely considered a friend to see if they were alright. that's embarrassing.]

haha that works perfectly

[iamtetsuo]

[Tetsuo lets his bike idle, watching the two sandwiched cars with undisguised amusement. That's what they get, getting in his way - nevermind that he was the one cutting across traffic and he was the one that threw one of said cars instead of figuring out how to weave around it.

He's about to peel away when - oh, hey, Hazel. Tetsuo's face breaks out into a grin.]

Nah. [A brief glance back towards the pileup] I took care of it.

[For once, she's not the only one who looks scuffed up - and the fact the few visible marks on his arm are nothing more than fresh scars now stands as proof that he didn't get that from the accident he totally almost was in. Again.

Because she's right. He almost did die back there.]

bien

[deadtective]

[yeah, she most certainly notices that. Hazel's not going to comment on them (yet, they are most definitely going to be the butt of a joke at some point) but she can make a good guess where they came from. she lost practically half her abdomen in that mess, after all. but he's in one piece right now and that's all that really counts.

is she allowed to lean on the bike? she's leaning on it anyway, giving him a smile of her own. it makes her look cool, ok. so cool.]

Yeah, not as artsy as it could've been. [she closes one eye, as if in mock judgement of the scene] I don't think they'll let you into the museums with this one.

Maurtia Falls; Kittler & Sons Salvage

[superposition]

[The place: one of MF's larger, seedier junkyards. Kittler & Sons have a bad track record with screening what comes in for hazardous materials, so Qubit has been setting aside a few hours a week to help them clean the place up - on the condition that he gets to personally dispose of whatever they find. This way they don't have to pay any fines for having it, and he doesn't have to pay anyone to acquire it. Everyone wins.

As he's there during the day, he doesn't often run into anyone who doesn't work there, save the occasional homeless person or fellow scrap picker. There's a group of teens that's sometimes hid out there while skipping school, too, but Qubit's run them off enough times that their appearances have mostly stopped. (Understandably, they don't want to tangle with an imPort.)

But this isn't one of them. It's a teenager - not one of the regulars, but he still looks familiar. More important, though, is the obvious distress he's in. Actually, Qubit's first impression is that the kid's on drugs. Which... sure, that'd be illegal, but frankly he's more concerned with the kid's health at the moment. He hurries over to Tetsuo, but stops just outside of arm's reach, at least until he's assessed whether he'll be violent.]

Hey. Can you hear me? What's wrong?

[iamtetsuo]

[It won't stop. It won't stop it won't stop it won't stop. There's little else in Tetsuo's head he can focus on other than the mantra of trying to shut the world away for a bit, cringing further into a fetal position when it just won't work. He's not sure where he is right now; not sure how he got here and he doesn't really care either way. He can't focus past the searing fire in his skull.

To an outside observer, he's a teenager with porcupine hair crumpled up in a heap, hands clasped to his head, panting hard enough his whole body heaves with the effort of just breathing, eyes squeezed shut to try to shut out images that only he can see. This has the opposite effect; it shuts out everything but the images.

One hand fumbles in his pocket for a bottle; tries to get the last pill out but his whole hand's shaking so badly it falls to the ground somewhere]

Shit...

[It's happened faster than he thought it would; he ran through the last of any pills he had and now there's not even the weak barrier between him and his head. And that's when he's suddenly aware that he's not alone anymore. Someone else is there.

Fear and anger spike in a sudden surge of adrenaline, pouring the pain into action. He doesn't want to be found like this; he's weak. Dammit, he can't--! It hurts so much more with someone around, and all the more when he decides to talk. Can't that idiot get the hint?

Tetsuo doesn't answer at all for a moment; it's as if he doesn't even hear him. And then, with a sudden scream, his head whips towards the stranger, lashing out with his mind to fling whatever's nearby at him.]

Leave me alone!

