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"This is not a good idea," Grim says, sharp and bitter.
"Which of us is in charge again?" her Father asks, cool, the threat implicit in his tone.
"I- you, sir, I know but- this isn't going to-"
"We are being well paid to take Thanos out. So make it happen. Or do I have to remind you what happens when you defy me?"
Grim ducks her head, breathes out carefully, doesn't let her reaction show beyond that. "No sir. I understand."
"Then get it done." He hangs up without saying anything else.
...She hadn't meant to imply that, was merely trying to explain why what she knew as truth might not be so.
Her answers are careful, carefully considered, and any pauses are obviously clearly to make sure her answers are as accurate as possible.
"That's enough for now."
Corvus stands, gathers up his cloak and nimbly steps across the toys piled between him and the exit.
"Do you require anything else, Grim O'Reilly, or should I leave you to your dinner?"
"I- would appreciate being able to use the gym, some time, sir," she admits. "I- would prefer not to become lax in my skills."
"Come with me, then."
Corvus leaves the room, flanked by his Chitauri attendants.
Unlike Proxima, he doesn't fully turn his back on her while she follow him, preferring instead to keep Grim in his periphery at all times.
She makes that as easy as possible. (And if she's relieved that she's going to be able to keep her skills sharp, perhaps prove another use beyond informant, that's for her to know, and them to perhaps observe, but maybe not truly understand.)
Corvus enters the gymnasium without preamble. The hulking figure Grim saw earlier is at the weightlifting station again.
Corvus shouts across the room: "Hey! Cull?"
"Our guest wishes to use these facilities, but I have pressing business to attend to. Keep an eye on her, and escort her back to her quarters when she's done?"
Corvus heads across the hall to a larger bunkroom--presumably his own--and shuts the door.
His Chitauri escorts disperse.
Grim is left alone with Corvus' younger brother.
She gives Cull a respectful nod, and then glances around the room to see what else is there besides the weight station - she has no intention on approaching this sibling if she can help it, not yet at least.
A lot of the equipment looks quite complicated to operate, and some installations she can't even fathom the purpose of.
In addition to the weight station, the easily comprehensible amenities include:
-- Target range
-- Gymnastics equipment
-- Some sort of obstacle course
-- Climbing wall/treadmill thing (with spikes)
Also, there's a pit in the center of the room with padded walls. Probably a sparring ring of some sort?
-Climbing wall/treadmill thing, perfect. She might not be at her best, but she wants to prove to herself that she cans till do this.
She can do this!
Right up until she can't.
The climbing wall/treadmill thing gets steadily faster after she first begins to scale it, and before it gets much more than halfway to its default speed a spike gets caught against her shin--she gets torn from her current handholds and thrown roughly to the (thankfully, padded) ground at the base of the machine.
She grins viciously at the wall. And she'll try again, and again, improving each time. Probably until someone tells her she should stop.
Cull Obsidian does not tell her to stop.
Cull Obsidian is not a particularly talkative fellow.
Her failures don't seem to do anything except spur her to do better, to be better.
She seems content to be moving, and her injuries barely seem to bother her as she does. Eventually though, she recognises the strain in her muscles that says they'll start disobeying her soon. She's improved in bounds since she started, but now she does a simple series of stretches - incorporating some fighting forms - to stretch off her muscles.
Thoughtful rumble.
Cull Obsidian draws closer, but not uncomfortably close. He seems to be waiting on a further queue from Grim.
She tilts her head up at him, silently asking if she can help him with something.
-Thoughtful hum. She doubts she can really take him, but-
She nods, and drifts towards it.
She is correct!
Cull Obsidian is ridiculously strong, and completely unphased by any of her unarmed attacks!
He exhibits the necessary self-control to not completely splatter her with his first successful blow, but Grim might still get pretty badly maimed if she doesn't yield promptly enough?
She's quick enough to avoid that first blow for a while, but he eventually gets it, and she knows when to yield to a stronger opponent.
"I would- appreciate another session?" she admits. "I would like to try and improve against you." (Not to hurt him, but to be more useful, and that is apparent in her demeanour.)
Happy rumble!
Cull Obsidian ceases his offensive right away, and offers Grim a (giant) hand getting back to her feet.
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