"It's mercy, compassion, and forgiveness I lack, not rationality."

[lightningbride]

[There's a familiar girl walking the streets of Luceti today with an intense, focused expression, newly returned from her mallynapping. But those who know her will quickly realize that something is very off. Very, very off.

The more innocuous difference is that she's taller, with longer hair and a more mature face, though she still wears her yellow-and-black striped jumpsuit. She's also toting around a katana -- an odd choice, considering her weapon of choice as a Hero.

Ah...Heroes and HeroTV. That's where things start to get interesting with this one. If you come up and talk to her, maybe you'll find out just how interesting they are.]

Comments

[lightningbride]

[Pao-Lin looks mildly surprised at Yuri's dexterity, but she doesn't consider the bigger implications of it aside from thinking that he might not be as easy to take down as she'd originally thought -- either because of skill or because he was Lady Luck's lover.]

Don't you tell me to calm down, Petrov! Not when --

[stab]

-- you --

[slash]

-- and those other assholes at HeroTV --

[slash]

-- conspired with Maverick --

[and slashing again]

-- to kill off the Heroes!

[And she punctuates her last bit with a very bright blast of lightning from her sword.]

Pretend his eyes are on fire, IDK

[lunadickery]

[The slashes and stabs, those he can dodge—somewhat. He's taken more damage from the slashes, but nothing life threatening as of yet. The blast of electricity, however, he can't. Not without activating his powers, at least. And in a sudden life-or-death situation, he doesn't have the time to debate what the best long-term course of action is. The fact is that Pao-Lin Huang, a Hero, is going to kill him if he doesn't act.

But he will not die here. His justice will not die here, will not be done in by a foolish simpleton who could never grasp the true meaning of justice.

So he acts. Activates his powers and flies away from the bolt of electricity, then elevates himself to higher ground, whatever it may be. And his eyes are aflame, and his voice is that of Lunatic's. No point in playing around with identities anymore, especially if what she said about the Heroes is true.]

Talk. What do you mean I conspired with Maverick to kill the other Heroes? You will answer me, unless you wish for the voice of Thanatos to sentence you to a quick end.

1/2 I AM PRETENDING WITH ALL MY PRETENDY POWERS...

[lightningbride]

[Pao-Lin's eyes widen at the sight of the distinctive bichromatic flames. She freezes for a moment, the implications zipping through her mind.

This man...Judge Petrov...was he really...?]

2/2

[lightningbride]

[And then she just throws her head back as she breaks out into laughter. Sarcastic, disbelieving laughter.

It figured, didn't it? It fucking figured that the man who was supposed to be representing fair, lawful justice in Sternbild, not to mention the one in charge of overseeing the activities of HeroTV, was that criminal-murdering Lunatic. As if she needed more proof as how broken and corrupt the show was.]

The voice of Thanatos can go fuck itself for all I care!

[Oh and uh as for the answer to your question, you'll be receiving another lightning blast to the face, dragon-shaped for your displeasure.]

[lunadickery]

[He maneuvers himself out of the way, and remains in the air. He's unprepared for this fight, and without his crossbow, cannot go on the offensive without getting close—something he's not planning on doing at the moment.

Her behavior is highly troubling, and her words more so. Jab at Thanatos aside, everything she's said has contributed to his worst fears about Hero TV come true. Oh, he'd always known it was corrupt—what happened to his father was more than enough proof of that—but to the point where they'd purposefully kill them off? And Maverick—he knew there was something suspicious about that man, and now he has a witness.

A witness that's trying to kill him, but a witness nonetheless. For once, he's asking first and shooting later.]

Hmph. Hatred has consumed you, and caused you to be both reckless and foolish. I have no quarrels with Heroes so long as they do not get in my way, and even then I would not conspire with those corrupt corporate executives. Now answer my question:

What did you mean when you said that I conspired with Maverick to kill the Heroes?

[lightningbride]

[Boy howdy, he's really starting to get on her nerves. To think that she'd once talked to him as though he were a rational, sane adult. Why is he asking her questions that he should already know the answers to? Is he trying to rub salt into a still-bleeding wound, making her relive memories she'd rather bury six feet under?

Pao-Lin swings a free hand, using her powers again, but instead of the quick sharp bolts of earlier, it's a whip of lightning she's flinging around, hoping to catch Yuri with it. shut up lightning can totally do that now okay okay]