94 - Video

[gotgreenmagic]

[Private]

Hey, Doc.

Thanks.

Seriously. Thank you for illustrating exactly how wrong a plan can go.

[Her voice grows faster and her tone more aggressive as she talks.]

Here I thought that whole mess with the mind control was bad. Here I thought this one was way too ambitious, that I was just getting a free favor by helping you out, but - no. You didn't just fail, you turned everybody into freaking zombies for the weekend. Even the people who were originally alive, somehow, that's - that is really special. And if you'd actually been trying to kill everybody I might consider giving you some credit, but even then it still wouldn't have worked! It's like you simultaneously suck at being charitable and being evil.

I --

You know something?

[A breathless laugh.]

I'm done. I am done with going down on every sinking ship with you and Dr. D and every other member of your loser collective at the wheel. I'm done taking orders from you morons like that lets me off the consequences, like I don't already know exactly what they're gonna be. And I - I have always hated taking responsibility, you know? Heck, a few years ago I just turned around and walked away from everything I'd ever known because I - couldn't do that. Wouldn't. Whatever.

[She's silent for a moment, almost brooding, then gets up from her chair and starts pacing.]

What I'm saying is, I am a huge fan of stuff not being my fault. It has been painfully easy to just drift through life on this dumb tide of other people's bad decisions. But you know what? That's over. Even if I did escape - and I could, the blueprints are in my sock drawer, I totally could - but even if I did, what then? Run away so I can latch onto some other [fingerquotes!] 'genius' with a terrifying big-plans-to-common-sense ratio? No. No no no no no. I would rather step up right now than even consider demeaning myself for a paycheck from one more of you idiots.

[She stops and stares at the camera, hands on her hips.]

I have finally realized that I am better than that. Am I making myself clear? I deserve better.

And if I have to go out and get it for myself, fine. It's not like I ever wanted much from life, you know? I don't want to rule the world or whatever. Even when I was a hero: I wanted to be rich, and I wanted a reputation. I wanted people to run when they saw my face. Kind of hard to do that when you're leading the world's lamest heroes - not much easier when you're tagging along after the world's lamest villains. Maybe --

[Another pause, and she sits down, slowing her breakneck pace. She's talking to herself now, not to the communicator.]

Maybe if I -

[She's silent for a few moments, and drums her fingernails against her desk once.]

I need to think about this.

[Abruptly, she leans over and switches off the communicator.]

[Private to Prefect]

Why did you stay here after you graduated? I mean, I get that the Factory isn't necessarily a place you'd wanna go back to, but...you've got buddies who've left, right? Other worlds you could've gone to. Why stay?

[Private to Tim]

I'm not gonna ask if the offer's still open, because...the situation's moved on, and it's not like I need your stamp of approval on whatever interdimensional transport visa this is gonna need.

But I'm asking as a friend. If I went to Gotham - not even necessarily Gotham, but your world - after I was done here, would that be...unmanageably weird for you?

[Private to the Admiral]

If I - who am I kidding? - when I graduate...what happens then? If I want to go someplace else, can you make that happen? Not just send me there but, like, fix my documentation so it says I got a degree from a university that actually exists in that world. I don't really want my first step to have to involve forgery and/or identity theft

...

What if I wanted to visit home before I left? Could you make that happen? I know Prefect did his little BFF tour before he came back here, so I'm guessing it's doable. Maybe that was like a bonus package for new Wardens though.

[Private to Kirk]

I quit quitting. [She doesn't sound drunk, exactly, but there's an uncharacteristic lightness of tone that suggests she's either a few shots down or in a fabulous mood. Yeah, probs the former, however did you guess.] Come have a drink, celebrate your rediscovered lease on life. I'm still working out this whole 'moderation' thing.

Comments

Private

[buywithme.livejournal.com]

I'm... not entirely sure, or I wasn't sure at the time. I think... there wasn't really anything else specific that I wanted to do at the time, so I guess going and getting a new job and a home somewhere... it would be like I was just... settling.

And I liked it here, Sister. I like how strange all the people are, and I like... I like the adventures. And, after I spent so long doing the wrong thing, Sister, I like doing something of value with my life.

Private

[gotgreenmagic.livejournal.com]

Huh.

...

D'you think you'll ever leave?

