Marvel: 2011-08-26 - Spider Trouble

Just at the tail end of rush hour and the day's over for most of New York city. The commuters are all gone from the city, the streets are still crowded but nowhere near as much as they are at five, and for once the city seems in repose. Sure there are the occasional distant honks of car horns, or the rare siren, but for now the city that never sleeps is at least dozing. The skyline is growing darker as the sun sets distantly, and the low-hanging clouds lend something almost eerie to the features of those great sky-scrapers.

To most people it's time to sit down for dinner. For your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, it's time to get moving. He's barely seen, barely visibly against the side of a skyscraper. Just a flicker of red and blue darting across the sky in mid-leap. He twists smoothly, lithe form uncurling as he moves, dropping back towards the earth as his smooth arc is grasped upon by gravity once again. Then an arm shoots out, a webline fires with a /thwip/ and he converts that fall into a smoooooth swinging arc that gives him a boost of speed. Yet even as he defies reality with this simple movement, his thoughts are elsewhere.

. o O ( Let's see, gotta get those photos developed. People magazine for Aunt May, and some bread. Gotta pop in and see what the homework for the chemlab is, oh and then fight crime. Oy, busy day. )

C.A.T. has a show tomorrow night, but not tonight...as her other persona. Right now though, she is on S.H.I.E.L.D. business, may Nick Fury burn in hell. She has added a new touch to her uniform. One is the fact she is wearing a red wig instead of a blonde wig. Oh boy, will Spider-Woman try and murder her? She also wears a Spider symbol across her chest. She feels...like a fraud. She is going to murder Fury! She fell asleep half way through the lecture, but something about not having Captain America or enough full-time talented individuals to work as Special Operatives for unique missions. So he has to use Case Specialists otherwise known as Freelance work. However, few heroes offer to do Freelance work and those are most of the trained powered individuals that are perfect for these oh-so-wonderful-melt-in-your-mouth-like-M&Ms missions.

So here C.A.T. is, to recruit Spider-Man without him any the wiser. She feels sick to her stomach. She eyes the special grappling hook that S.H.I.E.L.D. provided her, her stomach doing one very nasty tumble inside her. "Rrrrright." Deep breath, deep breath, don't panic! Yet...wait till she is about to die, right?

Still, the message over the comlink comes through her earpiece, "Spider-Man is enroute, he has not broken his schedule." Silly friendly neighborhood Spider, this is what you get for being predictable. She would lecture the young man, if she didn't feel half frozen with terror.

Still, she holds out the grappling hook, or rather her arm. That is when it noticable when the light flashes off her armbands that they are attacked to her wrists and wrap about the palms of her hands. The metal device with the right pressure moment that she trained for extensively these past two weeks causes the powerful grappling hook to jet out and grapple the side of a building. She then jumps!

...oO( Oh gawd, I'm going to die! ) Course, this is all in Russian in her head. Out loud she screams in English without any real locale accent, "Dear gawd, what am I thinking?!" And then she screams! The scream, very much real, because honestly, even without the fact her precognition is going off like crazy to the point that C.A.T. is about to faint from terror, she is honestly very terrified. Sure, she's a thrill-seeker, but she tries not to do stupid stuff like this.

Her other wrist launches itself out, and the grappling hook from it extends toward the next tall building as she tries not to throw up. ...oO( Please hook! Please hook! ) If C.A.T. had any less self-control, all her sensuality would be out the window right now and she would have to worry about washing her pants. She really hates Nick Fury right now. Really, really hates Nick Fury right now. Bastard. How dare he challenge her and double dog dare her!

The moment the young woman leaps off the side of the building there's something that buzzes in the young man's brain. His head snaps around to the side, even as he's in mid swing. The next webline is forgotten for an instant and he seemingly floats in the air... slowly drifting, then dropping down. His gaze snaps one direction, then another, and for his efforts he's gifted with catching sight of the hurtling form of C.A.T. making her way between buildings with her grapple line.

Suddenly, with a new purpose, Spidey's course is abruptly altered. As he falls he thrusts out one arm, the webline /THWIPS!/ from his wrist as it snags a low-hanging flagpole off the side of a building. His momentum is abruptly grabbed, twisted, and with the help of the webline shifted to send him flying in her direction.

For her she perhaps doesn't catch sight of him, perhaps all thought of the wallcrawler is forgotten the moment the whole terror and threat of dying started to crop up. She probably doesn't notice him build up speed faster and faster, weblines firing at an amazing rate. Doesn't seem him let go of the last webline, dashing along the side of a skyscraper as he leaps, _dives_, then abruptly tackles her in mid-air. At first it's a little rough as he catches her, then they're both falling together, face to face, him with his arms around her waist and those mirrored lenses in his mask reflecting her image back to her.

"Uh, hi." He offers her even as the plummet down... down down, and then the webline catches and instead of falling... they're flying.

