Training Pt 3

• -Mavel - Earth 616-

"You're sure about this?"

Walt stretched nodding. "Yup. I haven't used one of these in a longtime. Don't worry. It's non-lethal. But treat it like the real thing. Jubes try to keep the setting "low" to start and increase it from there."

Jubilee popped her gum in the control room. "You got it!"

Walt picked up the shield. He took a breath and looked at Gwen. She nodded. He nodded back. "Start up the first sequence Jubes!"

The round metal room they were in disappeared. It was dark. Night time. The air was cool but smelled of gunpowder. Not surprising as gunshots and explosions went off. His feet felt the mud sticking to his boots. Soldiers ran by in old uniforms. "Ready when you guys are! Lead the way Captain!"

Gwen looked down at herself. "Seriously? This is "low" for you? And who the hell am I supposed to be?" She still had the Symbiote suit on but the program had overlaid a blue shirt, shorts and boots with red gloves and tights over it.

Walt smiled at her and then stradled the old motorcycle placing the shield infront like a wind screen. "Get on, "Bucky". Hydra is out there! Let's not keep them waiting!"

She shook her head at Walt in the blue, white and red outfit he was wearing and sighed. "Yeah, whatever... player two buying in. Let's go "Cap"." She climbed on the back of the motorcycle. "You know it's Samantha on my world, right? Seeing a white, dude Captain Americas is still wierd to me."

Walt laughed and reved the motorcycle. "You should be used to it from all your multiversal adventures. If it's any consultation I'm not used to the way you're uh... "filling out" Bucky's uniform either. It uh... looks good though."

Gwen giggled and held onto him tighter. "Concentrate on the "exercise", Cowboy," she said enjoying the vibrations of the motor and the feel of his body pressed against hers.

Walt nodded and they raced off into simulated battle.

Jubilee chuckled as she monitored the Danger Cave from above in the control room snacking on some popcorn. She moved them from WWII to the modern era fighting crooks, then fighting The Hand.

She smiled. Walts work with Gwen was already paying off. Her punches and kicks were landing a little harder. She disarmed opponents a touch smoother... and she'd noticed it too. When Gwen did mess up she called out for a do over to try running through a particular sequence again.

And Walt was-

She heard the door open behind her and she smelled the cigar. "You weren't smoking around my Shogo?"

"Nah," Logan said coming in. "You know I don't. He's napping upstairs." He looked down and whistled. "Steve know y'all got the shield?"

Jubilee laughed. "Actually it was a different Steve in another world... a Major or Colonel or something America instead. It... wasn't nice, actually."

"Yeah?" Logan said and sniffed. "Was that before or after getting yer ashes hauled, punk?"

Jubilee blushed but laughed. "Before. And before you say anything it was my decision and he treated me nice. Don't be Wolvermean."

Logan nodded taking a seat and pulled out a cigar but kept it unlit. "I ain't. I'm a slow learner myself but the last couple years I been thinking. Whatever makes people happy don't judge it. This thing I got with Jeannie and Scott... whatever you got going on with Walt. If it don't hurt anybody it's no ones business including mine. If you're both happy then so am I, Jubes... I thought Walt didn't like the Danger system? Not a replacement for the real thing?"

Jubilee smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Wolvie... and he doesn't but Gwen needed accelerated practice and that's what it does best. So that's how we're using it like you used to. Walt wanted to get refamiliarized with the shield or something too."

Logan looked at the called up programs. "I see... starting small but this one here's 'bout to heat up. Is that him giving the signal?" He grinned watching Walt raise his arm holding up a finger and turn it clockwise.

"Yep, move it forward one," Jubilee said. "Counter clockwise is a repeat and run it again. Open hand is a "hold" to stop it and- whatcha doing?"

Logan grinned pushing her towards the door. "I got this... go join yer friends!"

Walt looked at Gwen, in her regular appearance now. "You good? The next one should be starting up."

She flashed him a thumbs-up. "I can do this all daaaaay!" She sang.

Walt laughed. "You want the shield for the next one? Speaking of what's- Jubes?"

Jubilee came in shrugging. "Logan's got the controls and said I needed to get in here with ya. "

Walt groaned and touched his ear. "Logan... not too much. We're going for "practice", not insane threats."

He heard Logan chuckle at the sametime as growling and thundering foot steps and mechanical noises. "Right... practice."

Walt just got the shield up in time to counter a pouncing attack from Sabretooth. Gwen dodged out of the path of the Juggernaut as he charged through and Jubilee started exploding Sentinels as they surrounded them.

Logan put his feet up and grabbed the popcorn Jubilee had been munching on popping a piece in his mouth. "You got it, Bub!"

-Prime-

"And you're sure about this?"

Roman laughed. "Of course I'm sure, Watts... we're up against monsters here. Normal guys like you and I need to grab every edge we can get. And speaking of edges...?"

Watts nodded and put a bookmark in "The Dynamics of an Asteroid" and began preparing the serum. "Training and induction is going well. Cinder is progressing with "Puppy"s training. Proffesor. Engage the view screens and highlights from the training grounds and Project ARISE... please?"

(("Of course, Doctor, and I do hope you are enjoying the book,")) said a male voice with a slight accent as displays turned on. They show various training facilities in use as well as mass manufacturing and assembly, and a large DC Watchtower being scrapped as well as several other things in various stages of repair, retrofitting or scrapping.

