Amanda, Jubilee - Monday morning
Apr. 26th, 2004 04:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsBecause you can never have too much snark... Amanda and Jubilee have one of their run-ins in the student lounge, but at least nothing gets blown up this time...
Jubilee squinted at the Math textbook in front of her, wondering if, while she hadn't been looking, they'd changed it into some foreign language. Giving a deep sigh, she conceded defeat and placed the textbook on the table in front of her. She'd have to find Doug later on and see if he was willing to do some tutoring sessions with her. She'd been somewhat avoidant of the other students since her powers went haywire, seeing less and less of her friends and barely talking to her roommates.
Doc Samson had told her that she had to start connecting with people again, that while it was understandable that she had turned inwards during such heavy therapy it wasn't healthy. Jubilee nodded to herself, definitely talk to Doug later, time to start taking Samson's advice for once.
Picking up her English homework she groaned when she saw Amanda walk through the door.
'Great, just who I didn't need to see.' she thought.
Amanda, for her part, was reveling in her new-found freedom. She'd only intended to go to the student kitchen for a glass of water, but the thought of going back to bed didn't appeal, and she was feeling stronger. So she decided a spot of television in the student lounge wouldn't go amiss. It was class time, everyone would pretty much be in class, and she could watch some of those Pinky and the Brain tapes Jamie had lent her in peace.
Or at least that was the plan. A plan that was neatly sunk by the sight of Jubilee sprawled on one of the couches, a maths book open in front of her and a disgruntled expression on her face.
'Fuck,' Amanda thought. 'So much for peace an' quiet.' Her immediate thought was to turn around and go back to her room, but there was a certain shakiness to her knees that indicated a rest would be necessary before she'd manage that. So, with as much dignity as she could muster considering she was still dressed in her sleepwear (a pair of flannel men's pyjama pants and a white t-shirt of Manuel's that was several sizes too large on her), she came in and took a seat on one of the other couches in front of the TV. Ignoring the other girl, she flicked it on, turning the volume up just a little louder than necessary.
Jubilee raised an eyebrow as the other girl sat down and started watching tv. The tv had tuned in on "Days of our Lives", something Jubilee hated with the passion of a thousand suns.
'Dude, here I am, obviously trying to study and she like, comes in and starts watching really bad television' Jubilee thought.
She decided a spot of "Being as obnoxious as possible to get her to go away" was in order. Besides, Jubilee had been about to turn on the television herself to see if "Dexter's Laboratory" was on and getting between a person and their cartoons was a declaration of war if she'd ever seen one.
"Like, so totally didn't know you were into Soapies...guess that stay in Medlab didn't fix everything." Jubilee said loudly and slowly, as though talking to someone mentally defective.
"Yeah, well, it ain't like you get 'Eastenders' here, so the sanitized shite will have to do." Amanda hadn't really been watching the show, she just had gone for the most irritating thing she could find. She flicked a glance at Jubilee's homework. "Ain't you supposed t' be in class or somethin'?"
Jubilee shook her head, closing the exercise book and throwing it back on the table in front of her. The scars on the left side of her face pulled as she frowned, making her wince. They were still tender, even though it'd been several weeks since Doctor McCoy had taken out the stitches. Five thin red claw marks slashing across her left cheek from just under her eye to end just under her mouth.
"I'm on a study period, aren't you supposed to be like, in bed acting all tragic or something?"
"Got bored an' thought I'd torment you instead." Amanda grinned nastily. "They give you a lead t' go with that collar?"
"Ha, frickin' ha." Jubilee muttered, her hands almost reaching for the collar before she clamped down viciously on the nervous habit, gritting her teeth with the effort. She wasn't about to give Amanda the satisfaction of seeing how much her words bothered her. Bad enough that her emotions felt like they were running in every direction since Doc Samson had told her it was time to re-integrate her memories.
"So, how's that alcoholism workin' out for ya? Or you moved onto harder drugs now? Must be so tough, dude. Living in a big mansion, people caring about you."
"If it means dealin' with people like you, then yeah." Amanda stretched lazily, thankful that it was still early enough in the day for her cravings to be relatively quiet, and that Romany's pendant was doing its job. "An' yer one t' talk - don't think I didn't notice yer attempt t' drink the bar dry in Brighton. What was it, drink everythin' in alphabetical order? How far'd you get anyway? Past the 'Cs'?"
Jubilee glared at Amanda, her hands clenching into fists. Jubilee told herself that Amanda didn't know about her last foster parents, didn't know anything about her really. She took a deep breath and relaxed, speaking softly.
"Just, whatever. You really know shit about shit, you know that? But wait, I forgot, you aren't too good at the knowing things, are you? Read any good Doctor Seuss books lately?"
