06 - Just give me something to fight for

[ichoosefight]

[ Video ]

[ Steph is in the gym. From the look of her she's already gotten a bit of a workout, but she's raring to go for more. ]

I'm in the market for some sparring partners. I want to start training again. I'm pretty out of practice. I mean, three months ago I was training with Batman, so take that as you will, but I'm out of practice.

I don't have any of my own weapons, obviously, but if anybody wants to practice with weapons I'm sure I can get some from the supply closet. I'm talking serious training here, not just playing around.

So... if anybody wants to spar right now, you can see I'm in the gym. So bring it!

[ Private to Bruce Banner ]

[ This message is quieter, more serious. ]

I don't want to talk to therapists anymore. I don't like it, and I don't think it's helping me.

Comments

[myresponsibility]

[It's still fun to do something different, and it's been a while since he's done much that wasn't "not relying on magic" or whatever James called it, so it's not like he minds.

It also gives him more of a chance to talk while dodging and leaping like a maniac.]

So, how did you know Batman? If that's like, cool to ask.

[ichoosefight]

[ Talking while she fights is one thing that Steph is excellent at. As is not getting too frustrated when someone is training here. You can only be annoyed for so long before it gets old. ]

He put my dad in prison. At least three times, but I stopped keeping track ages ago.

[myresponsibility]

I'd say sorry, but- [He throws a punch that should be easy enough to block, still testing the waters.]

I guess you're not too mad at him for it, if you worked with him.

[ichoosefight]

[ She can tell it's a set-up, but she also knows its what she's supposed to do. She blocks, and flies in for another attack. ]

Nah, I helped. Dad was an ass.

[myresponsibility]

[Which he blocks, and throws out another one for her.]

Got a codename?

[ichoosefight]

[ It's an easy give and take, and she falls into the pattern without a thought. ]

Spoiler. And then Robin, for a little while.

[myresponsibility]

[Stuff like this makes it easier to imagine it being pretty cool to have people like this back home, that he can be honest with and train with and count on to have his back. As much as he's kind of historically sucked at being socially active, there's still a part of him that hopes Chris is right and there will be other people like him out there sometime.]

Why Spoiler?

[ichoosefight]

[ It's strangely easy, being so candid about all this, but she knows there's no secret to keep anymore. Not just because of where they are, but because she's giving it all up. ]

'Cause Dad would put together these big complicated plots with clues and stuff like the real villains have, and I would jump in and spoil everything. [ SEE SHE'S CLEVER ]

[myresponsibility]

[Hey, it makes him laugh!]

I like it.

[ichoosefight]

So did Batman. I almost miss it.

[myresponsibility]

Well, it's more creative than Batman.

[Not that he has any room to judge. But it's not like he really came up with it on his own.]

[ichoosefight]

He may be smart, but he's not always clever.

[myresponsibility]

I wouldn't know. I didn't know him all that well while he was here.

[ichoosefight]

[ That makes her falter. ]

He was here?

[myresponsibility]

[He stops when she falters, still not wanting to hurt her.]

Some version of him was. I'm pretty sure he was different from the guy Tim knew.

[ichoosefight]

Tim was here?

[ Okay, she's going to need a moment. ]

They're not coming back, are they?

[myresponsibility]

Last time I checked, no.

[He visits Tim sometimes. BV]

[ichoosefight]

Oh.

[ She relaxes visibly, and in a moment she's ready to fight again. ]

[myresponsibility]

Sorry, I figured someone would have said. Something. Before now.

[ichoosefight]

It's okay. I was just a little surprised. [ And. panicked. ]

[myresponsibility]

[He hesitates a beat or two before continuing.]

Tim and I were pretty good friends. He helped me out the first day I got here, and I've visited a couple times.

Gotham's a weird place.

[ichoosefight]

It's a pretty awful place, is I think what you meant to say.

[myresponsibility]

That works, too.

[ichoosefight]

Can we talk about something else? Thinking about home makes me... antsy.

[myresponsibility]

Sure. What do you want to talk about?