[Fan Fiction] Thunder Time

[jolikmc]

AKA, "The Life and Times of Kaitlin Chou"

Thinking about KaitlinEXE's namesake character, again. The "classic" version. Deeply considering writing my own spin on her backstory and history.

I actually have everything sorted and organized in my head, too…



In The Beginning

• Dr. David Chou creates DChN-000: "Kaitlin", a prototype robot, loosely based on the specifications of the "Right Labs" robots. (Rock, Roll, et cetera.)
• Kaitlin lives a happy and love-filled life with her "father", sometimes helping him with his work, sometimes keeping the manor tidy, and sometimes playing games. She absolutely adores her father, and he seems pretty attached to her, too.
• Eventually, Dr. Chou created more robots: a butler, a nurse, a dog, and a maid. Thus, Kaitlin how has two "sisters" and two "brothers", adding more warmth and joy to the manor.
• During a trip into town, Dr. Wily and his robots attack! Kaitlin, having a strong sense of justice despite her sweet nature, grabs a makeshift weapon and tries to help people only to be knocked unconscious. Dr. Wily scoops up Kaitlin and takes her to his fortress for further examination.

Just a Robot

• Dr. Wily reprograms Kaitlin to be "his" robot and tasks her with cleaning the castle, since she's "useless" for anything else. She happily obliges.
• Over time, Kaitlin's sweet nature ebbs away, her continued attempts to be "the perfect daughter" to Dr. Wily having no effect. She eventually becomes jaded and resigned.
• Regular harrassment from some of her "brothers" hardens her heart and she becomes increasingly sarcastic and temperamental. In particular, Kaitlin butts heads with Heatman more ofen than not. He seems to live to torment her. This infuriates her - doubly so as she can't fight him directly. She's "just a normal robot" after all. She does form a bond with one or two of Wily's robots, but for the most part, she just wants to be left alone.
• Kaitlin becomes bitter, angry, and confused as to Dr. Wily even "created" her if he just ignores her. It drives her to some very dark places…

Like a Bolt of Lightning

• As time marches on, Kaitlin watches as her "father" fails to defeat the super fighting robot, Rockman, over and over. It brings her some joy to see her "dad" humbled like that, even though he takes it out on everyone around him.
• While cleaning one day, she notices a life broadcast of Dr. Wily fighting Rockman and some other robots she recognizes. However, one robot particularly catches her attention. It was the electric robot, Elecman, created by Dr. Thomas Light.
• Her heart raced as she watched in awe as Elecman struck down robot minions with grace and style, controlling his electricity with such finess that she couldn't help but stare, her brown eyes glued to the television set. When Elec Man smiled and winked at the camera, her heart skipped a beat and her face warmed. She knew, for the first time in her life, what she wanted.
• As soon as a defeated Dr. Wily came home, she ran into his lab, her voice frantic and eyes sparkling. She told him she wanted electrical powers like Elecman. He ignored her. She persisted, getting louder and louder until eventually, he snapped at her and shouted for her to get out of his face. As she trudged away, she heard him mutter about what a "useless" and "needy" robot she was, only adding fuel to her inner fire.

Electrical Communication

• As Kaitlin angrily pouted, she was approached by her least favorite "brother", Heatman. She tried to dismiss him, but when he mentioned he'd overheard her "conversation" and said he "could help", her desires overwhelmed her sense of caution. She tentatively asked what he meant, and he led her to Dr. Wily's archives. There, they found backup schematics for Elecman… which Heatman commented could be retrofitted to her body.
• While Kaitlin was being prepared for conversion by Junkman and Sheepman, Heatman commented that she would "owe him one" if this worked. She didn't care, though. She wanted electric powers more than anything. She wanted to be able to defend herself and fight for justice. She wanted to be like her new hero…
• The conversion process was rough and full of hurdles to overcome. None of the available Robot Masters had anywhere near the scientific expertise as their creator, but through trial and error and some "meatball surgery", they eventually managed to install a junky, old electric generator into Kaitlin's chassis.
• Kaitlin woke up sometime later to see Heatman grinning ominously at her. He teased her, saying that the process didn't work because she was "too weak" and "completely useless". Needless to say, she was stunned when she zapped him across the room with a hard blast of electrical energy.
• As Kaitlin played with her new abilities, she was reminded by Heatman that she owed him a favor. Once again, she didn't care. She was overjoyed that things had worked!
• Not long after, she was fitted with a teleportation module and a "Quick Change" unit, designed her battle armor, and set out to make a name for herself.

