Brawling for Free Food

[Gabby]

After an entire evening of flitting all over the Arena like a butterfly on crack; Gabby’s mood finally plummetted into something resembling a bad mood, thanks to what she called ‘negative energy’ all over the place. Mostly it was due to a falling out between herself and King over something ridiculous. So, she chose to ask a total stranger to go have dinner with her since she thought King was ditching her.
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"Hey, dude...what's your name anyway?" Gabby inquired.

“I'm Rix. Sorry, thought you knew!” Holding his right hand out to her. “Thought I heard you were Gabby?”

"Well met, Rix. Yeah I'm Gabby. You hungry? I'm starvin' and can prolly eat an entire friggin' cow right now. Wanna go get a burger or somethin'?"After leaning over to shake his hand, she grabbed her bag off the floor as well as her bottle of rum and stood up.

“Sure! Though I'll have you know that they close buffets when I show up. I haven't figured out why.” As he hopped up. “I tip well!”

G called out, "Hey Gab. Don't do anything you might regret later, 'kay?" Just helpful, friendly advice, having been like, paying attention.

"They usually stare at me like I am some sorta weirdo. I can eat a lot." She laughed a little then looked over to G. "I never regret eating." Not getting what he was hinting at since she had no ulterior motive; just plans to go eat and not do it alone now that King seemed to want to ditch her.

“A lot? What's a lot. I usually get like, 5 plates. I don't think that's a lot. But I'm still a growin' boy!” Rix exclaimed.

Gabby stared after King as she left then shook her head and looked back towards Rix. "I can eat that much! We should bet cupcakes on who can eat the most. I might surprise ya."

“Ooooh, that's an unfair deal. But you're on!” Grins as he starts for the door. “We should hit up Penny's. There's usually some brawls or stabbin's there for entertainment.”

"You're still growin'? You are a friggin' giant, dude. Gawd what does your mama feed you anyway?"
A last lingering glance was given King as she walked up those stairs then she sighed heavily and just nodded at Rix. "Sounds fine. Brawls are hella fun to watch. Maybe we can get into one. I feel like hitting sh*t right now."

“Well, I feed myself. It's usually junk food. And milk.” Nodding, he was behind her but since he was so tall, could reach the door over her to open it first for her. “Sure, I don't see why not! Winners eat free!”

"I can scrap if it means free food!" Why had she never heard of this place before?! "Thanks," she ticked a grin his way and moved through the open door. "Do they have biscuits? I love biscuits with honey. And lots of butter. I like gravy too and potatoes. Chicken fried steak and hamburgers. Chinese food...especially General Tso's chicken and eggrolls. And pasta...pasta rules. With marinara or alfredo sauce...actually, both...I don't wanna choose. Onion rings and crinkle fries....tater tots. Chili cheese fries....really, I will eat almost anything edible. Sometimes stuff that isn't edible too. Like once...I ate paste just because some kids dared me to do it. I like marshmallows too...a lot. I dip them in red food coloring so they will be pink. You said you liked pink Easter eggs...so maybe you'll like pink marshmallows too...." She continued to chatter randomly, allowing her anxious mind to release some steam because she felt like she was about to explode.

“Yeah, I think that's what they call the grand slam triple double touchdown goal hat trick special... and I think it has some inedible stuff in it too.” Nodding along to her chatter.

[Gabby]

"So you hit 'em high and I'll hit 'em low at the same time. Good strategy? I like the name of that special, by the way."

“Hey, whatever works! I haven't lost a fight in years. I'm usually bigger and stronger and smarter and... bigger! So if I got someone to hit people when I can't reach 'em, then that means I'm doubly unbeatable!”

Hands were up in a cheer! "We need to beat everyone so they will give us passes to come back and eat free again! I'll bring..." She caught herself before she said King’s name, "my biggest appetite!"

“I wonder if they do that. Maybe I've earned that lifetime free pass thing?” He shrugged, then mirrored her cheer. “Me too! We will be the champions of Penny's!”

"YAY! That sounds good!"

“High five!” He had his hand up waaaaayyy to high for her to reach.

The tips of her fingers, with her arm stretched all the way up, probably reached his neck. "Uhh...I seem to be having a vertical challenge goin' on here..."

“Oh, sorry.” Lowers the hand so it's much easier to reach. “Hope you don't have any horizontal challenges.” Shooting her a goofy grin.

