Returns

[tigressburningbright]

[A familiar face returns to the Duck...

...No, wait.

The black-haired woman standing next to the man in black doesn't look all that familiar, but the address of the signal is definitely coming from Artemis, or at least her world.

The woman catches sight of the community on her computer, and she tries to hide how her eyes go wide. She makes an excuse to leave, then takes refuge in what's apparently her quarters.

Her voice is rough.]

Anyone on the community, identify yourself now.

Comments

[yes_im_kawaii]

Auu! Don't act all scary like that!

[tigressburningbright]

[She definitely recognizes Makoto, and she quickly activates her worldhop, as if she's done it a million times before. Once she's in Yayoi's Mysterious Library, she starts to drop the tough girl act.]

Makoto? How...

[yes_im_kawaii]

...[Slow blinking as Makoto recognizes the face on the other end.]

Did a virus turn you old again?

[tigressburningbright]

You saw through the...

[She's shocked for a moment before smiling and removing her necklace. The illusion fades. It's Artemis, but older, as Makoto pointed out.]

Guess I'd better work on my undercover skills, huh? And no, it's not a virus. I haven't been connected to the community for five years.

[yes_im_kawaii]

So you're pretending to be someone else? Like a spy or something? And now you're older.

[tigressburningbright]

Yeah, it's a big-time operation. So I can't really talk a whole lot about it, and I have to lock everything down. Any time I'm wearing this necklace, I go by Tigress.

Oh, and don't worry if you hear anything about me being dead. That's part of the plan.

[yes_im_kawaii]

You being dead is a plan? That plan's dumb already.

[tigressburningbright]

Yeah, that was Nightwing's idea. Wally and I drew straws for who got to fake their death. Guess who won.

[yes_im_kawaii]

You better not actually die. Too many people die.

[tigressburningbright]

I won't, I promise. And I wouldn't have done this if the entire planet weren't at stake.

[yes_im_kawaii]

The whole world means you have to die and be someone else?

[tigressburningbright]

Massive alien invasion. Possible subjugation of Earth. Weird time-traveling kid who calls the Flash "Grandpa." It's a little more dis than aster.

[yes_im_kawaii]

That sounds like something you call all your friends in for.

[tigressburningbright]

We've got another undercover too. But trust me, I'd have felt better if I had my connection to the community a lot earlier. We're in deep now.

[yes_im_kawaii]

Do you need, like, weapons and stuff? I could steal some. Commander Boring would probably find out it was me, though, and he's already mad because Nekotari tracked mud on his papers.

[tigressburningbright]

Tell you what--first chance I get to blow something up? You get the first shot. How about that?

[yes_im_kawaii]

Okay! I also invented a chicken cannon. I should build more stuff, too.

[tigressburningbright]

I'll let you know which one deserves the chicken cannon the most.

[yes_im_kawaii]

Okay. I miss a lot of you guys. Stupid community takes people. I don't think anyone should leave.

[tigressburningbright]

Same. Especially when I really could have used some more people to hit my idiot dad.

[yes_im_kawaii]

What'd he do? I bet it was something dumb.

[tigressburningbright]

Oh, he's an assassin and a jerk. Picked on my friends and me a lot.

I kicked his ass. And I'm very proud of it.

[yes_im_kawaii]

Why do so many people's families suck? That's just dumb, they should just get better ones.

[tigressburningbright]

That's why I'm so glad Mom kicked him out years ago. Serves him right.