Description: Continuing her quest to warn others of Selma's potential influence, Luise retraces her steps and recalls a face she's met once before on the fighting circuits. Sheer good fortune places one of the Psycho Soldiers in her path, and the Butterfly leaves the conversation feeling reassured by Kensou's positive outlook. ("Schmetterling und Strohblume", Interlude)
Chinatown.
Apparently, a popular place to rock it down to. But for the most part, it's actually fairly quiet and safe as areas of Southtown go, barring the occasional spontaneous kung fu battle. Among the area's residents, surely the most famous are the members of the Psycho Soldiers team, former King of Fighters competitors and largely individuals born back on the mainland anyway. The most visible member of the team who actually /lives/ in Chinatown is, of course, Sie Kensou, because the other two are a crazy old drunk and a cheerful little boy who spends most of his time training with said crazy old drunk.
Kensou, though, he knows better. He knows enough to skip training, to go do other things, like read comic books or eat, or something. Especially when the other people in Chinatown, knowing him as well as they do and seeing him as a local celebrity, are prone to giving him free stuff - especially food. So he sees it as his privilege, nay his /responsibility/ to be out and among them, being a friendly and visible part of the community in which he lives. This, as it happens, also makes it /very easy/ to find him.
"Aaaah, I'm stuffed," says Kensou as he steps away from a tea shop, where of course he was told his money would not be accepted at all. Patting his belly in satisfaction, the Chinese psychic glances around. Now what to do with his day? He supposes he could actually head back home and, perhaps, even do some /training/. He must really be bored.
Ever since she and Selma parted ways in Central America, Luise Meyrink has been a woman on a mission. Sadly... that mission hasn't been as easy as she had hoped it might. Her run-in with her 'sister' during a Saturday Night Fight in London, along with her discovery of a girl with the 'potential', Miu Kurosaki... both of these only made her all the more determined to accomplish it. Whatever goal Selma has, whatever 'judgment' she's about to deliver, Luise must be ready.
Consider, however, that those people with the gift of Psycho Power are exceedingly rare... a one in a million gift, a gift many people aren't even sure they have. To many -- even those who use it -- the power is another form of particularly shiny chi. How is one woman expected to find those people who might meet Selma's criteria? Miu certainly does, but that's one person.
A recording of an old Athena Asamiya hit, however, proved to be the answer.
Reminded of the most high-profile of psions -- though this may not be public knowledge to all -- Luise recalled her bout with two members of the Psycho Soldiers, Sie Kensou and Momoko, during another Saturday Night Fight. Determined, she set off for Southtown as soon as was plausible, determined to track them down. As hometown heroes and celebrities, the group is not hard to track on a macro scale; their Chinatown stomping grounds are easily-obtained information. Finding the actual individuals in the throng of the city's Chinese district, however, another story.
It is only by sheer luck that Luise is standing across the street as Kensou emerges from the tea shop, looking... disturbingly out of place among the residents of Chinatown with her ghost-pale skin, silver-blonde hair, and stately bearing. A sigh of despair is actually escaping her lips as she suddenly looks up, as if hearing some unspoken voice. With all his potential power, Kensou is indeed like a beacon... easy to find, and the German woman's head turns toward him, blue eyes searching him out in the crowd.
But among those who /do/ know what kind of a gift Psycho Power is, the disciples of Chin Genstai are surely among the foremost. Kensou, however, for all his psychic abilities... Well, sometimes he's just plain oblivious. Others would probably notice the presence, the attention being directed towards them, but right now all Kensou is thinking about is how good he feels with a full stomach and the fact that he didn't have to pay for it. This obliviousness, of course, continues right up until the moment he finds himself face to face with Luise, completely by accident.
"W-whoa!!" exclaims Kensou in surprise as he stumbles back a step or two, but he manages to stay on his feet regardless. That was almost a terrible accident! Kensou laughs sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand, and then... He realises something. "Oi... Ain't I seen you before?" he wonders of the German woman, his brows furrowing in thought. She seems familiar!
