Kintsugi Plays Fallen Hero: Rebirth

Discussion in 'It's Galley's Turn' started by keltena, Dec 31, 2022.

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  1. keltena

    keltena putting the fun in executive dysfunction

    It would be easier to imagine if we could read her mind :///
     
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  2. keltena

    keltena putting the fun in executive dysfunction

    Incidentally, while it's hard to be sure without reading her mind, I suspect Ortega would like an answer to her question:
     
  3. KarrinBlue

    KarrinBlue Magical Girl Intern

    This meeting went so well let's do it again
     
    • Like x 1
  4. keltena

    keltena putting the fun in executive dysfunction

    In for a penny, in for a pound, right?

    > Keep your enemies closer…I agree to meet again.

    "I would love to get together again." It is harder to say than you thought it would be, but it's not entirely a lie. Ortega might be a risk, and an exhausting one at that, but you feel more alive than you have in months.

    Besides, this way you will be sure to be the first one to hear about her reactions to the things that you are planning. As long as you can keep a straight face, this might even be fun.

    "I'm glad to hear that." Ortega laughs a little, and you realize that she must have felt more nervous than you thought. "Was a bit worried there for a while—don't want to turn into a crazy stalker."

    "Do you really think I would have let you get this close if you were?"

    "Good point. So…" There's the briefest moment of hesitation before she continues. "…How would you feel like going to a proper party?"

    "Proper?" You frown a little, unsure what she means.

    "The Heroic Heritage Museum is going to reopen with some sort of benefit gala, and I'm going to have to be there. You know, sort of in the line of duty, but with nicer clothes."

    >

    You pride yourself at being able to keep a straight face. You suspected that Ortega might be there, as she's never said no to a party, but you hadn't anticipated being invited yourself. Was that why she wanted to meet you face-to-face in the first place? To ask you out?

    "I mean, if that's too…" Ortega makes a vague motion of her hand, tilting her head a little as she tries to read your hesitation. Perhaps your face wasn't as straight as you thought.

    "You do remember that I didn't go to things like that even back then, right?" Not to mention that you are already going there in another body.

    "Yes, but that was back when you had a secret identity. Now you're retired. Nobody's going to care right now. You said it yourself. Sidestep is dead."

    "True," you say, with what you hope is a suitably sad smile. "But I still hate big parties like that. Maybe we should just start out with dinner or something?"

    "You've got a point." The smile on Ortega's face is apologetic, and right now you are kicking yourself because you can't read either her mind or her reactions. Was this just an attempt to draw you out of your shell and get you to have a bit of fun with a friend? Or was it a subtle attempt at a proper date? You honestly have no idea, and you hate it.

    I appreciate that Josie's paranoid overthinking runs the gamut from "Is she on to me?" to "Is she asking me out?"

    "Let me know when you have an opening in your schedule then." You keep your face neutral, feeling the need to get out of here before this conversation misfires even further. "I think you probably are more booked than I am."

    "That's true, and I will," Ortega promises with a sheepish laugh, shaking your hand. "Hopefully this city will stay quiet for a little. I'd love to have some time to catch up properly."

    "That would be nice," you say, making sure not to let your smile grow wide enough to be creepy. Because if there is one thing you do know, it is that this city won't be quiet for long.

    Not if you can help it.

    > Leave the Past Behind You
    (The entire hint for this achievement: "What on earth were you thinking?")

    A Few Days Later

    As always, the dojo is a calm port in a storm, and it's a relief to take a deep breath and let all your tensions drift away. This is just what you need. Focus. Working up a sweat. Not having to worry about what to wear or how to be presentable.

    Or rather, that's how it would have been if you didn't have a mask to keep up. You're not alone here, and therein lies the problem.

    "Pay attention," Ortega says, not taking her eyes off you.

    "I am." You can't help sounding tense, though you bite it down from a harsh snap to mild annoyance. You can't afford to lose your cool. Already, your legs are sore, and you have lost your smile as you keep circling, waiting for the next attack.

    Ortega has a way of keeping you off-balance that's starting to get annoying.

     ‣ I am used to having a different body when training with her, so my timing is off.
     ‣ I keep thinking I'm Josie rather than Barbara, which makes talking a bit risky.
     ‣ The fact that we have to keep touching each other is a bit distracting.

