"Duck!" Arianna ordered and Wanda hesitated.
"Duck!" Arianna ordered sharply, and Wanda quickly obeyed at last, but it was already too late- Arianna's 'knife' hit the side of Wanda's head as she tried to duck in time.
"Ow!" Wanda muttered as she stood up, rubbing her head.
Arianna sighed, while Vision winced and Nat frowned from the sidelines where they had been watching intently.
"Stop." Steve ordered.
The practice session came to a halt as Rhodey pulled up from where he was about to 'attack' Wanda and Vision moved to help Sam up from where he'd been hit by another of Arianna's 'knives'.
They were in fact plastic tools, carefully crafted to be as heavy as her real knives but not hard enough that it would cause serious damage if anyone was hit by it. Although, the new recruits cursed silently whenever they rubbed various parts of their bodies from where they'd all been hit at least once, it was still hard enough to really hurt. The only one who hadn't been hit in the two weeks since they'd started training was Vision… yet.
Although, he had been smacked down by Nat in their hand-to-hand combat the day before. The team held several different types of training, often going through three or four in a day as they got into shape and got used to each other. There were the battle practices like the one Steve had just halted, where they each used whatever weapons they would favour in battles.
Then there were hand-to-hand combat sessions, where powers were strictly forbidden. Vision and Wanda struggled the most in this training- the latter because she'd never had prior experience, and Vision because he found it disconcerting to try and fight without use of powers. But, it was all about building the physical body, and really they never knew what they might be faced with one day so it didn't hurt to be prepared.
Of course, another part of the physical tests were the many obstacle courses they trained in. These were usually done in two parts- individual and group. The intent was to help build up their muscles and get comfortable with unpredictable or difficult situations, and then to deal with those situations when in a group. Ironically, Nat had hated the latter in her early days at SHIELD, but she knew the value of the training and she now remembered it with deep respect- after all, it was how she and Clint had started out, and then Arianna when she'd joined.
Finally, there were many lessons in first identifying weapons and then using various weapons. The first was heavily focused upon, and usually was the least painful for all involved given Wanda and Vision's remarkable mental abilities and Rhodey and Sam's experience levels. The second was usually the least focused upon and happened on once a week- it was more of a time to test various weapons and at least be familiar with them, even if they wouldn't necessarily use them.
Today, they'd started out with hand-to-hand combat about six hours ago, before moving into battle simulation about two hours ago. It was part of the reason Wanda hadn't been fast enough- she was starting to tire but official break wasn't supposed to be for another hour. The others were holding up better, but Sam and Rhodey's problems were that they sometimes became overconfident when they pulled particularly slick moves.
Rhodey had gotten slammed in a fight earlier that day against Arianna, when he thought he'd pinned her down only for her to use his momentary victory to spin them and caught him in a deadly headlock. As Nat had kindly pointed out, it would've broken his neck if that had been a real fight. Wanda tended to struggle through all the trainings, being the most inexperienced and often, more worryingly, her powers controlled her when she became emotional.
Vision had a completely different problem from the others- he could win against almost anyone (except Wanda when she was allowed to use her powers) but he often questioned and thought too much. As Arianna pointed out, there often wasn't time to think over things in battle- the decision needed to be prompt and once it was made, the next one had to follow instantly.
The new recruits reassembled before their trainers for the day: they usually rotated to keep them all on their toes and so that everyone would get used to each other's fighting styles both as partners and as enemies. So far, that tactic wasn't working too well: while they could fight each other, the recruits were struggling to work together as the seamless machine they would need to be. Wanda came closest, but her problem was controlling her powers in unexpected situations.
Today, Wanda was paired with Arianna, Vision with Nat, and Sam and Rhodey with Steve. The recruits stood before the trio of more experienced Avengers, Sam and Rhodey at attention, Vision just standing as still as he usually was, and Wanda fidgeting with her hands before her. She glanced at Arianna briefly before looking back down, knowing she was probably going to be the one most scolded for her mistake.
"Your moves need to be instantaneous." Steve began as expected, and Wanda made a face while Vision looked over at her briefly.
"That would've killed you in a battle." Nat interjected a little sharply and Wanda nodded contritely, her face turning grimmer than they'd intended to happen. She was clearly thinking about her brother… again.
