metalogs | [Closed] Dividing my head and my heart

Entry tags:

[Closed] Dividing my head and my heart

Who: Jason

reneger and Accelerator

levelshift
What: Just some totally normal, well-balanced people having a totally normal meeting in a totally normal back alley.
When: Mid-July.
Where: The back alleys of Central City.
Content Warnings: Mild physical torture, discussion of a minor acquiring and using weapons (knives, guns). These two talking about almost dying and really dying.

[It's late at night in Central, and Accelerator has found himself down a back alley in one of the sketchier neighbourhoods of the city. It's a place he's pretty familiar with by now, so he isn't giving off any signs of discomfort. Also, he isn't alone.]

Come on, this isn't fucking hard.

[There's a guy with a bloody nose, probably in his mid-to-late twenties, slumped against the wall of a building on the ground, groaning. He's clutching his arm, which is twisted in a few different places. Accelerator is standing in front of him with an exasperated expression. It's kind of a funny scene, this big guy being loomed over by a skinny, albino-looking kid with a crutch in one hand, his other one casually shoved in the pocked of his jeans. The light on his choker is glowing red.

Stalking people isn't something Accelerator can say he specializes in, but he knows enough to have picked up on this loser being a part of some shitty Central gang. Hardly an upstanding member of society, though more of the two-bit criminal variety than some evil mastermind. Which is fine, he has to start somewhere and someone on the low rungs of a gang makes the most sense.

He sighs, raises a foot, and plants it on the goon's chest. Technically there's a couple of centimetres between the sole of his shoe and the guy's chest, as that's where his ability kicks in, but that's a minor detail. All Accelerator has to do is gently press his foot downwards and do a few quick calculations, amplifying the vectors behind the motion to increase the pressure. His automatic reflection prevents the guy's body from closing that tiny distance. It's simple, but effective.

The guy starts flailing a little, and then there's the crunch as a rib cracks. He yelps loudly, looking like he's on the verge of passing out. Accelerator, still looking thoroughly annoyed, rolls his eyes at getting reaction instead of anything useful. He doesn't press down any further, but he also doesn't move his foot, maintaining that pressure on the cracked rib.]

Goddamnit, the last guy was less of a wuss. You people are a pain in the ass, you know that?

[The first one had actually passed out from the pain, and the second one hadn't known anything. Apparently 'third time's the charm' is just wishful thinking.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

( it's not even a full moniker, because some asshole who goes by red hood has been making waves in central city's underground, and they opted to make a deal: junior gets to keep the hood, jason'll stick to the domino mask, and they won't get in each other's way. and now that jason's burned heron, he's fresh out of fake names. considering his usual default when he gets caught is john doe, him sticking with half of the one he's been carrying around for years isn't--surprising. or it shouldn't be. and accelerator won't know jack shit about any of that if he hasn't been really digging into the gangs, so it's all irrelevant anyway.

he takes the paper, and jason pulls his hand back to shove his palm against his knee and uses it to push himself up to his feet. the week gives him time to go through his stash, to go find other pieces that might work, but it also gives him time to stalk the kid and figure out what his deal is, so. it works out well. )

See you in a week.

[One week later, and Accelerator has successfully kept his head down. It wasn't that hard, honestly, outside of this whole firearm thing and any crimes Chaos Gate assigns him, he doesn't have much interest in getting involved in whatever gang nonsense is going on in Central. Instead, he's spent that time doing more research on handguns (now knowing things like the assembly of a SIG P220 and what the hell a frame mounted decocker is), and looking for an appropriate area they can use.

Eventually he finds an abandoned warehouse, one that's free of any human occupants in an area of Central's industrial district that's out of the way and generally pretty empty. The walls are thick and have few windows, making it fairly soundproof. There's some old machinery, but it's easy enough for him to move it out of the way and make some space on the main floor, which he does with little effort. Once he's sure it'll work, Accelerator texts the address after the week is up.

