WHO: Billy Batson and Myrcella WHAT: An encounter with some bad guys, some violence, and the beginning of a friendship WHEN: During the Star Wars Invasion WHERE: Out and about WARNINGS: Violence STATUS: Closed and Complete
Billy wasn’t sure what was going on as he watched the scene out the window and just stared in disbelief. He had never in his life imagined that something like this could happen. How could this happen? Stormtroopers were freaking invading the OC! Stormtroopers! How could they even be real?
What was his life?
He dodged a random blast and then saw troopers standing over a car they had shot, raising their blasters. In later days, he would wonder what he had thought and how, and why he had done it, but at the moment, there wasn’t a hesitation. He charged out of the store and tackled one of the troopers headlong into the other.
There was a mad scramble as he felt something pop and he reached desperately for the blaster rifle one of them had been holding, yanked it up and slammed it down, once on the head of the trooper he had tackled, whose helmet had rolled away, and once into the chest of the other, who froze at the business end being so up close and personal.
“Manacles! Now!” Billy barked it like some action hero and the man responded, handing over the manacles, which Billy used to secure the two troopers and kick away the other weapon. Only then did he look up to see the person in the car, and wonder if they were okay, rubbing one shoulder with the other hand. He was pretty sure he had done something when he hit the man in armor.
***
Myrcella hated it when things like this happened in the OC especially when she had only been out doing some supply shopping. She hadn’t been sure what to make of the young man who had suddenly come out of nowhere and flung himself at the troopers who had surrounded her.
“Oh, my goodness,” she said, “Are you alright? That must have hurt” she added, watching as he rubbed his shoulder, “We should get a doctor to look at that”
***
Billy groaned a little, then blinked, thinking for a moment that she looked familiar, but then the sensation passed, like a dream. He smiled at her, searching her for injuries in turn. “Yeah, maybe so.”
He nodded to her. “Are you okay? These things are a menace.” he quickly patted down one of the troopers, snagging one of their carryalls and slinging it over his good shoulder, and attaching weapons, tools and other objects. He would look at them later.
“We should get off the streets. Are you headed anywhere in particular?”
***
“I’m fine, thanks to you. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been so brave” Myrcella said, she really did owe him a lot.
“Oh, I’d just done some shopping for my business and was heading home. But I think the more pressing matter is to find you a doctor” she told him, she didn’t think much of their chances should they encounter any more troopers. Not with him injured and Myrcella useless when it came to fighting.
***
Billy blushed a bright red. He wasn’t a hero, or brave, he didn’t think. “Not brave, really. Just kind of rushed in. Couldn’t let someone get hurt in front of me. Just… felt wrong.” He smiled ruefully, rubbing his neck with his good hand and feeling a bit silly, now, but knowing he wouldn’t have done anything else...
“I am glad you’re okay, though.”
At her words, he blushed, then nodded. “Thanks. I think getting to a doctor would be a good idea.” And he would be glad to sit side saddle, so to speak, for her.
He had a weapon now, one he could operate easier than hitting someone with his shoulder.
***
“Unconsciously a hero then” Myrcella amended with a smile, “I’m still very grateful and sorry you got hurt rescuing me” Because she did feel a little guilty about that even though she hadn’t really anything to feel guilty about.
“Okay, to the doctors it is then” she smiled with a nod.
***
Billy blushed, then shook his head. “I’d rather get a little hurt than see you dead.” He smiled to her. “It’s odd, in a way I feel like I have met you before. Must be someone else I knew who looked like you.”
He shook his head again.
“Thank you for taking me to the doctor. I do appreciate it.”
*** “Maybe we’ve met in a previous life” Myrcella suggested with a kind smile, there was something familiar about him and she wondered if he was somebody she’d noticed around town but never actually spoken to.
“You’re welcome, it would hardly be fair of me to leave you in pain after saving me”
*** “I’m just glad I was able to help at all. Being in the right place and the right time to help was a good thing. And I am glad.” He rested his head back against the seat.
“My name is Billy Batson. Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself before.” He was a little distracted, but now he could talk and think and really feel the pain in his should. Ow.
***
“Myrcella Baratheon” she replied, “It’s nice to meet you Billy, so tell me more about you. What do you do?” she asked, trying to keep him talking. She didn’t want him to pass out on her before they reached a doctor so she thought keeping him talking would be the best idea.
***
“It’s nice to meet you too, Myrcella. That is an awesome name.” He smiled as he shook his head lightly, some pangs of pain shooting through his shoulder as he did so, making him wince.
