lucetilogs | Revenge is a dish that is best served now.

Entry tags:

Revenge is a dish that is best served now.

Who: A shifted Pao-Lin (

lightningbride), Kotetsu (

wildkotetsu), Barnaby (

mindgooshed), and Kazooie (

talontrot).
What: A case of mistaken identity...sort of.
When: Evening of May 5th.
Where: Starting near CH1, possibly moving to the forest...? IDK.
Summary: Pao-Lin mistakes Kotetsu for a killer, and goes after him in order to bring him to justice. Fortunately, some Big Damn Heroes are here to intervene and save Kotetsu from an undeserved fate, complete with a (1) Heroic Sacrifice. It's like canon all over again! Except without the happy ending.
Rating: High PG-13 for violence (including some bloody death scenes), overall angst, and language.

[Pao-Lin is making her way back to the forest bordering Luceti, unease screaming bloody murder in her mind. She'd been hoping to find a place to stay in town, but she doesn't feel comfortable in the innocent-looking village. Not when so many people apparently know her -- the real her, not her Hero identity -- and not when she's being told, once again, that there are things she should remember but doesn't.

Then there's the conflicting information she's learned about Luceti. She doesn't know who to believe in this situation. The people of Luceti have the advantage of numbers corroborating their claims, but Maverick (sadly and ironically enough) makes more sense to her. Or is it just that she wants his version to make more sense, because it makes things so much simpler for her? Because it makes her feel better about being an unwitting survivor?

...whatever. Pao-Lin had known from the start that this wasn't going to be an easy path for her. Obviously she'd underestimated just how difficult it was going to be; that's a mistake she won't make again. And it's not like this is necessarily a difficult suckerpunch to dodge. She'll just do a little more research over the next few days, see how things stack up, and go from there. Easier said than done, certainly, but it's a place to start.

As preoccupied and tired as she is, Pao-Lin almost doesn't notice the distinctive lanky form of a certain veteran Hero in the darkness, heading down the path to one of the apartment buildings in town. When she does recognize Kotetsu, however, she just stops and stares for a moment, her limbs going numb and her mouth going dry.

He's here.

The memories of her last night in Sternbild flash before her eyes.

...no. It's here.

And she fights the urge to just run and hide.

But...already?

That bastard Maverick. Thought it'd be fucking funny to sic one of those sons-of-bitches on her right from the starting line, did he? As if she needs more reasons to doubt that his little proposition was a legitimate chance for redemption. What's he playing at here? She's pretty sure this isn't him giving her a freebie. Is he seriously going to derive entertainment from watching her get beat down so soon after recovering?

...heh. Like I actually need to ask that question.

With that, Pao-Lin shakes off her shock and steels herself, clearing her mind for the obvious task before her. Her thumb flicks up to nudge the katana ever so slightly from its sheath as she quickly -- yet quietly -- treads over to the thing wearing Kotetsu's face. She's nowhere near as ready as she'd been hoping to face one of these androids again, but she'd be a fool to pass up a golden opportunity like this. It doesn't seem to be aware of her presence yet, so maybe she can catch it by surprise and cut it down before it can get a chance to attack...]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ah—well, here it's just you and Bunny! The last place I saw you... uh, back home, anyway, it was after we put Maverick in the police van. Then I saw you here in Luceti, too.

[He smiles a little, hopeful that she would at least calm down now.

We could make this work; it's definitely fixable.]

How about I call Bunny and we just have a talk about things? I bet you're just kinda confused; I was pretty confused about everything myself, sometimes, especially when you get kidnapped here.

[Such a way with words, this one.]

[Diu lei lo mo, there were two other Hero androids here in Luceti? This situation is worse than she thought. If he called the Barnaby and Dragon Kid ones over -- ]

No. It's fine. [She lowers the sword slightly, because her arm's starting to get tired -- and because she figures it'll make for a good feint. With a wince, she raises her right shoulder up and down slightly, testing the pain on that side. It's starting to recede.]

[Aa—he takes another step, cautious, mainly so that he doesn't freak her out. They must've done something to her head, so... being careful, for once in his career, seems like the nice thing to do.]

