2019 Carmen Sandiego Character Preferences/Scenarios

One-Shot: To the Rescue

How's every one holding up?  There has been a request for a one-shot featuring Carmen.  So while you may be stuck at home, you can also take this time to look back and reread or make some re quests on your favorite stories.  (I can accept if mine are not the favorite, but I will keep trying.)

To the Rescue
Captured. Strapped to a table in a strange lab. But it wasn't Dr. Bellum in the room with you. No, it was Coach Brunt. On the the table was one of those Wiper...Mind Melt... Brainwasher helmets!

"No need to struggle, half-pint." She says. "Word is yer girlfriend ain't so far off. No point in doing our little show without a proper audience. What's yer name anyway?"

Coach Brunt casually walked over and removed the gag from your mouth. "It's Y/n! And will you please call her Carmen Sandiego already? We both know her name!"

"Ha!" The large woman laughed. "There ain't no such name on any birth certificate in the world!"

"There's no official record of 'Black Sheep' either." You boldly shot back.

That was a mistake you knew you made when the frightful woman glared back at you. "You best watch yerself there, tiny." Brunt stated in a low voice. "Now ah know yer courtin that red bandit, but no one off the island says THAT name."

You were scared. Though you had faith in Carmen, you knew you were the prisoner of a dangerous woman. One who almost killed Carmen even. But you also had this rebellious mouth that wouldn't shut itself today.

Cockily, you shoot back. "So what would you like me to call her at our wedding?"

Brunt froze. Your utter audacity! You were brave to talk back to the physical instructor of VILE. But to even suggest-

Two massive hands slammed beside your head on the table! "Listen here, you little punk!" This voice wasn't threatening. It was a promise of very real, lasting pain. "Even when she was Black Sheep, the likes of you wouldn't be fit to walk beside mah girl! Oh, I let that Crackle-kid slide by, but ah learned, ya see? He tempted mah baby away. Makin' her want to see the world over protectin' her family!

"Well, I ain't making the same mistake this rodeo! Either YOU become VILE loyal puppet or SHE does!"

You gasped! You knew that was what the helmet was for. That didn't surprise you. But Coach Brunt's reasoning... how she really viewed Carmen wasn't as a person. It wasn't as a daughter. To her Black Sheep sounded like an asset. Like a weapon she could use to get material treasures.

This time you fully knew what you were saying. "Either way: you still lose, Brunt. Black Sheep is, was, and will always be Carmen Sandiego! You take me, and I know she'll never forget me, and never forgive you. You brainwash her: then ALL traces of your precious child will be lost forever. She'll never love you again. Or ever really be anything of what you raised."

You expected a jib. An arrogant rebuttal or dismissal. Instead... the green-haired, muscle woman looked... devastated.

You were surprised by this yourself. Though this was your first time ever seeing Brunt, Carmen has nearly a lifetime of memories she has shared with you. Carmen felt that Coach's love for her had been a lie. A means to control and manipulate her emotionally. But... seeing her like this, you suddenly felt there was room for doubt.

Coach Brunt backed away from your table, turning her back to you, though you were sure her expression had barely changed. As she looked down at the helmet you had one final thing to say?

"Coach Brunt?"

"What, Y/n?"

Ignoring both that she said you name, and quite like a decent person, you said, "I'm asking this for Carmen's sake: Would you have really killed her if Shadow-san hadn't stopped you?"
Coach Brunt's back slowly straightened. She seemed to be staring at the dark wall beyond the helmet. You waited, wondering if she would even answer.