trans_9 | But Sooner Or Later God'll Cut You Down [Open]

'Running away' is, in Howard's opinion, the most useful thing the human body can do. And unfortunately, he has plenty of reasons to think it will come in handy at some point, or at various points, in the future.

That's why he's set up a 400 yard circular track-slash-obstacle course in Hydroponics, as well as set up markers for hundred meter, two hundred meter, and mile routes. Every other morning, before Med Bay shifts, he's here, improving on speed and stamina. He knows full well that even if he gets into the best shape of his life, he can still be outrun (or outflown) by his super-powered, magical or metahuman peers, but it's better to have that added little bit of competence if and when he ends up sprinting away from danger.

He's feeling the results, too. There's no way to time if he's getting faster, but where he was once just skinny, he's becoming lean, and the mile run that used to exhaust him leaves him considerably less winded than it did a few months ago. And he's getting much more confident going through the tunnels and up the ladders of the obstacle course.

The only thing looking worse for the wear is his shoes. At some point he's going to have to relegate his velociraptor shoes to a beloved keepsake, because the seams are literally coming apart around his toes.

Howard double-knots his shoelaces and stretches a bit before running the obstacle course again.

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Zouichi: failing to understand teenage clinginess since forever.

For his part, Zouichi is content to lope along at a slower pace than usual, falling into stride a pace or two behind Howard. He hasn't run in Hydroponics since his impromptu race with Alendian, and it's nice to stretch his legs a little.

Howard runs full-tilt, and he does have the advantage of having done this route fifty times before. He darts up the ladder, jumps-tucks-and-rolls off the little platform, weaves through the reeds and slides in and through the tunnel. And at the end of the tunnel, while Zouichi's still in there, he rolls a rock in front of the exit to block it.

All's fair in a race, right? Besides, Zou can probably move that rock away with his pinkie.

Sheesh, Howard, have a bit of a competitive streak? Zouichi leapt up the ladder, jumping off the other side and landing without breaking stride. This was kind of fun!

He punched the rock Howard rolled into his way as he came upon it, leaving what was left of it crumbling next to the tunnel's exit, then moved to catch up with Howard once more.

Howard darts into another patch of reeds, deviating from the route but hoping Zou will lose the trail as well. Unless, of course, Zouichi keeps close enough to him to watch him double back through the reeds and return to the trail.

Zouichi, unsure if Howard was planning some more obstacles for him or just taking an impromptu shortcut, simply kept to the trail. For all that Howard complained he wasn't good at that survival stuff, he certainly seemed to know this route down to the inch.

It was actually kind of impressive.

Unfortunately for Howard, Zou's taken the lead by not taking the bait, and is now far enough ahead that Howard can't hope to catch up. It's still good exercise, though, so he puts his all into getting past the finish line just a few feet behind Zou.

He lean over, hand on knees, to try and catch his breath. "I really thought you'd fall for that."

"I'm working on my impulse control," said Zouichi, watching Howard catch his breath. "You planning to ambush someone on this obstacle course or something? Sorry about your rock, by the way."

"Hey, you never know. There's wild animals in hydroponics. I could look like dinner." He straightens back up and wipes sweat off his forehead with the back of his wrist. "I'll find another rock, don't worry. I might just make you carry it, though. As payback."

"Technically, they're not supposed to eat you." Not that was ever a guarantee with wild animals... but then, why go to Hydroponics at all?

"Wait, now I have to replace the rock you threw at me? Don't I have a limited liability clause in my contract?"

"Yeah, and I haven't run into any yet, but Emergency Rations isn't supposed to hunt them either and she does. So obviously, animals are awful at following really basic rules." Which could explain some of Alan's behavior.

"I didn't throw it, I rolled it. But thanks for thinking I'm strong enough to throw it." He grins.

Well, Alan could follow the rules. He just didn't bother when Zouichi wasn't around. And he loved talking about space.

"All that rock-throwing practice, and you still can't hurl boulders left and right?" asked Zouichi. "What are you doing to do if it's part of a mission someday?"

"Make you do it, obviously." The grin fades a little. "You weren't on the last mission I went on."

Zouichi nodded. "But you made it out all right anyway."

Which, as far as he was concerned, was positive. Howard should know that he could succeed even if Zouichi wasn't around. Chances were, they'd be split up again, after all.

"I know, I just always sort of hoped we'd be doing them together. Like a team. I mean, I know you've been on missions without me, but it was just weird."

He brightens up some. "I guess I'll have to find other people to hide behind."

Zouichi raised an eyebrow at Howard. "You mean you want to go on missions? But I can kind of see what you mean." Still, it was best to have Howard on the relatively safe ship than to have him running around on a mission, even with Zouichi there.

"That's the spirit. And I'm sure they could use the back support." He paused. "So what happened on that mission, anyway? I don't think I ever got caught up on it."

"No, no. Hell no. I just didn't expect to go on them with a bunch of strangers." He shrugs. "I guess Sandy's not a stranger, and I been doing medical follow-up for the burns she got, but she's still a kid."

He rolls his eyes and shrugs. "A bunch of cultists took over this temple full of demon blood that was curing people from a disease that turned them into stone. And also these cultists merged together to make a giant skeleton. And a dragon. It was dumb."

But Sooner Or Later God'll Cut You Down [Open]

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