[OPEN, Melting Clock Plot] Breathe

[thewunderkind]

Lash was a changed person.

In her own world just a year ago, she had been part of Black Hole's best and brightest - a Commanding Officer that followed orders and worked towards the world-conquering goal with evil glee. She was feared, respected and loathed by her enemies. That had changed when she had escaped with Hawke due to treason for finding out Von Bolt's real plan - draining the world's resources so he could achieve immortality. In the end, they had teamed up with Orange Star and both became heroes for it. It gave her a taste of many things. Caring about others, even if she never outright said it, teaming up, even learning about how to eat properly. They had emerged victorious.

The year or so since she had awoken in Stacy had enforced that little growing spark which had been carefully fed the last few weeks in her homeworld. While at first hesitant to find people she liked, Lash slowly began to call those around her her friends, even if it was hard to do admit them as such. You couldn't just become nice or care overnight. But they had worked really well at it, bringing her out of her shell and accepting Lash for who she was. Heck, she even seemed worthy enough to be part of a Ranger group and defending the universe. Who would have thought all of that from someone who had such a dark history?

Then it all came crashing down. After the battle last week, the morpher started to malfunction and she could barely transform for her training. No one else seemed to have this problem, so Lash assumed it simply was a result of what had happened - she had overworked herself that day and it simply might have used up more juice than the others or had badly reacted to the CO powers. Nothing seemed wrong with it, so obviously the problem was herself. Just give it a few more days and it would be fine!

Maybe if she had told her friends her history in more detail, they might have noticed was wrong. The effects of the clock were a little more subdued on her at first, and instead of years, just days at a time. And she didn't question the fact that she didn't remember their victory over Von Bolt, only the tension at the final battle. Memories slowly started to leave, but she didn't remember them, only a small nagging feeling that something was wrong. The morpher, on the other hand, worked when someone was good and pure and as the clock receded, Lash was becoming less and less so. The memories inside Stacy stayed in her head, which caused her to become confused at some of the things she had said. Maybe she had become nicer because she had been here? Just what was going on?

A few days ago it had completely ceased to function. Maybe it knew something terrible was about to happen and the last thing the crew needed was psycho ranger. Lash obviously didn't know what was going on, except it made her nervous. Like when she...wait. What was she nervous about, again? She couldn't remember that too. She'd been running with Hawke for some reason. Lash had looked at her morpher with an odd curiosity, wondering if her mind had been playing tricks on her. After all, why would she be good? After all she...she..

She'd always worked for Black Hole.

And who knew what fake and false memories Stacy could implant inside her. Maybe..no, that was it! All these memories had to be false. Fake! Tricking her into thinking she had turned good! That she, pffft actually cared about people! What a load of crap. She was Lash, Black Hole Wunderkind Genius. And she wasn't going to let all those stupid, so-called friends try to tricking her that she was nice.

Today, she'd take back her mind. Things were definitely about to get really complicated.

[[OOC - Lash can be found all over the ship in the next couple of days. Just tell me where you character runs into them, and we can work from there. Just remember, she will probably not be very nice anymore. 8D]]

Comments

[potentialmonkey.livejournal.com]

Ron? Was using the Sensoriums to cook, as he often did. Today, it was pizza in the oven, and the boy was using the cooking time to make lemonade. Rufus handed the teen a lemon, which the boy was about to start juicing.

Ron was blissfully unaware of Lash's return to evil.

[thewunderkind]

Lash, on the other hand, didn't know she was returning to evil. She'd always been evil. And what luck! The first person she'd met after realizing this universal truth happened to be one of the other Rangers inside a place where she could probably use her imagination to turn this place into a living hell.

But for now she appeared in his kitchen, silently glaring at him.

[potentialmonkey.livejournal.com]

"Oh, Hey Lash." Ron said, not really noticing the glare. "Need anything? I'm baking a pizza, but it's gonna take just a bit longer."

[thewunderkind]

Lash's answer was to have a Neotank break down the door of the imaginary kitchen.

"Knock, knock, genius."

[potentialmonkey.livejournal.com]

"Ha ha. Very funny Lash" said Ron, before the tank ran over the oven.

"...that...THAT WAS REAL PIZZA. What the hell Lash?!"

^_^ It's been far too long, how've you been?

