Vought Tower | All Day Monday

[defenderofdesmoines]

Annie had been sure that telling people about what had happened with The Deep would actually hurt her. That it would have destroyed her career, her relationship, her friendships....

But instead, she felt so much stronger today than she had in weeks. She wasn't even wearing her cape -- much less the new uniform -- when she made her way to Madelyn Stillwell's office this morning. She was Annie, and that was enough.

She'd been through enough already.

"Thank you for coming, Starlight," Madelyn greeted her with a broad smile, after she'd called for her to come in.

Annie took a seat in the chair in front of Ms. Stillwell's desk quietly, considering how weird that smile looked in light of why Annie was here.

"So I would like you to take this in the constructive spirit in which it is intended," Madelyn opened.

"...okay," Annie agreed slowly.

"You are a selfish, arrogant child," Madelyn told her, smile dropping off her face.

"Wow," Annie replied, blinking. Sure didn't seem constructive to her. Wow indeed.

"Back in Iowa, and then in Maryland," Madelyn continued, "I bet you watched a lot of Queen Maeve's movies, right? She was a rebel. Didn't take anyone's shit, didn't play by the rules. That's who you wanted to be. That's what American heroes are. But it's a myth. I should know, because I wrote it."

Madelyn got up from behind her desk, coming over to sit beside Annie. "The truth is, dozens of people in this company spent hundreds of hours to create the thing that is you."

And while weeks ago, she would have just taken a comment like that, right now every ounce of Annie was screaming BULLSHIT.

"I never asked for that," she replied, calmly.

"Then why don't you burn the sparkly outfit and become a cop?" Madelyn asked frankly. "You want to be a superhero. You want to be famous. But nobody's famous alone. So, why don't you cut the petulant diva shit, show a little fucking gratitude, and let us do our job?"

And on that dismissive note, Madelyn stood to get up from her chair.

Annie watched her, breathing deep as she considered how to answer that. Did she deserve that? She had said all of that, on live TV.

And then she remembered what Diego had said, about how bad this all looked for Vought, and how much worse it could look.

"No," she said simply.

"I'm sorry," Madelyn said, spinning to look at her, because surely she had heard that wrong.

"I mean, I don't mean to be ungrateful," Annie explained. "But...no red carpets. No reality TV. No Noxema commercials. And I want my old uniform back." She lifted her chin, a little defiant. "I'm gonna save people."

"Then I think we may need to reconsider your position in The Seven," Madelyn replied evenly, despite how Annie could clearly tell she'd made her angry.

She took a deep breath, watching Madelyn closely. "And I think that firing an employee after she reported a sexual assault on live TV might tank your stock price."

She had her there. Annie knew she did. (And Diego had known even before Annie had, so really, if this worked, she was going to tell him roughly a thousand times how smart he was.)

Madelyn surveyed her for a moment before sighing and crossing her arms. "I admire you wanting to tell the truth. I have to say, all of us were just shocked."

Annie shook her head. "Oh, I think you knew," she replied quietly. Because Maeve had known. Maeve had absolutely not been surprised. "I think you've known for a long time."

Madelyn watched her a moment longer, quiet and still. "Thank you for coming, Starlight," she told her softly. "I have a lot to think about."

Annie got up, shut the door -- and couldn't miss the sound of glass shattering as soon as she did.

Queen Maeve	Of course, Stillwell's office was a few floors down from ninety-nine, where Annie lived. And it just so happened that Queen Maeve was slouched in the corner of the elevator that came to greet Annie here, already having a whole day. And you know what, the sight of Starlight in her little plaid shirt there was just too much. "Boy, you're really milking this thing for all it's worth."
Annie	"Excuse me?" Annie replied, turning to look at her and keeping her face carefully neutral. She'd had multiple conversations this past weekend about Maeve and her either refusal or inability to actually act heroic when Annie had needed her most; she wasn't especially in the mood for tricksy little comments today.
Queen Maeve	"This empowerment act," Maeve elaborated. "I mean, every time I do press for anything, now, they're asking me how I'm supporting Starlight. But hey -- as long as you're trending, right?"
Annie	"I know that you might not get this," Annie said slowly, huffing a breath out through her nose, "but it's not an act. I'm just trying to be honest." And it felt amazing. She was standing up straight for the first time in weeks.
Queen Maeve	"Okay. Yeah." Maeve said with a little disbelieving snort and a roll of her eyes.
Annie	Okay, you know what? Annie was sick of this. Of all of this, but Maeve and her attitude were a huge part of it. "When I was younger," Annie said, "I read your autobiography so many times, I wore it out. I had to buy a second one. I wanted to live my life exactly like yours. Because you didn't just break all the bones in your right arm stopping that school bus from falling off a bridge, but you also went to every kid's physical therapy afterwards. Just to show the world they were heroes, too."
Queen Maeve	Maeve stayed quiet, the smirk slowly fading away from her face as she leaned a little more heavily into the corner. Like she could get away from what Starlight was saying if she retreated.
Annie	"You really stood for something." And then the elevator chimed, and Annie smiled a little ruefully as she stepped off. "But now, I'm pretty sure that was just written by the marketing guys," she noted, shooting Maeve a look over her shoulder as the elevator doors shut behind her.

