UN: GreenDolphin

[strings_theory]

[Guess who's mad some time after that Herald announcement, it's this idiot right here.]

PSYCH EVALUATIONS ARE FUCKING DISCRIMINATION AND FUCKING BULLSHIT.

Fuck all that stupid fucking bullshit, get a chance to go beat the shit out of some prick and, oh no, you're not cleared to go on this mission!

What, am I suddenly fuckin' crazy now? Like goddamn, why is this important?

Fuck this.

[It's probably because you can't follow fucking directions and actively try to go against authority rule, Jolyne, but okay.]

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[fistsofchange]

[THE MYTHRIL CAGE

Lin is standing there in the middle of the school sanctioned arena, waiting for Jolyne. She normally has a vaguely friendly aura about her, and once asked what bofa was, so it would be very easy for anyone who only knew her a little bit to think she was something of a buffoon.

No one looking at her today would make that mistake.]

[strings_theory]

[Does it take her any time to get out there once the location is decided? Hell no.

And she's still pissed as all hell as she's moving her way into this goddamned arena, her posture is extremely tense and looking extremely on edge about every little thing. And, of course, Stone Free is behind and to the side of her as is normal when she's in a mood that will eventually lead to fist fighting.]

Gonna use her, you can eat my entire fucking ass if you have a problem with it.

[fistsofchange]

You are welcome to try.

[She shifted her weight slightly, and suddenly had no opening in her stance that Jolyne could find.]

[strings_theory]

[Oh, that's not what she expected. She can fight, huh? At least it'll make things interesting and she's slowly stalking forward before using the bit of momentum to push herself forward to go for a simple hit.

Of course she's hoping focusing on two things at once doesn't do shit and Stone Free's moving for the side instead.

It's going to be a bitch once she realizes magic negating is a thing.]

[fistsofchange]

[Lin's eyes flickered from Jolyne's footwork to her eyes and finally to the familiar as she casually batted aside Jolyne's first strike and focused instead on the unknown element here.

She remembered what it was like, was the thing. Being young and convinced that you know how the world works. She'd never had the same amount of piss and vinegar Jolyne had in her, but she'd definitely felt her share of frustration at the Powers That Be for not understanding how simple everything was. Or how complicated.

Hopefully, Jolyne would live long enough to benefit from that same hindsight.]

[strings_theory]

[Well, that sucks. But she's trying to focus on everything and just try to use this to her advantage to get through whatever defense through brute force if she had to. While her technique and all is very clearly self taught and something she picked up on a street or a gang or whatever, she at least hits pretty well.

Until she notices Stone Free's backing off from Lin before disappearing entirely.

And she's actually stopping.]

WHAT THE FUCK. [Oh.]

[fistsofchange]

[Oh. It's made of magic. Not even particularly powerful magic. Well that makes this easier. Lin downgraded Stone Free's threat level by several notches in her mind.]

You've got some power, and that's probably made you feel pretty unstoppable against whatever street punks you learned to fight.

[She darted close while Jolyne was frozen until they were almost nose to nose for a moment, and hooked a leg out from under her while shoving her hips through Jolyne's center of balance.]

But this is the big league.

[strings_theory]

[Hey, she hasn't had years or whatever to cultivate said familiar into being something really powerful. She's not her dad, after all.]

None of your fuckin' business. [She's managing to hiss back at her uuuuntil she's being put way off her balance and is trying to find a way to right herself. Only to end up flat on her ass and trying to scramble her way back up to stand via trying to grab for Lin's ankle to get her off her feet, too.]

You don't know a goddamned thing about me, you fucking bitch. [Stop.]

[fistsofchange]

[Lin jerked her foot up then brought it down on Jolyne's hand with a carefully calculated amount of force that would hurt like hell but not actually break any bones.]

I know enough!

[strings_theory]

[What the fuck. But it's enough to get her to yelp and try to get her hand away, only for a brief moment as this totally sane person here is going to think it's a great idea to try fucking biting her.

Are you sure you're sane, Jolyne? Because this is not a sane person action.

And probably something to regret, but that's what she's trying to do.]

[fistsofchange]

[Lin flicked her in the chest with one foot faster than Jolyne could follow, sending her rolling across the concrete floor of the arena. She followed after her at an easy walking pace.]

I do my best to get people to listen and pay attention to me without hurting anyone, but everyone just takes it as a sign of weakness. They don't think I'm worth listening to until I've broken someone's leg. It's such a waste.

[strings_theory]

[Not the best time she's had of it, certainly. Not that it's stopping her from trying to find some solid ground again to try pushing back off, only to pause with a sharp cough. Nothing coming up, thankfully, but that still hurt like a bitch.]

Fuck you. [She's managing out in a hoarse hissed snarl, of course this idiot is still being prickly and confrontational even at this point.]

[fistsofchange]

You're right, you know. I don't know your life. I could probably make some educated guesses, but ultimately the person who knows where you've been best is you.

But I'm an idiot optimist. I like to believe that no matter how dark the road you traveled to get here, that doesn't mean you can't change your course.

[She squatted down in front of Jolyne, just outside of arm's reach and ready to block any further attacks.]

So what's it's going to be, Jolyne? I can keep this up all day, but I'd really rather not.

[strings_theory]

[Is she ready to nurse a wounded ego? Not really. But she's quiet as she's keeping a steady gaze on her and trying to push herself to at least sit up. No more attacks, not now, or at least not yet.]

Hope is a stupid fucking thing and you can hope all you goddamned want to and it won't make a bit of difference. [There's... a small hint of hurt to that tone, not that she's about to admit to it.]

I guess I'll just fucking stay back here, then. Whatever. It's not like this place isn't a fucking prison of its own anyway.

[fistsofchange]

Hope by itself is pretty worthless, yeah. You gotta have the strength to back it up too.

[She sighed.]

I'll be keeping an eye on you, Jolyne. I've got a feeling you'll go far.

[She considered offering Jolyne a hand up, but decided that could only end poorly and stood back up instead, dusting herself off a bit. Lin had been very careful to not do any serious damage, and was confident that once Jolyne got her breath back she'd be able to stand up fine on her own.]

Maybe not today, though.

[strings_theory]

[There's something about that that's causing her to bristle far more than she had been before and during this whole fight. She's not entirely sure what of it is getting under her skin, but something absolutely is.]

Bullshit. [Or she can just snap that immediately and wait until she's fucked off enough for her to get her familiar back out here to help her back up properly again. And casually writing something in the skin of her arm with her strings. No big deal.]

Stay the fuck away from me. [Any bite she wanted to that is gone by now, no matter if she's trying to be scary or intimidating.]

[fistsofchange]

If you wish.

[It would be a pretty hard sell for Jolyne to intimidate Lin at this point, even if her heart had been in it. Now seemed like a good time to back out and let Jolyne figure out her own thoughts.]