[changelingdude.livejournal.com]

Beastboy was doing his best to distract himself today. It seemed the ship was dissolving into chaos yet again and when that happened who knew when the call would be put out for a one man animal kingdom to come to the rescue.

But without a call what was he to do? So at the moment he was wandering the halls, throwing a ball and then turning into a dog to chase it.

This was a surprisingly therapeutic and relaxing task.

Though this is Beastboy after all and he's never been very good at thinking too far ahead. Like who he might hit with the ball or crash into as a dog...

Pretty good 8D. And I apologize for what will happen to Beastboy.

[thewunderkind]

Lash was walking, a million thoughts in her head. Where to begin this entire operation and find out exactly what had happened. She obviously wasn't a ranger, but just what had she been doing? And all these people who pretend to care about her...

When a small ball bounce harmlessly towards her foot, she had a memory. Didn't she have a dog somewhere? Urgh no. That didn't make sense. She'd never have a pet. Pets were like animals. Like humans. Expandable.

When she saw the target in front of her, there wasn't even any hesitation. She kicked the ball and aimed it directly at the puppy's face.

Oh don't you dare hold back now~ He's been doing too well lately.

[changelingdude.livejournal.com]

A sharp yelp filled the hall and Beastboy saw stars as he stumbled and crashed to the ground, rolling another step and shifting back to his human form flat on his back looking up at Lash with a dazed look, and a distinctive ball shaped mark in the center of his face.

"OW!" He moaned and clutched at his face after the stunning had worn off.

All the negative CR in the world, coming right up

[thewunderkind]

"Serves you right for doing such a dumb thing in the corridor," she replied, arms crossed. "Now you were blocking the pathway I need to go through. So. Bye."

Uh...somewhere in the City, I think

[morphitudinous]

Poor Billy had no forewarning. Instead, he had a pile of plans and a newly clean bill of health that was sure not to last too long.

He spotted Lash in the clearing, concern appearing on his face. "Hey, I finally made it out. I can check things for you now if you'd like?"

Comment Spam please hold

[thewunderkind]

Well, well, well. If it wasn't their esteemed mentor. The one who probably orchestrated this entire thing about her being good. He looked nice enough to do it.

"Suuuure. If you want to see it..." She held it out with one hand...then quickly dropped it on the floor and put her foot over it. "Ooops. I guess not! Tee hee hee!" She then pushed with all her might on it.

[thewunderkind]

Except it wasn't being crushed. Why wasn't it being crushed?

"H-hey! You stupid thing!" She stepped on it some more. "Why. Won't. You. Break?!"

Okay done.

[thewunderkind]

When she finally realized it was never going to break, she finally kicked it towards Billy.

"There! Just keep your stupid dumb morpher and your dumb rangers and your dumb everything!"

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Time keeps on slipping.

In Zetta's case, he was roaming through the City in a fit of irritation, searching for something important: a throne for Salome.

She wouldn't stay in the pods forever! She was too capable a disciple to be stuck like that! And when she came out she should have a proper place to sit at his side.

But the City didn't have much in the way of thrones.

"Am I gonna have to build one my freaking self?"

[thewunderkind]

Lash was running.

Running away from who, she wasn't sure, but after all she had pulled the last few days there obviously were going to be a bunch of people who wanted her skin. And....good! That would teach them a thing or two about wanting to be her friend. So why did she feel so empty, it was as almost if some of those memories were rea--nah that was dumb! Just like them. Dumb dumb dumb.

Obviously this was going to be a way for them to meet each other often, as her careless running caused her to slam right into the overlord.

"H-hey!"

Her status screen was probably displaying different things by now. Not that Lash would know.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Of course, slamming into the Overlord was kind of like slamming into a wall. He didn't exactly have a lot of cushiony fat on him, and his muscles could probably definitely crush diamond.

Not that he seemed too sympathetic, but he didn't exactly seem irritated either. "What up, Lash? Did I miss an announcement for a marathon or something?"

[thewunderkind]

"Oooow." she muttered getting up, rubbing her head. "That surprisingly hurt." She looked around to make sure no one was there before talking. The Overlord stood on the acceptable scale to Lash in both her good and evil versions, so she figured she might as well explain the situation.

"The morpher they gave me stopped working, at around the same time I realized I had never worked for Orange Star at all. Pffft! Me! Working for the enemy! that's such a load of crap. Figures that the memories here made me think I could ever be nice. Anyway, I just have to watch for them not being on my tail. What are you doing?"

