The Feeling Of Working Far Above One's Pay Grade

[a_monetized_mind]

[A crazed terrorist stealing a nuke. Ankaia declaring war on earth. Optimus's death, and the withdrawal of the Autobots from earth. Some giant space monster rushing towards the planet. It's been a great time, and so its end finds Jen perched on the edge of Alahambra Base's roof, staring off into the night at a distant city.]

...The hell do you think you're doing, Jennifer...gonna get yourself killed at this rate.

Life ain't a superhero comic...

Comments

[a_monetized_mind]

Your planet is literally a fighting game, and here you are getting to punch shit up.

It fits.

[not_a_prize]

...That's-

[Peola actually looked a little shocked here.]

Is that really what you think I...

I like a good fight sure but not if innocent people get caught up in everything and good people get hurt or killed! I'm not my mother!

[a_monetized_mind]

Sorry, I-That's not what I meant.

[She doesn't look away from the scenery.]

...Just forget about it.

[not_a_prize]

No I am not! Jen... what ever it is... just say something. Let me help.

[That isn't going to stop Peola from putting a hand on your shoulder and looking distinctly even more worried.]

[a_monetized_mind]

...All my adult life I've been trained to run away from fights, or to just do them long enough to leave...and here I'm stuck trying to save the world in life-or-death battles. Flipping out and trying to straight up murder some asshole, there's that too...

[She picks up a bit of chipped concrete from next to her and throws it off into the distance.]

And you know, I'm pretty okay with that...There's not any problem, as long as everyone comes home happy at the end.

But things aren't like that, are they.

[not_a_prize]

...

[Peola's going to do the same. Whether its because she thinks its just an Earth thing to do or just doing it because if feels right its hard to say. Either way the bit of concrete goes sailing through the air.]

Not always. Life doesn't work like that, even back home. But... you held on longer than most people like you probably would I think.

... Do you want to leave?

[a_monetized_mind]

Well...I dunno. There's still those VIPER guys to worry about. And I fucking hate that fillyflannel asshole.

I sure as hell don't plan to die for anyone else's sake, if that's what you're asking.

[not_a_prize]

...Maybe you can just stay here and... not fight? I mean you could just do something else maybe.

[a_monetized_mind]

...That'd be great, but those last two rampages I threw have put me in a bad spot...

[not_a_prize]

... Okay... explain a little more here?

[a_monetized_mind]

I'm on the hook for a couple million dollars of damage for, and I quote, "reckless endangerment and destruction of civilian property without reasonable cause". Sliced up some buildings fighting Flannel, and tore up a ship real bad when those gods showed up on the ocean.

[not_a_prize]

[Peola... was actually surprised about that.]

But that's stupid. How's everything you did count as 'reckless'? I mean you were fighting for your life!

[a_monetized_mind]

Sure, but nobody else in those battles went and destroyed a city block.

Those people deserve their money back...even if it's a pain in the ass to get it pulled together for them.

[not_a_prize]

...Oh...

[That's actually... pretty surprising. She figured that somehow those people were getting taken care of regardless but the fact that Jen was paying them back out of her own pocket was...]

I didn't think you were that noble... kinda stupid of me.

[a_monetized_mind]

Nothing 'noble' about it, they have a court order! Several of them!

UG's got enough financial problems already and I own a machine that can turn lead into gold, so we figured it'd be best if I just handled it on my own...

...even though it doesn't make that much money...

[not_a_prize]

[Peola genuinely has no idea what to say here and thus she absently picks up another chipped piece of concrete to lob it absently.]

...Well... maybe if we can figure a way out to toss my hag of a mother back home... you could... claim the reward? I mean with what she did it could be worth... well a ransom of my own father. Maybe...

I'm not sure what he or the magistrates would give for her.

[a_monetized_mind]

Hah! That's a great idea, I like it. As long as it's not your hand in marriage.

[not_a_prize]

... Please don't ever bring that up when we do hand her over. Ever. The last thing I need is my father getting more ideas.

[a_monetized_mind]

Alright, alright. "Jennifer Douglas, Queen Consort" doesn't have a good ring to it, anyways.

[not_a_prize]

You'd probably be bored in days too.

[The Princess snickered a little before tossing Jen another chunk of concrete.]

One more for the night?

[a_monetized_mind]

Sure. [She catches it in one hand.]

Five bucks says I can get it out as far as you do.

[not_a_prize]

You're on! I won't even need my ki for this.

[Peola eagerly pops her knuckles before grabbing one of her own.]

On three?

[a_monetized_mind]

Oh, you're going to regret that...
[Jen winds up for a second before throwing the rock at blinding speed!]

[not_a_prize]

[Peola whistles, clearly impressed before doing a wind up of her own.]

I think there's a saying about someone who laughs last-!

[While it wasn't blinding the rock goes far... then there's the sound of it crashing into something loudly, several more crashes, a car alarm sounding off and a loud curse rising into the air.]

... Um...