fissionmailed | // Electric, it's a natural hiiiigh~

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// Electric, it's a natural hiiiigh~

[Of all the things Liquid might have expected, this was not one of them.

He had walked into a room earlier almost without thinking, mistaking it for one he regularly visited. Realising his mistake he had, of course, swiftly left as fast as a man could leave without giving signs of fear. But as the day passed and little happened to harm him, he grew steadily more relaxed. That was, at least, until the electricity coursing through him began to manifest. A brief spark of annoyance, an unconscious exertion and shattered glass from the exploding corridor lights adorned the floor like snow, leaving a stretch of hall in total darkness. Liquid stared down at his hand as sparks crackled over it.

...that was actually both painful and entertaining.]

...the hell?

[Surely that was new.]

(ooc: So yeah, thanks to chat, Liquid now has lightning powers! ...for three days, at least.)

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[Oh look who it is. Liquid just glowers at him.]

Thankfully. This wretched thing should pass in time.

Wretched? You should be grateful!

[Lightning dances over Volgin's body, bathing the dark hallway in flickering blue light]

[He extends his hand in front of him, toward the wall] Focus your fury into your fists and let it fly!

[KABOOM]

[That is, what used to be wall. Now it's scorched rubble.]

This is the power of the god of thunder!

[NOT IMPRESSED]

[...although that is fascinating. Very fascinating. And very useful. He wonders faintly how flattery will work on this deranged giant.]

That is impressive. How do you manage to control it so well?

[It's super effective!]

[Hunh. Blondie's not as dumb as he looks.]

Talent and practice. [and burning the shit out of himself many, many times as he was coming into his power.]

Treat it as a weapon and part of yourself, like your fists. Does your hand go anywhere you don't tell it to? No! It is YOURS to command! Let it do whatever it wants and you'll end up with pretty scars like mine.

It helps to find a good pair of rubber gloves.

[If it could be controlled... commanded at will, yes, there could be many uses for this. It's enough to let him turn his prejudice against Volgins down a little. Yes, he knows he has the will to control it.]

I'm most grateful for the advice. Thank you.

You're welcome, but you've got a lot more practice ahead of you before you'll be ready for combat.

[He holds out his hand. He concentrates, and a tiny ball of electricity dances over the palm of the red glove, lighting his face]

Controlling small amounts is harder. Try it.

You're not pushing it out- you're only holding it back a little less.

[If people knew that it wasn't releasing his power that took effort, but that he was in fact exerting his will every moment to keep it in check, they'd be even more terrified of Volgin than they already are. It doesn't bother him.]

Remarkable...

[Liquid focuses, putting all of his will into it. Yes, that idea would be terrifying; the idea that the electricity has to be controlled that much. But Liquid isn't ordinary enough to focus on that thought. He relaxes his control a little, but it's too much and for a moment it rages out of control over his hand. It takes all of his effort to reign it back and more than a few tries before he has anywhere near the control needed to manipulate small amounts.]

[Volgin nods.] Not bad.

[It had taken him a lot longer, but he'd been much younger, without the benefit of a teacher to show him that control was possible, and distracted by all the screaming.]

[He looks at Liquid in a new light. Directing the power takes an iron will, and he's always liked the willful ones.]

Now try this.

[He runs a light shiver of current all over his body.]

[If Liquid has anything to call his own, it's willpower. It would have taken him more time if he had not had the memory of seeing another Volgin's ability to work with, if this had been "impossible" instead of "unlikely" in his mind.

This one is harder, but now the possibility of failure had been removed from the equation. If it can be controlled by will, then he will control it. It simply takes time. The feeling of the current makes the hairs on his skin stand on edge and he has the mild thought that perhaps he should remove his weapons before they explode or something. Then he dismisses the thought. There is no room for focusing on anything else right now.]

[electricity dances all over Liquid's bare chest. The effect is quite appealing, and the determination on the blond's face doesn't hurt.]

Not bad at all.

A little pain is the price of the power. In time you'll come to like it.

This is harder.

[Again Volgin holds his arm out toward a blank place in the wall. This time, instead of a huge, destructive bolt, he only lets loose a thin whip of crackling energy.]

[His brows draw together in concentration.]

[What the lightning wants is to arc in all directions. Volgin will not allow it. He keeps it moving slowly, moving his hand in an arc.]

[When he's done, he releases it, though he lets his power keep flowing along his body enough to provide light, making him a living electric lamp.]

[In the light there is a design visible in black lines of char on the wall - a hammer and sickle.]

