Interim
Story: With the retirement of Wild Tiger and Barnaby Brooks jr, and the controversy surrounding Maverick and Ourobouros, Apollon Media is in need of a new hero. Enter Rowen Chrysler, a rookie detective working for the Justice Bureau and Trish Nicholson, a prominent fashion model. Will these two fresh faces become the Queen of Heroes, or destroy Sternbild in the process? Set in the gap between Kotetsu's retirement and return.
This'll be my first foray into Tiger and Bunny fanfiction, one with OC's at that. Hope it works out; constructive criticism appreciated!
Prologue : One swallow does not a summer make
Barnaby Brooks Jr sighed in his chair. Retiring from the hero business had been a personal decision, something he had undertaken for himself. Right now he should be halfway across the country enjoying life, or working on one of his parents' past projects, or hunting down Ouroboros, or enjoying tea with Kotetsu at his home in Oriental town. Instead, he was looking over applications for becoming Apollon Media's next Hero. It had been Lloyds' idea for him and Kotetsu to filter through the applicants, and they had each taken their own approaches to the task: Kotetsu was currently at the Hero Academy with Origami Cyclone, interviewing the fresh graduates, while Barnaby had taken the administrative road and was reading through each candidate's biodata, resume, educational attainments and other government-mandatory paperwork. He had just finished trashing half of the applications from said Hero Academy fresh grads when Agnes paid him a visit.
"Barnaby. Lloyds sent me here with more applications."
Barnaby gave her an irritated look, but did a double take. Agnes rarely dropped by the Apollon office unless she was conducting an interview, or had something important in mind. The fact that she had pretty much been promoted to the head of Hero TV made the visit even more significant. He stopped looking over an application of a Next with plant powers for a moment and gave her his full attention. "Please tell me these are promising ones. I'm tired of going through applications that sound like drawn-out character sheets for fanfiction."
Ignoring for a moment how Barnaby could possibly know what a crappy character sheet looked like, Agnes casually wheeled over Kotetsu's chair and set a large brown envelope on the table. "Don't worry. I took the liberty of looking through these myself, and I know the feeling."
A brief moment of relief shot through Barnaby. If there was anyone he knew that could spot potential in random people with strange powers, it was Agnes. "Great. Are you still sure we shouldn't just promote one of the minor league heroes?"
"They're in the minor league for a reason, Barnaby. That being said, I want you to realize that this is an opportunity for Apollon Media to redeem itself. Our reputation hasn't exactly been pristine since the beginning, but in case you haven't noticed, the recent incidents have taken a large dent in both our trust and our shares. That being said, our ratings are at an all time high." Agnes smirked and patted the fat brown envelope. "I want you to take a good look at these. We're not just looking for fit, bright, healthy individuals, but those with good images."
Barnaby paused. "Are you telling me that we're looking for a public hero?" Barnaby himself had been the first celebrity hero with public identity, for the simple reason that he believeed that he didn't have anything to hide – rather, he wanted everyone to know that he was a hero, and that he was out for justice. It had been his way of challenging Ouroboros front and center, but that hadn't exactly worked as intended. He'd been besieged by fans the evening after his unofficial debut during that last season when he'd rescued Wild Tiger, and it had been hell since the Jake Martinez incident. It was a good thing he lived in an apartment with high security.
"Exactly my point. The main reason why you were so popular in the first place was because you didn't have a superhero persona or a secret identity – you gave off an aura that you were approachable and human, compared to the other heroes. It helped that you looked the part of the pretty poster boy in the first place. That's one thing Maverick got right, at least."
"Please don't remind me." Barnaby reached for the envelope and shook the applications out onto the table. Several had been eared and marked with post-its, with key details on their resumes highlighted with an annoyingly pink shade of marker. "And these would be..?"
"I figured that it would be better if we chose a Hero of a certain background for this. Preferably someone with as little connections to crime syndicates as possible. And of course, There are a surprising number of applications from celebrities in there, there's one from a popular talk show host, and another a famous idol."
"We already have a Next Hero idol singer." Barnaby began scanning one application. "The talk show host, what power does he have?"
"Aside from making a room full of people laugh? I think he'd listed it as a power of hypnotic suggestion."
"No hypnotists. The last person that could do things to people's minds didn't go so well with the general public."
"Granted." Agnes sighed, and took a few applications from the pile on Barnaby's desk. "No, no and no. Some people need to be told that they have no talent."
