003; action

[mistyarc]

[Ever since Sophie's abduction, Hubert's been more quiet than usual. While there had been signs of a struggle, he can't help but think she might've gone with the droids after he'd filled her head with ideas of talking to the Malnosso. He knows the experience is going to be unpleasant for her even if she might get that chance, and that sure

Comments

[lightningcute]

[In the middle of his practice, Hubert may notice this young lass standing off to the side, watching in awe as he goes through his forms. IS THAT A SWORD THINGY THAT TURNS INTO GUNS, OMG SO COOL SDFLKAJKDAJF WHAAAARGARBL]

[lightningcute]

[She's so happy to be able to talk about everyone back home! It's the next best thing to having them there with her, and she thinks everyone else should know how awesome they are, anyway. She starts counting off on her fingers.]

Well, there's Sky High, Blue Rose, Origami Cyclone, Rock Bison, Fire Emblem, Wild Tiger, and Barnaby Brooks Jr., who doesn't technically have a Hero name like the rest of us, but Wild Tiger likes to call him "Bunny" all the time. [ISN'T THAT SO BADASS pffffft gigglesnort.]

[mistyarc]

Bu . . . Bunny . . .

[That's not silly at all. A hero can make anything awesome and incredible! He must hear more.]

Please, go on.

[lightningcute]

Hmm...well, who would you like to hear about first? [They're all awesomefolk, after all!]

[mistyarc]

[How do you expect him to choose, Pao-lin. But fine, since he's the last one they mentioned -- ]

Why don't we start with Barnaby Brooks Jr.?

[lightningcute]

Barnaby is the newest Hero on the team. He used to be kind of standoffish and quiet, so I didn't get to talk with him much at first. But it turns out he's a really nice person, and a good Hero too -- he won the King of Heroes title in his first season on HeroTV! He's one of the most popular Heroes on the show, especially with girls.

[mistyarc]

[He nods when she finishes, soaking in the information.]

Impressive, just as expected. If I may, why doesn't he have a Hero name like the rest of you?

[lightningcute]

Umm... [Pao-lin thinks back to the press conference Barnaby -- or rather, Mr. Maverick -- gave during the Jake Martinez incident.] He was looking for the guy who killed his parents when he was a kid, so in honor of his father he kept his real name as kind of a "challenge" to the murderer.

[mistyarc]

[Even Heroes have tragic pasts. This is just like the comics, but real.]

What intensity . . . Did he find the person responsible?

[lightningcute]

[Pao-lin sighs, her cheer fading just a bit. She crosses her arms as she gazes off to the side.]

We thought we did, at first. There was this guy, Jake Martinez, who was a really dangerous criminal. His friend Kriem took the entire city of Sternbild hostage in exchange for his freedom, but even when he was freed they wouldn't let the city go. Instead, Jake challenged the Heroes to one-on-one battles with him, with each Hero being chosen at random, and if even one of them could land a hit on him, he'd admit defeat. [A sigh.] He defeated Sky High, Rock Bison, and Wild Tiger before Barnaby stepped up to fight him.

[mistyarc]

[Not one, but three Heroes. Hubert lowers his head, thinking.]

I take it that Barnaby won. Was Martinez so well-guarded or agile that it was nearly impossible to strike him even once?

[lightningcute]

[Pao-lin nods.]

Barnaby won, but he needed help from Wild Tiger, who left the hospital once he figured out what Jake's shtick was. You see, most NEXT -- that's people like me with superhuman powers -- only have one power, but Jake had two.

[She holds up one finger.]

First, he had the ability to create defensive barriers, but he found a way to use them offensively, by firing them as concentrated bursts so that they were kind of like energy blasts. So he had a way to both attack and defend himself.

[A second finger.]

The second power he had, which none of us knew about until he blabbed about having one, was mind-reading. So he could predict his opponents' every move.

[mistyarc]

so he was strictly a defensive unit who turned his first ability into an offensive one.

[Clever. As expected of a troublesome antagonist. He nods.]

But a fine display of teamwork can overtake even that.

About NEXT [he says it a little slowly because the term is a foreign one] -- would yours have anything to do with the lightning you mentioned in your introduction?

[lightningcute]

[Hubert is more right about the teamwork aspect of the Jake Martinez incident than he knows.]

Yep! I create and control lightning. I manifested my powers about seven years ago, and I've been working hard to practice using my powers ever since. [She glances at him.] I can show you, if you want...?

[mistyarc]

[Just like -- he nods hastily. This is a golden opportunity to witness a Hero's power at work.]

Y-yes! . . . If you would.

[lightningcute]

[HOORAY! More opportunities to show off!

Pao-lin skips back to give herself more space to do her moves and settles into a stance. After a few moments of centering herself, her eyes and body glow neon blue.

She enters into a rapid-fire series of kicks and punches punctuated by bursts of electricity. At the end of it, she flings out a hand and lets out a yell. A dragon made of pure lightning erupts from her palm, its mouth open as though it's going to devour something. It's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, since it lasts for under a second.

With her routine finished, Pao-lin glances back at Hubert and smiles hopefully. Maybe it isn't quite as cool as his bladed gun things, but it's still pretty neat, right?]