Thundergirl: Defender of Justice

• The new hero - a little girl in purple with "thunder" powers - made waves among the news media. "Thundergirl" was getting recognition and fame by stopping muggings and robberies. You have to crawl before you can walk, after all!
• Once she's more confident, she branches out, fighting her "brothers" and stopping Dr. Wily's schemes where she can. It doesn't always work, however, since she's not quite as powerful as she'd like. She still can't beat Heatman, for example, mostly because he knows just what buttons to press to get under her synthetic skin.
• Dr. Wily eventually finds out about Kaitlin's unauthorized conversion and demands to know the whys and hows. Kaitlin smugly tells her that she doesn't know what he's talking about, frustrating him to no end. He eventually storms off in a tizzy, complaining about how his robots keep turning against him. This brings her some comfort, but she feels guilty, too. A part of her, buried down deep, still wants to be his "daughter"…
• Eventually, she voulenteers to be a part of his attacking forces. He begrudgingly lets her despite his concerns about her loyalty.

Robot Revelation

• Thundergirl's journey takes a dramatic turn when she encounters one "the old her's" family during a raid on Chou Manor. They're all stunned to see a familiar face attacking with Wily's robots.
• At one point, Thundergirl corners the nurse robot, Farfalla Chou. She's about to strike when Farfalla says, with crying eyes, that she still loves her "older sister" and misses her dearly. Thundergirl immediately demands to know what she means… and Farfalla reveals Thundergirl's past.
• Hearing that she was once one of the Chou series of robots gives Thundergirl pause. She's about to ask questions when she hears Turboman call to her. Rockman finally arrived on the scene and he brought reinforcements. She quickly scans the field for Elecman, but he's not there, so she retreats with the Wily robots.
• That same night, Thundergirl comes back to Chou Manor and corners Farfalla. She orders the nurse 'bot to tell her everything. Farfalla hesitantly complies.
• Thundergirl staggers as she hears the whole story… about how she was created to be Dr. Chou's friend and "daughter", how she lived happily at Chou Manor with her "family", and how she disappeared during a Wily attack sometime after. Dr. Wily's programming prevents her from remembering any of that, but somewhere deep inside, she knows Farfalla is right.
• Slowly, negative emotions and doubts bubble up within Kaitlin. She cries angry tears, demanding to know why Dr. Chou never tried to rescue her. Farfalla, sadly, has no answer.
• Farfalla tries to tell Kaitlin how much it hurt him when Kaitlin was taken away, but Kaitlin isn't interested. From her viewpoint, Dr. Chou abandoned her. She grew angry and distrustful, threatening Farfalla. It was only when she heard the others coming that she decided to leave - but not before making Farfalla swear not to tell their so-called "father" about her.
• The others came in as Thundergirl left. As Farfalla sat in the corner, shaking and crying, she assured her family that she was alright. She even went as far as to make up a lie about who had "attacked" her. Above all, though… she was just hurt and confused. "Thundergirl" wasn't the same girl she loved… and she silently wondered just what Dr. Wily had done to make her poor older sister so angry, mistrustful, and bitter.

Brand New Way

• Thundergirl continues to fight for justice. She struggles with her mixed feelings about her "fathers", Drs. Chou and Wily, and occasionally meets in secret with Farfalla to learn more about herself.
• Eventually, Farfalla earns Kaitlin's trust, but Kaitlin refuses to return "home". She was different, now… and she wasn't sure she wanted to give her creator another chance to break her heart and betray her trust. Farfalla didn't like hearing that, but she understood and continued to keep Kaitlin's double life a secret from everyone.