He'll arrive a bit earlier than the appointed time, having made his way over by public transit and walking rather than using his ability. It'd be easier, sure, but there's no point in wasting battery when he isn't in any kind of rush.]

( a week later, and jason's gathered some of his own favored toys, stolen a few pieces from junior, as well as nicked some off of the shit gangs in new york. he's been slowly making his way through their crowd, winning over a few lackeys and beating the shit out of others. snagging shit from them in order to take them apart and figure out what'll work best for some scrawny little brat is clearly a great use of his time--it's not like he has better shit he should be doing. he's keeping his head down, after the jailbreak and everything he'd gotten into before. at least this keeps him temporarily occupied.

there's a massive duffel bag thrown over his shoulder as jason pulls in his bike through the door of the warehouse. he still has a domino mask on over his eyes, still the same jacket as before, but the hood's not pulled up and over his head. what's the kid going to do if he manages to ID him as heron? report him up the line to the society? he doubts they give a fuck.

jason keeps his guard up, one hand hovering close to one of his own pistols just in case this is a set up. because it's not paranoia if everyone is generally out to get him, and this is no different. once no one does come out at him guns blazing after he's inside, he kicks down the bike's kickstand, and takes a look around. )

For a secret hide out, this sure is dusty.

[Luckily, there is no set up and no ambush, just one (slightly tired) skinny esper. Accelerator notes the duffle bag, but his attention focuses on the bike for a bit.

Sheesh, is this the third person he's spoken to who knows how to drive one of those things? He doesn't even know how to drive a car. Maybe it's an American thing, he's never really thought about it before. Either way, it's very extra, to show up on one of those.

(Also kind of cool, but that's hard to tell that from his scowly expression.)]

Ah, should I have picked somewhere cleaner for your delicate lungs?

[Ah ha ha, he's so funny. He turns his gaze to the duffle bag. Actually, now that he's looking at it, that thing is huge. Should he be concerned? He isn't, but he's bulletproof in esper mode, so.... A normal person would probably be concerned.]

Did you bring a whole fucking arsenal with you?

( because his lungs are so delicate, yes. jason snorts, but doesn't offer it a real response. because the real response would be something close to i started smoking when i was half your age and my lungs are fucked enough who the hell knows how i'm still breathing, but none of that really needs to be voiced.

so jason opts to instead lug his duffel bag across the warehouse onto the closest table, and gently drops it down on top of it. reaches for the zipper to start shifting through it. nothing's loaded, because that'd be stupid, but the ammunition for each of the guns is inside the bag along with the guns themselves. )

You said you wanted to play with 'em, didn't you? Hard to do that if you don't have a good selection to go through.

( so he starts taking out the guns, pairing them up with their magazines on the table for ones that do have magazines. he raises each gun, naming them for accelerator as he goes through them. ) Your SIG P220, ( which gets sets on the far end of the table, so he can keep going through them. ) SIG P320--this one doesn't have a safety. Beretta 92FS, they're accurate and extremely reliable but the grip's a little big, and they're a little dated. Ten rounds, 9mm. The safety's backwards in comparison to most guns. Glock 25--this one has pretty low recoil since it uses a straight blowback design, but it's illegal in the States. Might wanna keep that in mind if you go running 'round with it. Smith and Wesson Sigma 9F. It's a little top-heavy but reliable. Another ten rounds.

[Accelerator walks over, watching as he takes all the firearms and magazines out. Yeah, this is certainly a selection. It's more than he was expecting, which is great. It means he can afford to be picky.

He's silent, waiting for Jason to finish going through them all before starting with the Smith and Wesson, picking it up with his left hand.

It's kind of tempting to ask where the hell he got all of these, but he's betting he wouldn't get a straight answer. This whole situation is about as far from legal as a person can get, so there wouldn't be any reason to give one. Besides, if he's caught with one of these he's guaranteed to have trouble with law enforcement, regardless of where they came from.]

