[IC, open to all] Thor Fight Club

[pirateangelbaby]

It's a beautiful spring day in the Nexus, rolling green hills boasting bright splashes of color where flowers have blossomed in all their glory, birds singing in trees sheltered with new green growth, and the sun is shining merrily through puffy white clouds, the breeze only a little on the cool side.

In one of the flatter fields out towards the Wilds, however, things are not quite so peaceful at the moment.

There's an enormous rough ring marked out with scorch marks in the grass, large enough to rival the gladiator arena on Sakaar, and on the edge of the ring there's a cloth laid out with a small variety of weapons that look... well, very second-hand, to put it mildly. But enough to give a good selection of swords or axes or hammers, with a shield or two for protective options.

Thor stands to one side, checking his armor to make sure it's securely fitted before battle, training session or not, and can't quite chase away the grin on his face in favor of a more serious, kingly expression that he probably should be wearing. Learning to compensate for his missing eye is a matter of life and death, probably, whether his or someone else's, but he can't help but feel excited to face something other than a half-assed training dummy shoved into the corner of the cargo hold.

Right, then, who's up for a little sparring with the god of thunder?

Comments

[truthqueen]

"It's not much of a sparring session without a partner, my friend." Did she know him? Nope. But Diana could all but feel the excited energy all but rolling off the stranger in a way that had a smile starting to cross her own face, blood thumping through veins just a little faster.

She would always champion peace, but knew well that she enjoyed a good fight all the same. And what better way to get to know someone than with a little sparring?

And even if she was a stranger, she was armed and armored herself and looked like she could hold her own in a fight.

"I can fix that little oversight for you if you'd like."

[pirateangelbaby]

Her voice isn't familiar to Thor either, and he looks over at her, instantly recognizing her as a warrior by the way she holds herself, even if her arms and armor weren't a dead giveaway. The style isn't one he's terribly familiar with, but she wears it well, confidence apparent in her every move. It reminds him of the Valkyrie, a bit.

He smiles in greeting, turning to face her more fully, not that it helps him see her all that much better, obviously. "Then I'm glad to accept your gracious offer. I could use the practice against someone who can hit me back."

[thewiselion]

Spring is the best time for Aslan to be out and about. He feels as young as a kitten, but still as strong as the lion he is. And being out in the Wilds... well, the Lion can truly let himself be wild.

He walks past the cloth with the weapons that are laid out. He does not need them.

"You wear that with pride, fellow King." Aslan grins, showing his fangs.

[pirateangelbaby]

Aslan may not need a weapon, but Thor prefers to have his options open, just in case. He grins over at the Lion, tightening the last buckle of his vambrace. "I should hope so." Being king is not what he would have chosen for himself, not this soon, but he's stepped up to the challenge and he, at least, is convinced he's doing as well as expected given the circumstances.

Given that Aslan only has his own natural weapons, however, it doesn't seem necessarily fair for Thor to take up a blade against him. This is only a friendly sparring match, after all, and Thor is far from helpless without a weapon in his hand. So he doesn't grab one either, limbering up his arms a little in preparation for the battle ahead. "Any particular rules of engagement?"

[liverfree]

How about a Titan, then? Prometheus strides into the ring, a broad smile on his face, delighted to see his friend in the Nexus again.

He's totally down for some friendly sparring, but the first order of business is an emphatic hug. "Thor," he says, and there is equal parts relief and joy in his voice. "Oh, it is good to see you again. It has been a long Winter. Far too long."

[pirateangelbaby]

"Prometheus!" Thor is just as delighted to see his fellow deity after the long winter, and the titan's embrace is returned just as strongly, complete with a solid, manly thump on his back. "Good to see you too! I think I got the better part of winter, myself, but one more week on the ship and I think I might've gone a little mad."

[doublecrestedlizard]

A large Dilophosaurus comes in, his clothes off so they wouldn't get the way while they were brawling. He gives a ceremonial screech, a tradition in fights between his people back in the wild days, and displays brightly colored crests.

"Tell me, mister. Have you ever fought a dinosaur before?" Professor Thornax smiles, displaying sharp teeth. He won't use them, of course, but he wants to show Thor he's a worthy opponent. "I may be a scientist, but I am also a carnivorous dinosaur."