[He has to raise an eyebrow at that comment. "Like it"? Was the man serious? He watches expressionlessly as the symbol draws itself from the lightning, neither approving nor disapproving of its meaning. Politics mean nothing to him. Rather, it's the action itself that interests him. The control the man has over it.]

Your control is remarkable. It must have taken years of practice to get that good.

[Volgin puffs up. It's nice to have your talents recognized.]

I didn't have a choice. No one knew if it was even possible to control. Some of my father's associates called me a monster and wanted me dead. Hah! I wouldn't give them the satisfaction.

[He showed one just how much control he'd gotten. He didn't die for hours.]

[The fear and pain of those around him was another thing he learned to like.]

[He gestures to another bare patch of wall.]

Let's see what you can do.

[So flattery works quite well on this gargantuan behemoth. He takes note of that, glancing over to the wall. That type of control would be much harder. There was no way he would back down, however. Without hesitation, he reached out his hand towards the wall and focused every bit of his mind on the task.

The crackling light was almost impossible to control in this state. Almost. Regardless, he had nowhere near the fine control that Volgin did. His seared carving was far from as well-done as Volgin's, a little more shaky and not quite as large. Having little idea what to draw, he focused on something he knew intimately and simply drew the SAS logo. It left him shaking but pleased. So control on this level was possible.]

[You have figured out the enigma that is Volgin.]

[He nods as he regards the artworks.] Impressive, for a beginner.

[Or for anyone, really. It'd taken Volgin months to be able to limit his power to a focused blast.]

[The effort and willpower Liquid shows intrigues him. He's never gotten to face someone on the same ground, so to speak.]

That's theory.

Let's see what you can handle in practice!

[Volgin sends lightning leaping at the smaller man]

[-!]

[Liquid leaps back, flipping out of the way and landing in a crouch. Truth be told, that much effort has exhausted even him. Controlling this power is exhilerating and draining, but he keeps going out of pure stubbornness, running on willpower and adrenaline. He knows he can't match Volgin in this, but Liquid Snake does not surrender. He matches the spray of lightning with his own to deflect it, gritting his teeth against the pain of it. His arm feels like it's on fire.]

((can't stop watching icon))

Excellent!

[Volgin sweeps his arm to smash the counterattack aside, pleased at his student's quick reaction.]

The power is draining. I slept for days after my first real battle. The more you use it, the stronger your body will become.

[In the matched, flickering blue light of the power running over their bodies, Volgin looks the blond over. He's obviously exhausted and slick with sweat, but with only a few burns.]

It's not a gift for the weak. Most men would be dead by now. You're exceptional, Liquid Snake.

((muahahaha mission accomplished))

[He takes pride in that statement, even coming from a man like Volgin. No, he's not weak. He's probably going to sleep for a week after this but he wouldn't let it kill him.]

I'm not about to let it kill me.

[Hey, from Volgin, "you're not a pathetic, murderable weakling" is a big compliment.]

Find a good rubber suit and a grounded place to sleep. It'll spare you the worst of it.

[He's not sure why he's being so helpful. Maybe it's just because he's never had this in common with anyone before. It was always something he bore alone.]

[Liquid himself is curious as to why he's being so helpful. Perhaps it's just a chance for the larger man to show off.]

Thank you. You've been quiet helpful. I suppose I owe you.

["Thank you." That's not something Volgin is used to hearing.]

Don't take it the wrong way. If you'd lost control and fried half the place, I'd get the blame without the fun of doing it.

[he shrugs his massive shoulders] You're an interesting man. I've never met anyone who's survived having powers like mine. You're the Liquid Snake who's Ocelot's, aren't you?

You don't have to thank me [leer] but I wouldn't complain.

...ah. Yes, I am.

[Now how the hell did he know that? Probably the dogtag, he supposes. He raises an eyebrow at that innuendo.]

Ask me again when I've rested. I'll thank you all you want then.

Hah. I knew one of you was, and he's the sort who'd pick a man with talents. I've told him he needs to find someone to entertain him. [Volgin: greatest giver of parental sex advice] Maybe you'll get that stick out of his ass.

[grin!] I'll hold you to that.

[confidentially] I'll show you some of the powers' more interesting applications.

Oh, I entertain him plenty, believe me. [Every night. Several times. And lots of times during the day, too.]

[A low laugh.] I'll be looking forward to it.

[Volgin's laugh is much louder. Oh, he likes you.]

[He claps him on the shoulder.] So will I.

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// Electric, it's a natural hiiiigh~

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