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Post by Tybalt on Dec 1, 2011 16:54:16 GMT -5
Doom had told Tybalt much of Latveria and of Doomstadt, though he had not been allowed out of Doom's palace yet and so could not see many of the wondrous achievements Doom informed him of (though Doom promised, almost warmly, that one day soon he would accompany him on such a visit), but much of it was not absorbed. Tybalt was dazed and morose, and it was obvious, even though he was formal and deferent to Doom (and seemed very much i aw of him). Nevertheless Doom had offered him generous access to many of the rooms of the palace, so long as he allowed two armed guards Doom had assigned to him to go with him.
(Tybalt understood that disallowing was not an option, regardless of how Doom worded it.)
Therefore the next morning after a breakfast had been brought to him, of which he ate meagerly, he requested stiffly to go to the gymnasium, despite the early hour, and was therefore accompanied by them down to a training center in one of the lower levels. Tybalt stripped to his waist for purposes of comfort and began stretching.
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Post by Victor von Doom on Dec 2, 2011 8:51:00 GMT -5
The presence of such a guest had given Doom renewed cause. He had swept through his most recent project, begun several others, and still had time to ponder what exactly to make of Tybalt. He was a promising young man, and deserved a period of rest after such a trying few days. But inactivity didn't seem like something that would come naturally to him, and he might take such a command as a slight.
Doom did not take exercise in such a public venue without a good reason, but he did like to watch, like Xerxes surveying his troops.
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Post by Tybalt on Dec 9, 2011 1:04:25 GMT -5
Tybalt's body was used to this and the room was not cold; it did not take him long til he warmed up. From there he settled into more extreme stretches.
It could not escape notice, how disciplined and martial he was, or how scarred. Or how limber.
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Post by Victor von Doom on Dec 9, 2011 12:33:17 GMT -5
Doom happened to enter at a time that showed this to best advantage. His guards straightened up and paid appropriate deference, but he passed them by, attention fixed.
Better not to announce his presence. It might give Tybalt a fright. Yes.
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Post by Tybalt on Dec 9, 2011 16:32:30 GMT -5
Tybalt did startle, very badly, in the middle of a very wide stretch of his legs against a horizontal bar.
"My lord-"
He would have lost his balance and fallen if he hadn't been so skilled. As it was he only stumbled.
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Post by Victor von Doom on Dec 9, 2011 18:37:44 GMT -5
"Do not stop on Doom's account, I merely wished to see how you were settling in."
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Post by Tybalt on Dec 9, 2011 19:01:06 GMT -5
After an appreciable moment of floundering, he stonily returned to what he was doing - the stretching, finishing that up, and when he was quite limber, going through his daily routine. This was somewhat difficult to do when it did not involve monosyllabically instructing followers to go up against him.
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Post by Victor von Doom on Dec 11, 2011 19:15:29 GMT -5
Doom positioned himself at a safe distance, arms crossed, watching keenly. The manner in which this man was educated seemed most severe -- from childhood especially, a harsh life for an orphan -- but it might have its advantages. Doom had no special fondness for soldiers, and only a tolerance for his own, but Tybalt was more knightly than mercenary.
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Post by Tybalt on Dec 11, 2011 23:44:26 GMT -5
Tybalt was not very comfortable being watched, but did his best to suppress just how uncomfortable it made him. Nonetheless, a lot of forgotten feelings were bubbling to the surface of consciousness and it was not easy to force them away.
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Post by Victor von Doom on Dec 12, 2011 0:56:32 GMT -5
"Would you like a sparring partner? One of my men would surely volunteer."
Not that they showed much interest, but the thought that Doom himself might was absolutely preposterous. Well-built as he was, Tybalt would not learn anything from that exercise but humiliation and undue familiarity.
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Post by Tybalt on Dec 12, 2011 1:39:00 GMT -5
"I - yes, my lord," said Tybalt, a little out of breath, but mostly from shock.
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Post by Victor von Doom on Dec 12, 2011 11:32:14 GMT -5
He barked an order to the guards present, one of whom was only too eager to set aside his weapons and step forward. The man knew better to speak to Doom too directly, but he looked questioningly between the two of them, eventually preferring to face Tybalt than spend too long in front of his employer.
"Will this one be suitable?"
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Post by Tybalt on Dec 12, 2011 13:51:06 GMT -5
Tybalt gave the man a tired, cursory glance.
"I cannot say. I can't read a man's skill by looking at him. He should suffice."
He drew into a wary, defensive stance.
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Post by Victor von Doom on Dec 12, 2011 13:57:05 GMT -5
"Good."
Doom nodded solemnly; the guard swallowed and proceeded gamely.
PROCEEDED TO GET HIS ASS KICKED AWW YIS
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Post by Tybalt on Dec 12, 2011 14:03:18 GMT -5
They circled each other, briefly, but to the other man's shock Tybalt bothered with that for a short time and made the first move, which was blocked, but in the blocking of that movement the man unwittingly made himself open to another move. Within three strikes Tybalt had the man on the mat and was atop him. He was quickly thrown aside, but took hold of him again. They went from a more courtly hand-to-hand to dirty wrestling on the ground, and Tybalt's grim demeanor banished; he broke into a sweat, hair growing a bit limp, teeth bared savagely. The other soldier balked at such an intrusion on his physical space; he was used to a greater distance, of fighting with kicks and with electric-tipped spears or guns, and Tybalt's hands and hard knees were everywhere.
The man gave up very quickly, wheezing on the ground and shouting a cry for Tybalt to stop in his own tongue - which, as Tybalt did not speak it, he did not heed, and the man immediately implored to his lord, desperately, as Tybalt was astride him from behind with his arm bent backward and he was in great pain, and quite humiliated.
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