[pirateangelbaby]

So far, Thor's only encounter with a dinosaur has been the Indoraptor, and this creature bears very little resemblance to his large friend. But he's not one to be terribly surprised at meeting new species, for obvious reasons, so he just smiles in welcome and looks the newcomer over, taking note of sharp teeth and claws, and powerful muscles. "Can't say that I have, but if you care to try your luck, I'd be happy to oblige."

[hybriddino]

There's a loud roar as a ten-foot-tall Indoraptor bounds into the ring. He's eager to test his strength in a friendly competition, and while he wouldn't fight a human he knows Thor's not human. Still, he won't go all out. No teeth and no claws.

This is a fight for fun, not a hunting-fight or a competition fight. He's never had one of these before, and he wants to give Thor a good fight.

[pirateangelbaby]

It's been far too long since Thor has had an opportunity to see his giant scaley friend, and a brilliant grin lights up his face when the Indoraptor issues his challenge. "My friend!" he calls out in delight. "It's so good to see you."

Though the dinosaur's hide looks thick and tough enough to take a weapon strike and come away mostly unhurt, it doesn't seem sporting to wield a blade against someone who can't do the same, so Thor ignores the array of weapons at his disposal and prepares himself for some good-spirited wrestling instead. "Have you ever fought like this before?"

[outpostcook]

A lanky cook comes in, carrying several large buckets of popcorn. Kinner finds a seat, gets a bucket for himself, and sits down to watch the fight. He's here to watch Thor and the others fight and see if he can learn anything in the process.

"Howdy, Thor. I brought snacks, if anybody's interested in trying some." He surveys the group of competitors. "Interestin' crowd you've got here. Never wrestled a lion. Or a dinosaur."

[royalraptor]

Oh! It's the Magic Fish Man! It's Kinner!

He might become aware of some noise nearby, the metal clanking not unlike tin cans clattering together. If he looked? That would be Princess decked out in her finest armor, peering at him, and his lovely bucket of popcorn, with no small amount of interest.

"Hi!"

[royalraptor]

The ground shook as a shadow was cast across the grassy sparring ring. Surely the sudden sense of foreboding heralded the arrival of a great and powerful challenger, one who could use speed and cunning to take down even the most terrible of foes, jaw opening on rows of sharp teeth to let out a keening roar designed to chill the blood-

"WOOK!"

Or there was just a tiny fluffy raptor standing in the ring, watching Thor with intent interest, tail perked.

Where had she gotten the armor? Was that some poor sap's arm and shoulder piece? How had she even put it on?

[pirateangelbaby]

By the Norns. Thor has no idea what manner of creature this is, but it's adorable. The very dignified king of Asgard, protector of the Nine Realms, god of thunder, can't resist bending closer to admire how cute this little fluffball is in her tiny shiny armor.

"Well now, you wish to challenge me?" he says, grinning at the tiny creature and wondering if he'd be likely to get his fingers gnawed on if he tries touching her.

[octopuslips]

Once word of mouth has spread (very quickly, as it turns out), another challenger appears.

She's all of five feet tall if she's an inch, petite and... kind of cute, really, but her body is comprised entirely of metal. She wears no armour and appears to carry no weapon. Surely this is someone's idea of a joke? She's even smaller than Natasha.

"I'll fight you," she says with a slight smile. "I'm Alita, by the way."

Very much like Natasha, as soon as she drops into a ready position, she shows she is very highly trained.

[pirateangelbaby]

Thor won't be terribly surprised that word of his impromptu sparring challenge has spread like wildfire, especially since so many of the people here have just as much cabin fever as he does after the long winter. For now, he's simply taking each challenger one at a time, and while he's still somewhat self-conscious about his performance, the only way to improve is to do.

Besides, it could be worse. He could have some of his people watching their king get his arse kicked around the field.

"I'm Thor," he introduces himself, his one-eyed gaze looking her over briefly, a warrior's assessment. She certainly carries herself like one, although her lack of arms does get his attention. "Any rules of engagement you'd prefer? Use of weapons, magic, that sort of thing." It's only polite to ask before they start whaling on each other, after all.

