Kintsugi Plays Fallen Hero: Rebirth

I think I'm gonna vote for "he's not the one running the game" then, bc I would rather avoid a fight if we can.

 

Yeah, Barbie is a negotiator for "her boss", a fight wouldn't make sense.

 

Yeah, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Right now we're a smooth-talker with a few levels in aikido, not a brawler.​

> "He's not the one running the game," I caution her.

"He's not the one running the game," you caution her. You can see the faint nod from the croupier, acknowledging your presence for the first time. "Are you sure you wanna keep saying that?"

"But…" Mecha glares at Jake, then looks at the croupier, then back at Jake. "He…"

"Hey, Mecha, I wouldn't…" Rosie reaches up to tug at her arm, but she bats it away.

"Shut up. You're not the one who's been losing." She glares at Jake.

"If you want to take this outside, I won't stop you." Jake keeps staring at her, but his frown is deepening. "Just to shut you up. You're losing and I'm winning. It's the house you should be pissed at, not me."

"They're catering to you just like everybody else, just because you work for Hollow Ground. Just because they're afraid." She almost spits the last word in his face, and he takes a step back, face darkening.

"Outside, then." The threat is implicit in his words.

"Good," she says with a growl. "Don't wanna get banned. Hold my chair, Rosie; I'll be right back."

The expletives that Rosie is muttering are many and varied, but she doesn't get up to stop her. Not that you think she would have succeeded—Mecha was spoiling for a fight.

Everyone watches as Mecha storms out, followed two steps behind by Jake. If you have to judge from the mumbling that's erupted, people are betting on who will come back inside.

"Crap," Rosie says, shaking her head. "That's not gonna end well."

"Do you care?" The question is sincere, as you don't know how Rosie feels about this Mecha. Maybe you should have been a little bit more conscious of her feelings, but without your telepathy, how could you know?

A question for the ages.​

"Not really," Rosie admits. "I mean I know her, but…not enough to get involved in that mess."

"I know what you mean." You look towards the door, but there's no sign of what is going on outside.

"Are you going to play, then?" the croupier asks patiently, preparing the quantum generator for another round.

　‣ "There's a free seat now, so why not?"
　‣ "No, I'd better get back to my drink."
　‣ I won't play, but I'll give Rosie a suggestion before I go. I feel lucky.

Should we head straight back to our table now that that's dealt with, or play a round with Rosie first? It might look less conspicuous if Barbie came over here to play.​

Spoiler: Show Stats (no change)

CLASSIFIED

Secret Identity: Josie Jacobs
Gender: Non-binary
Description: An average mixed person in their thirties with brown eyes and short, neat curly dark brown hair.

Josie Jacobs is a seasoned, tech-savvy tactician.

Physical Status
Stamina: You are rested.
Willpower: You feel calm.
Injuries: You are fine, with no significant wounds.

Telepathy

Strength of Mind: 50%
████████████████████
Subtle Manipulations: 74%
██████████████▒█████

Standard of Living: You are comfortable.

Psychological Profile

Infamy: 25% / Obscurity: 75%
████████████████████
Arrogance: 11% / Anonymity: 89%
██▒█████████████████
Ruthlessness: 49% / Empathy: 51%
█████████▒██████████
Daring: 45% / Caution: 55%
████████████████████

Main Puppet

Name: Barbara
Puppet Status: Fine.
Description: A tall white woman in her twenties, with blue eyes and long straight blond hair.

Allies and Enemies

Josie's relationship with Ortega: old friend.
Ortega and Josie: 74%
██████████████▒█████

Barbara's relationship with Ortega: flirting.
Ortega and Barbara: 40%
████████████████████

Barbara's relationship with Dr. Mortum: flirting.
Mortum and Barbara: 54%
██████████▒█████████

Josie's relationship with Lady Argent: distant.
Lady Argent and Josie: 0%
████████████████████

Josie's relationship with Marshal Steel: former ally.
Marshal Steel and Josie: 24%
████▒███████████████

Josie's relationship with Herald: distant.
Herald and Josie: 20%
████████████████████

 

How much walking around money did Barbie bring anyways? We don't know what the minimum bet is, or anything.

