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 Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 6:59 pm
It was late, too late to really be doing anything but finishing homework, winding down, and getting ready to bed. Calder was not doing anything and had no such plans for at least a little while. Instead, he was slipping into the training room of Amityville and looking about. Because the Fitness room and it's many members came at all hours of the early morning and day to train, he had avoided most of the day in case he ran into anyone who might cause him some trouble. Despite it being a new semester, he doubted anyone under Riley's club would appreciate Calder around.
It was why he was avoiding conflict by creating a nocturnal training schedule among many of the other reasons he wasn't telling anyone.
Checking to make sure the coast was clear, Calder closed the door and stepped inside, having already dressed in shorts (as training mean he couldn't well wear a kilt) and a tunic top. He also braided his hair up into a high pony tail to keep it from snagging on anything. However, he still wore a piece of plaid cloth that was tied over his neck.
Most of the equipment he had tried and failed to understand, and instead he had decided to only practice on the free weights. He understood the simple mechanics of lifting heavy things and in the end, that was really all he needed to train. At least he thought so for what he was aiming for.
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 7:22 pm
Jericho had already visited the training room that day, but when night fell, he had realized he accidentally left something behind. They must have fallen out of his bag or something to that effect. In any case, it wasn't a big deal. Since he had nothing else to do, he went on to head back to the clubroom to fetch his belongings, not expecting anyone to be there already.
However, as he approached, he heard the sounds of hooves against the ground. Further ahead, he saw the shadow of someone entering the room as well. Their build didn't look right for it to be Petro... that and Tro didn't generally walk around in his natural form. Nor would he really be allowed.
Furrowing his brow, he went on to make his way in. Entering shortly after the other student, he was able to see just who it was. It was a bit of a shock to say in the least.
"Calder? What are you doing here?" he asked. After that first meeting, he never saw the Kelpie around here. He wasn't a part of the club was he?
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 7:32 pm
Calder had walked past the odd contraptions of metal that he had no idea what were for or even how to use them despite the little diagrams on the side, and stood before a row of heavy weights sitting on racks. The smell of sweat, disinfectant, and metal was hard to ignore, but it all spoke of hard work. It was a promising if not strange smell, and Calder ignored it. It was at least much different to working out in the woods, and he wondered if this would reap better and faster rewards than what he had been doing for the past few weeks.
Reaching out, he touched a large weight that said some numbers and had lb on it. What was a lb? Either way, the big weight was heavy and while Calder could lift it off the rack, he couldn't move it any higher than his hips. Damn this thing was heavy!
It was then that Jericho said his name. The sudden surprise had him dropping the weight - and Calder jerked back when it managed to hit the point of his hoof. It was by no means armor, and he felt it when it landed and then rolled a foot away. His hands clamped over his mouth as he whined at the pain and then turned to see who the heck it was that was talking. He thought it was too late for anyone to show up!
Apparently not, and of all the people, one of Riley's favorite friends, Jericho, was looking at him with a very confused expression.
When the pain subsided and he felt he could open his mouth without swearing, he gave a very nervous laugh and felt his face warm. "Ahh........" JACK! What did he say?!! "...I'm lost? I...thought this was the NAP room." The room clearly wasn't. The hard metal was a complete contrast to the NAP room next door, and despite there being cushions on the benches and equipment, they were stiff and made of a hard, sweat-resistant material. That and Calder didn't look as if he was dressed to take a nap. Wha.What are you doing here?"
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 7:49 pm
Cringing as Calder dropped a weight onto his own foot, the dragon let out a sigh before staring at the Kelpie as he gave a rather poor excuse. Crossing his arms, he stared at him as if asking if he thought he was stupid.
'Sure you did," he said a little flatly. While the two rooms were right next to one another, there was no way Calder could have still thought this was the NAP room upon entering it. That, and the guy didn't look like he was ready to take a nap.
"I left something behind earlier today but look, if you want to use the room you have to first join," he said while motioning to the signup sheet at the door, "Two, rules state you gotta have someone with you while in here. Help make sure you don't end up hurting yourself like you just did a moment ago."
Looking at the kelpie more critically he repeated, "So what are you really here for?"
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 8:03 pm
Calder looked at the signup sheet at the door with as much interest as dropping another weight on his hoof, and glanced back at Jericho as if he was crazy. "I don't think you remember, but I tried that. Seems the club explodes if I so much as go near the door." He huffed, not at all liking that Jericho probably thought he was only going to hurt himself every time he neared anything heavy. Being a monster, he was much stronger than that. Humph!
"And I wouldn't have dropped it if you didn't sneak up on me." He grumbled, feeling very much like the scarling with it's hand in the cookie jar right now, caught and trying to find an excuse.
He only looked at the weight on the floor, reaching up to scratch his neck as he thought. "I was just......." He shrugged. "....curious about something."
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 8:11 pm
"I'm not exploding right now am I?" Jericho asked, still keeping his arms crossed, "And I wasn't sneaking. If anything, that was what you were doing."
Shaking his head, he looked over at the weight that had rolled off of Calder's foot.
"In any case, rules are rules. Since I'm one of the trainers, I kinda gotta enforce them you know? And as far as I'm concerned there's no rules against any Kelpies or 'Calders' joining."
The dragon wasn't entirely thrilled about it, but it'd be bad for the club if he flipped out on anyone. Besides, he noticed that things between Calder and Riley seemingly have loosened up somehow. He didn't know what that was all about but the Kelpie got away with braiding her tentacles of all things.
