Description: Lady Jaye and Scarlett are the first women to compete in the
most grueling competition the army has to offer.
Little disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters - they belong to Hasbro and Marvel Comics. Just borrowing them for fun!
***
"Not too sure I'm enjoying this," Lady Jaye grunted, as she finished the last rep of crunches. Her stomach muscles burned and screamed out for her to stop.
"Twenty more," Scarlett groaned, fighting off the burn. "One, two, three-" She flopped down, exhausted. "Forget it. I'm out."
"Yes!" Jaye said, landing on the mat beside her. "That means I can stop."
"YOU TWO SOLDIERS GET YOUR BUTT IN GEAR AND FINISH THE SET," Beachhead barked, spying them from the other end of the gym.
"Beach," Scarlett protested, springing up. She offered her hand to Jaye and pulled her up. "We've already done triple the usual amount of crunches. I think I've done some serious internal damage."
"Listen, I told you two that this competition wasn't for wimps," Beachhead said, glaring at them. "I told you both that if you wanted to win the Army Ultimate Challenge you'd have to put in extra work. And what did you say, Lady Jaye?"
"I'm up to anything you throw at me," Jaye muttered.
"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"
"I'M UP TO ANYTHING YOU THROW AT ME, DRILL SERGEANT!" she yelled, snapping to attention.
"Now, it's not my fault the army suddenly wants women represented in this competition," Beachhead said, pacing back and forth. "Personally, I would've preferred an all-male team. Luckily, we got a bunch of Ultimate Challenge vets in the G.I. Joe mix: Roadblock and Gung-ho to name a few. It's not that I don't value your contribution to the Joe team, ladies. It's just that this is real tough."
"Excuse me, Beachhead, but so are we," Lady Jaye said, her eyes flashing.
"Well, Twinkies," Beachhead snarled. "Finish the reps, then."
Scarlett and Lady Jaye threw themselves back on the mat, and started doing crunches, suppressing groans as pain shot through their abdomens. Beachhead crossed his arms and watched them, his mask hiding a smile of satisfaction on his face. He didn't like using the "male chauvinist prick" trump card to motivate these girls, but it had to be done. He knew he was pushing their limits. most soldiers would've given up awhile back. The fact these two had stuck it out was a real testament to their sheer willpower. While Beachhead would never admit it, he was proud of these two Joes. Not only did he want to win this competition, he wanted to break records WITH these girls on his team. Not girls - women, he corrected himself silently, watching them as they struggled through the pain. Not women - soldiers.
"There you go, Beach," Scarlett panted. "Done our reps."
"Hmm?" Beachhead said. "Sorry, I was distracted. Didn't see it. You'll have to do them again."
Jaye's mouth dropped.
"Close your yapper, girlie!" Beachhead barked. "AGAIN! ONE! TWO! THREE-"
***
Flint and Duke looked up from their dinners and studied the women as they walked into the mess. Lady Jaye held her head up high and tried to walk normally, but she could barely lift her feet off the floor. Scarlett's legs wobbled like a newborn foal. They nodded towards their male companions, got their dinners and made their way to the table.
Duke patted the chair beside him and looked at Scarlett with concern.
Jaye threw her tray down on the table and lowered herself gingerly.
Flint's eyebrow perked up. "Another tough session with the Jane Fonda aerobics tape, sweetie?"
She glared at him.
"Beachhead is really running you guys ragged," Duke said, watching as Scarlett slowly brought a trembling spoonful of rice to her mouth. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"We've got to," Scarlett said. "We can't quit now. This is the first time there's ever been women in the competition."
"Yeah, I know that," Duke cut in. "But really, Flint and I competed in it awhile back and I don't remember the training being this intense. God, it makes fighting in combat look like a nice 'break.' We need you guys in one piece - you've got a war to fight, remember? I'm going to tell Beach to take it easy."
"You can't do that, Duke," Jaye protested. Duke gave her a sharp look. "I mean, of course, you CAN do that, but Scarlett and I need to do this. It's the only way. As much as we think Beachhead is overdoing it, it's important to train hard for this. And you KNOW Beachhead gets results. Right, Scarlett? Scarlett?"
They all turned to her. Scarlett's head was propped up in her palm, her eyes slowly closing. Duke nudged her.
