Atlas Gym, Monday (10/26)

[notallbluemonks]

Yeah, yeah, Beau already knew it was one of those weeks, which was why she wasn't complaining too much (out loud anyway) about having to dodge around the dancing pumpkin people on her way between the Perk and the gym when she was holding a large cup of coffee she didn't want to spill -- good a way as any to try and fine tune some of the Cool Monk Shit and see if she could do some fancy moves without spilling (much of) the coffee.

Most of it was still intact by the time she got to work, which she was counting as a win.

Having to chase dancing skeletons away from the treadmills because they were dancing around with cups of orange and black glitter, though? That she was going to complain about, loudly.

"-- put the maintenance bill on your fucking tab if glitter gets inside the treadmills, and... would you even have a fucking tab? I don't know. OUT, or I will take my damn payment in your finger bones."

They at least moved outside to the sidewalk, so Beau ended up putting up a sign that said SHOWER FIRST IF YOU GOT GLITTERED ON YOUR WAY IN.

What else were you gonna do, man.

Comments

[thatwaslucky]

"Is the glitter because there wasn't much at homecoming?" Rey asked on her way in.

[notallbluemonks]

"You know what, I haven't asked," Beau said, shooting a quick and totally gratuitous glare toward the front door. "I think they're getting back at me because I wouldn't let them near the workout equipment."

[thatwaslucky]

"Glitter in the equipment won't help them get closer to it," Rey said, agreeing with the post.

[notallbluemonks]

"This place never stops being weird," Beau grumbled, clearly not complaining about it at all. "'sup, Rey?"

[thatwaslucky]

"Dancing skeletons, apparently," otherwise not too much," Rey said. "What about you?"

[notallbluemonks]

"I mean..." Beau shrugged. "Pretty much the same. Also kind of, like, I just realized I've been here two years now and I think that fuckin' blew my mind."

But anyway.

"How's, uh. Learned any cool new --" she waved a hand in a dorky attempt at indicating some use of the Force or something -- "shit lately?"

[thatwaslucky]

"Working on a new firm," she said. "Doing a lot of telekinesis stuff, which I'll be doing a lot more of now that I can again."

Waking up normal today had been such a relief.

[notallbluemonks]

Beau snorted a laugh. "You ever wonder how we manage to even get in as much training as we do, the way this place likes to fuck with us?"

[thatwaslucky]

"It might be why I never really stop," Rey said, only half-joking.

[notallbluemonks]

"Hundred percent valid," Beau said immediately, without a hint of sarcasm or mocking. "It's kind of like you have to stock up a little extra in advance, because you know you'll have gaps to make up for."

[thatwaslucky]

"Actually, yeah. Who knows when I might wake up as someone else and miss Friday training?" Rey said. "Or something invades, which is probably more likely."

More likely? Maybe, maybe not.

[notallbluemonks]

"At least with invasions it's like... you can kind of workshop what you're learning though, right?" asked Beau. "Instead of having to figure out where the hell your center of gravity is all over again, which you're just gonna have to re-unlearn in a few days, and that's just a pain in the ass."

[thatwaslucky]

"Yeah, but I'd rather go into an invasion knowing what I'm doing rather than figuring it out in the moment." She was good at both! "The other stuff I just wish I could avoid."

[notallbluemonks]

"Fair," conceded Beau. "I mean, I think you're pretty solid there, though? You know your shit more than a lot of people I've met."

She considered for a moment and shrugged. "The rest... I dunno, man, I think that's the price we pay for all the good shit about living here."

[thatwaslucky]

"Thanks," Rey said, smiling a little. Look at her, learning to take compliments. "At least this current batch of things hasn't been so bad."

Yet.

[notallbluemonks]

"I wouldn't tempt the universe by dangling that one out there," Beau said dryly.

She was proud of you for learning to take compliments though, Rey! Even if she wasn't good at it herself yet.

[thatwaslucky]

"I remember the murder clowns," Rey told her. "But up until now it's been okay."

Better.

[notallbluemonks]

"I kind of miss the murder clowns," Beau admitted. "Like... just a little bit. They were a pretty satisfying fight. On the other hand? Nightmare fuel, so... I don't miss them that much."

[thatwaslucky]

"I mostly kept out of it unless I was needed," Rey said. "I don't think I actually do 'satisfying fights.'"

[notallbluemonks]

"What kind do you do then?" Beau had to ask.