[superposition]

[Qubit spots that pill there, which does lend credence to his "totally on drugs" theory, but doesn't have time to think about it much before he's getting pelted with rocks and jagged bits of metal. He throws up his arms to protect his face, at least, but some of the debris gets through anyway, one bit slicing a shallow (but painful) gash across his cheekbone.] Gyah-!

[What the- telekinesis?? Wait, now he remembers where he saw this kid - the security footage from the swear-in. He was one of the other major ones (besides Gogo) who'd seriously lost control of their powers. Qubit's pretty sure he saw him rip someone clean in half. That's who is now on drugs.

... Well, shit. Let's hope he can still be reasoned with, or Qubit might very well be chunks.]

Stop it! I'm not going to hurt you!

Heropa!

[biteouttagrimes]

[ Sometimes Rick walks these streets at night hoping to find trouble. And he's not sure whether that's the former cop in him or just the survivor who feels more at ease when he's uneasy. Nevertheless, he sees Tetsuo just as he's leaving whatever drug store he hit up. And the pace he's leaving it tells Rick that the kid just swiped a few things.

Once upon a time, it would have been his sworn duty to the law to apprehend Tetsuo. But now, Rick can understand the drive to get what you need in order to survive. He can't fault the methods, but he can fault whatever it is he picked up. ]

Hey! Kid!

[iamtetsuo]

[It doesn't matter what drug store, just that they've got something. And it doesn't matter what that something is, or how legal it is to own-- just as long as it puts space between him and his head for a while.

So, probably not legal. Or healthy. But, hah. Who's gonna stop him? He's got powers, they don't; they can do the math, they're not that stupid.

And then, somebody DOES seem to try. Normally, the expected response would be to cut and run; two months ago, that'd be exactly what Tetsuo would be doing if caught at this. But he doesn't really need to now, does he? There is no reason to fear anything now, and that's exactly why Tetsuo doesn't run. He stops, half turning his head to catch whoever it is in his peripheral vision. He looks familiar.]

I'm no kid.

[Then why'd you assume he's talking to you, Tetsuo? Other than the fact there's no one else really out and about.]

[biteouttagrimes]

Compared to me you are.

[ Rick is quick to retort, glad Tetsuo isn't running because that means Rick doesn't have to do anything stupid like draw his gun and threaten him. For some reason, the natives don't like that. Go figure.

He stops at a comfortable and nonthreatening distance. He won't do anything stupid if Tetsuo doesn't do anything stupid. ]

What'd you take?

[ Just a simple question. And his tone of voice keeps it from sounding like an accusation. Rick's been there, done that...probably jacked worse from some of these people's homes. ]

De Chima

[thelimitdoesnotexist]

[Mewtwo had a hell of a first couple months. With Crane he'd prefer to stay under the radar of most people for awhile. He rarely crossed through downtown De Chima unless he had good cause to.

Mostly he floated across the outskirts and freeways of De Chima. Not many would see him out there, not that he didn't go out without his human disguise often.

But today he found an uncomfortable surge of human activity on the freeway he had been using. The pokemon followed the cars surging and coming to a halt as one bike seemed to swerve and make one spin out of control into another head-on collision.

Mewtwo made no note of it when he felt someone familiar. Tetsuo. He follows not too close since the other could obviously sense his presence there.

< That was your doing. Wasn't it? >]

[iamtetsuo]

[That voice...!

Tetsuo's whole body locks up. It's a good thing he wasn't going that fast after that turn, because he loses all control of his bike, feeling it skid out and drag him painfully across the ground for a bit before stopping - thankfully, he was swinging out on the shoulder to make another pass instead of heading further into traffic.

To any outside observer, it looks like Tetsuo himself was caught in the accident instead of just causing it. Just another dumbass kid doing dumbass stunts.

Which, to be fair, is entirely accurate, but shut up.]

Shit!

[thelimitdoesnotexist]

[Mewtwo watches quietly as Tetsuo skids across the pavement, seeming like another accident to the untrained eye. But he and Tetsuo knew better.