"Kotetsu's too nice to do that." Barnaby leafed through the application of a scientist who could change body size dramatically and decided that he wasn't heroic enough.
Agnes threw the applications into the trash, where Barnaby made a mental note to put the rest. "Where is Tiger anyway? I haven't heard from him since you two announced your retirement."
"Right now? He's at the Academy, reviewing applicants."
"Figures." Agnes went through half an inch of applications before leaning back into Kotetsu's office chair. "You know, Barnaby, there's some talk going around regarding your retirement. It strikes most people odd that the King of Heroes would call it quits the year after he won the award."
Barnaby trashed an application of a stretching NEXT and looked a her sternly. "Agnes, I am usually patient with you, but the matter of my retirement-"
"I know, Barnaby, it's personal. Even I find it uncomfortable that someone's been messing around with my head, but I'm not talking about that. It's about Wild Tiger."
"Kotetsu?" Barnaby looked confused.
"Yes. There's talk online that there may be something... more to your relationship. Just wanted you to know what your fan base is thinking." Agnes shot him a sly smile and got started on the profile of a bodybuilder who could turn into animals. "Hmm. Too iffy, we already have enough animal heroes.."
"I am not gay, Agnes."
"I never said you were."
Barnaby sighed irritably and resumed working. A girl with dragonfly wings, a boy with spider powers, another boy with an immense healing factor... The last one had potential, but he was shorter than Origami Cyclone and looked like he'd piss his pants at the sight of Kriem, let alone Jake Martinez.
"Oh, Barnaby, take a look at this one. You'll find her interesting."
Agnes smiled and handed him a set of documents highlighted heavily and half covered in post its. The accompanying photo (rather, portfolio) seemed to scream star material, while her Next power – extreme speed – was simple, but versatile. Barnaby nodded and set it in a tray on his desk, which had been empty all day.
"You sure about her, Agnes?"
"Oh, I'm sure. You've met her before at functions, haven't you? She's a real charmer on screen, just like you."
I want her to be as not-like me as possible, Barnaby mused. He dismissed Agnes with a hand wave and went back to work, wondering how things were doing on Kotetsu's end.
Kaburagi T. Kotetsu slumped into the driver's seat of his car. The last time he'd been at the Hero Academy the... lackluster students there had really tested his politeness. He had no idea how they'd multiplied. Sure there were at least a dozen with Hero quality next powers, but their personalities... That kid with the healing factor looked like he was going to collapse any second. Ivan Karelin meekly climbed into the passenger's seat next to him. It definitely wasn't in his place to chastise the timid Next, seeing that he himself had been one when he'd gone Hero, but the situation definitely called for outstanding candidates and even by his reckoning there weren't any to be had in this graduating batch of the Academy.
"Man, that was tiring." Kotetsu took his hat off with a sweep and fanned himself briefly, fingering the steering wheel with his other hand. His eyes darted instinctively to his wrist sans hero communicator and sighed. He'd volunteered to at least go interview the Hero applicants, but he hadn't expected this crop to be so unimpressive. He was sure that even if he did manage to come up with a shortlist, his partner would tear it to shreds and demand that Kotetsu return and start over. Maybe Bunny should have gone to the Academy instead.
Ivan turned to look at him. In the year since that incident with Edward, he'd come to trust Kotetsu like a sort-of-older-brother-uncle-friend. Something. Whatever. He trusted him. "I'm sure that most of them were just nervous, Kotetsu-dono. Being around Heroes is kind of intimidating for them.." ..for himself, he meant.
"Nee, Origami, you sure you don't know anyone from your days at school that'd be a good Hero?" Kotetsu revved up the engine and drove out of the parking lot and onto the road. "Someone strong, and proud, with confidence and coolness! Oh, and respectful to their elders." He didn't want another Barnaby on his hands. Not that he didn't like the bouncing blonde bunny his partner had slowly grown into, but the beginning had been hell, at best.
Ivan shrugged and gazed wistfully out the window. "I could name a couple, but they didn't apply, did they? I... I have a few people in mind, but I don't have their contact information. Maybe we could ask the school principal?"
"Good idea, Origami! I guess I'll go ask when Bunny kicks my ass back to the Academy to look for more people. Maybe he won't mind undergrads." Kotetsu grinned mischievously, bringing a smile to Ivan's face. "Seriously though, they should consider teaching those kids a lesson in confidence! This generation has a lot to learn from the older heroes." He tsk tsked at a stoplight, pausing to finger his bare wrist.