Finally, C.A.T. is silenced! The air is knocked right out of her when she is tackled by Spider-Man, the pressure leaving her palm and thus causing the grapple lines to retract. She stares blankly at first as her expression of pure horror is reflected back at her, and she then lets out one hell of a scream yet again and CLINGS to you. Yes, clings, in complete and utter panic, good thing you have that extra endurance, right? Cause a normal human would be in pain right now from how she is grappling you. When she takes another deep breath to scream again, she seems to figure out you have her nice and save and...right, flying on web lines. "Oh gawd, I just did something insanely stupid, didn't I?" No accent to her English again, but her voice sounds a bit raw - likely from all the screaming. Poor C.A.T.

The red-haired young woman makes a whimpering sound as she doesn't dare loosen her grip on you. "Can I cry now? I really want to cry now...how do you do this everyday?"

If she can read his expression through his mask, she might be able to tell that he's scrunching up one eye as he's trying to endure that scream, and then the other. Somehow he manages to keep focus and keep them moving, using one arm to hold her to him even as he releases the webline, then fires another with the other. They make their way slowly down from the heights of the skyscrapers, taking it easy yet not wasting time.

"Well, I try not to call people stupid unless they, you know, deserve it. But to be honest I'm kinda close here." She can catch a hint of a smile in his words that might rob them of some of their sting, even as he brings them around slowly in a graceful arc thanks to the top of a watertower. It's down they travel, until he lets go of the last webline, dropping with a light thap-thap of booted feet upon an apartment building's rooftop. He holds her for a time, making sure she has her legs before letting go. It's curious, he's fairly warm, perhaps warmer than a normal person. Also he has a subtle scent of leather, steel, and sweat.

"And hey, feel free to cry. I mean I do all the time, why do you think I wear the mask?" And then he eases her back so he can look her in the eyes, just making sure her pupils aren't dilated of course.

All the good smells without the nasty gun powder. Reminds her of someone...oh...yes, let's not think of Captain America right now. Anyway, he's baaaad news, he's a goodie goodie and tried to arrest her! Oh wait, she gets to toy with him at Fury's command. Awwww, crap. C.A.T. gets her mind back on track, and reluctantly lets go of you. She's shaking a bit, and reaches up to make sure her very plain half mask - rather than ther traditional cat one - is still securely in place. Amazingly, it is. C.A.T.'s eyes look fine, she's just a little sweaty from the bad scare, and...yes, she's wearing a Spidey symbol on her chest, the red spider and blue webbing blazing across her black clad chest. "Ummm...well, you see, I wanted to be a hero like you, and...I got this bright, bright idea!" She shows the devices on her wrists. "I practiced and practiced on operating them, but...the real thing...," she swallows. Part of it is lies because who wants to be a sucidial hero anyway?! But the rest is not. "Sorry," she ends in a very weak whisper.

"Yeah, umm," Spider-Man rests his hands on his hips as he looks at her. It's strange to her perhaps, but up close Spidey's only a few inches taller than her. And he's thin, sure he's got the build of a gymnast or a swimmer, with precisely defined musculature beneath the skin-tight uniform. But he's not what you'd call the stereotypical image of a hero. "Well, that's kind of flattering. In a way." Spider-Man offers that at least as he tilts his head to the side, considering her askance.

He takes a step back and moves around her, as if trying to get a better angle. Then, without warning, he casually flips backwards and lands light upon an industrial air-conditioner. He balances upon one hand there, other arm and legs parted wide and helping him balance, then he smoothly scissors his legs to drop into a seated person on the balls of his feet. "And it's nice that you want to help people. But I'd probably recommend starting small. There are plenty of homeless shelters that need people, kids that could use a big brother or big sister." He rests his hands upon his knees, then gestures to her, "Jumping off the deep end though here, literally, is prolllly not the best of ideas at first. Gotta work up slow."

Oddly enough, C.A.T. didn't even budge, just blinked at your sudden movement. She didn't sense any threat from you, and perhaps more than she should be, is dependent on her mutant powers. "But...the bad guys! I want to stop them!" She pouts at that. Not really, but her displeased expression helps. She really rather not get involved in this, but Nick Fury says Spider-Man can keep her alive. She's looking at the young man and is debating Fury's words, but he did just carry her now as if she weighed nothing, and his reaction time and dexterity? It is very high, superhuman perhaps, unless he is insanely trained. Fury didn't think he was highly trained. She wonders though...call her paranoid.

"Can...you teach me how to use them?" They are very high tech gadgets, something even Spider-Man would have to admire. "To fly like you fly? Well, maybe not exactly, but close maybe?" She almost sounds hopeful, in reality she's like...oO( Please say no and tell me to go to hell! ) Yet, she doesn't look forward to seeing Fury if she fails...ugh. "I can be helpful! I'm a proficient fighter!" She just doesn't like to fight, grrrrr....why is she always fighting?! Well, not really, she runs away most of the time, but she's really diving into this fight.

