'The Pit: Hell Frozen Over' - Arc 3, Chapter 3: 'The One Truth' (Closed, Started)

[ProtoChimp]

Travis whistled a jaunty tune, damn near skipping as he made his way towards The Hive. GOD DAMMIT HE FELT SO GIDDY!!!
He nearly giggled, like a ******, but he was just so happy. Anyone who acted like this in The Pit would be shiv'ed and raped on principal alone. But when carrying a large knife and being covered head to toe in blood and pieces of other people, you got a free pass.

The Happy Dragon made his way over to the Hive, and oh boy was there a show for him. Wardens being executed and a live rape in 20 minutes? God damn he hadn't had a day like this in... ever! This was where he needed to be. Around every corner there was more people to hurt, more assholes to kill, more whores to rape. But he hadn't gotten to that yet, he had been more focused on killing. Soon though, soon he would. Scared **** was his reward after a long day's work.

He wanted to just stand back and watch the show, but this was the perfect opportunity. There would be more than just those Wardens being prepared for the killing. Surely there would be a big bastard, someone pre beaten that he could take for his own. And Travis was never a clean fighter. He knew he could take one.

He hoped, he prayed he had to put up a fight for it. That is, as long as he had the unfair advantage of a massive blade. In case they had guns or were more skilled than him, he'd need a plan B.

 

[The Funslinger]

"I'm sorry."

Korovitch ignored this. He didn't give a shit if Verner pitied his men or not. "I need to get a look at how well guarded they are," he replied. "Then I will free them."

Twisting around so he was facing Neil, he began to move forward. "You're in my way."

 

[Fappy]

"I need to get a look at how well guarded they are,"

He couldn't be serious.

"Then I will free them."

He was...

"You're in my way."

Neil shook his head, "What are you doing, Luka?! You're one man against... how many are down there?! Are you just going to throw your life away?!" He remained, blocking Luka's way.

 

[The Funslinger]

"What are you doing, Luka?! You're one man against... how many are down there?! Are you just going to throw your life away?!

Luka's scowl deepened at Verner's use of his first name, and even more when it became apparent he wasn't going to move. And he had the gall to admonish Korovitch for 'throwing his life away'.

"That is exactly the response I'd expect from the man who sat idly by with Lisa Beaumont helpless in the next room."

 

[Fappy]

"That is exactly the response I'd expect from the man who sat idly by with Lisa Beaumont helpless in the next room."

Neil gritted his teeth, his concerned expression warping into that of rage in an instant. Hearing the woman's screams over the crowd once more only served to sink the dagger deeper into his heart. Grabbing his forehead with one hand, he muttered, "I'd help you if I could, but I-I," The screaming. "I have my mission. I can't compromise it... not for anything. I... fuck." He whimpered, biting his wrist.

To Korovitch he must have looked like a lowest, most pathetic piece of shit he'd ever set his eyes upon. Neil wanted nothing more than to charge in their with him. But he couldn't, could he? That would be stupid, right? Neil was confused. He was desperately looking for any excuse to break ranks and save Iron Squad, but he hadn't the will to make that decision on his own, "God dammit." He whispered, running a hand though his hair in frustration.

 

[The Funslinger]

"I have my mission. I can't compromise it... not for anything. I... fuck."

Korovitch scowled. "And what mission would that be?"

=======================================================

"They have been the pinnacle of live for untold millennia, and have survived hardships that those before them succumbed to. Inside each one, beneath the stinking, imperfect flesh, the secret as to why is hidden. I feel it; and at the moment when they break, when the strongest will and most ingrained instinct in all life collapses in on itself, I am affirmed by the knowledge that the One Truth guides me still. The feeling that what I do, what I was brought here to do, is not in vain... it is a transcendent kind of ecstasy."

"Fair enough," replied Riley with a shrug. "If that's all, ma'am, may I be excused? I'm whipping up a fresh batch of botanical neurotoxin for my arrows. If I don't heat it soon, it won't dry into the proper solution."

 

[Fappy]

"And what mission would that be?"

Neil withdrew his hand from his face and met Korovitche's gaze, "I-I," He sighed. "I can't say. If I did, well, I'd imagine Lee would have me kill you."

Fuck...