This did not go unnoticed by the young blonde next to him. "Kotetsu-san.. Are you really all right like this? Retiring? You still have your powers.."
"That's true. It's also true that I barely have any control over them any more. Next thing you know my Hundred Power'll end while I'm mid-air rescuing somebody from a flaming building, and it'll be Barbecued Tiger from then on." Not to mention Barnaby would kill him. Or what was left of him. "Besides, I'm long overdue in Oriental Town. It's about time that I was around Kaede like a proper dad."
"Well, I'll definitely miss you." Ivan looked down at his feet sadly. Kotetsu had definitely been one of the motivating forces for him, and for Origami Cyclone, too. He'd nearly topped Blue Rose in hero points this year too. But still, Kotetsu.. "...are you sure you need to go back home?"
"Yep, I'm sure. Besided, I've turned in the paperwork. Now to find my darned replacement." Kotetsu wheeled the car down a ramp leading to the Bronze stage. "You sure you want to hang out with me on a Friday night? I'm sure a kid like you has something to do."
Besides watching anime and Hero TV reruns? Ivan shook his head. "Nope. I'm curious to see what Kotetsu-san's house looks like."
"Oh it's a nice little place. It gets a bit lonely, but it's nice. Pardon the smell though, I rarely clean up. Being a Hero can be pretty busy!" Kotetsu shrugged.
"Smell?" Ivan asked cautiously. Kotetsu couldn't have been that much of a slob.
"Oh don't worry, it's just booze. I keep forgetting. Staying for dinner? I'll make you some of my special steaming hot Kaburagi fried rice!" Kotetsu grinned widely at the prospect of food, and his stomach grumbled.
Ivan laughed as they drove up to the front of Kotetsu's place. With a little help from the younger hero, Kotetsu parallel parked in front of the stairs to his home, and pulled the keys out of the ignition. Boy, am I hungry, he thought, unlocking the front door. He could smell the fried rice already, the smell of warm rice and egg and chopped bits of sausage, peas, carrots, some pepper, maybe a bit of cheese...
...waitaminute, I AM smelling fried rice. "Origami, stay put..."
"Something wrong, Kotetsu-san?" Ivan had a worried look on his face, which was quickly replaced by what Kotetsu had come to call his "game" face.
"Either I'm really hungry, or my wife's come back from the dead to make me dinner.."
Kotetsu barged into his loft to find several things different from when he'd left it that morning. Firstly, the bottles of sake and red wine he'd collected over the past month trying to drink his Hundred Power to full strength (he swore it raised it by at least a few seconds) were gone, and so was the smell they were giving off. Next, his coffee table was clean and the notes he'd equally collected about his Hundred Power were neatly collected and placed carefully under a Mr. Legend paperweight. Lastly, he hadn't expected to find a scruffy young woman in a loose shirt and tie and cargo shorts at his kitchen making his favorite food.
"Oh. Hi papa, you're back earlier than I'd expected!" The girl looked up at the two Heroes and grinned, while expertly handling the wok with the steaming hot rice. She looked about Origami's age, with short, messy black hair with brown and orange highlights. She wore blue-framed glasses that were rimless at the top, and a necklace with Wild Tiger's emblem on it. She had the bluest eyes Ivan could remember seeing, and a sincere smile to boot. It didn't help that she recognized him as well. "...Van? Is that you?"
"Rowen? What are you doing here?" Aside from that, Ivan was speechless.
Kotetsu's reaction was entirely different. He kicked off his shoes and strode over to her. "Darn it Rowen, tell me earlier when you come back from far away! I would've scheduled something."
"Scheduled what? Another Hero TV rerun night?" The girl known as Rowen laughed and took the rice off the burner, spooning it into a large bowl. "Good thing I made enough for three, I'd thought you'd want extra. Maybe that wasn't enough?" She laughed and gave Kotetsu a warm embrace and nuzzled his neck. "You okay, papa? You've been through hell.."
"I sure have been, where were you? I was afraid he'd gotten to you too." Kotetsu returned the nuzzle, serving to confuse Ivan further.
"My boss must be psychic. He'd sent me to New Angeles on a tip that there was an.." Rowen turned to Ivan for a second. "...Ouroboros operation going there. Turns out it was in Sternbild instead, but at least I got some info. Anyway-"
Rowen charged headlong into Ivan, knocking the wind out of him in a bear hug. "YOU! I've missed you. Why didn't you ever mail me after graduation?"
This time it was Kotetsu that was confused. "You know him?"
Ivan shrugged. "We were classmates in the Academy.."