The blonde can't help but smile at the near miss. After all, she's as relieved as Kensou is confused; this is a lucky break beyond comprehension. She didn't expect a busy fighter like Kensou to remember her after a single, brief meeting, but the slow smile that spreads across the blue-frosted lips suggests that she feels somewhat gratified that he does. "Yes... you have," Luise agrees with that same faint smile, extending her hand. If nothing else, she's curteous... but of course, she's also very strange in appearance, which may put the Psycho Soldier on his guard. "My name is Luise Meyrink... we've only met the once, during one of Howard's Saturday Night Fights. My pleasure to make your acquaintance."
There's a brief pause, while the Dancing Butterfly considers her next move. It would be nice to make a friendly overture, some sort of motion to put Kensou at ease... but rather than extending that courtesy, she lets her mien turn serious and launches right into her reason for hunting the Psycho Soldiers down. "I am glad we could meet again... but sadly I wish it were under better circumstances. Mr. Kensou, I come bearing... some unsettling news that affects you, and those you care for."
Strange in appearance is nothing new to Kensou, he's a professional fighter! Besides, he's in love with a girl who has purple hair, who's he to judge when someone else is unusual looking? Still, at least Luise explains to him just what it is he was confused about, as her introduction and explanation reminding him of their previous encounter, his fingers snapping in realisation. "Oh! Oh yeah, I remember now," Kensou says, nodding. "Uh, it was you an' that weird ninja girl in yellow, right? Well, it's nice t' meetcha," he says, before adding a bit awkwardly. "Uh. again."
And then, naturally, Luise goes all serious and end of the world-y on him, leaving Kensou to stare at her with his mouth hanging slightly agape. "Wh... R-really? It ain't that Lord Vegetable guy again, is it? I thought he got killed or somethin', but you know them superpowered megalomaniacs, harder t' get rid of than ants in your house..." Is Kensou capable of being completely serious about anything? Probably not.
A single silver-blonde eyebrow goes up at that, as Luise is briefly confused by Kensou's reference to 'Lord Vegetable'. However, she regains her composure somewhat admirably, giving his statement a little more thought. Luise herself was never introduced to Vega personally, but the man's subordinates in Shadaloo, particularly Tiistai... they're inadvertently responsible for the course she's currently travelling. His suggestion that the man was probably killed cements that, thanks to news coverage of Vega's somewhat explosive exit from this mortal coil. Suppressing an outright laugh, the Dancing Butterfly does allow herself a chuckle. "While I agree he isn't likely gone forever, no... that's not what I've come to discuss."
But what HAS she come to discuss? Now that she actually has a receptive, listening audience in front of her, Luise is struck by how little she knows. Selma is searching capable 'lieutenants' for her mission, this much is clear, and her targets all have the gift of Psycho Power... a gift both Butterfly and Flower share. Casting her eyes downward for a moment, Luise grips her left elbow with her right hand, suddenly not able to meet Kensou's gaze. "This is a calamity of... well, not exactly my fault, but I may be responsible for it walking to your doorstep," she admits, chagrined, before turning toward Kensou, her dark blue eyes luminous and her face serious. "I can sense it, and I know she will be able to as well. You have... the 'potential'," she finally says, trying to find a term for it that won't give away Kensou's secret to the passersby on a Chinatown street. "A special gift. She will use it to find you, and try to win you over..."
You'd think Kensou would actually know to call Vega by his real name, thanks to the fact that one reason Chin formed the Psycho Soldiers in the first place was to oppose individuals like Vega - individuals who would use Psycho Power for evil ends - not to mention Kensou's own rather unpleasant encounter with the dictator. But, regardless, seriousness and Kensou are just not two concepts that go together very well. Less chocolate and peanut butter, more chocolate and roast beef.
Kensou's head slowly tilts as he realises what Luise is getting at, though, a bit of a frown crossing his boyish face. "So she's huntin' for people who can use Psycho Power?" he says, totally ruining the Dancing Butterfly's attempt to be cool and mysterious and roundabout; an important difference between the Psycho Soldiers and the others who know what they're doing when they wield Psycho Power is that Chin's disciples are very public about the nature of their abilities. Most people just think they're giving their chi a cool name to sound different, but those who know, well, know, don't they? "What's she tryin' t' scare up allies for?"
