Mission:Masterpiece (Hero) - Finale: The Artist's Debut

Finale: The Artist's Debut

Briefing

Sister Psyche's lapsed into a coma, Character. She and Aurora were fighting Malaise in her mind, and then she just... she just collapsed. Aurora had to push herself out of Psyche's mind before being trapped in there, but she said that Malaise and the Aurora trapped in there are running wild in her mind.

They're tearing Sister Psyche's mind apart, Character! Someone needs to stop them and save Sister Psyche's life!

• How? And what about Manticore?

Mission Acceptance

Aurora said Manticore can't go in there. Psyche has too many memories associated with him, he's likely to get tossed up into the storm that's going on in her mind the minute he steps in. You have to be the one to go in there and stop whatever Malaise is doing.

Aurora Borealis can get you inside of Psyche's mind. From there, you need to help Sister Psyche get back into our reality. She needs someone to act as her guardian, her mind's new mental defender. If you can get Psyche back up to speed, she'll be able to force Malaise out of there and the fake Aurora into her own mind. We've got a Longbow agent stationed nearby who can take you to Aurora and Psyche.

Unnecessary Solicitation

We don't have time, Character, Sister Psyche's life is hangin' by a thread!

Mission Objective(s)

• Save Sister Psyche's Life

Longbow Agent

Briefing

We've got no time to lose, Character. Aurora is inside trying to keep a stable link up with Sister Psyche's mind.

It's going to be up to you to act as Sister Psyche's mental defenses and fight off all the attacks by Malaise and the Aurora that's inside of her mind.

• Alright, send me in.

Mission Objective(s)

You're violently flung into Sister Psyche's mind, travelling through various passageways and tubes before you arrive in what seems to be the heart of her mind.

• Save Sister Psyche's Life
  • Fight off Malaise and Aurora's manifestations
  • missing
  • Find Sister Psyche in her Rikti memory
  • ???

You helped Sister Psyche overcome Malaise and ultimately destroy him. However, the Aurora that's in her mind is free, and shows no signs of going back to her previous state.

Enemies

• Nightmare
• Rikti

Notable NPCs

• Aurora Borealis
• Malaise
• Sister Psyche
• Swan

The Grand Show: Act 1

Before Combat

Malaise: Ah! Character! Welcome to the grand show! I assume that Aurora dragged you into this?

Sister Psyche: MALAISE! Stop this, NOW!

Malaise: Oh, you say stop, but what does the little piece of Aurora that you have TRAPPED in your mind say?

Aurora Borealis?: I say it's time to change things around, for Psyche to see how it feels to be kept prisoner in someone ELSE'S mind.

Malaise: Lovely! Do you understand what is happening here, Character? This woman is not the same Aurora Borealis from the outside...

Sister Psyche: Malaise, you freak!

Malaise: Heh heh...
Malaise: No, this is the portion of Aurora that has been trapped within Psyche's mind...
Malaise: Ever since Psyche used her little mind riding ability to leap in and out of Aurora's body...

Aurora Borealis?: I had a brief bit of freedom once... but I've been trapped, all these years. In darkness... In -nothingness-.

Sister Psyche: You were a mistake! You're not real, and you're NOTHING like the real Aurora!

Aurora Borealis?: Your little prison has made sure that I am QUITE different from Aurora, I assure you!

Malaise: Ladies! Please, I'm trying to conduct a reasonable conversation with our antagonist...
Malaise: Now, Character, let's see just how far you're willing to go to save Psyche!

Sister Psyche: I can barely hold onto my mind, Character! You have to fight off these manifestations!

First Ambush

Minor Image of Malaise: Let the grand finale begin!

unknown: Ms. Tilman, please! You're making a mess of things, you have to come to your senses!

Second Ambush

Minor Image of Malaise: Do you really think you can change the story, Character?

Third Ambush

Minor Image of Malaise: The story isn't yours to change, only to observe, to follow!

Combat End

Malaise: Impressive! Let's see what our antagonist can do in the next part of our story!

The Grand Show: Act 2

Before Combat

Sister Psyche: Why did you bother to marry me then, if you don't want children?

unknown: Please, you have to come to your senses. Dr. Sinclair is just trying to...

Manticore: Listen, Shalice. It's not that. It's just, it isn't the right time. We're both heroes...

Sister Psyche: And the hours, -days- away? I can read your mind, Justin, even if you don't want me to!

Manticore: I don't think of them in that way!

Sister Psyche: Who are you kidding? With the way that -Swan- dresses?!

Manticore: Shalice... you're right. There've... been a few, on the side. I've been meaning to tell you...

Sister Psyche: I should've known, marrying a billionare playboy. You could never change, could you?

Sister Psyche: ENOUGH! MALAISE! Stop this!

Malaise: Haha... THIS is one of your deepest fears? A husband that is disloyal? Or is it fear that you'll never have a child?