"And you never mentioned it once that you were friends with Origami Cyclone?" Kotetsu turned to his (daughter? Girlfriend? Neighbor? Ivan had no idea) and gave her a noogie.
"He wasn't Origami then! Fine, I'll introduce you, Van, this is my smelly old man Kaburagi Kotetsu who turns out to be Wild Tiger and papa this is Van, my sideckick turned ninja Hero." Rowen grinned. "'sides like I said, you never mailed me!"
"I did, but you never replied!"
Kotetsu was surprised at how casual Ivan was acting around her. For a moment, the shy Ivan Karelin seemed to have vanished in the presence of his (daughter? neighbor? They didn't look a shred alike!). "Oi, Rowen, maybe you forgot to give him your mail when you went over to the Bureau?" he pointed out. He'd claimed the bowl of fried rice and was eating out of it with the wooden stirring spoon.
The girl paused in thought for a second. "...damn. Gomen, Van!" Rowen bowed deeply. "Stupid Justice Bureau and stupid boss, I forgot all about it, Van, I'm so sorry, and papa stop eating the rice it's for all of us!" She grabbed at the bowl unsuccessful but managed to take away the wooden spoon.
"Nope, from what I gathered you were making it for just the two of us." Kotetsu joked. "Kidding, you two kids have as much as you want, but if we run out it'll be your fault for not making enough!"
"Fine, but Ivan has to make more." Rowen gave Ivan another hug. "I really missed you. That thing with Edward on the news made me worry, but I was told to stay clean out of it, I was on another case.."
Ivan was still in shock. "Run that by me again, did you say you were investigating an Ouroboros operation?"
Rowen put the spoon down and rummaged for a few plates. "Yep, but I'd prefer not to elaborate..."
"Come on, Rowen, we're all involved in Ouroboros now. Maverick's seen to that." Kotetsu flopped down on the couch, setting the huge bowl of fried rice on the coffee table and turning the television on. Right on cue, Blue Rose's Pepsi Nex commercial was playing.
"I wasn't talking about Ivan, I mean you! You're officially a civilian now." Rowen joked, pulling a bottle of rose champagne from a wine cupboard, and a pair of wine glasses. She hesistated for a bit. "Ivan, sit, sit! Do you drink? I'll forgive you for intruding on me and Kotetsu-papa's Hero TV evening for now."
"You were the one intruding, someone working at the Justice Bureau should know what breaking and entering is! I still haven't given you the key to this place!" Kotetsu laughed and gestured to Ivan to sit next to him on the couch. Having Rowen around was handy in more ways than one, and he'd missed having a woman in the house, although by his reckoning Rowen hadn't been a proper woman until a year ago.
Ivan sat down, still feeling awkwardly out of place in a conversation between one of his old friends and one of his newer ones and the relationship he had no idea that they'd had. Small world, this one.
"I don't need a key to get into this relic of a house." Rowen smiled and placed the plates, several spoons, some paper towels and the wine glasses onto the table. Ivan noticed that she'd taken three glasses. He felt a bit more welcome then.
Rowen slid into the seat next to Kotetsu and handed him the champagne bottle. "Anyway, yeah, I was investigating Ouroboros. That incident with Jake got my old man into the hospital and struck a couple of chords in me. Admittedly, your Bunny-" and at this, she poked Kotetsu with a bottle opener she'd seemingly produced out of nowhere. Kotetsu snatched it up and stuck it into the cork. "-might have had a lifetime ahead of me in terms of research, but I'm positive I've done more fieldwork. And let me tell you, that business with Hero TV was the tip of the iceberg."
Rowen stuck a large metal serving spoon (again, Ivan had no idea where it had come from, but he was sure he knew how Rowen was getting them) into the rice and served herself a small mound. "It's hard to tell the rumors from plain fact though. Some are saying that Ouroboros is specializing into Next genetic work, some are saying that their main front is a prostitution business, that they're breeding and training assassins, that they're cloning Heroes... It's probably safe to say it's all speculation though. That bit Maverick did with the androids was an eye opener for me though. I'm positive Ouroboros has no hand in machinery, their core principle is against the stuff."
"No surprises there. I've faced off with that scientist and his androids before with Bunny. I don't think that'll be the end of those androids though." Kotetsu said thoughtfully with a spoon in his mouth. The television screen switched from some taped coverage of a burglary that Fire Emblem had stopped to some running commentary about his and Barnaby's retirement. "Darn TV won't stop going on about us either."
