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[Furiosa spends most mornings in the gym. Honestly, she'd prefer the Enclosure, but she needs to be moving long and often enough that she can't justify using more than her share of the precious time in the false environment. She works out quickly how to run on the treadmill, but most of the other machines remain a mystery to her. If the right person is using them, they may see her watching, or so may decide to approach.

Some mornings her prosthesis is on, and others it is off, tucked protectively and nearly underfoot, out of habit, though this doesn't seem like the kind of place where anyone is likely to get any ideas.

When she is done, she usually ends by slipping upstairs, showering quickly, and permitting herself what feels like the decadent luxury of putting her feet into the pool. It takes her until about the fifth time to get up the nerve to walk in to the water, to lower herself down in it until she feels it lap up around her neck, then to hold her breath and gingerly, cover her mouth and nose, and cautiously, gingerly slip under the surface and just let herself float, suspended.

She can be found in any of those places.

Still, a workout isn't the same thing as practice, really, and the conversation that has been going on here has weighed heavily on her, though she hasn't participated. So, finally, she takes a break one morning in the gym and turns on the feed.]

Video

[She has to clear her throat to start, and wipe the sweat off her face. She's sitting in the frame, bare feet apart, elbows rested on her knees, metal arm down at her side. Furiosa isn't comfortable, exactly, talking to a little plastic box that will take her words all over the ship, but this is important to her.]

My name is Imperator Furiosa. I'm human. No powers. I'm in the gym.

If you need, I've been teaching people a little about how to fight. If you don't need, but you're--

I could use the practice.

[Short, unceremonious, she disconnects.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

witness_this

[They aren't. He eventually gets her into a pin that makes her pause, admit;]

I can't break this without doing permanent damage to us both.

[Yield.]

From:

deadmanwalkin

Best we don't do that.
[Graves eases back, pushing himself to his feet with a quiet grumble. When he's up, he leans down a little and extends a hand to Furiosa, offering to help her get up.]

Wasn't bad at all, there. How many of these have you done today, if you don't mind my askin'? Don't seem too worn out, but I'm guessin' that's 'cause you're used to shit like this.

From:

witness_this

You're my fifth.

[And unfortunately, it's showing. SHe takes his hand, accepts the help.]

I'd love to do it again, but I'm flagging. I have to call it. I wouldn't say no to you walking me through that last one slowly, though.

From:

deadmanwalkin

[He gives a low whistle of approval, clearly at least a little impressed. Graves wouldn't count himself as an incredibly difficult fight up close and personal, but after four other rounds? He was surprised there wasn't more of a drain on her. No way she's from somewhere peaceful, he's pretty sure.]
I would've thought I w's just your second or somethin'. Fifth, though? Shit, you prolly would've had the Institute all over you where I'm from--Champs that could just keep goin' like that were all the rage. [He also gets the feeling that he just got lucky. Actually getting into a legitimate fight with Furiosa probably would've ended very differently.]

Take it from the top, then?

From:

witness_this

No.

[She says, grinning.]

No, definitely not. If you're impressed now, then I don't have to feel weak for calling uncle.

[She could keep going, but she claps him on the arm instead.]

Help me find some water, and tell me about the institute?

From:

deadmanwalkin

I'm pretty sure you would've broken somethin' of mine real quick after that. 'Sides, you've earned a break, I reckon. [He's already looking around for some sort of water source--once he spots a decently-full water cooler, he trots off for a few seconds, coming back with two cups, one of which is now being extended toward Furiosa. He's being willingly polite, holy shit.]

There's a whole lot to say about it, really. It's...pretty important. [Shrugs.] Keeps wars from gettin' started, settles whatever spats there might be between places. I've worked for it for a while now, so I've gotten a pretty good handle on what it does.

From:

witness_this

Thanks.

[Taking it from him, with a grateful little smile, still slightly winded, but getting steadier by the breath. It's hard not to have a kind of mutual respect, when you both fight like that.]

Nothing like that back home. Sounds like a challenging position, I can see why you have to know how to fight.

From:

deadmanwalkin

Mmhm. [He takes a small sip of his own, nodding.]

Considerin' our whole job's killin' each other to settle whatever shit comes along, it's either we're good at handlin' ourselves, or we're good at stickin' with people who can. It's pretty much doin' wars of our own so nobody else has to.

From:

witness_this

What has it been like, adjusting to living here, instead?

[The barge must be a pretty odd place to move, after that.]