[lady_sif]

Thor deserves to fight someone who's known him long enough to see through his moves, to challenge him with pure Asgardian ferocity and determination. Sif should be that person, but she isn't. Not really, without her memories to inform her of his strengths and weaknesses. She can only guess at his skill.

That doesn't mean she won't fight him, though.

"What say you?" she calls, approaching him from across the field. "My blade against the weapon of your choice."

[pirateangelbaby]

It's been a long time since Thor has had a chance to cross blades with Sif, and he wasn't always the victor in those matches, either. She's always been one to give as good as she gets, if not better, her own skill giving him the drive to improve his own so he could beat her and vice versa, like steel honing steel.

Even without her memories, he's glad to face her again, idly wondering how much of her skill her body remembers without conscious thought. He's not exactly fighting at his best, either, and he resists the urge to self-consciously touch the patch over the ruin of his right eye as he grins across the field at her.

"I accept," he answers, trying not to sound too eager. Probably failing.

Oh well.

The swords he has at hand aren't as finely-forged as hers, but they're perfectly serviceable weapons, and he selects one with the heaviest heft to it, naturally. "Swords only, then?" he asks, raising his eyebrows in challenge as he steps into the ring.

[readvondaniken]

Palmer comes in, taking a seat and getting himself comfortable. This is like watching pro wrestling back home, except even better, since everyone knew pro wrestling was fake. This is for real, and it's not every day you get to see a god fight. Palmer doesn't want to be in the ring, so he'll sit this one out.

"Woo! Go Thor! Go Thor!"

[piranhaplant]

A potted plant hops into the arena and takes a few snaps at the air, making a lunge with its pot - its equivalent of a friendly "come and get me" gesture. The Piranha Plant wants to fight, even if the fight won't last very long. Thor looks like an interesting opponent.

It waits in the center of the arena for its opponent to approach. This could be an interesting experience for both of them.

[pirateangelbaby]

Thor remembers a potted plant something like this had been on the Yule tables, all those months ago. Perhaps the same one? He hadn't realized it was quite so mobile, and he eyes the strange little creature with amused thoughtfulness.

"You think yourself a match for me?" he calls out to the plant.

[ineednohelp]

An Asgardian prince is accidentally passing by. Curiously, currently he seems to be suffering from really bad posture problems, so he tries to sneak by unnoticed by anybody, anybody at all, especially anybody who might ever tell his younger Brother, and so, he doesn't immediately notice the older Asgardian.

He's muttering something to himself, about some damned overpriced lying shopkeepers. But then, at the sounds of weapon swinging, he immediately goes alert and pauses - and then sits down to watch, once he sees what's going on. An Asgardian fighting practice, excellent!

[milaje]

Okoye is new to the Nexus, and while she's kept meticulous track of where and how she entered, she's got some time to explore before she leaves again. She's a bright figure, even against the blooming hills and sunny sky behind her, a blaze of red and gold in her uniform, outlined in intricately crafted leather. The general sternness of her expression has kept most people at bay, possibly coupled with the spearlike weapon at her side, but evidently she managed to soften up enough to do some shopping. When she comes to lean her hip against a fence at one end of the ring, she's got a Starbucks cup in her free hand.

She eyes Thor appraisingly from a distance, and he's definitely a powerful-looking specimen. For all that, she'd be inclined to assume he's just a regular old beefy white guy, except she's privy to nearly all the intelligence their war dogs bring in, and she's seen photographs of every appearance he's made on the planet to date.

"So," she calls out in greeting after a moment, "you're a god, ah? What are you doing playing around here?"

You're supposed to be in America somewhere, breaking things, my dude. If you've run out of crises, she's pretty sure she can find you one.

[pirateangelbaby]

Granted, Thor does cut a slightly different silhouette than he has in everything Earth's media has broadcast of him, but a haircut and an eyepatch doesn't help hide those biceps and how they fit into his armor. The fact that he's used lightning to burn out the edges of his circle is kind of a dead giveaway, too.