City streets, Ronnie's..... placing graffiti? :O

[ronnae.livejournal.com]

Ronnae had been having problems staying in Engineering. Her thoughts had been all over the place ever since everyone came back from the battle with the Ohm. It had placed her in an anxious and uneasy position. She decided to take a walk, not telling anyone where she went, she simply walked through the city until she felt she was completely alone.

Once there, she began painting with some neat aerosol cans she'd found in the nearby paint shop, taking this time to try a new medium. She decided to start simple, marking the building with an imposing Horde symbol, and then quickly moving to artistic landscape instead.

[thewunderkind]

Sitting on top of a building close by, a wunderkind was swinging her legs at the dangerous edge of the building, without a care in the world. After all, she was all on her own again! All these stupid people that pretended to care about her. So dumb.

That's when she spotted Ronnae.

"Hey!" She called out, twisting her body, so her head now dangled dangerously from the ledge. Obviously the age regression had also made her much more bold than before. "Your artwork really sucks!"

Lash, a perfect example of maturity.

[ronnae.livejournal.com]

"Thanks for your input Lash, but I'll ask ya when I care for it." She called back, of course thinking Lash was just poking fun at her and not actually meaning it.

Maturity, meet oblivious to what's happening.

[thewunderkind]

Well so much for being annoying.

"Are you seriously that dumb?" she pondered loud enough for Ronnae to hear. "I'm not giving you advice. I'm saying your artwork is terrible."

Hangar, by the TARDIS

[bonnypiperlad]

Jamie steps through the doors of the TARDIS, closing them behind him as he does so. He's been off taking a short nap, and there's something slightly sleepy-looking about him still. In fact, he takes a moment to lift his arms and stretch them out, yawning more than a bit as he slowly wakes up.

Afterward, he moves his previously injured arm, testing it to see how it was doing. Kaya had taken care of the damage, but there was a lingering stiffness to it that finally seems to have worked itself out now. It'd do, anyway, he thought.

Pulling the TARDIS key from around his neck, he goes to lock the doors to the Time Machine, but hesitates as he spots something spiky-looking out of the corner of his eye. Turning ever so slightly, he looks in that direction, then relaxes as he recognizes who it is that's lurking nearby.

"Och, Lash, I'd not realized that was ye there for a moment. Have ye come down to work on the Zords?"

[thewunderkind]

If Billy got the lion's share of Lash's anger towards the Rangers, it most certainly mean that Jamie would be spared. In fact, it was going to be worse. This guy was their leader. And if there was something Lash didn't like, it was being ordered around unless she was okay with it. And with all this (what she assumed was) brainwashing into making her thinking she was good, it only led her to one conclusion.

Leaders would have to get knocked a peg or two.

"Tsk! Actually...I came to play a game Jamie. Do you want to play with me?"

[bonnypiperlad]

His eyebrows arch up for a moment. Strange place to want to do that, but he supposes he can humor her. First things first, though. "Wait just a moment, would ye?"

Locking up the TARDIS, he replaces the key around his neck, then ambles over to where Lash is standing, completely unaware of anything being off with her. Tucking his thumbs behind his belt, he looks down at her with a slightly skeptical expression. "So what is this game you're so interested in, then?"

[thewunderkind]

She pretends to think about it, before jumping on a nearby piece of equipment that is scattered around the hanger to give herself a higher vintage point then Jamie. It makes her feel much taller than him, you see. Lash crosses her arms before speaking, but it's obvious that something is definitely wrong with her.

"The game is called...Lash figures out that she's been tricked into being good and realizes she's been part of Black Hole all along." she holds out her arm where her morpher is supposed to be, but it's gone. "See that? That's the sign that I wasn't made to be a ranger. Oh, it might have worked for a few months with all those fake memories from a fake future, but now that I remember I never really did join Orange Star, it's all a load of crap!" And perhaps, a clue to Jamie with her wording what exactly her situation might be, if he's heard about the Melting Clock. "But now that I've got my real mind back, you'll see what happens when you make a wunderkind angry!"

She points a finger at him. "You might not have been the one who orchestrated the entire thing like Billy did, but you were still the team's leader. You had to know. So I'm going to show you what happens when you mess with me! But...I guess I should be a little fair since you've treated me nicely, right? Consider it a gift. How about if I let you hit the first blow? Tee hee hee!"