 

My guess would be that we've been going to Joes long enough to notice how much people are betting. Given that we're well enough off to afford nice clothes for Barbie and two apartments' rent even while saving to pay for a suit of cutting-edge power armor, we're probably good for it. (Of course, it's possible we prefer to avoid gambling regardless.)

 

y'know what, I'll vote for playing a round, why the heck not.

 

> "There's a free seat now, so why not?"

"There's a free seat now, so why not?" You smile widely as you sit down, adjusting the chair.

You don't plan to be here long, but a round or two should allay any suspicions.

> You're Not Really a Gambler

Sitting down, you have the weirdest feeling of déjà vu. Haven't you already done this once? Sat down at a table like this? Smiled at the croupier as he asked for your bet?

(There was a laugh in the background that time as well. A new song through the speakers, a catchy refrain making your smile grow wider.)

For a moment, you're sure the next number that's going to come up will be red twelve.

Just for a moment.

Then the feeling is gone, and the croupier looks at you with his carefully blank face.

"Place your bet, miss."

You smile reflexively, reaching for your money. As you pull some bills out, a new song comes on the speaker. The catchy guitar riff at the start makes your smile grow wider.

Okay. This is getting weird.

　‣ I bet on red twelve. I need to know.
　‣ I bet on red; this way, nobody will think anything is up.
　‣ I bet on black. Better play it safe and lose.

…Well, that's new.​

Spoiler: Show Stats (no change)

CLASSIFIED

Secret Identity: Josie Jacobs
Gender: Non-binary
Description: An average mixed person in their thirties with brown eyes and short, neat curly dark brown hair.

Josie Jacobs is a seasoned, tech-savvy tactician.

Physical Status
Stamina: You are rested.
Willpower: You feel calm.
Injuries: You are fine, with no significant wounds.

Telepathy

Strength of Mind: 50%
████████████████████
Subtle Manipulations: 74%
██████████████▒█████

Standard of Living: You are comfortable.

Psychological Profile

Infamy: 25% / Obscurity: 75%
████████████████████
Arrogance: 11% / Anonymity: 89%
██▒█████████████████
Ruthlessness: 49% / Empathy: 51%
█████████▒██████████
Daring: 45% / Caution: 55%
████████████████████

Main Puppet

Name: Barbara
Puppet Status: Fine.
Description: A tall white woman in her twenties, with blue eyes and long straight blond hair.

Allies and Enemies

Josie's relationship with Ortega: old friend.
Ortega and Josie: 74%
██████████████▒█████

Barbara's relationship with Ortega: flirting.
Ortega and Barbara: 40%
████████████████████

Barbara's relationship with Dr. Mortum: flirting.
Mortum and Barbara: 54%
██████████▒█████████

Josie's relationship with Lady Argent: distant.
Lady Argent and Josie: 0%
████████████████████

Josie's relationship with Marshal Steel: former ally.
Marshal Steel and Josie: 24%
████▒███████████████

Josie's relationship with Herald: distant.
Herald and Josie: 20%
████████████████████

 

>red 12

 

This song is now stuck in my head.​

> I bet on red twelve. I need to know.

It feels like watching yourself reflected in a mirror. There's a strange feeling of unreality as you reach out and put down your bet.

"Red twelve," you say, as you've always said.

"Jesus," Rosie groans. "That much on a single number? That's not how this works."

"I'm betting on beginner's luck." You watch as the numbers begin to spin, faster than your eye can follow. It's all for show, as you know the actual randomization is instantaneous, but there is a need to build up the tension at the table before the result is revealed.

In that brief moment while the holographic wheel is spinning, everyone is a winner. Any croupier would want to drag that moment out.

"Red twelve." The croupier doesn't sound surprised, but he does give you a curious look. "Miss Barbara wins."

"I can't believe it!" Rosie laughs, then slaps your back hard enough to make you cough. "Beginner's luck, huh?"