Are you alright? You didn't bust your wing, didja'? [He points behind him, oblivious to the painful burns on his shoulders and back. Funny how that is; he's just never any good with dealing with his own.] I can take you to the clinic if you want. The doctors there are pretty cool.

[E-even if he avoids it like the plague. He puts a hand out, as if asking for hers, certainly asking for hers.]

Put the sword away! There's a bakery and a store and stuff, too, if you're hungry. We'll go for a walk, get some fresh air.

[Pao-Lin gazes at the outstretched hand, resolutely not meeting Kotetsu's eyes. Her breathing is steady even as her heart pounds. This is it: the deciding moment. She could either pull off a damn miracle or completely fuck herself over.]

...

[With agonizing slowness...

She steps forward...

And takes Kotetsu's hand.

Her fingers tighten their grasp, and she yanks him towards her -- ]

[ -- in the same instant that her other hand comes up to shove the katana through his torso.

In her mind, she'd been aiming for his heart, but given her range and the height difference between herself and Kotetsu, she probably got him in the gut instead.]

[Oh, Pao-lin—]

—no—

[you're going to hate yourself if you keep this up

He's stunned for just a moment, a sharp breath shoving from his lungs at the sudden sensation, and he kicks himself for even thinking it was working; something was wrong with her, she was clearly in a mental fog, so he needs to stay alive and help her. Dying wouldn't do a thing.]

[He shoves back quickly, staggering; he's got his hand pressed on the wound, but it hardly stops the spray and heavy drops that follow. This isn't good—he feels something hot in his stomach—with so very little power left, he can't heal himself properly.

The blue glow around him flickers, and the most he can do is use it to close up the organ she'd speared through.

but he's still bleeding out]

[not good

He collapses to his knees, coughing flecks of blood that hadn't been salvaged by the Hundred Power. In the end, despite his attempts to remain upright, he can only double-over, a mess forming across his stomach.]

Pao-lin... Please, it's Kotetsu...

[shit]

[ it's good that pao-lin is otherwise occupied with kotetsu, because it gives barnaby the perfect opportunity to divebomb her.

this is the last thing he had expected to see upon returning back to the community building, and though he has no idea what the hell is going on, barnaby reacts immediately. kotetsu is in danger. kotetsu is wounded. that's all that matters, and when kotetsu is in danger his brain shuts down and reboots in panic mode. all thoughts of strategy and careful planning are immediately defenestrated and adrenaline is his only fuel.

dropping the grocery bag he'd been carrying, barnaby leaps high and descends fast in a quick, brutal, hundred power kick aimed directly for her side. ]

[Pao-Lin's concentration breaks the moment her sword slides swiftly through Kotetsu's stomach. It shouldn't have been that easy. Why had it been so easy? That didn't feel like metal and wires she gored through. That felt like...like...

Her shock is the only thing at the moment keeping her from finishing what she started, because she's too busy feeling a little sick and confused. She stumbles back a bit, staring dumbly at Kotetsu doubled over on the ground, staining the street dark with his blood.

...and then Barnaby slams home into the spot where she'd just been standing a moment earlier.

WHAM!

His dramatic entrance snaps her out of her funk. Pao-Lin backsteps a little more to regain her bearings and brings her katana up again, glowing blue with her NEXT power. She curses again when she recognizes the newcomer.

Shit. Guess he called Barnaby anyway.

There's not a second to waste. She lets out a yell and stabs forward, firing a stream of lightning through the blade as she does so. She's probably way in over her head now with two H-01s to deal with, but running would be futile. So she'll stand her ground for as long as she's able.]

Bunny...! [That's a relief, he was just about to poke his PDA for you. If his vision would stop spinning. He pushes with one arm, but it doesn't get him to move as much as he hopes.] It's—it's Dragon Kid... They must've done something to her...

[Yeah, that's not working out very well. Goddammit.]

[ unfortunately, kotetsu's words fall on half-deaf ears. barnaby has already figured that much out for himself, and more -- that hair, her height..

honestly, it's terrible but he doesn't care about her reasons, or what the malnosso might have done to her, and though he may not be out for the kill, stopping her is his top priority and he will stop at nothing to achieve this goal.

so when she attacks he's entirely ready, dodging the blade and its channeled bolt with ease and ducking beneath it to aim a savage roundhouse kick right for her face. ]

Get away from him!

