Level grinding.

[justoutrunyou]

 
There was still danger, even in this world.

As much as Sandy hated to admit it, she'd gotten swept up in the magic and wonder of Santa's workshop. Even if she was still having nightmares and found herself uncomfortable in large crowds things were so much better here that she'd gotten soft. And it had almost gotten them in trouble. 

It's not as though it was a disaster, but it could have been and that was enough for Sandy to jump back into her habit of daily work outs and training. She had to be ready for the inevitable. Someday soon the Fearlings would attack and she didn't want to die again if she could help it.

She didn't even know if she could die now, the rules were still a little hazy to her.

For now she would make due with what she had. Some training dummies were set up in one of the rooms off the main workshop and she was working with a training dagger moving as quickly as she could between them jabbing at the vital points of each mark before moving to the next.

One, two, three, four, five. A circuit of enemies that she was trying to dart between. She expected to feel weaker like she always did after dying in the arena but she didn't. She felt powerful, fast. Like a bullet.

But would it be enough? It had never been enough before. With a look of grim determination she resumed her practice, maybe she'd have to start pressing the others to learn some of their techniques like she had been doing back in Panem.

Comments

[justoutrunyou]

"No wonder you like him so much." Sandy observed relaxing for what felt like the first time since returning from the mission to rescue Peter. "You two are all...Science guys. And after the Capitol tried to keep you from doing that stuff now you've got that whole lab over by the kitchen."

Sandy had gone sniffing around the lab but hadn't been able to make heads or tails of most of the equipment there.

[googledox]

The reasons he liked Lyle were infinitely complex and rooted in years of history together but the way he pursed his lips slightly and directed his eyes skyward made it clear that, yes, his intelligence was a huge determining factor in his affections for him. "It's hardly a lab. Twenty-first century technology is far inferior to what I'm used to working with but I've worked minor miracles with commodore amigas and beeper parts before. I can do it again. And it's far easier to work openly in a lab than it is cobbling together tech in my pockets without looking." He added, "That was how I got away with most of my engineering while in Panem. I would slip the components and my jury-rigged tools in a hoodie pocket with sleight of hand. Then I took a walk around the city with my hands in my pocket, building it without looking." Which...made it clear that he'd dumbed down his intelligence a bit too, on top of the villain act. He'd pretended he was intelligent but the whole time he'd feigned that it was similar to high human intelligence. But most humans couldn't build complex technology out of spare parts without even looking.

[justoutrunyou]

Excuse Sandy a moment while she stares in absolute shock. She knew he was smart but that was just ridiculous wasn't it?

"I...don't even know what to say about that just...wow."

She shook her head to clear it "I mean...seriously? How do you even set a bar that high? I was hanging out with that jerk Tony Stark and I don't think even HE could pull that off. He was like...one of the biggest brains in my world."

[googledox]

"According to the scale my world uses to measure intelligence, I am a twelfth-level intellect. For comparison, the average Coluan is an eighth-level intellect, and Earth in the 21st century - the entirety of Earth, every human, every computer, every possible processor of information - is a level six." He was, quite literally, smarter than a planet. "I'm able to process information with over twelve simultaneous thought tracks."

[justoutrunyou]

All those numbers was enough to set her grade school educated brain spinning so she just nodded her head and then looked thoughtful.

"Sheesh, and I thought I was frustrated. I mean I felt helpless but I didn't have any answers. You had all the answers and couldn't do anything. With that many brains is there any problem you haven't solved yet?"

[googledox]

"The Capitol's surveillance was what I found most limiting. Had I been free to pursue whatever leads I had in freeing us, I might have made more of an impact." Nothing more could be done now and he wasn't sure how he felt about that. On the one hand, he wanted to still help the friends they'd left behind. On the other, it was relief that it was no longer his problem, and with this world facing such a dire threat, he had no reason to feel guilty for trying to help the people here instead. Terribly convenient. Yet still a cause for internal conflict. "It is what it is. I can only hope that the good Lyle and I did might help the others in the long run."

[justoutrunyou]

"You did." Sandy answered without thinking and then after a moment she looked more sure of the statement. "I mean...I don't know how it's all gonna turn out but you two gave a lot of tributes hope and you made some really good points. The only way anything was gonna get done is by remembering that both sides had their own goals and we were stuck in the middle. I'm sure right now someone..." And by someone she meant Shepard or The Initiate "Is already working on the next big thing to shake up the Capitol."

