4301/Sparring at the Triskelion

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Sparring at the Triskelion
Date of Scene: 19 April 2018
Location: Triskelion, New York City
Synopsis: Summary needed
Cast of Characters: Captain America, Vintridr




Captain America has posed:
    An hour after lunch and the gym in the Triskelion tends to be empty. It's a good hour before the later class and training session begins, and a half hour after the lunch rush when some agents take that time to work on their skills instead of eating. But now... the place is quiet for the most part. That part being the steady thump of fists slamming into the heavy bag. Short sharp grunting impacts that carry across the empty hall, that heavy canvas sack jostling and the chain jangling with each punch by the blonde man striking it over and over.
    He's been there for a bit of time, that much is clear. Perhaps he started earlier when the crowd came in. But for most of that time he's been there, working over the bag, blows tempered to prevent the need to replace the heavy sack. Another series of punches, the last one heavier than the last... but enough to send the whole thing shaking up and towards the ceiling... then swinging back to jounce upon the chain.
    But he stables it, one arm held out and making sure it doesn't sway too far. Captain Steve Rogers frowns to himself, breathing a little hard and shaking his head. He looks up at the clock on the wall, frowns to himself and starts to walk to the side of the room, the benches, and the backpack he left there. The bottle of water from within is taken and for a time he just tilts it back and swallows.

Vintridr has posed:
    Even in retrospect, it's hard to tell what his first clue was; by now he's accustomed to the fact that any time he goes train in the Triskelion gym, Agents will stop to come and watch. They're disciplined - and polite - enough to not do more than stare or watch surreptitiously, but watch they do. Some come to watch a legend in the flesh, little though the "kid from Brooklyn" cares for the accolade; some - of any gender - come to appreciate the ultimate in blonde male beefcake working up a sweat. Either way, he's used to a crowd when he practices, and of most of its attention being on him.

    That was probably the first clue - a shift in that attention. Sudden stares at someone outside his field of vision, although as he turns around it becomes a little more understandable. After all, even in SHIELD it's not every day an Asgardian walks into the Gym wearing loose gym pants and a sports bra.

    Of course, he has an advantage; Vintridr isn't the first Asgardian he's encountered, and once you've been loomed at by Thor and the Hulk there's not much that's going to intimidate you. But even so there's something about them that makes it impossible to mistake them for anything but what they are when they aren't hiding. Something in their stance, in their body language... Some of the agents are almost subconsciously reaching for weapons they don't currently have on them.

    "Captain Rogers," Vintridr greets the Super Soldier with a respectful nod of her head, a gesture of greeting he's seen Thor use more than once as well. "I thought I'd find you here. Might you honor me with a spar?"

Captain America has posed:
    Still holding that bag steady, Cap looks up eyes widening marginally as he draws a deep breath, but then he sees who it is and a smile comes to the fore. The woman at Clint and Daisy's party, the one who mentioned Frenchy. She had elements of mystery to her but had earned the trust of SHIELD, had done her duty.
    His smile comes to life as he extends a hand towards her as she greets him, "Ma'am." His handshake, if she accepts, is firm but steady, not jostling for position or an edge. "I don't believe I caught your name at the party." He'll step to the side and put the half-empty bottle into the backpack then looks to her. "But certainly."
    He gestures with one hand towards the mats and says, "After you."

Vintridr has posed:
    The handshake, too, is reminiscent of Thor -- that sense of power, carefully controlled but nonetheless there, perheps a little less force and a bit more control. After all, if the reports were correct she has been on Earth for a lot longer than Thor has been.

    "I am called Vintridr," she replies, smiling as she releases Steve's hand and makes her own way onto the mat, then turns to face him in a deceptively loose stance -- one he easily identifies as best suited when wielding a weapon in at least one hand. Still, judging by her confidence she's no stranger to fighting unarmed...

Captain America has posed:
    There are definitely several things about her that reminds him of the Asgardian. And, in some ways, of Widow as well. That stance has a similarity. The way she'll stand seeming as if there's nothing going on, no tension in the air. Yet it has that palpable air of possibility to it. Of motion restrained yet wound tight ready to rush forth with a whip crack.
    He'll step out of his shoes as he steps onto the mats, the fabric compressing under his feet with a soft sound of exhalation. Then Steve turns to her and shifts his hips, leading with the right and brings his fists up, the left slightly more forward than the other as he nods.
    "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Vintridr."

Vintridr has posed:
    "Likewise, Captain," Vintridr replies, still with that smile. "I have less opportunity than I'd like to meet the truly formidable more than once."

    With that vaguely ominous comment, she falls silent, still in that loose stance that can't possibly be as open as it seems, clearly inviting Steve to take the first swing.

Captain America has posed:
    She can see that jibe land as it makes his eyes widen a bit, but not with surprise or fear, more pleased perhaps at the wryness to it. He shakes his head slightly as he steps forwards, squaring up as his fists come up further. "Be gentle." He says lightly even as that's the instant their clash begins.
    He starts with just a quick combination, left-right-left to see how she reacts, his fists blurring forwards and slowing a small space before they would come into contact. Not going full out but this is the first phase, just the first few moments where they test each other and he at the least wants to make sure she isn't exactly all talk.
    Meanwhile, those other agents have likely stopped what they're doing by stepping away from the free weights and the machines. One of the men slaps the other in the shoulder and tells the junior operative, "Go tell the guys."

Vintridr has posed:
    The unlucky junior agent obediently runs off to let the rest of the base know Steve Goddamn Rogers is having an actual spar with an Asgardian valkyrie while everyone else gathers around to watch.

    Vintridr simply smirks at Steve's comment in the instant before her hands snap up to slap away the feint strikes. Light taps, judging by her body language and the ease with which she moves, but it still stings like he just punched a drywall. "I recommend you don't, Captain," Vintridr suggests, that smirk widening just a bit.

Captain America has posed:
    "Well," Steve steps forwards and he makes sure she's kept honest as he starts to throw a few more punches. A cross trying to bring her to the side where the straight slices through the air towards her head. Just a steady rhythm being built up and though he's fast she can tell he's not looking to clock her or knock her down. But she's able to keep him from scoring even as there's a brief lull, "Need to give the guys long enough to spread the word and place their bets."
    Though as he says this he says it with a little bit of a sardonic edge, as if he'd prefer them to not do that... but what can you do about it?
    Only after that they reengage and he'll continue to work high, to press and start to build up the rhythm, trying to set a pattern to see when one of them will break it. And if given enough time he'll try and guide her to the side and then bring a heavy knee into play.

Vintridr has posed:
    Vintridr chuckles, finally bringing her own hands up. "Some things will ever remain the same, I suppose," she comments as she darts in with a relatively straightforward combo that's somehow quicker than anyone her size has any right to be, and only the fact that it's so straightforward allows him to block or dodge in time. "We'd best give them a show, then..."

Captain America has posed:
    "Did you know I used to do USO shows?" He asks her, eyebrows lifting as he steps onto his backfoot and shifts slightly to the side, the duck and weave letting him slip around those strikes even as he keeps himself close enough that she has to fend a low punch towards her ribs before he steps in with a heavy step as if trying to trap her foot under his own and then thunder in with a shoulder seeking to rob her of her balance.
    Whether or not that works, however, he gives her room to recover and himself a little bit of distance with his hands up as if ready to intercept a flurry from her. "A lot of fun, once you got the hang of it."