Annie didn't look back as she strode off to her own apartment, pulling her phone out to text Jessica along the way that she could feel free to swing by whenever -- and once Annie let herself in, she double-checked that the hoodie and jacket she'd borrowed were professionally cleaned and set aside, along with a bottle of actually good bourbon.

[preplayed with myself again, taken from The Boys 1.06, 'The Innocents.' expecting one, but we are also open for texts/calls/etc! warning for discussion of sexual assault in Jessica's thread]

Comments

[superjoanjett]

Meanwhile in the lobby there was a completely different interaction going on.

Between Jessica and the security team who was giving her shit for showing up without an appointment.

“Look, asshole, just ask her,” Jessica insisted/lied, “She’s expecting me.”

The security team just continued to glare at her. Which just irritated Jessica even more. “Aren’t you guys somewhat redundant? I mean a security team for the most powerful super hero team on the planet?” She asked waving her unopened bottle of bourbon around.

Maybe irritating the security team wasn’t the best idea, Jessica.

[vought_npcs]

The guy at the security desk just kept giving her an impassive look, and honestly, had it not been for the irritated-looking brunette who came along, he probably would've just kept up the stone-faced thing.

"Who're you trying to see?" Ashley demanded. "'Cause I got a guess and it isn't Queen Maeve."

As though that little would-be pledge hadn't caused her enough of a headache this weekend.

[superjoanjett]

Okay. That was not a face Jessica was expecting. But judging by the fact that she was dressed in a suit and not something from a thrift shop, Jessica knew this wasn't Robyn.

But the attitude and facial expressions were dead on. And it was very disturbing.

"Jesus fucking Christ," Jessica groaned. "Just tell Annie I'm here. She's expecting me."

She was not. It didn't matter. Jessica had bullshitted her way past crankier people.

[vought_npcs]

"Who's Ann -- oh, right."

Ashley frowned at the strange woman and her bottle and her use of the F-word before reaching across the security desk and hitting a couple of buttons and picking up the phone.

"You've got someone down here asking for Annie." A pause. "I know it's your name, but you know our policy, and I don't care -- "

A longer pause, and Ashley's face went through a few different expressions, there. "I don't know, it's some chick with a bottle of bourbon."

Ashley cut her eyes over to Jessica at whatever was said on the phone, and hung up without saying goodbye.

"Starlight says you're good to go up," Ashley sighed, reaching for the security sign-in sheet. "And that we shouldn't expect you to sign fuck-all, but that your name is Jessica, right?"

(Annie had not said fuck-all, in so many words, no.)

[superjoanjett]

"Yes. It's Jessica. Are we done here?" Jessica asked, glaring back at Alt-Robyn. She didn't wait for an answer and immediately headed to the elevator. Like any of these bozos could stop her. "What floor?"

[vought_npcs]

"Ninety-nine," Ashley called, hurrying over because that was what she did. "She's on the left. Door marked Starlight. Do you need an escort?"

She kind of wanted to send one, just because. (Also, Jesus, Starlight, friends like this were not going to help your image. Between this and the unfriendly guy with the scars, that girl kept some interesting company.)

[superjoanjett]

"Do I look like I need an escort?" Jessica snarked vehemently back at Alt-Robyn.

Technically she probably did. Especially since Jessica had started drinking before even arriving at Vought. But that wasn't going to stop her from pressing the elevator button.

"I'm sure you can find someone else to babysit."

[vought_npcs]

Uh, yeah, she did, but she was also headed up to the ninety-ninth floor, which meant that if this was all lies, Jessica here would have to tangle with Homelander.

Ashley did not feel like tangling with Homelander herself, after the morning she'd had -- and for that matter, she especially did not feel like seeing Starlight and her smug, little, female-empowered face again.

"You're not worth the hassle," she decided, and as the elevator doors closed, Ashley was already pulling out her phone to send a whole screed to that dippy little blonde about what kinds of friends she was allowed to have visit her.

[superjoanjett]

"Glad we finally agree on something," Jessica shot back as the elevator opened up and she stepped inside.

God help her, if the elevator opened up and an Alt-version of Ruben was on the 99th floor, Jessica would lose her shit.

[hatesparadise]

Just why did Steve tell me that I'm not allowed to make you soup?

This was Danny checking in without overtly saying the reason why. But also because he was making that soup.

