A (not so) Quick Work Out [open]

[battorch]

When not working a particular shift at a department, and when taking a 'break' from work in general, Tim was prone to doing some working out and training. If he was going to be out of any one of his departments, for any given time, he might as well spend it keeping himself in shape and his body honed. It was productive and sometimes it could help him think. And it was certainly better than spending any pauses he had by idling. He couldn't afford to do that.

As Red Robin, it was easiest to just work out in Hydroponics, if he were doing straight up working out, practising with his staff and enjoying the more open feeling. He'd set up training runs and he could work with weapons in relative seclusion. In those instances, he would focus more on balance and take a calmer, slower route, using the lesser muscles and doing more work with the finer aspects of martial arts.

But, from time to time, the simpler ways to work out (as opposed to running simulations of gang wars, target practise, weapons training, etc) had a lot of merit themselves. Plus, sometimes it was nice to work out without being weighted down by leather and kevlar, which was a luxury he couldn't always afford on the ship. In those cases, Tim would be brought to the Sensoriums, where he could use the simulations to call up a virtual gym. Plus, the locale had the added bonus of him being able to use the illusory capabilities to hide that he was maybe a little too well muscled for a teenaged social worker, and it could cover up any questionable scars that showed. He could play the role of a normal, active teenager, there, easier than elsewhere.

For the time being, Tim had called up the scene of a gym, sports equipment scattered for him to use as he might. And it was good that, in a moment's notice, he could change it all over again-- to an ice rink for a more literal cool down, or to a field, for instance. A little lonely, playing alone? Tim certainly didn't mind. It was an effective enough workout, if nothing else. Tim stretched whilst he ran over the options in his mind.

((ooc: Feel free to join him as either RR or as Tim. c: And if you want anything in specific, just let me know!))

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[battorch]

Tim slowed his movements, taking pause before he turned his attention more fully toward his coworker. He frowned faintly.

"I've generally been pretty intellectually focused. But I can't let my physical training slip either, you know." He paused, then said, "You don't have to find another spot. I don't mind the company while training." Provided it didn't interfere. And honestly, he was interested in seeing a bit more of Billy's capabilities.

[morphitudinous]

"You're sure?" Billy was faintly embarrassed, It had been a while since he'd trained in front of anyone except his closest friends. He was making progress, and he'd definitely have held his own at home, but this was different. He needed to be even stronger.

"I've been the same way," he explained as he started preparing, working on light exercises to warm up. Jogging around, swings, gentle movements. "My style's a little unusual, so I've been doing extra work to keep up."

[battorch]

"It's fine," Red Robin assured, leaning faintly on his staff, watching Billy for a moment before he went back to practised movements of his own.

"Considering the huge variety of peoples and worlds that make up the demographic of the ship, I'm not sure anyone can be knocked for having a unique or unusual method," Tim said. "Training is training. You keep your skills up regardless."

[morphitudinous]

"That's a good point." Billy bounced up as he finished his shifting and balance exercises, working on coordination next. The grassy plain was good for this sort of movement, luckily enough for him.

First order of business: Handstand. He wasn't getting anywhere on handsprings and roundoffs and rolls if his arms couldn't support and stabilize him. So he was now looking at Red Robin's legs.

"What's your style, then? Martial arts?" He didn't keep track of the more specific terms, even if the other guys at home had. What mattered to him was evading and hitting, that was all.

[battorch]

"Mostly, yeah," Tim said. He did a few more highly practised moves, working totally on balance and form for a moment, and holding a few positions for toning, too, of course. "I'm trained in a variety of styles. I just like to pick and choose, mostly." A little from each of his teachers, for instance.

"Not so rigid yourself, I take it?"

[morphitudinous]

"Yeah," Billy replied, hopping back to his feet and continuing his stretches. Now was a good time for a test jump---yes. He was doing fine. The weeks hadn't made him rusty.

"No. My friends all had specialties and training, and I learned pieces from all of them. I ended up with a blend of a few different styles, all combined with gymnastics. It worked well enough."

He demonstrated this with a move Kim had taught once. Handspring. Roll. Attack.

[battorch]

Tim nodded, a faint sign of appreciation for Billy's move.

"A blend is generally more effective," Tim admitted. "A combination of the advantages of different styles, without relying on any one in particular. So it was probably for the best."

[morphitudinous]

"Well, what do you know? I managed to do something correctly," Billy sounded surprised but pleased.

"So you trained in different places?"

[battorch]

Tim laughed faintly. "Don't sell yourself short," he said. He actually admired Billy's work, in Engineering.

"But yes, that's right," he explained after a moment, taking pause again. "I trained under several masters in multiple styles. Even got to go to Paris for a time. It was kind of a long term endeavour."

[morphitudinous]

Billy nodded silently. Yes, he was being told that fairly often. He'd heed the words eventually.

"It sound like you learned a lot. Was it a network of people involved in the hero business?"

Billy had managed to pass off his sudden interest in training as everyone in Angel Grove liking martial arts, but did people like Red Robin have their own groups to turn to? How did that work?

[battorch]

"You could say that," Tim replied evenly. He was still unused to divulging too many details. Not that these were anything more than harmless inquiries, anyway. "Costumed heroes were plentiful in my world. I worked with a particular group in my hometown, the leader of which was my mentor." Therefore, where he learnt a lot. "And I used to lead a team of other heroes."

