13 • Pao-Lin • [Voice/Action]

[wildkotetsu]

[To be completely honest... Kotetsu was miserable. When something hits him, it hits him hard, carries over like a cloud above him. After becoming a monster, possibly hurting people he was supposed to protect... after failing Nami and an innocent little girl, failing to help Sanji when he needed someone—they'd lost so many people, and he knew that it... it was really hurting not just him, but everyone else. And there was nothing about it he could do. There was no rescuing to be done. No buildings to smash through, people to grab in the nick of time.

He was too busy being in need of rescue himself, anyway. The routine was the same: smile where he could, be content to appease the audience of Luceti. Go to the Seventh Heaven and work, work, work where he was needed. And then... sign up for missions. Keep on doing that. He's already planning to go on another one when he comes across a painful discovery.]

[Voice]

... I, uh. Dunno if anyone knew—

[A pause.]

Pao-Lin's gone home. But.... But it's good that she did. I know it sucks to lose people here, even if you know it's a good thing... but I just wanted to say that she has a future to look forward to. She's—she's a great hero back home. She protects people. I'll bet she'll be at the top of the charts in no time; heck, she already outdoes oldtimers like me, she's such a natural...

[He stops himself as he trails off, realizing he probably won't stop talking if he keeps it up for too long.]

... I just wanted to let anyone know who doesn't.

And sorry if I worried any of you, back there. I've been resting and I'm feeling a lot better now, so I'm okay.

[Private // Tony Stark]

Oi, I just wanted you to know I'm still working on it. I'll be goin' on another mission, but I, uh. Wanted to talk to you before then.

[And with that, he goes back to the Seventh Heaven to help out. When he's in the kitchen... he really likes that he can be distant and quiet. And, even if it seems funny to imagine for someone like him, solemn and thoughtful. Of course, going back outside will illicit a happy little smile that says otherwise. Everything's fiiiine. Don't worry so much. It'll be okay.



Except he's starting to visit the bar more—once a night is okay. One drink is okay. He sits at the bar, observing the ugly scar lingering on his forearm, on his wrist, where the infection—and a gunshot—had marred his flesh good and well. Under his collar is the scar from another biter. A reminder of the moment he's lost faith in himself.

... Okay. For tonight? He'll go ahead and drink a little more than he should.

Just tonight.]

Comments

/sneaks a tag before bed >>

[mikangirl]

[Nami doesn't say anything to Kotetsu's announcement, because hearing his voice is a reminder of their last meeting, which was... not at a good time for either of them. She's talked to Pao-Lin a couple of times-- silently wishes the girl well, silently thankful. She's determined to just be grateful when people go home now.

But she is at the bar in the evening. Quietly keeping to herself in the corner, but she pays attention when he goes back for his second drink.

And on the third drink, she shores up her courage and collects her bottle from the table, sliding into the seat opposite him with a tentative smile.]

Hey.

o u

[wildkotetsu]

[He blinks up at her, a little flushed—but not drunk yet. He's not too bad at holding his liquor, even if his stomach is running on very little food today. Where'd she come from? Maaa, it's alright, Kotetsu. Everyone's been in need of a drink these days.

But then, why is it suddenly hard to converse like a normal human being?]

... Nami.

Hey.

[A+ Conversation.]

o me

[mikangirl]

[Top grades on awkward! Though now Nami glances at him a little unsurely, because uh. That didn't sound...all that welcoming.

Well.]

Would you prefer I left you to it? [Some people prefer drinking alone, after all. She does, lately. She just doesn't like seeing other people do it. /hypocrite]

[wildkotetsu]

No! That's not it at all. [Okay, maybe a little too strong of a reply; since when is that new for Kotetsu T. Kaburagi? He puts up a hand in surrender. Yeah, he'd prefer to drown his sorrows alone, but then she bothered coming over to see him...] I'm just... [a grunt, just a wee bit whiny in that disgruntled oyaji way.] a little tired.

[mikangirl]

I can understand that. [She won't stay too long, then. Maybe just enough for a drink of her own.]

I hadn't seen you for a while. [Well. Going home would be a part of that, but...] How's your hand?

Front of the Seventh Heaven (?) let me know if this is good

[hero_of_smiles]

[Cross had an interesting week. With scavenging and what not he had to say it was pretty fun. Probably the first shift he went through that didn't seem as bad as they were being let up to be.

But, today everything's back to normal more than likely, so it was time for a training day.

