First Unused Utility Belt | Video

[hellofist]

[When the video feed comes on, it looks like everything is upside down. Only Cassandra's neck and chin are visible at first, showing a lopsided frown as she fumbles with the communicator, nearly drops it, and then finally turns it upside down. Now the view is her face right side up, and she grins into the camera before a paning shot shows she is hanging upside down from a tree in the CES.]

Crunches. Upside down. 500. Bored.

[She could have done this in the gym, yes, but there are less people here usually. Besides-]

Climbed the tree. Always wanted... to try. Bats are upside down. Funny, because [She puts her hand on her chest here.] Batgirl. Warden.

[And then she waves.] Hi.

Comments

[hellofist]

[That's fair enough. Cass' hands curl into fists, relax, only to tense up again. She doesn't want fighting or yelling or crying with Steph. She wants smiling and hugging. She wants her friend back.]

No crying. We should just... be happy. Okay?

[ichoosefight]

Sounds like a plan to me. [ She's more than happy to just let it go, move on. Try to forget, except they can never forget and they never will. But they can pretend. She pulls the cowl off her head but leaves the rest on, because it's not exactly a big secret that she's Batgirl and she doesn't feel like changing again. ]

Not to blatantly change the topic or anything, but has anyone told you about floods and that stuff yet?

[hellofist]

No. Not really. Know some, but not... from explantations.

[She means explanations, but she doesn't know she means explanations.]

[ichoosefight]

What do you know so far? [ She could spend all day explaining the finer points of floods, but she wants to make sure Cass has the important details. ]

[hellofist]

Help inmates, go to ports sometimes. Can be dangerous. Don't fall off ship.

[She shrugs.]

Know the small stuff. Didn't know... Weird timelines.

[ichoosefight]

Falling off isn't really something you can help. [ Take it from her, she's been there and done that. ]

Floods are different, though, and they're weird. There's no water, but stuff changes. Like, I woke up as a boy once. That sort of thing.

[hellofist]

[And now Cass is picturing it. Why did you have to go and do that, Stephanie?]

Bet you... were handsome.

[ichoosefight]

[ She snorts, flushing a little. ]

I wasn't bad looking. Not that I was, you know, looking to close or anything. [ She was looking way too close. ]

[hellofist]

[There is a very mischievous grin on Cass' face right now.]

You were. Did you... like it?

[ichoosefight]

[ Now she's blushing straight out, wondering what Cass thinks she did. Not that there was much she didn't do... ]

It was... memorable.

[hellofist]

[It's only Steph's reaction that makes Cass blush in return. Now she's curious, wants to ask a million questions, but even with her astounding lack of tact, she has a feeling you're not supposed to ask those kind of questions.]

Memorable... how?

[Then again, this is her best friend. Best friends talk about everything, right?]

[ichoosefight]

Well, guys are different. Everything feels different.

[hellofist]

[Honestly, she doesn't even know how girls are supposed to feel. There aren't exactly a million boys knocking down her door to show her what the whole sex thing is all about. Not when she could hardly form sentences and ran around dressed like a bat.

Well, there had been the Kon in her world, but. Best not to think about that. Not an option, anymore.

She still wants to know what's different, though. She can't help it, curiosity makes her step closer and lower her voice.]

How?

[ichoosefight]

[ Steph isn't really sure how much more she can hedge around this. And considering the conversation they've just had, she doesn't want to blow Cass off and say it's too embarrassing to talk about. It's just silly stuff anyway, no harm, right? ]

Well, you know, they're built different so your whole body just feels different. The way you walk, and sit, and stand. And in, um, other places [ those other places, she sort of vaguely gestures in that direction, ] it's like a completely other ball game.

[hellofist]

[There are really only two people Cass about these things and Steph happens to be one of them. Besides, how many other chances will she get to hear about what it's like to be a boy from someone who isn't used to being a boy? It's interesting.

And she knows the basics of male anatomy. Knows there's dangly parts, so she can see how that would be... uncomfortable. She makes a face.]

Being girl... sounds better.

[ichoosefight]

I like it better, but I'm already used to being a girl. [ She imagines she could like being a boy well enough, but the adjustment time took a big chunk out of that flood. ]

I guess I could live without having a period, though.

[hellofist]

Oh... good point.

[That is a very good point, actually. Now Cass is frowning.]

Do those repeat? Want to... be boy now.

[Think how much harder she could hit people with all those muscles to back it up!]

[ichoosefight]

Not very often, but I've heard that one happened more than once.

[hellofist]

Double edged, then. Not bad ones can repeat... means really bad ones can.

[That doesn't sound very fun at all and Cass hasn't even heard about any of the really bad floods.]

[ichoosefight]

Yeah. Although there's an even chance every time between them being bad and not so bad.

[hellofist]

Never good, though?

[ichoosefight]

Well, um... [ She's going to need a few minutes to try and think of one. ]

Well, there was that one time... but no, having a bunch of kids around isn't really good...

[ Yeah, she's got nothing. ]