Kintsugi Plays Fallen Hero: Retribution (ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ …(^_^)…)

I think I'm leaning option 1, something of not dwelling on doubts or certainty, something more of a sunk cost vibe...?

 

Let's keep our eyes on the prize here.​

> What will feel good is finishing the job.

Maybe revenge will feel good, but you know it will feel better once you finish what you're here for. You have a plan. You have a mission.

You can't allow yourself to be sidetracked. Not even by her.

Not then. Not now.

You rub your face, releasing a long breath as you collect yourself—time to get your mask back on.

You're going to need it.

"We're here." Ortega opens a nondescript door, revealing a small and messy office.

"Where's here?" You step inside, looking around at the unfamiliar clutter. Looks like no cleaning staff have been allowed near this place; there's dust in the corners and a bin overflowing with empty cans. The desk has a pile of folders almost as tall as the monitor, and the whiteboard is filled with Ortega's familiar scribbles. There are chairs here, but only two—one behind the desk, the other leaning casually against the wall.

"My office." Ortega looks a little embarrassed. "The private one."

"I can see that." You walk over to the whiteboard, trying to interpret the scribbles. Most of them have been wiped out, but lines are connecting to suspiciously empty places. Did they hold photographs? If so, who's supposed to be in the center where all the lines meet?

"You know me." She pulls the spare chair over to the desk, shoving some of the stray papers into a drawer. "I like having my private space."

"Not too private with the new security systems." You recognize some things in here; Ortega occasionally had her own files on various villains back when she was marshal, especially when she suspected information leaks. It looks like she has kept up the habit. "Or are you going to tell me they didn't upgrade them with the rest of the place?"

"They did, but this place is off the grid." There is a strange look on her face that you don't immediately recognize. Sadness perhaps? But why?

　‣ "I'll take your word for it."
　‣ "Really?" I give her a teasing look.
　‣ "Nothing is off the grid. Not in this city."

Spoiler: Show Stats (no change)

CLASSIFIED

Subject: Anathema

Secret Identity: Josie Jacobs
Gender: Non-binary.
Description: A tall mixed person in their thirties with brown eyes and short and styled curly dark brown hair.

Their sense of style is androgynous, secondhand streetwear, with many piercings in their ears, nose, and tongue. They have a short, scruffy beard and mustache.

Standard of Living: Josie is well-off.
Josie is living in a comfortable apartment.

Josie Jacobs is a seasoned, tech-savvy tactician.

Physical Status
Stamina: You are rested.
Willpower: You feel calm.
Injuries: You are fine.

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

Anathema
Anathema runs a criminal syndicate.
Infamy: 51% / Obscurity: 49%
██████████▒█████████

Armored Suit
Anathema's suit is a shadow with a mirror for a face, revealing nothing. The cape conceals and obfuscates what's underneath.
In its left hand, the suit has a neutered colony of nanovores, functionally similar to having disintegration touch. The suit is also equipped with telepathic boosters and enhanced speed as well as jump-jets.

Armor Status
Need Repair: 0% / Fine: 100%
████████████████████

Leadership: 55%
████████████████████

Psychological Profile
Arrogance: 21% / Anonymity: 79%
████▒███████████████
Ruthlessness: 33% / Empathy: 67%
██████▒█████████████
Daring: 46% / Caution: 54%
█████████▒██████████

Back in the day, Sidestep was known as a vigilante working with the Rangers.

Main Puppet
Name: Barbara
Puppet Status: She is fine, and has no serious wounds.
Description: A tall white woman in her twenties with blue eyes and long straight blond hair.

Allies and Enemies

Charge
Josie's Relationship with Ortega: Friend and ally.
Ortega's Connection with Josie: 83%
████████████████▒███

Ortega thinks Anathema has made some good points.

