Players:
Summary: Misha and Travis chat while working out.
Date: May 21, 2010
Log Title Gym Time
Rating: PG
Barnes Academy - Gym
This module is also fairly large, containing an elevated track that spans the circumference of the room, giving it about an eighth of a mile for a single lap. Below the track and the large ports looking out into the water is a central area that can be configured for anything from basketball to street hockey. Around the central area are areas with hydraulic weight set ups, gymnastics equipment, fitness stations and mats for yoga, sparring or stretching.
In the central area, with the weight equipment, is Misha. Not that he's using the stuff for the super strong people, but that doesn't change the fact he's trying to build up his own strength, and put some weight on. The gym equipment here is awesome too. He's sweaty, wearing a tshirt and shorts, finishing some reps. Been using several pieces of equipment here today. There is a noticeable change in the teen in the way of the scars he bears. Between one day and the next they are greatly faded. While still there, they aren't as easily seen. Of course he also has his iPod going, so plugs fill ears with music.
Toning his body and building some strength isn't a problem for Travis, as he does have an athletic build. Nothing overly musceled but that well toned, in shape boy of a high school baseball player. What he's doing in the gym today, is maintaining it cause it's not something that he naturally has. Travis's super-powers didn't come with with the 'hot bod' addition like so many seem to have. Before going to the machines, Travis is going through some warm ups so he's limber and doesn't pull a muscel. "Hey Mikhail!" He says as he holds out five arms from him and holds his foot with one hand behind him.
The dark head lifts at his name and Misha looks over. He's one who failed to get the hot bod too, so has to work for every bit of muscle he can garner. That said he's looking far better than when he first arrived. A healthier weight, and good muscle definition. "Witam!" Polish for Hello. There's a smile and strangely enough his voice isn't the same. Merely growly now instead of sounding like a fifty year smoker. A vast improvement. "How are you, Travis? Don't you normally have a class this period?" Asked with a curious tilt of the head.
"Your voice is sounding better." Travis comments as switches feet. "Eh, we got out of class early. Figured I'd take time and just loosen up and exercise a bit before I go to training later. They wanna look into the powers part of it. See if I can create that sheild again." Travis has done it once since he's gotten his powers and that was under an extreme circumstance. "And they also want to look into giving me hand to hand training but are trying to figure out how to train someone with six arms."
Nodding even as he leaves the bench he was sitting on, fingers dragged back through his damp hair. That's getting longer too, but mostly thanks to the time he's been here. He grins for what Travis has to say, waiting until the other is done. "Mr diLucci repaired my vocal cords." That's why his voice sounds better. "Another year or so and I'd have lost the means to speak." Which is why he asked about it. "That's easy. Have three trainers." Teasing a bit about how to train someone with six arms. Picking up a nearby towel, he rubs it over his face, neck, and then hair. "You want to learn combat?" Thinking Travis didn't.
"I said -they- want me to learn. I mean, me and my Mom are kinda here on their bill so gotta do what they say." Travis says as he gets down and starts trying to do some push-ups. Putting his top two and bottom two arms behind his back as he starts. After about 10 push-ups he looks up at Misha. "Yeah, I'm supposed to be working with Mr. DiLucci soon for learning about my healing." Though learning hand to hand isn't a bad idea when you know you've got someone who wants you dead. He doesn't even realize that they're probably giving his mother combative training as well.
"That doesn't mean you have to agree." Misha disagrees as he watches the pushups. Needing a little break anyway, he sinks down to another bench. "They've been trying to push a lot of things on me, but I've been saying no. I'm on their bill too, but that doesn't mean they can mold me into one of their soldiers without my say so." The teen is smiling though. "Do what you are comfortable with, Travis." Whether that's combat or what not. "That said, hand to hand training would be beneficial to anyone. It'd especially help with six arms. That's probably their reasoning. More to get you used to working fully with all those arms, instead of them kind of getting in the way." Not that Travis doesn't have good coordination.
After another ten reps, Travis switches from the middle arms to the top arms, a six armed push-up isn't going to build much strength. "Eh, it's an activity though. Something that's better than doing nothing now that I can't play baseball." Something that does bother him but he tries not to be bitter about it. "But the weird thing Mik, is my arms don't get in the way as much as I thought they would. The only thing is sometimes I end up going to move one arm and the other two do the same thing."
Misha rises to his feet and drops down to join Travis. Not that he can switch off arms, but he can sure do some pushups. Grinning a bit. "There's a difference." Not at all trying to talk down, or dismiss what Travis is saying. "You've excellent coordination, but your arms don't yet act independently of one another. Just as you say, some echo others. More then that you need to be more aware of your environment. You've six arms and can possibly deal with six things at once.. if you are thinking of it. You don't get that kind of ability if you don't train for it. Hand to hand may be a good way."
After twenty reps, Travis switches to his bottom two arms, making sure to make the amount of reps he does with each arm/set of arms is equal. "Well the weird thing is, you know how many times I thought while doing carpentry 'this would be so much easier if I had another arm', well, now I have another four. Though I highly doubt I'll be highered doing any sort of carpentry or construction again anytime soon." He says with a chuckle.
"That is that saying? Don't count chickens before they hatch?" His own pace is slow and measured, for he's already tired, and doesn't want to push himself too hard. Misha has his own version of combat practice later. His gets rather more violent than merely training though, as his instructors are pushing him hard. It's why he has bruises to often here at school. "You could still be one if you wanted. Take the shop classes." Which amuses him as he finally decides to stop and drops down to the mat to prop chin in hand, elbow on mat.