To be fair she wasn't terribly picky herself, just as long as a fight was nice and visceral and got her adrenaline going.

[thatwaslucky]

"Usually try not to die," she answered.

[notallbluemonks]

Beau tilted her head thoughtfully. "I mean. That's kind of its own kind of satisfaction, if you look at it a certain way."

She said, as if Rey hadn't watched her nearly get herself killed multiple times.

[thatwaslucky]

"Is the word you're looking for 'relief?'"

Probably not. She'd met you, Beau.

[notallbluemonks]

"... no?" Beau kind of didn't look sorry about that at all. Sorry, Rey.

"Kinda -- I didn't think I'd make it to 21 for a long time --" because of her own actions, but still -- "so every day is kind of a win that way," she said after a moment, and her casual tone probably wouldn't fool Rey.

Neither, most likely, would the way she just laughed and said "damn, where did that optimistic shit come from? Never spun it that way before."

[[Ugh, apparently no notifications for me today.]]

[thatwaslucky]

"I encourage optimism," Rey told her, smiling.

[notallbluemonks]

"Why does everybody I know like to do that?" Beau asked with a loud, overdramatic sigh, shaking her head... and grinning just a bit, just on one side of her mouth. "Like none of you will let me be a cynic in peace or something."

She was kind of okay with that, for the record.

[thatwaslucky]

"I know, we're terrible," Rey said lightly. "Sometimes even contagious."

[notallbluemonks]

"You're the fucking worst," Beau said, and now she wasn't ever bothering to disguise the grin that had taken over her entire face. "Hey, question. Do you, like, meditate? Like is that part of your training thing?"

[thatwaslucky]

"Yeah. Most days, actually," Rey answered

[notallbluemonks]

"Huh." Beau looked serious for a moment, considering. "Is it... hard?"

[thatwaslucky]

"At first, yeah," she admitted. "Trying to figure out how to focus and all. But once you get out of your head, it's actually pretty easy."

[notallbluemonks]

Beau made a dubious noise. "Yeah, that's supposed to be a thing I should be doing too? I've never been able to make it work though. Like... I can't get my mind to calm down enough."

Partly because she couldn't be bothered, and didn't see the point, but anyway.

[thatwaslucky]

"The best advice I ever got on that was to ask the universe a question and to focus on that," Rey told her.

[notallbluemonks]

"... does the universe answer?" Beau wanted to know. "Because I think that might just piss me off if it doesn't."

Perils of perpetually wanting answers to things, really.

[thatwaslucky]

"In my case sort of, sometimes," Rey said. "I think you're supposed to find the answers more inside yourself."

Yes, she knew it sounded corny.

[notallbluemonks]

Yeah, the dubious little groaning noise Beau made said she thought so too.

"I know how to punch the truth out of people," she half whined. "I can't like punch answers out of the universe too?"

It didn't work like that, Beau, sorry.

[thatwaslucky]

"At least not in my experience...?"

But who knew!

[notallbluemonks]

"Eh. Fucking figures," Beau grumbled, but good-naturedly. "I might get the hang of it someday, who knows? I just can't stand being calm that long."

[thatwaslucky]

"There is always battle meditation, too," Rey told her.

[notallbluemonks]

Okay, now Beau looked interested.

"Is that a thing? Has the Cobalt Soul been holding out on me? Because not gonna lie, that sounds dope."

[thatwaslucky]

"Or, active meditation? Because battle meditation was more of a Jacen thing. I'll do drills, something rote that I can get lost in, and focus on that when I meditate," Rey said. "It works better sometimes, depending on my mood."

[notallbluemonks]

"... huh," Beau said after a moment. "I can totally see that. Maybe I'll try something like that, might work better for me. When does it not work better for you though? Just out of curiosity."

[thatwaslucky]

"I tend to default to the regular kind most of the time," Rey said. "I think I like the process of it? Getting into the right mindset. But if I'm stressed or upset, I like movement to shut my brain up."

[notallbluemonks]

Beau nodded. "Yeah, that's me basically like all the time? I mean -- not stressed necessarily, but like, I need the movement." She gestured vaguely with both hands. "That's something I can focus on. My brain's just kinda racing all the time otherwise."

[thatwaslucky]

"Give it a try," Rey said. "Use the movement to your advantage."

[notallbluemonks]

"Yeah." Beau nodded. "I'm totally going to try that. Just kind of like... I'm sparring with a practice dummy or something, and it's just like nothing but me and focusing on what I'm making my body do, right?"