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As a downtown gym in a big city, Forever Fitness was sizable, suitable for multiple demographics of workout, toning, or wellness lessons, clean and equipped with all the newest technology to trim or bulk up its patrons.

Björn sat patiently in the front lobby like a draft horse in harness awaiting a command to drive. He was a little awkward looking against the stylish tulip-style benches and chairs- simple UnderArmor in black for all his workout gear today. Normally he would already be going through warm ups and into reps, but today was special, and better spent waiting- he'd had contact from a superior. General Benitoite no less. It was fortuitous and an honor all at once. He was more than happy to have an opportunity to help one of his fellows start to develop their bodies outside of their powers- to shore up the temple of their soul and give it better foundations for the magic to work from. That it was one of the very people he next wanted to talk to was like providence.

He wondered if the General had ever lifted any weights at all, or done cardio-training? If not, then a slow start would be best so that no debilitating soreness or harm was done. Lots of reps at little weight, stamina and metabolism through half an hour of consistent elevated heart rate, and some creatine drinks. No...reverse that order. Drink first, wait, then cardio, then weights, then cooldown.

The problem with big cities was the sheer magnitude of how many people could come in or out of busy places. It wasn't too busy currently in the lobby, but even at that the likelihood of having picked out the small general on his own was at its very best a dismal proposition. 'General' as a title didn't imply small stature or so thin of a frame. It spoke of power, ease and majesty.

Still, there was no reason for a stranger to know his name and look directly to him from the counter. Björn gathered himself, stood, and paced over to offer his ginormous hand to the tiny general-man. "It is good to meet you finally. I have heard a little of you from some others."

He motioned to the counter and nodded to the clerk, "They have a three-visit guest policy with a current member, or ten dollars a day if you pay for passes. You can be on my membership for today and two other days, but they don't have to be in a row. If you get a membership, you come all you like. You are over 18,or it needs a slip from a guardian."

He ....suddenly wasn't really sure. Benitoite was tiny- a pixie general. If Bazzite had always been so tall, that would have been a strange visual to see him standing by his lord. Maybe Benitoite was like a little napolean.

"It was all very good." They were in public, so there were limits to what they could just...SAY at least in company. So Björn motioned towards the hall to the work out rooms and weight rooms. He fished in his bag and offered a creatine shake, "You'll want to drink this first. It helps muscle keep water, and the more water they keep, they heal faster."

"You'll feel sore, but it will make it last less and you could go work out again sooner. "

"It is no trouble to help. Even professional athletes have trainers. It is something I can offer, and have experience with. If we have good bases we can build stronger mountains on them." But he was flattered by the General's mention of it meaning anything at all. A General! And something he really could help with! It was all he needed to personify Boxer- praise and purpose. "Ah...should I call you ..sir?"

General would be weird in 'disguise'. Was this the disguise? Or were their uniforms? No, that was a confusing trail of thought. Nevermind.

He led to the room with all the treadmills, which was thankfully empty at that hour. Most of the people popping in were either for a class or the elliptical machines. So it was safely private. "'Bazzi' and I met and talked. He said you were his lord. His loyalty was plain."

"It is called creatine. it also has some electrolytes, some minerals. Its the fruit punch flavour, which I think is the best of them. Fruit punch tastes fake anyway so it doesn't taste funny, like the other flavours which try to be normal and just taste like chemistry."

"Alexandre...it is a good name." And not foreign or strange to any of his experiences. Stellan Skarsgård's son was named Alexander.

The next though was sobering. It was true then. Bazzite had been a captain, a man, and now he was a youma. A lonely, bored one. "We got on well....he is a predator, but it is like respecting a bear or a tiger. If you are not prey and are not a threat, you can have a truce. "

"It was not so much with another lieutenant who came over. He was an a** who deserved more than Bazzite gave. " Björn's expression was cold, talking of the small, painted boy. He didn't like the idea of complaining or defaming another so he left off with that one comment. It was enough. Gonig on about Lieutenant b***h-fit was a waste of time other than just warning what a gangrene he was. General Benitoite had chosen him and lived with him though, according to the little wank. There had to be something redeeming or some reason.

"Would you be willing to tell me more about Bazzi..when he was human? What he liked? I had an idea, and it is hard to do much without knowing someone well. " He hit a couple keys on one of the treadmills, "We can walk while you drink. It is for warm up to get your heart a little ready. Once that is done we can move to some resistance stretches and to the weights."

Stepping onto a treadmill that was right beside Alex's, Björn paused a long moment before answering. "It is hard to say, he had a bad accent. Maybe that is unfair, mine is not so much better. It was like 'b***h-fit'."

Alexander spoke of their group as supposing to be a family. It was a noble, good ideal. One he could get behind. Except in the case of the other lieutenant. He wasn't a part of any family- families needed empathy even if they didn't like each other.

