driftfleet | 001 ✪ video/audio

Who: Jim Barnes
Broadcast: Fleetwide video + audio
Action: Iskaulit.
When: August 20th.

[ The video flicks on to a spacious room, spans it from left to right, then top to bottom. There's a door off to the right side, and the camera follows it to the adjoining room, similarly large. Again, left to right, top to bottom. Both rooms are spic and span, empty, with wooden floors. And then it switches to audio. The voice is brusque, but amiable, with a moderate Brooklyn drawl. ]

Nice place for a gym. There could be a dojo next door, so it's all in one place. I've got a few sandbags to hang up, and some mats we could use. There's a notice outside for schedules — I know a lot of you folks have been offering training. The room's big enough, and there's plenty more like it on this ship.

Anybody else interested?

[ Anyone wandering the Iskaulit or looking for Bucky after the broadcast will find him humming as he puts up the sandbags. He's dressed very simply in the ship's jumpsuit, with no left sleeve. The left arm whirs in tune as he works. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's all right, we don't have to hit each other for your first lesson. Just learn how to move.

[ He steps in, and rolls his shoulder. The arm whirrs, plates adjusting for strength. ]

Now, here, just follow what I do. Pay attention to my feet.

[ He demonstrates a left hook, and then a right. ]

[At first, Wanda cocks an eyebrow at him. Learn to move? That seemed almost common sense. However, she decided to humor Jim and watch as she was told. After he gives his little demonstration, she attempts to echo his performance. Though, she likely comes off as a little enthusiastic about it all. It's not Jim's fault; she's just not sure how much she's actually supposed to be learning at the moment.]

[ Might be common sense, but when he's seen enough of her trying, he very carefully lodges his foot next to hers, and with application of pressure almost pushes her off-balance with a single movement. ]

Keep your feet a little flatter. This ain't like ballet.

[Wanda indeed stumbles a little off-balance, almost tripping, but she recovers her balance quickly. In fact, so quickly that Jim may have picked up on a slight tinge of crimson energy around her eyes and fingers, as if some invisible hand reached out and caught her. She makes it all look smooth, but, to the discerning eye, it would come off as peculiar.]

[When she regains her balance, she first looks at Jim--a little perturbed at having tripped her like that--and then down at her feet. When she looks back up at Jim, the playful grin has returned to her face.]

So fighting and dancing... not so similar?

[ That's weird, but there isn't much about Wanda he hasn't found very strange. The fact is, she'll either tell him, or he'll get too curious one day and just flat out ask. Until then she's free to volunteer whatever information she wants. ]

Not always. [ he smiles back at her ] You have to keep shifting your weight — keep spinning out of reach. If someone else knows the same steps...

[ Death follows. ]

[Wanda nods her head, understanding. She doesn't mention the crimson gleam from before, not from a desire to keep it a secret from Jim, but more out of habit--it's become second nature to her, and the peculiarity of it doesn't register for her. She looks back down at her feet, shifting them into more of a fighting stance.]

Something like this then?

[She signals that she's ready to Jim.]

To start with.

[ He telegraphs the opening movement — after that step by step for her to gauge, and then, nothing, just comes at her with measured beats, trying to push her off balance or take her by surprise. ]

[At first, Wanda looks a little unsteady on her feet. However, she quickly is able to figure out what Jim's attempting to do, or rather teach her, in this exercise. Soon, she gets a rhythm down. In fact, an idea occurs to her.]

[Wanda's eyes begin to glow again with the same faint, crimson red gleam as before. However, it doesn't last long. Rather, the gleam appears and disappears quickly, as if someone was cutting a flashlight on and off really quickly. What this means, however, is that Wanda's movements become more and more on point with Jim's. In fact, it's even like she knows when and where he's going to move.]

[A knowing, somewhat-mischievous smirk finds its way onto her face.]

[ Oh. Oh. He sees how it is. ]

[ Playfully, ]

You thinkin' a'cheating, Miss Maximoff?

[The cheeky grin does not fade from her face.]

Who, me? Never.

[She begins adding little flourishes to her dodges now. Quick spins and steps to show off a little. However, these spins could be leaving her open to be knocked off her high horse a little, especially whenever she breaks eye contact.]

[ Showoff. He does manage to push her off-balance but steadies her with his hands. ]

All right, you gonna tell me what you're doin'?

[Okay, this time Wanda really wasn't ready. When Jim throws her off balance, she trips over her legs, and her arms flail a little as she falls. However, she catches Jim out-stretched hand, letting him steady her back on her feet. She blushes a little, embarrassed at that little display, but she also looks a little angry, peeved at herself for letting her guard down like that. Her response is a little curt, sounding almost like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar.]

I don't know what you mean.

[ Gently, with fraternal admonishment, ]

S'far as I know you're no Black Widow. How're you figuring out where I move?

[Black Widow? Her? The compliment actually makes her blush again. She can't think of a clever way to weasel out of answering Jim's question though, so she begrudgingly admits the truth.]

I was reading your mind. Well, more like scanning it real quick between each step. Like receiving little snap shots of a few seconds into the future.

[ At this, he frowns, and then — it makes sense. Why she'd willingly extended the hand of friendship back when the Iskaulit's crew first attacked them. And what she was doing now. He's — not angry. All the secrets he needs to protect don't belong to him, and Wanda honestly doesn't strike him as the kind of person who'd root carelessly through someone's mind. Unless she thought it'd protect her to do so. He can't ask her not to, either, that's like asking him to remove a limb. Everything they are is woven into them. ]

Can you try without it? You never know.

[Admittedly, Wanda did not know what to expect Jim's reaction to be. However, she had certainly been expecting more... well, something. In fact, his relatively minor scolding, if you can call it that, catches her more off guard then it probably should. She doesn't respond to his suggestion right away, instead she sort of scans his face looking for some nonverbal hint as to where he's at right now. When she speaks up, she sounds a little hesitant, unsure of whether or not he's going to explode or something.]

Okay... sure...

[She assumes a ready stance once more, waiting for his next advance.]

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