Barbara's Relationship with Ortega: Eternally flirting. Josie is using Barbara as a spy.
Ortega's Connection with Barbara: 59%
███████████▒████████

Dr. Mortum
Barbara's Relationship with Dr. Mortum: friend.
Mortum's Connection with Barbara: 63%
████████████▒███████

Lady Argent
Josie's Relationship with Lady Argent: Distant.
Lady Argent's Impression of Josie: 1%
▒███████████████████

Lady Argent respects Anathema's abilities.
Lady Argent's Interest in Anathema: 43%
████████▒███████████

Marshal Steel
Josie's Relationship with Steel: Former ally.
Steel's Connection with Josie: 43%
████████▒███████████

Marshal Steel thinks Anathema needs to be brought in.

Herald
Josie's Relationship with Herald: Distant.
Herald's Connection with Josie: 35%
████████████████████

Herald thinks Anathema is a villain.

Other Characters

 

The secret fourth answer: flip a coin to decide how we feel about Ortega's allegedly off-the-grid office.

 

I'm still busy feeling intrigued by the combo of a recently wiped conspiracy thread board and her looking sad(?)

Especially given how she showed up to find us all of a sudden

Doesn't seem like she's looking at us specifically, but...

 

Am I right in assuming 1 is pretty straightforward accepting the claim, 2 is a little flirty, and 3 is Cynicism About The Man?

 

I'd say 2 is teasing her a bit, but not specifically flirty. Otherwise, sounds right.

 

Then let's try #2, a classic deflect w/ some humor so as not to go too openly cynical right off

 

> "Really?" I give her a teasing look.

"Really?" You give her a teasing look as you take a seat. You're dying to go through the papers she surreptitiously cleared away. Can you find an unobtrusive way to search this place? Worth thinking about.

"Really." Ortega nods and sits down as well, leaning back, looking relaxed.

"So how did you manage that? You're competent, but you're no tech wizard."

"That used to be your job." Her voice is soft, the look she gives you less so.

"Looks like you are doing fine without me." You keep your own tone neutral. The feelings involved are too complex to untangle right now.

"Angie helped me." She almost sounds ashamed.

"Lady Argent? I didn't know she had other talents than tearing into people." Another unknown, it looks like Argent has more layers than you suspected.

"She's got a way with technology. Most people don't know that, so keep it a secret, alright?" The wink is downright conspiratorial.

"No problem. Who would I talk to anyway?"

"She'd tear me a new one if she knew I told you, so hopefully not even her." There's a quick glance toward the door that tells you she's not as sure of the privacy of this place as she pretends.

"We don't have the best track record when it comes to polite discussion." That's an understatement.

"She's not easy to get close to, but…"

"But you've managed."

"I never minded the effort." And you're lucky for it.

"That dig is not even subtle," you say with a groan, resisting the urge to facepalm.

"It wasn't a dig; it was a fact." The wink is a smug one. "The best things in life take a bit of effort."

"Speaking of which," you say, quickly changing the subject…

　‣ "What are you up to?"
　‣ "Lady Argent attacked me earlier."
　‣ "What have you told Herald? He's treating me like a hero."

Aaand that's quite enough about us. We have more important things to talk about anyway! Like, uh…​

Spoiler: Show Stats

CLASSIFIED

Subject: Anathema

Secret Identity: Josie Jacobs
Gender: Non-binary.
Description: A tall mixed person in their thirties with brown eyes and short and styled curly dark brown hair.

Their sense of style is androgynous, secondhand streetwear, with many piercings in their ears, nose, and tongue. They have a short, scruffy beard and mustache.

Standard of Living: Josie is well-off.
Josie is living in a comfortable apartment.

Josie Jacobs is a seasoned, tech-savvy tactician.

Physical Status
Stamina: You are rested.
Willpower: You feel calm.
Injuries: You are fine.

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

Anathema
Anathema runs a criminal syndicate.
Infamy: 51% / Obscurity: 49%
██████████▒█████████

Armored Suit
Anathema's suit is a shadow with a mirror for a face, revealing nothing. The cape conceals and obfuscates what's underneath.
In its left hand, the suit has a neutered colony of nanovores, functionally similar to having disintegration touch. The suit is also equipped with telepathic boosters and enhanced speed as well as jump-jets.

Armor Status
Need Repair: 0% / Fine: 100%
████████████████████

Leadership: 55%
████████████████████

Psychological Profile
Arrogance: 21% / Anonymity: 79%
████▒███████████████
Ruthlessness: 33% / Empathy: 67%
██████▒█████████████
Daring: 46% / Caution: 54%
█████████▒██████████

Back in the day, Sidestep was known as a vigilante working with the Rangers.

Main Puppet
Name: Barbara
Puppet Status: She is fine, and has no serious wounds.
Description: A tall white woman in her twenties with blue eyes and long straight blond hair.

Allies and Enemies

Charge
Josie's Relationship with Ortega: Friend and ally.
Ortega's Connection with Josie: 84% (+1)
████████████████▒███

Ortega thinks Anathema has made some good points.

Barbara's Relationship with Ortega: Eternally flirting. Josie is using Barbara as a spy.
Ortega's Connection with Barbara: 59%
███████████▒████████

Dr. Mortum
Barbara's Relationship with Dr. Mortum: friend.
Mortum's Connection with Barbara: 63%
████████████▒███████

Lady Argent
Josie's Relationship with Lady Argent: Distant.
Lady Argent's Impression of Josie: 1%
▒███████████████████

Lady Argent respects Anathema's abilities.
Lady Argent's Interest in Anathema: 43%
████████▒███████████

Marshal Steel
Josie's Relationship with Steel: Former ally.
Steel's Connection with Josie: 43%
████████▒███████████

Marshal Steel thinks Anathema needs to be brought in.

Herald
Josie's Relationship with Herald: Distant.
Herald's Connection with Josie: 35%
████████████████████

Herald thinks Anathema is a villain.

Other Characters

 

Speaking of run-ins with the coworkers, what is up with Herald? This timeline doesn't get it, and it's Awkward. Take the blame, Ortega!

 

New kid is a Sidestep stan? There's only one person who could be behind that.​

> "What have you told Herald? He's treating me like a hero."

"Speaking of which," you say, quickly changing the subject. "What on earth have you told Herald? He's treating me like I'm his personal hero."

"I'm actually innocent here," Ortega says, holding up her hands. "Herald was a fan before he joined."

"Somehow, I doubt that you've made things better."

"I might have elaborated a little on your exploits."

"Please, don't."

"What? I'm not lying."

"When you tell a story, it might as well be a lie. It sounds a lot grander than in real life."

"Josie…" It's never a good sign when she looks at you like that. "Do you really not see what everyone else is seeing? That you've done amazing things? That you're a hero?"

　‣ "Don't be ridiculous," I say with a sour grimace.
　‣ "I don't want a fan club," I groan. "I never did."
　‣ "What I am, is retired. I just want him off my back."

what we see right now, ortega, is a headache forming :|​

Spoiler: Show Stats (no change)

CLASSIFIED

Subject: Anathema

Secret Identity: Josie Jacobs
Gender: Non-binary.
Description: A tall mixed person in their thirties with brown eyes and short and styled curly dark brown hair.

Their sense of style is androgynous, secondhand streetwear, with many piercings in their ears, nose, and tongue. They have a short, scruffy beard and mustache.

Standard of Living: Josie is well-off.
Josie is living in a comfortable apartment.

Josie Jacobs is a seasoned, tech-savvy tactician.

Physical Status
Stamina: You are rested.
Willpower: You feel calm.
Injuries: You are fine.

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

Anathema
Anathema runs a criminal syndicate.
Infamy: 51% / Obscurity: 49%
██████████▒█████████

Armored Suit
Anathema's suit is a shadow with a mirror for a face, revealing nothing. The cape conceals and obfuscates what's underneath.
In its left hand, the suit has a neutered colony of nanovores, functionally similar to having disintegration touch. The suit is also equipped with telepathic boosters and enhanced speed as well as jump-jets.

