"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

[shadedsunlight]

[Alice is out and about, enjoying the day for all it is. It's a nice kind of day. She pauses when she sees Pao-Lin, tilts her head slightly as she takes in the much older than normal woman and her weapon of choice.

Concerned? ...Not really.]

Trading staff for blade, huh, Pao-Lin?

[purestpurifier]

[Well, it's the jumpsuit that stands out immediately to him. Considering she had been taken away some time ago, Mega Man couldn't resist rushing over to talk to his friend... but feels a strange sensation as he realizes she's... taller. But hey, whatever, right? If height was all the Malnosso did to her, it couldn't be bad, right?]

Pao-Lin! Hey! You're back!

[talontrot]

[Well.

That's new.

Kazooie stops mid-glide, dropping in low next to her jumpsuit-clad friend. Something is really weird, and she needs to talk about it.]

... Pao-Lin? You, uh, feelin' okay?

[... Definitely looks odd. Why's she so much taller?]

[lightningbride]

[Pao-Lin whirls around with a suspicious glare. She hasn't actually drawn her sword, but there's a tension in her body that suggests that she had been on the verge of doing so.]

Do I know you? [Because this woman should not know Pao-Lin, or so Pao-Lin believes.]

[lightningbride]

[Her reaction to Mega Man is considerably friendlier than to Alice, since he's clearly just a kid. True, he's only a few years younger than she is right now, but her own memories of being that age seem a lifetime ago.

When she glances over her shoulder at the sound of her name, Pao-Lin blinks confusedly for a moment, then gives an apologetic smile.]

I'm sorry, I don't think we've met before.

[lightningbride]

['sup, birdbuddy. Hope you like having the business end of a katana pointed at you. You'll have to forgive Pao-Lin, since she has no idea who the hell you are -- or hell, even what the hell you are. You look like a giant cartoon bird, but those shouldn't exist in her world. Because this is still her world, right?]

Who are you?

[shadedsunlight]

[Alice cocks an eyebrow at her.] It's, you know, me? Alice? Ah. Malnosso probably got in your mind. Does explain why you're older looking.

[purestpurifier]

Huh?

[He looks puzzled, troubled, really. ...He can tell she's being sincere, just by her mannerisms, but this just feels wrong.]

...We haven't? ...Guess you don't remember the name "Mega Man" then?

[lightningbride]

[...]

The only person that has ever gotten into my mind is Albert Maverick, and I'll be damned if he or anyone else does it to me again.

[lightningbride]

Can't say I've heard of you before. [A wry, sad smile.] "Mega Man", huh? You thinking of becoming a Hero or something with a name like that?

[purestpurifier]

[Mega Man blinks. He could swear this woman was the spitting image of Pao-Lin. But why didn't she remember?... Well, maybe it's better not to push it. If she doesn't remember his name, it's probably no good to keep going.]

...Well, not really. I'm a Digger, kind of like an explorer and treasure hunter. "Mega Man" is my actual name. I know, it's... kind of strange, but it's what Gramps gave me, and I like.

hmm I clearly need at least one other smile icon for Bride-Lin, lol

[lightningbride]

[A Digger? Pao-Lin's never heard of that job before. She wonders what country he's from.]

I see. Well, that's good. I won't have to tell you to stay far away from HeroTV, then.

Possibly!

[purestpurifier]

...Why's that?

[He genuinely does look confused about this one, and he's not actually trying to pry, but he's not one to take warnings lightly.]

[shadedsunlight]

[...Yep. Mallies got to her.]

So... Who's Albert Maverick?

[lightningbride]

An...old friend...I'm looking to settle things with. [Glances around.] Don't suppose you get HeroTV around these parts, do you? And where is this place, anyway?

[lightningbride]

Because it's a sham, run by some of the dirtiest bastards ever to walk this earth. [She places a hand on her hip and looks around.] Doesn't look like you get TV around here, though, so that's good. Means you don't have to deal with that.

[purestpurifier]

A sham? Like, are they the ones who cause the problems that Heroes are needed for anyway?

[It's the only deduction he can actually make, given what she's told him.]

1/2

[lightningbride]

2/2

[lightningbride]

[She smirks at him.]

Smart kid, aren't you? Wish I'd been as smart as you when I became a Hero. Everything's so obvious in retrospect.

[talontrot]

[Sharp blades are not things Kazooie enjoys having shoved into her face, regardless of who it's attached to or why. She backs off, wings flicking aggressively, and looks almost shocked, up the length of Pao-Lin's katana.]

You don't recognize me? What'd the Malnosso-guys do to your head this time? I mean, sheesh, walking around all tall and stuff might be cool, but then you go tryin' to stab your buddy in the face!

[shadedsunlight]

Yeaaah... about that. You're in Luceti. Actually, you've been in Luceti for awhile, but you don't remember it since there are these guys called the Malnosso that like to mess with memories. [Alice shrugs carelessly.] You'll be back to normal soon enough.

[ozwell]

[There's something very different and very familiar about this woman, and it doesn't take a genius to figure out where the resemblance comes from. Since they're in close enough proximity, he ventures a guess.]

Pao-Lin?

[Perhaps a relative?]

[lightningbride]

[Hearing her name -- and not even her Hero name, but her real name -- from all these people that supposedly know her from this place she's never even seen before in her life is starting to really grate on her nerves...and make her more than a little paranoid. More than usual, anyway.]

Who wants to know?

[lightningbride]

[Pao-Lin is tempted to call bullshit on this, but the mention of memory manipulation gives her pause. Not because she thinks Alice is telling the truth about the Malnosso messing with her mind, but because if the Malnosso can apparently manipulate memories, then that might mean...]

What do you know about the Malnosso? Any connection at all to Apollon Media?

[lightningbride]

[Huh. This one mentioned the Malnosso too. Pao-Lin still has no idea what Kazooie is supposed to be. Is this an illusion, the result of some NEXT power she isn't aware of? Or maybe this is one of Rotwang's upgraded androids? This bird looks pretty organic to her, in a cartoony way...but then again Rotwang has made leaps and strides in the aesthetics department for his little metallic monstrosities, thanks to the revenue that HeroTV was bringing in.]

I have no friends. Albert Maverick killed them all. [Stiiiiilllll not lowering that blade.] You know anything about him?