Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Girl? (open)

[Mia Keystone]

This had to be the biggest shit storm Mia had ever created. Fuck Zac’s cannons, they’d been overshadowed like an eclipse by her own little piece of work.

Funny, how little she really cared about it.

It wasn’t like it had been hard, either strategically or technically. It wasn’t like she’d had to stay up late thinking of complicated scenarios and the like. It had been easy, and she’d been paid, and as far as punishment...

There was really little they could do now that she’d be bothered by. If the talk and its aftermath had taught her anything, it was that organics were strange stupid life forms to be pitied and avoided. It wasn’t like she would have bothered if Zac hadn’t written a cheque. A big one. She wouldn’t even have gone to the talk; wasn’t like she needed Sean to tell her what come tasted like, as funny as that had been.

Some may have taken Mia’s entrance into the student lounge as some sort of act of defiance, or a sort of ‘screw you’ to the rumors that several students were planning on killing her. And sure, when she'd pushed the door open there'd been a bit of a buzz, like she'd just walked past a bee hive while covered in honey, but she'd hardly noticed.

It was nothing so dramatic. Sliding into a seat and opening her computer (she had to type, which she was not used to, but that was ok) the deactivated technopath started lazily browsing the web. She had a hundred grand to spend, after all.

[Izzy James]

There was a buzz. Izzy took off his headphones and dug at his ear with his little finger, hoping that would dislodge the noise. Clearly the noise had to come from his IPod or from his brain. Probably had skipped forward in time or something. But no, the buzz was coming from the room around him. Izzy looked around, seeing the attention that was focused. Focused on a girl, a smallish girl. Izzy strained to hear the actual words. Something about Mia, internet, porn, backstabbing, Keystone. It didn't make a whole lot of sense to Izzy. Then again, he'd only been here a short while.

He pushed off from his seat on the couch, glancing around again. Lots of people muttering and talking, but nobody actually doing anything, and none of them were actually talking to the focus. It was like Magneto walked into a room full of X-Men and they were like "screw you" instead of "get him."

Izzy walked over to where the girl was slouched, leaning slightly over.

"Why's everyone treating you like you're Satan's daughter?" he asked. Might as well get the story straight. He moved to stand in front of her, trying to look impressive while not looking confrontational. Which meant arms against a nearby armchair, leaned back, slight tilt of the head and a "this is serious" expression, one that was clearly practiced in the mirror.

At least he was waiting patiently for an answer, and focused on the actual girl as opposed to the crowd around them.

[Mia Keystone]

"What?" Mia snapped the tiny netbook thing shut and tucked it into the pocket of her hoodie. With a look that clearly said who the hell do you think you are, the agreesive girl's sharp eyes quizzed slowly up and down and her lip curled.

"Who the fuck are you, baby-face?" she asked, one eyebrow arching. His pose was like something out of one of those medical soapies, like he was going to ask why she'd frozen up on Mrs Bojangle's appendectomy. But even as the insult dripped from her lips, the technopath's usually busy brain was racing in streams of 1s and 0s. This strange little person was a) talking to her and b) did not know what had happened. A was clearly a direct result of B, and both lead to C, (drum roll) new student.

With an exaggerated yawn, the short statured girl crossed her legs and lent back while stuffing ehr hands in her pockets. "Nosey," she smirked, because you can't spell hypocrisy without an I, which was one third of her name.... there was a connection there anyway. "You miss all the fun?" she sniffed and the smirk curling her pieced lip grew wider. "You look like a virgin, so you'd have had nothing to worry about anyway."

But being obscure had never really been her thing. "I sabotaged the Doc's sex talk to let him know which students he should be aware were "sexually active" she explained, finger quoting. "People seem to be all worked up about it."

Now for the fun part. If this kid had thought to confront her oh so artfully, he'd better be ready to back himself up. Not rising to her feet (that never did much good anyway) the short girl raised both eyebrows as her smile dropped. "You gonna do something about it, blondie?"

[Izzy James]

"James, Izzy James," said Izzy, frowning. Two seconds into the conversation and already he was considering punching this girl in the face. Which was quite odd, as the whole value system he'd been brought up in generally frowned on face punching females. Credit to Mia: she was especially caustic.

Which explained the glares, not to mention the next bit. Izzy's eyebrows rose as she prattled off what she did as though it wasn't that much of an issue, and he ended up crossing his arms. "I think some of my roommates were involved in that."

He wasn't certain, but there had been some sideways glances from a couple of them, and he half believed that there was some kind of shenanigans going down with that group. Anyway, so not the point right now.

