maskormenacelogs | I'm not runnin'

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I'm not runnin'

WHO: Participants in Operation Archangel
WHERE: Maurtia Falls
WHEN: Mingling posts will be throughout July; Battle posts will be August 5th
WHAT: Archangel is back on its feet, preparing its members, and striking back where it counts.
WARNINGS: Violence, drug mentions and other such unpleasantness.

Open Prompts -- Month of July
Meet n' Greet
Things are a little different in the ranks of Archangel these days, starting with the most noticeable change: cells. Each cell has their own base, and no cell knows the base of another. Certainly makes things seem a little bit smaller, doesn't it? Of course, that means that, like it or not, you've got people in your team you need to get to know and prepare to trust with your life. Do you think you'll all get along like peas in a pod? Or like cats and dogs? Only way to find out is to strike up a conversation and see where it goes. On the upside, you get to try on your new uniform while you're there.

Training
You've come a long way from your beginning days as an operative -- but that doesn't mean your work is finished. Whether you're a seasoned war veteran or a scrub just getting your feet wet, you still have a lot to learn both about the enemies you'll face and working seamlessly with your new team. Your commanding officer will be on hand to help you every step of the way, and ol' Cap will be making the rounds to check on your progress... and maybe go a round in the ring with you, if you're looking for a sparring partner. Want to get to know your fellow cells? Not a problem; after everyone's gotten a good skill set they've put to the test, the cells will have the chance to intermingle and go head to head.

Investigation
Sure, all this punching and fight clubbing might be the cat's pajamas, but there's work to be done, isn't there? If you're the type to like a bit of digging around in the dirt, you'd better believe you'll have some work ready for you. Want to get some slanderous info about the local "hero" cops? Or maybe discover some weaknesses in the defenses of the cartels they've made deals with? If you can think of it, it probably needs to be done. Grab one of your teammates for a romp, or bump into another cell's operative and team up to cover more ground.

Battle Prompts -- August 5th
Party Poopers: Heiji, Sabriel, Clark, Jo, Hawke, Nysrog, Batgirl, and any member of the Knights of the Red Branch
Who doesn't like a good party? You, apparently. Way to harsh everybody's groove, pal. There's a lot to be done here, from sneaking in to securing the exits, straight on through to throwing caution to the wind and setting off an explosive or two before running into the chaos and rounding up the scattering cops like wayward sheep. Of course, these sheep are armed -- and they have sharks. Yes, dear friend, once things get wild and crazy some dastardly member of the police will let slip the proverbial hounds of war, and you'll have a few land sharks nipping at your heels while you make as many casualty-free arrests as you can and try to avoid ending up as a special feature on the Discovery Channel.

Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dick: Kaidan, Glitch, and Kanaya
Getting the drop on a pair of baddies sure seemed like a good idea, didn't it? Too bad that "getting the drop" ended up as less of an easy arrest and more of a boy-they-sure-do-look-ticked-off sort of scenario. Captain Dee and Captain Randall didn't come to check their product without being prepared for potential difficulties, and they're apparently armed to the teeth -- and we're not talking guns. Are you ready to rumble? Because the exit is blocked so you'd best prepare yourself, compadre.

The Big Kahuna: Kasumi, Shepard, and Motoko
So, here you are: Ready to take on the Big Kahuna himself. Chief Tanner sure doesn't look like the worst thing you've ever seen, does he? Of course, it's a little hard to say that when he leads you on a bit of a chase to some heavy duty equipment he'd been having a look at. Great Gatsby, is that a goddamned mech? Seems like you might have your work cut out for you, after all. There's a hell of a lot of guns on that thing, so you'd best be ready to use the 5 D's: dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge.

Wildcard
Alright, so maybe you're doing a little Archangel work that doesn't quite fit the bill you were looking for. That's okay, bub; you do you, in all your majestic glory. Just don't get your ass caught or Captain America will give you such a talking to. Just know, he's not mad -- he's just disappointed.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ There's no provisions here, besides weapons for training and plenty of water -- this is a training site only. The large, open warehouse has ample room for going head-to-head with your fellow operatives, and your commanding officers are on hand for any pointers or assistance you might need. There's a boxing ring, punching bags, an open sparring area, and a fully-stocked medical corner not too far away in case things get a little to heated here and there. Get in there and take your licks; better you get used to it here before the real battles blow up in your face. ]

Edited 2015-08-06 00:18 (UTC)

[The Major has no practical use for many of the things at the training site--the punching bags offer no benefit to her synthetic body beyond stress relief, and the medical corner isn't really equipped for the types of injuries she's unlikely to sustain. Still, she is a close-quarters combat expert and spends most of her time watching others and offering pointers. And of course, she's always available for a spar if someone wants to see how they measure up to a full-body cyborg.]