She wondered why she was still sitting here, it wouldn't take that much just to get up and walk out. 'Because she doesn't get to win like that.' She thought. She wouldn't let Amanda win, just like she hadn't let Jacob, her second foster father win. She'd quit needling Amanda only after Amanda quit needling her.
"Nah, left 'em there for you - figured yer'd need somethin' t' aim for." All right, so it wasn't very nice of her, picking at Jubilee like this, but really, the girl got up her nose something chronic. And it wasn't like she was using magic to do it, so she was obeying the rules still. Amanda didn't lose the cocky grin; this really was more fun than it should have been, and at least this time there was no danger of Lee blowing things up when she lost her rag. "An' if I'm talkin' shite, why're gettin' all hot an' bothered about it? Ain't as tough as you think, mall rat."
Jubilee smiled suddenly, her look almost angelic in its feigned innocence. "Yeah, 'cause ya real tough, ain't ya? So smart and tough, had such a hard on to prove how you didn't need any help, that you run off to Mexico without even tellin' any of the teachers and almost get Angelo killed. How is Angelo lately, by the by?"
Amanda's face darkened. Suddenly the fun had gone out of Lee-baiting. "Now yer the one talkin' shite," she said with a glare. "Ange's fine, an' I didn't ask him t' come with me, he insisted. I tried t' keep him clear but he weren't havin' none of it."
"Pesky thing friends, aren't they? Keep trying to stop ya from goin' off by yourself like an idiot whose too green to know out there is dangerous. Too busy thinkin' of yourself, weren't ya? Cause if you'd been thinkin' about anyone else, ya would have realised the way to stop Angelo from going would have been to get an adult's help. He may have insisted on goin' with ya, but that don't let you off the hook. If you weren't still so busy lookin' after yer own ass first, makin' excuses so you feel better, you'd know that."
Jubilee knew she was pushing Amanda where it hurt most but couldn't seem to stop herself. In the past, Amanda had always pushed her buttons right when she most needed to not have them pushed, it was time for a little payback.
"I was thinkin' 'bout you lot back here!" Amanda retorted, her voice rising. "Yeah, I could've waited, or we could've come back here, but Rack would've just followed me. An' you know how t' stop a black magician, do you? Know how t' stop him from summonin' fuck knows what t' attack the school, or stop him from waitin' for the next trip t' the mall an' takin' his pick of hostages? You fancy yerself as a hard arse, maybe I should've let him come an' get you. See how you deal with a demon dimension without me t' watch yer stupid fuckin' back, or how you take a psychotic bastard like Rack carvin' you up like you were his fuckin' property." She paused, face flushed an ugly red, panting slightly. The blocked link was pounding in her head, looking for an outlet for her heightened emotional state. "You know nothin' 'bout me, Lee, where I'm from, what I know. Stuff I've seen, it'd give yer screaming nightmares for months, that'd make the soldier-boys look like fuckin' Boy Scouts. So don't fuckin' tell me what I should an' shouldn't know, 'cause you ain't got a fuckin' clue, you stupid little bitch."
Jubilee weathered Amanda's outburst, her eyes cold. This argument was starting to give her a headache and as raw as she was emotionally right now, she just wanted Amanda to go away. Maybe it was time for a change of tactic.
"Hurts, don't it? To have people pokin' at stuff when they don't know anything about it? To have people spoutin' off at the mouth about stuff when they don't know you worth a damn. You don't know shit about what'd give me nightmares, same as you don't know shit about me, or who I am or what I know. But that don't stop you from makin' assumptions does it? That don't stop you from thinkin' all I am is some attitude who thinks I can handle anything. You want truth? I'll give you fuckin' truth. I'm sure Rack was the Big Bad, seein' what he did to you and Angelo. I'm sure I couldn't handle his like and I'm sure you've seen bad shit, just like I have. But I'd never be so fucking stupid to think I could take on the Big Bad by myself. What if you'd been killed, hey? What would Rack have done then? Would he have just left us alone? Would he have left Angelo alone? Cause I seen people, adults who I thought couldn't be hurt by anythin', I seen 'em bleed out and been covered in their brains and known that ain't nothin' was gonna come and save me. I seen..."
Jubilee stopped, pausing as she realised she was revealing something of herself that she wasn't sure she wanted anyone to know, least of all Amanda. Picking up her books, she stood, walking toward the door.
"I don't need this and I certainly don't need you."
"Never said you did, Lee," Amanda replied, not looking up as the other girl left. "Don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out." She sighed, realising that once again, things had gotten out of hand. How did Lee know exactly how to get at her? She stared unseeing at the telly for a while, then sighed again and switched it off, huddling into herself. The link throbbed, demanding her attention, and she made an impatient noise and got up. What she was about to do was probably a very bad idea, but since when had that stopped her?