He lands by one of steel railings guarding the freeway, standing like a silent gargoyle.

< I'm wondering if it's not just your powers and you just like causing trouble. >]

Heropa

[orions_shadow]

[At his own suggestion rather than the behest of Kaneda, he was here following a trail of destruction to find Tetsuo. Only way he could use this trick of his was to get in close, at least ten feet. He'd be able to stop the boy in his tracks and knock him out, or that was the idea.

Reign in the awesome power of a psychokinetic. At least he had some resistance to psionic powers but that only really applied to mind reading and what damage a psychic could do to you with their mind powers. Being blown away by a chunk of Earth? Different story entirely.

Truth be told, all of the destruction was actually making him nervous. If he wasn't able to bring Tetsuo down quickly he was probably going to have to bail.

When he spotted Tetsuo, he was still sticking close to the shade, keeping out of sight. He swallowed hard and pressed on, trying to close the distance between himself and his prey.

Just like the nature channel.]

oh hi there!

[iamtetsuo]

[Fortunately for Shadow, Tetsuo may as well be the world's worst telepath. It's been a little bit since the rampage - long enough that Hazel's not with him, and long enough that he's not tearing through the streets like a demon. Nope. Instead, he's currently walking somewhere, ignoring the destroyed cars behind him and ruined days - or lives - he's caused. Who cares? They're not him.

It doesn't really matter where he's going. It puts him at a safe, predictable trajectory for a pounce.

He's got a nagging feeling something might be wrong. Maybe it's instinct, maybe some part of him senses he's being followed, but that's the only warning he'll get..]

Nonah somewhere

[rideme]

[Ever since the kid took off, Bull has been... on edge. This kid isn't right. And not in the quirky, wanting-to-do-good sort of way Cole was Not Right. Cole had good intentions at heart, wanted to help. This kid...]

[If Bull reads him right, this kid is just a walking mess of anger issues. Anger, distrust, paranoia... he's not sure what the hell happened to this one, but it sure as hell wasn't anything good. Especially if what Kaneda told him earlier held any water. This isn't someone who should be out and roaming without tabs kept on them.]

[So he's started taking the long way too and from work. Always a different route. Sometimes longer than other times. Always alert, even if he might not look it.]

[Tonight, it seems like this system is going to pay off. There's a roaring engine. Like the one Kaneda has, in a way -- motorcycle. And the Iron Bull goes still, turning his head toward the sound from where he's idly appearing to window shop in front of a closed store.]

[... this better be the kid.]

[iamtetsuo]

[... it is.

Tetsuo comes tearing around the corner, trying to take a turn way faster than is recommended and ends up drifting part of it almost into a store window before he gets control over his bike again. Totally intentional. Nothing to see here.

Not like it matters; he's got some extra help if he really needs it. A few fun tricks.

Bull better react fast; Tetsuo doesn't seem inclined to stop. He's too busy going wherever it is he thinks he's going today.]

Maurtia Falls

[debauchewy]

[Because the most can be gotten away with in Maurtia Falls, right? He could spend the longest amount of time there without worrying about too much. The people there, they don't want anything to do with eachother, especially imPorts, especially imPorts throwing fits. But they'll happily curse back should this estrange boy yell at them, should he wreck their shop.]

[How could Hisoka just walk past without doing anything? Don't these people need help? And it seems this boy is just looking for a target, one he certainly doesn't mind being. Infact, the fury in the boy is beautiful, there's absolutely no way he's not interested in having a piece of that action.]

[The yelling, crash of glass, he's heading that way at a steady, casual pace. His feet in gold high heels crunch at the glass as he gets close enough and finally stops. A hand on his hip, glancing over to the boy with a well drawn, raised brow.]

Do you normally pick your fights against the weak? How disappointing.

[Because pissing him off more seems like the best idea. But he'd like him to chase him a little, at least out of this more populated area. Maurtia Falls had so much better places to fight.]

