104 - Voice

[gotgreenmagic]

Thanks, Admiral. Best week ever.

Regina? We should talk.

[Spam for Kirk]

Shego had left the Infirmary pretty much as soon as she was able to walk unaided, winding up in her cabin just in time to have Regina George's file land in her lap. By the time she'd picked over the life story of Miss American Sociopath 2004, dealing with her felt like something that could wait until after she'd had some rest.

It was one of the only times she hadn't knocked on Kirk's door before letting herself in and making her way over to his bed. She couldn't tell if he was awake or not; she'd purposely made a bit of noise on her way into the room to warn him she was there.

"Jim?"

[OOC: Gah sorry for the Shego spam lately. THINGS KEEP HAPPENING.]

Comments

[fuglyslut]

[That's only marginally what she wants to hear, but she accepts it for now, shrugging.]

Fine. We'll talk later.

So... what happens now? Is this, like... guidance counseling, or...?

[gotgreenmagic]

It could be. [Shego shrugs.] Nobody's working to a set of rules here. It depends on what works for a particular Inmate and a particular Warden. Personally I wasn't planning on trying to get you to talk about your feelings. [She arches an eyebrow.] Do you think you need guidance counseling?

[fuglyslut]

[Eek. Regina wrinkles her nose.] No? [She doesn't really think she needs to be here at all, of course. More than ever, now that she's read the file. Seriously, so what?]

[gotgreenmagic]

[Shego's already failed at the 'so did you know you're kind of a sociopath' talk once, she's not going to do it again. Regina can work that out on her own time.]

Okay. We need to talk about schedule. I'm not letting you just sit around and do nothing, that isn't healthy - so firstly, you're getting a job. At least ten hours a week. You can arrange that however you want. Since I don't feel like fighting with you over the imaginary fact that making food for other people would demean you for some reason, I think the library has spots open.

[fuglyslut]

[The second the word "job" comes out, Regina's mouth opens in horrified protest, and she's starts to squeak out an objection in the sort of pitch only dogs can hear, but winds up sitting there in shocked silence instead as Shego steamrollers her class ideals into the floor of her stupid chic apartment.]

I-- what? The library? What am I supposed to do in the library?

[gotgreenmagic]

....shelve books, update the catalogue, keep the place tidy. You know. It's a library. I was hoping you'd have at least heard of them during school. I'll talk to Chromie in a few days and get you fixed up.

[fuglyslut]

Keep the place tidy???

[gotgreenmagic]

[Shego sips her coffee perfectly calmly as if there isn't a shrill teenager in her living room.]

If you'd rather spend your time wiping other people's sweat off the gym equipment then I can talk to the Wardens there instead.

[fuglyslut]

[There are inhuman sounds being produced right now, but eventually she manages an utterly indignant:] No thank you!!

[gotgreenmagic]

Super. Library it is then. And I'll be around - not on your case, but around - to make sure you actually put in some effort.

[She sits back, slinging one elbow over the backrest of the couch.]

You'll be spending another ten hours a week with me, and that's at times I'll be choosing.

[fuglyslut]

Doing what??

[She feels like her head is about to explode, but this clearly isn't working. She tries to calm down, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. It doesn't really work, but it's enough to put an icy smile on her face, hands tight around her mug, voice going sweet.]

On second thought, let's talk about the end and not the means. I'm here until I graduate, right? However long that takes? So why don't you tell me what it is you think I'm supposed to change? [And is it something she can convincingly fake or cheat?]

[gotgreenmagic]

[Shego sighs and rubs her temple with a fingertip.]

Yeah, no. That's not how the Barge works, princess. It's not the case that I sign you out when I think you're done, and I'm sure as heck not giving you a shopping list of what I think you need to work on so you can pretend to be working on it.

[Shego is apparently psychic. Or just has a decent recollection of her own opinions on the rehabilitation process when she first arrived. Either/or.]

I hate to get all AA on you, but the first step really is admitting you have a problem. Getting you work, keeping you occupied? That's just something to stop you going crazy while you work it out for yourself.

[fuglyslut]

[The smile fades, a little bit.] But that's silly. How can I work on anything when I don't even know what I'm supposed to be working on? I mean, a couple of generic kumbayas isn't going to do it, right?

[gotgreenmagic]

No. But hey, I'll give you a freebie: that you apparently just tore through your file and didn't find anything that you thought you could have handled a little better? That is a problem.

[fuglyslut]

Uh, I'm the one that got pushed in front of a bus. I'm the victim, here!

[gotgreenmagic]

So I guess you just skimmed the part of your file where you were not actually pushed in front of a bus.

[fuglyslut]

Well, I never would have been standing in the damn road if not for Cady, so the same basic principle applies. [Sort of.]

[gotgreenmagic]

[Shego gives her a flat 'sure it does' look for a moment.]

Look. I'm not gonna deny that Cady screwed you over, but you realize she did it by outmanouvering you with your own tactics, right? If you were one hundred per cent the victim, you wouldn't be here, not in the capacity that you are - inmates don't come here for things that are done to them. You need to take responsibility for your part in what happened and everything that led up to it.

[fuglyslut]

As if. She didn't outmaneuver anyone. She got lucky, the shady little cretin. And besides which? I tried to be a friend to that girl. She started it when she went after my boyfriend in the first place.

[gotgreenmagic]

[Shego holds up a hand.] Okay - okay. We're getting off topic. We can fight this out another time, but today's agenda was work and scheduling. You, me, ten hours a week. And to answer your shrill earlier question, what we're gonna do will vary. I go running or swim every day and it wouldn't kill you to join me. And since eventually you're gonna go home and finish high school, working on not forgetting what you already know wouldn't hurt either.

[fuglyslut]

[As much as it pains her, Regina can see the value in this. A gentle workout will help her get back keep her figure. And studying is all the lame-ass, but it's not like she wants to be one of those flunking burnouts.]

Fine. But if you expect me to expose myself to that much chlorine, I'm going to need access to quality skin and hair care products. You can't send me home looking like the Swamp Thing, right?

[gotgreenmagic]

[...she really isn't in a position to critique this.]

Anything in your room already will top itself up at the end of the month. Give me a list of everything that was in your bathroom before you lost it - I'll restore the bare minimum this month and I'll keep the rest coming if you stick to your schedule.

[fuglyslut]

[Well, it's not exactly what she'd call a victory, but it's something. And she really misses her good shampoo.]

Deal.

Now, why didn't you tell me about the pool sooner? I could work there, couldn't I? I could totally be a lifeguard. [Read: do nothing and wear a bathing suit all day. PERFECT JOB.]

[gotgreenmagic]

[Deadpan:] Show me your first aid and water safety credentials and I'll think about it.

[fuglyslut]

[This receives an icy smile of pure fury. How dare you ask her for qualifications, Shego.]

Oops, I left them back in the world where everything doesn't suck.

[She might be getting a little cranky right now.]

Anyway, if someone drowns, they can just reset or whatever, right? Who cares?