“Me? Just a radio station gopher. Nothing special.” He chuckled. “I just like helping people. I work at the station and I volunteer around the area helping kids who have had to deal with hardships.” He loved to help and make people feel better.
“Which reminds me, you were pretty brave back there, not freaking out. I was totally freaking out inside.” He smiled again. “When not volunteering or running over town for the radio station, I like to make milkshakes.” He was rambling, babbling a little as adrenalin wore off and shock set in a little.
***
“Thank you,” she said, noticing as he winced she rummaged through her handbag until she found painkillers and handed them to him, “There’s an unopened water bottle in the glove box” she added with a smile before refocusing on the road.
“You really do love helping others, it obviously comes naturally to you” she commented, she liked to think of herself as kind but she had never been selfless like that.
“Thanks, I’ve seen a few weird things happen around here so maybe it’s taken the edge off my freaking out” she chuckled, “Milkshakes are amazing. What’s your favorite?”
***
Billy took the bottle and smiled at her. “Thanks. You rock.” He chuckled as he poured a few pills out then closed the bottle, and put it down near her so she could put it away, and found the glove box, struggling to open the bottle. Managing it, he sipped some water with the pills, then offered her the bottle.
“I do, yeah. And I hope it does. I mean, I’m selfish and silly like everyone else. Not any better than anyone else. This is just… my calling, I think.” He spoke the words quietly, not sure whether she was religious and not wanting to offend her.
“My favorite milkshake? Oh, one I created; the chocolate ecstasy shake. I’ll make it for you sometime.”
***
Myrcella smiled, glad he was able to take some painkillers. They might give him something else at the hospital but she was hoping it would take the edge off for now. She shook her head with a smile at the offer of the water.
“You’re lucky then I think, not many people find what they’re meant to do quite so quickly” she replied, she wasn’t religious at all but she wasn’t going to be offended by those who were. It was nice that he believed in something so much.
“That sounds great,” she said, “Hardly anything is better than chocolate after all”
***
He felt himself relaxing, smiling as he nodded to her, setting the water down between his legs. He smiled over at her. “I had parents who inspired me, led me to finding what I wanted, and encouraged me to go for it.” He smiled sadly for a moment, before shaking the sad memory of losing them away, as much as he could.
“And this is the best. Chocolate milk plus chocolate ice cream plus chocolate hot fudge, plus brownie plus a touch of espresso and dark chocolate and heavy cream.” He nodded, smirking. “It is, well, the best drink I have ever had.”
***
She was pleased when he seemed to relax, it wasn’t a long way to the hospital but she was driving carefully now. She didn’t want to get them involved in another accident or attract unwanted attention. But they were only a few minutes away now. She patted his hand before returning it to the wheel, seeing that talking about his parents had made him sad.
“That sounds like heaven, even if it would mean longer trips to the gym for a week” she grinned at him before turning the corner and parking in the hospital car park, amazingly there were quite a few free spaces for once.
***
Billy was blinking as he looked ahead, then glanced at her. He felt a little dizzy now, but he felt that was likely just a combo of drug and shock. Right? Probably. He smiled to her warmly. “You are an awesome person, did you know that?”
He nodded.
“Well… I run usually, every day, as part of my job. I guess that makes it easier on me.” And he was sixteen, with a high metabolism. Everything burned through him fast. He smiled at the idea. It was fun.
“Maybe I can make it for you sometime soon.” He smiled as he saw the parking lot, and nodded to her. “You made good time, for a day of a freaking space invasion. What the heck are we being invaded for? Seems a waste of anyone’s resources, really.”
He shook his head as he looked ahead to the hospital. “I’m a little tired, I wonder if they will let me nap while I wait to see a doctor.”
***
“Thank you, Billy,” she said with a smile, patting his arm, she could see his eyes were becoming a little unfocused now and then and was very pleased they’d arrived.
“Who knows. Weird things always happen around here, you kind of get used to it” she said honestly, it was actually almost worrying how quickly you got used to just accepting crazy things when you lived in the OC.
“Maybe, let’s go see. I’ll be with you” she said taking his arm as they got out of the car. He reminded her somewhat of her little brother Tommen, he was a kind sweet boy too. It actually made her feel quite protective of him.
***
He smiled as he headed in with her, and for checked out. Turned out you could strain your arm, crack a rib, and get a microfracture to your wrist from slamming into someone in armor. Who knew? With a cast, a wrap around his body, and instructions on not straining himself, he was sent home, with a little help from Myrcella.
He would have to find a way to pay her back or thank her.