"That's because the two of you are so interesting. Word on the net is that you're a couple."
Both Kotetsu and Ivan nearly spat out their rice. Ivan had read up on the speculation before, but to have it mentioned directly to the man himself..
"Me? And Bunny? You're kidding me!" Kotetsu took a gulp of champagne. "Kid's barely out of the crisis of his life and they're already making new stuff up about him!"
"That's because he's retiring same time as you. Understandably he'll have taken some time off, but to put his Hero career on a complete halt when he isn't even out of his twenties yet suggests something. And he's King of Heroes too! Even a detective like me reads between the lines, papa, and this detective's wondering if you're just that little bit too lonely, and him as well..." Rowen had a very honestly inquisitive look on her face, somewhat made childish with the spoon in her mouth.
"Rowen, I've been through a lot this past fortnight, I do not want to be bringing up my love life."
"Um, Kotetsu-san, I've been wondering about that as well.."
"Mou! Enough with this! Barnaby's not even my type."
"Aha! So you'd considered it?" Rowen grinned gleefully, accusingly pointing her spoon at him. "I'd figured out you went that way sooner or later-"
Kotetsu cut off this unfortunate branching of the conversation by shoving a spoonful of rice in her mouth. "Shush. I can't hear the TV over your chattering." He poured himself more champagne after pulling his spoon back and changed the channel. This time it was the local news report, but unfortunately it was the celebrity segment, and Barnaby's attractive face appearing on the screen did nothing to deter the subject at hand. Barnaby Brooks Jr's retirement? The King Of Heroes steps out of the ring, it blared in huge letters. Kotetsu groaned and leaned back into the chair, his hat falling over and onto his face.
Ivan had the sense of mind to stay quiet, and he vowed to exchange mails with Rowen and resume their friendship. If she'd been close to Kotetsu for this long, who knows what heroes she's been able to rub elbows with? Rock Bison definitely, but... He wondered what she thought of Lunatic as he sipped the champagne. It was surprisingly light, but he had to be careful not to drink too much.
"Anyway, how was your day, papa? I'm assuming you were doing something productive." Rowen washed down the unexpected mouthful with a sip of champagne and changed the channel to cartoons. It was one of Ivan's pet series of the month, a program about a young Next kid who could turn into several different beastly and alienic forms, but had a time limit on each.
"Oh the usual, running around asking Next kids if they want to be a hero." Kotetsu threw his hat across the room, landing it cleanly on the dining table proper. He swirled the champagne in his glass. "I'm serious. Apollon isn't too happy that both their Heroes have resigned and they're making us look for replacements. We were just at the Academy earlier interviewing..." Kotetsu paused to look at Rowen, his hand midspin. A few drops of champagne spattered on his cheek. ...Rowen. Rowen Chrysler, Hero Academy graduate, detective under the Justice Bureau, Apollon Hero. Why didn't I think of it sooner? He looked at Ivan, who was now quite pink from the wine, but he seemed to have picked up on Kotetsu's train of thought, and nodded. "..candidates. For Apollon."
Rowen was oblivious, her eyes fixed to the television. The Next boy had transformed into a ball-shaped creature and was bowling over random enemies in his path. "Hero candidates huh? The Academy's full of eager kids, are there any promising ones?" She munched on another spoonful of rice.
"Well there is one, but I don't think she's interested.." Ivan began. He sensed that this would be interesting. Having Rowen in the Hero spot would pretty much ensure that crime did indeed get its proverbial ass kicked, and by someone raised (?) by Kaburagi Kotetsu of all people. He confirmed his suspicion with Kotetsu who was nodding frantically. Rowen hadn't been one of the students at the Academy that had been eager to become a Hero for reason Ivan wasn't particularly sure of, and he knew that getting her into the position wouldn't be easy. Perhaps a bit of coercion on the part of Kotetsu would help?
He glanced at the older hero for an idea. Kotetsu himself thought that this was a splendid idea. Rowen was a good girl after all, maybe not so good as Kaede, but then again she had a power that was controllable. And she was pretty too! Personal experience however had cautioned him that maybe extracting Rowen from the Justice Bureau wouldn't be such a good idea. Maybe I should approach her superior on this. I'm sure the Justice Bureau'll be interested in having an eye out in the Hero business.
"Rowen-chan, who did you say your boss was again? The one that flew you to New Angeles." Kotetsu asked casually.
"Hm? Yuri Petrov."