Would it be so bad to tell him? He could be trusted, right? He was a valued warden before the shit hit the fan. Clearly he was still one of the "good guys". He shook his head, "I wish I could tell you, trust me, I didn't ask for this. Just trust me when I say the fate of this entire installation and that of all within it, hinges on me."

He hadn't realized the full scale of his mission until he had finally spoken the words himself. He really had the fate of thousands in his hands. It was a concept he couldn't begin to fathom.

 

[The Funslinger]

"I-I," He sighed. "I can't say. If I did, well, I'd imagine Lee would have me kill you."

"I sincerely doubt that," replied Korovitch scathingly. "Lee tends to hand out assignments based on ability. Besides, we don't even know if he's alive."

"I wish I could tell you, trust me, I didn't ask for this. Just trust me when I say the fate of this entire installation and that of all within it, hinges on me."

Enough was enough, he decided. He'd wasted enough time here.

"Either tell me what the fuck you're babbling about, Verner, or get out of my way, now." He raised the pistol again, aiming between Verner's eyes.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Locked in a dark cell all by himself, Lee couldn't tell how much time had passed by the time he recieved his second visit from General Hammond. The man seemed in a darker mood than before.

"Colonel, have you reconsidered your position?" he asked bluntly.

Lee looked up and met his gaze, minutely raising an eyebrow.

"I do hope the irony of you asking my that while having me physically tied to a chair is not lost on you."

"How do we get communications back online?" The General had not found the remark amusing.

"When you asked me before I told you I didn't know. Several hours in complete isolation have not given me any further insight into the concept of communication."

Even when held behind his back, Lee could tell that the General's hands were balling into fists.

"Do you think this is a game?" he asked, menacingly.

"It just so happens that I do;" Lee replied, all calm. "and I know exactly what happens when I stop playing. Now..." he leaned forward, as much as he was able in his restraints, "Your move."

Muscles were twitching in Hammond's jaw, and when he turned and nodded to one of his associates, Lee mentally prepared himself for whatever pain he was sure would follow. What happened next however, was that a tumbler glass was brought forward, and placed in front of Lee. One Songbird decanted a generous potion of amber liquid into the glass, while another went round behind him and freed his hands.

'Well played, General.' Lee conceded, but when he looked at Hammond, his eyes were cold.

"My intelligence informs me that you're more than a little partial to Scotch." Hammond said, meeting Lee's cold gaze with delight in his eyes.

"Your intelligence is sadly outdated."

"Is it?"

Hammond rose from his seat, and turned back towards the cell door.

"I believe that if I leave this room, and come back in another couple of hours, I will find an empty glass. You won't want to drink it, but you will, and when I return you will be far more co-operative."

He was almost about to disappear from view when Lee looked up and raised his voice.

"Wait!"

A smile was beginning in Hammond's eyes as he turned round to face Lee again. As he picked up the glass, Lee looked into the depths of the fluid within for what seemed like a long time, before looking back up at Hammond and saying "Why wait hours?"

Slowly, Lee held the glass out to his side, before tipping it, never taking his eyes off Hammond as the contents trickled onto the floor. When it was done, Lee serenely placed the empty glass back on the table, insolence behind his usual stoic demeanour.

A flicker of rage crossed Hammond's features for a brief moment, but they were soon back under control.

"I'll leave the bottle, Colonel." was all he said, before Lee was left in darkness again.

=========================================================================================================================

"I don't know, surreal?"

Nikolai grunted uncomfortably. He didn't like Lucia talking about her injury. He couldn't put his finger on why, he just didn't.

"Got shot on my first supply drop underground." Nikolai said absent-mindedly. "Man wanted food I had taken, we argued and he pulled gun. Stupid man, shouldn't have hesitated. When I grabbed it, shot went through my shoulder instead of head. I keep hold of him, them, I jam fingers in his eyes, until I touch brain. No rock or other weapon in hand. My mistake, quickest way to end it otherwise."

Tired of reading for the moment, Nikolai tossed the book to the side, and chose instead to gaze out at the retreating lake once more.

 

[Evrant-Knight]

"I am sorry if the actions of any of my men have disturbed you. You cannot understand what an important victory this was for us, not yet. We are changing the world, most assuredly for the better, but we are all flawed mortals still. In these circumstances, it is only too easy for the jubilation of victory to get the better of you. So long as you continue to co-operate however, I can assure you that you will come to no harm."