Sister Psyche: I swear, Malaise, I will have NO mercy on you when this is over!

Malaise: Oh, we'll see about that. In the meantime, the antagonist of my story is waiting! Come, Character, let us continue!

First Ambush

Minor Image of Malaise: All according to how it should be. Your defeat is all the sweeter with all the effort you're putting in!

unknown: Mrs. Elliot does not like you calling her 'Swan', just because she owns one, Ms. Tilman.

Second Ambush

Minor Image of Malaise: Psyche's mind will burn, along with you!

Third Ambush

Minor Image of Malaise: The story calls for your downfall, Character. It -will- happen!

Combat End

Malaise: Your death would mean nothing, Character, if you didn't come close to succeeding. Act 3!

Sister Psyche

Briefing

You see Sister Psyche curled up on the ground, staring out into the distance. Looking around the area, it seems like this is her memory of the first Rikti invasion.

Can't... can't do anymore... can't shut out the screaming... the pain... did everything I could to stop the Rikti... losing control... losing my mind... went too far... all alone now... all... all alone...

"Administer the medication."

unknown: She's going to drag Ms. Orosco further into her delusion. Administer the medication.

• Snap out of it! You're not alone!

Who... who are you? Not Manticore... not Synapse... not Positron...

• I'm Character, your new mental guardian, Malaise is trying to weaken you!

Malaise... no hope... no hope...

Help will never come... the Rikti will destroy everything... I couldn't stop them... even with all my power...

All alone, in the end, the end coming to destroy...

• You are NOT alone, snap out of it! Look at me!

Sister Psyche looks at you with dawning recognition on her face. You hear a loud explosion in the distance - someone's here!

• Malaise!

The Grand Show: Act 3

Combat Start

Rikti Commander: Hope: Extinguished

Powerful Image of Malaise: It really is sad, Character, that you think you can change this story. And they call ME insane.

Combat End

Malaise: Why can't you comprehend that this is OVER? Aurora WILL take over Sister Psyche's mind!
Malaise: This is how it has to be, if not, then the entire story is ruined! What is a story without a good tragedy in it?!
Malaise: I've come too far to let-

In the Hospital

Dr. Keyes: You gave us quite a scare there, Ms. Tilman.

Shalice Tilman: What... what happened? Where am I? Character, why do you look so different?

Dr. Arcanus: Please, Ms. Tilman. Character is Ms. Orosco.

Dr. Sinclair: You had another one of your episodes, Ms. Tilman.

Dr. Keyes: The same as before, where you believe you are the world's most powerful psychic.

Dr. Arcanus: And that you live in a city full of super heroes.

Shalice Tilman: No... But it was real! I remember all of it, I FELT all of it...!

Dr. Keyes: You regressed after the death of your mother, Ms. Tilman. You were trying to forget it all.

Dr. Arcanus: Dr. Cole reported you were talking about an 'alternate reality' within your own imaginary reality.

'Dr. Keyes: A reality that held an evil version of yourself, 'Mother Mayhem'. I feel we need to go deeper into that.

Dr. Sinclair: You can leave now, Ms. Orosco. We're sorry that Ms. Tilman interrupted your session.

Shalice Tilman: I... I could've sworn...

Shalice Tilman

Briefing

A much different version of Sister Psyche stands before you. You realize that this must be one of her deepest fears, that everything she's experiencing isn't real, that it's all a massive hallucination.

Malaise has managed to drag Sister Psyche down into her worst fear. You'll have to somehow bring Sister Psyche back from the brink of destruction!

I'm sorry... Ms. Orosco, I... I thought it was all real... I could've sworn.

• It is real! Remember the Freedom Phalanx, you're part of them!

I don't... the Freedom Phalanx... it seems so familiar... but then they feel so distant...

I can barely remember their faces, the ones who were all in there. I think of them, and their faces begin to vanish, as if waking up from a dream...

I don't even remember... the heart of the Phalanx... the one who helped get us all... get us all together...

• It was Positron.

Positron... I remember... he helped to save me from those villains. He wanted... he wanted to reform the Phalanx in the 80's, to help fight crime on the streets of Paragon.

All of us scoffed at him, said it couldn't be done, but he won us all over, including Statesman. I... remember, but... was it real?

• It was real, you're seeing it!

I don't know... isn't this real? The other world I thought I was in... it was all too crazy, too unbelievable to be true.

• Remember your husband, Manticore!

Manticore... Dr. Sinclair...? No, it was all just me... pushing some vivid daydream I had about the doctor into that reality. Manticore is a ridiculous name, I would've never... never been married to Sinclair.

But yet... something seems wrong about that. As if I was... but... it can't be true. I remember though, fights... we were fighting about something recently... I can't remember what it was...

• It was probably about Ms. Liberty and working with her.

No... no, none of that is right...!

• Listen!

• It was probably about Malaise and trying to redeem him.