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 8:44 pm
His ears flattened back at that, and he frowned at the authority in Jericho's voice. Despite the fact he was saying he could join, it sounded more like he was being asked to leave. That and he was being a nuisance. "I don't think that would go over very well, rules or no rules. To be frank, I don't think I'd be welcomed even if I even showed up. I'm not trying to start any trouble." He reached down, picking up the weight and heaving it back up on the rack.
"...I also don't need the whole world knowing." He turned to look at Jericho. "I'm sorry - for showing up. You won't tell anyone, will you?"
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 8:54 pm
"Why do you say that? Things look like they've cooled down between Riley and you. Or did I see things wrong?" Jericho asked with a raised brow, "And you are friends with Christof, aren't you?"
Frowning some, he watched Calder heave the weight back onto the rack.
"Why would I tell anyone?"
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 9:03 pm
"Nah. I guess we're okay. We sorta settled in a truce. Not jumping for joy, hand holding friendship mind ya." He pointed out, clearing that then and there. Things were still rather...awkward around each other to say the least, and aside from the moments they were forced into each other's company, they did not 'hang out' in any sense of the word. It was probably best that way. Calder was still trying hard not to refer to her as Noodle Head or any variation of the sort. Just saying her actual name was strange to him.
"What I mean is, don't even mention it in passing. Casually. Just....don't." He was trying to make that point clear. He wasn't sneaking into fitness rooms in the middle of the night if he could have just walked up to Christof for assistance or even do something as embarrassing as asking Riley. He didn't want Jerchio mentioning this even in easy conversation. "I won't show up here again then." With members showing up this late at night, it was rather pointless. He would have no privacy and from the sound of it, get in a lot of trouble. He'd just go back to lifting rocks in the river.
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 9:14 pm
Letting out a sigh of frustration, Jericho shook his head.
"Well suit yourself. I don't get why you're banning yourself but if ever want to join, just write your name on the sheet," the dragon shrugged before turning towards the lockers so he could grab what he left behind. If the Kelpie wanted to exile himself, that was his own decision.
"Never thought you to be the type to be afraid of joining the club just because of some potential confrontation."
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 9:35 pm
"That's not it! I don't care if it was just fighting, but...well, I'm trying to be good. For Christof. It gets hard on him if he's trying to be with Riley and I show up. He kept having to break up our fights even when it wasn't any of his business." If it was just a simple matter of getting into a fight with Riley, he wouldn't care as much, but he was trying to place less of a burden on Christof to allow him to be worried about other things. The more Calder kept the Igor from Riley, the more he felt that his friend would start to hate him for having to pull him away. Even if the fight was none of Christof's business, the patchwork couldn't help but poke his nose in where it didn't belong.
But it wasn't just a matter of Christof. Far from it. "..I just wanted some privacy. I don't want anyone knowing that I'm..ya know...trying to get stronger." Last year, he didn't care at all about it. Now, he was actually training. Sure, he could shatter someone's legs with a hard kick, but when it came to upper body strength, well, he made due but he wasn't breaking bricks with his bare hands.
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 10:06 pm
Calder's explanation confused Jericho a bit. Well, he got how having to break up fights would be annoying but that little bit on 'trying to be with Riley'. Wasn't he always trying to be with her? Or around her?
"Er... Christof is always vying for Riley's attention from what I've noticed. He's pretty damn possessive of her," he said with furrowed brows, "I don't think cutting out some of his time during fitness meetings is really going to change much."
Shrugging again, he picked up his bag and turned back towards Calder.
"I hear ya. But you know, it's easier to get stronger with others than by yourself. You should know that by now. Hell, Riley even knows that... eh.. well at least I hope she does."
She made him wonder some times.
"All this crazy stuff that's been happening since I've enrolled? All I've really seen is that we're all in this together."
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Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 10:16 pm
"I doubt Christof would like the idea of anyone getting between him and his Mistress. No offense, but you don't get Christof, and even if it would be good for him to take a breather, it's easier said than done. He's happiest doing his job, and getting in the way of that - " Calder paused to think of how upset Christof always got with him, and what with recent confessions, Calder didn't want to be the bad guy despite knowing that that time would have to come. Someone would have to break it to his friend, and Calder felt that it might be better if he did it. It was just right now that he had far too much on his plate to deal with all of the Igor's problems, not that his friend saw what he was doing as a problem.
"Yeah, we are, and I don't want to be the one getting someone killed either." He huffed. His friends were a small group, but they were like his herd. he wanted to protect them. "It's easy for you to say. Look at you! You probably worked out since you were a - ah..." What was a little dragon called? "....really little."
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Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 8:41 am
Jericho continued to furrow his brow at Calder. It was true, he didn't exactly get Christof. But the communication barrier they had didn't help. The dragon wasn't a telepath and he didn't know sign language so the only times he could understand the guy was if he wrote something down.
"To some extent, yes. I had to build up strength so I could fly. I didn't really see it as working out when I was a hatchling though."
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Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 3:45 pm
Calder looked at Jericho, inspecting his build a moment before holdings out both of his own arms, examining them. They weren't muscular, but they weren't soft and limp either. Smooth, but with a firm definition. Still, they didn't seem to be capable of the type of strength Calder was asking of them. "I run all the time. All fours or two. I thought I was really fit. I mean I am, but..." He let his arms drop, using one to rub his other arm. "I don't know. I'm not strong enough." If he worked hard, would it even matter or was it just not in his breed.
"Is that..the only reason you work out? To fly?"
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