[color=006d5b]"If she was always a 'walking corpse', then why's there a problem all of a sudden?"[/color] Matilda asked.
We Are Our Avatars IX: Act V: The Sabotage of the Scandolous Saurian Scoundrels (Open)
- Thread starter ShindoL Shill
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Samus moved, blocking the doorway so Joanna couldn't get through, and drawing the Paralyser slowly. "Calm down." She said to the undead woman, voice level and quiet but still filled with authority. She looked at Stone, and cocked her head in a "you should leave" motion.
In her fury Joanna crashed straight into Samus as she tried to get to Stone. She was nowhere near heavy or strong enough to budge the older woman however, no matter how much she tried to push past her, and after a time she gave up, retreating from Samus, shaking fitfully. Her eyes were fixed on the floor now, rather than making eye contact with anyone.
Like I said, I don't take chances. When I saw her lunge, I quickly brought out my gun. I didn't get a chance to fire though. The Amazon babe was blocking my shot, and I don't fire on bystanders. She made a gesture to leave, but I stood my ground. I took a puff of my cigarette and blew it in the woman's face. I didn't make it a secret when I disliked a person. I started raising my voice. There was no mistaking the anger in my voice
"You're all just letting a murderer go. Just cause it's a curse. Well Boo Freaking Hoo! Murder is murder, no matter what way you slice it! It doesn't matter if you're doing it to live! You're killing in cold blood!"
"You're all just letting a murderer go. Just cause it's a curse. Well Boo Freaking Hoo! Murder is murder, no matter what way you slice it! It doesn't matter if you're doing it to live! You're killing in cold blood!"
[color=006d5b]"I don't remember Joanna ever killing anyone in cold blood."[/color] Matilda pointed out.
Captain America now entered the ship, once again drawn by the sound of raised voices. He ran his eye over the scene, seeing the crowd of people around a doorway, Samus blocking the entrance, and Stone repeating his earlier routine with Joanna in the kitchen. He strode in among the others, brow furrowing.
"Is there a problem?" He asked. Samus glanced at him and nodded.
"Joanna and Stone again."
"I thought as much." Cap muttered. "Stone. Out."
"Is there a problem?" He asked. Samus glanced at him and nodded.
"Joanna and Stone again."
"I thought as much." Cap muttered. "Stone. Out."
Captain America watched Stone go with a glare, shaking his head as the detective passed. He began to approach the door. Samus turned inwards again.
"Samus, can you please just get everyone out of here?!" Joanna asked insistently, her voice shaking and sounding like she was resisting the urge to scream it at them. Samus caught the desperation in her voice and moved back from the door.
"I'll be close if you need me." She said, before closing the door and motioning the others away. Cap looked troubled by the situation as he had before, but agreed with the bounty hunter's wisdom and began to move back to the outside.
"Samus, can you please just get everyone out of here?!" Joanna asked insistently, her voice shaking and sounding like she was resisting the urge to scream it at them. Samus caught the desperation in her voice and moved back from the door.
"I'll be close if you need me." She said, before closing the door and motioning the others away. Cap looked troubled by the situation as he had before, but agreed with the bounty hunter's wisdom and began to move back to the outside.
Matilda also headed off the ship.
Nearby, a door appeared on one of the walls of the base. Above it was a sign, identifying this as an entrance to the bounty store.
Nearby, a door appeared on one of the walls of the base. Above it was a sign, identifying this as an entrance to the bounty store.
SOME TIME LATER:
Joanna could not say how long she'd been curled up in the corner of the room, in almost complete darkness with the light off. Her limbs felt stiff with inactivity, but there was no way for sunlight to penetrate the room and reveal the time of day. She propped herself up against the wall and pushed herself to her feet, feeling like her limbs were made of lead. A far cry from her usual dancer's grace. Trudging to the door, she pressed the button to open it. Light from the hall flowed in and forced her to squint. She looked at her hand on the control panel, the skin mottled green-brown and loose on the bone. She sighed and stepped out into the hall to look for Samus.
Joanna could not say how long she'd been curled up in the corner of the room, in almost complete darkness with the light off. Her limbs felt stiff with inactivity, but there was no way for sunlight to penetrate the room and reveal the time of day. She propped herself up against the wall and pushed herself to her feet, feeling like her limbs were made of lead. A far cry from her usual dancer's grace. Trudging to the door, she pressed the button to open it. Light from the hall flowed in and forced her to squint. She looked at her hand on the control panel, the skin mottled green-brown and loose on the bone. She sighed and stepped out into the hall to look for Samus.
Samus was in her room, tweaking with her busted suit via a holographic control on her hand, repairing it little by little. She had vastly underestimated the strain the Zero Laser would put on the suit's systems, and resolved to ask the Masons for help later. When Joanna came looking for her, she looked up, shutting the control down. "How are you?"
"Much as you might expect." Joanna replied quietly, leaning against Samus's doorframe. "I was afraid something like this would happen if I stayed around other people again. Stone is a particularly bad one, but he will not be the only one."
"I can undo... this." Joanna gestured at her hideously transformed face. "But it could happen again, and again, and people already know what I am now anyway. Some have already shown what they think of it. That is bad enough, but I still need to do something. I need to achieve something, to know that I can move back towards true humanity. I do not know if I can have that here. I do not know if going out to hunt your bounties will work either, but... at least there will be less people like Stone around."
"You don't have to leave forever. But if you want to go for a while, try your hand at hunting, I shall join you."
Joanna smiled, though it was a considerably less attractive smile than usual.
"If... if you would not mind? I would like to get away from the others for a time. The less people seeing me like this, the better. And you have been good to me since I first arrived."
"If... if you would not mind? I would like to get away from the others for a time. The less people seeing me like this, the better. And you have been good to me since I first arrived."
Faro had been anxiously waiting for Joanna to show up again. When she appeared and started taking to Samus, he walked over. He waited to say anything.
"I am sure. As good as this group is... Large amounts of people are uncomfortable for me. It would be nice to get away for a while, and if I can help someone, all the better." Samus cracked a small but honest smile.
Joanna perked up slightly at this.
"Thank you Samus. Thank you so much." She replied, her voice wavering. "If we can keep away from the others for a time, travel by ourselves and get something done, then it might help to clear my head, and keep me... well, me. And maybe we can do some good while we're at it." She straightened up, but when Faro arrived she jumped and whirled to face him.
"Oh! Faro. I did not hear you come in."
"Thank you Samus. Thank you so much." She replied, her voice wavering. "If we can keep away from the others for a time, travel by ourselves and get something done, then it might help to clear my head, and keep me... well, me. And maybe we can do some good while we're at it." She straightened up, but when Faro arrived she jumped and whirled to face him.
"Oh! Faro. I did not hear you come in."