"So people are glaring and staring at you because you exposed a bunch of secrets you shouldn't have," repeated Izzy. Nobody said he was the brightest. The information did make him frown though, and he locked eyes with Mia. "You don't even seem remotely sorry. What's wrong with you? Don't you care that you might have hurt people?"

Yeah, that whole "not really getting it thing" sort of applies here, doesn't it?

[Mia Keystone]

Aw, she'd made him ruin is I'm seriously serious face. Her own was spoilt by a rather unladylike snort. "Izzy?" she repeated, scoffing. "You're mom thought Isabella was a good name? Or are you just a really ugly girl?"

Even for Mia, this was pretty damn aggressive. The technopath had been building up the aggression, ready to pour it out like some sort of insult-filled volcano at the slightest hint that someone was gonna give her a hard time. Only, she had expected toxic girls and angry boyfriends rather then some new kid who didn't know his school system yet.

"Oh, your room mates," the tiny girl sneered, the silver rings in her bottom lip practically twinkling with distain. "Well that explains why you're getting up in my face,". Her voice made it very clear that no, it did not explain it, it did not come close to explaining it, and she knew he knew it did not explain it.

But apparently, Izzy was determined to stay up in her face. "Noooo," she said slowly, drawing out the word like she was talking to a toddler, "because if anyone didn't know the students there were having sex, then they are blind. I just may have just spilt the fact that some students like positions that are in actual fact, boring." And if she had known he thought in words like 'shinanigens', the rather short tempered teenager would most likely have just up and left right there.

"Excuse me?" Mia asked slowly, her eyes hardening as her new companion started preaching. Her mood dial had been switched from 'annoy for the luz' to 'decimate and salt the earth' in an instant, and the smirk was whipped away. "Who the fuck do you think you are, Izzy," practically spitting the name, the technopath rose to her rather unimpressive height.

It was a strange phonomenon though, that some called 'the Mia effect', wherein a flat 5 feet could suddenly stretch to much, much bigger.

"There is nothing wrong with me," she continued. "Why do people keep saying that?" The look she now directed at Izzy was almost beseeching. "Why would you care if a bunch of people you didn't care about were upset? You wouldn't, would you? Nothing wrong there!"

[Izzy James]

Like Izzy hadn't already heard all the insults about his name. Seriously, hadn't the people ever stopped to consider Isaiah as a viable name? Regardless, hearing it from this clearly perturbed girl hardly made Izzy bat an eye. He'd had worse from his clan of brothers and sister.

"I'm getting in your face because someone has to, and everyone else is clearly afraid you're going to rip their face off and wear it as a mask," replied Izzy, barely managing to keep his own voice even. Mia was going for the throat, and Izzy could already feel his own hands twitching. His powers had a tendency to overreact to his adrenaline though, and the last thing he needed was to accidentally use his powers on another student, even one like Mia. He didn't fancy having his powers locked.

Mia apparently was aiming for something like that. Though Izzy was used to temper tantrums, and he had faced down bullies before, he'd never seen someone so small appear so big and scary. He actually took a step back, before remembering that this particular dog didn't have any teeth. He attempted to brace himself, his eyes narrowing slightly, his hands clenching into fists.

"There's someone wrong with someone who's willing to destroy lives or hurt people for pleasure, or whatever," he replied. You could actually tell that the kid believed it too. He seriously believed that you should do right, and that people who didn't should feel sorry for it. The belief nearly shot out of his eyes.

Of course, it probably didn't help his cause that he was still clenching his fists and nearly clenching his jaw.

"It's called 'human' decency," he finished. He figured he could probably walk off now, but he wanted to see how Mia responded. He was expecting a "not well" at this point.

[Mia Keystone]

That was a new one. Mia smirked and glanced around with curiosity. "Naw, noone here I'd wanna go around looking like," she sniffed, then crossed her arms under her chest and raised both eyebrows. "Who gave you the right to speak for the masses, newbie?" Bit presumptuous of him, wasn't it? But she could tell he was one of those who believed in fighting for truth, justice and the american way, even when no one had ASKED or WANTED it.

The world needed to do some serious chipping on his shoulders.

Still got it

At the clenched fists, Mia quickly planted her feet and dropped her center of gravity. You know, just in case he wanted to back up his words.

"Oh my god" the technopath groaned, dragging her hands over her face, "I did not do it for the shits and giggles, moron." Why did everyone keep saying that? Mia wasn't into pranks, like some students, she was into collecting information, uncovering truth, and making money. "I was paid, wasn't like I liked sorting through footage of you lot doing the nasty!"

