[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."

[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.

[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."

[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]

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."

[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.

[truthqueen]

"I'm happy to hear it!" She certainly sounded pleased, smiling brightly as she approached, holding out a hand in greeting.

"I am Diana, of Themyscira. And who will I have the privilege of flinging around the battlefield this afternoon?" Her tone was more playful than anything, a bit of teasing for all there was no malice there.

Friends sassed each other in the world of man, a tradition that while odd at times, was one that amused her so she'd adopted the practice.

[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."

[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?"

[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?

[thewiselion]

"Since I believe neither of us are interested in spilling blood today, how about that as our main focus. No blood shed between allies."

Aslan starts to pace around the ring, familiarizing himself with the fighting area.

"We should not depart this ring, as not to accidentally harm others."

"And since this is about physical proficiency, how about no magic either?" He glances over at Thor, to see if his suggestions are fitting.

[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."

[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."

[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?"

[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]

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.

[hybriddino]

Ihe Indoraptor gives a happy roar when Thor accepts his challenge. He hasn't had a friendly fight in a long time, and he thinks he'll enjoy it. Play-fighting is a good way to get yourself ready for a real fight, both among dinosaurs and among humans. Thor must have powerful, dangerous enemies to fight.

He communicates using his own language, since Thor knows how to understand his speech. No - I've never fought like this before. I'm learning just as much as you are. I'm sure we'll have fun. Ready to start? He swishes his tail as he waits for an answer from Thor.

[royalraptor]

Damn straight she's adorable!

She fluffs up her feathers, unable to help a little excited hop at the question, armor clanking around her as she does.

"Yes!" She can't really smile like Thor does, but definitely looks perky and excited, and her tone definitely sounds pleased as well. "Fight! Win!"

[doublecrestedlizard]

"My only request for when you wrestle with me is that you not break the crests on my head. They're delicate, I'm afraid, and they don't grow back. Other than that, I'd be just as willing to fight you." Thornax walks into the ring, getting to his full height as he surveys it. "No teeth and claws on my end, either. Are those terms fair?"

[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.

[pirateangelbaby]

"Very well then," he says, serious and solemn except for the amused glint in his eye that ruins the whole kingly image. "A fearsome creature such as yourself deserves a worthy foe indeed. Do you have a name, noble warrior?"

If she doesn't, he is more than prepared to make one up.

[lady_sif]

"Unless you're brave--or foolish--enough to face me with your hands only," she says with a grin that is entirely hers. Her pre-sparring bravado hasn't been lost, at least, and as she approaches him she gives the sword a few experimental swings. The metal sings through the air as she drops into a ready stance. Years of practice have not abandoned her, it seems.

"Shall we?"

[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!"