Have you made modifications to any of them?

[He's checking the weight, grip and how the safety works (everything else is secondary) he asks, specifically only using his left hand the entire time. It's a pain in the ass and awkward as hell, but he's stubborn and the entire point is to be able handle it like that while keeping his other hand on his crutch.]

No, those are all standard.

( the next gun he takes is one of the ones strapped on his thighs--a different gun than the one he'd had last time. jason removes the magazine, and sets both pieces down on the table. )

M1911, modified. Limited recoil, an' the shape of the shape of the grip makes it easier to hold it higher for a more accurate shot. 16 round capacity. One of my favorites. Might be a little too heavy for you, this one's weighted to suit my grip.

( and back into the bag for another gun. )

Luger P08. Easy to aim one-handed, very light, great recoil mitigation. 9mm, so it's a little underpowered. Holds eight rounds.

( the rest of the bag is just knives, magazines, and various little containers full of miscellaneous bullets. )

[Great. He sets that gun down, listening to the descriptions of the next couple, before picking up the Glock 25.

... Probably not this one, if it's illegal on top of everything. The weight is good, though. Accelerator sets it down and grabs the Beretta, but yeah, that grip is too big for his hand, so he doesn't spend much time on it. The SIG P320 gets more attention, the grip feels a lot better even though it doesn't have a safety.

The SIG P220 is up next, though he does lean over a little to get a better look at what's in the bag. The magazines and bullets make sense, but....]

What's with all the knives?

Edited 2023-07-17 23:43 (UTC)

I like knives. They're fun.

( and since accelerator mentioned them, jason reaches into the bag for one of the smaller knives. holds it by the blade and raises it over a shoulder, pointed towards one of the load-bearing beams and--tosses it. the blade its hit dead-center, just at shoulder-height for jason. and he reaches for another knife, throwing it at the same beam at the same location, knocking the first knife out with the second. )

Just as deadly if you know how to use 'em right.

[Add 'bag full of knives' and 'thinks knives are fun' to the growing list of red flags with this guy.

Accelerator watches passively as the knives get thrown one by one, hitting the beams with a deadly kind of accuracy. He's aware that this kind of thing isn't easy to pull off for a normal person, unless the throw is being augmented with some kind of ability, which is entirely possible. He wouldn't be able to replicate the actions, not with knives.]

People don't consciously think about it this way, but your brain needs to do a hell of a lot of complex calculations to pull that off.

[Good hand-eye coordination, plus being able to measure the distance between yourself and the target, as well as the rotation of the knife itself to make sure the actual blade hits and not just the handle, the concentration needed to process all of this information quickly and accurately, and upper body strength for the throw itself.

He knows he's lacking that last one. That's part of the reason why he's opting for a gun.

Speaking of, he picks up the SIG P220, checking the weight and feel of it.]

( it's a learned skill, one jason has spent a significant period of time on. it helps, that he worked with some of the best known marksmen he could find. it helps also, that he was hellbent on revenge and needed every tool he could fit into his belt. batman isn't one to go up against without a plan, without back up plans on back up plans. jason had all of it.

had, because revenge isn't in his game plan currently. he might swing back that way, pending if his bruce shows up. but that's a problem for another day, and if the kid is going to throw "compliments" at him, jason's going to throw him a wide smarmy grin. )

Practice makes perfect. There's some bo shuriken in there, I'm sure you could manage it with time. ( maybe not, with those twig arms. but he's seen smaller do more. now that he's done showing off, jason turns back to the table, watches accelerator go through his bag of toys. )

Told you that one'd work best.

[Even with the not-quite-compliment Accelerator keeps a straight scowl on his face. It's very impressive upon hearing that there are goddamn shuriken in there, especially as the thought crosses his mind that Leo and Donnie would probably be thrilled.

He, however, is not a ninja. And he has no faith in his arm strength, even with practice.]

Doubt it.

[That might be a pessimistic point of view, but he's just trying to be realistic.