For what it's worth, Kensou's openness does take Luise by surprise. The German woman actually had no real name for her power until very recently, when Seth -- at her behest, in the search for her missing father -- laid it all out for her, including the potential consequences of making that knowledge public. Experimentation from NESTS, the prospect of slavery or worse from Shadaloo... the mercenary informant hadn't made having Psycho Power seem like a desirable state. That he can actually be so open about it actually raises Luise's esteem for this young man quite a lot.
Her look of surprise, however, soon segues into an expression of... embarrassment, perhaps? Or chagrin... on the pale face they look remarkably similar. "Yes. Well..." There's a pause. "The 'she' in this case is a woman named Selma. If you vaguely recalled my features, you may have the same feeling of familiarity looking at her, though she wears... a slightly different type of clothing." The image of shimmery white fabric and flowers drifts through Luise's mind as she pauses, then continues. "She and I are... related. And her purpose is nothing less than purging the world of all evil." That... hardly sounds like such a terrible thing to find allies for.
NESTS who? Kensou hasn't even heard of such a group, and if he had, he'd say 'bring it on'; confidence is not a trait that lacks in professional fighters, even if sometimes Kensou does feel a bit hopeless, but that's usually his own fault, with the not training hard thing and all. And as for Shadaloo, he knows firsthand that keeping quiet about something like that wouldn't help anyway. Besides all of that, the Psycho Soldiers couldn't do what they're supposed to do if they kept themselves secret. They are, in point of fact, supposed to help people. People like Luise.
"Hmmm," Kensou muses, rubbing his chin thoughtfully; the elbow of that arm is balanced on the hand of his other arm, which is folded across his torso. This is easily recogniseable as a 'dramatic posture'. "Evil twin!" the Chinese psion declares, though when Luise says 'purge the world of all evil', that whole idea sort of falters. Unless she's trying to get rid of the competition. Orr... "Uh... I'm guessin' she's pretty misguided as t' what 'evil' is then?"
Her response to the label of 'evil twin' is a helpless laugh. After all, the Psycho Soldier might not be far from the mark there. The two are not strictly twins... even identical twins have some small genetic differences. Selma and Luise are *identical* down to the last chromosome, which makes the Dancing Butterfly all the more concerned about the effect sitting in suspended animation under the jungle floor might have on an individual. They've grown to be such different people, after all.
"I suppose you could call her that," Luise muses, putting a hand to her chin in thought, the dark blue of her nails standing out against the pale complexion. "But yes, her concept of 'evil' is... wide. She believes that only those with the 'potential' are fit to be the shepherds of the new world, and even among those she plans to cull the ones who disagree with her. Mr. Kensou, I'm not coming to you to try and convince you to fight her," Luise finally adds, turning back to Kensou with a solemn expression once again. "Your choices in life are of course your own. But if this woman... if Selma approaches you, please give careful consideration to what she says and weigh it against what I have told you."
Kensou is well-versed in genre conventions, you see. He reads a /lot/ of comic books. But when Luise gets into the specifics of just what it is Selma is after, the Chinese psion's expression does, in fact, turn serious for once. "I see," he says, in a bit of a quiet tone. This is, apparently, no longer a time for dramatic posturing, as Kensou's hands fall back to his side. Something like that... Well, that's reprehensible, any way you look at it. As bad in its own way as anything Vega ever wanted to do. "Luise," Kensou says, going right to her first name because they share something as important as Psycho Power, and that makes them practically family! "If you're right 'bout what she's lookin' t' do, then I can't stand aside. It ain't like bein' able t' use Psycho Power makes us some kinda superior race or nothin', we're still just human."
Well, mostly. There's always the matter of Kensou's unrealised potential...
"An' if anythin', it gives us a responsibility t' make sure others like us don't misuse their power. S'what Chin-sifu taught me, an' Athena, an' Bao... S'why the Psycho Soldiers exist." Kensou, being essentially a trusting sort, as well as somewhat empathic, doesn't see any reason to distrust Luise, which is why he extends his hand towards her. "I believe you're tellin' the truth, an' this Selma needs t' be stopped. So, If y' need our help, we're gonna do what we can." And he grins, because that's how he rolls. Plus looking serious like that was hurting his face.
