Working Out (open)

Ten shrugs, as if to say it doesn't matter to him. Not like this guy could hurt him or anything, and neither is this actually Ten's place that he'd care if someone was here.

"Whatever. Call me Sherman." He doesn't generally let onto hero types that he's the Ten of Clubs. "Take up your stance.. see how much stronger it is than standing square. I can't stand it when people 'square up' to fight. So dumb. Anyway.. now the first punch, and the most important is.. The Jab."

Ten restarts his instructions to Mark.

There we are. These strangers weren't utterly soulless after all; that would be Vernon. Or at least an aspiration of his, to corrupt his conscience beyond the ability to function, "Hiya Mark! I'm Scapegoat. Of the Chester Scapegoats." It may be interesting to note that the ghoul could not feel cold nor get a cold. Oh he suffered in other ways – a remorseless ache in the pit of his stomach – but Scapegoat could not naturally become sick. Perhaps unethical to claim so, but who hadn't faked an illness at some point in their life?

The designation of Lantern did not go amiss. Such big name heroes were about, even in Vernon's day, ten years ago. They were the people who kept lighthouses lit, weren't they? Stopped ships from running aground on rocks. No wonder he should meet a Lantern at the dockside. The shoals around Steel City must be treacherous! And who knew how often Vikings made raids.

Back to the bully now. Vernon felt bound to make intelligent conversation, "Sherman. Ah yes. Great American name meaning 'one who is Shermany'.” Did he sound all smarticle then? Probably. It was unlikely anyone here was an expert in etymology. So no one could call him out. Safe!

Scapegoat removed his sodden shirt as the others got under-way, wringing it until rivers poured. Cold or not, his clothes were very clammy, "Wet towel here whenever you lot finish." The tattoo covering his torso was easily forgotten, like a stamp they gave you to get into nightclubs. Albeit a really big stamp. Scapegoat went to hang his shirt from a support beam just too tall. The chains connected to his manacles, now free to trail, rattled as he reached upwards.

Mark throws a job after giving a simple nod to Scapegoat, he was focused on learning and really wanted to get this down. "Wait, my stance? Shouldn't I always be moving on my toes in a fight and dancing around. Ya know, like Ali." Mark started to bob and throw mach-jabs. "That way when I'm always on the move I'm harder to hit." He thought he knew what he was talking about and seemed like a very good strategy.

As Ten finished his point on coordination, he would look to Scapegoat just in time to catch the hapless ghoul fall down. He was not the most elegant of creatures. Couldn't even hang a shirt up, evidently. Though in all fairness, it took some skill to land a neck-hole upside-down over your head whilst in free-fall. Add some circus music to the spectacle and people would pay good money. Stooging - he thought it was called.

The shirt was pulled off his head again, transforming his fast-drying hair into an even more ludicrous style. Better than the matted-mess it usually was, "You guys are in training? That's cool. Oh wow. I've never been part of a training montage before. Don't know what to do. Should I be holding up a slab of meat for someone to punch?" Ah, so that explained what they were doing out here. They were professional Rocky impersonators. Should have known.

Vernon continued unabated, not shy to intrude on this most sacred of hobbies. His voice grew more excited, yet remained genuine in glee, "I know! I can chime in on your chorus." He burst into song without waiting for cue or prompt, "You must be swift as a coarsing river! Be a man! With all the force of a great typhoon! Be a man! With all the strength of a raging fiyah! Mysterious as the... darkside of... the, um, shutting up now."

"Ohh yeah, wow, when you explain it like that...It does make a lot of sense. Ok, lets do it again, show me from the top." However, at that moment Scapegoat fell and Mark took notice. "Oh man bro, are you ok?" Mark said looking concerned, but he seemed to be fine. Although, the fall might've caused him some head trauma because he suddenly started going on about Rocky and sang an edited version of the themesong from Mulan.

"Haha, no no, that was good. Maybe you could do with some coordination tips as well judging from that nasty spill you just had." Mark then created an instant blue replay with his ring holographicly and showed the event over and over again in loop, with the last showing being in slow motion. "Care to join us? A sparring partner or dummy that is on my own strength level would be kinda helpful."