"Wanda." Arianna interjected, and the younger girl glanced over as Arianna looked at her seriously. "You need to be watching your enemies, but you also need to keep an eye on your teammates. Not just because we could hit you by mistake if you don't move- you could just as easily accidentally hit us if you aren't paying attention."
Wanda nodded, her head bowed, and they moved on for the moment.
"Sam-" Steve began, and he sighed: "I know. I shouldn't have gotten cocky when I dodged Wanda's projectile."
Steve nodded, before turning to Rhodey.
"Good job today, Colonel." He said shortly, and Rhodey nodded formally: "Captain."
Steve looked back at the two agents beside him, and Nat took over.
"You're not rookies." She looked over them critically. "And certainly not now that you're Avengers. Losing to Aria, or any of us, is not acceptable anymore- you need to be better."
Wanda made another face as Sam raised a brow. Nat caught their looks and she gave them stern looks as she pointed out: "We're a team now. No-one can be worse than another- sure, Ria or Steve or I might beat you in today's training but you need to be able to beat us tomorrow. And continue that cycle."
"If I may," Vision interjected, "if you calculate probability, it is virtually impossible for some of us to beat the other."
He didn't say more, but he clearly meant the regular people on the team versus the ones with enhanced powers or capabilities.
"It's not about just losing in that case." Nat answered shortly before she turned to her friends.
"Steve? Ria?" She called expectantly.
"Wait, you serious?" Rhodey asked skeptically as Steve raised a brow but stepped up, Arianna already moving to stand before the recruits and opposite Steve.
"Dead serious." Nat replied shortly, and Arianna almost rolled her eyes. Nat was one of the harshest trainers – and she knew it from personal experience – but the title as the deadliest assassin in the world didn't come easily. And DELTA hadn't been chosen for the Avengers Initiative for nothing. None of them were easy on each other in training- because if they were, it could end up killing one of them.
"Try not to break something." Sam called, but he was sounding just a little worried as they watched Steve take a loose fighting stance across from Arianna. She was looking quite calm and almost passive as her body remained relaxed, but none of them were fooled. They all knew how deadly she could turn in less than a blink of an eye.
Sure enough, the next second Arianna darted forward, her leg shooting up to kick Steve in the face. He dodged it, grabbing her ankle, but she used the leverage to lift herself up, aiming her elbow right at his head. It clipped the side of his head, making him grunt, but he was quick to dodge her as he grabbed her, throwing her down as he tried to pin her.
Arianna's leg shot out to kick his side before she slid through his legs instead of landing on her back as he'd originally intended. Her leg hooked around his as she tried to trip him up, but Steve's foot shot back to kick her in the head. She dodged it, taking the blow to her shoulder instead, as she skid away from him before she launched at him once more.
The recruits watched, Wanda's eyes wide, Vision's narrowed, and Sam and Rhodey critical, as the pair continued in their deadly dance. Both aimed jabs and hits- pulling back on ones that could have been lethal, but not exactly holding back either as the battle continued. Each time they landed a 'deadly' blow, they adjusted their fight to move as though they had received the attack.
The fight was certainly not short and more evenly matched than the recruits had thought it would be. They had never really seen the trio, with Nat included, fight each other before. Even in their training sessions, the focus was usually on bringing the new recruits – especially Wanda and Vision – up to their fullest potentials.
Sweat was pouring down both of their faces as Arianna hooked her leg around Steve's neck. He'd anticipated the move though, and he grabbed her leg, preventing it from tightening and choking him, as flipped them both, sending Arianna crashing to the ground. He finally saw an opening and took it in a flash.
Both Sam and Rhodey's eyebrows shot up, impressed, as Steve pressed his elbow to Arianna's jugular. It would've been an instant knock out, or even fatal if enough pressure was applied, move and she conceded. Her body relaxed as Steve moved off her, while Sam clapped - impressed – and Nat looked over at Vision.
"You saw?" She asked and he nodded, her lesson taught.
As Steve reached down to pull Arianna to her feet, Nat asked the new recruits: "How many?"
"I counted six." Sam commented and Rhodey frowned slightly.
"I counted five." He said, and Wanda nodded in agreement.
"Vision?" Nat asked, and he replied thoughtfully: "Six, but one extra that would've been quite debilitating, given her earlier move in the same area."