It was just a shame she wouldn't be there to help. But it seemed the universe had other plans for her.

[googledox]

"The universe has other plans for us, I suppose," he said. By all accounts, it mattered, what they were doing here. "At least we'll still be protecting them here, if it's true that Kuk is attempting to destroy all of existence." If Kuk was planning on ending every world... "We need to ensure that Panem's world isn't destroyed and that all of their worlds are still there for them to go home to." He looked over at her. "By 'we' I mean the adults here," he said pointedly. "There's nothing to bar you from fighting against Kuk's forces if you choose to - it's not as if anyone here is your parent and it would be ludicrous to treat you as if you're incapable of handling conflict after your experiences in Panem. But I hope you understand that you don't have to now, either. We're willing to train you in case self defense is inevitable but it's not like how it was. No one will be forcing you into violence anymore." If anyone even dared to try, Brainy and Lyle would beat them senseless.

[justoutrunyou]

The look she gave him was so dry it could probably absorb water out of the very air.

"I didn't die more times then I can count and waste like a full year training with some of the baddest of bad ass just to sit back and stop fighting now that I actually have the chance to make a difference." She explained. "This isn't like back in Panem. I'm not always being watched by people with more power then a god and less morals then a back of rats. Even if my powers aren't as impressive as everyone else's I've got skills. I can help."

Then she smiled and added "But if you're serious about training me, I'd really appreciate that."

[googledox]

"I'll speak to the others here to see if they can work out a training regimen you find agreeable." What a remarkable child. "I know back in Panem I made it sound like you were doomed to supervillainy but you're already well on your way to having the attitudes of a superhero." A pause. "Even with Penny." He remembered her confession. "She was someone Lyle and I might have killed had we had the chance, and we've taken a vow against killing. I hope you understand that. Your motives there were still in keeping with that of a superhero - wanting to stop someone from harming yourself and others. They always have been." He dithered for a moment, awkwardly. "From the moment I met you. Everything I did to discourage them was the opposite of what I really thought and partly my way of manipulating you into allow adults like Lyle and myself undertake risk so you didn't come to harm."

[justoutrunyou]

She winced when he brought up Penny. That was still a sore spot for her. Not because she felt as though she shouldn't have killed Penny, but only because of how many innocent people were tortured because of it.

Thankfully he kept talking and she smiled softly reaching up for his upper arm slowly as to not startle him, patting him gently.

"Yeah well, you're a lousy super villain. You just made me want to do more. To prove you wrong." And now here they were, where he could be honest and she might actually make more of a difference.

[googledox]

"I'm glad." He wasn't sure what else to say. Sometimes he was tremendously awkward about these kinds of things. Sincerity wasn't really his forte. He nodded towards the door. "I should get back to the lab. We only have terribly rudimentary equipment and materials to work with. It's going to take time to bring it up to proper quality standards." He stood up. "If you need anything, Lyle and I are always here. Don't hesitate to talk to us."

[justoutrunyou]

She offered him a smile and a nod, but after a moment that didn't feel like enough so she crossed the space between the two of them and wrapped her arms around Brainy giving him a tight hug.

"I won't." She promised quietly. The weight of being safely out of Panem's reach still hadn't hit her entirely. It came in bits and pieces every so often like when she looked outside and saw a snowy tundra instead of the glistening city. Or when the only two people in the world who truly understood what you went through weren't the first two people you'd have tried to save and bring with you.

Effie, Pruna, Shepard, Phil, Brainy ranked farther down the list even before she thought he was dead. And Lyle even farther down then that. But having him here being open and honest with her...encouraging her and telling her she was right and on top of things?

It felt amazing and made her feel bad for ever doubting that the universe had made the right choice in saving him instead of the others.

[googledox]

Brainy started upright when she hugged him, surprised at the contact, but then relaxed into it, hugging her back lightly and patting her somewhat awkwardly - but gently - on the back. She was one of the first he would've wanted saved but he wouldn't have begrudged her at all if he found out he wasn't the same to her. Not with how he'd acted. Not with who he'd pretended to be. And not with who he really was underneath. He knew he was a good person, a brave person, but he hadn't always been the most likable person. But he was glad at least that right now he was someone that seemed to make her feel secure. "Yes. Well." He cleared his throat, clearly feeling awkward. "As I said, we're here if you need us." After she let go, he gave her one last gentle smile before walking away.