Putting a hand to her chest, Luise shuts her eyes for a moment, and perhaps even oblivious Kensou can feel, for a moment, the aura of gratitude radiating out from her. "What a wonderful world that has such people in it," she says quietly, before raising her head with a smile. "Thank you for hearing me out. As for conflict... I hope it doesn't come to that. Selma and I... we are not strictly related, but we are linked, very closely... it's the type of bond I'm sure someone like you is familiar with." She doesn't REALLY know that. But for all her lack of understand what Psycho Power was called, unlike most people, Luise was born aware of it. She's had a lifetime to fine-tune her perception. Kensou is destined for great things... this much is clear.
However, the Psycho Soldier's offer of help... it does bring to Luise the unpleasant reminder that it may not be possible to peacefully resolve that.
"For now," Luise says suddenly, exhaling a breath. Focus on the now, don't let the future cloud your judgment. "...for now, please pass my warning on to others you know with... Psycho Power." The words still sound foreign to her, an almost clinical way of talking about something she has always viewed as highly personal, a view which she is rapidly finding to be less true than she'd imagined. "I still believe I can end it without fighting, but Selma... well, before you asked me what her vision of a perfect world was, you wondered why eliminating the world's evil might be bad, didn't you? Not everyone might have your clever thinking on the subject."
Positive energy just seems to follow the members of the Psycho Soldiers around; it's just in their nature. Even for Kensou, someone who only became aware of his nature through sheer chance, thanks to his fortuitous encounter with Chin Gentsai instead of just starving to death as an orphan in the remotest parts of mainland China. "Well, yeah, obviously s'better if things can be settled without a fight, right? 'specially if you're that closely connected t' somebody." Imagine what it would be like if he was in dire conflict with one of his teammates, who he shares a close bond with? Unfortunately that would be a /really/ one sided conflict if it turned into a fight, in one case. Hoooboy.
"I'll be sure t' warn people, but..." Stopping for a moment, pensively, Kensou reaches up and scratches his cheek. "Well, s'not like y' really /can/ eliminate all the evil in the world. An' even if you could, would it be a good idea? Everythin' is made up of opposites, otherwise there's no balance, an' no movement neither. 'sides!" he adds with a laugh. "Usually when somebody says they're gonna do somethin' like that, their idea of 'evil' ain't exactly what the rest of us would consider, y'know?"
Shaking her head, Luise's expression returns to some semblence of 'normal'; not the grim countenance of the bearer of bad news, but not precisely the sprightly smile of someone having the time of her life, infectious positive energy or no. "I think you're exactly right," the Dancing Butterfly says carefully, crossing her arms over her chest. "Naturally everyone has their own ideas about what 'good' and 'evil' are, so trying to eliminate one isn't ever going to work. But... there are always people who feel like getting rid of everyone who disagrees with *them* is the same as eliminating all evil. Unfortunately my 'evil twin'," Luise adds, smiling a bit as she uses Kensou's previous joke, "is that kind of thinker. Perhaps worse, she considers herself a holy warrior of sorts... the type that's difficult to reason with, harder still to convince."
Splaying her fingers as she presses her arms behind her and outward, stretching, Luise once again returns to a smile. "I'm glad we could meet again, Mr. Kensou, and I'm sorry for startling you. I wish it had been under better circumstances than this. Perhaps better opportunities will come in the future."
Ain't no party like a fanatic's party, 'cause a fanatic's party don't stop! Even when you try to get them to listen to reason and logic. Kensou understands these things, but mostly in the sort of way you understand that space is really big: He knows it, but he doesn't FEEL it, having never really met anyone who was a total fanatic in his life. Sure, he's met what often passes for supervillains in the world, but usually they're less convinced they're right than they are convinced they're able to do whatever they want. It's a fine difference, but at the same time, the biggest in the world!
"Ahh, don't worry 'bout it, Luise," Kensou says, waving off the apology. "'m glad you warned me though, now I'll be ready in case there's any trouble." And in case any crazies show up at his door trying to get him to help them cleanse the world. "Just be careful, huh? Somebody like that, if they know you're tryin' to salt their game, might take exception in a pretty direct manner."
