⚡ 9th zap | action ⚡

[i_am_not_cute]

[Early in the morning, Pao-Lin returns from her mission, exhausted but itching to get back to normal (Luceti) life. Two weeks just for combat testing? What the hell was that about? She's a pretty fit girl, and there'd been two days of break in the middle of it all, but some of the things the Malnosso made her do strained even her. Which, she supposes, was the point of it all, but it still sucked. She's so very glad to be back in the village, with friends and good food and her own apartment, and when she gets back to said apartment she sits on her couch with some snacks and her journal to check what she missed. There's going to be a lot to go through, but after being up and about nearly nonstop the past two weeks, Pao-Lin doesn't mind sitting still for a while, so sit still she does, eagerly flipping through the pages.

The eagerness quickly fades when she comes across Ginia's journal post not two days before, declaring the departure of one Rupert Giles. The announcement unsettles Pao-Lin: Giles was one of the first people she'd met in Luceti, someone who seemed like he'd always been around and always would be. Although the two hadn't been that close, she'd liked him a lot and they'd experienced quite a few things together. To have him just suddenly be gone...

With unease burning in her throat, Pao-Lin continues perusing past entries. Seems like some sort of experiment happened while she was away...not that anyone seems to remember what happened then. (Perhaps for the better? She's certainly glad she missed out on things.) There's an announcement from the Malnosso about the missions, and --

Toph. Toph is gone, too.

Her heart thuds against her chest, tripping over the news. She has to take a moment to catch her breath so she can process things. How could this happen? Pao-Lin wonders. Weren't she and Toph supposed to become even better friends in Luceti in the future? They couldn't do that if she were gone! Were Toph's future memories really just fake ones created by the Malnosso, then? In other circumstances, Pao-Lin's innate optimism would take over and reassure her that maybe Toph, like Luca, would come back eventually. She'd have to, if they were going to be much closer later on. But Pao-Lin's tired from her mission, and barely recovered from learning about Giles' departure, so she's not bouncing back into shape as easily as she should.

The final blow comes when she finds Mia's voicepost about Amiti being sent home. After that, Pao-Lin doesn't even bother checking the rest of the entries.

Three friends, gone within two weeks. She didn't even get to say goodbye to any of them properly. And none of them had even known she was gone, either: by the time she'd actually found the mission summons in her journal, Pao-Lin had to report in. There was only enough time for a quick message to Luca letting him know that their drawing lessons were temporarily on hold, and then she had to get ready and head out, more concerned with what she'd have to do on this mission than about losing friends in the meantime. It's not like the girl has any shortage of them in Luceti, but they're still all dear to her, seeing how few she's had in her life prior to this.

Pao-Lin slowly closes her journal and sets it on a nearby coffee table, next to her forgotten snacks. She lies down on the couch, clutches a pillow to her chest, and silently cries a little.]

***

[Once she's pulled herself together sufficiently enough, Pao-Lin heads out into Luceti to go about her day. Despite having spent most of the past two weeks involved in strenuous physical activity, she'll still go through her kung fu forms by the river, though her movements won't be as spirited or as focused as they usually are. She'll take her main meals at Seventh Heaven, but she'll drop by the bakery for some pocket food before wandering aimlessly through the streets, not going anywhere in particular but not wanting to stay at home and brood, either. At night she can be found at Good Spirits, staring morosely at a melting milkshake. If approached at any point, she'll put on the brightest smile she can, but at this moment the brightness will be less like sunshine and more like a flickering lightbulb.]

Comments

[ctrlaltdemons]

[As Atsuro makes his way around the plaza, he happens to spot a familiar face! One that he hasn't seen in a couple of weeks, at that. So he walks on over to the girl and waves as excitedly as ever. It hasn't really occurred to him that something is very off about her but... he'll soon figure that out, probably.]

Hey, Pao-lin!

[i_am_not_cute]

[Pao-Lin glances up, blinking confusedly at the sound of her name, as though she has to mentally confirm that, yes, it's her name. She gives a big smile, but it seems slightly forced. (She is genuinely happy to see a familiar face again, though.]

Hi, Atsuro. How've you been?

[action]

[frost_jewel]

[Recently, Mia hasn't wanted to cook her dinner. Eating somewhere else is free, here, and...there are more people.

So the evening finds her wandering into Good Spirits, after working rather late, and catching sight of a familiar face at one of the tables. Instead of shouting, she walks over, stopping beside an empty chair.]

Pao-Lin, hello.