"Good." Nat complimented them. "It was in fact seven- you three," she nodded at the others, "missed what Vision saw- Ria hit Steve earlier in his rib and 'cracked' it, and then later hit him in the same spot. He blocked it the second time enough that it would've been glancing but had she actually hit him the first time, the second glancing hit would've still broken the rib."
The three nodded, and Nat explained to Rhodey and Wanda: "You two missed the one where Arianna hit him on his hip- it was out of your line of sight so I don't blame you for missing it, but you should've noticed how Steve slowed down in his turns after that blow."
They nodded, and Nat turned to Steve with a raised brow.
"Want to go through the other five?" She asked, and he chuckled, massaging his jaw where Arianna had landed a blow as he replied jokingly: "Not particularly. I don't relish the thought of discussing how many bones I might've broken if this was a real fight."
"Try me." Arianna groaned as she massaged her thigh from where Steve had kicked her. "I'm pretty sure you would've disabled my left leg completely before you even pinned me."
The group chuckled before becoming serious as the weight of their lesson descended on their shoulders.
"We're saving the world. Literally." Nat told them sternly, the recruits nodding. "Our lives are not more important than the other billions of people we're fighting to protect. Even if you have to go down, you go down fighting and taking out as many as you can while you're at it."
They nodded and Steve called: "Okay, let's move on since you got your break."
Sam chuckled while Wanda sighed, but the group moved back to get on with training as Arianna sighed: "I'm taking five minutes."
"You get three." Nat countered, and Arianna pointed out: "You're the one who's been sitting on her butt for an hour."
Nat grinned before conceding and she called: "Wanda, you're with me this round. Vision, we're up."
"I'm taking three." Steve called, and Nat rolled her eyes while Sam waggled his brows at the blond super-soldier. Steve ignored them, especially since they quickly turned serious as Nat started the session, while he turned to Arianna as she took a seat on the ground with a groan.
"Sorry, babe." Steve apologized as he knelt beside her, massaging her leg softly and she threatened playfully: "You're the one putting ice on that later, mister."
"Yes, ma'am." He grinned, and she glanced at his face.
"Sorry about that." She apologized gesturing at his jaw. "Although, in my defense, you really should've been able to block it."
Steve chuckled, shaking his head as he joked: "You know, you could just kiss it better, not blame me for getting hit by a highly accomplished agent."
"Ah, well, where's the fun in that?" Arianna laughed, and Steve joined in.
It was cut abruptly short as there was a crash behind them and Nat's voice whipped out warningly: "Sam!"
The pair jumped to their feet, turning quickly back out to the training area. Arianna swiftly catalogued what she was seeing: Rhodey was flying away from Vision, apparently after landing a successful blow in their battle, but he'd made a sharp turn back when his attack accidentally set Vision's laser beam off course. The laser had cut through the heavy platforms hanging up by the ceiling, which they used for the obstacle courses, and the platforms were currently falling down right above Sam.
Arianna and Steve moved swiftly, knowing they wouldn't make it but their bodies determined to try and push Sam out of harm's way. But they both came to a screeching halt in surprise as they stared at what had happened in the next second. Wanda's hands had shot out and she'd caught all the platforms, reacting quickly to halt their fall.
At the same time, Sam had curled into a ball, folding his wings and dropping from his place high up in the sky, getting out of the way as both Vision and Rhodey fired at the wooden platforms. They had each aimed for the platforms closer to them, hoping the other would hit the others- and they did. Arianna blinked as Sam reopened his wings a meter off the ground, pulling up sharply to fly safely out of harm's way while Wanda swiftly manipulated the bow broken and much lighter pieces of wood to fall harmlessly away from the group and Rhodey and Vision landed beside a stunned Nat.
They were all breathing heavily from the adrenaline rush, and staring at each other with wide eyes.
"Now that," Nat said at last, "was teamwork."
"… From Black Widow, ladies and gentlemen." Arianna said numbly, unconsciously channeling Clint and Tony as she stood in shock.
There was a moment's silence, before they all started laughing, Steve shaking his head as he pulled Arianna in close while they all clutched their sides, gasping for breath between laughs as they tried to get their breath and sanity back.
*A/N Out of curiosity, who would be interested in a M-rated one-shot between Steve and Arianna? (M-rated being sex/smut ;) )