The subject change was welcome, as were the words about Bazzite. It confirmed his idea, if he'd been so energetic before. Why woudl he not be after? He had seemed to speak with a good deal of inflection and came off as rather polite and well meaning other than the delicious part. "It was about zoos. Bazzite is one of our own. I do not know how many others. If not of the Negaverse, the Youma are once...people. Our actions and our faults create them. But they are still ours. Still down there, wounded and broken. We are responsible."

"And they are still sharp, if we help them to be. Like wolves and tigers in the zoo. They are predators. They will fight better if their skills at hunting are still sharp."

"I thought I would make little dolls. some could have rewards in them, some not.They could be hidden around the Rift for Bazzite to collect. Or other youma. It would be good for them to hunt, to have something to focus on and look forward to."

"Bazzite even said he likes to collect things.He took one of b***h-fit's bracelets, but I didn't have the heart to remind him we just summon our weapons back to hand."

He looked over at the General, hopeful, "Do you think it is an okay idea?"

It was a good idea. The little general was pleased, liked it, and even was offering to contribute. "Thank you..I would like help with making them. It is better for there to be many."

"I will try to post it somewhere in the regular space where all can find it, our stars, mirrors and swords all great or small. If I get to, I will mention it to others. I don't know so many, mostly just Buddy, " thinking of the red haired captain the strongman shook his head with a smile. He was an odd one.

"This is a good time to trade the dolls. I can take time to place them after my practices with Andrew, since that is always in the Rift. " Sewing them all together was going to be an interesting endeavor. He remembered middle school home economics and his sad rivalry with the sewing machine. Maybe just by hand would be enough? It didn't involve pedals and threading bobbins and machining needles that went fast enough to go through fingers.

"Do you know how to sew? I was going to make the bases to give to people who thought they would like to help. Since it would be less step for them. I should be able to have one or two for next time we meet. " Björn looked over at the machine display of Alexandre's treadmill, "You are doing well, not panting. See, you are in good shape. We should be able to switch to stretches soon. That was you do not pull anything. "

"Buddingtonite I met near to being recruited. He was very helpful. I was not so certain about my uniform, " Björn admitted, "But he is very certain. It is good assurance. We worked on a tossing move. "

"I would love to meet others, and I am trying to put myself out there when I can. There is a lot of battle practice, it seems, but no so much weight training and endurance for everyone. I like to think maybe I can help with that. " At least so far as it didn't step on any toes. He liked to feel helpful, useful- Animal Farm's Boxer embodied in a man.

"Don't worry about the weights and other training. I will help you. The key is to start low with many reps, and always have a spotter. Training to peak physical condition cannot happen in a day or even a month. But steady work is steady progress."

At the thanks, Björn blushed a little, "Not at all. The greatest gift I can give is a servant's heart."

"Let's switch to stretches. It is good for getting the muscles more warm, and for preventing bad damage. You might feel warm after, because of increased blood flow. I will do the stretches with you, to show you how it is best. You could add them before and after your regular running, too, they don't need a spotter once you know how. "

"A good set of stretches is Squat Jumps, Mountain Climbers, Arm Circles if you do both directions, Overhead Bends, Lunges, Shoulder Towels and Neck rotations. We can use the open mats there, " the giant pointed, "And do not feel self-conscious. It may look or feel funny at first, but they do work."

"They're good stress relief, too, and extra blood flow is a energy boost if you feel tired." Really, stretches were like a wonder drug of wonderful as far as Björn knew. He led the way over to the open floor of cushy mats, flanked on two sides by mirror walls and yoga balls. "Would you prefer facing or side by side? It will be 30 seconds for each timed stretch and ..."

Twenty was what he himself did, but it was maybe too much for beginner. Especially lunges, Squat Jumps and Mountain Climbers. He could remember when he started only managing maybe 5 of each in succession. "Ten each for repetition stretches. "

Björn nodded as he answered, whether the other was actually looking at him during the explanation or not - it was probably that he nodded while talking on phones, too. "Ja, like a human hammer toss. Or...maybe more like if one of those skating men let their partner go during a spin. Direction is tricky, but it worked well for throwing him to a nearby roof that he wouldn't have been able to leap to on his own.

"A lot of weight all at once is useful, but more for burst strength. Or for making very sharp muscle definition. It also risks more injury. A lot of people do a bit of both, and I can work with you on that if you like, if you want to look cut. " He hoped that wasn't a requisite part of the Negaverse, suddenly. Did fashion matter to the higher ups? Were there uniform inspections? It wasn't wholly out of the question, since it was a military, even if they didn't all wear one standard outfit. But the compliment earned a bright smile, "Takk! I don't know expert, but it is what I hobby at."

"Do ....you know..."

"Is there a reason we all wear different uniforms? Are there uniform inspections that it is important to be more fit looking? Instead of fit being?"

"We'll do side by side then, it is more obvious to copy." Björn always got a little confused watching someone across from him if he was supposed to be doing his own right or left or the other person's. And it always felt like they were an authority and not a comrade that way. He wanted to establish community, not hierarchy. Benitoite was so far above him anyway, it wasn't like hierarchy was even something necessary to buck. A general was a general was a herse, to him.