Jubilee squinted at the Math textbook in front of her, wondering if, while she hadn't been looking, they'd changed it into some foreign language. Giving a deep sigh, she conceded defeat and placed the textbook on the table in front of her. She'd have to find Doug later on and see if he was willing to do some tutoring sessions with her. She'd been somewhat avoidant of the other students since her powers went haywire, seeing less and less of her friends and barely talking to her roommates.
Doc Samson had told her that she had to start connecting with people again, that while it was understandable that she had turned inwards during such heavy therapy it wasn't healthy. Jubilee nodded to herself, definitely talk to Doug later, time to start taking Samson's advice for once.
Picking up her English homework she groaned when she saw Amanda walk through the door.
'Great, just who I didn't need to see.' she thought.
Amanda, for her part, was reveling in her new-found freedom. She'd only intended to go to the student kitchen for a glass of water, but the thought of going back to bed didn't appeal, and she was feeling stronger. So she decided a spot of television in the student lounge wouldn't go amiss. It was class time, everyone would pretty much be in class, and she could watch some of those Pinky and the Brain tapes Jamie had lent her in peace.
Or at least that was the plan. A plan that was neatly sunk by the sight of Jubilee sprawled on one of the couches, a maths book open in front of her and a disgruntled expression on her face.
'Fuck,' Amanda thought. 'So much for peace an' quiet.' Her immediate thought was to turn around and go back to her room, but there was a certain shakiness to her knees that indicated a rest would be necessary before she'd manage that. So, with as much dignity as she could muster considering she was still dressed in her sleepwear (a pair of flannel men's pyjama pants and a white t-shirt of Manuel's that was several sizes too large on her), she came in and took a seat on one of the other couches in front of the TV. Ignoring the other girl, she flicked it on, turning the volume up just a little louder than necessary.
Jubilee raised an eyebrow as the other girl sat down and started watching tv. The tv had tuned in on "Days of our Lives", something Jubilee hated with the passion of a thousand suns.
'Dude, here I am, obviously trying to study and she like, comes in and starts watching really bad television' Jubilee thought.
She decided a spot of "Being as obnoxious as possible to get her to go away" was in order. Besides, Jubilee had been about to turn on the television herself to see if "Dexter's Laboratory" was on and getting between a person and their cartoons was a declaration of war if she'd ever seen one.
"Like, so totally didn't know you were into Soapies...guess that stay in Medlab didn't fix everything." Jubilee said loudly and slowly, as though talking to someone mentally defective.
"Yeah, well, it ain't like you get 'Eastenders' here, so the sanitized shite will have to do." Amanda hadn't really been watching the show, she just had gone for the most irritating thing she could find. She flicked a glance at Jubilee's homework. "Ain't you supposed t' be in class or somethin'?"
Jubilee shook her head, closing the exercise book and throwing it back on the table in front of her. The scars on the left side of her face pulled as she frowned, making her wince. They were still tender, even though it'd been several weeks since Doctor McCoy had taken out the stitches. Five thin red claw marks slashing across her left cheek from just under her eye to end just under her mouth.
"I'm on a study period, aren't you supposed to be like, in bed acting all tragic or something?"
"Got bored an' thought I'd torment you instead." Amanda grinned nastily. "They give you a lead t' go with that collar?"
"Ha, frickin' ha." Jubilee muttered, her hands almost reaching for the collar before she clamped down viciously on the nervous habit, gritting her teeth with the effort. She wasn't about to give Amanda the satisfaction of seeing how much her words bothered her. Bad enough that her emotions felt like they were running in every direction since Doc Samson had told her it was time to re-integrate her memories.
"So, how's that alcoholism workin' out for ya? Or you moved onto harder drugs now? Must be so tough, dude. Living in a big mansion, people caring about you."
"If it means dealin' with people like you, then yeah." Amanda stretched lazily, thankful that it was still early enough in the day for her cravings to be relatively quiet, and that Romany's pendant was doing its job. "An' yer one t' talk - don't think I didn't notice yer attempt t' drink the bar dry in Brighton. What was it, drink everythin' in alphabetical order? How far'd you get anyway? Past the 'Cs'?"
Jubilee glared at Amanda, her hands clenching into fists. Jubilee told herself that Amanda didn't know about her last foster parents, didn't know anything about her really. She took a deep breath and relaxed, speaking softly.
"Just, whatever. You really know shit about shit, you know that? But wait, I forgot, you aren't too good at the knowing things, are you? Read any good Doctor Seuss books lately?"