"Look, kiddo..." Then he stops, "What should I call you? Ya know what, nevermind." He holds up his hands as if to fend off any further words. "This isn't something you should be doing for, you know, a lark. It's something that... well it's sort of like a calling I suppose." He shifts his weight to the other booted foot, one knee lifting to give him a place to lean.

Spider-Man cocks his head sidelong at her and then uncurls a hand. "I was given these powers and all, and at first I tried to use them selfishly. I paid a price for that, so now I try to do the right thing and help people. You can still help people, just... not by jumping off buildings." Then he waits the space of a heartbeat, "And not to be a jerk but I think I've had my lifetime's allotment of hot gal partners in tight clothes. I'm strictly a solo act these days."

C.A.T. grits her teeth. Damn him! But she then smiles, though it appears a touch forced. "Look, I know all that." Why you think she doesn't really want to do it? "Well, I mean, I don't know about the price you paid. I never really had anything to lose other than my life," and that's ironically the truth there. "And I don't need to be your partner! Just, short-term, a little helping hand? Wait, what if I prove to you I can handle myself? Will you teach me?" And so she can lead you on wild goose chases and work for SHIELD without realizing it? Of course you want to! Oh yes you do! C.A.T. tries to ignore the sarcastic baby talk in her own head. Yes, she's a little crazy.

C.A.T. takes a position of self-defense, "Attack me, and let's see what happens. If I go down too easy, we call it quits. If I manage to hold my own or at least prove myself able to handle myself, you give me a handful of lessons. No major committment, we don't have to like, get married. Depending how cute you are beneath the mask, make-out sessions are a possibility, but only if I'm bored," she quips.

"Nah, because of my mutation I'm pretty hideous under the mask actually, sorry to tell you. Mandibles, six eyes, ovipositor, the works." The young vigilante's features shift a bit as he considers her, looking across the way. It's hard to get a read on him what with the mask and the mirrored-lenses, but he offers her a small heaved sigh as he stands up smoothly in that too graceful way of his. A casual hop is taken as he flows off of the industrial air-conditioner and takes up a position in front of her. He bounces lightly upon the balls of his feet as he brings his hands up in an almost Bruce Lee-like stance.

For a time he considers her, gauges her balance, the way she holds herself, perhaps how aggressive her manner is. Then he gives her a nod, "Alright. Ready? On the count of three we start." He takes a step back, almost looking like a shaolin master as he strikes a pose. "1. 2." And then on two from one of his hands fires a steady stream of webbing right at her upper arms and feets. Totally cheating.

"Damn, sucks to be you Spider-Man," and that is said so dead-panned. It's...just wrong! She is non-aggressive, purely on the defense. She watches you, and then says dryly, "You have got to be kidding...," and then you shoot the webbing and she is already moving. The action appears instictive, and she twists into the air and to her right, dodging most of it. When the stuff hits the air conditioner unit behind her and splatters is when she catches some of it on her calf, and causes her to go down hard. But she catches herself with a grunt, and you likely wouldn't notice her palming the knife. But she pauses right before revealing she has a knife in her hand to cut herself free. Crap...how does Spider-Man feel about sharp and pointy objects? The pause is what makes her lose, as when she looks back up at Spider-Man...wait a second! "Shit." He's already gone.

And there, off in the distance, is the swinging silhouette of everyone's friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Maybe, just maybe if she looks hard enough she might see him waving over one shoulder as he departs, leaving her to her own devices... for now.

-

Self-Defense Studio - New York City

-

Oooh, C.A.T. didn't hear the end of it! She got sent a new task, and she pales at it. She now knows a superheroes secret ID, and Fury gives her this 'look' of...sell it and die. Yep, totally not selling this information. She doesn't deal in information with heroes anyway! One of her new 'rules' after running into Black Panther while on a job...where he ended up her enemy. Not fun. Though she still made a profit, but she has a feeling it was only because Black Panther didn't want the bad publicity, and wanted her on his good side.

So here she is, Kitty McGee, what a name! She has no mentorship abilities, and she is going to have to really act it up! She is currently in an empty studio that has been turned into a sort of self-defense dojo. She wears a snug workout outfit, has her red wig secure fastened, and an added fake tattoo - that looks very real - of a Spider-Man symbol on her inner left wrist. A bit too open? But yet another good reason for the story not to be published on JJJ's time, she is a Spider-Man supporter!

Kitty sits in a meditation stance upon a pillow at the 'front part' as the say, of the room. Behind her hangs a number of throwing weapons and some bo staffs mostly....all meant to be 'safely' used in sparring supposedly. They still hurt like hell. She takes a deep, steadying breathe. She can do this, she isn't just going to bomb on a job. She's a professional.