She just looked confused but felt better because she could high five now. "Whatcha talkin' bout? And look...that'sa low five for you!" Laughing.

“Oh, um, nothin'!” Slaps hands with her. “Nah, that's still a high five. A low five is like, turnin' your palm upwards. So it still counts!”

"Your freakin' hand is the size of my head I think. Gawd." She laughed as they slapped palms then gave him a thumbs up about it not being a low five.

“Is it?” He looked at his hand, then her head, then put his hand next to her head.

She turned her head to look then realized she couldn't really see her own head and his hand. "What's the verdict, dude?"

“Huh what? Sorry, I was lookin' at the purple in your hair. Um...” Examines his hand and her head. “Not quite the size of your head!”

"Maybe I got a big head then?" She ruffled those jaggedly cut locks again. "I love purple!" But he knew that already. "Sometimes I do other colors but purple is my favorite."

“Haha, you said "big head". Snickering madly. “You should do pink! Pink would be cool. Do you think I could pull off purple in my hair? I don't think anyone would ever see it though”
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"Are we almost there?" Because she was the most impatient soul alive when she was hungry. Or for any reason really. "I do pink sometimes! You could do purple, yeah. But you'd have to do the front or you could walk on your knees and be everybody else's height!" There was an idea, duh.

“Hrm, I'd have to ask Sartan's mom for her kneepads if I did that.” Rubbing his chin. “And yeah, it's just around the corner? Can't you hear the screams mixed with the smell of ammonia and fried chicken?”

"Why does Sartan's mama have kneepads?" She didn't mull that over too much, however as she was now busy sniffing the air. "Friiiiiied chicken!" She looked down at her hands, the fading bruises making her frown. "Not long ago I messed up my hands punching on a punching bag. Got any ideas to keep from breaking them on somebody?" She was obviously serious about getting into some fights.

“Because she's on her knees a lot!” Nodding. “And uh, wrap them up? Or don't punch people? Kick them in the shins. Or use weapons! Or use your elbows. You look pretty skinny, so I bet your elbows are sharp.”

She jabbed an elbow into his side to check the truth of his words. "Does it feel sharp enough?"

“Ow!” Rubs his side. “I think I'm bleedin'! Medic!”

"Score!" Nods in satisfaction. "A'ight this is a good idea then. Are we there yet?" Spoken even as she saw the sign right in front of her.

“Yup! Ready? Soon as I open the door, you gotta yell "BEATS FOR EATS" then just go nuts on someone. I'll be right behind you!” Grabbing the door. “Ready? Go!” And he pulls it open.

"Yup! Ready!" Gabby nearly jumped over the threshold once he opened the door and screamed at the top of her lungs; a mostly shrill scream that hurt the ears, "BEATS FOR EATS BITCHES!" Then she jumped at the first guy she saw and started trying to elbow him in the chest with both elbows at the same time.

“Ooooh, nice. Maybe next time I can throw her in there like a grenade.” Musing to himself as he cracked his knuckles and followed after, yelling and attacking the guy Gabby was elbowing as well as everyone else who was already brawling

[Gabby]

Three hours later Gabby emerged from Penny’s with two black eyes, a busted lip, and her shirt ruined by the heavy spattering of blood; partly from her nose and partly from the people she helped Rix beat up. She was also completely stuffed, having tried her best to beat him at an eating contest. Now she owed him a dozen cupcakes but it was worth it for the fun she’d had.

After slapping hands with him once again, she parted ways with her new friend and made her way back to the Ivy. Gabby had considered not going back, not wanting to deal with an argument with King when she was so tired and battered. Her only alternative to going to the Ivy was to go home and she was currently hiding out from Noah so she didn’t exactly want to put herself within his grasp. Finally, she decided to stop being a coward and go back; maybe King would wait until later in the morning before she wanted to hash this out.

She reached her room and drunkenly fished around in her bag for the key. Finally after ‘shushing’ herself in a stage whisper, she unlocked the door and went inside. The door was closed and locked before she noticed King passed out at the desk, facedown on her math book.

Gabby grabbed the extra blanket off of the bed and draped it over King’s shoulders but didn’t wake the girl. Whatever needed to be said would wait until the morning, thankfully.

With that thought, she plopped down on the bed and promptly passed out still wearing her bloody clothing.