Armor Status
Need Repair: 0% / Fine: 100%
████████████████████

Leadership: 55%
████████████████████

Psychological Profile
Arrogance: 21% / Anonymity: 79%
████▒███████████████
Ruthlessness: 33% / Empathy: 67%
██████▒█████████████
Daring: 46% / Caution: 54%
█████████▒██████████

Back in the day, Sidestep was known as a vigilante working with the Rangers.

Main Puppet
Name: Barbara
Puppet Status: She is fine, and has no serious wounds.
Description: A tall white woman in her twenties with blue eyes and long straight blond hair.

Allies and Enemies

Charge
Josie's Relationship with Ortega: Friend and ally.
Ortega's Connection with Josie: 84%
████████████████▒███

Ortega thinks Anathema has made some good points.

Barbara's Relationship with Ortega: Eternally flirting. Josie is using Barbara as a spy.
Ortega's Connection with Barbara: 59%
███████████▒████████

Dr. Mortum
Barbara's Relationship with Dr. Mortum: friend.
Mortum's Connection with Barbara: 63%
████████████▒███████

Lady Argent
Josie's Relationship with Lady Argent: Distant.
Lady Argent's Impression of Josie: 1%
▒███████████████████

Lady Argent respects Anathema's abilities.
Lady Argent's Interest in Anathema: 43%
████████▒███████████

Marshal Steel
Josie's Relationship with Steel: Former ally.
Steel's Connection with Josie: 43%
████████▒███████████

Marshal Steel thinks Anathema needs to be brought in.

Herald
Josie's Relationship with Herald: Distant.
Herald's Connection with Josie: 35%
████████████████████

Herald thinks Anathema is a villain.

Other Characters

 

>NO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY FANCLUBS, ORTEGA

 

We won't argue that we saved some people sometimes, but Sidestep was masked for reasons! Some not yet known even by the entities at the keyboards!

 

ffs ortega there is no way you don't know this about us​

> "I don't want a fan club," I groan. "I never did."

"I don't want a fan club," you say with a groan. "I never did."

"Sorry to disappoint you; you already have one," Ortega chuckles. It looks like the whole situation amuses her to no end. "And you had one back then. Why not let people look up to you a little?"

"Because they shouldn't!"

"What do you mean, Josie?" Her voice is soft, and she keeps looking at you like she's expecting something.

"You know what I mean," you snap, harder than you intended.

"I guess I do…." The pause is long enough to be uncomfortable. "But it doesn't have to be this way."

"I'm the one making that choice, not you."

"I suppose you're right." She looks a little sheepish.

"Why not sit back and let me live my own life? You don't need to fix it." It's that meddling attitude that makes Ortega so dangerous. You should walk away, but it's too late for that. She's not about to give up on a friend.

"You have a point." A moment passes, and then she cracks a grin. All trace of her earlier hesitation is wiped away by the sudden mirth. "Not a point I'm going to listen to, but a point nonetheless."

There is a moment of silence as you both look at each other, and then you feel the urge to move. It's always like that, you can rarely be relaxed together. Ortega is fidgety more often than not, and when she doesn't move, it's unnerving enough that you need to. You get out of the chair, stretching your back, watching her looking at you.

　‣ This is starting to feel awkward.
　‣ I could confess to being Anathema right now and end it all.
　‣ We're enemies now, can she sense that?

The unfortunate thing about silence: it gives us time to hear our own thoughts. What's running through our head right now?​

Spoiler: Show Stats

CLASSIFIED

Subject: Anathema

Secret Identity: Josie Jacobs
Gender: Non-binary.
Description: A tall mixed person in their thirties with brown eyes and short and styled curly dark brown hair.

Their sense of style is androgynous, secondhand streetwear, with many piercings in their ears, nose, and tongue. They have a short, scruffy beard and mustache.

