The problem with dangerous people...

[noteasytobepink]

Who: Clarice and other students
When: Off and on through her time in Bill's world.
What: Clarice stays sharp. Sort of. It's complicated.

She didn't do much until she was cleared, medically. Only an idiot pushed an injury when there was the option to rest. She even did physical therapy religiously, but given mutant bodies, well, she tended to heal better than expected. She didn't have a healing factor, no, but she did have the heightened metabolism and that tended to help when she had the option of decent nutrition.

She tried to take the down time as a gift, she did. She only ran at first. A lot, on the ground, along the mountains, through the trees, she just ran, keeping up her wind. But a month stretched into a handful of months and she took up climbing and woodland parkour, trying to simulate vectors and angles she encountered in combat.

Then it happened; it was simple, and stupid and it shouldn't have bothered her because she had a good thing here, but she got winded. Doing something simple, for her, was harder than it should have been. It should have been alright because it was a sign, right? That she didn't need the combat skills any more. Not here, there was nothing to keep her sharp...

...but she couldn't really believe that. Working as a florist, hah, dangerous stuff. Stepping up to deputy? A breeze, and...she couldn't let the skills go. Something small, and terrified, and grim deep inside said she couldn't, and that voice had never led her wrong.

That just meant she had to get creative because no one would approve, especially not Bil.

When trapped and unable to train? Go to the source. Go to the people Mr. Creed had lived with for a while that had given him skills to teach her.

...or go to that area of the world anyway and hope to find someone who spoke with fists and feet properly.

She went to Vietnam. Stepping away for a few hours here and there to comb dripping jungles, watching and waiting until she saw the proper style. Perisai Diri was obvious even to her who'd learned it piece meal and adapted to a young, flexible teleporter. She didn't know the language beyond afew polite phrases given as ritual to teachers; she didn't have to.

She did have to stand up to being tested, women, after all, were not known as fighters even in Vietnam. Not hand to hand fighters anyway. She was in shape enough to pass that at least, though no one would call her a master by any means.

She couldn't even dedicate a few hours every day in training over there, just enough to stay sharp. Just enough to know the people coming at her when they lined up in a class or in a brawl session could be better than her. That edge of 'I'm not enough' that was true training. She always managed to scrape through. She was a lot like those she trained with after all, a child of depredation and war. They trained to keep a tradition of holding their land, she trained against them to stay alive, and they taught each other some interesting tricks as snatched weeks bled into months which hemorrhaged into years.

Bill had his alone time to relax and do his own thing; she had hers. It was more relaxing, at times, than even sex because it was confirmation that she could survive. Even in a world such as this there were people who understood, as the man she was growing to love didn't, and so she allowed silence.

She didn't ask where he spent his free time when they didn't have plans; she didn't offer what she did with hers. It was the best she could do some days, even days like this when she slipped in the back door covered in mud along one side and eyes still glowing from power use and high emotion. There had been an honor awarded tonight; it was a good thing...she just...wasn't sure Bill would understand if she offered to share the honor as she'd been invited to.

She wasn't sure how to ask.

One thing was certain though, she'd need a shower before she decided anything, yes.

Comments

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"You can't fault people for not knowin' what real hardship is, Clarice," he said. "That's just how life goes. Bein' angry is just another way of feelin' alive, I guess."

Tilting his head at her, he gave a faint smirk, "Y'know I ain't ever had long hair, right?" He'd try and help though, of course.

And he'd be gentle.

"Lemme see," he said, holding his hand out for the brush.

[noteasytobepink]

"No, and I don't honestly, I just get the giggles and the disconnect sometimes." Because there were times when she just couldn't understand. At all.

"Yeah, but you've got a better angle on the problem..." she admitted with a weak smile. Yes, time to hand over the brush and lean her head on his knee!

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Y'put a lot of trust in me," he said with a chuckle.

Still, it was just brushing, and so slow and careful he started to pick out the knot she'd been struggling with.

[noteasytobepink]

"Am I wrong to do so?" she questioned easily. "Because I could have sworn you said trust you..."

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Not at all," he said easily. "Just wanna give fair warnin' that I'm no stylist."

[noteasytobepink]

"There are no scissors involved so there's no call for a stylist!" she laughed.

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Good. In the meantime just don't kick me if I pull your hair to hard," he joked.

[noteasytobepink]

"Hmmm, consider it practice for future hair brushing?" She suggested, amused. "You never known when it might come in handy!"

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Yeah? There a lot of prospects in hair brushin' I could maybe look into when I'm good at it?" he asked, amused as well.

[noteasytobepink]

"Hey, everyone likes having their hair played with!" she laughed. And who knew? He'd probably have a passel of kids some day and they'd need brushing!

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"That's a good thing to know," he said, working slow and careful until...

"There. Got it out." He smiled, running the brush smoothly through her tangle free hair a few times.

[noteasytobepink]

"My hero," she chuckled, not moving her head in the least. If he was going to keep brushing she was going to stay right where she was!

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Well, long as I'm useful for somethin', I guess," he replied with a chuckle. And since she liked it he kept going.

[noteasytobepink]

"Many, many things," she admitted, "but I'm taking shameless advantage of this one." Yup. Careful, he likely to put her to sleep there!

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"I guess there are worse ways t'be taken advantage of."

Bemused by how she'd turned into a puddle he kept it up awhile long before finally giving her thigh a pat and handing back the brush.

"I think if I keep goin' you're gonna slide right onto the floor."

[noteasytobepink]

"Floor could be nice..." she mused cheerfully. "You're here after all, and brushing..." Awww but he stopped. Damn.

"This mean I gotta move?"

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"You're a funny girl, y'know that?" he teased fondly.

"Don't have to move at all if you don't want to." He was pretty content to stay like this for awhile. Maybe even he would nod off, which might be a good thing since he doubted he was going to sleep a whole lot tonight, knowing what she'd be doing tomorrow.

[noteasytobepink]

"Sometimes," she agreed cheerfully, "but you don't seem to mind." The silly anyway.

"Just curl up here a bit then, we'll be relaxed and snuggly!"

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Not at all," he replied.

"Relaxed and snuggly, huh? Well that sounds nice t'me."

[noteasytobepink]

"We can do nice," she chuckled, wiggling over on the couch before tugging him down next to her. "I'm glad it sounds like a good idea to you because I don't want to move."

[wheelsy_sheriff]

He chuckled and settled in with her. The couch probably wasn't going to be great for his back, but this was nice enough he really couldn't be bothered to give a damn.

Spending some time with her like this was needed, especially after today.

"Y'know me, I've always said movin' is way overrated."

[noteasytobepink]

Yes, well, she'd maybe get him moved to the bed later? For now she was his stretched out, warm couch cushion! "You're not converting me to your religion," she chuckled, "but the occasional interlude is nice!"

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Mm, give it another year or so, you'll come around," he said, letting out a slow, lazy yawn. "Just you wait an' see."

[noteasytobepink]

"Ah, so your religion also counsels patience hmmm?" She chuckled. "I don't think so babe."

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Well patience is a byproduct of lazy. Me waitin' for you t'come around because convincin' you is an effort still counts as patience when you do," he said sagely.