The time of the interview and photo session was scheduled to be at half past noon that Thursday. A time when people are taking their lunch breaks and between sessions or classes. Perhaps it was chosen so as to not interfere with any of Miss Kitty's non-existant classes, or perhaps it was just convenient. Whatever it is, it's now 12:45 and still no sign of the Daily Bugle people.

It was only an hour ago that poor Peter Parker was heading out when Ronnie stopped by his cubicle and said, "Hey Pete. Do you mind if I just give you my tape recorder and a list of questions? I got this thing I need to go to and really this is just a fluff piece. Don't worry, I'll put my usual magic on it." And then Ronnie flashed him her most winning smile, and really... he couldn't say no. So there was young Mr. Parker with tape recorder in his backpack, and time to kill as he made his way to the address of this martial arts studio.

When suddenly...

It was a small apartment fire. Well, not that small. A few elderly folk were grateful that Spider-Man showed up and was able to whisk them out of their windows and down into the waiting arms of the fire department. And hey, at least this time the police didn't shoot at him. But now, he's late.

So when it's through the front door that the young Mr. Parker bursts through, almost at a run... well he has an explanation. And not one he can share, unfortunately.

When she looks up from her place of meditation she'll see this somewhat awkward looking disshevelled young man with brown hair and brown eyes. He's sweaty, standing on the edge of her dojo. And he's still wearing his shoes, gasp!

"Hi, Peter Parker, Daily Bugle. Sorry I'm late."

Honestly, if Kitty was being her true self, she would just point and laugh. She's too carefree to take it all personally. But Kitty McGee? She went in without a real personality in place with her and it caused awkwardness, so she created one within Fury's guidelines. As Kitty, she frowns, "Your shoes," her tone a little on the cool side, and professional sounding. She moves smoothly to her feet, getting off of the pillow. She then sighs, "I suppose one cannot help it if they don't know. So I'll just teach you. It is polite when stepping into a dojo to remove your shoes before stepping onto the mat. Please do so. And it is fine if you have holes in your socks, I won't laugh...much," her lips twitching a bit at that. "You seem the type that would have hole in his socks."

"Oh, umm, sorry!" Peter Parker steps back out of the room as much as possible as he turns away from her and kneels. He unlaces his sneakers one a at a time, and smoothly sliding his socks off to stuff them into his shoes out of sight. She'll just have to live with never knowing if he has holes in his socks! But then he regains his feet, turning back towards her. If she truly was a student of the human body she might be able to tell that his cumbersome movements, his elaborate feigned attempts at awkwardness are all a ruse. He's practiced it enough at least so most people wouldn't notice.

So when Peter Parker turns back to her and smiles as he steps out onto the mats towards her, one hand extending in her direction as he walks to greet her. "Sorry about that again, I should have known. My name's Peter Parker, I'm a photographer with the Daily Bugle. Are you Ms. McGee?" He asks even as he adjusts the hang of his backpack upon his shoulder.

"Yes, and you are late." But Kitty does shake your hand, her grip firm and confident. "I cancelled my afternoon class so we can complete the interview. I did not know when you would show up." She lets you know that you have inconvienced her, but that she also finds the interview important. Shall we get started?" She pauses a moment, an eyebrow raised, "Demostrations first, or questions first, or together? I'm really not sure on the format of the interview you wish to do, and honestly, I've never given one before."

"Well," Peter's own handshake is rather firm, but not aggressive, more like he allows it to happen and doesn't push. Those dark brown eyes of his meet her gaze as he takes a step back, unshouldering his backpack as he speaks. "I was thinking I could take a few establishing shots if you like, a few poses if you want, or the like. Then I can set the camera and run some demonstration shots and video. Afterwards I'll ask the questions. How's that work?"

From that backpack he produces a small leather case for an elaborate digital camera. He undoes the clasps and the buckles, then begins to set it up, flipping through its user interface and choosing the options that he'll need for the lighting in here.

For an instant, she might catch him stealing a glance at her... or another glimpse. It could be just how one man looks upon a beautiful woman, or it could be something about her seems... familiar.

She isn't Katrinka, it is only as Katrinka that C.A.T. is not shy of cameras and video footage. It takes everything in her to not cause trouble. Instead she nods firmly, "That works just fine." She waits until you are ready before she starts to move. Each of her moves are defensive, waiting for an attack to come forward to her rather than aggressive. She uses a blend of a couple basic martial arts, and kick boxing. It is certainly a blend of the different arts. As she moves, she keeps control of her body, her movements well-practiced and graceful between the shots. And you may notice the strange small tattoo on the inside of her left wrist in a few of the moves. The video...will be done a little differently.