Standard of Living: Josie is well-off.
Josie is living in a comfortable apartment.

Josie Jacobs is a seasoned, tech-savvy tactician.

Physical Status
Stamina: You are rested.
Willpower: You feel calm.
Injuries: You are fine.

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

Anathema
Anathema runs a criminal syndicate.
Infamy: 51% / Obscurity: 49%
██████████▒█████████

Armored Suit
Anathema's suit is a shadow with a mirror for a face, revealing nothing. The cape conceals and obfuscates what's underneath.
In its left hand, the suit has a neutered colony of nanovores, functionally similar to having disintegration touch. The suit is also equipped with telepathic boosters and enhanced speed as well as jump-jets.

Armor Status
Need Repair: 0% / Fine: 100%
████████████████████

Leadership: 55%
████████████████████

Psychological Profile
Arrogance: 19% / Anonymity: 81% (+2)
███▒████████████████
Ruthlessness: 33% / Empathy: 67%
██████▒█████████████
Daring: 46% / Caution: 54%
█████████▒██████████

Back in the day, Sidestep was known as a vigilante working with the Rangers.

Main Puppet
Name: Barbara
Puppet Status: She is fine, and has no serious wounds.
Description: A tall white woman in her twenties with blue eyes and long straight blond hair.

Allies and Enemies

Charge
Josie's Relationship with Ortega: Friend and ally.
Ortega's Connection with Josie: 84%
████████████████▒███

Ortega thinks Anathema has made some good points.

Barbara's Relationship with Ortega: Eternally flirting. Josie is using Barbara as a spy.
Ortega's Connection with Barbara: 59%
███████████▒████████

Dr. Mortum
Barbara's Relationship with Dr. Mortum: friend.
Mortum's Connection with Barbara: 63%
████████████▒███████

Lady Argent
Josie's Relationship with Lady Argent: Distant.
Lady Argent's Impression of Josie: 1%
▒███████████████████

Lady Argent respects Anathema's abilities.
Lady Argent's Interest in Anathema: 43%
████████▒███████████

Marshal Steel
Josie's Relationship with Steel: Former ally.
Steel's Connection with Josie: 43%
████████▒███████████

Marshal Steel thinks Anathema needs to be brought in.

Herald
Josie's Relationship with Herald: Distant.
Herald's Connection with Josie: 35%
████████████████████

Herald thinks Anathema is a villain.

Other Characters

 

> like she's expecting something

I like how she invited Josie back to her private office, as untapped as she can manage, and then is making a face like that. The combo really does start to form the shape of, she suspects and is hoping we're friends enough to admit it.

I notice the 2nd option says could - this is just asking about current thoughts, not next action, right? I'm waffling between 2 and 3.

 

Yep, just thoughts.

/popcorn.gifs unhelpfully at the rest of your post :D

 

I will be even more unhelpful and put in a vote for >awkward...............

 

also gonna say awkward
and it's Ortega's fault

 

Josie takes a quick mental vote:
"Is it just me, or is this getting awkward?"
"Is 'awkward' really the right word for being friends with your nemesis?"
"I mean, we could always just tell her we're her enemy!"
"…I think I'll stick with 'awkward,' thanks."​

> This is starting to feel awkward.

This is starting to feel awkward; there are too many things you can't let slip and too many questions you know Ortega wants to ask but doesn't.

Who will flinch first?

You need somewhere to look that's not her, so you look over at the board, your eyes settling on one of the pictures. It's not connected to anything else, as far as you see, but it's heavily wrinkled. That's a familiar look; Ortega must have crumpled the picture and then smoothed it out. Probably more than once.

"Who's this?" you ask, leaning in to take a closer look. It's a stocky Black man with graying hair. You don't recognize him, but the style of the picture is familiar. This is from a byline. Is this a reporter? In pen, Ortega has scrawled: "Vernon Browne, LD Confidential."

"An asshole," Ortega groans. "A retired asshole."