[morphitudinous]

Billy knew not to pry too far. Red Robin needed to feel safe---he probably had reasons for keeping to himself similar to what Billy had once adhered to.

"No wonder you wear red," Billy jokes, thinking back on fond memories of his own. "I should've known. My world didn't have quite as many heroes. If there were more, they weren't public. I guess that meant crime that the police couldn't deal with was more widespread---if there were police."

[battorch]

Tim gave a halfhearted laugh at that, and nodded. "It seems like there are a few worlds with our kind of heroes, just that most weren't quite as abundant." He frowned thoughtfully at that comment, and wondered how to explain for a brief moment. "It varied. The city I lived in had a more corrupt police force-- though it had a lot of improvement over the years-- and a few more... psychopathic killers than an extra edge was often valuable. Other cities, though, it was more an issue of the types; special police divisions geared towards alien and superhuman threats came into existence."

[morphitudinous]

Psychopathic killers---those weren't his line of expertise. Alien threats was his job.

"That almost sounds like our world, but it seems you had more people in the criminal business. My friends and I were the sole line of defense against alien threats, though no one realized we were really teenagers. We used to spread rumors about our true identities to throw people off. For a while, they all thought we were Martians."

That had been a fun one. He smirked, moving into the next bit of his routine, air-twisting and constant evasion.

[battorch]

"Funny how that stuff works out," Tim joked, with a faint laugh. Not that he'd admit openly to being a teenager-- though honestly he figured his age wasn't that hard to pin down. "Can't say I've ever gone as far as convincing someone I was an alien, though. How well did that one work out for you?" He was genuinely curious-- and actually a little amused.

[morphitudinous]

"It was only the first of many rumors," Billy admitted. "There were always people trying to figure out who we were-two former bullies of mine were very persistent---but we managed to trick them and throw them off. Though I can't deny we've had some close calls."

He fondly remembered all the tape-switching and evidence-erasing. "But you'd know those tricks better than I do, I think. You're far more successful at not being caught."

[battorch]

Tim nodded to that. "Close calls kind of come with the business, I think. As do outlandish rumours, I suppose." He smirked again. "As long as you made it out then that's the important thing, right?"

"Maybe so. The secret identity was crucial to our work. Batman went as far as having alternate identities for us to switch into, if it ever became apparently necessary."

[morphitudinous]

"I'm not sure I could've kept track of all that," Billy shook his head, just imagining the headache of building up a new life for himself. "But I'm glad you're getting through. I'm sure it's stressful avoiding detection with so many others in close contact."

In that way, Billy was glad that his identity was public. Dangerous, sure, but less of a hassle.

[battorch]

"I trained to do a lot of undercover work, if nothing else," Tim commented. He'd gone under different names and identities before. Doing it permanently, though, was admittedly not a thought that he liked entertaining very much. But if it had ever been necessary...

He grimaced faintly, and nodded. "I manage, I suppose. At least the crew is large and varied enough that that can be used as an advantage." And Tim spent more time as Red Robin than anything else. "I'll do what's necessary for my work, anyway." Billy didn't have to worry about that.

[morphitudinous]

"True. You could be anyone, couldn't you? Maybe even a Martian," Billy joked. Anything was possible. He seemed to be a human male, but there were methods of disguising one's true species.

"Right, but I imagine you might be hearing what I do every week. 'Don't forget to have fun somewhere in there'. Does anyone bother you with that?"

[battorch]

Tim's expression was undeniably mischievous at that. "You never know. The martians in my world were shape shifters," he said. "If I were, no one would ever have to know, of course."

With a grimace, he said, "Sometimes. Mostly questionings of if I ever do take breaks. Apparently people didn't think it was reasonable to work instead of hanging out on Happy Happy Fun World."

[morphitudinous]

"I'll keep that in mind," Billy noted, the corner of his mouth lifting in a grin. That would be fascinating, but he'd have to bed against it.

Red Robin's admission shocked even Billy, though. "I tried that on our first shore leave. It definitely didn't work. They dragged me out. But I've learned to compromise by now---half-play and half work."

He paused, then winked. "Unless you're saying you worked to hide that you were there in your civilian form. Don't tell me, it's all right."

[battorch]

Tim could respect that compromise. He might not do it himself, but he could respect that of Billy. The man had a good work ethic, certainly. And Tim would be entirely hypocritical if he were to make a comment on how much time he spent working, at any rate.

He barked out a clipped laugh at that, then said, "Unfortunately, no. I really was working. Not a big fan of theme parks, really." Not to mention the killer headache he'd had.

[morphitudinous]

"Ah. I've had bad experiences at theme parks too. With that much noise and energy, they're a large target for monsters. It takes longer and longer to clean up the ferris wheel every time, so I was really surprised there wasn't any sort of attack."

That had been the biggest shock of that week. He shook his head, glancing back at Red Robin. "Did you enjoy the relative quiet, at least?"

[battorch]

Tim nodded a little grimly. "Of course. Fortunately that wasn't a constant issue with my work, though it did come up. But any crowded area like that can be dangerous. I wasn't sure I trusted there to not be trouble, honestly, given how our shore leaves and missions tend to go." A beat, and then his expression turned a bit more light again. "Not to mention that roller coasters can't really compare to swinging across rooftops, let alone intergalactic travel."

He nodded, though, and said, "Yes. It was nice to have a little bit of calm while I worked."