[ As far as "training for close combat" goes, Hawke isn't exactly here for that. She's lacking magic currently, but it's still her preference. That isn't to say she can't hold her own in a bar brawl, but that's vastly different from being an expert at punching. So, why is she there? Curiosity. She at least wants to take a look around what the new Archangel has set up, the parts that aren't cell-locked.

This just happens to be one of them.

Though spotting the Major there... ]

Wouldn't someone like you be a little beyond this sort of thing?

[ She'll call that over from idly prodding the punching bags so they swing, just a little. ]

[She smiles slightly and walks over to the punching bags.]

I don't get any of the physical benefits from training, but I can always teach someone or learn something new myself.

[She watches as Hawke halfheartedly hits the bag before sticking out an arm to brace it and offer a bit more resistance.]

How about you? Here to brush up on non-magical combat?

[ Well, that stops the bag from swinging full on. ]

More like taking a look around, at least once. I can already hold my own in your typical fist fight, so what else would I even need to know?

I'm not sure you could describe the situations we get in as 'your typical fist fight.'

[She imagines that Hawke must feel much less useful without her magic. But there are other ways to defend yourself.]

Ever thought about learning to use one of these?

[She pulls her pistol from the holster on her back and ejects the clip before offering it on an open palm.]

A gun?

[ Hawke doesn't reach for the pistol right off the bat, instead letting her palm rest against the punching bag a moment longer. She's debating it, although the look she gives the weapon is one of distaste.

But with the ammo out, what harm could it do?

She slides her hand off the punching bag and reaches out to pick up the pistol. ]

I'm sure I would only shoot myself if I tried. [ She turns it over in her hands, frowning. ] Getting beat up until I can dodge properly might actually be the better option.

If you can handle shooting fireballs, then a gun probably isn't much different with the proper training.

[Sure, guns were dangerous, and they required responsibility. She's sure the same is true with magic.]

Or I can help you with your fighting finesse.

Aiming a fireball is more about willpower than actual aiming, I'm afraid. Now if I could aim a gun with my mind...

[ That would be creepy, though, now that she thinks of it, it's probably something the Major can do. Being all... what was it? Cyborgy? But since she does have the pistol in hand, she'll go out on a limb and try to mimic how she's seen other guns aimed, holding it up, but not really getting where her hands should be right. ]

Hmm. Feels a little puny.

If you had a cyber-brain and the right gun, you could.

[Of course, those full-sensing guns haven't been invented yet in this world, not to mention the cyber-brain. She reaches out to adjust Hawke's hands to the proper positions.]

Don't underestimate it. There are bigger guns with more stopping power, but a handgun can be lethal even without training.

[ Grip readjusted, it still feels awkward to hold. It isn't the familiar weight of a staff or a well-balanced knife, so she frowns and lowers it, but even as she does, another thought crosses her mind. ]

I still don't think I'll ever be a very good shot with one of these, but it could pass the time. Though... if I asked you to shoot at me sometime, what would you think?

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[Batgirl's been taking advantage of the training grounds to keep her skills sharp. Movement and combat were like breathing to her, her language, but daily practice never hurts.

She's also taking her assignment as a trainer very seriously. There are a lot of recruits without much practice in a fight, and that's a liability in their line of work. She's still wearing the Batsuit instead of her Archangel uniform - her first affiliation was to the Bat, not to this - but she's here, and she's ready to take on a sparring partner, whether they're a fresh-faced new arrival or a veteran fighter.]

[The Major's been taking note of Batgirl as she trains and spars. It's clear that she's in a league of her own, and she shows mastery of so many different styles that the Major wonders how she could have possibly learned them at her young age. She approaches the younger girl at a lull in her training.]

You're good. [An understatement.] Where did you learn all that?

[Batgirl looks up, nodding to the Major.]

All over.

[Sure, why not. It's close enough.]

It's... natural, for me. Like breathing.

You must have had a hell of a set of teachers, then. I don't even recognize some of the styles you're using. [And she's probably almost two decades older than Batgirl. For the first time, the Major feels a little out of her league.]