"Your right, I don't understand how important this success was for you at this particular moment; but one can imagine where such a thing is going. This is but one part of a chain of events culminating in something rather big, world changing as you put it yourself." Abigail remarked as she gathered the bottle of Russian Vodka from the cabinet, and the bottle of lemon juice from under the counter; they hadn't had proper lemons down here for a while. She then fixed the man's drink before placing it in front of him.

 

[Fappy]

"Either tell me what the fuck you're babbling about, Verner, or get out of my way, now."

"No, I'm sorry but... I can't tell you," He sighed. "I can't tell anyone." Neil attempted to meet Luka's piercing gaze, but couldn't. After a few seconds of feeling Luka's theoretical bullet burrowing into his head he folded, shuffling backwards and out of his way, wordlessly.

He hadn't the resolve to look him in the eye.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************

Lucia withdrew her hand and put the bullet back in her pocket. Had she insulted him? She wasn't sure, but she could tell he didn't appreciate her enthusiasm. Lying her head back down, she too looked out towards the lake. As the truck rolled down the hill, swaying side-to-side, her eyelids began to feel heavy. Her consciousness faded just as the lake disappeared behind the hill.

Lucia woke to find herself in a familiar, yet alien setting. The eerie silence, the still atmosphere... and the thick fog. She'd been here before. Walking down a row of seemingly endless mirrors, she saw herself in their twisted reflections. In some mirrors she appeared as she had before she'd fallen asleep in the truck. In others she was as she was when she first arrived in the Pit; disheveled, beaten down and alone. She even saw herself as she was in her youth. Innocent. Pure.

Eventually she came to the end of the line. The last mirror barring her path. Its frame was black and angular and the glass was cracked. In it, she saw herself as she was now.

No.... it wasn't her. It wasn't Lucia.

"Welcome back," Kusanagi hissed into her ear, her arms draped around Lucia's shoulders. She did not turn her head to see Kusanagi, opting to look her in the eyes through their reflection in the mirror. "How many did you kill?"

"Too many," Lucia muttered. "It's over now, though."

"Over? Dear, listen, it will never truly be over." She said, tracing a finger up Lucia arm. "In this world it's kill or be killed."

"No."

"No? Why deny your true nature, girl? You were born for this. By killing those men you even saved the Dog."

"That doesn't matter now," Lucia turned her head to meet Kusanagi's gaze. "We're going to be safe now. It's over. I. Don't. Need. You. Anymore."

Kusanagi hissed and lept backwards, "Stupid girl! You'll die without me!"

"Maybe one day," Lucia smirked. "But it'll be without regrets."

Kusanagi's anxiety faded, a cruel smile taking its place, "Think that all you want, but trust me. One day, you'll come crawling back. One day you---"

"Shut up." Lucia interrupted, brandishing a pistol and shooting the woman between the eyes. The barrel still smoking, she dropped the weapon into the shallow waters and kicked the mirror over, trampling over the broken glass with her boots.

She continued on, to where, she didn't know. Despite the uncertainty, however, she wore a smile as she went.

 

[The Funslinger]

Korovitch crawled past Neil without looking back, but could feel the shame radiating from the other man. He took no pleasure in it, but he did approve.

Before he disappeared around the corner of the ventilation, he said, "a man with a spine might use their rifle to give me some cover from a high vantage point." Then he was gone.

A few minutes later, he was in a smaller section, an offshoot from the Hive. It had been an old mine shaft in the Pit's earlier days, but had been abandoned in favour of expansion elsewhere. Now it was just a wide path with a couple of small offshoots. All dead ends. No way in and out, except for through from the Hive. Or the ventilation.

Korovitch had paused to retrieve his rifle from where he'd left it propped, then carried on crawling, pushing it ahead of him. Eventually he found the grate he was looking for. The remnants of Iron Squad were knelt with their hands tied behind their back. All five looked to have been beaten. Sergeant Fiona Nicholson, the lone female, looked to have gotten the worst of it. And she would get worse than that if he didn't move quickly.

 

[Mr.Ivebeenframed]

"This might seem a silly question... but, is there anyone I can help you find?"