"That was just talk—I didn't actually expect…" You look at the money in front of you in disbelief as the croupier distributes the other winning bets.

"Guess who's buying the drinks tonight!" Rosie's grin widens.

"Here." You pass her some money, still feeling a bit out of yourself. "I've got a date; have one on me."

"Ten, more like it." Rosie stands up. "I sure haven't had any luck myself tonight—might as well call it."

"As will I." You look around at the muttering players, suddenly feeling as if you've outstayed your welcome. "In fact, drinks all around!" You slap another small pile of money on the table, watching frowns soften into smiles.

The happy murmur as you leave tells you that you did the right thing.

> Dr. Mortum Raises a Toast

You can see Dr. Mortum raising her glass in a toast as you return. "I see your excursion went well?" She smiles and refills your drink. "You are still in one piece."

"Of course. Did you doubt me?"

"Let's just say I was curious about what you were up to." She gives you a look you're finding hard to read.

"Worried?"

"More…" There is a moment's pause as she searches for the right word. "I suppose I was wondering why."

"Because it was fun." You raise your glass with a wink. "Sometimes there's no need for another answer."

"That's true." There is another pause as she leans back, looking up at the ceiling. "I suppose that this is what life is. Chaotic. Random. Violent. Prone to end in to spilled drinks and disappointment."

　‣ "That's bleak," I say, raising an eyebrow.
　‣ "You forgot the fun part," I say, sipping my drink.
　‣ "Nothing is truly random," I say with a knowing smile.

Spoiler: Show Stats (no change)

CLASSIFIED

Secret Identity: Josie Jacobs
Gender: Non-binary
Description: An average mixed person in their thirties with brown eyes and short, neat curly dark brown hair.

Josie Jacobs is a seasoned, tech-savvy tactician.

Physical Status
Stamina: You are rested.
Willpower: You feel calm.
Injuries: You are fine, with no significant wounds.

Telepathy

Strength of Mind: 50%
████████████████████
Subtle Manipulations: 74%
██████████████▒█████

Standard of Living: You are comfortable.

Psychological Profile

Infamy: 25% / Obscurity: 75%
████████████████████
Arrogance: 11% / Anonymity: 89%
██▒█████████████████
Ruthlessness: 49% / Empathy: 51%
█████████▒██████████
Daring: 45% / Caution: 55%
████████████████████

Main Puppet

Name: Barbara
Puppet Status: Fine.
Description: A tall white woman in her twenties, with blue eyes and long straight blond hair.

Allies and Enemies

Josie's relationship with Ortega: old friend.
Ortega and Josie: 74%
██████████████▒█████

Barbara's relationship with Ortega: flirting.
Ortega and Barbara: 40%
████████████████████

Barbara's relationship with Dr. Mortum: flirting.
Mortum and Barbara: 54%
██████████▒█████████

Josie's relationship with Lady Argent: distant.
Lady Argent and Josie: 0%
████████████████████

Josie's relationship with Marshal Steel: former ally.
Marshal Steel and Josie: 24%
████▒███████████████

Josie's relationship with Herald: distant.
Herald and Josie: 20%
████████████████████

 

"Nothing is truly random, and I totally meant to do that."

 

I sure love having the free will to make all these choices as I venture into supervillainy, there's definitely no predestination or entities beyond my reality deciding on my future, yessiree.
/tongue in cheek

 

Thankfully this world has been too busy with cybernetics to advance past 90s-era internet; the last thing Josie needs is to worry they're being controlled by Twitch.​

> "Nothing is truly random," I say with a knowing smile.

"Nothing is truly random," you say with a knowing smile. "There are patterns everywhere if you know where to look."

"And you do, ma chérie?" Dr. Mortum gestures to the room, a small smile creeping into existence.

"You have to," you say quite bluntly, "if you want to survive doing this for a living."

"And this is truly what you want to do?"

"It'll do for now. I bet you didn't start out in this line of work."

"Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to." Her face has gone dark.

"Because the answers would make me a liability?" you ask with a teasing smile. "And liabilities end up disappeared?"

It's not like you're a stranger to secrets.

