46th PSI

[a_gentle_boy]

[voice]
Oh, everyone...!  It looks like something strange is happening, after all.  I don't want to say I told you so, but... well, I did tell you so.  Be careful if you're going outside, alright?  Until we sort out what's happening, it'd probably be for the best if everyone kept to themselves.  After all... Wouldn't it be just like the town to trick us into hurting each other again?

[Lucas laughs, less nervous than such a laugh ought to be.  It's slightly unnerving.]

If, you know, the doubles are really the real people just acting different because the town has brainwashed them... Then, if we don't stop to think... Well, I don't want to think what might happen.  Nobody wants to hurt their friends, right?  We can't just believe the people in the pods because they're more... accurate.  It would be just like the the town to pull something so awful!

Anyway, if you're hurt at all, please call me!  I'll be right there to heal you.  That's what I do best...  Please, don't hesitate!

[action]
[And Lucas can be found in his garden, tending to his plants with a smile on his face.  ...He's ripping them out.  It was fall, after all.  They were dying.]

[action 2, first for Rainbow Dash, but open afterwards for anyone]
[Naturally, in the middle of his dead garden sits a small pod about the size of a child or a young teenager.]

[action 3]
PK Flash!

PSI Counter Alpha!

[The explosive green light reflects against the shimmering shield, bouncing back with enough speed to catch nearly anyone off-guard; Lucas, though, is intimately familiar with his own battling techniques.  A flick of his stick and the green light harmlessly diffuses into flashing sparks.]

You won't get away with this!

That's what I ought to say!  I'm the real one!

Liar!  You're nothing like me!

Because you're a fake!  You attacked first!

You ran at me with your stick!  Now stop pretending! 

[The two psychic boys continue to duke it out in the front yard.  Lucas doesn't fight too often, but it becomes clear from this battle that he is much more well-practiced than might have been expected.  PSI after PSI is flung back and forth and met with counter or shield; swings to the head are dodged easily; flying leaps result in evenly matched stand-offs as the boys bounce against each other again and again.  At one point, one of the Lucases backflips, collecting a massive amount of PSI power in his foot.  The drive downwards is met with an equally powerful blast of PSI upwards from the defending Lucas; the resulting explosion sends both of them flying.  ...This seems to be a signal for a brief respite.  One of the Lucases certainly could use some help.  His doppelganger was every bit his equal.]

Comments

Action ☆ 1

[badend-replay.livejournal.com]

m-mi! What are you doing?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Oh, Rika!

[He turns to her with a cheerful smile.]

I'm getting rid of the plants, of course. They're all going to die soon, so it's better not to leave them until they're an eyesore.

[badend-replay.livejournal.com]

Oh, I see...



They are only dying soon, though. They have not died yet. Perhaps it would be kindest to leave them until they are truly done being beautiful, Lucas.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Do you think so? It's probably because you haven't had a garden before. Last year, they all started weeping so quickly I couldn't get to them in time; it was really bad.

[Lucas beams again.]

Action 2!

[foalingaround.livejournal.com]

[It wasn't hard to put together that the pods and changes of behavior in the townspeople were related, so Rainbow Dash's plan of attack was smashing open those pods.

Not knowing Lucas is inside, she raises one of her back hooves and cracks that pod open like an egg.

A very gross, gooey egg. Yuck.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[There is a familiar looking green-haired boy in the pod. .....Wait no that's just the slime; Lucas splutters as the air begins to seep into the pod.]

W-What... What's all of this ooze?

[foalingaround.livejournal.com]

[Guess who wasn't expecting a person to come out of that pod.

This pony right here.

Rainbow Dash leaps back, startled, before finally recognizing Lucas.]

K-kid? What the hay were you doing in there?!

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Ergh.

[Lucas waves around his arms for a moment or two before trying to slip out of the pod; this mostly results in a feeble flopping motion.]

I have no idea! Is this someone's idea of a practical joke?

Action 3

[gezellighe.livejournal.com]

[Of course, once he's recovered enough from being in a pod and parted ways with Nina, he'll be checking on those most important to him. On the way is Lucas' house, and he's definitely hearing some worrying sounds. He's still got his hammer, so he'll approach cautiously, using a car parked on the street for some cover.

. . . he's still covered in slime. Great.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[After Rainbow Dash had freed him, Lucas had lacked the foresight to realize that the goop could help identify him. It was only after taking a shower and changing clothes that he'd run into his doppelganger who had... attacked him on sight.

Oh, well.

The Netherlands will be treated to the sight of both boys panting in some exhaustion as they level flickering orbs of light at each other.]

If you stop now... I promise I won't hurt you!



Aaaaugh! This is so frustrating!

[gezellighe.livejournal.com]

[There just wasn't any way to tell which was real right now. . . All he can do is watch.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[If the Netherlands watches closely enough, he'll see that one has a tiny badge clipped to the front of his shirt. Whether or not he's noticed it before will depend on if he paid some attention to what Lucas was wearing. This is the Franklin Badge, the only one of its kind in the world, and Lucas never took it off, pinning it even to his pajamas.

Sadly, it was usually hidden underneath something else so maybe it wasn't a very good sign.

While the Netherlands is watching, one of the Lucases rushes at the other with a stick.]



Shield Omega!

[They're locked once again, the attacking one putting all his weight against the shield thrown up by the defending one.]

[Phone]

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

Oh wow. I've met some pretty crappy pretenders today but you're not even bothering to really try, are you?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

That depends on what you think I'm trying for! But, you know, this is how it always starts.

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it is how it always starts. And while I wouldn't say I like him? I've known the little nerd you're supposed to be for a year and a half. You don't sound that much like him.

And, you know. Someone already admitted that they were an impostor.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

It's interesting, isn't it? The idea of identical imposters. I mean, you could have been replaced and maybe you'd never even know.

But, um. Maybe if you paid attention to people, you wouldn't make stupid mistakes like this.

[kleptophile.livejournal.com]

Yeah, well, if the fakes are the ones out and about, isn't that exactly the sort of doubts they'd want us to have dealing with 'em?

I mean, not like I really want to kill anyone, but I'm betting the real ones will come back the next day. And the fakes won't. Problem solved, right?

Besides, you sound...weird. In a not particularly trustworthy kinda way.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

That's a little too much reverse psychology for me, Mr. Lyn. Are you sure it's not just that you don't trust anyone?

[kleptophile.livejournal.com]

Maybe, but so what? You ever heard the phrase 'healthy paranoia'? There's a reason it exists.

Besides, we could just tie 'em all up or something. All the people with more than one of 'em running around. This shit the town pulls never lasts long - the fakes'll go away and the real ones will stay.

action 2

[naicha]

_{[ She was going to see what was up at his place, but it looks like it's already been dealt with. Still, she's relieved that there's someone normal around here. ]}

Lucas! _{[ Taiwan, put that knife down, and don't run. It's dangerous. ]} Are you okay? No one hurt you, did they?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Taiwan, put that knife down and don't run. Lucas's eyes will widen a little bit.]

N-No, I'm fine. Just... sticky. Do you know what's going on at all?

[naicha]

_{[ No!!! Okay, fine, she will stop running. She looks pretty serious when she tells him: ]} Aliens.

[phone] (Sorry for late tags!)

[roadroller]

Eh? That's too confusing. ♪

Don't worry about it!

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Haha, sorry! I should have known to dumb it down a little for the girls. Um... I guess I mean, we shouldn't take anything at face value!

[roadroller]

[her eyes narrow at that little quip]

Hey, you're trying to say the town can make a you that's more you than you. It doesn't take an idiot to be confused by that - it might even be confusing for confusion's sake. Do you follow me? ♪