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[abidingtime]

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[fregit]

You might get your wish at this rate.

They'll just make another you. One that's a little less of a problem to deal with.

[abidingtime]

That's the way it'll go then, I suppose.

Live, die, it makes no difference to anyone in the end.

Not to me, not to the next me. Not to you.

[fregit]

Except I'm the only dumbass in this hell trying to save your ass. Selfish or not, it makes a difference to me.

Either I die or you're another face I add to the list of people I've beaten to death.

[abidingtime]

Look, just be happy there's no chance I'll kill you.

[fregit]

Listen to you. Acting like any of us get happiness.

[abidingtime]

I did, once.

I never will again.

None of us will.

But you'll live to see another day in this hellhole.

[fregit]

A month if I'm lucky.

What do they call you?

[abidingtime]

Five months of this shit is all you got in ya, huh?

I'm sorry to hear that.

Bellen. Bell, if you like.

[fregit]

I had some time before that with other things.

Then they thought I'd fight. Now they're bored of me winning.

Zoë. I'd say nice to meet you, Bell, but you're a frustrating one.

[abidingtime]

Zoë. Your fate is sad.

But who's isn't?

Is there no way out for you?

[fregit]

I don't even have a count for what iteration I am.

There's never a way out.

[abidingtime]

I like you.

I'll fight for you, if you want.

Not because I feel bad for you

[fregit]

You're not really that bad yourself.

Look, you're not to my level yet. You just gotta not reach me. Throw a punch or two.

I could teach you if you need it.

[abidingtime]

I'm still not convinced that I need to fight at all. I still probably won't.

But I'll fight against you, since I know what it means to you. You can take me down fair and square.

[fregit]

So frustrating.

Fine. At least let me train you so you're not throwing a punch like a little bitch.

[abidingtime]

Alright then, you can train me.

I'm only doing this for you, though.

[fregit]

That's the best damn reason in the world to do anything.

[abidingtime]

Of course you'd say that.

Where should I meet you?

[fregit]

There's a training ring in the basement.

Don't be late.

text > action

[abidingtime]

I'll be there.

[ Bell's tired, and he doesn't exactly want to learn how to fight. But this woman is being uncharacteristically nice for anyone in House Hapsburg, and he wants her to know he appreciates it. And so, here he is, tramping down to the basement to pretend to learn something about fighting. Or maybe actually learn, who knows? There's a chance she's right, that all he's doing is wasting himself. There's a chance he could need to fight.

Anyway, he's going, okay? See him walking slowly down the steps, crossing the floor to where she stands outside a ring. ]

Hey. [ He says, suddenly a little shy. ]

[fregit]

[ There's a thing about Zoë, and that's that she likes to fight. She doesn't know if she was messed with somewhere down the line of creation to be predisposed to fighting. It doesn't really matter. She doesn't yearn to be some woman she barely even remembers. She's not her clones, she's not her template, she's her. And she likes to fight.

She doesn't like killing, though. She does like to live. Sometimes those two come in conflict, and living will always win out.

Fighting people who don't fight back though? That's not a true fight. It's a slaughter, and she's not into that shit. Fighting may not be anymore what she wanted it to be. It's not something she lives through, it's something she does to live now.

But she'll be damned if she crosses that line into executioner for Hapsburg.

She's already down there, pulling her hair back into a tight ponytail. She wears dark black pants, no shoes, and a blue sports bra. She doesn't look overly muscular, but that's the Hapsburg style. She's built strong. ]

Almost thought you'd pussy out. [ She flashes a grin. Maybe a smirk. Then shakes her head. ]

A waste just lose to spite them. You'd be a good brawler if you tried.

[abidingtime]

And what worth would that have, except to my captors? [ Bell shakes his head, eyes downcast. No, he didn't want to be a good brawler.

He is, however, game to learn from her. He stands in front of her, hands on hips, dressed in a grey t-shirt and black pants, no shoes. ]

Anyway, let's do this fighting thing. [ He holds up his fists, here they are, show him what to do with them. ]

[fregit]

Some damn pride. [ Yeah, nobody ever gets her. Most people here hate the fighting because they're made into it. No one's ever liked it like she has.

Though she doesn't entirely dismiss it, either. Even with her love of it, they find a way to perverse it and make it nearly disgusting to her. It's just that it's not all bad. It's what they do.

He raises his fist and she appraises him, circling him slowly. ]

Show me your stance. Like someone's about to come at you. No joke.

[abidingtime]

[ Was it pride that drove him? Pride that left him beaten and feeling victorious?

Shaking the thought from his head, he gets into position. Fists raised in front of his face, left in front of right. He's up on his toes, legs shoulder width apart and slightly bent, left out in front, right slightly back. He bounces a bit there, looks to Zoë for approval. ]

So?

[fregit]

[ As he gets in position, she can't help but grin. ]

Not bad. So you're not a complete loss. [ It's good foundation already. Something she wasn't really expecting. Seeing it, she realizes he probably could be doing so much better than she originally imagined. He's not just got bulk, he's got something of a brain in there. ]

Throw a punch. Both arms. [ She imagines he's a rightie, putting more force on his right arm by having it back farther. Maybe she's wrong, though. She's known some who had good jabs and shit back punches. ]