During this time Kitty says nothing unless asked something. She concentrates on what she is doing, and appears to take this photo shoot very seriously. She hides her nervousness. She is without a mask, even with the red wig...she potentially could be recognized at Katrinka. It is also why she needed a new identity for this heroic figure, far different from her own flighty, goofy one; one that is quicker with a jest, than with violence. Though she thinks you might have responded better to her true self, she cannot risk betraying Katrinka. Katrinka moves completely differently than Kitty, who moves without the sensualism and with a professionalism...she can easily explain not having this previously because of her scare. She also has very light make-up on, but expertly applied to make her appear 'different' than she would without it, or even with her stage make-up. Thank you SHIELD for your efforts to protect her identity!

As for Peter Parker, he's completely professional about it. He times his shots at suitably dramatic moments when she's striking out, uncoiling. A short of her kicking is captured, then one of her stern features as she makes a block against an invisible attack. His eyes narrow for an instant as he catches sight of the tattoo, but he makes no comment of it. For now at least. Instead he moves around her while she strikes, shifts, takes stance. At times he's on bended knee getting an angle from below her. At times he's behind and to the side of her, trying to capture a suitable action shot.

It's after perhaps ten minutes, fifteen or so that he holds up a hand and smiles. "I think we have a few good ones here, thanks. You wanted to do a demonstration?"

"It is easier if there is someone attacking, but I had expected there to be two people. Unless you can set it on a stand to auto-record?" Kitty frowns slightly, "I would not harm you," and she appears thoughtful, as if trying to figure out some details. "If you are unable, then I'll have to figure out another way...it won't be nearly as impressive, as my fighting style is primarily retroactive." She then smirks a bit, a hint of humor revealing itself, "But even if I do decide to be a little rough, it is non-lethal. I do not teach, nor practice lethal martial arts. A life is not something so easily replaced," and there is a seriousness in her tone beneath the humor. This is a philosophy she does honestly believe, she will not use lethal unless there is absolutely no other way.

There's a flash of his humor, and for a moment she might be reminded of the man with the mask as he says, "So you want me to be your training dummy. I can do that." Peter Parker steps back somewhat and walks across the room, setting up a small tri-pod that folds from the camera. He places the camera on a suitable shelf some distance away and keys it on record and leaves it. It has enough to record several hours, so it should be good.

Having done that, Peter turns and walks back out onto the mats towards her, his bare feet making the fabric of the mats crunch underfoot softly. He stands opposite her and smiles, "And don't worry, I can handle a little roughness. I'm not fragile." The young man's smile is light, disarming, and open. He spreads his hands open to her, "What should I do?"

Kitty stares for a moment and has to slowly shake her head. "Sorry, I think I need a drink of water real quickly. For a moment there, I thought you looked cute when you smiled like that." She goes to pick up a bottle of water on a bench nearby and takes some drinks from it as she then eyes you. When she is finished, she returns. "All you have to do is try and attack me. Any which way, I'm not picky. I have confidence I can go with the flow." She then takes the same defensive position that you saw the wanna-be Spider-Girl take a couple days previously. There is a bit of snark in the lady yet, but it is subdued with a layer of professionalism. Why though?

"Ah, I see the first step is to get your opponent off balance with compliments about their smile. I don't think that'll always work in the street though," He says this lightly, amused as he watches her walk off to get the water. When she comes back Peter meets her gaze and watches her take that stance.

She might be able to detect his eyes narrowing slightly, a measure of wariness entering the subtle shift of his body language. He most likely knows now, recognizes. The same voice, the same stance, the same body type. Nice body type that. Were she privy to his thoughts she might hear him growling at himself about his darned Parker luck. Best to be careful here, just in case. All of that's scene at most in a sliver of a second, then gone just as quickly.

He brings up his fists, a standard boxer's stance as he looks across the way at her. He gives her a nod, "Alright, here goes." And as he says that he steps towards her, throwing a left, a right, a left. Typical fare to see what she'll do.

"Oh yes, I love flirting with the toothless ones," her tone dry. "The ones with the bad breath? Their the best, gives me goosebumps." Yes, the same non-accented generally accepted a-typical American way of talking (though a Southern would call it Northern at least). Kitty doesn't even blink when you go to attack, she just responds. Her reflexes are good, and she raises an arm, bracing it to accept the attack even as she lowers her center of balance and kicks out a leg to hook behind your own to trip you backward. To suppliment this, her free hand jerks out in a palm strike to the chest area to help push you back. It's done fluidently and would be more than shaming if you were a bully attempting to hurt her.

A chuckle comes from him as he lifts a hand towards her as he says, "Alright, but remember the Daily Bugle isn't some mom and pop quarterly, you gotta really impress people." As he's speaking he's sitting up, moving forwards and getting to his knees. He reaches up to the collar of his overshirt and starts to pull it off now over his head, since well... he figures he's going to start sweating before he's finished here. As he does so she might catch a glimpse of his t-shirt riding up, giving a faint flash of what can only be considered a powerfully developed six pack of abdominals, another hint that she has the right guy at least, if there was any doubt.