[Pao-Lin drops to a crouch to avoid that kick. She twists herself slightly and throws out a free hand to hopefully slam into Barnaby's body so she can electrocute him with every volt she can muster with her powers. Of course, given that they're both in Luceti, her full strength is only half-strength, but she typically uses less than that on HeroTV and it's enough to stun grown men.]

[ only if it connects. but bunny didn't get his nickname for no reason - or his title as king of heroes. even enraged, barnaby is smart and fast and he backflips quickly out of range, landing deftly in a sliding crouch some fifteen feet away. ]

What did they do to you?

[Pao-Lin's back to stony silence, glaring down Barnaby from across the way. She held professional admiration for him back in the day along with considering him a casual friend, but she knows she also lacks a certain personal connection with him that she can easily exploit in conversation, the way she did with Kotetsu.

On the other hand...there is something else she can exploit.

Keeping Barnaby carefully in her sights, she flares blue with power as her free hand sends another stream of lightning at Kotetsu instead, intending to finally finish him off or at least ensure that he's not going to team up with Barnaby against her later. It's a blatantly obvious baiting ploy, and in retrospect it's probably not a good idea to actively enrage a killer android (insofar as much as that's possible). But direct attacks are only going to get her so far against these things. Maverick and Rotwang played dirty with making these things in the first place; surely she can't be blamed if she turns it back on them like this.

So Barnaby can go after Pao-Lin directly and risk being stabbed/zapped with her sword, or he can try to get Kotetsu to safety and suffer a little electrocution in the process. Or maybe he thinks of something else, as smart as he is.]

[ smart move, crazy girl.

unfortunately, barnaby is incredibly reckless when it comes to protecting kotetsu, and his feet are moving before he even understands exactly what he's attempting to do. thinking with your gut - is this how kotetsu feels all the time? guided by his heart, rather than his brain?

but it doesn't matter, right now, all that matters is getting kotetsu to safety.

barnaby darts across the path at superhuman speed, though lightning itself is incredibly fast, and the bolt arcs against his back just before he scoops his fallen partner into his arms. the scent of burned leather and singed flesh is acrid in the air but barnaby is thrumming with adrenaline, fearless and protective and instinctive.

touching down several yards away, barnaby sets kotetsu in the grass and, for the first time, takes in the extensive damage that he has suffered. he's still alive, but there's so much blood.. ]

.. it's all right Kotetsu, please hang in there-

[A cough, as his jaw clenches for a moment. Sorry, Barnaby, it's mainly from you dropping him on his burnt back than anything else. He looks at the other hero with confused, anxious eyes before waving a hand shakily.]

Not a problem—endurance... it's my strongest trait, right?

[Even if he's still dripping blood on the grass, unrestrained and warm. A sharp ache in his abdomen is thudding more and more as he suddenly tries miserably to get up. But he's shaking and sluggish, and only making things worse before he crumples back into the grass, against his burned shoulder. A strangled noise of pain, as he squeezes his eyes shut.]

Damn-!

Kotetsu--!

[ he'd meant to place him down gently, but even the lightest touch can be excruciating to a burn victim. but what can he do? it's probably best to just get kotetsu out of here, get him to the clinic as quickly as possible and deal with pao-lin later. his partner is what matters.

one knee in the grass, barnaby hovers over him, his expression stricken, almost panicked. it's all right, he'll be all right, kotetsu always has been resilient, this won't take him down. ]

I'm .. I'm going to get you to the clinic, all right? Please try to stay awake. I know it hurts, but- just keep your eyes open.

[A deep breath. It still feels hard to do that, what with the taste of blood in his mouth, but he's hopeful that his power had managed to heal that enough. He manages a small smile.]

O-oi, careful... Y'might get blood on your favorite jacket... [He cracks an eye open.] Real leather, right?