The air in the room deadened, with the exception of the television and the sound of Rowen's spoon clinking against the bowl. Why did it have to be Yuri Petrov? Rowen seemed to be used to the treatment and responded. "I know, right? Head of the Bureau and everything. Maybe he liked my grades. I'm sorry I couldn't get you any leeway with those damage fines though papa, Judge Petrov's a pretty hard man to sway..."
You sure said it, Rowen. Kotetsu would have eaten his hat if it weren't across the room and instead settled for his spoon. Ivan himself seemed dejected and sunk into the couch. And it was such a good idea too..
Kotetsu's new phone couldn't have chosen a more opportune moment to ring, and he scrambled to get it. "Hello? ...Agnes? Great timing, I need a favor... what? How did the interviews go? Horribly! Listen-" and Kotetsu smiled sheepishly at the two young adults and mouthed "Excuse me for a sec" and ran up the stairs to continue the call.
"It couldn't have been that bad, could it?" Rowen munched on fried rice and changed the channel back to the news. Barnaby was gone, but this time it was speculation that Wild Tiger and Kaburagi Kotetsu were one and the same (and they were, but the public certainly didn't know for sure, and darned if the old man's beard didn't give him away!), and Rowen inched towards Ivan to get the better spot to watch it.
"You don't know the half of it." Ivan groaned and concentrated on his rice.
The two souls sitting in Lloyds' office across the Tiger and Barnaby duo couldn't have been more different.
Rowen Chrysler was there, either through some coercion via Agnes or sinister brilliance on the part of Yuri Petrov. She was wearing her detective clothes: a blue blazer lined with white on top of a button up white shirt, with a pair of sleek blue jeans and black boots. (Barnaby especially doubted that she looked the part of a detective, but he supposed that if anyone had a problem with the attire it would have been Judge Petrov, and he had been silent on the matter. ) The Tiger necklace was still there, accompanied by the addition of a simple white wristwatch. Rowen herself looked anxious, the glasses she'd worn the other day traded for a pair of contacts. She sat cross-legged, bouncing a foot out of impatience.
Her counterpart looked starkly beautiful. Trish Nicholson was a beautiful model, every inch of her 5-foot-six-inches, augmented by a killer pair of yellow pumps. Trish's long waist-length almost white blond hair had orange and gold highlights (one thing that the two had in common, to completely different effects), framing her lithe, thin body. Rowen's bony build made her look muscular in comparison. Trish wore a very loosely hung sleeveless yellow hoodie with squarish metal studs forming a line across her barely-there breasts. The hoodie was zipped down to reveal a lacy black camisole, and a pair of surprisingly athletic looking lags followed, wrapped in leather pants. Bangles hung from her thin wrists, some with spikes, some with studs. If Trish was as fast as her resume said she was, those bangles could be lethal.
The two Hero candidates were ignoring each other, to Kotetsu's unease and Barnaby's expectation. Kotetsu grabbed Barnaby and dragged him out of the office, commanding the attention of a perplexed Rowen and a nonchalant Trish, who merely looked up from her iPhone for half a second.
"Barnaby, that fashion model of yours was a bad idea! I mean my Rowen isn't even LOOKING at her!" Kotetsu frowned. He hoped the two girls wouldn't hear them.
"YOUR Rowen? Last time I checked, she wasn't your property." Barnaby sighed, his brows furrowed.
"Checked- waitaminute, you know her?"
"From the Academy, yes, she was quite well known-"
Kotetsu grit his teeth and began to pace outside the office door. "Well if you know her, you'd know well that she's better material than your model."
"For your information Kotetsu, the model was not only the only application around the two or three thousand or so Next who made due process with Apollon Media, but was also Agnes' idea. Agnes pointed out to me her application first hand, and I believe that she is a professional familiar to the industry and will be easy to work with." Barnaby tried his best to stare down his partner, but Kotetsu was walking too quickly to make proper eye contact with. He settled at concentrating on his partner's hat.
"Well it was Agnes' idea to convince Judge Petrov to let Rowen, a frigging detective, try out for the position! And look where she is now! I don't think you would have any problems about her background..."
"I don't, and I don't doubt Agnes, but unless Lloyds is planning to churn out an all-girl Next duo and pair THEM up with Blue Rose for a collaborative single, only one of those two is gonna walk out as Apollon's Next Hero."
"Barnaby, the girl is a fashion model for Christ's sake. All she's gonna do out in the field is pose for the cameras and swoop in at the last minute to make the arrest.. Just like a certain Bunny I know used to do before I knocked some sense into him."