I remember... you're right! He said it was all for nothing, that he couldn't be redeemed. I yelled at him, said I wasn't a fool, that I could do it...

I was so angry, but only because his opinion matters to me. I wanted him to see what I saw, to feel the mercy that I... that I had. That mercy though, it went away... it went away because...

• Because of what he's doing NOW! Wake up!

I don't know... isn't this real? The other world I thought I was in... it was all too crazy, too unbelievable to be true.

• -I'm- real, I'm Character, and this is all a trick by Malaise!

Malaise... I hear that name and I get angry, but I can't remember why. But when I hear Character... for some reason, I associate that with some sort of defender. Like, Character was a protector...

It doesn't make sense though, I don't have any sort of vast history with Character, but yet... I don't know.

Why would Character seem so close to me now, more than my own husband or my friends?

• Because I'm here trying to save your mind!

Yes... that's right. I remember yelling for you to help, it was all recent... seconds ago!

Trapped in my mind, trying to get out, no strength left to defend myself...

Then you appeared and attacked Malaise... attacked the Aurora inside of me...

You're not just a patient, you ARE Character!

• That's right, you're remembering!

You're right... This isn't real! My LIFE outside is real!

• You remember!

• Because of a link Aurora set up between the two of us.

missing

• -I'm- real, I'm Character, and this is all a trick by Malaise!

• It was Statesman.

No... no, none of that is right...!

• Listen!

I don't know... isn't this real? The other world I thought I was in... it was all too crazy, too unbelievable to be true.

• Remember the Freedom Phalanx, you're part of them!

• Remember your husband, Manticore!

• -I'm- real, I'm Character, and this is all a trick by Malaise!

• Remember your husband, Manticore. It was all real!

missing

• -I'm- real, I'm Character, and this is all a trick by Malaise!

missing

The Grand Show: Finale

In the Hospital

Shalice Tilman: NO! This isn't REAL! Ms. Orosco is called Character!

Dr. Keyes: Ms. Orosco, what have you done?!

Shalice Tilman: I know what's real, you can't change that!

Dr. Sinclair: Please, Ms. Tilman, you're delusional, you don't know what's real anymore.

Shalice Tilman: I know what's real because I experienced it, because I REMEMBER my experience!
Shalice Tilman: I remember my husband...
Shalice Tilman: I remember my friends...
Shalice Tilman: And I remember Character!
Shalice Tilman: Now, GET OUT OF MY HEAD!

Back in Sister Psyche's Mind

Malaise: What?! This isn't... You're ruining the entire plot!

Aurora Borealis?: No matter, I might not have total control, but I AM free, Psyche! You can't put me back in that prison!

Sister Psyche: MALAISE! I WILL NOT LET YOU GET AWAY WITH THIS!

Malaise: Yes! I knew I would still have my moment of glory!

Sister Psyche: I tried to help you...
Sister Psyche: I stood up for you...
Sister Psyche: I put myself on the LINE for you!
Sister Psyche: NO MORE! You end HERE, Malaise! HERE AND NOW!

Malaise: This will be my masterpiEAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHH!!!

Sister Psyche: It's up... to you now... Character... to stop... all of this...

Some weeks before...

Darrin Wade: You do realize the danger you'll be in, going inside of Sister Psyche's mind.

Malaise: Oh, I do.

Darrin Wade: If push comes to shove, she will kill you in there, you know.

Malaise: Mr. Wade...
Malaise: A true artist is never appreciated until after his death.

Present day...

Positron: The doctors have confirmed that Malaise is dead. There's no coming back for him.

Citadel: We are still unable to locate Statesman.

Synapse: Well, Ray, looks like someone's gotta take charge. And you WERE the one who got us to re-form the Phalanx, back in the day.

Positron: Right, we need to split up. One team helps Manticore cure Psyche. The other finds Statesman and Darrin Wade.

Numina: Statesman is going to go straight for Wade, when he finds out he's behind all of this..

Positron: Exactly. Numina, Synapse, and Citadel will help Manticore find a cure for Psyche. Brawler and I will look for Statesman.

Synapse: Seems a little un-even, don't you think?

Positron: We'll have one more tagging along. Character.

Debriefing

Great work, Character! Aurora Borealis told us everything that happened in Sister Psyche's mind. You're a real hero, you know that?

Malaise has been confirmed to be dead. Sister Psyche destroyed every last bit of him within her mind. His heart supposedly stopped beating seconds after she wiped him out. A better man would say it's a shame he's dead, but I ain't a better man, Character, not by a long shot.

Now, we still got a ton of issues that need settling, like goin' after Darrin Wade and curing Sister Psyche. The FBSA and Longbow are investigating both as we speak, along with the Freedom Phalanx. The city needs you in the meantime, though. When we get word about what's goin' on next, you're gonna be the first person to know. Until then, Character, keep up the good work. For all of us.