He nods a little.]

It feels better than the other ones.

[Though, he does set it down because he wants to pick up the M1911. It's definitely too heavy for him, but he's curious to see what Jason's preferences are.]

Edited 2023-07-19 02:47 (UTC)

( it a little heavier than the standard, too, given jason's modified the barrel to improve velocity and essentially rebuilt it himself. he's adaptable, but he also likes his own things to be a very specific way. when he can have his way. there's little red lines following the line of the bitch black barrel - also nonstandard, because jason has an aesthetic to maintain. )

P220 Equinox. 45 caliber, so it packs a punch and it holds ten rounds. You can extend out to ten, with the right parts. Carry-size, since you're so small. Recoil's nothing.

( just in case accelerator hadn't been paying attention - )

Yours, not mine. You might not wanna shoot that one, it has more push.

[Even though Accelerator can tell right away the M1911 isn't going to work, he can at least appreciate the extra aesthetic that's gone into it. For all his apathy, that kind of thing is still important to him (the arm cuff of his crutch wouldn't look so elaborately designed if it wasn't).

At any rate, he's going back to the P220. Between its grip and weight it feels the most comfortable in his hand, though he does have to roll his eyes and clicks his tongue.]

You're really fucking hung up on that. But then, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. [Mr. Looks-like-he-hits-the-gym-twice-a-day-every-day-and-could-probably-lift-a-car-if-he-tried.]

( telling accelerator he's about the same height as his little brother he likes to bully for being small is a little too much information, but it's a thought that crosses his mind. jason snorts, but leaves it alone. takes his gun back once accelerator is done inspecting it, and raises it up to point it at another wooden beam. when he shoots at it, it's--not quiet, but on the quieter side, recoil enough that jason's arm moves back just a fraction with it. )

Think you can put the magazine in? Show me how good your aim is. Use both hands, this time. Easier to get used to it with both and then shift to one than it is to learn one handed.

[Leo and Donnie have occasionally trolled him about it, so he's assuming this is just something he has to deal with in his universe.]

Fine.

[Lucky for him, since Jason had mentioned the P220 a week ago Accelerator had the chance to do some research! That means the only problem is that he's having to remove his hand from his crutch to load it. Which is... fine, he can deal with it, even if he's unsteady on his feet without it.]

Are you ambidextrous, or did you train yourself to be able to use a gun with your non-dominant hand?

[He'll load the gun no problem, staring down at it intensely, already working through how he could do the same with only one hand. Once he's done that he's going to go ahead and aim at the beam.

This is only the second gun he's ever fired, the first being a shotgun that was nearly as tall as he is. It's a completely different experience, though he's tried to make up for that difference by both looking up how to fire a handgun and watching how Jason used his M1911.

He's new at this, no doubts there's room for improvement. But there's also some clear natural talent there. For a skinny kid who doesn't look like he's ever held a firearm before his aim is surprisingly good. He isn't hesitating at all, hitting the beam, and after only two shots he pauses briefly to adjust his grip and shift his aim a few millimeters to the left.

He's taking the weight of the gun and the recoil into account as he uses it, his brain and the choker making the minute calculations needed for better efficiency. His next two shots are more accurate.]

I'm a leftie.

( but he is holding his gun in his right hand, not the left. a gun which he puts back into it's holster as accelerator starts shooting. jason's eyes focus on his hand, how his wrist shifts with the recoil, how accelerator self-corrects and readjusts his grip to account for the way the weight shifts when he shoots, the recoil. jason takes a step forward closer to him, but doesn't reach out. just moves his eyes from accelerator's hands to his eyes. raises a brow. )

If I re-adjust your hand, are you gonna try and kill me?

( accelerator didn't even touch the guy in the alley. jason's not going to reach out and grab onto a kid he barely knows, even if he's fairly certain that, regardless of what that ability was, he could figure out a way to take him. )

[Okay, so he had to learn how to use a gun with his right hand. Good to know.