Barnaby instinctively opened his mouth to chastise his partner but decided not to. He'd grown into his nickname, and the fact that it irked him so much to the point that it broke mental barriers was something of note. Maybe I am getting too soft for Kotetsu. But I digress. "Trish is an able fighter and has trained in martial arts. She has learned under the masters of several fields, Jiu-jitsu, Karate and Jeet-Kun-Do."
"Bunny, the last Jeet-Kun-Do master died ages ago when I was first starting in the Hero business. Don't tell me she knows a few moves she copied off one of his movies." Kotetsu frowned. Maybe that model was just too fast for Barnaby to check properly. Or maybe he likes her. Yeah, that's it! Barnaby might just want a cute female to look up to him. Kotetsu reviewed Trish's profile and was more than startled to realize that she was at least three years older than Barnaby. Maybe she HAD trained with a Jeet-Kun-Do master.
"I've done extensive research on her. She beat at least three seasoned martial arts pros in an exhibition once, without using her Next powers. Of course it was a fashion charity exhibition so it might have been staged, but the pros I interviewed swear that they were beaten fair and square."
"All right, she can fight then. What about her Next powers, has she been hiding them all up 'til now?"
"Well she claims that since her powers don't really lend anything to her profession- I mean come on, Kotetsu, she's a model like you said, what use would she have for running long distances in seconds when she just has to pose for the camera? She says she acquired them at 16 years of age and she's demonstrated them to me herself. Theoretically if she runs fast enough she'll be able to do it on walls and buildings. Barely broke a sweat running up to the top floor from the ground. I wouldn't have thought a girl could run that fast in heels." Barnaby looked proud.
Kotetsu snorted and paused. "Run that fast in heels. Ptch. Rowen can beat one of those androids to a pulp just by standing there."
Barnaby looked up at him. This was fascinating. Rowen had never publicly used her Next powers at the Academy (well, she didn't show them off at least) and even when she did only in short bursts. Even he had dismissed her powers as base telekinesis. Now he realized that she might never had proper control over them in the first place. "Explain."
"Rowen's a magnetic Next. Trained her myself." Kotetsu took a deep breath. "Got more injuries taking care of her than I did in the first five years of my Hero career. Do you know she once crushed my car in her sleep when she was 16? She did her best to un-crush it the next day, somehow, and we managed to get it up and running again after about three months of auto shop lessons, but it always sounded funny, and we never fixed the muffler. Hence my newer car. Anyway-" Kotetsu waved his arms at him. "-it took a while before she could properly manage her power, but she can send my radio across the room in one piece while it's playing. Heck, she could probably lift Rock Bison fifteen storeys into the air no sweat!"
"Can she fight?" Barnaby interjected.
"She received combat training at the Bureau. But it's mostly self-defense."
"There you go. She can't fight."
"I wouldn't be too sure of that. A kid learns a lot from dodging garbage cans when they're magnetically attracted to you."
The clicking of heeled footsteps from up the hall distracted them. Agnes arrived with Lloyds in tow. "Keep quiet you two, we can hear you from all the way across the building." she said, looking cross.
"Lloyds, I'm sure you have the capacity in you to make the good decision on your part of this ordeal-" Barnaby began.
"-and pick the goddamn professional. I have no idea what Bunny was thinking when he picked the model, but don't pick her-" Kotetsu continued.
The door to Lloyds office opened. Trish stood by the door, a pair of earphones looped around her neck and winding to the iPhone in her hand. "If you people are quite done discussing who's qualified to be what, I'd appreciate it if we could get on with the meeting? I have a schedule to keep, and we're-" she checked her phone. "-late."
"See what I mean?" Kotetsu frowned. Barnaby instead snickered; through the door he could see Rowen idly making origami from the monogrammed notepaper on Lloyds' desk. Upon realizing she was being watched, Rowen hastily stuffed the paper into her pocket and grinned sheepishly, heading for the door. Which one of the two is the professional here again?
"Quiet. Brooks. Kaburagi. I have already reached an informed decision regarding who will succeed the two of you as Apollon Media's next sponsors.."
Let it be Rowen. Kotetsu crossed his fingers.
Trish. TRISH. Barnaby's eyes were fierce.
"...are both of you. Rowen and Trish."
Trish's eyebrows raised. Rowen simply stared. "Huh?"
"Agnes and I have discussed this. The objective of the hero pair is the same as the objective we had in mind when we signed the both of you up, and as your Hero TV records show, working as a team seems to improve both of your performance, so there is reasonable evidence to suggest that these two ladies would work similarly." Lloyds explained, striding into his office.
