At the gym, after school

[troubledbutcute]

::Standard exercise clothes including shorts and ponytail. She's practicing the sequences Danny showed her, a punch into a kick, or into another punch jab to cross, or any of four others. It's somehow calming, concentrating on movement and punching bag. Unbidden a thought springs to mind, and she can't get rid of it -- it creeps into her serenity like a stubborn vine. She finds herself speeding up, hitting harder and throwing her weight behind each strike. She knows it doesn't make any sense. But she can't stop thinking that if she gives in, wants what undamaged people apparently want, she is losing. And somehow Blackfire, from whatever afterlife there is, wins. It makes her angrier than she can remember feeling, that possibility.

Has to stop when she runs out of breath. Pants, feeling disgustingly sweaty and suddenly very tired.

Looks around and tries not to make any more noise. Hopefully nobody noticed::