    Congratulations on clearing Stage Two of Awkward Conversations With Ortega! Your reward is a bonus stage.

    The good news: Ortega doesn't have a decade of awkward baggage with Barbie. The bad news… well, what is it that's throwing us off today?

    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: 45% / Empathy: 55%
    ████████████████████
    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: friend.
    Ortega and Josie: 81% (+2)
    ████████████████▒███

    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%
    ████████████████████
     
    Last edited: May 10, 2023
    • Like x 1
  5. LadyNighteyes

    LadyNighteyes Wicked Witch of the Radiant Historia Fandom

    > keep forgetting I'm Barbie
     
    • Agree x 1
  6. swirlingflight

    swirlingflight inane analysis and story spinning is my passion

    It's not a small city, Josie and Barbara's paths don't cross much, and yet
     
  7. keltena

    keltena putting the fun in executive dysfunction

    It's hard to remember we're a Barbie girl in such a decidedly non-Barbie world. :(

    > I keep thinking I'm Josie rather than Barbara, which makes talking a bit risky.

    You should never have taken her up on her offer to train together, but you went back, and you said yes. And now you feel the sweat dripping down your back as you circle, trying to keep focused on your opponent.

    It's hard to keep up the act around Ortega, and you wish you knew if you were doing a good job. But inside your puppet, you're even blinder than normal to her reactions. So, you just have to play it by ear. That, and try to keep your stories straight.

    It's almost a bit frightening, the way that your puppet reacts whenever the woman flashes you another of those brilliant grins. You'd never really had Ortega use that smile on you before. Only on other people. You suppose that technically you are 'other people' now, but it still feels like a blow to the gut. And those are the very feelings that make it so important to keep yourself in control and not slip up.

    But you don't have too much time to be bothered about these things. The clock is ticking, and right now there are just three days left.

    Three days. Three days until the gala opening of the Museum. Three days of trying to make yourself feel at peace again, to accept your decision. Three days until your new face is plastered all over the front page.

    Just three days left, and you count her steps as she moves in for another attack, one, two, three, and you get the grip right on her gi. But of course, she has planned a counter move; you feel yourself losing balance, tumbling halfway head over heels before she steadies you, interrupting the attack.

    Of course she does.

    "You did that on purpose," you gasp, shrugging free from her arms, painfully aware that she smells of sweat and so do you. You feel your cheeks flush a little, as it wasn't exactly the coolest move you pulled.

    "I did," she confesses with a wide and easy smile, as she readies herself once more. "You were off-balance. Do that in a fight, and you will end up on the ground."

    You scoff, raising your hands again in a challenge.

    "If I end up on the ground, I'll get back up. That's the way it works, isn't it?" There's no count of ten in the real world, but you feel that Barbara is the type to have a bit of false bravado.

    "That's not how it works." Ortega has started to frown a little, worry written all over her face. More importantly, she has let her guard slip a little.

     ‣ I'll teach her not to let her guard down, even if I have to cheat.
     ‣ I'll play nice for now.

    We have an opening; do we use it?

    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: 15% (+4) / Anonymity: 85%
    ████████████████████
    Ruthlessness: 45% / Empathy: 55%
    ████████████████████
    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: friend.
    Ortega and Josie: 81%
    ████████████████▒███

    Barbara's relationship with Ortega: flirting.
    Ortega and Barbara: 52% (+12)
    ██████████▒█████████

    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%
    ████████████████████
     
    Last edited: May 10, 2023
  8. swirlingflight

    swirlingflight inane analysis and story spinning is my passion

    Tentatively, just play nice. Partly so we can let Josie be cranky and Barbie cheerful and upbeat, partly so we don't go pushing Ortega to keep her guard too up when we're going to be fighting her soon--

    Haha, when I put it like that the irony of pushing her to be more a challenge is good too. But still half vote for play nice.
     
  9. keltena

    keltena putting the fun in executive dysfunction

    Let's try to act the part for now. Even if Ortega needs to git gud.

    > I'll play nice for now.

    You're not Sidestep; you do not need to win this fight, and you do not need to play dirty to do so. Barbara wouldn't hit a woman when her guard was down, and so you won't either. Instead, you bow briefly before taking a step back and wiping your sweaty brow.