Her call catches his attention, and while he doesn't recognize her at all, Thor is very used to being recognized himself. Comes with the territory when you're royalty, as well as being an Avenger, if the multitude of selfies he's participated in are any indication. She doesn't look like his typical fan, however; the leather and the spear stand out like beacons, and despite the casual position she's taken at the edge of the ring, he can tell from the way that she stands that she knows how to use them. She reminds him of the Valkyrie, to some extent.

"Training," he calls back, tightening the final strap on his vambrace as he turns to face her direction. "Gotta keep the skills sharp, you never know when you might need them, you know? Besides, it's a beautiful day." He might have something to do with that, too; it's hard to find people to fight you when it's storming out, no matter how exhilarating Thor finds it.

[iwillcatchup]

Peter is enjoying his time being back in the Nexus, and decided to take a walk through the Wilds to enjoy the nice spring day. And stopped when he came upon the enormous ring marked out with scorch marks.

And there is a warrior, checking his armor, waiting for someone to battle.

This could be interesting.

"Hey!" Peter enters the ring. He is currently wearing a finely tailored suit. But with a smile, he uses sonic speed to go home -- change into his X-Men uniform -- and come back to the ring. All within a few seconds.

"What are the rules?" If he is allowed to use his powers, it would be an interesting fight.

[pirateangelbaby]

That didn't quite look like the type of outfit-changing magic that Thor knows best, but this is the Nexus and weird things happen often enough that he doesn't stare too long. This twig of a boy doesn't look very intimidating to him, but then, one never knows what's hiding just below the surface, now do they?

"I'm looking for friendly competition, as little bloodshed as possible," Thor answers, looking him over none too subtly. "Stay in the ring, don't kill each other. Everything else is negotiable."

[telarano]

Once he'd recovered enough, and the portals thawed, Miles had headed home. Partly to reassure Ganke that he was alright, and partly to get supplies to help everyone out while the Nexus was recovering. Multivitamins, medicines for those still ill, things of that nature.

But things happened back home as they always did and he found himself conflicted on what to do, how to feel about it. So he'd returned again to the Nexus. Figured it would be good to get that separation to think about things. Not to mention the fact that he had people here he could talk to if it came to that, and being around Peter tended to pick his mood up pretty handily, even without the beautiful spring weather to do the same.

Anyone near the sparring ring might notice the teen in the black and red spider costume. He'd heard about the sparring while he'd been patrolling and was curious. Figured it would be fun to watch people square off and who knew? Maybe he'd throw his hat in the ring. It was all in good fun it looked like, and what better way to keep his skills sharp? Practice made perfect after all.

[pirateangelbaby]

From this distance, Thor can't quite tell if this is one of the Spiders-men he's met before or not, though he's pretty sure he remembers more red on the last one. "Come to watch, or try your hand in the ring?" he calls out across the field.

His own spirits are high, buoyed by the weak spring sunshine and gentle breezes, and the ability to unleash himself on more worthy opponents than the terrible makeshift targets crammed in the corner of the Statesman's cargo hold. Maybe it's being off the ship, maybe it's the exercise, but it doesn't really matter in the end.

[websnextdoor]

click!

Don't mind Peter, over here snapping photos of some of the fights going on here and some of the more interesting characters on display. Kid loves to take pictures and if folks aren't careful they'll end up in some of his private Youtube videos to show to Ned or Miles later.

He seems to be in good spirits but he's not exactly asking for permission before he takes those snaps and selfies, either.

[pirateangelbaby]

In the few years Thor served with the Avengers, he's become used to the Midgardian tendency to film everything with their smartphones (and why he'd never come across a dumbphone during his time on Earth, he has no idea) as well as the idea that anything he does can and will end up on their internet. He's not exactly coming off as being at his best right now, especially since several of his challengers possess the skill to launch him across the ring and do so with glee, but then Thor had also trended on Twitter for two weeks solid once after he was filmed breaking a glass door that he'd assumed was much sturdier than it really was, so this is marginally less embarrassing than that.

In any case, he throws a little wave toward the youngster when he spots him on the outskirts of the ring, and in between bouts, he makes a point to come over and say hello. "Peter," Thor greets him warmly. "You're looking well."