You certainly seem like a natural, I'll give you that.

[ Grey moves silently around the training space. At first he mostly watches others, and then when he sees people who seem new or uncertain he approaches, and beckons them to come with him. He will either have a knife in his hands or it will be tied with a rope to the back of his waist. His shirt has been hidden away in his locker, leaving him as a tall, thin made of sinew, muscle, and strange, spidery tattoos. Some of those move, if you look closely enough; they might even be challenging you to a fight.

If you happen to have seen Grey outside this space, he looks very different now. There's more energy and focus about his face; his eyes in particular are bright and ready, and his body is coiled with tension, He's a hand to hand fighter, but aside from the knife, he avoids the equipment. If you're looking for training in close combat, knife work, or parkour-style agility, he's your man. ]

[ She doesn't wait for him to approach, the onus of this challenge is on her. So, when she sees him slinking around the back she stops in front of him, an odd smile playing across her lips. She's dressed in yoga pants and a long tank, both as black as they come, and showing her slender musculature much better than loose skirts and winter shirts he'd have seen her in when they were roommates. ]

Keep the knife, as long as you avoid the eyes or neck. Beyond that, I want to see everything you have.

[ She knows he's a fighter, anyone with eyes could see that now, but she's never actually seen him in action. Who better to see the full expression of someone's skill than her? The restrictions are pretty simple, she can take anything that won't kill her, and that's a shorter list than for most people.

The only problem is making sure he realizes it. He's had trouble before, acting like she's made of glass. But perhaps her motivation is dual purpose, if they're going to work together on the same team. She learns how far she can trust his capabilities, and perhaps he learns to trust her endurance.

She brings her hands up, waving him towards her, before settling into a fighting stance, something loose and quick-footed. ]

I mean it, Grey. Everything.

[ Kanaya.

Grey's eyes move sharply over her, assessing everything from her clothing to her stance. He doesn't normally see her like this, not ready to fight. Even so, it doesn't overly surprise him that she has it in her. He'd seen her keep herself steady with an arm missing, and he knows what that ought to do to a body. Not so, for Kanaya. She's something special.

So when she asks that of him, he takes it seriously. Not the eyes or the neck. That's fine. In fact it barely restricts him.

He knows this goes two ways. She's never seen him fight before, either. She doesn't really know. No one here really knows.

He has to make sure she does, before he agrees to that. His head tilts, very slightly. Words appear on his cheek. ]

then i'll kill you

[ Through the chest. Through the heart. Through the lungs. Through the stomach. If she asks him not to hold back, he won't. ]

are you sure ?

You won't kill me if you avoid the eyes or neck, I promise you that.

[ Which pretty much tells him how he can kill her, if he ever needs to. Though really, there are even safe places on the neck. He could slice her throat or stab her in the jugular, she'd still be able to walk away. It's mostly just severing the brain stem, she's sure. But making it a more general rule makes it easier to follow, easier to explain.

She cocks an eyebrow at him, still smiling. She almost seems excited for this. ]

I want the chance to measure your skill. I am sure I can handle it.

Edited 2015-08-26 09:56 (UTC)

[ Grey’s lips flatten into a tight, pleased smile. Okay, then. If that’s what she wants, that’s what he’ll deliver.

It reminds him of the early days. How they had pushed him to keep getting better, how every skill had to be honed, how he had to practice and practice until he was the best among them. Fighting is the only thing Grey has ever really known he was good at. He was a weapon in their hand. He’s proud of that skill. He can let her see it.

He nods, only once, but with assurance. He takes a few steps back, orienting himself, and letting his eyes flick around the room. He takes in things like electrical cables, light fittings, pipes along the wall, rough edges and empty nails. Environment is always important.

He looks at Kanaya, and he doesn’t see her as Kanaya. He knows she’s strong, and powerful. He sees her as an enemy to be broken down. Time to test himself again. The knife spins in his hand, until he takes it in a reverse grip. His legs part, and he watches, and waits. Her speed is what he needs to test, and how defensive she is. He’s not even going to try for a killing blow yet; he needs to know what he’s working with. So he rushes, with the speed of a sprinter, and he feints at her arms. He’s expecting her to move, so if she doesn’t, the blade will connect. He’s testing the water. He wants to see where her instincts lie. ]

[ If her undeath gave her anything more than her survivability, it's her speed. He'll get a taste of it, if that's what he's after, but to measure it in full will something much more pressing. She doesn't want to seem like she's showing off right out the gate. With a single coordinated move, she gives his inner arm a quick backhand to deflect it as she simultaneously steps to the side.

