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[theresnodoor]

Some days make more sense than others. Have more purpose, more direction. She gets outside and she knows exactly what she wants to do, instead of what she has to do just to keep her mind in order.

Today, Rachel walked aside and made a beeline for the punching bag.

It's one of those days where she would have welcomed a battle with no idea of the outcome.

The urge to throw herself into a fray.


Her goal today?

Be a human fighter who won't embarrass herself.

Knuckles wrapped, she takes a swing at the bag that impacts with a dull thud, a low growl, and a fierce grin on her face.



[OOC: I just got back from IMAX 3D Avengers, guys, let's make this post ACTION PACKED.]

Comments

[OOC: ACTION PACKED? ACTION PACKED.]

[boston_bruiser]

She has company - not at her punching bag, but at the next one over.

Because there's a man in a gas mask and combat gear beating the everloving shit out of that one.

The things people do to rid themselves of hangovers.

[theresnodoor]

She doesn't notice right away. It's a sort of training-fugue that she gets into with most things, especially gymnastics. And hitting and kicking a punching bag, burning muscle and bruising knuckle, is on that list as well.

It's the noise, more than anything, that catches Rachel's attention. She'd paused just for a moment to brush her hair back, catch her breath, and heard him work.

Rachel's feeling pretty damn amateur as she watches him work. Crazy gas-mask-wearing guy or not, he is working that bag over in a way Rachel just can't hope to match.

[boston_bruiser]

It's one of the standing ones - he doesn't particularly like the hanging ones. And he won't be working it over for much longer.

Mostly because, after a particularly brutal barrage, he finishes with a kick right to its center, sending the thing toppling to the ground.


...what? Nobody said you couldn't kick it.

[theresnodoor]

Rachel's kicks hadn't made anywhere near that kind of dent.

Now she's definitely jealous.

She frowns but doesn't go immediately back to her bag. Once you've destroyed the thing, what do you do with it?

It's not 'clean up,' is it?

That part sucks.

[boston_bruiser]

Nah, it's not the 'clean up' part.

It's the 'lift your gas mask off your face and catch your breath as you sweat like a pig' part.

(He's been doing hours of shooting drills before this. It's hot, with what he's wearing.)

[baptizemyself]

"You might wanna go easier on that bag. Keep at it like that and it'll hurt you before you hurt it."

Helena is leaning against a tree, wearing only a sports bra, shorts and running shoes and drinking from a bottle of water.

[theresnodoor]

Aside from being barefoot, Rachel's sporting basically the same outfit in basic black.

Also minus the bottle. Her hands are kind of occupied.

"Helena?" is a soft breath, breathing slow with her arms dropping to her sides. "Hey. It's been a while."

[baptizemyself]

She nods in agreement.

"I went home for a while."

And that's all she getting about that for the moment.

"So did that bag do something to piss you off, or what?"

[theresnodoor]

"Not that I'm aware of." Rachel shrugs, grinning a little as she raises her arms above her head, stretching her shoulders. "I'm just kind of in that mood, you know? It's time to learn how to be useful without also being a bear."

And, you know, daily gymnastics, runs, and parkour apparently aren't 'serious' enough workouts.

[baptizemyself]

Helena nods. Yeah, she knows those kinds of moods. She gets them a lot.

But first we need to clarify something.

"When you say 'being a bear'..."

[basic_powers]

"...did someone horribly wrong you, or are you trying to break your wrists on the punching bag?" The man in the armor and helmet asks, rasping politely in a synthesized voice as he walks up and stops near the punching bag.

[theresnodoor]

"I am," Rachel grunts, hitting with a low left and a right from her ribs, "trying to punch the punching bag."

Her foot slams into the bottom, sending the bag swinging.

"And kicking."

[basic_powers]

"And I'll go out on a limb and guess you're doing this to try and improve...fighting ability?" He's just going to move back and hold the bag for her now. Recoil has been known to really hurt.

[theresnodoor]

Ah. But, you see, he was not asked to participate in this.

Rachel's eyes narrow immediately, straightening up in front of the bag. "I'll go out on a limb and guess you weren't gifted with a lot of social grace. Back off."

[basic_powers]

"More graces than you apparently." He replies, backing off. "You want to break your wrist and ankle when this bag recoils?"

[cutting_edgex23]

"Keep your elbow higher," X offers, slipping up on Rachel's left and stopping a good five feet away.

Just to be safe.

"It will give you more power. When you hit."

[theresnodoor]

Good - because that startled her, and Rachel kind of startled with her fists still up.

Then grins, fiercely happy, by who she sees.

"I like power."

Which means she can punch again, sending the bag swinging even faster.

[cutting_edgex23]

"I know," X says, equably.

She does not appear at all displeased.

It's kind of like her version of a smile!

"It is very useful."

Beat.

"Sometimes."

[theresnodoor]

Rachel opens her mouth to argue that, eyebrows dropping low.

Then shuts it.

Scowls a little.

And punches the bag again.

Saying power is not the proper way to address all possible problems is a total downer, X.

[cutting_edgex23]

X does not sigh.

(X is a total downer, though. Alas.)

"I like speed."

This is very true.

"But when people know that, it is less useful."

Beat.

"If they are competent."

[runmakitarun]

A short, skinny girl who looks like she might well be around Rachel's age wanders out of the woods at some point with a duffel bag that's way too big for her slung over one shoulder. She drops the bag on the ground far enough from where Rachel is to not intrude, and then sits down next to it to watch.

She's curious.

[theresnodoor]

It's something of a show. A year ago, it would have been pathetic. But Rachel has been a student of X-23 for a while now - as well as adventure-buddies - and that's a pretty good way to encourage activity.

Her blows have power, and even more skill behind them.

Though she still couldn't be called a warrior, by any means.

Not by looks alone.

[runmakitarun]

Makita watches, taking all that in. By the end she figures that, unarmed, and one-on-one, the taller girl would probably take her in a fight. It wouldn't be completely one-sided, but probably four fights out of five...

"You're pretty good," she says, just loudly enough to be heard when Rachel takes a momentary break.

[theresnodoor]

Outside, in this place, sudden voices can be surprising without resulting in startled-violence.

Still, for a split second as she turns, there is a sharpness in her eyes - before she smiles, just slightly. Unsure.

"Thanks."

[runmakitarun]

That split second is actually more impressive to Makita than the technique. Her smile widens. "Good reflexes, too."

Of course, for Makita, good reflexes are the ones that keep you alive.