His whole righteous fury thing was rather wasted on Mia. "I don't get it," she said frankly. "This really had nothing to do with you, or your sense of decency. Seriously, could you fleshies be any more melodramatic?" But then Izzy's own particular emphasis caught her attention, and now there were two pairs of clenched fists. "You trying to make a point or something?" she demanded, leaning forward. "Because you need to stop yakking and bullshitting and say what you're gonna do about it!"

[Izzy James]

What exactly was he supposed to say in response to that? Somebody had to speak for them, and Izzy was willing to do it. That's all it amounted to. But how did you explain that to someone? Izzy certainly couldn't find the words, and it seemed to give Mia even more of an opening, which she certainly didn't seem to need. Already Izzy felt like he was on the defensive, and he had to outweigh her.

Not to mention having justice on his side.

Because money was a better reason than joy? "That's hardly better," said Izzy, verbalizing the very thought he'd just had. "You still did it. That's the point, and that's why they're all," he waved his hand. He had to watch it though. Too much anger. Time to grip the fists and reel it again.

Deep breaths.

"I'm not being melodramatic!" he snapped. Yeah, she was definitely getting under his skin. Time to shove the anger to the side. Wasn't like she'd aired his personal life for all to see. It was an argument of principle, not of personal. Izzy gradually relaxed his hands, but he kept his eyes locked on Mia anyway.

"Here's my point," said Izzy, speaking fairly levelly, at least, he thought so. "What you did is wrong. People don't treat other people that way," hadn't he just said that? Why couldn't this girl get it? "It doesn't matter if you did it for money," though that did make her mercenary, which was actually almost scarier than someone doing it for kicks and giggles. "Trust me though: neither of us wants me to 'do' anything about it."

He paused, glancing over Mia quickly. "Besides, you're a girl, and it's wrong to hit girls."

[Mia Keystone]

"All minding their own business and not getting in my face about shit that doesn't concern them?" Mia finished helpfully. "Because that is what it looks like they are doing to me. You know, just an observation." There was no-one as fun to mess with as a bright eyed do gooder. It was honestly almost enough to make her feel almost better.

He sounded like a pissed off three year old, which he obviously realised as the time controller reigned himself in even as Mia smirked.

But then he had to go and pull the tough guy card. That did make her laugh, though it wasn't exactly a cheery sound. "Here is my point," she said slowly, "you're a stupid, ignorant kid who is poking his nose in where it's not welcome, and no one is going to thank you for 'sticking up' for the rest of them, because you have nothing to do with this, in fact, most of them have nothing to do with this," and, just to prove her point, she poked him hard in the chest. "Now, babyface, how about you do yourself a favour and fuck. Off."

[Izzy James]

Okay, so Mia might have a point. People weren't exactly known for standing up for injustice and arguing for the goodness and righteousness of it all. Plus, there was no way in hell that anyone was going to care in the slightest that Izzy was nearly making an idiot of himself. Again, he had the idea that maybe he should have tried something different.

Except he couldn't, not really. He still stared down the angry little girl, trying to draw himself up, even though he had a feeling that she'd just knocked out both legs he had to stand on. Because he was an idiot like that.

"I'm not doing it for people to thank me," insisted Izzy. Man, did that sound Boy Scout or what? He nearly winced. "That's not the point. The point is that people shouldn't let people like you get away with it."

Which was exactly why he was still standing there and not "fucking off," even though he really, really was starting to think that was the smart idea here. He swallowed, and was half ready for her to start pummeling him now.

"So, yeah, stop acting like some crazed jerk, and maybe stupid, ignorant kids won't have to stand up to you," finished Izzy. okay, now he just had to stand there and hope she just got ticked enough to walk away. Or, you know, receive a pummeling.

Her powers were off, right?

[Mia Keystone]

Ok, now he was really pushing it. "Who are you, batman?" Mia demanded, hands on her hips. "You do realise the school took action, right? Because otherwise, I would have shorted out your phone by now, and done all sorts of nasty things to your computer. You look a bit young for a teacher so please forgive me as I feel free to ignore your attempt at putting me right."

Where did he get off? The thought of just getting up in someone's grill, so to speak, to tell them off for something that didn't involve them, didn't concern them, did not affect them in anyway, flabbergasted the logic-loving girl.

Ok, now they were getting to it. "Or you'll what?" she asked, leaning forward and bracing her hands on the table. "Come on. What will this stupid, ignorant kid do if I ignore his sage advice and invite him to kiss my ass?" The hands supporting her had clenched into fists, even as she grinned invitingly and thrust her chin out in a c'mon sort of way.

Mia had clocked super smash bros more times then she'd had hot dinners. He could bring it.