Once that shirt is tossed over towards his camera, he doesn't hesitate. He tries to perhaps take her by surprise by twisting forwards and uncoiling with a sweeping low kick aiming to take her legs out from under her. His foot traces a low arc over the mats, toe barely scraping.

Yummy! He may not be muscled and built like Steve Rogers, but...yummy! Wait! Mission, no checking out guys! Well, not that she would really mind a make-out session with...whao! Bad time to be distracted! It is only her precognition that saves her yet again. The red-headed Kitty leaps easily into the air and twists about, her leg thrusting toward your, and then you see her tug her leg in and keep spinning, landing a bit harder than she normally would...she almost kicked you in the head, so you can tell you took her by surprise. She still protected you in the end, and instead flows into another move.

This move, Kitty goes from her landed position and braces her arms as she kicks out with both feet toward your stomach. The amount of power she can put into a kick like this is impressive, but she restrains it to only kick you firmly before using the impact to pull back and roll over her head and back to her feet, spinning about to face you. Good recovery in an abondoned move.

To him it might seem like an eternity as he finishes his movement, then slowly rises up and waits for her to complete her twisting turn. He's aware of her supple form turning, it seems to take an age as her leg drifts past and then back. Then she's landing, planting her hands, and uncoiling with that mulekick straight for him. He holds on... holds on, then _whumpf_ lets the kick land in the center of his chest, rocking him back to once again land upon the mats with a whumpf!

Though this time he uses that momentum, allows himself to turn and move with the impact of her strike. He twists across the mats, forcing himself away and to his feet. He's back up and ready within moments, and this time he smiles across the way at her, open and amused. For a moment he bounces on the balls of his feet, then steps forwards again this time firing a straight kick at her abdomen, gauging how she'll react to that.

Kitty realizes that you are taking her more seriously now, and she can't hold back...her training kicks in...and she only has her sub-conscious to hold her back from going full-out. Again her arm comes up and she steps toward the side and in your guard. Your foot jets past her as she side-steps, and her forearms moves to push the side of your leg aside to set you off-balance as she steps forward. Her free hand moves toward your throat, and halts right before it strikes, "It would drop you choking," she says with surprising firmness. "However, as long as the power of the strike is controlled, it is non-lethal."

That causes his brow to quirk, curiousity flickering in those brown eyes of his as he meets her gaze. His smile is wry, amused for an instant, yet then there's a measure of determination. Peter's lips part, moistened for a moment by a quick brush of the tip of his tongue. She's close enough she can feel that he's much warmer than one would expect, again matching that moment she was close to Spider-Man. He takes a breath and then without warning circles his forearm to clear her strike towards his throat to knock it out of the way, even as he steps in towards her with his shoulder. He seeks to plant it there in her chest as he reaches and attempts what could be considered a judo throw... if it was more graceful.

Kitty oddly enough does not fight it, rather just leaning back so not to take the full impact to her chest, though there is a soft grunt when it connects. She then twists her body to go with the throw, actually throwing herself into the throw so that rather than landing in an awkward position, she can land on her feet. Crouching, she makes a short, power-kick with one leg toward your calf, and she isn't holding back nearly as much.

When she uncoils with that short sharp kick to the back of his leg she can catch the flicker of pain race over his features as his leg goes out from under him. She can feel the jolt of the impact race up her leg, can feel hammerblow to flesh and bone and the crumple of the mat's fabric as he goes down to one knee in front of her. He's forced to stop his fall forwards with one hand, and he's able to, but it puts him at a disadvantage on one knee with his back partially to her. It's a window of opportunity, but probably enough for someone with her training.

Kitty draws in a sharp breath. Gawd, it felt like kicking Crossbones! No, it felt worse than kicking Crossbones! She then moves quickly when she sees what has happened. She swiftly stands and raises a leg to bring it down in a downward 'chop' motion toward your back, but she pauses before the potentially powerful impact to bend her knee and plant the flat of her foot on your back. "Smell my foot." And she says this with such a straight face before she finally smirks slightly.

It takes him a moment to recover, and he turns around... perhaps with exaggerated slowness (definitely so for him, considering) and he faces her with her foot held at eye level. He cocks an eyebrow at her foot, then lifts his gaze up at her, expression bemused despite the small twinge of pain in his leg. "Oh so is this part of your training, attempts at intimidation in the middle of a fracas?"

She might be about to answer him as his smile can be oh so charming and disarming. But then he tries to take advantage of her cockiness by reaching up with one arm grabbing at her ankle, the other trying to press into the side of her knee as he tries to twist and take her down to the mats where he can seize the superior position.

And Kitty? Oh, she lets Peter do this! And you can tell she doesn't fight you. She lets herself be twisted and brought down on her back onto the mat, but at the last moment, she moves her free leg to move to try and wrap about your head...wait a second, does she watch WWF?! Though this does not mean she is successful, "You know, you can always just ask for a date if you are that interested in me," she quips in. "This rough stuff, I'm going to have to protest against."