    "How about cutting me some slack? We can't all be superheroes…."

    "Ah." Ortega's face falls a little. "So you do know who I am." She looks so awkward there, a tall, striking woman in her crisp gi with fashionably tousled hair and lines deepening around her mouth. Had she really thought that people wouldn’t make the connection? Fuck, but she's naive at times.

    "Of course I do. It’s not like you’re wearing a mask." You reach for the water bottle, taking a deep drink.

    "I didn't…" She hesitates a little, so obviously unsure how to act.

     ‣ I can't help it. I'll tease her a little.
     ‣ I'll play nice.

    Pictured: our nemesis, a foe so cunning and deadly she convinced Josie to talk about their feelings.

    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: 14% / Anonymity: 86% (+1)
    ██▒█████████████████
    Ruthlessness: 45% / Empathy: 55%
    ████████████████████
    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: friend.
    Ortega and Josie: 81%
    ████████████████▒███

    Barbara's relationship with Ortega: flirting.
    Ortega and Barbara: 52%
    ██████████▒█████████

    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%
    ████████████████████
     
    Last edited: May 10, 2023
    • Like x 1
  10. swirlingflight

    swirlingflight inane analysis and story spinning is my passion

    I like that playing nice is so not our natural inclination that it would need to be chosen again and again :P

    Abstaining on voting!
     
    • Agree x 1
  11. keltena

    keltena putting the fun in executive dysfunction

    Josie's instincts, even back in their hero days, the moment Ortega shows weakness:

    finishher.png

    Friendship is normally fought to the death, right
     
    Last edited: Apr 10, 2023
    • Agree x 2
    • Like x 1
  12. chaoticArbiter

    chaoticArbiter an actual shiny eevee (destroyer of worlds)

    I mean...I gotta vote for 'can't help it, I'll tease her a little'. is it Barbie's nature as we are attempting to portray it? probably not! but we did already say we're having trouble remembering that we're Barbie rn...
     
    • Agree x 1
  13. keltena

    keltena putting the fun in executive dysfunction

    Hey, we have it on good authority and years of experience that teasing is a normal friendship thing to do!

    > I can't help it. I'll tease her a little.

    "It’s alright, old lady, I won’t run and hide just because you happen to have superpowers." The old is another barb, just because you like to see her squirm. Really, she must be twice Barbara's age.

    "Old…" she scoffs, crossing her arms over her chest. "'Experienced' is the word I’d rather use."

    "At least try wearing some glasses or something if you want to remain anonymous."

    "I wasn't trying to hide…" She's starting to look flustered. "It just never came up. Besides, I don't need glasses."

    "I'm sorry." You find yourself apologizing because it's the right thing to do. For Barbara. Not that you care. "I just didn't know it was supposed to be a secret."

    "It's not, I suppose." Ortega smiles a little sadly, picking up her own water bottle. "It's just nice to remain anonymous sometimes. People treat you differently when they know who you are."

    "I guess that's true." You have to force the shrug, but it is there. "I wouldn't know." You are proud of yourself for managing to keep your face straight.

    josie pls.

    In the quiet little moment while you both catch your breath, you ponder your options. You are sure Ortega is going to the benefit gala at the museum; a former marshal is exactly the kind of guest they want. You also know she really wants to take you out to dinner, as she's alluded to it before.

    Should you take her up on that offer? You need to get Barbara inside for your plan to work, and this way, you would not have to bother with scamming a ticket on your own.

    There would also be less suspicion cast your way, since you would have a legitimate reason to be there. And you would be able to keep an eye on Ortega, so she doesn't do anything you haven't prepared for.

    Your other option is, of course, to just use your powers and steal a ticket. You are unlikely to be found out in the resulting chaos. But there is a bigger risk of something happening to your puppet, since you won't have Ortega to guard her.

     ‣ I will manipulate Ortega into asking me out on a date.
     ‣ No date—I am doing this on my own.
     ‣ Dr. Mortum is also interested in Barbara and could most likely get a ticket; I'll try her instead.

    One way or another, we're going to need Barbara at that gala.