"You read my mind..." Aggie said, settling down as the blanket took the cold away. It didn't occur to her right away to look for Lewis. She spent years looking after herself after she escaped from her prison within a prison. She found it hard to look after others as looking after others cost her more than a few physical scars. Even though Lewis was her brother, she saw that old habits died hard.

"My brother... he was taken in with me when they invaded the place. He's a prisoner like me but he also used to be a warden before everything turned sideways." Aggie mumbled.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

"he also used to be a warden before everything turned sideways."

'A brother and sister, crossing that divide?' Selina thought 'Madness! Is this what we've come to?'

"You say that like things were the right way up before."

Helping Aggie up, Selina started out through the wrecked corridors, looking for any sign of Lewis Moore. It put her in mind of a time in her childhood, she couldn't have been more than eight or nine, when she had gone on holiday with her father, to an Iberian state-sponsored resort in the colony of Tunisia. There had been a paradise there, artificially cultivated for affluent tourists. She had loved it there, and must have spent hours swimming. There was an incident however, where hse had emerged from the changing room afterwards, to find that her father was nowhere to be seen.

'That worked out in the end though. One of the lifeguards took my hand and helped me find him. When we were reunited, I felt so safe. What am I helping this girl find. Her brother, me, none of us are safe here.'

No. She mustn't think like that. It was never hopeless. There was always a play she could make, and the more reliable people she could piece together, the better.

===========================================================================================================================

"If I don't heat it soon, it won't dry into the proper solution."

"Of course, Wolf Brother." The Talon replied. "Inform me when we are ready to progress. I wish to speak to my Songbirds before they fly."

 

[Mr.Ivebeenframed]

Lewis sat there some more as the coughing subsided followed by the small hint of maybe talk? Lewis couldn't tell but he knew whispers when he heard them. It certainly helped him in Scotland when he found those soldiers. He knew that he had to act. Lewis knew that he had to do something for Aggie even if she didn't exactly repay the gratitude.

Finally Lewis arose and crept to the door. He slowly opened the door and peeked through the crack. Out in the hallway he could make out two figures with one leaning on the other. They passed slivers of light that poked through the crumbling building. On one of the slivers he saw Aggie's familiar scars. The other woman he didn't quite know. Quickly, he peeked out and checked the opposite direction for any guards but luckily there weren't.

Lewis stepped out sheepishly and waved to the pair along with motioning them to the room.

========================================================================

"You say that like things were the right way up before."

"At least it was predictable back then." Aggie said as Selina helped her up. True, even back then things were dire but this new "change of management" certainly shook things up quite a bit. Aggie couldn't tell what was going to happen next as opposed to then when she knew the rules and what not to do. As much as she enjoyed the Wardens being fed their medicine, Aggie knew that no one deserved that treatment maybe except for those who committed such atrocities.

The two navigated the broken corridor until a figure opened the door. Aggie stood still for a second ready to dash if need be but upon closer inspection she saw that it was Lewis.

"There he is..." Aggie whispered to Selina.

After a few more moments, the pair entered Lewis' room. Aggie sat herself on his bed. "Fancy seeing you here, Lewis." Aggie said.

"Jesus... are you alright?" Lewis asked nervously. Aggie coughed into her blanket.

"Does that answer your question?" Aggie hissed.

 

[ProtoChimp]

Felix lay back on the grass of an open field, not far from his home. Looking up at the cloudless sky, his hands behind his head. A smile grew on his face as a beautiful woman's face blocked out the sun.

"Stealing the sunlight I see?" she spoke as his eyes began to focus on her features.

"Let me be a thief just this once." He chuckled.

"Really? You know when I make a bad joke its common policy to stop me before I get even cheesier." She sat down on the grass, laying her legs out, he lifted his head so he could rest it on her thighs.

"Who says I don't like some cheese every now and then?" He grinned.

She gave him a light tap on her cheeks with her palm before gripping it, yet softly, and stroking his face with her thumb. "Of all the sexy Knights I could'a seduced with my," she flicked her hair back, "womanly wiles, why did I pick out the," she acted with mock disgust, "the corny, love sick puppy one?"

Felix stroked her knee as he looked up into her gorgeous green eyes. "Because," he forced as much of his father's accent as he could, "I offer a sexy foreign accent unlike any you've ever heard before."

"Stop IT!" She yelled, laughing as she interlocked his hair with her fingers. He continued however.