[action]

[i_am_not_cute]

[The girl glances up, looking even sadder than usual even with the smile on her face. It's been a long day, and she tends to be sleeping or otherwise resting at home at around this time. But she doesn't want to do that right now. She doesn't want to be alone.]

Hey, Mia.

[purestpurifier]

[He'll spot her while she's training, not immediately noticing the lack of spark in her movements. So he'll run up excitedly, beaming a smile.]

Pao-Lin! Hey! You're back!

[i_am_not_cute]

[Pao-Lin turns and smiles sheepishly.]

Yeah. Sorry I didn't tell you, there wasn't really time...by the time I found out they wanted me for a mission, I had to go get ready and leave.

[She should have, she thinks. But what good would that have done? It's not like any of her homebound friends would even remember her...]

[ action ]

[herotypical]

[ buffy's only here to pick up a pair of mittens she last left behind the bar at good spirits. but as she passes the girl with the milkshake, she murmurs. gently: ] H-hey. It's melting.

[ action ]

[i_am_not_cute]

[She looks up at Buffy, startled. The woman looks vaguely familiar to her, but she can't place the name at the moment. Her gaze drifts back to her milkshake.]

...I know.

[shadedsunlight]

[Ginia's out for a run along the river when she spots Pao-Lin. She slows down and watches her train, not wanting to disrupt her.]

[i_am_not_cute]

[And lost in her thoughts as she is, Pao-Lin doesn't notice Ginia watching her. She's not paying as much attention to her movements as she usually does; in fact it really seems like she's just going through the motions of it because she has to.]

[Action]

[coolportaljumper]

[Yugo stops and watches her for a short while as she's training, perched in a tree with his bird on his head, munching on some rolls he picked up at the bakery on his way out. Her moves are strikingly familiar--they're similar to his own, and he'd never seen anyone but his Papa, the Pandawa, and some of his Papa's friends move like that.

Though he wants to ask if she's trained with the Pandawa, he has a feeling she wouldn't know what he was talking about. So, he'll watch...and probably stand out because of his awesome blue hat and the snow.]

[Action]

[i_am_not_cute]

[Yugo will probably have to call out to her if he wants to talk to her, because Pao-Lin's attention is on trying to calm her troubled mind, and not on her immediate surroundings. She does notice someone in the vicinity, but it doesn't actually register to her that they're watching her.]

[Action]

[immadragon]

[Guess who else happens to be near the river today? Hermana's just talking a walk because even she realises that being cooped up inside all the time isn't any good even if it is winter.

She'll just quietly but intently watch Pao-lin until she's done.]

[Action]

[i_am_not_cute]

[It's in the middle of shifting her weight around halfway through a form that Pao-Lin notices Hermana watching her. She blinks, awkwardly frozen in her stance for a second, before recovering.]

Oh...hi, Hermana.

[She's trying to be cheerful, but being caught off-guard has rendered her efforts a little flat.]

[subsultive]

[Luca's wandering around, as usual -- although when he sees Pao-lin step out of the Bakery he'll make his way over to her. He's missed her the past two weeks - missed their lessons, too, although he's been practicing in a notebook when it's slow at the Clinic - and he's eager to see her --

he's a keen boy, sometimes, and he'll slow into a walk as he nears her. something's not right, and it troubles him, but he sets his sights on greeting her before he asks if things are well.]

Hello, Pao-lin!

[i_am_not_cute]

[Damn it, Luca, you caught her just as her brain was careening down a particularly depressing path. As such, her expression is fully open and unguarded when she notices him. Intense relief followed by a wave of fear washes over her, and the thought occurs to her: What if Luca were sent home?

...it's a bit of a ridiculous thought, really, considering that Luca had been sent home before. But the circumstances of finding out hadn't been the most conducive to thinking too hard on it, and she'd only known him for a month and a half at that time. Of course she was sad and disappointed, but it was nothing compared to losing people that you'd known for nearly your time in Luceti -- which he was at this point. It was certainly nothing compared to losing three in what seemed like one fell swoop. If he were sent home now...

Sorry, kid, Pao-Lin can't seem to brain even a simple greeting at this moment. She's just going to give the best smile that she can and wave weakly at him.]

[Action] ToI spam

[ashihara]

[Hope you don't mind Chitose staring at you Pao-Lin while you do your kung-fu forms]

[Action]

[i_am_not_cute]

[Pao-Lin doesn't usually mind that sort of thing; she can focus enough to tune out curious bystanders, and she doesn't mind showing off a little either. But with the hard-hitting news from this morning, Chitose's presence is...a bit more bothersome than it should be. It's no fault of Chitose's, of course, just bad timing.

When Pao-Lin notices the other girl, she smiles awkwardly and waves.]