[iamtetsuo]

[Tetsuo's laughter is dark and mocking, even as he further shatters the storefront. Deny him, will they? Ahahaha...

"Still think you can hide?" That asshole - what's he thinking, defying Tetsuo? Doesn't he know what Tetsuo can do - can't he see now?

Of course, it's too late now. The correct answer would be to give him what he demanded, not be difficult. But he just had to demand more money than Tetsuo had - any, by now - and hey. Tetsuo isn't the one who's gonna pay.

He's just found the guy, lifting him up into the air slowly, when someone else decides he can offer up an opinion on his game.

Tetsuo turns halfway to stare at him, furious incredulity written all over his face. Who the hell does this guy think he is?! ]

You wanna join him?

Psychic training; some nonah field somewhere away from things that can be destroyed

[shuckit]

[ when tetsuo shows up in the designated field thomas told him to meet him at, he'll see a sixteen year old boy, looking relatively unthreatening. scuffed up jeans, well-used running sneakers, a simple cotton shirt, a jacket made out of a durable fabric that has a butt-ton of pockets and looks like it's been through hell and back, along with a backpack that has the same sort of aesthetic to it.

thomas will be sitting cross legged on the ground, backpack on the ground nearby, and his phone in his hand, typing away at the keyboard as he texts his girlfriend probably. seemingly unaware of anyone approaching.

except for the part where he's in tetsuo's head the second tetsuo's eyes land on him. ]

< Sup. >

[iamtetsuo]

[No matter how many times he hears things in his head, how many hints just appear, that never stops being unnerving. Every time so far feels different somehow... almost every time comes with some amount of pain. But he's getting used to that...

Tetsuo looks like he's seen better days. He moves oddly, favoring his right side. There's some scars on his right arm visible just above his glove. Not any of these things are enough to stop him from showing up - or from leaving his assigned housing in general.

If nothing else, he wants a face to that voice in his head. This time, if he gets annoying, Tetsuo can do something about that.

What was it? Think with purpose? He'd done it before... Though the truly irritating thing is how little confirmation he can feel himself on if he did it right. Last time, it was think and wait for a damn answer. Every time someone's in his head, he has no control over it.

Yet.]

< You were gonna show me something? >

[Patience is for people who don't desperately want things.]

BUCKY TO THE RESCUE with late ass starbucks

[sidecars]

Hey! Hey, somebody! Somebody stop him!

[ That's a call to arms if Buckys' ever heard one. Of course he's not in uniform! All he's got is his domino mask that he sticks on and follows the ruckus. It's not hard since the one man running from the scene is clearly the thief. His hands are full with bottles of something, but from the angle Bucky can't exactly make it out.

In his haste to escape, the guy runs straight into an intersection, diverting cars off the road to keep from hitting him. What an asshole. ]

Hey! Jackass! You better stop right now before I stick my boot where the sun don't shine!

LATE REPLY it's all good

[iamtetsuo]

[Pills - he's gotta have 'em. Getting one or two bottles at a time used to feel like enough, but now he runs through them faster and it's a hassle to get more. So, clearly, the answer was completely trash a drug store, swipe anything that looked promising, and take off laughing.

Tetsuo doesn't need to run, not really. He could saunter out of there at whatever pace he pleased, but there's a kind of thrill to running now that it's pointless. They don't know that. They still think they have a chance. That's why they chase him.

Hah- out of the way, dumbasses; he's coming through.

There's turning, no effort to make himself difficult to follow, not yet. He instead runs straight, right into traffic. Some cars don't get the hint and don't slow down in time. Some cars'll find themselves very quickly airborne, or with a crunched front half of the car, or hit with a wave of extreme force and spun off the road.

After those three, the rest seem to get the hint.

Tetsuo slows when he's addressed, lifting his head higher to indicate that yeah, he heard that. He just doesn't care. Watch him walk.]