This is not the best friend you are looking for.

[i_am_not_cute]

[As Pao-Lin wanders through the streets of Luceti, there are quite a number of questions on her mind. Things like, how did she get here? What is this place? Why does she have wings?

And where's Hubert?

This last one comes primarily from the fact that she's pretty sure she remembers falling asleep on the couch at his house the night before. Did he get dragged to where this place is, too? She's not sure whether she wants that to be true or not. It'd be nice not to be alone, but...he deserves to be safe at home. She's the Hero, not him: she'll deal with danger and protect him.

Not that Luceti seems all that dangerous, being the kind of homey village that it is. But it's unfamiliar, and so Pao-Lin keeps her gaze sharp and observant, keeping an eye out for threats...or her best friend.]

Comments

[ozwell]

[ . . . Internally, he sighs. Outwardly, his expression softens the tiniest bit. He still carries a firm look.]

No.

[Because he's certain she's been fed a lie or lived a different life. Given the Malnosso's track record, the former seems likely. He's willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, however. He trusts Pao-Lin more than a lot of people in Luceti, and that shouldn't change because she has . . . different memories.]

Our memories are completely different. I cannot say why, but in any case, I can safely confirm that I'm not the Hubert that you know.

[It feels incredibly strange to say that.]

[i_am_not_cute]

[It's even stranger to hear it. Pao-Lin breathes as slowly and as evenly as she can, turning over the information she's been given. After a few tense moments, she speaks again.]

You said we've met here before. [That, at least, is a small relief. That means she's not quite working from a blank slate in trying to fix this mess.] What do you know about me, or remember about me?

[ozwell]

[This should be an easy question. And it is, except if it were anyone but her, he might have gone on an accidental tangent.

But, well, it's accidental.]

. . . that you are a Hero hired by HeroTV, who moved from Hong Kong to Sternbild, a city in America, in order to pursue that career. Your unique ability is to generate and manipulate lightning, a power that manifested within you over seven years ago. You work with and compete against other Heroes: Sky High, Blue Rose, Origami Cyclone, Rock Bison, Fire Emblem, Wild Tiger, and Barnaby Brooks Jr.

When we first met, we talked and battled.

[i_am_not_cute]

[She blinks.]

We...fought? Like a spar, you mean? [Her mind is trying to imagine Hubert "squishier than silly putty" Lhant getting into a fight, never mind sparring.] Or...did we actually try to hurt each other? [Even more mind-breaking.]

[ozwell]

A spar, of course. Given our vocations, we would have had no reason to truly confront one another.

[That's right. Who's squishier than silly putty now -- ]

[i_am_not_cute]

[Not to worry, SBV!Hubert gets into his first fight in college. That totally still makes him hardcore.

At this, Pao-Lin can't help but laugh a little, though it's a bit wistful.]

You and me sparring...that's kind of amazing. You didn't know how to even throw a correct punch in my world... [Hubert tried his best, at least.]

[ozwell]

[Nobody badmouths his girlfriend.

. . .

That might have been a muffled cough from Hubert.]

While I confess that hand-to-hand combat isn't my strongest point, I can assure you that I am aware of what I'm doing in a fight.

[i_am_not_cute]

[Fuck no. It's always the quiet ones you have to watch out for.]

No, that's not what I meant, it's just you never... [She grows quiet. Hubert as a competent fighter is pretty cool, but it's just another thing signifying how different this one is from the one she knows.]

[ozwell]

[He waits patiently for her to finish, but when that doesn't happen he continues.]

This type of conversation should be held in-doors. Follow me.

[They've already said way too much out here. And he turns to head off -- not to his house, no, that's too crowded. He goes to the barracks.]

[i_am_not_cute]

[Slightly perplexed, but still curious, Pao-Lin follows after him, taking in the sights as she walks. Not that there's much around these parts, but it stills her mind for the moment, distracts it from dwelling on unpleasant thoughts. When the barracks come into view, she asks:]

What is that?

[ozwell]

[He doesn't stop until they come upon the entrance of the barracks, into which he gestures. Ladies first.]

The barracks. It's where we first met.

[i_am_not_cute]

[But she's a tomboy, not a lady...well, whatever. In she goes.]

