"This guy is pretty cute," former Marine Sergeant Bash commented as he offered a finger to the young Husky Animalian puppy that sat in a sort of specialized compartment near the back end of the shopping cart that he found Julia Wesley pushing on the Saturday before Christmas.
The Pit Bull Animalian was running some last minute grocery shopping needs when he came across Julia with her two youngest in the same aisle. Naturally, Belle and Bash soon gave a few small barks and trying to say "hello" as Sergeant Bash came by. While Sergeant Bash could be pretty tough when it came to his work out routine as part of the fitness and health classes that he ran, he also found himself as having a bit of a soft spot that not everyone knew. His support and admiration for the Pit Bull as a breed sort of reflected that, as despite its reputation in dog fighting rings, the breed was naturally quite gentle and friendly. And while Huskies and Pit Bills didn't look exactly alike, that didn't mean that little Belle and Bash couldn't attract positive attention.
"Yes... and excited for the holidays," Julia commented, "Which has me stocking up on some things... make sure we don't run out of food and that Thomas, Malice, and Sarah have time to wrap presents for me and these two."
Julie smiled as she watched Bash lift his hand up to shake the sergeant's hand, though he only got a grip on Sergeant Bash's index finger. Sergeant Bash slowly moved his hand up and down to lift the pup's arm up and then lower it down. He had to be gentle, as while Belle and Bash weren't newborns, they were still quite small when compared to him or any other adult Dog Animalian, for that matter. In this it was very different from what he ran at the gym.
"So... I think Sarah and Malice and the rest of their team have covered your workout classes that you run at the Claw Coliseum," Julia commented, "If I may ask... what's that like?"
"Hectic," Sergeant Bash answered as he was able to look over and pick up what he'd come in for, "a lot of Animalians do seem to like the exercise, and the class may have to share spaces at times... but the hectic part comes in when some of those that come in seemed to get all their past "flower power" back after converting. So they want to work out... but just not in a way that would be the most effective..."
Julie began listen as Sergeant Bash began to relay some of his adventures with regard to the hippies that had signed up for his work out classes...
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The Claw Coliseum had multiple areas that were all set aside for exercise needs that went beyond the main arena area that was set up to be able to handle wrestling matches, Animalia's "ultimate fight club" matches, and even basketball games and indoor tennis matches. At times they could also set things up to show various other events if they required a large area and the outside weather wasn't good for outside events. This allowed some of Sergeant Bash's planned exercise and training programs to move forward with varying exercises and that was what he had set things up for. Many Animalians often worked out on their own because they had their own training regimen, but that didn't mean that all did and that was something that came into play as Sergeant Bash waited for his group of students to come out.
The group that came out gave him some indication that it would be a bit tough. They were mostly Animalians of various different animal species, though there were a couple of Humans with them, but in a way, Sergeant Bash didn't have too much worry with the humans who'd showed up. They were middle aged, but they were also some that had attended his classes before, and while they weren't as fast or as strong as Animalians, they were dedicated and worked hard. That was enough for Sergeant Bash to trust them and even wait for them. The group that raised questions in Sergeant Bash's mind was the group of Animalians. They were double dosed, but there were some tells that were there that raised some concerns.
The first was some rather loose fitting and flowing clothing on a few of them. One wore a tee shirt that seemed to have flowers stitched into the shirt in various spots. A couple others had more tie-dye coloring for their shirts. It gave Sergeant Bash some memories of things that he encountered after coming back from Vietnam. Unlike Albert Slash, Sergeant Bash's Vietnam career had been in the front lines and he'd moved from hot spot to hot spot, chasing NVA and Vietcong as they tried to strike at South Vietnamese cities, and Bash's unit had never gotten into the sorts of friendly fire and potential collateral damage issues that some other units had had, particularly as the Marines operating in the fire bases along the northern edge of South Vietnam had more worries with the NVA than the Vietcong, and it wasn't like the army fighting further south in the Central Highlands. Yet, when he'd returned home, the hippies and their counter culture pretty much treated him as though he'd been some kind of war criminal, and it was not something he liked.
"So what are we doing out here, man?" one spoke as he approached, "wrestling? Because I don't see any matts out there."
"No, no wrestling," Sergeant Bash answered and pointed to the stairs that ran up from the ground floor and up toward the top the stands, "we will be going up the stairs and then down again, at top speed. So before we get to any of that there will be some good stretching. Everyone needs to be limber so as not to hurt themselves."
"To walk up stairs?" another wondered.
"Not walk, run," Sergeant Bash clarified and looked over the group, "is this everyone?"
"It should be," of the Humans spoke up, "there wasn't anyone else in the locker room."
"Well... that's good, then well move on into rows of four and we'll start with the stretches, get our legs, arms, and core all worked out so that no one pulls something when they get started on the main aerobic part of today's workout," Sergeant Bash instructed.
"Can't it be in a circle?" the Animalian in a flower shirt wondered, "get all the energy glowing in the right direction?"
"We'll cover less space this way and will give others who might want to shoot hoops the space to do so," Sergeant Bash commented, "Now, come on. Rows of four and prepare for the stretches. I don't want anyone getting hurt."
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"They really wanted to change the way you'd run your lessens?" Julia asked to Sergeant Bash as they walked along.
"Not necessarily the lessons," Sergeant Bash answered, "They actually did to the exercises and did relatively well... even if some of it more the enhanced energy and interest in exercise that comes from being an Animalian. It was more some of the touchy-feely stuff with the stretches and that sort of thing. And it's like becoming Animalians reset that... even though they should know that's not the way the world works, regardless of how one sees it."
"Maybe," Julia answered, and then paused to rub Belle and Bash's head, which got some happy yips from them, "but then these two respond well to "touchy-feely" stuff. So... these students might have some things that could well make sense, even if they don't necessarily line up with the training you got before Vietnam."
"But these two are what... two years old?" Sergeant Bash questioned.
"A bit older than that," Julia answered.
"All the same, they're still young and aren't having to find jobs and wrestle with bills and creditors who won't care about how nice or cute they are," Sergeant Bash answered, "the tough facts of this world won't fully apply to them, yet. The ex-hippies in that class... however... she should know that and even gotten over all of that. After all they earned enough money to afford converting."
"Maybe... but maybe they're also looking to balance things in a way that they couldn't do in the past," Julia commented, "as Animalia has given so many of us new starts. My older daughters "grew up" faster than I would wish... but then, I also got my youth back, a loving husband, and the most beautiful Husky puppies in the state. I don't think they're out to get you... especially if they still do the exercises for the class."
"I suppose..." Sergeant Bash managed, "just one of those things where I've fallen behind the times, I guess."
"We all catch up eventually," Julie reminded him, and to which Sergeant Bash did nod in agreement.
However by this point he checked his watch and found he was running a bit late. "I'd better get going... things to do... and so on. Have a Merry Christmas."
"You too," Julia answered as Sergeant Bash departed to head for the checkout line.