Oh...hi. Did you need anything?

[rashness]

[Without Sanji here... well, there is wait-staff, but Pao-Lin comes at a slow time. The not-quite head chef at the moment is actually a kid right about her age in the back, with an apron on, his tail out of his pants, and reading a manga while leading on the back counter, laughing at it]

[i_am_not_cute]

[...huh. Seventh Heaven is much less crowded than she thought it'd be. She's used to seeing a lot of people around the place. Normally she doesn't care about whether there are lots of people or not (other than what it would mean for where she would sit), but now it just reminds her of the people she's lost. Suddenly she's reconsidering her decision to eat out. Maybe she could do takeout instead...? She approaches Rin at the back to ask.]

Um, could I get one order of tempura udon to go, please? [As she asks, her gaze drifts to the manga he's reading. What could it be?]

[Action]

[bigsiskonagi]

[When Pao-lin goes to visit the bakery, she'll find Yui tending to the front. Upon seeing her enter, she'll wave energetically at her and greet her]

Good afternoon Pao-lin! How- [She stops mid sentence, looking at Pao-lin with a curious expression. Something was off.] Is...everything all right?

[Action]

[i_am_not_cute]

[Crap. Pao-Lin has to work better on her poker face her p-p-poker face, doesn't she.]

Ah...it's fine! I'll be okay. I just came back from a mission, so I'm kind of tired...

[mindgooshed]

[ oh hey guess who's in good spirits, picking up a few bottles of rosé to refill his stores. he turns away from the bar, a brown bag in his arms. ]

Dragon Kid?

[ she looks.. sad. oh boy, this could get awkward. ]

[i_am_not_cute]

...hi, Mr. Barnaby. [She smiles out of politeness and a desperate grab at anything resembling normalcy.] How are you?

[action] how do you feel about having over half the innocence cast on this post

[forgiatura]

[ If Luca's a keen boy sometimes, Spada's the keen boy all the time, and he picks up on Pao-lin's somber vibes pretty quick ... not that it isn't obvious by the time she's staring at that milkshake like she's never had less of an appetite.

Naturally, he slides in a chair next to her with an easygoing grin regardless. ]

Hey, look who's showin' her face again!

[action] it is the most fabumalous thing ever

[i_am_not_cute]

[At this point in the day, Pao-Lin is too exhausted to be too surprised at Spada suddenly bursting onto the scene like some green whirlwind. She just gives him a half-sad, half-apologetic smile.]

Yeah, I'm finally back from my mission. Luca probably mentioned it to you.

[Action] probably breaking all the times, yes

[wildkotetsu]

[Weeeell, look who it is, depressingly staring at a milkshake--that's Dragon Kid alright. Kotetsu frowns at the sorry sight, reading it as anything but happy right off the bat, and quietly scoots into the seat next to her.

A quiet glance.]

Pao-lin?

[He's not used to using her name, really, but... situations.]

[Action] gosh why do you always have to break everything, Tiger

[i_am_not_cute]

[Yeah, Pao-Lin's not used to hearing her name from him, either. It's simultaneously comforting and unsettling. Ultimately, though, it lowers her defenses around Kotetsu -- and they were already low to begin with anyway, for reasons ranging from general emotional and physical fatigue to her previous relationship to Kotetsu and the help he's given her over her time as a Hero.]

H-hi. [She almost addresses him by name, but it feels weird to call him by his code name when he's using her real name with her, and she's not quite comfortable using his real name yet.] Sorry if you were looking for me the past two weeks...I got called for a mission and I just got back this morning.

OH HEY I FOUND A WAY (YAY) || by the river

[weaponry]

[ Good morning Pao-Lin!! Are your reflexes bright and ready?! I hope they are!

There is one kunai being currently whizzed to a point about five meters to your left where it hits in between a fork between two branches perfectly.

Well, actually, there isn't any need to have bright and ready reflexes. From the distance, a voice of a young girl can be heard from the forest. ]

Got it! Perfect bullseye!

[i_am_not_cute]

[Pao-Lin's snapped out of her mindless funk by the sound of kunai hitting wood as well as someone's voice in the vicinity. Curious, she stops what she was doing and waits to see what else happens.]

Joins the ToI spam

[ruinedhiswish]

_{[Iria is just walking around... oh wait. Is that Pao-lin? She's training, huh? Iria gives her a half-glare... then she realize something's wrong with the other girl.]}

...Hey, you.

_{[no, she is not concerned at all.]}

I welcome the ToI spam with open arms!

