ya_assemble | Level grinding.

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Yeah, yeah, I know, you can kick my butt and I need to listen to your awesome and superior knowledge so I don't stab myself," Peter said, rolling his eyes - but in a friendly, joking kind of way.

"And if we ever end up somewhere where we need to catch our own food, I am totally coming to you because I am pretty sure I would die otherwise."

Sandy blushed and shook her head "N-no way it's not all like that." Sure she probably could take him in a fight if he was as hopeless as he appeared but she'd died enough times to be incapable of accepting praise of such a high level.

"You're right about the last part at least. Ya gotta be able to take care of yourself in the wild. And things are probably gonna get wild soon knowing my luck."

It had been quiet and peaceful for far too long.

If he'd had all his own powers, Peter could probably wipe the floor with her (although he'd feel like the biggest jerk in the world for doing so), but right now she was definitely the one with the upper hand. Fortunately, they weren't actually trying to kill each other, so at least he'd be spared that particular humiliation.

"I am hoping you don't mean literally wild, as in, jungles and forests and bears. Because in that case I am not kidding when I say I'd probably die."

"You'd be surprised what you can live through...or at least for how long you can hold off death if you have to." She had felt the same way about nature. "Fresh out of New York barely knowing what was going on I somehow survived five weeks in this frozen tundra place. I only died because some mutant lady turned into a big hair guy and took my head off."

Talking casually about her many deaths was a bad habit that came and went depending on the mood she was in.

"And if you're smart enough to pay attention I can teach you the stuff I learned on the way."

Peter winced. Perhaps it was casual for Sandy, but for Peter, hearing a girl years younger than him talking so flippantly about her own death...it wasn't right. At least she wasn't there any more. Small comfort, but maybe the only one.

"I'll pay attention," Peter promised. He hoped he never needed to use a knife, but...he'd learn anyway. Just in case he did.

Level grinding.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject