No Different (Rose)

[Stigma Wyatt]

She's really stiff, but she's not all over the place anymore.

"But I w-want people to like me...."

Despite having a hard time thinking people are fully genuine every time they say they like her or at the very least don't hate her.

[John A. Downing]

"And that's fine- but to be honest, if that's what you really want, you should find a way to like yourself."

He let his hand come off her.

"Once you do that, you'll find people who like you. You'll find people who don't too- that's life. If you force yourself to try and please 100 percent of people 100 percent of the time, nobody will end up happy."

[Stigma Wyatt]

"Yeah..."

She lets that sink in, staring down the the floor. She not really sure how to even begin to start liking herself. That could take a long time.

Not really wanting to talk about it more, she would go silent for a few seconds before changing the subject.

"So...what are you going to show me here?"

[John A. Downing]

"Pier 14 isn't just a prison. I know some of the guards here from back in the day- I thought we might get some training in. Something other than....what you and your owner do."

He hated that phrasing, but it was what it was.

[Stigma Wyatt]

Rose frowns.

"You d-don't have to call him that! Just say Elias!"

[John A. Downing]

"Oh. Okay- well, I didn't know what your rules are. Sorry."

Do they have a safe word?

"Without Elias, then."

[Stigma Wyatt]

"What rules?!" she asks in frustration.

She didn't like the implication. It wasn't what he thought. Okay she did what he said...and yeah he used to harm her when she messed up but that was...she deserved it. For messing up...

It wasn't like he controlled...

Nothing she thought about was making her feel better. Especially the slow realization John might actually be right.

"Aaugh! N-n-nevermind!"

[John A. Downing]

He raised his hands.

"Look, the guards here let prisoners train with students sometimes. Helps them get exercise and shit. Lets just....table the conversation about you and Elias for a while, yeah?"

He'd start off toward the prison, walking down the road a ways.

[Stigma Wyatt]

"Yes." she says firmly, very much happy to STOP THINKING.

She hurries after him, a bit...troubled by the idea that prisoners are just set out to fight.

"The...prisoners are okay with th-that?" she asks, hugging herself gently. "They can get hurt..."

[John A. Downing]

"The prison is like the school. It has a security system that allows for a certain measure of damage without death. Prisoners can opt out, but many find it a good way to let off steam or keep their edge."

He'd approach the gate, the guard nodding and letting them through into the general grounds. They'd head inside the building, signing in before starting down the stairs toward the gym.

"I doubt this sort of thing is endorsed by the school but...lets just say the prisoners aren't the only ones who find it a good work out."

[Stigma Wyatt]

Not that she was ever afraid of death, but at least she couldn't accidentally murder a prisoner either. That was a relief.

Though she's still not sure how she feels about going against prisoners in the first place. She hopes they don't think she's creepy. Maybe she's too gross to fight.

Rose makes herself anxious as usual, grabbing onto her uneven hair and pulling out of worry.

"I h-hope they're nice..."

[John A. Downing]

John didn't answer- they were in prison for a reason. As they stepped inside, they'd see seven or eight men leaning against the far wall, arms folded. John scowled- energy was tumbling off them.

"These ones are strong....careful."

[Stigma Wyatt]

"So...we don't want to fight those?" she whispers.

She is anything but careful with her obvious staring at them.

[John A. Downing]

"Just the opposite"

He pointed at the men against the wall, ignoring the few masses of men that were weaker.

"We want to train with them."

He called over to the guard, who blinked and frowned, then gestured for the strong ones to step forward.

"You want to go first? Or shall we try together?"

[Stigma Wyatt]

"E-eh...?!"

She guesses the be careful wasn't about not making eye-contact but more like be careful when we inevitably fight them.

Well. Everything's a learning experience...

"I...I don't know...!"

She's bad at making choices ahhhh.