After, said training, he's come to Seventh Heaven peeking inside. When he see's someone coming out of the back the teen approaches the cat beard man.]

Umm...excise me, do you guys serve food here or something?

[wildkotetsu]

['Scuse you, that's Mr. Cat Beard Man. He perks a little at the voice thrown his direction, caught in the middle of some pretty solemn-faced thoughts that are quickly smashed down like a foot to a dirt mound.]

Aa, we do! This is the restaurant around here—Seventh Heaven.

A New Feather, right?

[hero_of_smiles]

[Still got cat beard's, man. It's only very brief when Cross catches the guy's look before the man looks his way and answers him.]

Oh, really? I got lucky.

[He nods a little however.]

Yeah, I've been here for a month now.

[wildkotetsu]

Ah, then--I guess 'welcome' would be kinda' stupid...

Come on in, I'll get you whatever y'need.

[voice]

[failguardian]

[No. This can't be happening.]

[There's a definite quaver in Anise's voice as she speaks into the journal.]

Pao-Lin's gone? Since when?

[voice]

[wildkotetsu]

[oh god, he's just terrible when it comes to upset people]

... Aa... well... I'm not too sure. I hadn't seen her around because of the draft...

[Dammit, he'd been so preoccupied with what happened back there, with trying to heal up and get better... He hadn't wanted to trouble Pao-Lin with his problems. But then, she was just—gone.]

[voice]

[failguardian]

So - so...You could have made a mistake, right? Maybe she's still around and you just haven't seen her?

[voice]

[wildkotetsu]

I'm sorry... I checked her room. And her filter on the journal.

She must've gone sometime after the draft...

[voice]

[hiken_ace]

[Ace is just stunned at first. Hadn't she been one of the first people he met here? How could she just...] She's... really gone?

[voice]

[wildkotetsu]

.... Yeah. I checked her room. And—the filter... thing, it broke.

[He's not too good at filters really. It took him forever just to make one for Tony Stark's message. But regardless, it failed to go through for Pao-Lin. That just makes it all that much more final, right?]

[voice]

[hiken_ace]

... oh. [Yeah, that's always a sure sign someone's gone. He's silent for a few beats, before speaking quietly.] Thank you. For letting us know. And I'm sorry for your loss.

[voice]

[wildkotetsu]

Oi, oi. I wouldn't call it a loss... I'll get to see her again sometime, someday, right? It's a good thing, that she's back home... [He grows more solemn.] They won't hurt her anymore.

[Won't turn her into an alternative Pao-Lin that lost everything. Make her hurt her own friends, have to die. Those awful things...]

[Voice]

[ledbythewind]

[Richard is torn-- on the one hand, he knew she wasn't truly happy here, knew that she missed being able to help people the way she could in her world. But on the other, he knows that he's going to miss her, and that's something he can't just deny.]

... I see. Thank you for letting us know.

[Voice]

[wildkotetsu]

No problem. Sorry it had to be said at all, Richard.

...

She left you a little note, I think; there's a box of them.

[Voice]

[ledbythewind]

A note?

[He's quiet for a moment before replying.]

That's just like her. Always thinking of others instead of herself.

[Voice]

[wildkotetsu]

Yeah... She's a really great hero—good at helping people.

She'll keep doing that back home, too. She's a good kid.

voice; private don't mind me being like a hundred years late

[alloys]

[Oh, he is still working on it. And though the Malnosso already seem to be wise to them, he thinks it prudent to treat carefully anyway.]

I am. Meet me at the bar? There's a drink with your name on it.

voice; private → action

[wildkotetsu]

Yeah...? I'll be there.

[A drink sounds nice.

Y'know, he also kinda remembers you shooting him, very briefly. Blurry. He sorta also wanted mention that, while they were there. Hopefully words form in his dumb mouth. He'll go find the crappy-bearded hero in the crowd.]

action

[alloys]

[Yeah, isn't that a fun memory. Hopefully it won't be brought up - it certainly won't be by Tony. He's doing his damnedest to not think about that week in hell.

When he spots Kotetsu wondering through the bar, he lifts a hand to get his attention. There's already a glass of scotch resting in front of him.]

action

[wildkotetsu]

[He plops down next to the man, quietly accepting the drink. He'd rather not do anything but shoot straight for a topic, so that the awkward silence might be filled--the hand that grabs the glass is admittedly a bit gnarled, still in the process of getting back to shape; scars remain, raised and still a little soft in color.

He lets a beat skip, and then--]

How's things been on your end?