    Going with Ortega would give us an excuse to attend
    and keep an eye on her; not an option we originally expected to have, but now that she and Barbie have met we might as well take advantage of it. Alternatively, Barbie has a more established rapport and working relationship with Dr. Mortum, who we know is both well-connected and interested in getting to know her better. Or if we'd rather avoid involving either of them, we could always find Barbara a perfectly legitimate ticket of her own and take our chances that she'll be fine without a chaperone.

    Which of these options strikes our fancy? (FTR, my less-than-helpful input is that all three are good.)

    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: 14% / Anonymity: 86%
    ██▒█████████████████
    Ruthlessness: 45% / Empathy: 55%
    ████████████████████
    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: friend.
    Ortega and Josie: 81%
    ████████████████▒███

    Barbara's relationship with Ortega: flirting.
    Ortega and Barbara: 59% (+7)
    ███████████▒████████

    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%
    ████████████████████
     
    Last edited: May 10, 2023
  14. swirlingflight

    swirlingflight inane analysis and story spinning is my passion

    Not sure yet, but I like that Barbara is slinging barbs now
     
    • Like x 1
    • Winner x 1
  15. chaoticArbiter

    chaoticArbiter an actual shiny eevee (destroyer of worlds)

    I'm gonna vote for getting Dr. Mortum to get us a ticket bc the end goal of flirting with people is always to get them to give you helpful perks
     
    • Like x 1
  16. keltena

    keltena putting the fun in executive dysfunction

    Mortum it is, then! Can't let all our hard work at villainous networking go to waste.

    > Dr. Mortum is also interested in Barbara and could most likely get a ticket; I'll try her instead.

    "So, does this change things between us?" Ortega sounds a bit cautious as she raises the subject, and you're glad you decided not to take this further. Flirting is a useful tool, but pulling her in deep would be wrong. You wouldn't mind taking her down to further your goals, but oddly, the thought of hurting her feelings makes you uncomfortable.

    "I don't know, but I have to admit this was fun," you say with a smile. You actually did enjoy this.

    "I won't tell you 'I told you so,' but I did." Ortega stretches a little, not trying very hard to hide the smile on her lips.

    "It's not really something that I'm used to." You flex your arms as well, frowning a little. This is a fine line to walk, and you need to focus on tactics, not what Ortega is feeling.

    "Having fun?"

    "Being sore."

    "I'm sorry. I didn't…"

    "Know your own strength?" You can't stop the fond smile from showing.

    "I suppose." There comes that awkward shrug that you know so well, but it doesn't matter because you have to move on now. This is business, nothing else. You'd better get on with it.

     ‣ I'll keep things safe; no dating, just working out together.
     ‣ I'll keep flirting—that could still come in handy later.
     ‣ I'll keep things friendly, maybe meeting up now and then.
     ‣ I'll use this as an excuse to break things off with Ortega.

    On the subject of networking, are we cool with the flirty friendship Barbara and Ortega have going here? It seems to be going fine, but if we feel uneasy about keeping it up or about Barbie getting too involved with her, we could dial back the flirting and/or the friendship parts; Ortega's even offered a plausible reason for Barbie to break things off entirely if we feel the need.

    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: 14% / Anonymity: 86%
    ██▒█████████████████
    Ruthlessness: 45% / Empathy: 55%
    ████████████████████
    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: friend.
    Ortega and Josie: 81%
    ████████████████▒███

    Barbara's relationship with Ortega: flirting.
    Ortega and Barbara: 59%
    ███████████▒████████

    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%
    ████████████████████
     
    Last edited: May 10, 2023
  17. keltena

    keltena putting the fun in executive dysfunction

    (If all this has exhausted the thread's motivation to play more 5D mind chess talk with Ortega, I could just default to keeping the status quo and move on?)
     
    • Like x 3
  18. swirlingflight

    swirlingflight inane analysis and story spinning is my passion

    Flirting... the indecision is big
     
  19. keltena

    keltena putting the fun in executive dysfunction

    > I'll keep flirting—that could still come in handy later.

    "Come on, don't look so glum." You smile, touching her shoulder to reinforce your words. "I'm not running for the hills just because you happen to be famous. Or have powers," you add after a moment's thought.

    "Really?" The smile is painfully obvious. "I'll try not to be too rough."