"I like him already," you say, picking up on the chance to lighten the mood.

"You wouldn't. He's a reporter. Was a reporter." There's a twitch on her face that you know well enough to interpret as pain. "After you…died, he kept badgering us. Me."

"I don't get the feeling that ended well." Not from the look of it.

"I punched him. On national television." You're not sure if Ortega is embarrassed or proud about that. "At your funeral." A soft laugh. "I quit the next week. Think they would have fired me otherwise. For being 'unprofessional and irrational.'" The quotation marks she makes with her fingers are sharp like daggers.

　‣ "You punched someone at my funeral?"
　‣ "I had a funeral?"
　‣ "Why did you do that?"

Spoiler: Show Stats (no change)

CLASSIFIED

Subject: Anathema

Secret Identity: Josie Jacobs
Gender: Non-binary.
Description: A tall mixed person in their thirties with brown eyes and short and styled curly dark brown hair.

Their sense of style is androgynous, secondhand streetwear, with many piercings in their ears, nose, and tongue. They have a short, scruffy beard and mustache.

Standard of Living: Josie is well-off.
Josie is living in a comfortable apartment.

Josie Jacobs is a seasoned, tech-savvy tactician.

Physical Status
Stamina: You are rested.
Willpower: You feel calm.
Injuries: You are fine.

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

Anathema
Anathema runs a criminal syndicate.
Infamy: 51% / Obscurity: 49%
██████████▒█████████

Armored Suit
Anathema's suit is a shadow with a mirror for a face, revealing nothing. The cape conceals and obfuscates what's underneath.
In its left hand, the suit has a neutered colony of nanovores, functionally similar to having disintegration touch. The suit is also equipped with telepathic boosters and enhanced speed as well as jump-jets.

Armor Status
Need Repair: 0% / Fine: 100%
████████████████████

Leadership: 55%
████████████████████

Psychological Profile
Arrogance: 19% / Anonymity: 81%
███▒████████████████
Ruthlessness: 33% / Empathy: 67%
██████▒█████████████
Daring: 46% / Caution: 54%
█████████▒██████████

Back in the day, Sidestep was known as a vigilante working with the Rangers.

Main Puppet
Name: Barbara
Puppet Status: She is fine, and has no serious wounds.
Description: A tall white woman in her twenties with blue eyes and long straight blond hair.

Allies and Enemies

Charge
Josie's Relationship with Ortega: Friend and ally.
Ortega's Connection with Josie: 84%
████████████████▒███

Ortega thinks Anathema has made some good points.

Barbara's Relationship with Ortega: Eternally flirting. Josie is using Barbara as a spy.
Ortega's Connection with Barbara: 59%
███████████▒████████

Dr. Mortum
Barbara's Relationship with Dr. Mortum: friend.
Mortum's Connection with Barbara: 63%
████████████▒███████

Lady Argent
Josie's Relationship with Lady Argent: Distant.
Lady Argent's Impression of Josie: 1%
▒███████████████████

Lady Argent respects Anathema's abilities.
Lady Argent's Interest in Anathema: 43%
████████▒███████████

Marshal Steel
Josie's Relationship with Steel: Former ally.
Steel's Connection with Josie: 43%
████████▒███████████

Marshal Steel thinks Anathema needs to be brought in.

Herald
Josie's Relationship with Herald: Distant.
Herald's Connection with Josie: 35%
████████████████████

Herald thinks Anathema is a villain.

Other Characters

 

Very curious what this guy was asking.

I think I like 1 more than 3 - 1 is more clarification what Ortega said with the opening to elaborate why, 3 goes directly for the question of why.
...2 seems like it would invite more pitying concern, that Josie detached so hard from that life to not even look into the question of funeral, or grave.

...If we do tell Ortega, maybe it should be said wherever this funeral took place. Nice finality to that.

 

...Well, there's a concept that's going to live rent-free in my brain for at least 48 hours straight now.