"Huh?" she yawned. "Sorry."
"Well, I have to say that I'm all for it," Flint said. "Nothing wrong with training hard. This will be good for you two."
Jaye looked at him. "Good for us? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," Flint said quickly. "I just meant that. Well, it's always good to train hard. I meant you've got my support. Is Scarlett asleep?"
Duke nudged her again.
"I'm awake!" Scarlett shouted, jumping up, startled out of her sleep.
The rest of the Joes in the mess turned round.
"Good job, Scarlett!" Shipwreck said, giving her the thumbs up. "I'm awake too."
Duke pulled her down.
"How long until competition day, anyway?" Flint asked.
"Close to two weeks," Jaye said. "They're holding it in Australia this time round. I'm happy with that. The only mountains we've got to climb are the Blue Mountains and they won't be too treacherous. No crazy heights, thank god."
"But the spiders," Scarlett groaned.
"Oh yeah, Shana's not too thrilled about the Australian collection of creepy crawlies."
"And I recall you saying something about not looking forward to meeting certain inhabitants, Allie," Scarlett smirked at her.
"Yeah, but we're only allowed one phobia according to Hawk, remember?" Jaye said. "I got heights. You got spiders. And Flint's got commitment."
"Hey!" Flint said. He grabbed her knee from underneath the table.
"Two weeks until the big competition," Duke mused. "A week of competition. and them some more time to recuperate. So you guys should be back to normal by, say, next year?"
"If that," Jaye smiled, pushing Flint's hand away as it traveled higher up her leg. She looked at her food without interest. "I don't think I can eat anything. I'm still nauseous from the intense workout."
Flint frowned. "You've got to eat something."
"I know. Later. I need some rest."
"Just have a couple of bites."
"Later," Jaye said wearily. She pushed her chair back and grabbed her tray. "I'll see you guys tomorrow." Duke and Scarlett nodded.
Flint debated going after her, but decided against it. She'll eat when she feels like it, he thought. Then again. ever since Beachhead's training, her appetite has virtually disappeared. The exact opposite should be true.
He covered his growing concern with a casual shrug and dug into the gray meat on his tray. "Far be it from me to force this food on anyone."
***
Little disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters - they belong to Hasbro and Marvel Comics. Just borrowing them for fun!
***
"Not too sure I'm enjoying this," Lady Jaye grunted, as she finished the last rep of crunches. Her stomach muscles burned and screamed out for her to stop.
"Twenty more," Scarlett groaned, fighting off the burn. "One, two, three-" She flopped down, exhausted. "Forget it. I'm out."
"Yes!" Jaye said, landing on the mat beside her. "That means I can stop."
"YOU TWO SOLDIERS GET YOUR BUTT IN GEAR AND FINISH THE SET," Beachhead barked, spying them from the other end of the gym.
"Beach," Scarlett protested, springing up. She offered her hand to Jaye and pulled her up. "We've already done triple the usual amount of crunches. I think I've done some serious internal damage."
"Listen, I told you two that this competition wasn't for wimps," Beachhead said, glaring at them. "I told you both that if you wanted to win the Army Ultimate Challenge you'd have to put in extra work. And what did you say, Lady Jaye?"
"I'm up to anything you throw at me," Jaye muttered.
"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"
"I'M UP TO ANYTHING YOU THROW AT ME, DRILL SERGEANT!" she yelled, snapping to attention.
"Now, it's not my fault the army suddenly wants women represented in this competition," Beachhead said, pacing back and forth. "Personally, I would've preferred an all-male team. Luckily, we got a bunch of Ultimate Challenge vets in the G.I. Joe mix: Roadblock and Gung-ho to name a few. It's not that I don't value your contribution to the Joe team, ladies. It's just that this is real tough."
"Excuse me, Beachhead, but so are we," Lady Jaye said, her eyes flashing.
"Well, Twinkies," Beachhead snarled. "Finish the reps, then."
Scarlett and Lady Jaye threw themselves back on the mat, and started doing crunches, suppressing groans as pain shot through their abdomens. Beachhead crossed his arms and watched them, his mask hiding a smile of satisfaction on his face. He didn't like using the "male chauvinist prick" trump card to motivate these girls, but it had to be done. He knew he was pushing their limits. most soldiers would've given up awhile back. The fact these two had stuck it out was a real testament to their sheer willpower. While Beachhead would never admit it, he was proud of these two Joes. Not only did he want to win this competition, he wanted to break records WITH these girls on his team. Not girls - women, he corrected himself silently, watching them as they struggled through the pain. Not women - soldiers.