There's a smile on his face as he's able to get the grab, the twist, then as he slides forwards on one knee to try and take the stronger position over her. His dark brown eyes meet her gaze as he leans in, all ready to strike a pose of victory over her. He even says, "Makes for good photos, Ms. McGee." And there's that slightly amused tone in his words even as he straightens up...

Only to feel her grab his t-shirt and yank him forwards, lifting one leg up and along the side of his neck and locking her calf against the back of it, her other leg coming up to lock it down and pull him abruptly forwards, her thighs on either side of his throat and able to clench to cut off the flow of blood to his brain or his air supply.

Peter coughs as she's able to seize that chokehold and he says low, "You know... *kaff* action shots."

Kitty suddenly appears thoughtful, "You know, I did hear that sex sales somewhere. And this is perhaps the most sensual attacks I know....I'm just trying to help you out! Wait, you introduced yourself right? I feel like we have had a heart-to-heart, and I should remember your name." She hasn't really loosened her grip yet. "And do you think you have enough video?" And she reaches out to ruffle your hair...oh my gawd...she ruffled your hair! She then releases the grip before any real damage could ever be obtained. "Thank you," she then says, with a soft smile on her lips.

A few more coughs come from him as she torments him so meanly in that choking grasp. He lightly taps on the side of her thigh twice to let her know that he'd like to, you know, breathe again. And thankfully she lets go. He starts to get up, smiling as he extends a hand to her to offer her help up as well even as he answers, "Thanks for what? And sure, that was great, you're no slouch Ms. McGee."

Should she accept the offer to help up she'll feel his hands are very warm, and there's the faintest sheen of sweat upon his brow, a small beadlet along the curve of his neck as he meets her gaze. Then he turns to walk back over towards the camera and turn it off, pausing to click a few keys and make it save the video. He turns back to her and walks across the way, "Can begin the interview if you like, I have the questions and a recorder. I'm like, mainly just a photographer, so feel free to ramble or tell stories if you like. Or heck just the facts if you want."

Kitty accepts your hand and is soon brought to her feet. She watches you carefully, a thin sheen of sweat to her own skin, her work out clothes feeling a little damp. It was a good workout though, she enjoyed it surprisingly enough. She didn't get her ass handed to her like when she fought Black Widow...then again Peter was being nice! She still wonders if that little sleeping gas gernade did any good against Black Widow. Ah well. She may never know.

She waits till she is back on her feet before answering, "For a good match. It was fun." And thanks for going easy on her, but she isn't about to voice that one!

"Well we at the Bugle aim to please," He smiles at her sidelong as he flicks on the small switch that signals starts the recorder recording. He places the small electronic device to hang off his t-shirt pocket and then pulls out a sheet of paper with some text printed upon it. He then looks around, "Is there somewhere we should go or did you just want to do it right here?" He asks her even as he considers where else they might go, heck they might just end up sitting down on the mats again.

Kitty moves to sit cross-legged on a pillow and motions to one beside her. And she can't restrain herself this time. Her powers distrupt the recorder so her voice cannot be recorded. To your knowledge, it's on, but in reality it is not picking up any sound. "Please, have a seat," she says with that professional coolness from earlier, but with a hint of gentleness that wasn't there before. "Would you like any water?"

"I'm fine, thanks." He smiles easily enough as he takes up a seat beside her. A forearm is brushed over his lip, getting rid of some of that sweat. Peter turns to look at her and says, "Alright, if these questions are not good, I totally didn't write them." That caveat having been said he shakes the paper out and then asks her, "If you would please, what's your full name, age, and place of birth?"

And as she answers he goes on to ask more questions. The next one being.


 * 1) 2. How long have you been training in martial arts?


 * 1) 3. Why did you start training?


 * 1) 4. What made you decide to become an instructor?


 * 1) 5. Have you had to use your training in a real life situation?


 * 1) 6. What are the primary benefits from your training?


 * 1) 7. Do you have a particularly favorite technique or style?

And they go on from there...

Kitty listens to each in turn, answering them thoughtfully. "Kitty McGee, and I was born in Phoenix. I have been training since I was very young," deciding to keep to the truth, or close to it as she can. "I was taken in by my mentor, and taught how to protect myself from others that would wish me harm." She smiles then at the next question, "I was badly bullied, and some people tried to hurt me badly," yes, enemy countries do like to kill spies, especially during the Cold War. "I decided to become an instructor to help people in similar situations, those struggling to stand up for themselves, to stop abuse, bullying, and so on. Some people are pushed so hard when they are non-aggressive individuals normally, until they snap. My training is to prevent that. If push comes to shoove, they have non-lethal ways to protect themselves."

Kitty falls thoughtful at the next question, "Yes. They have saved my life before. However, I rather not go into details," she admits. "And as stated earlier, it gives people a way to protect themselves without a high risk of killing the other person or doing terrible damage that can never heal. I think that's important, as life is precious." She then chuckles, "As for style, it varies. I have been trained in a variety of martial arts and kick boxing, and borrow from them all openly, not showing a lot of favortism."