    "Honestly? Sometimes it helps to be pushed a little." That is the truth: you need Barbara to stay in shape, and Ortega is a safe-ish outlet for your frustrations. Too many of them. "Besides, now I have an excuse when I lose."

    "It's not a competition, you know."

    "Isn't life?" You smile teasingly at her naivety.

    "In that case, I've lost already. Made way too many mistakes for a lifetime." Ortega looks down for a moment, sighing a little. "It's a lot harder to fix them than to avoid making new ones in the future. I'm glad I didn't scare you off."

    "I don't scare easily." You step a little closer.

    "I can see that." There's a moment's pause when Ortega is searching your face for clues. You let your smile widen a little, a near-imperceptible nod leading her down the right path. "So…how would you feel about adding some coffee after working out sometime?"

    "Still not scared, just not today. I've got things to do. I would love to another time, though."

    "You're not alone there." There's that smile again on her face—time to end this, before things get out of hand.

    "So, maybe next week then?" By then, you will have made your debut to the world, and everything will have changed.

    "Sure—take care, Barbara."

    You can finally let your triumphant smile out once you have turned your back on her after a handshake.

    Tomorrow, you will meet Dr. Mortum to finalize the payment, now that the suit has been tested and approved of. That will be a good time to bring up the possibility of a date.

     ‣ I will try to get Dr. Mortum to take me.
     ‣ No, I will go alone.

    …I'm gonna assume we haven't changed our mind in the last five minutes. (If I'm wrong, I'll redo this. :P)

    > I will try to get Dr. Mortum to take me.

    The Next Day

    By the next day, you have talked yourself into believing that the way you handled Barbara and Ortega was for the best. It shouldn't concern you this much, but there are so many variables right now that you have to be very careful to make the right choices.

    …Josie thinks to themself, frantically paging through the source code with a calculator and a spreadsheet.

    Back when you started to plan this whole charade, Ortega wasn't even supposed to be involved as anything other than a victim. She wasn't supposed to have a starring role. But you have to play the hand that you are dealt. Like with Dr. Mortum.

    Arranging the final payment for the suit is a mundane affair that normally would have been over in half an hour. There's a surprising amount of paperwork for an illegal transaction, but since none of it will see the outside of Dr. Mortum's office, you're not concerned. Your tracks are clean and do not lead back to Josie.

    "And if you'd be so kind and sign here, and here, ma chérie." Dr. Mortum pushes the last papers across the futuristic desk, smiling as she does so.

    "There." You sign Barbara's name with a flourish you normally don't have. But you're excited—the countdown has begun, and soon everything will change. "Is that all?"

    "That is all, ma chérie." Dr. Mortum hands your copy of the contract back to you with a solemn nod. "Our business is now concluded. I am glad your boss found it to their liking."

    "I am too," you say with a teasing smile. "And that wasn't what I meant."

    "Ah, yes. I do remember—I just wasn't sure if you did." Dr. Mortum seems pleased at this development, secreting away her copies in a drawer that disappears again as soon as it's shut.

    "Now I am disappointed." You lean back a little in your chair, giving her a hurt look. "Did you think I was playing along just to keep you friendly?"

    "That has been known to happen, ma chérie, as there are people out there who do not trust the power of contracts. Or money," she adds with an amused shrug.

    "The business part was for my boss," you say with a vehemence that surprises you. "This is for me."

    "I see…." She pauses for a moment, scrutinizing your face with her usual intensity. "So what are you suggesting, then?"

     ‣ I will make up a story and keep Mortum in the dark about what will happen at the gala.
     ‣ I will tell part of the truth about why Barbara needs to be there.

    Do we tell her this date will end with a bang, or play innocent?

    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: 14% / Anonymity: 86%
    ██▒█████████████████
    Ruthlessness: 45% / Empathy: 55%
    ████████████████████
    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: friend.
    Ortega and Josie: 81%
    ████████████████▒███

    Barbara's relationship with Ortega: flirting.
    Ortega and Barbara: 65% (+6)
    ████████████████████

    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%
    ████████████████████
     
    Last edited: May 10, 2023
  20. LadyNighteyes

    LadyNighteyes Wicked Witch of the Radiant Historia Fandom

    >Tell her, she seems like she'd appreciate it
     
    • Agree x 1
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