She wondered why she was still sitting here, it wouldn't take that much just to get up and walk out. 'Because she doesn't get to win like that.' She thought. She wouldn't let Amanda win, just like she hadn't let Jacob, her second foster father win. She'd quit needling Amanda only after Amanda quit needling her.
"Nah, left 'em there for you - figured yer'd need somethin' t' aim for." All right, so it wasn't very nice of her, picking at Jubilee like this, but really, the girl got up her nose something chronic. And it wasn't like she was using magic to do it, so she was obeying the rules still. Amanda didn't lose the cocky grin; this really was more fun than it should have been, and at least this time there was no danger of Lee blowing things up when she lost her rag. "An' if I'm talkin' shite, why're gettin' all hot an' bothered about it? Ain't as tough as you think, mall rat."
Jubilee smiled suddenly, her look almost angelic in its feigned innocence. "Yeah, 'cause ya real tough, ain't ya? So smart and tough, had such a hard on to prove how you didn't need any help, that you run off to Mexico without even tellin' any of the teachers and almost get Angelo killed. How is Angelo lately, by the by?"
Amanda's face darkened. Suddenly the fun had gone out of Lee-baiting. "Now yer the one talkin' shite," she said with a glare. "Ange's fine, an' I didn't ask him t' come with me, he insisted. I tried t' keep him clear but he weren't havin' none of it."
"Pesky thing friends, aren't they? Keep trying to stop ya from goin' off by yourself like an idiot whose too green to know out there is dangerous. Too busy thinkin' of yourself, weren't ya? Cause if you'd been thinkin' about anyone else, ya would have realised the way to stop Angelo from going would have been to get an adult's help. He may have insisted on goin' with ya, but that don't let you off the hook. If you weren't still so busy lookin' after yer own ass first, makin' excuses so you feel better, you'd know that."
Jubilee knew she was pushing Amanda where it hurt most but couldn't seem to stop herself. In the past, Amanda had always pushed her buttons right when she most needed to not have them pushed, it was time for a little payback.
"I was thinkin' 'bout you lot back here!" Amanda retorted, her voice rising. "Yeah, I could've waited, or we could've come back here, but Rack would've just followed me. An' you know how t' stop a black magician, do you? Know how t' stop him from summonin' fuck knows what t' attack the school, or stop him from waitin' for the next trip t' the mall an' takin' his pick of hostages? You fancy yerself as a hard arse, maybe I should've let him come an' get you. See how you deal with a demon dimension without me t' watch yer stupid fuckin' back, or how you take a psychotic bastard like Rack carvin' you up like you were his fuckin' property." She paused, face flushed an ugly red, panting slightly. The blocked link was pounding in her head, looking for an outlet for her heightened emotional state. "You know nothin' 'bout me, Lee, where I'm from, what I know. Stuff I've seen, it'd give yer screaming nightmares for months, that'd make the soldier-boys look like fuckin' Boy Scouts. So don't fuckin' tell me what I should an' shouldn't know, 'cause you ain't got a fuckin' clue, you stupid little bitch."
Jubilee weathered Amanda's outburst, her eyes cold. This argument was starting to give her a headache and as raw as she was emotionally right now, she just wanted Amanda to go away. Maybe it was time for a change of tactic.
"Hurts, don't it? To have people pokin' at stuff when they don't know anything about it? To have people spoutin' off at the mouth about stuff when they don't know you worth a damn. You don't know shit about what'd give me nightmares, same as you don't know shit about me, or who I am or what I know. But that don't stop you from makin' assumptions does it? That don't stop you from thinkin' all I am is some attitude who thinks I can handle anything. You want truth? I'll give you fuckin' truth. I'm sure Rack was the Big Bad, seein' what he did to you and Angelo. I'm sure I couldn't handle his like and I'm sure you've seen bad shit, just like I have. But I'd never be so fucking stupid to think I could take on the Big Bad by myself. What if you'd been killed, hey? What would Rack have done then? Would he have just left us alone? Would he have left Angelo alone? Cause I seen people, adults who I thought couldn't be hurt by anythin', I seen 'em bleed out and been covered in their brains and known that ain't nothin' was gonna come and save me. I seen..."
Jubilee stopped, pausing as she realised she was revealing something of herself that she wasn't sure she wanted anyone to know, least of all Amanda. Picking up her books, she stood, walking toward the door.
"I don't need this and I certainly don't need you."
"Never said you did, Lee," Amanda replied, not looking up as the other girl left. "Don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out." She sighed, realising that once again, things had gotten out of hand. How did Lee know exactly how to get at her? She stared unseeing at the telly for a while, then sighed again and switched it off, huddling into herself. The link throbbed, demanding her attention, and she made an impatient noise and got up. What she was about to do was probably a very bad idea, but since when had that stopped her?