"There you go, Beach," Scarlett panted. "Done our reps."
"Hmm?" Beachhead said. "Sorry, I was distracted. Didn't see it. You'll have to do them again."
Jaye's mouth dropped.
"Close your yapper, girlie!" Beachhead barked. "AGAIN! ONE! TWO! THREE-"
***
Flint and Duke looked up from their dinners and studied the women as they walked into the mess. Lady Jaye held her head up high and tried to walk normally, but she could barely lift her feet off the floor. Scarlett's legs wobbled like a newborn foal. They nodded towards their male companions, got their dinners and made their way to the table.
Duke patted the chair beside him and looked at Scarlett with concern.
Jaye threw her tray down on the table and lowered herself gingerly.
Flint's eyebrow perked up. "Another tough session with the Jane Fonda aerobics tape, sweetie?"
She glared at him.
"Beachhead is really running you guys ragged," Duke said, watching as Scarlett slowly brought a trembling spoonful of rice to her mouth. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"We've got to," Scarlett said. "We can't quit now. This is the first time there's ever been women in the competition."
"Yeah, I know that," Duke cut in. "But really, Flint and I competed in it awhile back and I don't remember the training being this intense. God, it makes fighting in combat look like a nice 'break.' We need you guys in one piece - you've got a war to fight, remember? I'm going to tell Beach to take it easy."
"You can't do that, Duke," Jaye protested. Duke gave her a sharp look. "I mean, of course, you CAN do that, but Scarlett and I need to do this. It's the only way. As much as we think Beachhead is overdoing it, it's important to train hard for this. And you KNOW Beachhead gets results. Right, Scarlett? Scarlett?"
They all turned to her. Scarlett's head was propped up in her palm, her eyes slowly closing. Duke nudged her.
"Huh?" she yawned. "Sorry."
"Well, I have to say that I'm all for it," Flint said. "Nothing wrong with training hard. This will be good for you two."
Jaye looked at him. "Good for us? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," Flint said quickly. "I just meant that. Well, it's always good to train hard. I meant you've got my support. Is Scarlett asleep?"
Duke nudged her again.
"I'm awake!" Scarlett shouted, jumping up, startled out of her sleep.
The rest of the Joes in the mess turned round.
"Good job, Scarlett!" Shipwreck said, giving her the thumbs up. "I'm awake too."
Duke pulled her down.
"How long until competition day, anyway?" Flint asked.
"Close to two weeks," Jaye said. "They're holding it in Australia this time round. I'm happy with that. The only mountains we've got to climb are the Blue Mountains and they won't be too treacherous. No crazy heights, thank god."
"But the spiders," Scarlett groaned.
"Oh yeah, Shana's not too thrilled about the Australian collection of creepy crawlies."
"And I recall you saying something about not looking forward to meeting certain inhabitants, Allie," Scarlett smirked at her.
"Yeah, but we're only allowed one phobia according to Hawk, remember?" Jaye said. "I got heights. You got spiders. And Flint's got commitment."
"Hey!" Flint said. He grabbed her knee from underneath the table.
"Two weeks until the big competition," Duke mused. "A week of competition. and them some more time to recuperate. So you guys should be back to normal by, say, next year?"
"If that," Jaye smiled, pushing Flint's hand away as it traveled higher up her leg. She looked at her food without interest. "I don't think I can eat anything. I'm still nauseous from the intense workout."
Flint frowned. "You've got to eat something."
"I know. Later. I need some rest."
"Just have a couple of bites."
"Later," Jaye said wearily. She pushed her chair back and grabbed her tray. "I'll see you guys tomorrow." Duke and Scarlett nodded.
Flint debated going after her, but decided against it. She'll eat when she feels like it, he thought. Then again. ever since Beachhead's training, her appetite has virtually disappeared. The exact opposite should be true.
He covered his growing concern with a casual shrug and dug into the gray meat on his tray. "Far be it from me to force this food on anyone."
***