It's a test, he's trying to get a feel for her, that much is obvious at the beginning of a spar. Sharing information is as important as gleaning it, one doesn't need to be stingy to one who isn't an enemy. But while this would be an ideal time to follow up offensively, her focus at the moment is defensive. Still, there's nothing stopping her from letting him know how she'd be inclined to strike, if this was serious. Before he'd realize her hand moved, fast enough to be impossible, the heel of her palm is pressed to his solar plexus. There's no force to the blow, it's almost gentle, purely done to alert him to the opening. But quick, precise hits to sensitive areas are her preferred approach, at least when she's in a more reasonable frame of mind. And, well, maybe she did end up showing off, just a little.

When she does apply force to the touch, it's only to push him back and put distance between them again. She's back to the defensive. ]

[ He had expected her defence, and so the blow doesn't jar his arm. His body was prepared for that, ready for that.

The speed of her hit is something else. He'd barely had time to orient himself again, and he knows that if she put real strength into that, he'd be doubled over. As it is, he's pushed back. She's too fast for him. Faster than anyone he has ever known.

He has never fought a non-human before. His jaw tightens.

This time, Grey keeps himself moving. He doesn't look at what his arms are doing because he knows where they will be. He comes at her, aiming kicks at her legs and driving blows towards her shoulders - the knife towards one arm, and his empty hand, curled into a fist, brought to the other. His empty hand is slightly slower than the knife.

Even with that, Grey does not stop moving, but follows through on his own motion. If she's going to move too quickly for him to see, then he can't at any point be still. Whether his blows connect or not, he's rapidly shifting behind her, winding himself up to kick, and punch, and stab, again. ]

[ Well, he isn't going to make it easy for her, and she wouldn't want him to. While she can move quickly enough to match his blows, dodging and deflecting whatever he throws, she doesn't catch every hit, making certain to duck away from his kicks leaving her open to a few cuts. But just defending is untenable, she's going to need to disrupt him if they're going to get anywhere.

She catches the wrist on his knife, pulling it forward so the momentum of the strike will move him behind her. She snaps out a quick kick to his knee as she spin around to face him, backing away to give them more distance, enough time to deliver a light critique. ]

When your opponent has speed like mine, you can't try to outrace her. That will demand you expel a greater effort, and hence you will tire more quickly. If you're expended and your opponent isn't, you're dead.

Don't simply fight hard, Grey. Fight smart.

[ Good. Finally. Grey’s smile is quick and satisfied and as brief on his face as a blink. He doesn’t want Kanaya to just defend. He wants her to fight, because it’s the only way he can see what she does.

When she connects, it’s clear that he’s used to this. He leans into the shifting momentum instead of pulling away, and follows her kick through. He feels one leg being taken and automatically shifts his weight to the other one. The one she’d kicked goes down to touch the floor, stinging like it’s been whipped, but his balance is retained. His captured hand drops the knife, and Grey’s other one catches it, before slicing with it towards her ankle – neatly, directly and exactly towards the Achilles tendon.

Her words are taken in, understood and filed away, but not answered. Not yet; his focus is on the fight. With his stinging legs, he aims to sweep at her, and while pulling with the arm she’s holding at the same time. If she’s going to hold him, he’s going to try bringing her down. ]

[ She feels her foot go out, and how could she not? She can take any damage, but that doesn't cut out the pain, and a severed Achilles tendon is a sharp, persistent sting. She knows she's going down, and much as she could stall it, when he's putting so much work into ensuring it, it's smarter to make sure her fall is in her own control.

She lets his arm go, letting his pull go where it will, and drops on her hand. Her good leg still propping her up while the injured one draws inward. It might be good for a kick later, much as that risks exacerbating the damage. The damage won't last anyway.

He wants her to go on offense, that's just what she'll do. When the fight is with someone who knows what he's doing, that means improvising, taking the openings available, like the one just now coming her way. When his sweep comes in, she darts her free hand out to grab the ankle, as one might catch a snake. She gives it a good pull, hoping the rest of him will come with it, and twists around to follow the motion.

It turns to a roll, putting her back on her foot, but just the one holding all her weight. The other tucks in, barely touching the ground, her breath flaring through her nostrils as she tries to shut out the pain. ]