"Why? I know you love this sexy Scottish accent I possess."

"I said stop it!" She protested, but he ignored her.

"I know you love hearing the tongue of an outsider."

"Felix..." She shook her head.

"And feeling one too," he said with a mischievous grin.

"Felix!" She proclaimed. "A Knight never speaks with such vulgar tongue!"

"Yet you say the word tongue rather than 'words', is it because you can't stop thinking about it?" He sat up and got on his knees opposite her.

"FELIX!" She shouted as she saw him approach closer to her, staring opposite him with laughter in her eyes.

"Is that cheesy enough for you Marisa?" He spoke softly as he got closer to her.

She lay down on the grass and slowly pulled him by the collar. "No, its the right kind of naughty." She giggled as they pressed their lips together. Their arms wrapped around each other's bodies. The day slowly drifted into dusk, from lying under the sun they lay under the mood, the stars replacing sunbeams as a mist spread over their bodies. The air went from the glowing warmth of the sun, to the misty air of the night, to the freezing cold...

... To the freezing cold realisation that that was a memory. An old memory, one this hell would try and take from him. It was a mistake to come here. There was no damn reason to come here. It was even making him think of curse words, something he didn't do before. Why opt in for this mission? A brutal prison in a foreign land? Totally unlike his own country? With no friends, no allies, just memories of dead comrades on a boat and a wife he may never... would probably never see again.

"THE ***** FUCK'N CUT ME!"

"Come anywhere closer and your prick goes next!"

"Someone hold this slut down!"

"TRY MY ASSHOLE! You'll bleed like your friend over there!"

'Again? Is rape the only past time down here?' Felix snarled as he grabbed onto the bars. Pulling himself to his feet. 'Is it the only way these animals can find joy down here?' He clenched his fists so hard his fingernails were damn near scratching the bones in his hands. 'Is it the only way they feel like human beings! TO STRIP ANOTHER OF THE SAME FEELING!'

He began approaching the 3 men who had the female Warden cornered. One of them was holding his gut as his intestines struggled to stay inside him. "Forgive me you rotten animal." Felix spoke cold as he approached the weakened man, grabbing his wrists and wrenching them away from the squealing pig before kneeing him hard in his stomach and slamming his palm up against the man's nose with such force that he needn't not worry about the amount of blood he was losing, as his limp body fell onto the icy floor.

The two remaining criminals turned to see Felix kill their fellow rapist. One of them ran forward to attack the Knight, whereas the other had his spine pierced by the large knife of the Warden as she ran up behind him, in his moment of weakness, and executed him. The last man who was approaching Felix offered a straight jab. Felix returned the offering with a punch right to the armpit as he weaved under his blow, disabling the man for just enough time for the woman to sprint up and stab him right through the heart. He twitched as his corpse stood still for a moment, before dropping as she pulled out the weapon.

Felix and the Warden stood still, breathing slow as they stared at each other for some very long moments.

Eventually she broke the silence. "Its not every day you see a prisoner who doesn't want to do terrible, terrible things is it?" She jested as she spat and kicked the corpse beneath her.

"I wouldn't know. I've only been 3, maybe 4 days." He replied, thinking it best not to say anything about how she disrespected a corpse. She was attacked by disgusting creatures after all, she has the right to insult them.

"Trust me, its not every day." she responded.

Felix nodded, "I'll trust you over anyone wearing this any day." He gestured to his prisoners outfit. "Where are the rest of the wardens?" He asked.

"They've all been pushed into the lower levels. I was heading there when I was attacked. Wanna tag along? I could use the backup."

"T'would be my duty." He answered as they headed off down the massive prison.

 

[The Funslinger]

Korovitch was curled up on his back, cradling his rifle with his feet against the grate. He had seen the positions of the guards when he'd checked.

With an almighty push, the grate broke from its screws and fell. Korovitch's momentum set him spilling through the hatch, and he landed crouching, aiming and firing two controlled bursts. The guards barely had time to register his appearance, much less respond. In a flash, Korovitch was kneeling with his knife, cutting the bonds of his squadmates.

"Take their weapons," he ordered. "Up into the vents. Go!"

