15 - Making the best of an awkward situation

[ichoosefight]

Hey, guys, you know if you need clothes Bianca doesn't need a special office to make or adjust them, right? Just thought I'd remind you all. And I've got some of my sister's clothes if anybody needs 'em. Men's clothes are way easier.

[ Steph knows exactly who she was yesterday, but giving it away right at the start wouldn't be any fun, now would it? Still, she's happy to lend out her clothes and make adjustments so that she has something to wear too. ]

If you don't have anything to wear to pick up new clothes, lemme know. I'll bring you a towel, if nothing else.

And try not to get too excited about your new bodies. They're temporary, remember? [ Side-eyeing you, John. ]

Comments

[ichoosefight]

[ The great thing about designing your costume for function more than fashion is that it doesn't look totally bizarre when you change sexes. Given, she had to find another pair of shoes and the gloves were a total no-go, she's still got a decent amount of padding and more weapons on her belt than is really ever necessary.

She waits in the gym, stretching a bit on the mats before her apparently totally insane inmate arrives. ]

[flowergirlpower]

[Totally insane isn't far off the mark. Scorpius as a male much resembled his mother's genes over his father's. Here the reverse is apparent, and she's far more lizard-like in appearance, leading to an enhanced ability to pass as the "correct" species. Which led to more favorable outcomes as a child, which led to more acceptance within a hierarchy that values strength, which led to power and corruption and a belief that all non-Scarrans were deserving of slavery or death.

The arrogance is palpable as she steps into the gym, scanning the room before laying eyes on her warden.

There you are.]

[ichoosefight]

[ Steph puts on her best serious face, which having been designed to compensate for being female is unnecessarily intense on a male face. She seems to know how to use this body the same way she knew how to use her female body, which is lucky. She settles into a ready stance. Right now Scorpius is an unknown element, and she has to be prepared for anything and everything. ]

Let's get this over with.

[flowergirlpower]

[Scorpius, in turn, stands precisely where she is. She'll let her warden make the first move towards her, staring cooly down at the male Stephanie.

Here, the power of heat's been reversed. When male, Scorpius suffers from excess heat and constantly must find ways to keep cooler.

Here, there's no such weakness. Worse, she has the power to create intense blasts of heat from her hands.

All she needs do is wait until Stephanie gets closer]

You ought to surrender, child.

[ichoosefight]

[ She doesn't want to be here. She doesn't want to be fighting her inmate, and she doesn't want to be entertaining the idea of using the gun she's kept in a secure pocket since the gang war ended. But here they are, and apparently this is necessary - for Scorpius. Not for Stephanie.

She won't make the first move. ]

If I always did what I ought to I wouldn't be here.

[flowergirlpower]

[Guns don't frighten her: the Scarran body is almost alarmingly bullet-proof. Cold wounds them, but pulse pistols, bullets: both almost ricochet back.

Of course, this is assuming the Admiral has not also sapped this ability. (He has). Still, it's a difficult habit to break, and she must cow her warden back into his place.]

No. You would be living an inferior, pointless existence somewhere where you belong. Somewhere where no one can see your disgusting little face.

[ichoosefight]

Probably.

[ Her tone is light. You won't goad her into a fight - this is what she spent her time as an inmate to control. ]

[flowergirlpower]

[Nope. Just standing there, cooly eyeing her warden from afar]

Do you honestly believe you have the capacity to withstand what I am planning for you, Stephanie?

You know which of us has more time, more resources, and more opportunity.

[ichoosefight]

I do.

[ She also believes that if Scorpius tries to torture her that she'll find a way to kill herself instead. But she doesn't consider that 'failing to withstand'. She considers that an escape plan. ]

[flowergirlpower]

[Right, enough: Scorpius walks forward, nearing Stephanie without getting within arm's reach. As she approaches her, she raises her right hand, sending a searing blast of unimaginable, scorching heat right at her young warden]

[ichoosefight]

[ She drops to the floor instinctively, though she can still feel that damned heat. That's a new one, but one she can compensate for. She dashes forward to strike Scorpius where a human's solar plexus would be with all the force she can put into one elbow, ready to dart behind and out of the crosshairs a moment later. ]

[flowergirlpower]

[She gives a snarl from the impact, knocked back a step but is strangely stronger as a female than a male. And she's going to use that distance weapon to her advantage, twisting her hand around to try and hit Stephanie with it again]

[ichoosefight]

[ She tries to use her superior speed at first, before realizing that she has a whole lot more bulk as a man and that really isn't going to help her. She'll probably walk away with a couple of burns, but she manages to get her staff from her belt and extended in time to swing it around at Scorpius' neck lengthwise. She hopes her strength isn't so different that she might accidentally crush her inmate's throat. ]

[flowergirlpower]

[The hit connects, cutting off her snarl midway-through. She wears a high collar but this only offers minimal protection: most likely there will be bruising.

Clawed hands wrap around the staff, attempting to hold it or yank it from Stephanie's grip before she can pull it away.]

[ichoosefight]

[ And here's where Steph's increased bulk and physical strength come in handy. She's able to keep a hold of the staff without falling over, and yanks back on it in the hopes of kneeing Scorpius in that same spot with double the force. ]

[flowergirlpower]

[This is getting out of hand. The staff is pulled away but she's backing up, moving away in what's clearly a sign of retreat, glowering. Lack of strength, lack of invulnerability and still she's arrogant enough to have believed she could win. Trust the Admiral to knock her down where she can't have a Scarran's fighting chance]

You're skilled.

[ichoosefight]

[ She's about to move in, launch into an attack that might just flatten her inmate, but then she realizes that Scorpius is backing down, surrendering. She stays on the ready just to be safe, but doesn't charge. ]

I know.

[ It's not arrogance on Steph's part, just acknowledging the years of extensive training that got her to this point. ]

[flowergirlpower]

The advantage is yours.

[And oh, but it does sting to admit it. With a cold glare, she turns to leave.]

[ichoosefight]

[ Well thank God that's over. She huffs, and puts the staff away. ]