"Ha!" The laugh is short and sharp enough to almost be a cough. "I knew there was a reason why I liked working with you."

"My boss values their privacy as well." You shrug. "I've had to curb my curiosity."

"And what other things have you had to curb?"

You're not quite sure, but that question almost sounds like a challenge. Is Dr. Mortum trying to sound you out as much as you are her?

　‣ "Wouldn't you like to know," I say with a flirty wink.
　‣ "My ambition. For now," I say with a confident smile.
　‣ "Nothing I can't live without," I say with a shrug.

Ah yes, the standard Barbie dialogue wheel: Deflect flirtatiously/Deflect cockily/Deflect broodingly​

Spoiler: Show Stats (no change)

CLASSIFIED

Secret Identity: Josie Jacobs
Gender: Non-binary
Description: An average mixed person in their thirties with brown eyes and short, neat curly dark brown hair.

Josie Jacobs is a seasoned, tech-savvy tactician.

Physical Status
Stamina: You are rested.
Willpower: You feel calm.
Injuries: You are fine, with no significant wounds.

Telepathy

Strength of Mind: 50%
████████████████████
Subtle Manipulations: 74%
██████████████▒█████

Standard of Living: You are comfortable.

Psychological Profile

Infamy: 25% / Obscurity: 75%
████████████████████
Arrogance: 11% / Anonymity: 89%
██▒█████████████████
Ruthlessness: 49% / Empathy: 51%
█████████▒██████████
Daring: 45% / Caution: 55%
████████████████████

Main Puppet

Name: Barbara
Puppet Status: Fine.
Description: A tall white woman in her twenties, with blue eyes and long straight blond hair.

Allies and Enemies

Josie's relationship with Ortega: old friend.
Ortega and Josie: 74%
██████████████▒█████

Barbara's relationship with Ortega: flirting.
Ortega and Barbara: 40%
████████████████████

Barbara's relationship with Dr. Mortum: flirting.
Mortum and Barbara: 54%
██████████▒█████████

Josie's relationship with Lady Argent: distant.
Lady Argent and Josie: 0%
████████████████████

Josie's relationship with Marshal Steel: former ally.
Marshal Steel and Josie: 24%
████▒███████████████

Josie's relationship with Herald: distant.
Herald and Josie: 20%
████████████████████

 

I say deflect flirtatiously.

 

> "Wouldn't you like to know," I say with a flirty wink.

"Wouldn't you like to know," you say with a flirty wink. In Barbara's body, that's usually enough to distract most conversations.

"What do you mean?" The question is deceptively innocent. Her eyes are not.

"That's for you to figure out," you say with a cryptic smile. "If you're interested enough."

"Really? Good thing that our collaboration is not yet ended, then. Speaking of collaboration, I was thinking…" Dr. Mortum seems to take the hint and changes to safer, more neutral subjects like your armor designs.

Good. Hopefully things can stay that way for the rest of the evening.

> Just an Ordinary Night Out

Later That Night

Much later.

The cab brought you home without incident, and now you're sitting in the kitchen trying to calm your restless thoughts while your puppet sleeps her dreamless sleep.

Dreamless. You wish the same could be said for you. Talking with Dr. Mortum made you think a little too much.

Thinking can be dangerous, and yet…

Why?

You've asked yourself that question so many times. Why are you doing this? Revenge? Anger? Justice? It's not too late to back out. Not yet. You could pay off Dr. Mortum and bury the suit in your closet once it gets finished. Nobody needs to know.

And yet…

Is that really an option? Go back into hiding? Live a life in the shadows, pretending they will never find you? Maybe you would have had a shot at that before you ran into Ortega, but now the clock is ticking. All you can do is make sure you are as prepared as possible.

So, why are you doing this?

　‣ I want revenge against the people who hurt me.
　‣ I've had enough of being stepped on.
　‣ I want a good life, and this is the way I can have it.
　‣ I need to show the world the truth.
　‣ I don't know what I want—this just feels inevitable.

Two years of lying low, scheming, risking everything… and for what? What drove us to such lengths? What is it we want out of all this?