This place sure is big...it'd be nice if we had something like this back in Sternbild. [She glances back at him.] You said we sparred before...who won?

[ozwell]

[Looking inside -- it's not much different from how he remembers it -- he stands straight with his arms folded again.]

We broke it off on a tie . . . but it ended in your favor.

[i_am_not_cute]

[She can't help but smirk knowingly -- an expression that this Hubert is probably very unused to seeing on Pao-Lin.]

Mmm. Of course it did. [She's being cheeky right now, and it's born of a familiarity that she really shouldn't be indulging in at the moment. But it helps her feel a little more normal.]

[ozwell]

[ . . . his dignity shrivels a little at that. Ultimately, he doesn't mind, and he approaches a dummy.]

You expertly wielded your element. It was practically impossible to dodge.

[i_am_not_cute]

[She remains where she is for the moment.]

But I'm sure you were still more than a challenge for me. You -- well, the you that I know [it's strange, having to clarify this, and there may or may not be a little twinge in her heart at this] -- always work hard and try your best.

[ozwell]

[It's nice to hear that, admittedly, even if it isn't really directed at him. Whether or not her memories are authentic, he'd expect any "version" of him to be a hard worker. Goofing has never been a thing of his.]

I attended a prestigious military academy. Any sign of slackness, including not giving it our all, would be cause for cadets to be scorned.

[i_am_not_cute]

[Yeah, Hubert sure works hard...on getting 100% completion on any game he owns.

There's only the slightest bit of surprise from Pao-Lin when she hears Hubert mention his past in a military academy, and it stems more from the fact that it supports the idea that not only is this a different Hubert, but he's a Hubert who appears to have been following the storyline of Herbert Osmond quite closely. It would be amusing in nearly any other circumstance, but as of now, Pao-Lin refrains from remarking on this aspect. This Hubert doesn't seem to appreciate the same hobbies as her Hubert. If only she knew.]

I guess that's where you learned to fight, then? [And thus where he learned to be "not-squishy", she supposes.]

[ozwell]

[Are you kidding, he's still squishy as get out.]

That's quite right. It's where I learned what it takes to be an officer, albeit a lowly one.

[Really. Lieutenant wasn't that high up on the ranks. He doesn't sound bitter about it -- he says it like it's mere fact.]

[i_am_not_cute]

[BUT HE'S NOT SQUISHY LIKE THIS ;A;]

Hehe... [She does approach him now, coming from the opposite direction. She gives the training dummy a couple of experimental taps with her knuckles.] I can't imagine you being part of the military. But like I said, you work hard at everything, so I guess you'd succeed there too. [She smiles a little then with pride. It's silly, but hearing something like that...it's reassuring, in a way. That even a different Hubert in a different world could still be amazing.]

[ozwell]

[I ALREADY SAW THAT, YOU CAN'T CATCH ME OFF GUARD.

He doesn't know why he's receiving this unconditionally good faith from her. If it wasn't Pao-Lin, he would have dismissed it as a shallow compliment out of good manners.

Hubert's hands brush against the sides of his coat, touching the outer fabric of the pockets that contain his weapons.]

The barracks weren't your preferred method of training. Actually, you often spent more time at the battle dome.

[i_am_not_cute]

[BUT I NEVER EVEN LINKED IT ANYWHERE WERE YOU STALKING HIS ACCOUNT..........]

The Battle Dome?

[ozwell]

[I WAS LOOKING AT YOUR MUSELIST, OKAY.]

It's not too far from here. Unlike the dummies in the barracks, where you'd need a live opponent for any semblance of reality, the battle dome provides a simulation of your choice.

[i_am_not_cute]

[WHY WOULD YOU BE DOING A SILLY THING LIKE THAT

Her eyes light up at this.]

What? Really? That sounds like what Mr. Tiger and Mr. Barnaby have at Apollon Media... [A slightly skeptical look.] A place like this has technology like that?

[ozwell]

[JUST BECAUSE and hi Blue Rose.

Apollon Media, huh . . . ]

Luceti has a peculiar mix of levels of technology. The battle dome is simply one advanced form of it that we have.