Asking Kensou if he's psychic seems a bit gauche in this scenario, but for the second time Luise seems taken aback at the young psion's read of her situation. She herself was just considering, of course, that a clash between herself and Selma is effectively inevitable, and she does look briefly troubled as she brings a hand up to brush one long loop of silver-blonde hair from her face, brows furrowed. "She and I... you're right. I don't think some conflict between us can be avoided. But if I could, I'd like to avoid drawing in other people. Not because of some foolish notion that I have to do this on my own," she suddenly adds with a wan smile. Luise does consider herself a 'do-gooder', in one sense of the word, but she is by no means an idiot. If she needs help, she'll ask for it.
Still...
Spreading her hands before her in a gesture of helplessness, Luise continues. "It's a family matter, too. And I'm trying very hard not to discount what she says just because I disagree with her methods. It's... a complicated situation." Considering how freely she shared the rest of this story, Luise's reticence may seem out of place... but the deepest facts of her conflict with Selma suggest truths about herself that the Dancing Butterfly might not be ready to face yet. "I'm trying to prepare myself. It's not easy, I admit."
It's not just Kensou's psychic senses, which for him are generally more intuitive and subconscious than any sort of overt 'sixth sense' like the more psionically potent members of his team seem to show. There is, as mentioned before, his intimate knowledge of genre conventions, which his career as a professional fighter and sometime crime-fighter have taught him are frighteningly accurate to real life. At least, real life amongst the 'punch tanks in half' set. "Ain't no other kinda situation," Kensou says sagely. Isn't it kind of weird for /him/ to be the one dispensing wisdom? Is this Bizarro World? Is Ashton Kutcher suddenly going to come up and tell Luise she's just been Punk'd?
"Most important thing you can do is t' remember t' listen t' what your heart tells ya," Kensou continues. "Deep down, y'already know the right thing t' do, just gotta listen for it. An' maybe y' think 'how does that make me any different from her', right? But the difference is obvious, ain't it? You're capable a' doubtin' yourself, an' that means you're more likely t' do the right thing... But this 'Selma' you're describin', she's so convinced she's right she won't consider another possibility, an' that's how people end up doin' all manner a' awful things."
Something about the serious words coming out of Kensou's mouth does indeed strike Luise as funny, despite their short acquaintance. Of course, the German knows that his words are not only sincere and heartfelt, but also right; the young Psycho Soldier has clearly had to give this sort of problem a lot of thought over his few years. For her part, Luise is actually somewhat jealous, though it doesn't show in her mirthful countenance. "That's sound advice. You're pretty wise for someone so young, Mr. Kensou," Luise says, somewhat honestly and somewhat teasingly.
Brushing her pale hands on her dark black slacks, the Dancing Butterfly extends her hand one more time for Kensou to shake if he wishes. "I should best be going, and let you get back to your day. Thank you again for hearing me out. It's my deepest wish that you don't need to get involved... but I am responsible for Selma's sudden introduction to the world, so it's my responsibility to prepare people."
Indeed, young as he may be Kensou's had to deal with weighty philosophical issues for much of his life! Though most of the time he just sort of took a nap or something instead, but eventually the lessons his old master tried to teach him managed to worm their way into Kensou's mind despite his best efforts to just be lazy. "Ha ha, of course I am," Kensou agrees, cheerfully. "I'm the Great Sie Kensou!" What's so great about him, that's the real question here.
Besides, only he calls himself that.
The offered hand is taken, though, and Kensou gives a firm - but not /too/ firm, since Luise is A Girl - shake before releasing it. "Well, thanks again for the warnin'," Kensou says, nodding once. "Just remember, it ain't good t' try an' carry the burden all by yourself. If anybody understands we're all in this together, it's people like us, right? So good luck, Luise," Kensou adds, lifting his hand in a wave as he starts to move off. All that thinking made him hungry.
Yes, he just ate like five minutes ago, so?
Log created on 20:42:28 11/13/2007 by Luise, and last modified on 13:03:51 11/14/2007.