"Mr. Lloyds, I was here under the pretense that this would be a one-man affair." Trish's tone was condescending, and eerily similar to Barnaby's when pissed off. "This.. girl here? I don't think I can work with her."
"I'm not so sure about you myself." Rowen, at least in Kotetsu's eyes, was about as far a cry as one could get from an it girl like Trish. "I don't think Judge Petrov will let me off easy if I back down here though."
"Judge?" Trish shot her a curious look. "You're with Petrov? Interesting. Then you can handle the arrests for me. I don't want to dirty myself in front of the cameras."
"I told you." Kotetsu groaned.
"And if Lunatic or some other shady Next comes after us?" Rowen shot back.
"Then I'll run as far away as my pretty little feet allow me. You however, I am not so sure."
"I take it back. Judge Petrov will be easier to work with compared to you."
"Down girls, down." Agnes stepped between the two. "This is no longer an issue of if. The two of you are to start immediately next season, which begins next month. Kotetsu and Barnaby will be handling the two of you in the meantime for Hero training and protocol instruction. Trish, you will be glad to know that SoftBank and have agreed to sponsor you, and that Rowen will be sponsored by Bandai and S.H. Figuarts, which I must say makes an interesting combination. Ms. Chrysler, are you a hobbyist?"
Rowen, who collected as much hero stuff as her detective salary could let her get her hands on, merely nodded. "Ms. Joubert, I'll have to agree with Kotetsu. I'm really not so sure about this match."
"Don't worry. We'll play it up for the cameras. For now, your role is to be the rookie hero, a little bit like Barnaby was, but doing your best to make arrests will get you far. Just avoid breaking things as much as possible." Agnes gave her and Kotetsu a knowing look. "You are both aware that you will be public Heroes just like our dear Barnaby Brooks jr is, I assume?"
Rowen gave Kotetsu a nervous glance, and when Kotetsu's facial expression wasn't reassuring enough, she gave Barnaby a split second, and nodded. Trish merely smiled. "Lights, cameras, action. I know the drill, Agnes."
"Good. Rowen, I do hope you'll keep up."
"...I'll try my best, Ms. Joubert."
Agnes gave Rowen an appraising look. "You'll make a proper Hero, I'm sure. Do try to smile more. Oh, one more thing – we'll be cooperating with the Justice Bureau regarding your identity and affiliation with them. I don't care what enemies you made of any criminals in Sternbild, but I suppose the more the merrier – and the more for ratings. We WILL however be keeping your identity as a Justice Bureau detective a secret. Judge Petrov will brief you on the specifics on that one, and you are to report to him periodically in the same fashion. Understood?"
Rowen could only nod.
"Now. Trish. I'm sure you know exactly what your role is."
"Yes, Agnes. I'll be the fresh new face of Apollon Media, trampling upon the dirt and scum of Sternbild, to take away as many sorry memories of that old fart Maverick and that snakey organization – what was it called again?"
"Ouroboros." Barnaby and Rowen said in unison.
"Right, Ouroboros." She swept a stray lock of hair over her shoulder, her bangles jingling. "I'll be sure to give Blue Rose a run for her money. Oh, and shoud a shoot or show get interrupted by a crime-"
"I'll see to it that it either gets rescheduled, or that both parties are duly compensated. You have my word, Ms. Nicholson." Lloyds smiled. It was a smile that Kotetsu knew very well.
"Good. Are we done here? I have a shoot in an hour."
Rowen left first, citing that she had a hearing to attend. A bemused Trish left after finalizing some terms with Lloyds about her compensation, and then only Kotetsu and Barnaby were left with Agnes in the office.
"I'm telling you. This will not end well." Kotetsu groaned. Even Barnaby wasn't so blind as to ignore the fact that Rowen and Trish were about as similar as a pumpkin and a rose.
"Oh, au contraire." Agnes had on her scheming face. "These two will certainly make ratings skyrocket. I can't wait to see the look on Blue Rose's face once Trish steps into the limelight."
Barnaby sighed. He had no idea if his retirement had been a good decision, but on the bright side, Maverick was out of the picture – so maybe things would turn out to be good after all.
The first episode of the Hero TV season had proved him wrong.
End of Prologue
I took my time designing Rowen, but Trish.. is basically a recognizable character from another crimefighting female duo from Gainax. Go figure. I promise it gets better. Thanks for reading!