[defenderofdesmoines]

it's more that I made my visit this week conditional on being fed. :)

Followed quickly by: I understand now that this was GRAVELY insulting.

And she would be taking that soup, thank you. Something that wasn't catered by a Vought-chosen chef and was actually fairly healthy? She'd be all over that, thank you.

[hatesparadise]

It was healthy so long as she didn't eat and of the cookies he also planned to shove at her and Diego.

That's better, he typed back. How are things going there? Need a break out?

No, no, that was later on. And had more detached body parts than Danny would be comfortable with.

[defenderofdesmoines]

I'm actually okay!!

Annie was honestly surprised -- she'd kind of been banking on the idea that she might need a friend to 'call with an emergency' or something.

had a meeting with my boss, and she gave me a dressing-down (prob deserved some of it), but she agreed that it would hurt Vought's image to punish me right now.

Diego, you were so smart to point that out. Annie wasn't sure she would have reached that conclusion without his help, and it had clearly gotten through to Stillwell.

[hatesparadise]

Thank god for PR stuff

And go, Diego!

[defenderofdesmoines]

think I'm getting my old uniform back, too.

Danny would never, ever be allowed to see the new uniform.

(Unless, you know, he somehow ended up exposed to the Citizen Starlight advertising blitz that was already starting around the city, that is.)

no word on what's happening to him.

She did not feel the need to clarify who she meant.

[hatesparadise]

It would be a little like seeing his little sister in that thing, yes. He'd try very hard not to judge of it was a willing choice to wear on her part, but... At least Kono very rarely fought crime in a bikini.

Hopefully they have enough moral backbone to do the right thing, but...

Based on them trying to punish her, he wouldn't hold his breath.

This sort of thing is never easy. Wish it was.

[defenderofdesmoines]

if nothing else, I think they'll make him apologize because I named him.

If she hadn't, who knows whether Vought would have happily swept it under the rug? (They would have at least tried.)

fingers crossed he's off the team, tho. he's scared of me, but I'd rather not work with that a-hole at all.

[hatesparadise]

Danny would bet money on rehab for 'sex addiction' to be honest. Because he was cynical about these things.

they sure as hell better kick him off the team!

[bookbeltof_love]

Annieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was a matter of trust that she hadn’t, like, stormed off to Annie’s world to give everyone a piece of her mind. Trust in her dad, since he’d been there and would’ve looked after Annie, and same with Summer and Diego, and, honestly, Annie herself.

Because that whole speech of hers had been someone who might not have known what she was doing but to Nina’s eyes, it had looked like she was saving herself.

How’s everything???????????????

Besides, that trust had meant that Nina had found other ways to express her outrage. As far as the island was aware she’d just been suspiciously quiet all weekend.

As far as the internet knew... that was a different story entirely.

[defenderofdesmoines]

oh, god. did your dad tell you?

Look, Annie knew it was on the internet, but she had somehow not really realized that the internet also existed in Fandom.

And that, you know, Nina was Nina, so of course she'd find it.

I'm all right. It's been a LONG weekend.

[bookbeltof_love]

Dad didn’t tell me anything!!!!!!!!!!!!

And you couldn’t hear it, Annie, but Nina had scoffed at that. Puh-lease.

I caught a stream of the whole just believe thing online??????????? It’s, like, kind of everywhere????????????? Some people are, like, being jerks about it but I’m dealing with that!!!!!!!!!!!!

And how!

Do you want ice cream when you get back???????????

[defenderofdesmoines]

That was an incredibly easy question to answer.

YES.

Followed by: it's everywhere here, too. I kinda blew everything up, oooooops.

#sorrynotsorry

not surprised the internet is being crappy, tho. Because it was the internet.

[bookbeltof_love]

Some of it is being wonderful too, Nina assured her quickly. A lot of people are doing their best to support you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nina hesitated a little.

I know you probably didn’t feel very brave when you told the world, but you’re a lot of peoples hero now because you spoke up about something that happens every day and mostly goes unreported and unbelieved. That you said something means a lot to a lot of people.

[defenderofdesmoines]

Aw, man, and now Annie was maybe kind of tearing up a little again.

(That was probably going to be a thing for at least a little while, she was realizing.)

thank you for saying that. I wish I had said something sooner, when it happened.

But Annie was starting to come to terms with the idea that it was important that she had said something at all, no matter how long it had taken.

he's getting transferred. 'taking a sabbatical.'

Which at least meant she wouldn't have to work with the jerk anymore.

[bookbeltof_love]

Nina sent a bunch of hearts before she added, Good. It’s a start!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It wasn’t nearly enough but... it was a start.

I mean, like, that you spoke up at all matters!!!!!!!!!! Is there going to be more of an investigation?????????