[Izzy James]

"I'm more Superman, actually," replied Izzy. Considering that Batman was more shadowy as opposed to the brilliant red and blue Boy Scout. Didn't matter, because Izzy was still standing toe to toe with someone who Lex Luther would probably smile and pat on the back. And then adopt. Or kill.

Teacher. Ugh, Izzy really did sound like one, didn't he? He couldn't fight the wince that the words made, but he still wasn't backing down. Didn't when Mia got even more volatile, leaning forward and nearly spitting the words. Izzy could feel his own anger rising to match, and he nearly spat out the words in response. Time started to slow slightly around him, even Mia seeming to come in a little slower. Oddly enough, hearing "kiss my ass" at a slightly lower tempo actually made it more threatening.

Izzy swallowed, fighting back the anger. He had to. Though he was already mentally picturing himself hitting a male version of the doubtless super-villain in training he was facing down now.

"There isn't an 'or what,'" he said, nearly spat. "No, wait, there is. People like me will keep coming up to you, keep telling you off, and eventually one that doesn't mind beating the crap out of little girls is going to show up."

There, that sounded semi-coherent. Better than most. Izzy leaned back, and figured that he'd pretty well said enough. Well, actually, he'd pretty well figured he'd said enough earlier, but he was starting to figure that he might be able to walk away now without fear of the knife in the back.

[Mia Keystone]

In your dreams, kid

Mia's smirk made it very clear what she thought about this little declaration. She had never really seen herself as a super villain; sure, her online pseudonym OverRide had done a bit of damage but it was almost always grounded as either something that showed signs of a conspiracy, or illegal activity that was ripping people off. Or was just funny.

She was under his skin, that was obvious. Mia was not much good at reading expressions but she knew, from a lot of past experience, what it looked like when someone was holding back anger. His threat didn't so much as phase her. "People like you?" she snorted, "big talking baby-faced do-gooders who poke their nose in where it's not wanted? How long until you piss off someone who'll rearrange that face of yours," reaching forward, she pinched his cheek and grinned.

"They can try, pretty-boy. But they, like you, might find that this little girl hasn't got time for wanna-be superheros." It was too easy, grasping a fistful of his shirt and dragging him forward so she could see the whites all around his eyes. "You need to mind your own business," the technopath said quietly, ignoring the murmuring around her. "Or people like me might need to mind it for you."

Letting go with a bit of a push, she fell back into her own seat and pulled out her notebook. "You can go now, by the way," she said calmly, even as under the table her legs trembled with her own suppressed anger. She couldn't afford to get into a punch up when she was already in so much hot water but controlling her temper was hard, very hard, very very hard.

[Izzy James]

Big-talking-baby-faced-do-gooders? Izzy nearly laughed at Mia's comment, he certainly started smiling. Was that supposed to be some kind of insult? If she really felt like she was completely in the right and stuff, why was she getting all uppity about it anyway? Seems a bit contradictory.

But what did Izzy know? He was just a wannabe super hero.

"So what if someone rearranges my face? I'll get back up again," said Izzy. Shirt grab. Pulled close. Izzy's amusement and near delirium was starting to overcome his fear. Not that he had much to be afraid of, given that Mia's powers were still locked and sealed. Mind your own business.

"Sorry, can't help it," said Izzy. "Like I said, somebody's got to talk to you. Why the hell shouldn't it be me? Not like I couldn't just go back and try again if I screwed it up. Be like that."

A snap, and Izzy's power kicked in. Probably latching on to the whole emotional turmoil. Or maybe Fate just really, really likes drama and showings. This time, the power simply slowed down people around them for a few seconds. Nothing major. Kind of silly, really. Izzy didn't even hide his surprise at it working, as he stared. But the moment Mia plopped down, time lurched back into motion.

"I really hate it when it does that," he murmured. He looked down at Mia, then looked around. "And don't think I won't do this again," looked right at her. "I'm not going to be afraid of people like you."

[Mia Keystone]

Oh she was going to slap smile off his face.

"What makes you think no one's talked to me about it?" Mia sneered. "And what makes you think I listened to them any more then I am listening to you now?" When he talked about the whole cnt del thing, the technopath rolled her eyes. "What, you think this is going well for you?"

Still, the power thing was kind of cool, though he obviously had poor control. "Oh, I'm scared," she mocked, then finally, realising he was not going to go away, stood up and walked around to his side of the table. "Then you're an idiot," she said blankly, "And you'll get yourself hurt."

And then, she punched him in the face. Not the nose, because that could break, but on the ridge of his eye socket. And Mia did not punch like a girl. She punched like someone who'd been doing martial arts since she was six. "Stay out of my face, Izzy," she said quietly, then picked up her stuff and stormed out of the lounge.