[i_am_not_cute]

[she has a name, you know, gosh

It takes a moment to register that someone's talking to her. It takes another moment to register who's talking to her.]

Oh, hi, Iria. [She makes an extra effort to act normal around the other girl, conscious that Iria doesn't seem to think well of her.] Haven't gotten to talk to you in a while. How have you been?

because sad hero-bros needed to be sad

[talontrot]

[Kazooie is unhappy too.

She isn't sure what prompts her to go into the bakery - maybe the fact she's alone, and her apartment is empty except for her own stuff and Pommy is gone for sure (the little runt hasn't been around in ages, if it was just a kidnapping he should've been back by now) - and it hurts. It hurts more than she wants to admit.

Sure, she's good at denying her own feelings, at pushing them down and covering them over with a layer of bravado and swagger, but she's just not feeling it today.

When she spots Pao-Lin, she... actually looks almost relieved, but the look on her face is tangible.]

... Pao-Lin. You're back, huh?

being an heero really is suffering now........

[i_am_not_cute]

[Pao-Lin glances over, and is startled to find that Kazooie is looking like she feels as bad as Pao-Lin does right now. For a moment, Pao-Lin's relieved. The stream of seemingly happy people (sans Ginia) coming up to her today and talking to her had started to make her feel like she was the only miserable person in Luceti -- as if she needed more of a reason to feel alone. At least it looks like she can commiserate with Kazooie.

Then she just feels really guilty for finding anything good about seeing a friend upset.]

Yeah. Sorry I didn't say anything to you...by the time I got the note saying they wanted me on a mission, I had to leave, so I didn't have a lot of time to really talk to people.

[lostinmyway]

[Oh hey, look who's also by the river. Grune was just on a little ramble, admiring the falling snow when she spotted a friend she hasn't seen for a little while.

Things like not breaking concentration or letting Pao-lin finish her form don't exactly occur to Grune, and so she calls out:] Hello, Pao-lin.

[...It seems that lack of energy thing is catching.]

[i_am_not_cute]

[Not to worry, Grune, Pao-Lin isn't really that up for doing things right today anyway. She just wants to do things so she's not sitting around moping.]

Hi, Grune. Sorry if I worried you by being gone the past two weeks -- I had to go on a mission.

[blazing_heart]

_{[At the bakery, Pao-lin will be spotted by an always cheerful redhead. He notices her sad face and walks up to her. A smile never leaves his face.]}

Hey, Miss. Are you okay?

[i_am_not_cute]

[Eek! Pao-Lin was...not expecting that, to say the least. She almost drops the cookie she was holding.]

Oh, I'm fine! Th-thanks for asking, though... [Then, after a moment, she continues in a lower tone.] I guess I must look pretty bad, huh?

action;

[ozwell]

[Hubert is already at the bakery by the time Pao-Lin would have dropped by, examining the pastry for an idea of what to get. While this isn't a regular part of his routine, it's nice to get freshly baked bread now and then.

So there he is, slightly hunched over a row of pastries with a hand cupping his chin.]

action;

[i_am_not_cute]

[Pao-Lin notices Hubert as soon as she walks in; that blue head of hair is hard to miss, even in a place full of weirdoes like this village is. At any other moment, she would've been glad to see him, or any of her other friends for that matter. But in light of what she's just returned home to, all she can think about is whether one of them will be the next one she'll lose to the whims of Luceti.

Still, she walks up to him to greet him.]

Hey, Hubert.

[There's a smile on her face, and she doesn't exactly sound sad, but her usual spark is lacking.]

/totally not late

[drawnbythesword]

[That night, Asbel too is at Good Spirits. He's not nursing a milkshake like she is, preferring to enjoy the more... adult drinks the place has to offer. Not that he's much of an adult most of the time. Regardless, he spots the girl with her milkshake.]

...You should finish that before it all melts.

/you're on time by Filipino standards, it's all good

[i_am_not_cute]

[She blinks confusedly at him, not expecting to be addressed. Even though she's been running into people all day -- whether she knows them or not.]

Oh. Hi, Asbel.

[Action]

[failguardian]

[Good Spirits is always a nice place to hang out, especially with friends. Anise brightens when she sees Pao-Lin and immediately heads on over, although her smile fades when she notices the other girl's morose expression.]

[Well, no need to worry, Anise is here to cheer you up!]

Pao-Lin! You're back!

[Action]

[i_am_not_cute]

[She smiles at the other girl. Hidden under the genuine gladness is an undercurrent of grief.]

Hey, Anise. Sorry if you were looking for me the past two weeks -- the Malnosso called me for a mission and I didn't have time to really tell people about it.