From:

deadmanwalkin

Hell, I've only been here 'bout a week. I'm still workin' it out.

[It really is. He's none too fond of it, either.]

From:

witness_this

Then you're only a few days more recently arrived than I am.

[She says, with a nod. Double nice to meet him.]

From:

deadmanwalkin

Think I'm on day ten now. Gettin' the feel of things is...hard, a little bit, but there's plenty'a people who c'n answer questions. I've gotten enough answers so far t'where if there's somethin' you might wanna know, I might be able t'tell you about it.
What'd you get put in here as, anyhow...?

[The answer won't change anything, but it's good to know who's what here, he thinks.]

From:

witness_this

A warden.

[As she finishes her water, and dusts her hands off on her pants. Because she is learning very quickly not to assume;]

You?

From:

deadmanwalkin

[He actually laughs a little, though it's a dry sound without any joy to it.]
Inmate. Gonna be a fun ride, that. [He downs the rest of his own cup, crushing the paper in his hand afterwards.] But I guess I'll just have t'make do, huh? Not like I got a lot'a options.

From:

witness_this

I'm sorry. I've been there.

[She admits, fingertip tracing the lip of the cup.]

It's not easy.

From:

deadmanwalkin

Yeah, I've been locked up like this before, but those joints didn't have that same self-righteous redemption shit goin' along with 'em. Here's hopin' they choke on it some time soon.
[Alright, that's got a hint of amusement back in him. He starts tossing the crumpled ball from one hand to the other, trying to occupy his fingers with something other than a cigar for the moment.]
Not lookin' forward to gettin' assigned, but--like I said. [Graves shakes his head, catching the ball one last time.] Whatever makes this go along quicker, I suppose.

From:

witness_this

I believe in redemption, [She admits, because she doesn't unconditionally agree.] But I worry forcing people to seek it is a fool's errand.

That part I understand, though- you've got a month or two before you've got heavy supervision, in a way, haven't you?

From:

deadmanwalkin

I'd be doin' a lot better with the whole idea if I would've been given an option, I can tell you that much. Got too much shit I ought'a be back home handlin' to waste my time on some ship in space 'cause somebody else thought it was high time I paid up for what I've done.
[Huffs. Yes, old man, gripe about it.]

To be honest, I've got no idea. Never was given an idea for when I'd be gettin' chained up to somebody, so--for all I know, could be tomorrow. Hopin' it ain't, but hell.

From:

witness_this

Brace for the worst.

[She agrees, with a breath out, and a shake of her head. She can't blame him.]

From what I've seen, it normally takes a few months at least, even to be assigned someone temporary. But that means you'll have no one to make requests for you in the mean time, or let you off the ship when we dock-

From:

deadmanwalkin

'Bout what I'm gearin' up for. Heard some mixed things on most wardens. [Most. He likes you well enough so far, Furiosa. You're okay, and have thus been left out of that generalization.]

That's...reassurin'. I c'n deal with not gettin' anythin'. [Being stuck on the ship even when there was an opportunity to leave, albeit temporarily--that was the part he'd have a slightly harder time stomaching. Whatever. He'd make do, just like he had before.]
I guess the next part's findin' somethin' to do durin' all that. Have somethin' in mind ahead'a time so I won't be too bored outta my skull, maybe.

From:

witness_this

You could take work somewhere. Do you have plants on your world?

[Perfectly reasonably, as though he very well might not.]

From:

deadmanwalkin

Yeah. Plenty, too. [His first thought is of Zyra, the Champion who was very much literally a plant--Maokai as well, though he comes second. Now that he was thinking about it for more than ten seconds, the fact that they had that much angry foliage in the League probably was a sign of...something unpleasant. Huh.] Valoran's got some jungles an' things like that, and the Rift's covered in forests. It's a wonder we don't wind up breakin' half'a that when we fight on it.
...but, uh. Can't exactly vouch for how good I am with 'em, though. Never really tried.

From:

witness_this

We don't. My world is sand- so I spend as much time in the greenhouse as possible.

Maybe you could find something like that. Work in a place that isn't the most unpleasant-

From:

deadmanwalkin

Might be somethin' that'd work, who knows. I'll figure it out. [To be fair, he hasn't exactly concocted much of a plan yet. He had plenty of time to, as far as he was aware--rushing it wouldn't make it any easier.]

What's your world like, though? Don't sound all that hospitable. [A lot of sand and apparently a strong emphasis on fighting, if Furiosa herself was anything to go by--that didn't come off as utopia.]