It's smart to be asking that before actually touching him, and not because he's holding a gun. Right now, Accelerator's reflection is only 'on' in the sense that it's working at its bare minimum of filtering UV light, but this is still the kind of caution people should have around him. Especially after the incident with Leo.

Accelerator inclines his head slightly, refraining from shooting any more bullets.]

No. Go ahead.

( if anyone reached out for jason without warning or good history between them, they'd end up on the ground flat on their ass. it's not getting flipped that he's worried about. if accelerator did attack him, it'd be warranted. it's the jason doesn't like his personal bubble being invaded without purpose, and unless he's intentionally antagonizing someone, he's not going to be an ass.

fingers wrap around accelerator's wrist, adjusting the aim a little before tapping at his wrist just below his thumb. )

Lock here. Push with your thumb, pull on the side with your pinky. ( wrist straight, even with his forearm. jason drops the hand after, adjusts his elbow so it's just slightly bent. ) Don't lock your elbow, that's just gonna fuck you up. ( and back up to his hand, shifting his thumb to rest against the barrel, index finger on the trigger, three fingers wrapped around the grip. ) Keep your grip like this, don't follow my example.

[Accelerator listens quietly, following all the instructions he's given. Lock his wrist, not his elbow, push with his thumb.]

Okay.

[This is one of those weird instances where he has to be more aware of his body than he normally is. It's something he can adjust to and he's committing all of this to memory, so it'll be fine for the most part, but yeesh. It's having the side effect of making him even more acutely aware of how unsteady his legs are these days. Life was so much easier when his ability was constant.

Buuut he can't go back to that kind of life, so he puts those thoughts out of his mind.]

This is going to be better? Why don't you use this kind of grip?

'cause I'm a show off with a lot of experience and a need for flair.

( jason says it with a smarmy little grin, a teasing lilt to his tone. it's not untrue: he pulls a lot of shit for dramatic flair. hell, he's fucked with people for less. )

Try that. ( while jason takes a step back and saunters his way over to the table, to start putting some of the other shit away. ) We'll work on your one-armed reload once you get a good feel for the recoil.

Edited 2023-07-19 23:06 (UTC)

Ah. I'll avoid that, then.

[Accelerator keeps a straight face.

He won't. He absolutely won't. Once he's gotten firing and reloading with one hand down he is absolutely going to go down the route of a dramatic theatre kid. There is no stopping him.

He gives a small nod, resuming firing. This grip is indeed a lot better, so he'll finish up with this magazine with no problems. Once he's done he'll hold off on unloading the empty magazine.]

How much am I gonna owe you for the gun and the lessons?

We'll see.

( mostly meaning, he doesn't intend to follow up with accelerator at all. most of this shit is stolen, jason doesn't need some kid's money. he's got resources and what resources he lacks, he'll make up for by taking it from people who don't deserve it. but this is the second time accelerator's brought it up, so he figures rather than saying i don't give a fuck, he'll give a vague non-answer. )

Eject the magazine. Use your knee against your forearm, gravity and inertia'll push it out. Gun between your knees, grip up, barrel down to the ground. Shove the magazine in.

.....

[He doesn't argue, but he does make a bit of a face. Owing people isn't something he likes very much, especially with how much debt he's accrued with the Society.

Alright, he'll pick that up later. For now he focuses on those next instructions. It sounds awkward. And it is! He'll manage to do what Jason says, but god, reloading is going to easily be the most difficult thing for him to manage. Firing the damn thing is nothing compared to this.

When he's done he clicks his tongue, very annoyed.]

This is shit.

Fastest way you're gonna reload. Rack it. Put it upside down in front of you, gripping onto it like you had earlier. Move it down, sharp. You need enough force from it to rack a round into the chamber.

( accelerator wants to learn how to do shit the hard way, he'll have to--pick it up the hard way, too. though, looking at him-- )

What'd you do to your leg?

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