Travis finishes up, and he's not really tired yet it's more that he's just getting blood going. There's a thin sheen of sweat on him, but again, it's the signs of the start of a work out. Travis does roll onto his back once he's done and looks up at the ceiling. "As much as I hate to sound like an egotistical asshole, I can't learn much from what they have to offer than what I already know. I learned a lot from my Dad when I was younger, then in High School I started in the advanced classes then I was working construction last summer so I know a lot, I would more need an aprenticeship somewhere to learn something."
There's a chuckle that even comes off as warm as he means. "Then to stay in practice." If Travis wants to talk himself out of something, that's his choice. Misha won't chide about it. He's been working out for more than half an hour now, so it's well time he stopped anyway. Sprawling there on the mat is a nice place to catch a breather. "I mean more to say don't cross off options before you know if they are really gone. Life is only starting, six arms or two." Now if only he could figure out what he wants to do. SHIELD, Magneto, being a super hero full time..
It's not that Travis is talking himself out of shop classes, it's just he honestly wouldn't learn anything from them. He's probably end up teaching the teacher stuff. Especially with a school like Barnes which is just starting up and still getting teachers, they're not exactly looking for the most qualified shop teacher as that class is low on the totem pole for them. "There's a difference between giving up then looking for other options. I know I'm not going to be a baseball player anymore, I know that my life is changed, I'm not giving up my hobbies but I'm going to persure a pointless dream. I'll find another one." Again, he's not bitter.
"As long as you aren't giving up." Misha says with approval. "Maybe you should join Teddy and be super hero." Now he's teasing. "Amazing six armed man saves city! More on page four. Pictures show beautiful women with signs in poorly written English about wanting his hands on their persons…" This is not the dream Misha wants, but it was sure fun to say. Waves around his free hand too, to further this mental picture.
Travis rolls his eyes at that commetn. "Between you and I, Teddy has a few screws loose. That kid is not normal. He's too…he's just weird." He is a bit weirded out by his roommates constant cheerful enthusastism. "If I didn't know different, I swear he was on drugs or something. And as for the beautiful women…that I wouldn't mind." He jokes back with a good natured laugh.
A return grin from the teen on the mat. "That he is." Misha agrees about Teddy. "He is.. Um, how to say this. He's a super hero geek who actually got super powers. When we first met I had no idea what he was talking about. He was confused about the topic and assumed I was talking about how many badguys I'd taken down. Or something like that." The teen pauses briefly to add, "Then again I often have no idea what he talks about now." Another grin. "He means well, Teddy does. Says he's been trained by the Avengers. Not sure how true that is, but he is good in a fight."
"I guess if you grow up here, in the New York Area, Super heroes are kind of shoved in your face and give you something too look up to. Me…I didn't grow up near here and I looked up to my Dad." Travis still does even though his Dad is no longer alive. "I don't have any plans to become a super hero, never really been my thing. I mean..honestly, my life was fairly normal. Like compared to this…really normal."
Misha shrugs and rolls onto his back, pillowing his head on an arm. "Like I did?" Grow up in New York. Said with a smile. Misha grew up in another country. "I don't think it was being in New York. I really think he would have loved super heroes where ever he was. Teddy is just …weird." Another grin. "Like all heroes are weird. Takes a bit of insanity to put on a costume and fight other crazy people in tights." Says the kid who's doing that. And yes, he feels he's crazy for it.
Travis laughs at the weird comment as he manages to cross all six arms over his chest and start doing some pushups. "Yeah, Teddy is weird." He says pausing while sitting up before starting over again. Travis doesn't know Misha's been putting on the costume and running out there so he's blissfully ignorant. "I dunno, there's just a lot of dangerous people out there and honestly…I dunno. It's not a horrible thing being a superhero it's just.." He just shakes his head and keeps working on those crunches.
"Not for everyone." Being a super hero. Misha understands. Totally doesn't hold it against anyone, on either side. "You don't have to have super powers to be dangerous. There have always been dangerous people in the world. History is full of them. The only thing that has changed is that many of them don't need weapons. Such a dire topic." He sighs and finally sits up. Lifts his legs first, then drops them to the mat as he sits.
Travis's father got killed by a bunch of men with guns, one would think Travis might jump at the chace to put on a costume and get revenge, but he doesn't. He's actually a bit afriad and living at Barnes in safety is good for the teen in the Witness Protection Program. "No, you just need a gun to be dangerous, or a lead pipe, or the right mind frame." He says kind of quietly.
Misha's head tilts, but he doesn't say anything immediately. There's more to the story than Travis is relating here. Mulling whether or not to ask, the teen opts not to as one of the bell rings to signify the hour. With that he jumps to his feet. Reaching out he seeks to grip Travis' shoulder. "You take care, okay? I must get in that two second shower before class. It was good seeing you, Travis." A warm smile for that.
Travis stands up and nods. "Alright, catch ya later Mik." He says as he decides to do some weight training a bit before lunch. It's a good way to keep your mind off of things, lets yourself get physcially exhausted. There's a smile back to Misha and a wave as the Russian heads towards the showers and Travis sets the weight on the fancy schmancy hydrolic weight machines they have.