The chance to make them pay for what they've done to us? To seize control, by force, from a world that oppressed us? To finally live a real life? To expose the ugly truth for all to see? Did we ever even have a choice?

You tell me.

(Feel free to vote for however many options you're leaning towards; I realize this is a pretty broad question to give a single answer.)​

Spoiler: Show Stats (no change)

CLASSIFIED

Secret Identity: Josie Jacobs
Gender: Non-binary
Description: An average mixed person in their thirties with brown eyes and short, neat curly dark brown hair.

Josie Jacobs is a seasoned, tech-savvy tactician.

Physical Status
Stamina: You are rested.
Willpower: You feel calm.
Injuries: You are fine, with no significant wounds.

Telepathy

Strength of Mind: 50%
████████████████████
Subtle Manipulations: 74%
██████████████▒█████

Standard of Living: You are comfortable.

Psychological Profile

Infamy: 25% / Obscurity: 75%
████████████████████
Arrogance: 11% / Anonymity: 89%
██▒█████████████████
Ruthlessness: 49% / Empathy: 51%
█████████▒██████████
Daring: 45% / Caution: 55%
████████████████████

Main Puppet

Name: Barbara
Puppet Status: Fine.
Description: A tall white woman in her twenties, with blue eyes and long straight blond hair.

Allies and Enemies

Josie's relationship with Ortega: old friend.
Ortega and Josie: 74%
██████████████▒█████

Barbara's relationship with Ortega: flirting.
Ortega and Barbara: 40%
████████████████████

Barbara's relationship with Dr. Mortum: flirting.
Mortum and Barbara: 54%
██████████▒█████████

Josie's relationship with Lady Argent: distant.
Lady Argent and Josie: 0%
████████████████████

Josie's relationship with Marshal Steel: former ally.
Marshal Steel and Josie: 24%
████▒███████████████

Josie's relationship with Herald: distant.
Herald and Josie: 20%
████████████████████

 

> Vengeance

 

> Show the world the truth; some of the comments about Before Sideslip and that flash to the gates has me Wondering

 

Currently we're tied at one vote each for "I want revenge against the people who hurt me" and "I need to show the world the truth". (Or two votes for revenge if that like is a vote?) Anyone else have an opinion on why we're doing this?

 

oh yes sorry
do consider the like a vote
I love vengeance

 

> Make them pay.​

> I want revenge against the people who hurt me.

There is no way you are going to get back at the people who ruined your life if you continue to follow the rules they made. You have to step outside the system. You have to break the rules.

They've already said that everybody who doesn't agree with them is wrong, so why not take that final step and become a villain? It's not like you have many other alternatives. There is nobody else you can trust with this. Nobody who will fight on your behalf. If you want revenge, you are going to have to take your fate into your own hands.

That's why you've reinvented yourself. You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs, and Sidestep was the first one that got broken.

If it stops there, you will be lucky.

Since she came back into your life, you have pondered telling Ortega the truth. Maybe she would believe the truth. Maybe she would work together with you.

But as nice as those fantasies are, you also know that they are just that. Fantasies.

Ortega works for the government. She believes in it. Even if she listened to you long enough to start doubting, she would insist that you go and talk to the authorities. They can't all be bad.

Shows what she knows.

> Soon the Waiting Will End

It's been a grueling two years. This isn't how you want your life to be. You keep staring at the cup of coffee sitting on your kitchen table. It smells good, and part of you takes comfort in that.

Those are the kinds of options you have now. The option to buy good coffee and brew it yourself. The option to sit at a comfortable kitchen table drinking it, even though it's past midnight. Time turns strange when you run two bodies.

And the option to pick what paper you want to read. You actually bought one yesterday because paper makes things feel more real than digital does.

It feels good to tear the page out. To look at it. To crumple it up in your hands like it matters.

And it does. Matter.

What you're holding is nothing less than the site of your debut, the place where, after so much deliberation, you will reveal yourself to the world. Where all the sweat, pain and sacrifices will be realized into your new self. You smooth out the page again and read the article once more, even though you know it by heart.