Smiling in return, Peter nods and listens to her answers, allowing the recorder take it all down... though not really. He tilts his head at certain points and she might see little spikes of curiousity flicker in those brown eyes, but he doesn't pursue them for his own purposes. As she goes on he hms to himself, and asks a few more follow up questions, as well as the rest of the queries on the sheet. They're mainly about how she feels she can benefit people, what her goal is, why she opened the school, things along those lines until finally he exhauses the sheet of questions.

"That should be about it, Ms. Haywood will probably ask me some questions of what I thought about you to get my angle on things and to try and make it seem like she, you know, actually made it here. But I think it'll be a good article. Some of those pictures turned out well." Little does he know that the article won't see the light of day. He's blissfully unaware as he starts to put the camera away into his backpack.

Those photos worry her though, and trusting in SHIELD is not an easy thing. Kitty smiles, "Thank you very much for such consideration, even if Ms. Haywood did not provide it herself." She moves to stand up from her meditation pillow. "This means a lot to me."

Pete plants one foot and lifts himself up fully, wincing a little at the small twinge in his calf from where the side of her foot connected not too long ago. He turns to meet her gaze and smiles lightly enough, "Yeah it was pretty great. I haven't really wrestled with anyone in a dog's age." Which is technically true, he didn't say fight, just said wrestled. As he says this he's stuffing things back into his backpack and getting his camera squared away.

"I always like to end interviews with a question for the interviewee though, since I always figure it's so rude for us to go on and on and dig and dig then not return the favor. Do you have any questions you'd like to ask me?"

"Mmmmms, sounds like you need a more interesting lady in your life," she says with a half smile and a vague shrug. Kitty then blinks at your offer. "I suppose...where did you learn to fight? I felt like you were holding back, and had a lot of potential. So I admit, I'm curious." It is a very much 'dojo owner' thing to ask thankfully, so she doesn't feel like she is breaking any unspoken rules.

"I don't know, interesting ladies tend to be high maintenance." He says this with a straight face, perhaps teasing her back or, heaven forfend, flirting right back. Then he answers her next question "Oh, you know, high school." Peter smiles lightly even as he... kinda fibs but not really fibs. He swings the backpack over his shoulder and stands in front of her easily enough, hands sliding into his pockets. "Got tired of getting bopped around so I went out for the wrestling team, they didn't have many guys my height and weight."

"Oh...," and honestly, Kitty looks doubtful, but unsure. Since she has never gone to school, she really can't call you a fibber! Let alone, American school. She really was picked up off the street as a kid, just by the Russian police, and later the Russian co-ops. "Well, I'm going to go ahead and close up the dojo for now. Thanks for answering my question. I have some...things to do tonight," and she smiles, "So sadly, I can't really linger." She gets to dress up as a Spider-Man fangirl, and go beat up bad guys. Someone...saaaaave heeeerrr!

As she turns to start get ready and lock up the dojo, Peter bites his lower lip. A series of thoughts flicker through his mind and he perhaps tries a different avenue of attack. "Hey, I mean, if it's not sometihng like... hugely important." The young vigilante steps forwards a step, just a single step as he meets her gaze. "I mean, I was going to ask you to dinner tonight. If you'd like to go." Oh how devilish, how manipulative, to try and woo her away from her vigilantism by 'seducing' her, such a wicked thing to do Mr. Parker.

For a moment, Kitty looks reaaaaalllly tempted! But in the end, she just smiles almost sweetly, "Thanks, but I really can't bail. It's a responsibility. Though you are cute and fun to spar with...my life is a little overly full right now." Oh, Magician job, SHIELD agent job, random side-jobs that Fury approves for stealing information on the side, juggling a friendship with Logan, and a what-you-call-it with Steve, and manipulating Captain America....oh, and manipulating you! Yes, dinner is certainly out. She might let her persona slip and really start to flirt your socks off! "And dinner would just be a distraction right now I can't afford." She winces at that, "That really did not come out sounding well," and she looks honestly apologetic.

"No hey, it's no problem." Peter is an expert at accepting rejection, even if his 'heart' wasn't necessarily in it. Though to be fair... she is pretty staggeringly attractive. He smiles again as he takes a step back, "I'll be in touch when the article goes into the paper, just to let you know. Thanks muchly, Ms. McGee." And having said that he turns to start walking back towards the door he came in from.

And if she can pitch it right, Peter might just hear a soft, "Damn...," like she really did regret turning him down...but she doesn't chase after the young man. Instead, Kitty locks up shop and goes to the temporary apartment set-up she has to have a bite to eat, bitch to herself silently about SHIELD, and change into her Spider-Fan-Girl outfit. She wants to cry. No one will ever take her serious again if they found out!