"Sir, let us help--"

"I gave you an order, so obey it!" With that, he turned and ran down the passage, mowing down the first responding inmate, then ducking into one of the offshoots, barely four feet deep, near the passage's lip and reloaded. More were milling towards the passage. Others were running. Most had knives, shivs and clubs or were unarmed. A few had guns of various classification. This wouldn't be like the riots where every last man was packing lead, but it would still be hell. With that many men out for his blood in the Hive, there was only one scenario in which he'd make it out alive and it was a toss up as to whether it would happen. He had been as thorough as he could have been, a plan forming from that first moment.

 

[Fappy]

He was doing it. That fucking psychopath was actually doing it. Did he have a death wish? Or was it...

He's not a fucking coward like you.

"Fuck!" Neil shouted, scrambling to the grate, overlooking the Hive. It had been a couple minutes since Luka had departed and the situation below hadn't changed. Neil laid his duffle bag beside him and started prepping his rifle.

The FUCK do you think you're doing?!

FUCK YOU!

The rifle good-to-go, Neil pulled back on the lever, a fresh bullet now seated comfortably in the chamber. Crouching in front of the grate, Neil unscrewed it from the frame.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING! JUST WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING!

I DON'T KNOW!

Neil was sweating profusely as he stuck his fingers through the holes of the vent grate, holding it in place. Why did he have to be so conflicted? Why couldn't he just follow orders?

I can't let it happen again. I can't have their pain on my conscious. I am not strong enough.

PUSSY!

FUCK YOU!

Just then, gunshots rang out across the Hive, "Now." Neil whispered calmly, sliding the grate out of the frame and hefting his rifle. There he was. There was Luka.

Taking aim on the largest target, Neil caught one of the inmates in the back of the head, his brains splattering on the female warden's back. And that was that. Neil was in the fight now. Loading another bullet into the chamber, Neil took aim and fire again, and again, and again.

You better make this count, Korovitch.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Selina waited in the doorway, a little sheepishly, as the Moore's had their rather cold reintroduction.

"Aggie." she said after a moment, clearing her throat. "Do you know what's wrong? Exactly how sick are you?"

===========================================================================================================================

The commander smiled at her as he took his first, long sip of the drink, smacking his lips approvingly.

"It must be frustrating I know, to be kept in the dark. We were all in the dark once, before she showed us the true nature of the world, and gave us purpose. Don't worry, you will know the truth also, in time."

He took another sip, a strange, implacable look in his eyes.

"Tell me, what did you think of Colonel Lee Jin Oh? How much did you know about him?"

===========================================================================================================================

They arrived on the edge of the village a couple of hours later, coming to a halt on a single track road, blockaded my men with assault rifles. There were not, however, soldiers. They were farm-hands, shopkeepers and journeymen, all volunteering to take up arms to defend their homes from whatever larger forces might threaten to pass this way. The Songbirds in their party stopped the truck a respectful distance away, before getting out to converse with the men waiting on the road. The exchange seemed cold, but after a few minutes the villagers cleared the road, and the Songbirds returned with the good news that they were being allowed to proceed.

Their truck was escorted through the market square, all the way over to the fringes of the other side of the village, far away from where any of the local residents lived. They were taken up to and old farmhouse. Large enough to accommodate them all with plenty of room, but also barely better than derelict, clearly have had no-one live in it for some years.

"These will be our lodgings." The guide announced to Nikolai and the rest, as they exited the truck. "Not exactly comfortable I know, but it's only for a day, and for what it's worth, we're welcome here."

 

[Fappy]

As the truck shook from side-to-side on the increasingly uneven terrain, Lucia woke up. Still groggy, she propped herself up on her elbow and looked out the back of the truck. They were in the village! Though many they passed greeted their convey with suspicious glares, Lucia was just happy to see normal, free people going about their day. It was reassuring.

Eventually they had reached an old farmhouse. One of the Songbirds had managed to secure her some makeshift crutches and assisted her in getting out of the truck, "Thank you." She muttered, as her boots hit the dirt. The farmhouse was nothign special, but it certainly beat sleeping in a moving truck.

"These will be our lodgings. Not exactly comfortable I know, but it's only for a day, and for what it's worth, we're welcome here."

Lucia couldn't help but smile. Looking to Acolyte, she chuckled, "Too bad I still have a hole in my side. If it weren't for that, I imagine this farmhouse would make for a perfect place to spar. I could really use the practice."