Roman grinned. "You know... guys like you and I went rather far despite not having semblances... I've always been a bit proud of that..."

Watts actually smiled a bit. "Indeed. I have often thought that's something we have in common. Our "gifts" are our ambition to succeed, matching wits and wiles verses our opponents "special abilities" and beating them is satisfying..." he looked at Roman. "I take it you've finished your own training with the old man. You're quite certain about this?"

Roman watched Red-no, "Puppy" on screen twitch her ear. She swung that ridiculous scythe taking out opponents behind her using her enhanced senses. One of the newest Nicoles was battling a guy in powered armor. "Yeah. That Pai Mei is a real sadistic, son of a Beowolf... Our opponents and our allies are getting stronger. We need to make changes... do better, be stronger while not forgetting the things that got us to this point. That's Cinders way... grab whatever power she can and then believe it's hers and let the power use her. She's an idiot. You and I? We consider. Less is more... try to find just the right amount of force to break the shell... get the treasures inside. Win the game."

He removed his hat, coat and shirt. "I don't particularly want to change... but I do want to crush our enemies. Figuratively and literally. " He lay down on the table and when Watts offered him the mouth gaurd to bite down on, he took it. "I want my Neo. I will rescue her." He put the mouth gaurd in and lay back.

Watts nodded. "Good. From everything I have studied that's the kind of focus the procedure requires. Hold on to that. Status Proffesor?"

(("All is in readiness, Doctor."))

Watts nodded. "Then let us begin."

"Wow! That's awesome!"

Pyrrha laughed as she sat on the porch with Nora watching master Kenobi and Penny. Nora was giddy and clapping and pointing. "It is," Pyrrha agreed but put her hand on Nora's knee. "But don't distract her. Penny's concentrating very hard."

Nora nodded and helped Pyrrha and KL-E-O with cleaning, polishing and weapons maintenance. "I won't... hey, I was wondering... why aren't you doing the display dance thingy with the others? You're amazingly good! Is it because of... you know?"

Pyrrha watched Nora nod in Penny's direction and she nodded too. "It is... I was practicing with them. With my semblance it's easy... but that frightens me. I know it's different now. Penny doesn't have any wires... but that experience still haunts me in some ways. In someways worse now that she and I are so much closer."

Nora nodded thoughtfully. "You're scared about accidentally hurting anyone again... that makes a lot of sense."

"What happened?" KL-E-O asked.

Pyrrha nodded and told her. About the Vytal Festival, her mistakes and failings, the fall of Beacon and Pyrrha Nikos "the Invincible Girl".

Neo had come out with some glasses of lemonade. She tilted her head thoughtfully as she texted. [You know that wasn't entirely your fault right? I'm...] she stops typing and shakes her head sighing then looks at them and signs, 'I'm sorry' with her hands.

Pyrrha stands up shaking her head and hugs Neo. "It's in the past... here and now is what's important. You're important, Neo."

Neo smiles and hugs Pyrrha back. They were all coming a long way together. All changing and growing. She wasn't alone here. She had friends... family. It had been just her and her awful family and then her and Roman and then her again. The fall of Beacon was when she was alone again... even later with Cinder, it wasn't the same... not until Walt... and Walt had brought Penny into her life. Then the two of them brought Pyrrha into her life... and on and on it went! She'd never had anything quite like this... it was precious to her! Special! And she would fight for it!

She let go and handed a glass of lemonade to Pyrrha and KL-E-O and then one to Nora. Pyrrha smiled sipping hers and Nora... spit hers out. "Yech! What the- so tart!"

Neo smirked and texted. [You eat too much sugar as it is! Curie is worried about your unhealthy lifestyle. So I didn't put sugar in yours.] She winked at Pyrrha who laughed as Neo brought two normal glasses to master Kenobi and Penny.

"Why that little- unhealthy lifestyle? Who do they think they are?" Nora asked indignantly.

KL-E-O looked up. "Aren't you the same girl that drank an entire bottle of syrup with her breakfast this morning and asked for a second?" She also held out her half full glass to Nora though. "I will switch with you. "Tartness" will be a good sensation for my flavor receptors to process."

Nora smiled and looked at the glass then her own. She drank down half of the bitter concoction and made a face then exchanged it with KL-E-O's. "Thanks, KL-E-O!" She looked up at Neo and laughed. "A little sweetness and sourness is good too!" She stuck her tongue out at Neo and Neo did the same grinning.

[Walter Stark Penny Polendina F.R.I.D.A.Y Neopolitan Pyrrha Nikos Nora Valkyrie Yang Xiao Long Blake Belladonna Kali Belladonna Sienna Khan Willow Schnee Glynda Goodwitch Zwei Ahnassi Lifts-Her-Tail Senko Sayoko Shinozaki Roberta Cisneros Haruna Sasha Blouse Ilulu Raven Manami Aiba Tsuyu Asui Haruhime Sanjouno The Baroness Demona Mystique Pirotess Lydia Aela the Huntress Serana Mission Vao Curie Ada PAM KL-E-O Merida Gwen "Gwenom" Stacy and Jubilation "Jubilee" Lee

Will Return In

A Stitch in Time

Coming Soon]