> Reread the Article

"The Heroic Heritage Museum—Set for a Grand Reopening in Los Diablos," the headline says. You read on.

"When Mayor Alvarez officially opens the Heroic Heritage Museum next week with a grand benefit gala, it will mark the end of a painful restoration project.

"The work ran one year over schedule and millions of dollars over budget. The most famous of the Los Diablos city museums has been closed since the Shasta Quake two years ago. Renovation was delayed by a dispute over city funds in the wake of the budget crisis.

"'I'm glad that it's finally been completed,' says museum director Gerard Cho. 'The museum is a symbol of the heroic spirit of the West Coast, and I'm proud to see it stand tall once more.'

"On Wednesday, the last of the collections were moved back, including the famous 'W'—the last surviving letter from the iconic Hollywood sign. Some collections still remain in storage to allow for the gala to be held in the museum halls. The proceeds from the gala will go towards the museum endowment fund.

"'Everything has changed,' says Shaniqua Jones, the museum's director of collections."

> Finish Reading

You skim through the rest of the page, thinking back to your plans instead. There will be celebrities there, and thus it will be crawling with the press. This is the perfect way to get a flying start and cement your reputation as a villain to be reckoned with.

There will be heroes there, and you are willing to bet they will include at least one of the Rangers. That's part of why the government foots their bill—to have a team to show off and placate the populace.

Smoothing out the page, you ponder your options as you look at the pictured building. There's going to be a big media presence. It's a central location. If something happens there, the headlines will be huge.

They could be your headlines. They should be your headlines.

But what kind?

Your coffee has gotten cold, but it doesn't matter because your mind is already at work. You have decided how you want the world to first learn of your presence.

　‣ Destroying the museum building will strike fear into everyone.
　‣ I get the opportunity to take the Rangers out on camera.
　‣ There will be an exhibit of Sidestep. I'll destroy my past before it destroys me….
　‣ Robbing the gala will give me the funds I need.

This museum's rebirth has been in the works for as long as our own—naturally, we have plans for it.

A heroic symbol like this is almost asking to be destroyed, reduced to the ashes from which a new villain is born. Or, maybe better yet, to be the stage on which the government and public see their heroes crushed before their eyes. It could also be the perfect chance for closure, using our first act of villainy to bury our former self for good. Or perhaps we should recognize the city's charitable spirit and put the proceeds towards a better cause: ours.

Which did we have in mind?​

Spoiler: Show Stats (no change)

CLASSIFIED

Secret Identity: Josie Jacobs
Gender: Non-binary
Description: An average mixed person in their thirties with brown eyes and short, neat curly dark brown hair.

Josie Jacobs is a seasoned, tech-savvy tactician.

Physical Status
Stamina: You are rested.
Willpower: You feel calm.
Injuries: You are fine, with no significant wounds.

Telepathy

Strength of Mind: 50%
████████████████████
Subtle Manipulations: 74%
██████████████▒█████

Standard of Living: You are comfortable.

Psychological Profile

Infamy: 25% / Obscurity: 75%
████████████████████
Arrogance: 11% / Anonymity: 89%
██▒█████████████████
Ruthlessness: 49% / Empathy: 51%
█████████▒██████████
Daring: 45% / Caution: 55%
████████████████████

Main Puppet

Name: Barbara
Puppet Status: Fine.
Description: A tall white woman in her twenties, with blue eyes and long straight blond hair.

Allies and Enemies

Josie's relationship with Ortega: old friend.
Ortega and Josie: 74%
██████████████▒█████

Barbara's relationship with Ortega: flirting.
Ortega and Barbara: 40%
████████████████████

Barbara's relationship with Dr. Mortum: flirting.
Mortum and Barbara: 54%
██████████▒█████████

Josie's relationship with Lady Argent: distant.
Lady Argent and Josie: 0%
████████████████████

Josie's relationship with Marshal Steel: former ally.
Marshal Steel and Josie: 24%
████▒███████████████

Josie's relationship with Herald: distant.
Herald and Josie: 20%
████████████████████