[Except he probably already has, if he could see straight. The corners of his vision aren't doing as well as they usually are. But Bunny's right—they just have to make it to the clinic, and then they'll deal with Pao-lin, once everything's okay. He reaches up to clasp on Bunny's arm, supportive, but hesitates and stares at the alarming amount of blood on the back of his hand.

Sheesh, how much blood did he have, again? He breathes out his nose, swallowing thickly. That's not good.

Freaking Bunny out is probably at it's easiest.]

I'll stay awake... S'no sweat... Just gotta get outta' here.

Edited 2012-05-07 06:49 (UTC)

[ it's time to move. he can't wait any longer. every moment they spend waiting around here only drives the risk; at a time like this, every second counts.

so barnaby leans further over his partner again and gently slips both hands beneath him - trying to figure out how to lift him as painlessly as possible is difficult, but kotetsu is just going to have to tough it out. barnaby's voice is quavering when he speaks. ]

.. My jacket is fine.

[ there's kind of a hole in the back it's cool. ]

[He sucks in a sharp breath, and eventually just offers a pained but (even more-so) sheepish furrow of his brow. Which just goes to show, even if he's fading slowly, his humor certainly hasn't.]

You're gonna do the princess carry thing, aren't you.

[Don't freak out, Bunny. It'll be okay.

He thinks.]

[ man whatever he's not freaking out!!

much!! ]

Yes, you're just going to have to get over the injustice of it, Kotetsu.

[ because he's already scooping him up as gently as he can manage, and getting to his feet. ]

[As soon as Barnaby had snatched Kotetsu up and sprinted for safety, Pao-Lin had sheathed her sword and taken off after him. She's a fast girl, with more staying power than one might think, but Barnaby has longer strides and his Hundred Power helping him out. So she'd eventually fallen behind as he darted into the forest with Kotetsu.

That's okay, though. She has a good enough idea of where he went that she feels comfortable shifting slowing down a little and taking a slightly roundabout route in the name of stealth. Still, she keeps her steps quick and light as she continues to catch up.

When she's within range but still hopefully far enough away to remain undetected, Pao-Lin stops by a tree trunk and peers around it. She's managed to put herself in a position for a clear shot at Barnaby's back, and her timing is pretty damn good too, since he just picked up Kotetsu in his arms for his trademark princess carry. If she aims carefully, she might be able to get the both of them at the same time -- talk about killing two birds with one stone. But at the very least, Pao-Lin needs to deal with Barnaby, since unlike Kotetsu he's still able to fight. If her initial strike doesn't finish the both of them off, she should be able to easily follow up for the finishing blows.

So she quietly and carefully pads up behind him, her hand readied on her sword. At very nearly the last moment, she surges forward, unsheathes her blade in one quick motion, and stabs into Barnaby's heart, right through the hole her lightning burned in his jacket.]

[ .. stupid.

what an absolutely stupid mistake.

barnaby shouldn't have wasted time here, he shouldn't have stopped. he should have taken kotetsu straight to the clinic and put as much distance between they and pao-lin as possible.

at first it's as if time as stopped. there's no pain, only pressure, the impossibly sharp blade piercing him so cleanly and easily that he feels no pain, only a sick sort of pushing where something should not be. barnaby's body jerks, and he stands completely still for a split second before crumpling, his knees hitting the ground hard.

but even now he keeps his grip on kotetsu strong, prioritizing his partner because he can't think past that one objective. something burns in his chest and barnaby doubles over, gagging, coughing, bright blood spattering kotetsu's collar, and it's as his head drops that he sees the end of the blade, sharp and bloody, protruding from the front of his chest. ]

Edited 2012-05-07 19:31 (UTC)

[Kotetsu feels it - a warm spray against the top of his shirt, and he dazedly looks at the top of the sword impaled through Barnaby's chest. A flood of shock and fear, dulled by his ability to think, to even see things clearly, fills him. When he looks at Bunny, paler, his amber eyes are full of panic; what can he do? He's got to do something. He's - he's been hurt, hurt worse than him now -

How can I]

Bunny...?!

[hoarse and desperate; this has to be imaginary. This has to be some sort of hallucination. It can't be real. No, no, please don't do this to him; to him or Bunny. This isn't right. This is all wrong - it's got to be fake.]

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