Private

[buywithme.livejournal.com]

I think I will one day, I don't really like the idea of staying here forever. Once I graduated though, my priorities had changed so much that... spending a few months, or a few years, travelling through countless universes and meeting a seemingly infinite number of people while being effectively immortal... was actually quite an appealing life.

Private

[gotgreenmagic.livejournal.com]

Yeah. [You're not wrong, Prefect, you're not wrong.] Sooo you didn't make a deal with the Admiral, you just...decided to stick around?

Private

[buywithme.livejournal.com]

Yes, Sister. I think that I could make a deal with the Admiral, if I wanted, but... when I think about what I want, specifically...

...What I need to ask for, is a way to bring about the destruction of the Factory, and the freedom of the people who I oppressed. I don't think I can ask for that yet.

So no, for now I have no deal.

Private

[gotgreenmagic.livejournal.com]

Why can you not ask for that? Heck, if you can manage to get Barron through this and not strangle him repeatedly, you deserve it. It's not like you're asking for a swimming pool full of cash or something.

Private

[buywithme.livejournal.com]

It's not that I don't think he'd give it to me, Sister, It's just that... I think that once I make that deal, my responsibility will be to return to the Factory and see that course of action through to it's end.

I don't know if I'm capable of doing that yet.

[Private]

[peektuttut]

[SECRET SURPRISE AND PRIDE AND C:]

No. I - I think that would be cool. Good, I mean.

[Private]

[gotgreenmagic.livejournal.com]

Good.

[Not really a hesitation, more an OH WAIT I FORGOT pause.]

Thanks.

[Private]

[peektuttut]

Sure. So...Is this really going to happen?

[Are you graduating? c:]

[Private]

[gotgreenmagic.livejournal.com]

It's....on the agenda. I just need to straighten some stuff out first. But we're out of 'I guess this might happen at some point' and into 'this will totally happen in the near future'.

[Private]

[peektuttut]

[Tim is the happiest loser of all the losers. c:] What changed?

[Private]

[gotgreenmagic.livejournal.com]

Kinda hard to say. New perspective, maybe.

Spam we're not talking about this over journals

[captain-jtkirk.livejournal.com]

[Jim just goes over to her room, knocking lightly.] "What's going on, green?"

Spam

[gotgreenmagic.livejournal.com]

Shego opens the door and just stares at him. She looks basically more relaxed than she ever has on the Barge, including incidences of drinking until she passed out.

"Green? That's Parker's thing. She should sue." Buuut she steps back anyway. "Come in."

Re: Spam

[captain-jtkirk.livejournal.com]

"I tried not to kill the mood you're in by calling you Grinch," Jim answered, studying her because it's pretty noticeable that she's different.

Spam

[gotgreenmagic.livejournal.com]

"Y'know, I do have a name? Like, the thing on all my ID? You could use that instead." She poured a generous shot of vodka and held it out to him.

Re: Spam

[captain-jtkirk.livejournal.com]

Jim took the shot from her and stared at it instead of drinking it. "Alright Shego, what's really sparking this?"

Spam

[gotgreenmagic.livejournal.com]

"I'm in a good mood. Why do you have to overanalyze everything?"

She dropped onto her couch, retrieving her own half-empty glass but not drinking yet in favour of just swirling it around.

"...I guess I've done some thinking."

spam. this should really be a log but i'm so lazy :C

[darknessb4me]

[Guess who kicks the door to the deck open like it's insulted his family?

it's that guy.]

spam + lazy highfives

[gotgreenmagic.livejournal.com]

[Shego's just. Standing at the railing minding her own business. Although when the door onto the deck practically explodes open, she looks around because it'd be suicidal not to pay attention to loud angry noises.]

Arthas?

spam - aw yeah

[darknessb4me]

You graduated.

[He looks sort of like a sad kicked puppy. Okay, not so much. More like a sad kicked fully-grown doberman with a raggedy ear and suspicious foam on its mouth.]

spam

[gotgreenmagic.livejournal.com]

[In turn, Shego isn't sure if her response needs to involve defensive manoeuvres in some way.]

Yeah, I - yeah. I did.

[Kind of relying on him to set the tone here.]

spam

[darknessb4me]

Why?

spam

[gotgreenmagic.livejournal.com]

My options were to stay here forever, escape and end up in exactly the same rut that got me here in the first place, or graduate and get on with my life. I took the choice that made sense.