"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

[talontrot]

Well, then what the heck am I? I'm your friend!

[This is... disturbing, honestly. Where the hell did her buddy go? Her Hero buddy? The person she's done so much with in Luceti...?]

C'mon, Pao-Lin! You can't tell me you don't recognize me. Of all heroes!

[lightningbride]

[She snarls at the mention of the word "heroes".]

You're a Hero? You mean to tell me that that motherfucker Maverick has decided to start putting robot animals on HeroTV? [Her friends were killed and replaced by animals. This might not be the ultimate insult to their memory, but it certainly comes pretty damn close.] I suppose the H-01 androids got sent to the scrap heap, then. [A nasty smile.] Don't worry, you'll end up there soon enough. It's just a matter of time. In fact, I'll send you on the express route.

[Aaaaand swinging that sword! Act fast, Kazooie.]

[talontrot]

[Her internal E-rating is screaming at that choice of insult, but there's no time to react to that - the sword in her face is a bigger thing to worry about.

Luckily, Kazooie is nothing if not quick. She darts aside with the strange cartoon grace of a breegull, swinging her neck under the blade.]

What the heck do you think you're doing?! Are you totally wacko?!

[Torn between wanting to reason with her - for once, as Pao-Lin is her friend - and wanting to fight back, Kazooie lets her wings vibrate, the rasterized feathers swaying as she stares down her beak at the person she thought she could trust.]

Look. I dunno what nutty ideas the Malnosso-guys put in your head. But I'm not a robot - I hate robots! - and I'm not from your world and you're IN LUCETI!

[lightningbride]

[Totally not listening, yup. Pao-Lin swings and stabs with her katana, her mind totally focused on taking this ersatz Hero down. And this time she's even charged that sword with her lightning powers. Prepare to be taser-stabbed.]

[talontrot]

[Well, okay, fine. If that's how it's gonna be...

Then that's how it's gonna be.

Kazooie pushes her feelings away as best as she can, eyes narrowing a little, and focuses on the blows of that katana, dodging as best she can. The air is filled with the smell of lightning and burnt feathers as she weaves and dodges.

But she's not perfect. Eventually, a blow connects - to her own wing. Pain lances through her - it's not as raw as the organic pain she would've felt if it had been a Filial wing, but it still hurts and it's a reminder that this Pao-Lin doesn't know her anymore, doesn't care about not hurting her.

Maybe she shouldn't care either.

And so Kazooie retaliates this time - a stabbing Beak Barge-esque maneouvre, aimed at her mid-section. It's not meant to do more than cripple her - though Kazooie might misjudge her own strength - but even that is a concession.]

[lightningbride]

[Pao-Lin manages to dodge Kazooie's attack for the most part, but she still gets clipped on the arm by Kazooie's beak. No matter -- she's managed to position herself behind Kazooie, and she's aiming to make Kazooie-kabob with her katana.]

[talontrot]

[Her Filial wings...!

Kazooie doesn't turn fast enough, and the blade nicks into one flesh-and-blood wing, sending a bright bolt of pain through Kazooie's senses - this is more intense than anything save the attacks she's felt on the drafts, and it's actually overwhelming for a second.

She stumbles away, almost tripping over her talons, green eyes wide with the haze of pain and shock.]

Awk - !

[What happens next is reflex. She spews an Ice Egg - just long enough to crouch and aim, so maybe it won't hit straight on. In her pain, she probably isn't aiming well. But if it does connect, it should comically freeze the limb in place...

And even a second might help, in a fight like this. That is, if Kazooie can keep her focus long enough to even attack...]

[lightningbride]

[Okay, yeah, that definitely caught Pao-Lin off-guard. She holds her sword out in front of her to block, but the resulting blast ends up freezing her hands to her sword hilt. She was holding her katana two-handed anyway, so in some ways it's not a big deal, but it doesn't offer her the maneuverability that she likes.

So while she's trying to break free from that, she'll kick out with a foot, sending a blast of lightning Kazooie's way.]

[talontrot]

[That, at least, gives her a second to be preoccupied, and gives Kazooie a second to react to that lightning.

She's dodged patterns like this before - in a way, her mind is shifting back to the mode she was in when she was fighting Grunty for the first time. The pattern of bolts, the little spaces between the strikes - it was always the same way.

Kazooie knows, now, that in Luceti, things don't work like that. People don't always do stuff in the exact way that will let you attack them and then scurry away long enough to evade the next move.

... But she's hoping that dodging and attacking, this time, will work. So for now, jumping out of the way of the bolt is her best bet.]

Why won't you listen?!

[And before she prepares herself to spit something with a little more oomph -] I didn't wanna hurt you, Pao-Lin! You're my friend!

[But even friends have to fight sometimes.

Why did it have to be like this, though?]

[lightningbride]

[The Bride of Heroes is through with talking. She is not compromising on this -- she wants your head on a platter and she's going to get it. She is angry at the utter betrayal of her ideals and her friends...because it's easier than grieving over it.

Pao-Lin smashes her frozen hands into a nearby lamppost, finally shattering the ice and freeing her grip. She rushes Kazooie again.]

/hoping this tag is okay, sob

[talontrot]

[Well, Kazooie is angry too, as a fellow hero. This isn't fair. She did nothing wrong this time.

Only the Malnosso did. And now Kazooie is being punished for it.

There are only seconds to react, now, and Kazooie hurts a little inside when she does this - but she has to, she has to fight back, she can't just let Pao-Lin hurt her even if it is her friend -]

I'm sorry!

[She means it, even as she spits the Fire Egg.

... It'll hurt, if it hits. It sets the target on fire, after all, and even cartoony flames hurt.]

/it is more than okay, LMFAO (and mild compared to what we're actually planning)

[lightningbride]

[Holy shit, that was definitely not expected. Pao-Lin swings her sword at the last minute, slicing the projectile in two. Another slash fires a whip of lightning in Kazooie's direction.]

oh yes indeed 8|;;

[talontrot]

[This time, Kazooie is ready, and though the shock dances through her system, she mostly shakes it off - it hurts, yes, but not enough to throw her off.

Retaliating with another volley of Fire Eggs - this time, though, she aims slightly lower than Pao-Lin, intending to set the ground on fire as well for a distraction. While that's happening, she'll high-tail it out of here, hopefully...]